1. Agreed. That's what I thought myself, when I read that part about Lyanna making Ned promise. I found it pretty obvious. (But maybe GRRM has us all fooled, who knows?)
2. Haha, the food descriptions are evil sometimes. They make you want to eat things you can't really get a grasp on.

And yay for you reading A Song Of Ice And Fire, too. Let us know what you think of the next book, yes? :)