[Open] The Mapo Tofu affair

[showsnopiety]

Who: Everyone! If you can smell it, you can find it!
When: 6/8-610
Where: Hall of Glory Parlour in Caissa
What: Caren found out she can make mapo tofu and is sharing with everyone. Heaven help us all.
Rating: So far none but will change when things happen.





THe Halls of Glory smell a little different today. Instead of the usual fare that the others might know from the weekly menu, there's a different scent. Something that may remind heroes of Airy, Ma Jiang dishes, or maybe, more simply, of home.

This was the result of Caren's cooking and some hunting on her part. And the results may be quite appealing. There are pots of rice, still steaming, and various bowls filled with the result known as mapo tofu. Some of them are spicer then others, and she hasn't seen fit to label which are very spicy, and which are quite mild. The only thing she has labelled, with a rim of green around the bowls, are the vegan variations, for those who can't, or do not, eat meat or meat by products.

Consider it a game of spice roulette. Because there are other bowls as well, with crushed cucumber-hot pepper salad, spicy tofu, and something that has spewed spinach and garlicy noodles within. But hey! You may be able to cool off with one of the pots of tea around the place-or with one of the rare tubs of ice cream of various flavors, kept chilled with an icy spell.

The cutlery and bowls are disposable, and there are trashbags to clean up after yourself. She's not going to do it for you!

But hey. Who can say no to free food?

Comments

Irisviel von Einzbern | OTA

[soulshift]

curry eating

[ Irisviel is a markedly changed woman after trying some of Caren's curry. She's managed to find some paper and a pen, so she's decided to start writing helpful notes to leave beside the various bowls at the table. Caren has made a lot of mapo curry and she feels it to at least give people some warning that it may be terrifying experience. The problem of course, is that each bowl was actually prepared differently so in order to ascertain exactly how bad it was, she had to eat it herself. Which means that she's determined to try every bowl, for the sake of everyone's stomachs. Some of the notes she's written include: ]



[ She looks a little worse for wear at the table she's seated at, with a large cup of tea in her hands. Never mind being the vessel for the Holy Grail, she was by this point a vessel for mapo tofu. As she slowly sips her tea, she sighs heavily. How could curry be so deadly? ]

clean up

[ That was a lot of people! And a lot of food was consumed. Irisviel is helping with the subsequent cleanup. She's tied up her hair, rolled her sleeves and made a start at clearing the plates, bowls, cups and cutlery. There's a lot to do and she could definitely use the help if there were people around.

So far, she's managed to put the plates, cups, bowls and cutlery in their own separate piles in the kitchen, but there was the matter of actually scraping off some of the excess food off the plates and disposing the rubbish. It felt nice, to be doing something like this - because she wondered whether if she were a normal wife and mother, she'd be doing things like this with Illya and her friends. (sans mapo tofu of course). These thoughts translated into her humming a melody rather cheerfully, despite the melancholic tones of the song.

For someone tasked with clean up, she's being surprisingly good natured about it. ]

[hoasen]

[Vietnam would eat everything, but right now, she's a little wary because of these post-it notes. Why would they actually be here? And then she sees someone nearby, looking like they have had one too many of the "Not Even God Can Save Your Stomach".]

Are you...alright? [She asks as she makes her approach.]

[soulshift]

[ She takes another sip of her tea before looking up. ]

Hello.

[ says Irisviel weakly as tries to give her best smile. ]

Are you here for the mapo tofu?

[hoasen]

Well, I did come to investigate what was being served...

[She's no stranger to mapo tofu, however--]

...Did you eat the one that is apparently disastrous?

[soulshift]

I did. The chef is apparently a fan of making it spicy beyond this world.

[ That was an understatement, but for Irisviel with her limited experience of food, that was what it was like. ]

Are you a fan of spices at all? Perhaps you may find it more enjoyable than me, I am not so used to human food.

[hoasen]

Really...? [Okay now she has to give it a taste later, having the power to withstand fiery cooking thanks to the creation of curries. But at the same time...is it Sichuan style. Is it worse than Sichuan style? The Japanese style had often been a little weaker than the original mapo, while the Korean version probably added 500 more spices. It certainly can't be England level of death, because that's not food.]

I can eat anything, usually. So I enjoy spices. But oh? You were not human?

[soulshift]

Yes, I don't quite understand it myself. But being able to eat anything seems lucky...

[ But to address Vietnam's question... ]

But no, I am not human. I'm a construct - a homunculus. Please don't let it bother you, but it means that I'm unaccustomed to some traditions.

[ And with that, she gives a short bow. ]

My name is Irisviel von Einzbern.

[hoasen]

You mean you weren't eating before either?

[And look, she's not human either--actually she should tell her that.] Homunculus, I see... [She never would've thought it possible.] I am not human either, so I think I understand.

[She bows her head politely back--] It is nice to meet you, Irisviel von Einzbern. My name is Vietnam.

[soulshift]

Vietnam? The country?

[ All she knows about Vietnam the country was that it was near Japan and they had lots of noodles. But this was all from a book that Kiritsugu gave her to educate her on the basics of geography. ]

I guess if you are the country that means we're almost in the same boat.

[ She thinks?? She's not one to presume, but she gives a short bow of her own in turn. ]

kerry eating

[hiryugaeshi]

[ Those sure are post-it notes on these bowls of mapo tofu. Not that Kojirou's ever seen mapo tofu. Or very many post-its, for that matter. A Servant's book knowledge is both expansive and really quite useless. ]

"Enjoyable (Won't Kill You)?" That seems like a small contradiction, doesn't it?

[ Where's the fun in ultra-spicy curry that's not at least a minor threat to one's health? D'oh. ]

omg stop

[soulshift]

[ She shakes her head. ]

It was less spicy than some of the other curries I have tasted.

[ Irisviel takes another slow sip of her tea, definitely looking worse for the wear. ]

I'm having trouble seeing how people enjoy it.

THE PUN WAS RIGHT THERE

[hiryugaeshi]

Don't you think food should stay true to their essence? Spicy food should be spicy.

[ He's going to take some of the Beyond God's Help tofu for himself, and takes a bite of it. ]

Hm.

[ A moment of thoughtful chewing, then a slow swallow. ]

But perhaps it's not very useful if I can't feel my lips after taking a few bites.

[soulshift]

I had never had spicy food before, at least... not like this.

[ her expression stays worried as she looks at Kojiro with a worried expression, before looking around and grabbing a cup of tea with her free hand. ]

Would you like something to drink?

[hiryugaeshi]

Something this powerful is rare indeed.

[ But Kojirou's going to keep eating the tofu and rice! Shovelling it into his mouth with a spoon.

chew chew gulp ]

I'm not sure I can taste anything other than pork and fire, but it sounds rude to refuse.

[soulshift]

[ Iri couldn't help but watch with a worried expression on her face as Kojiro ate the food. He seemed to be coping? She things? But speaking of rudeness... ]

Oh! I apologise. We have been talking but I haven't introduced myself - my name is Irisviel von Einzbern.

[hiryugaeshi]

[ If your heart is calm, even fire will seem cool, and Kojirou is nothing if not chill. ]

Is that so? [ bite, chew chew, swallow ] I am Assassin, Sasaki Kojirou. [ Does the class even matter any more? Oh well, adding it is automatic to him at this point. ]

[soulshift]

Ah, a Servant...

[ Another Assassin... so another Servant! Or former Servant, which makes things interesting. She doesn't recognise him, so he must be from somewhere else. Not like she'll let it bother her too much because as far as she was concerned, he seemed like a fairly decent man. ]

Allow me to get that tea for you then, excuse me.

[ She stands up, walks over to a table where the beverages were and comes back with one for Kojiro. ]

[sky_sharkling]

[He's not going to say no to free food, ever. But first there is someone he recognises, looking a little worse for wear]

Irisviel-san? Are you alright? [Akito hasn't noticed the notes on the plates nearby yet]

[soulshift]

Akito-kun...

[ she says weakly as she takes another sip. ]

Did you eat anything yet?

[sky_sharkling]

No, I haven't. I don't usually like spicy food, but I thought I might as well try since I usually eat the same kind of thing all the time at home.

[soulshift]

Umm...

[ Irisviel hesitates. Where to start on this whole mess that was Caren Ortensia's cooking? ]

They are very spicy, Akito-kun. So please be careful if you're not used to spicy food at all.

[sky_sharkling]

Ah...I see. [Well that might be a problem, huh]

...wait have you been...trying them all to label them? [He's just noticed the sticky-notes around. That's kind of amazingly brave, no wonder Irisviel looks unwell if it's as spicy as the notes suggest]

[soulshift]

[ She nods gently. ]

Yes. I was unfortunate and started at the spiciest, apparently. But fear not, if I help someone then... it's worth it.

[sky_sharkling]

...you are brave, Irisviel-san. I don't think I know anyone else who could do that. Are you sure you're alright?

[soulshift]

[ Irisviel nods. Some of the worry that had previously settled on her face has left. ]

I'm fine. Why don't you have something to eat, Akito-kun? I promise there is one you can eat.