Completed [The Almond Blossom] Presentation (Solo)

Orin works on his presentation at his relatively new job

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Built into the cliffs overlooking the Suvan Sea, Riverfall resides on the edge of grasslands of Cyphrus where the Bluevein River plunges off the plain and cascades down to the inland sea below. Home of the Akalak, Riverfall is a self-supporting city populated by devoted warriors. [Riverfall Codex]

[The Almond Blossom] Presentation (Solo)

Postby Orin Fenix on August 2nd, 2016, 3:01 pm

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4th of Summer, 516AV

Working at The Almond Blossom was absolutely nothing like working at The Rearing Stallion or the Hospitality House. Everything here was top-notch, and while those other two kitchens had been serviceable, The Almond Blossom was a step above. Then again, Orin wasn’t exactly at the same level he’d been when he’d first started out, either. He’d grown, both as a person and as a chef, and he was no longer content with second best. Orin wasn’t a proud man, but he was confident, and his experience with Rondo in Syliras had taught him that if he didn’t stand up for himself, then he’d just get pushed around. Never again would Orin let that happen. He didn’t tolerate people bullying others, so he saw no more reason to allow people to bully him.

Luckily, conditions at The Almond Blossom were much better in every respect than The Rearing Stallion. Korana Livantar, the owner, died tend to keep a very close eye on what her employees were doing, but at least she wasn’t cruel about it. Rather, she was a perfectionist, a trait that Orin himself could admire, especially in someone who had managed to open and continue to run a widely successful business. Orin himself was a perfectionist when it came to his dishes, so he could appreciate Korana’s zeal. The other chef, Dolmar, was technically Orin’s superior, but he’d been impressed enough by Orin’s skill that he basically let Orin do whatever the human wanted.

It was also funny watching Dolmar interact with Korana. It was clear, to Orin at least, that the Akalak was deeply in love with the Konti. Korana was either completely oblivious or she pretended to be so as not to hurt her business partners feelings. Dolmar definitely took the brunt of the attention from Korana, leaving Orin relatively free from that aspect of the job. It was sad, though that the Konti didn’t seem to have the same depth of love for Dolmar that Dolmar clearly felt for her. It wasn’t his place, but Orin resolved that if he could, he’d encourage romance between he two of them. After all, they seemed to be a perfect match.

Something that Orin was struggling with here at The Almond Blossom was that it was all about appearances here at The Almond Blossom. Back in The Rearing Stallion, no one really cared what the food looked like. Here, the appearance was just as much a part of the meal as the actual taste. The creations that came out of Dolmar’s kitchen were often so pretty that Orin almost couldn’t believe that people at them. He wanted to just look at them for a while, and he was a chef, who appreciated taste first and foremost. So Orin was working to cultivate that particular aspect of the culinary arts.

He’d started with himself, actually. Since it was not uncommon for the cooks here to present meals to important customers, and because the teahouse was far nicer than any other place Orin had ever worked, he had needed to update his wardrobe. So Orin had ended up getting two new outfits as befitting his change in station. They were similar to one another. The shirts had tight fitting sleeves and everything was made of ramie. The only difference between the two was that one was white the other was black, which Orin figured he could mix and match. Orin had a new pair of shoes as well, which were black. A cap and an apron completed the look.

Today he was wearing the black pants and the white shirt. The cloth felt great against his skin. The fabric itself dried quickly and resisted stains, a property that Orin appreciated both in the heat of the summer and in the heat of a kitchen. Besides, even he spilled sometimes, and had residue on his hands, and a stain-resistant outfit was necessary in his line of work.

As Orin strolled through The Almond Blossom, he saw that Dolmar nodded in approval at Orin’s new outfit. The human chef appreciated that. The Akalak had been very clear that Orin’s attire was very important to the overall environment here at The Almond Blossom, and it had taken Orin a few days to find clothes that were appropriate, and then get them fitted. Now, though it all seemed worth it.

Orin weaved his way over to where Dolmar had left his notes on today’s menu. The Akalak was letting Orin start off on the poultry, since they were probably the least complicated and least expensive, but Orin had aspirations to one day move up to the other dishes. He knew that once Dolmar got to know the human chef better, he’d appreciate having the extra skilled hands around for anything that might be needed. For now, though, he was content simply to prove his worth.

Purchases :
Apron (ramie): 5 sm 3 cm
White Shirt (ramie): 1 sm 8 cm
Black Shirt (ramie): 2 sm 7 cm
Black Shoes: 4 sm 5 cm
Trousers (ramie): 14 sm
Black Trousers (ramie): 21 sm
Headwear, cap (ramie): 3 sm 5 cm
2 x Undergarments (ramie): 3 sm 5cm
Total: 55 sm 3 cm
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Orin Fenix
Almost Iron But Actually Master Chef
 
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[The Almond Blossom] Presentation (Solo)

Postby Orin Fenix on August 2nd, 2016, 3:01 pm

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However, Orin was startled to see that today’s fowl was not one he’d ever cooked before. Instead, it was peacock. Orin had never heard of the exotic bird and had no idea what one looked like. While he knew that the Almond Blossom liked to cook the most exotic foods that could be found, and while he was comfortable with his skills, it was always a bit nerve-wracking the first time Orin worked with a new ingredient. It wasn’t that he wasn’t capable of using it. It was just that he didn’t know what its properties were, although he’d grown pretty good at guessing over time. Therefore, it was always a bit of a risk, and Orin didn’t necessarily like those in his life. He was more of a planner, always liking to have his days laid out in advance, and wanting to keep to his schedule and his habits as much as possible.

The side of the dish was some salad, but Orin wasn’t particularly worried about it. Making his way over to his station, where Dolmar had already set aside a full bird for Orin, Orin started going over the ingredients he’d need. The human cook did stop for a minute to admire the beautifully colored feathers that had been left behind, presumably for Orin to find a use for. He figured that they came from the peacock and Orin spared a moment of melancholy at the thought that this majestic creatue was being used to fill people’s bellies. However, he didn’t linger too long on that particular subject, not wanting to appear easily distractible to his new employers, and knowing that feeding people came first, although Orin always made sure his supplies came from as humane a source as possible.

Thankfully, Dolmar had already started for the day, working much longer bells than Orin at Korana’s request, which meant that some of the prep work had already been done. Orin was hopeful that one day he’d be able to relieve some of the work of the Akalak. Pulling out a pan, he darted to the pantry to pull out bacon, an onion, apples, bread, celery and an egg. He also snagged a bottle of the white wine they used for cooking.

After that Orin went to where they stored the herbs and took out garlic, rosemary, parsley, and pepper. All of this he set up in easy to reach places on the counter that Dolmar had designated as Orin’s. Orin started by peeling the onion, tossing the skin into a bucket tucked under the counter. Most of the food waste, of which there was very little since The Almond Blossom tried to use every part of the animal and plant they worked with, went in there. Once that was completed, he removed the core of the apple, setting it aside. Finally, he removed the cloves of garlic.

Next, Orin checked on the stove and the oven, pleased to see they’d already been heated up to the correct temperature, as near as he could tell. That chore done, Orin diced the apple and celery, putting the pieces in separate small bowls, and then he diced the onion, the bacon, and the garlic and set them into another bowl. After that, Orin put a light coating of olive oil on a frying pan, and then dumped the onion, bacon, and garlic into it. The pan went on to the stove, and Orin fried them until everything was slightly brown.

Taking the pan off the stove, Orin put it on the counter to cool off. While that was happening, Orin tore the bread into small pieces, adding them to a large mixing bowl. Taking a large cup, Orin went to the simmering bowl of soup that Dolmar must have set up earlier. Sniffing, Orin identified it as chicken stock, which made sense for the recipe. He filled the cup halfway with the stock, then, using one hand and the lid of the cup cracked an egg directly into the stock. Whisking the egg furiously into the stock, Orin strode over to the frying pan, which appeared to be cool. Putting the cup down, Orin dumped the contents of the pan into the large mixing bowl with the bread, and made sure that all the dry ingredients got together.

Next, he went to the cooking wine and filled the rest of the cup with it. Swirling the liquids together lightly, Orin poured them over the dry ingredients in the large bowl, mixing them periodically as he went. He checked the consistency and was pleased to see that he’d gotten the proportions correct. The stuffing was made, and Orin spooned it lighting into the neck cavity of the peacock. He pulled the loose skin of the neck over the stuffing and secured it with a skewer. Afterwards, he filled the body cavity, making sure to stuff a few sprigs of rosemary in, and tied the legs together with butcher’s twine.
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Orin Fenix
Almost Iron But Actually Master Chef
 
Posts: 938
Words: 1186489
Joined roleplay: January 24th, 2015, 12:06 am
Location: Riverfall
Race: Human
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[The Almond Blossom] Presentation (Solo)

Postby Orin Fenix on August 2nd, 2016, 3:02 pm

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Taking out a roasting pan, Orin layered the bottom of it with celery and onion. That task done, Orin placed the whole bird on top. Going back to the pantry, Orin grabbed some butter and started rubbing it onto the skin of the bird. He seasoned it liberally with salt and pepper, draped bacon over it, and finally slid the pan into the oven. That chore done, Orin went back to his station. He washed the bowls, the utensils, and the cup he’d used, leaving them to dry in the rack that stood by a window that received the most sunlight.

Making his way back to the storage area once again, Orin pulled out fresh red grapes, shallots, almonds, some fine creamy cheese, and arugula, along with white wine vinegar, olive oil, and aged balsamic vinegar. Setting aside about a third of the grapes, Orin cut the remaining two thirds in half and put them in a bowl. The third of the grapes left over, he chopped finely and placed them into a small bowl. These finely sliced grapes were then mashed. Peeling the shallots in fast, economical movements, Orin minced it, and then added it to the now mushy grapes. He poured a small amount of the white wine vinegar, put in salt, then set it aside to sit for five chimes.

While he was waiting for that, Orin took the arugula and put it into a very large bowl. He added the half grapes to it, and chopped up the almonds coarsely, putting them into a small bowl beside it. He shaved the cheese into pieces in yet another bowl. By this time, the dressing was ready for the next step, and Orin added in the olive oil and the aged balsamic vinegar, whisking it all together. Tasting it, Orin determined that it needed more seasonings and he added in a few pinches of salt and pepper.

Pleased with the final result, Orin brought it over to the large bowl and drizzled it over the arugula and grapes. He added yet more salt and pepper, and then, taking two spoons, tossed the salad until it was evenly coated with the dressing. At this point, Orin started taking out plates. He transferred some salad to each plate, making sure to leave space for the peacock meat. On the top each salad, he placed some almonds and cheese. Fiddling with a few errant leaves, Orin finally declared the salad portion was ready. To make sure that his patrons would appreciate their meal even more, he took the peacock feathers from earlier and arranged them artfully around the edges of the plate. Stepping back, Orin admired his handiwork. While not quite as practiced as Dolmar, Orin felt he’d done a pretty good job with this one.
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Orin Fenix
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[The Almond Blossom] Presentation (Solo)

Postby Orin Fenix on August 2nd, 2016, 3:02 pm

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Next, he went over to the oven. Taking up a ceramic spoon and a cup, Orin opened the oven. The scent of deliciously roasting bird wafted out and Orin simply took a moment to breath it in, smiling. He scooped up some of the juices that had dribbled into the bottom of the pan and put them into the cup. Then, he spooned up the rest of the drippings and poured it over the roasting bird to keep it from drying out.

Closing the oven, Orin walked back to his counter and put the cup down. Returning to the pantry yet again, he nabbed some of the stored turkey fat, a small bag of flour, and some herbs including parsley, sage and thyme. On his way back to his station he got himself another cup of the chicken broth. First off, Orin chopped up the herbs he’d gathered. Next, grabbing the cleaned frying pan from earlier, Orin put the fat in the pan and set it to heat. Once it was a nice looking liquid, he sifted in some flour, whisking it together until it was a paste.

This he left alone for a few chimes, until it began to bubble merrily. At that point he put in the juices he’d taken from the peacock, and stirred the substances together until he had a very thick mixture. Finally, to finish it up, he poured in the chicken broth and added the herbs along with salt and pepper. That, done, he put covered the gravy to keep it warm.

Unfortunately, since the peacock would probably take at least another two bells to cook, Orin had some time to kill. He did know exactly what would happen when it came out of the oven. He’d take the peacock and carve slices off of it. These he’d place in the empty space he’d left on each plate, along with a biscuit from the tray that Dolmar pulled out of the oven they used to bake. The biscuits smelled heavenly, flavored with chives and cheese. The biscuit and the peacock slices would be ringed by the peacock feathers on one side and bordered by the salad on the other. He’d dribble a bit of his gravy over the meat and the bread, making sure to keep it from mixing with the salad dressing. Then, they’d be all rady to be served to the customer.

That would take some time, though and Orin needed to fill his hours in the meantime. He busied himself at first by cleaning up his workstation. The pots got scraped of any remaining food product and grease and then scrubbed thoroughly, before being set aside to dry. The remaining ingredients were put away. They went back to the pantry, sealed in various jars and bottles, or hung up in the case of some of the herbs. Going back to the oven, he scooped some more of the drippings over the roasting bird. Finally, though, Orin had nothing left to do, and he settled in to wait until his meal was completely ready.
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Orin Fenix
Almost Iron But Actually Master Chef
 
Posts: 938
Words: 1186489
Joined roleplay: January 24th, 2015, 12:06 am
Location: Riverfall
Race: Human
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Medals: 3
Featured Character (1) Trailblazer (1)
Overlored (1)

[The Almond Blossom] Presentation (Solo)

Postby Faradae on May 13th, 2017, 10:52 pm

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Orin
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

E X P E R I E N C E

• Cooking +3
• Cleaning +2


L O R E S

• Riverfall Location: The Almond Blossom
• Korana Livantar: Owner of The Almond Blossom
• Dolmar: Chef at The Almond Blossom
• Korana and Dolmar: A perfect match, but not a couple
• Cooking: It's important how a meal looks
• Cooking: Proper attire
• The importance of proving your worth at a new job
• Cooking: Stuffing a bird
• Cooking: Roast Peacock
• Cooking: Mixing a simple salad
• Cooking: Plate decoration


N O T E S

Good thing I've already eaten, the descriptions alone have potential to make a hungry person drool.

Some cooking lores that I'm surprised Orin didn't have yet. If I overlooked an existing lore and accidentally doubled it, please don't eat me. I did my best to check and double check.

EDIT: I forgot to poke you about the ledger, thanks for the reminder. But I see you already included the purchases into your CS, so asking you to seems futile at this point.


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Faradae
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