Storyline Introduction

The idea for this currently one-time limited edition storyline event came about in an impromptu fashion during a bit of live role-play between myself, Canaan, and Nehivena. Further hints and arrangements have been made through additional role-play sessions and forum interactions. The concept is as follows.

Salvador Delahada is hosting a small gathering at his place of residence on Christmas for those people he has met and likes whom he knows otherwise have no family to spend the holidays with. The rules for the guests are simple: cook a single dish that reminds you of home and bring it along to share with the other guests during a grand feast.

The date for which this event will be taking place is December 25, 2014, actually on Christmas day. Since we are all well aware that nobody actually is going to be role-playing that day, and due to the fact that it is likely relatively impossible to get us all together for one large RP event, we have opted to make this a forum play-by-post sort of thing.

https://33.media.tumblr.com/86f5352db49677e60b54aad4bb2c61df/tumblr_ngya0wNfHV1u228rdo1_1280.jpg https://33.media.tumblr.com/56b67bc2213bb1709ec380f74f6962ec/tumblr_ngyb56VLNn1u228rdo1_1280.jpg

Ornament Significance:
Knight Chess Piece- Sal
Yoda Fairy- Skid
Dogwood Blossom- Sin
Guitar- Cane
Songbird- Aoife
Sun- Nehi
Cupcake- Petra
Victorian Boot- Harlow
Black Cat- Zynn
Blah Blah Blah- Cass
Snowdrops- Sabine
Ball of Sparkle- Taneth
Silver Dragonfly- Faye
Horse- Benjamin
Angel- Cris
Gold Button- Rekah
Skull- Mesteno


The Rules Both In and Out

1. Characters participating in this event are by invitation only. Was your character invited? You will know this either through live play or through a private message from Delahada that might be waiting in your inbox to be read. If there is a stocking with your character's name on it in the image above, it's pretty obvious your character was invited, too.

2. Please note that if your character was not invited to this event that it is absolutely impossible for your character to enter the grounds of Matadero. There are layers upon layers of protections in place on the property that keep out anyone Salvador does not wish to be there. Any posts to this thread made by anyone not on the guest list will be removed, and subject to public mockery. Therefore it is suggested that if you want your character to have brought a date along, it might be a good idea to get Salvador?s permission first. Just saying.

3. The only requirement your character must meet so as to avoid scolding and ridicule is to prepare a single dish to be brought for the feast, and of course to attend for at least a little while. It is suggested you post pictures and include a recipe in any potential descriptions.

4. Additional story bits such as collaborated writings, edited live play logs, or personal character reflections of the event are encouraged to be posted to this thread.

5. Images and hyperlinks to videos or other relative imagery that you think might additionally reflect interactions at this event are also encouraged to be posted to this thread.

6. If you do not post something to this thread, we will assume your character was not present for this event. A placeholder post stating something as simple as ?my character was there? is acceptable, so long as you pinky swear promise to edit it at a later date into something more substantial.

7. There is a deadline to post something set for midnight December 25th going into the 26th, because trust that half of us have no lives and will be playing anyway. Characters are likely to talk about who was and was not present for this event in follow-up live play and collaborative writing sessions.

The Setting

This dinner party thingamagjig will be taking place at a re-purposed, remodeled previously defunct warehouse that got turned into a freshly built and state-of-the-art slaughterhouse that is as of yet not operational. The second level of the slaughterhouse is an apartment in which Salvador lives.

A wordy description of the place can be found HERE AT THIS LINK with an additional description of the rooftop paradise that will be open to guests that was designed and built by Sal's good friend Thorn directly above it. If that doesn't do it for you...

I AM NO ARTIST BUT HERE HAVE A THING I DREW!

http://40.media.tumblr.com/79ec3f92348a85dbc3925a804b9f027f/tumblr_ngyt2teQNE1u1krdoo1_1280.jpg

The worst rough sketch of the main floor of the Matadero apartment. This is not at all to scale, but it?ll hopefully give you a better idea of the layout. One big open great room from the main door. I did not draw in the catwalks overhead. I?ll include them in the crap I?ll draw of the upper mostly open level later. But the master bedroom is over the kitchen. The kitchen is the only area there that is not open to the vaulted 18-20 ft. ceiling, because master bedroom overhead. Hope this helps.


AND HERE! B DID A BETTER THING FOR ME!

https://31.media.tumblr.com/5f8272161f17b72c9c19866872c032ec/tumblr_nh0j60k5rf1u228rdo1_1280.jpg



These rules and other storyline information are subject to change at any time.

http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/T4QjdJ4lmKc9YAR9LsmA/cid/143614582/id/mn0WiZ6H5BG4wnTHmu7EJQ/size/c400x276.jpg


http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/PlPK1tkVwFChnwhqo6vUQ/cid/143942468/id/SEcfUymK5BGvaeU9ZFZllw/size/c400x236.jpg
Everyone's lucky she's at least wearing pants.


Her and Faye's culinary adventures led to these.

Dark chocolate chip and orange cookies
http://i.imgur.com/8OaomLh.jpg

INGREDIENTS:
? cup unsalted butter, softened
? cup light brown sugar
? cup granulated white sugar
1 large egg
? teaspoon pure vanilla extract
? teaspoon fresh Paramount Citrus orange juice
Zest of two Paramount Citrus oranges
? teaspoon baking powder
? teaspoon baking soda
? teaspoon salt
1 ? cups whole wheat flour
? cup dark chocolate chips

PREPARATION

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Add the butter, brown sugar and white sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on medium, and then turn to medium-high. Beat for 60 to 90 seconds.

3. Add the egg and mix for 30 seconds. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.

4. Mix in the vanilla, orange juice and zest. Keep the mixer on medium and add the baking soda, baking powder and salt.

5. Gradually add in the flour, scraping the sides of the bowl as need. Mix just until all the flour is combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

6. Drop by the heaping tablespoon-full on an ungreased baking sheet, about 8 large cookies per standard sheet pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges of the cookies begin to brown and centers are firm.
Let cool for 1 to 2 minutes.
Transfer to a rack to cool completely.


And then everyone gets marmalade because Rekah had A LOT of oranges.

http://i.imgur.com/et5BTBC.jpg

8 Seville oranges, 6 oranges peeled, peels cut into 1/3-inch pieces, flesh seeded and coarsely chopped; 2 oranges quartered, thinly sliced, and seeded
2 lemons, quartered, thinly sliced, and seeded
1 1/2 quarts cold water
Sugar

Bring fruit, peels, and water to a boil in a large saucepan. Cook for 5 minutes. Turn off heat, cover, and let cool. Refrigerate for 8 hours (or up to 1 day).
Freeze a plate. Uncover citrus mixture, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook until thickest peel is tender, about 20 minutes. Measure mixture, and return to pan. For each cup of mixture, add 3/4 cup sugar.
Bring mixture to a boil, stirring often. Cook until mixture registers 220 degrees to 222 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 20 minutes. To test for doneness of marmalade: Drop a spoonful on frozen plate.
If marmalade has a slight film when pushed with a finger, it's done.
If it spreads out and thins immediately, continue cooking, and test again after a few minutes.
Transfer marmalade to airtight containers, cover, and let cool at room temperature. Refrigerate overnight before serving.

Nehi will be bringing fried plantains and cake pops! And she will be singing a song or two with Cane. ((Posting the remainder of things at midnight, 12/26. Sorry it's so late T.T))

http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/6o7ROTHNzb74ZOGK9lH2Mw/cid/143622944/id/0ibnwa6H5BGCdMECm_7EJQ/size/c400x274.jpg

Fried Plantains

5 tablespoons oil for frying
1 plantains, peeled and broken into chunks
3 cups cold water
salt to taste

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Place the plantains in the oil and fry on both sides; approximately 3 1/2 minutes per side.

Remove the plantains from the pan and flatten the plantains by placing a plate over the fried plantains and pressing down.

Dip the plantains in water, then return them to the hot oil and fry 1 minute on each side. Salt to taste and serve immediately.

Cake Pops

Chocolate Cake, prepared (Nehi used devil's food)
Frosting (vanilla cream cheese)
2 boxes Premium white chocolate

Cake Pops

Chocolate Cake, prepared (Nehi used devil's food)
Frosting (vanilla cream cheese)
2 boxes Premium white chocolate

Add cake to a large bowl and crumble until it resembles fine crumbs. Add in frosting a little bit at a time until cake is moist and can hold a ball shape, yet still slightly crumbly. Use your hands to incorporate the frosting into the cake crumbs. Use a mini ice cream scoop and scoop out two balls of cake mixture.

Roll the mixture into a tight ball and place on a plate. Repeat until all the cake mixture has been rolled into balls. Melt 2-4 ounces of white chocolate in the microwave. Dip the tip of the cake pop sticks into the white chocolate and insert into the cake balls about half-way. Freeze for about 20 minutes.

Melt the remaining chocolate in a large cup. Make sure you have enough chocolate to completely submerge the cake ball. Remove cake balls from freezer. Dip cake balls carefully into the chocolate until covered. Let the excess chocolate drip off. Swirl and tap gently if needed. Add the sprinkles while the chocolate is still wet. It will harden quickly. Stick the decorated cake pop into a styrofoam block to finish setting.

The song she will ask Cane to sing with her:
Les Anges Dans Nos Campagnes

Presents:

Cane gets a jacket and a book of cocktails that should be 'brought back'. Sal gets a jacket and an intricately carved animal skull.
http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/x4ueecrdrQw3FrOvYmpnA/cid/144267364/id/GP94VOSM5BG-_TTcqmAFrA/size/c600x437.jpg

Evelyn gets a travel journal and dinosaur earrings. Rekah gets a (non-constrictive!) dress and a moon + star necklace.
http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/LMd9yp6SZd3voAxYtA1r4Q/cid/144267584/id/bLG3zOCM5BGpWUGr7EzHKw/size/c600x444.jpg

Aoife gets an antique bird locket and Norse raven earrings (Hugin for thought and Munin for memory). Petra gets a corset and an amethyst ring.
http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/mRDX1bhslYwBZR0bnDOVA/cid/144268066/id/6Kw_ceOM5BGPan5jGhGRpA/size/c600x438.jpg

Zynn gets Victorian style peridot earrings (to go with her eyes), and a ring with carnelian, which is supposed to help in magical shielding. Sabine gets a winter coat, a stuffed bunny and a bunny ring.
http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/rBrXlXSu73exQPnyDuB7w/cid/144268127/id/JAdVOOiM5BGCI17pqmAFrA/size/c600x414.jpg

Much like Sabine did, Nehi will also bring a random assortment of gifts for everyone else that she doesn't know (Harlow chipped in on the presents, of course, she just hates shopping!)

Additionally, Nehi will give each person that she's familiar with a charm, made by her to help with something unique to that person. She'll do it in private so as not to embarrass or call attention. Please just ask me next time you 'see me' if you'd like to know what yours is. :)

Food:
https://33.media.tumblr.com/19d65cad385d150c7e790b78d64c3dc0/tumblr_nguim3bdD91u228rdo2_1280.jpg

Flan-
The Caramel. Pour 1 cup sugar and about ? cup water in a microwave safe cup. I use a 2 cup glass Pyrex measuring cup. Just stir the sugar and water a bit and microwave on high for about 5 minutes until it reaches the right color. Once 4 minutes have passed keep your eye in the microwave. You need to open the door once the caramel reaches that golden color. If it is not dark enough at 5 minutes, add another 30 seconds, but open the door once the color is right. You are looking to get the perfect color, not too light and not too dark.

Then just pour into the flan pan and swirl to cover the bottom. Always let the caramel set before pouring in the custard. How easy is that?

Next get the 'ba?o de Mar?a' or bain-marie (water bath) ready. Now that the mold and ba?o are ready prepare the flan as per your recipe.
12 eggs, whole
1? cups sugar
1 can evaporated milk
1 can condensed milk
1 cup fresh whole milk
1 tbp vanilla plus another ? tsp vanilla
dash of salt


Preheat oven to 350?. Prepare bain-Marie and caramelize the mold as per instructions at the top of this page. Mix eggs with an electric mixer. Add the rest of the ingredients. Blend smooth but do not over mix. Pour custard into caramelized mold, cover with foil, and sit in the ba?o de Mar?a. Then pour hot water into the ba?o and into the oven for 1 to 1? hours until done and knife comes clean.


Vegetarian Yellow Rice and Sofrito-
For sofrito
1 tablespoon minced onion
1 tablespoon minced red or green bell pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander sprigs
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon turmeric
3/4 cup long-grain rice
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt

Make sofrito:
In a 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan cook onion, bell pepper, coriander, and garlic in oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.

Add turmeric and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Stir in rice, water, and salt and bring to a boil, uncovered. Boil rice, uncovered, without stirring, until surface of rice is covered with steam holes and grains on top appear dry, 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to as low as possible and cook rice, tightly covered, 15 minutes more. Remove pan from heat and let rice stand, covered, 5 minutes.


Beef & Potato Empanadas (The cheese and potato ones are made the same minus the beef and add cheese)
Makes 12 to 14 empanadas

For the dough:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, frozen
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 large egg
1/3 cup cold water
1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar

For the filling:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 large baking potato, diced into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 small white onion, diced
1/2 red pepper, cored and diced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound ground beef
15 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 clove garlic, diced
1/2 small bunch cilantro, minced

To bake:
1 large egg
2 tablespoons milk

Dough
Note: This dough can be made with or without a food processor. Without one, simply use a box grater to shred the butter and knead the dough for a few minutes.

Using the shredding blade on your food processor, shred 1/2 cup frozen butter. Quickly add in flour and salt and toss with your fingers until butter is coated. Switch blade to your traditional chopping blade and mince ingredients for 5 pulses.

In a small bowl whisk together egg, water, and vinegar and whisk with a fork to combine. Add to food processor and blend just until dough comes together. Remove dough and press into a tight ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 2 hours.

Filling
Heat a saut? pan over medium high heat and add olive oil. Add potato, onion, diced pepper, and a pinch of salt. Cook on medium high for 10 to 15 minutes or until potato is cooked through but not mushy, and peppers and onions have softened. Add meat, tomatoes, garlic, and cilantro and continue cooking until meat is browned. Taste and add additional salt and pepper as needed. Turn off heat and set filling aside.

Assembly
Heat oven to 400?F. Roll out dough about 1/4-inch thick on a floured surface. Cut out circles of dough 5 inches in diameter (a small bowl works well for this). Fill each circle with 1 tablespoon filling and fold the extra dough over the top. Crimp the edge with a fork and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Whisk together 1 egg and two tablespoons milk. Brush tops of finished empanadas with this mixture. Salt lightly and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool slightly before eating.

Slow Roast Pork Carnitas (Served with fresh soft corn tortillas, avocado, salsa fresca, and limes. There is also some cotija cheese to sprinkle on)Ingredients

3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2 inch cubes
1/2 cup fresh Orange Juice
1/4 cup fresh Lime Juice
10 oz chipotle salsa
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste

Instructions

Place the pork in a large dutch oven with the orange juice, lime juice, salsa and salt. Add enough water to barely cover the meat. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low and simmer with the lid on for 2 hours, at which point the pork should be falling apart to the touch.
Turn the heat up to medium high, and continue to cook the pork for 45 minutes, uncovered, stirring every once in a while, until all the liquid has evaporated and the pork fat as been rendered.
Parts of the pork should be caramelized and golden brown. Remove the dutch oven from the stove and adjust seasoning as needed.


Outfits:
Morning- https://33.media.tumblr.com/101793a45d319f7ec8e73a0dd43beb20/tumblr_nh3ux4iwB31u228rdo1_1280.jpg
Party-https://38.media.tumblr.com/1052f6fd8d4d23029de9a19af72d8671/tumblr_nguim3bdD91u228rdo1_1280.jpg

Gifts:
https://38.media.tumblr.com/d54abf4ba9326aec3658c5044729fde3/tumblr_ngyklhEL251u228rdo1_1280.jpg

https://31.media.tumblr.com/729f17bd34a1bdaafe3d10c5cb50bf31/tumblr_ngyklhEL251u228rdo2_1280.jpg

https://38.media.tumblr.com/de6a913829260a514382b3c0a3bc78a8/tumblr_ngyklhEL251u228rdo3_1280.jpg

https://33.media.tumblr.com/3350500fe8a59713d9218225265ea451/tumblr_ngyklhEL251u228rdo4_1280.jpg

https://38.media.tumblr.com/896975165a1afb13564e6b9a45eefc77/tumblr_ngyklhEL251u228rdo5_1280.jpg

https://33.media.tumblr.com/1606e23da94d246bfb5515440e7dc709/tumblr_ngyklhEL251u228rdo6_1280.jpg

https://38.media.tumblr.com/2c98e01a0ecb3782a0d30213b8a6c0e5/tumblr_ngyklhEL251u228rdo7_1280.jpg

https://33.media.tumblr.com/4230b0cfcd491d094de582a34a4bd031/tumblr_ngyklhEL251u228rdo8_1280.jpg

Faye has dressed very tastefully and simply for this occasion in a plain white blouse and fit black slacks. She is not wearing any shoes nor other ornamental accessories.

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/89/4d/77/894d7701fd3b1324e9f1f605037b780d.jpg

For the feast, she spent the entirety of her day, with the help of her son and any early-arriving guests, mixing and kneading the dough to bake a very close approximation to traditional Eesh baladi, or ancient Egyptian bread.

Anyone who is present to help will be subjected to a history lesson on how and why Eesh baladi was made, and therefore also why she chose to make it for this feast. See also: "breaking bread."

http://egyptian-food-recipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/ancient-egyptian-bread-recipe.jpg

At some point in the evening, after many of Canaan and Sabine?s duet and solo performances, she is moved to sing a song herself.

The Coventry Carol

Lully, lulla, thou little tiny child
Bye, bye, lully, lullay, thou little tiny child
Bye, bye, lully, lullay
Oh, sisters too, how may we do
For to preserve this day?
This pore yongling for whom we do sing
"Bye, bye, lully, lullay"?
Lully, lulla, thou little tiny child
Bye, bye, lully, lullay, thou little tiny child
Bye, bye, lully, lullay
Herod, the king in his raging
Charged he hath this day
His men of might, in his own sight
All young children to slay
Lully, lulla, thou little tiny child
Bye, bye, lully, lullay, thou little tiny child
Bye, bye, lully, lullay
That one is me, poor child for thee
And ever morn and may
For thy parting, nether say nor sing
Bye, bye, lully, lullay
Lully, lulla, thou little tiny child
Bye, bye, lully, lullay, thou little tiny child
Bye, bye, lully, lullay

If anyone asks, she is more than happy to go into another history lesson concerning the origins of the song.

http://i.imgur.com/jCbNNLJ.jpg


Sin will arrive late and seem somewhat pre-occupied but become more like himself once he spends time with Salvador. Beyond offering to help Salvador make food, the elder Spaniard takes the avenue of mixing drinks for the evening -- punches, cocktails, and champagne floaters. He will demand Sabine dance with him at least once over the course of the evening, but otherwise tend toward an observatory role rather than social butterfly.

Taneth and Benjamin will arrive together, in cozy Christmas sweaters and carrying along a ginormous tray of Christmas cookies, freshly baked and fragrant.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_UcJiPjh_GpU/TPiNxy-foSI/AAAAAAAABIg/blfg0maGrmU/s1600/christmas%2Bcookie%2Btray.jpg

Benjamin had a copy of his family recipe for gingerbread and forgot to update it.


Common Gingerbread

Ingredients

1 pound of butter
1 quart of West India molasses
1/2 pound of brown sugar
1 tea-cup full of powdered ginger
1 large tea-spoonful of powdered cloves
1 table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon
flour
1 small tea-spoonful of pearl-ash
Instructions

Cut up the butter in the molasses, which must be perfectly sweet; if it is in the least sour, use sugar house molasses instead. Warm it slightly, just enough to melt the butter.

Crush with the rolling-pin, on the paste-board, the brown sugar, and add it by degrees to the molasses and butter; then stir in the ginger, cloves, and cinnamon.

Add gradually sufficient flour to make a dough stiff enough to roll out easily; and lastly, the pearl-ash melted in a little warm water. Mix and stir the dough very hard with a spaddle, or a wooden spoon; but do not knead it.

Then divide it with a knife into equal portions; and, having floured your hands, roll it out on the paste-board into long even strips. Place them in shallow tin pans, that have been buttered; either laying the strips side by side in straight round sticks, (uniting them at both ends,) or coil them into rings one within another, as you see them at the cake shops.

Bake them in a brisk oven, taking care that they do not burn; gingerbread scorching sooner than any other cake.

To save time and trouble, you may roll out the dough into a sheet near an inch thick, and cut it into round flat cakes with a tin cutter, or with the edge of a tumbler.

But then he noted:

For goodness sake, don't use pearlash, use baking soda!

(http://www.vintagerecipes.net/books/directions_for_cookery/common_gingerbread_1.php)

Thank the Angel that he successfully found a bistro catering to Italian cuisine. The Ashwood household had been awash in seasoned beef, cheese, and marinara when it was not drowning in pho, miso, or wanton soup.

He arrived to support Canaan, he brought food so as to not be a complete dick. But he did not arrive alone, and that was most definitely the cause of his bouyant (for Cris') spirits.

Clothes

http://i1332.photobucket.com/albums/w615/crispinashwood/crimmisclothes_zpsf72b2c9c.jpg



Food

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8259/8631152641_abf703fa8d_z.jpg


Ingredients (he's told)

About a dozen large sage leaves
1/4 cup fresh rosemary leaves, stripped from the branch
8 plump garlic cloves, peeled
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 pounds red potatoes, sliced 1/2 inch thick
A 4-pound boneless beef shoulder roast (preferably ?top blade? or ?top chuck shoulder? roast)
1 stick (8 tablespoons) soft butter
1 head Savoy cabbage, about 2 1/2 pounds, cored and sliced into 1/2-inch shreds
2 cups white wine
1 pound Fontina cheese from Valle d?Aosta (or Italian Fontal)

Skirting the edges of the wall flower garden was a songbird. Her notice was quiet in such a way that was a sigh and soft humming. There were times she was there (be still the hearts) conversing, and others where she disappeared. Perchance she knew the windows and the walls well.

https://thehunt.insnw.net/app/public/system/zine_images/215791/original/7.jpg

Somewhere, the scent of wildflowers smothered in spice:
http://www.marthastewart.com/sites/files/marthastewart.com/imagecache/wmax-1500/ecl/msliving-hires/2013/05_may/mothers_day_brunch/green-salad-with-edible-flowers-ma130124_horiz.jpg
Ingredients

1 teaspoon red-wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
5 1/2 ounces tender baby salad greens (about 12 cups)
unsprayed violas (small pansies)

http://www.dynamiteweddings.com/images/content/herbaltea.JPG http://consciouslifenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/014.jpg