[OOC: Lev/Lyubov is hovering around in the vicinity, and feel free to assume they're nearby, listening, if you want them in the thread! Or feel free to assume they went to shmuz on their own.]
Anzu arrived in the town early, just head of the main rush; even so, he's not had enough time to prepare much by way of what he'd consider serious festival food. While he doesn't consider himself a particularly skilled cook, he's responsible for about two-thirds of the food by the kommunalka[1], with the others contributing as they can. He's a better cook than he assumes. [1] flat-share, often family units rather than single adults.
He's brought five dishes—three parve winter salads, dairy-free, and two kinds of latkes, turnip and potato.
The dishes are set out on a trestle table, with little cards in front listing the ingredients, known allergens and even potential texture issues, as well as, having already heard about Cecil and Lev's suspicions about Hawkeye, the appropriate blessing for those who might want to say one. It's a thoughtful gesture, hobbled only a little by the fact he's gone and labelled the ingredients according to the rubrics he's used to. He's aware of gluten intolerance, and lactose intolerance, but not under those exact terms. It'd probably be wise to ask him to explain the labels.
(He almost certainly did that on purpose, to give people an easy conversation hook.)
The dishes
Herring-under-fur-coat, winter saladA layered salad of pickled herring, roasted carrots, potatoes and beetroot, boiled eggs and mayonnaise-based dressing.
my sincere apologies, I was unable to ensure all the herring bones have been removed.
dealer's choice on blessing, don't ask me whether the potatoes are more important than the fish
Potato saladMore or less the universal potato salad with mayonnaise, with the addition of pickles and boiled peas.
The little card in front says:
parve, no mezanos, but malt vinegar pickles
potatoes, peas, pickles, mayonnaise
beware of the peas, they're boiled and not fresh.
boreh pri ha-adomah
VinegretAnother winter salad of the three staple root vegetables (potatoes, carrots, beetroot), boiled just enough to make them soft and bright, and not enough to boil away the taste. Sauerkraut proved impossible to find on short notice, so there's more pickles, and some tiny whole pickled onions, too.
The little card in front says:
parve, no mezanos, but malt vinegar pickles (again)
potatoes, carrots, beetroot, pickles, pickled onions, lemon juice and sunflower oil dressing
boreh pri ha-adomah
Two kinds of latkesThese are latkes. One plate is potato, the other turnip. There's a medium-sized dish of cut glass with fresh applesauce set beside the two platters.
The little card in front says:
it's latkes, have you ever heard of a meaty latkes?
potatoes, turnips, applesauce. sour cream belongs in soup, not on latkes.
boreh pri ha-adomah for the potatoes and I have no bloody idea as to the turnips. my husband doesn't know either. I'm sure HaShem will forgive us all for not being sure whether a turnip is fruit of the earth or a various kind of food.
Anzu himself is perched on the end of the trestle table, swinging his legs and fidgeting with his serpent-headed walking stick.
A description of AnzuHe's short (159cm, making him nearly half a metre shorter than his husband), with a broad torso, long limbs, and long fingers, and dark skin. He is dressed impeccably, in a long midnight blue frock coat and midnight blue trousers with subtle black pinstripes; the waistcoat is a dark teal, as are his spats, and he's tied an electric blue cravat. A wool felt high hat, the same colour as his frock coat, sits upside-down beside him, holding a pair of dress gloves.
He wears his hair down, in carefully pomaded twists that reach just slightly past his shoulders—except for the corkscrew payos. He's clean-shaven, and wearing a Bukharian yarmulka in a pattern that matches his waistcoat.
For the moment, he's content to watch others, greet people who greet him, introduce himself to those who come over. But occasionally, he'll wave people over, if he spots them looking in his direction.
He's keeping an eye out for some of the people Lev's already mentioned to him. He may be middle-aged and quite secure in himself by now, but socialising is still a matter of active effort to him, and he figures he could get a head start if he befriends the people already amicable to his husband.
Dr A.T. Menelikov (and optionally R' L.V. Morgenshtern) | OTA
Anzu arrived in the town early, just head of the main rush; even so, he's not had enough time to prepare much by way of what he'd consider serious festival food. While he doesn't consider himself a particularly skilled cook, he's responsible for about two-thirds of the food by the kommunalka[1], with the others contributing as they can. He's a better cook than he assumes.
[1] flat-share, often family units rather than single adults.
He's brought five dishes—three parve winter salads, dairy-free, and two kinds of latkes, turnip and potato.
The dishes are set out on a trestle table, with little cards in front listing the ingredients, known allergens and even potential texture issues, as well as, having already heard about Cecil and Lev's suspicions about Hawkeye, the appropriate blessing for those who might want to say one. It's a thoughtful gesture, hobbled only a little by the fact he's gone and labelled the ingredients according to the rubrics he's used to. He's aware of gluten intolerance, and lactose intolerance, but not under those exact terms. It'd probably be wise to ask him to explain the labels.
(He almost certainly did that on purpose, to give people an easy conversation hook.)
The dishes
Herring-under-fur-coat, winter salad
A layered salad of pickled herring, roasted carrots, potatoes and beetroot, boiled eggs and mayonnaise-based dressing.The little card in front says:
fishy, no mezanos
herring, potatoes, beetroot, carrots, eggs, mayonnaise
my sincere apologies, I was unable to ensure all the herring bones have been removed.
dealer's choice on blessing, don't ask me whether the potatoes are more important than the fish
Potato salad
More or less the universal potato salad with mayonnaise, with the addition of pickles and boiled peas.The little card in front says:
parve, no mezanos, but malt vinegar pickles
potatoes, peas, pickles, mayonnaise
beware of the peas, they're boiled and not fresh.
boreh pri ha-adomah
Vinegret
Another winter salad of the three staple root vegetables (potatoes, carrots, beetroot), boiled just enough to make them soft and bright, and not enough to boil away the taste. Sauerkraut proved impossible to find on short notice, so there's more pickles, and some tiny whole pickled onions, too.The little card in front says:
parve, no mezanos, but malt vinegar pickles (again)
potatoes, carrots, beetroot, pickles, pickled onions, lemon juice and sunflower oil dressing
boreh pri ha-adomah
Two kinds of latkes
These are latkes. One plate is potato, the other turnip. There's a medium-sized dish of cut glass with fresh applesauce set beside the two platters.The little card in front says:
it's latkes, have you ever heard of a meaty latkes?
potatoes, turnips, applesauce. sour cream belongs in soup, not on latkes.
boreh pri ha-adomah for the potatoes and I have no bloody idea as to the turnips. my husband doesn't know either. I'm sure HaShem will forgive us all for not being sure whether a turnip is fruit of the earth or a various kind of food.
Anzu himself is perched on the end of the trestle table, swinging his legs and fidgeting with his serpent-headed walking stick.
A description of Anzu
He's short (159cm, making him nearly half a metre shorter than his husband), with a broad torso, long limbs, and long fingers, and dark skin. He is dressed impeccably, in a long midnight blue frock coat and midnight blue trousers with subtle black pinstripes; the waistcoat is a dark teal, as are his spats, and he's tied an electric blue cravat. A wool felt high hat, the same colour as his frock coat, sits upside-down beside him, holding a pair of dress gloves.He wears his hair down, in carefully pomaded twists that reach just slightly past his shoulders—except for the corkscrew payos. He's clean-shaven, and wearing a Bukharian yarmulka in a pattern that matches his waistcoat.
For the moment, he's content to watch others, greet people who greet him, introduce himself to those who come over. But occasionally, he'll wave people over, if he spots them looking in his direction.
He's keeping an eye out for some of the people Lev's already mentioned to him. He may be middle-aged and quite secure in himself by now, but socialising is still a matter of active effort to him, and he figures he could get a head start if he befriends the people already amicable to his husband.