fandomhigh | Wine & Dine: Pairing Fine Food with Fine Wine in Fine Countries; Thursday, 4th Period [08/01].

Wine & Dine: Pairing Fine Food with Fine Wine in Fine Countries; Thursday, 4th Period [08/01].

"As we continue to branch out beyond the rich heritage of the Mederranean wine countries that come to mind first and foremost when one thinks on the topic," Ignis said, once everyone was gathered at the portalocity office for their next class, "we're heading south of that region, and into Africa. Due to its climate, wines beyond the northern parts of this continent are rare, but there are a few regions that are cultivating their vineyards and starting come up into the market. One such country is Tanzania, currently the second-leading country in sub-Saharan Africa for wine proudction, with only South America ahead of it.

"The hot days and cool nights result in grapes with a high sugar content," Ignis continued to explain, "giving way to rich, vibrant wines; the sandy soil works well for varieties such as Cinsaut, Aglianico, Syrah, and Chenin Blanc."

There was a faint smile, the sort that could only accompany a moment of cherishing discussing a topic that one greatly enjoyed speaking on.

"Today, then," he concluded, "we will be visiting the vineyards of the Domiya Estate, who have put particular care in pairing their exclusive wines with both Italian and African food for their visitors and guests. Of course, as we've already discussed some Italian cuisine, we'll be focusing on the pairings more local to the area. So, without further ado, let's be on our way and see what the Dodoma region has to offer."

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Out of Africa.

Liliana Vess

Nell Ingram

Stark

Gladiolus Amicitia

Summer Smith

A little preamble, history, and finer points of detail while you prepare to head to the location itself, of course.

Some of the highlight of the food and wine tasting include a pairing of irio with a Pinot Gris, giving a fruitier acidity to balance out the vegetables and starchiness of the potatoes, although a nice Chardonnay would not be entirely remiss, either.

The sukuma wiki with ugali does well with a Riesling, and Chardonnay makes another appearance with some mchuzi wa samaki. And he knows at least one of the students would be particularly pleased with trying some mshikaki with a little Cabernet Sauvignon, perhaps.

And while a Zanzibar pizza is not a traditional food, it is one that has culturally taken off and become quite popular to pair with wines, as well, so well worth a little taste and a bit of red.

Just to name a few examples, anyway.

Nell wasn't interested in more than a sip or two of the wines - she was still a bit intoxicated from her communing in the Luxembourg Gardens, but she did enjoy trying the food and making notes of spices and ingredients for things she might like to try to make herself.

Awww, Igs! Gladio couldn't help but chuckling and lifting both his cabernet and his meat skewer in appreciative salute to the teach over that one.

You know, maybe they should get together sometime and figure out a good wine and Cup Noodle^TM pairing class!

Oh, to be Summer in Tanzania right now, hiding a smirk in her wine and wondering if she should somehow oh-so-casually work jello shots into a conversation and also wondering how much of all that Ignis even remembers, one because, good lord, he was da-runk, and also it wasn't nearly as long ago for her as it was for him, so that was something else to consider, too. Like, how weird was that, if you really thought about it a lot?

Stark had missed out on the school trip to Africa for a variety of reasons so this was all new for him.

He was going to have to try a little of everything on offer to make up for lost time. Or maybe it just all sounded good.

And with a little time leftover after the tasting, you can simply enjoy the beautiful scenery of the nearby Imagi Hill, learn some of the history of the estate or have a brief tour of their vineyards.

And, of course, some of the class might be interested in the luxury hotel on site. Ahem.

Such a different kind of beauty to the land and such depth again! Nell might truly need Gladio to carry her home to dream of all the incredible plant life she'd connected with today.

And, oh, what a burden that would be! And he didn't think Nell would mind him accompanying her on her walk around the landscape surrounding the estate, especially since, well, it was just as true now as it had been that last time they'd visited this area of the world: around every corner seemed to be a little piece of Liede. And just like earlier, he was content with just soaking things up in their own ways.

"Isn't this amazing?" Nell said. "So different, but there's so much hidden life here."

She might have twirled a little bit. "I think the wine and the trees have gone to my head a little bit."

Once the hefty eating-and-drinking portion of class was over, Summer was absolutely on her phone, trying to figure out what plans she wanted to make and if she really did want to stay here tonight or find something a little more exciting.

Maybe pull some strings and see about revisiting that underwater hotel from the school trip...

"Making plans for the night?" Stark asked, walking over to slide an arm around her waist.

"It's beautiful here. And different."

An arm around the waist, huh? Someone was feeling bold this afternoon! But Summer grinned a little and leaned into it to show her approval.

"Trying to decide," she explained, "if we should stick around here or head closer to the coast. Do you remember that one hotel we stayed at, when the school went out this way for that trip? The one in the ocean?"

So maybe she didn't realize that Stark hadn't been on that trip. Whoops?

Someone was feeling happy to be himself and not a koala still, and yes, a little bold.

"I was gone for that," Stark said after a pause. "Home. This is all new for me, today. The hotel was in the ocean?"

Summer leaned back a little so that she could look at Stark, blinking a little in surprise, and then her eyes drifted to the side as she tried to think back to that trip. "You were?" she asked, and seemed to be scouring her memories for signs of a falsehood there. "...huh. Wow. I guess all I really remember from that trip is this hotel and, like, Ignis getting super drunk at my room party."

Which, in her defense, was very memorable, okay?

"But that," she said, leaning back and turning her attention back to her phone, "settles that. We're absolutely going there tonight. Here."

She pulled up the website and shoved her phone at him.

"Check it out."

"You got Ignis very drunk?" Stark asked. That was an amusing mental picture, at least.

He took the phone to look at the details.

"There are rooms in the water?" he asked wonderingly. "That's...I didn't know that was something you could do. Did you stay in one of those? Or the others? They look lovely as well..."

"I didn't do anything," Summer insisted. "He did that to his own damn self. And that man is such a sloppy drunk, Stark, ohmygod."

Yes, she knew you had supersonic hearing now, Ignis, and that you might have heard tha, but she did not care. Just try and deny it!

"And I did stay in one!" she confirmed. "The room party was in one! It was definitely cramped, but can you imaaaaagine? It was awesome."

Stark grinned. "I wish I'd seen that."

He'd missed a lot on that trip.

"Ignis, and the party...all of it. But...at least I can see the hotel now? With you."

"That's right!" Summer confirmed cheerfully with a swift tap of her finger on her phone. "You do. With me. I just booked one for the night. Tonight, we're sleeping with the fishes."

Stark gave her an odd look because he'd been around enough to have heard that before but he just shook his head.

"I can't wait," he said quietly.

"But maybe not much sleeping."

Because he was going to be watching the fishies, obviously.

This part of Africa does bring back some...interesting long buried memories, true, but all the more reason to work toward making new ones....and reminding himself how much he enjoys working with East African dishes...

"Zib for your thoughts, love?" Liliana said, drawing up next to him, licking the last of the Zanzibar pizza from her fingers.

"Keep it," Ignis suggested, distantly amused, with a smile to match. "Perhaps we can have your accountant invest it somewhere more profitable than wasting it on something freely given. I was just...reflecting, a bit, on the last time we were in this part of the world, for a school trip, back before...well." His hand waved dismissively. There were, after all, only so many clear distinct markers of time of that level of significance. "I remember it being a beautiful country, and quite reminiscent of some of the areas around Insomnia, at that. Especially with regards to the wildlife."

Another small smile as he decided whether to just keep it at that much easier surface level or to at least offer a little bit more depth.

"And also being grateful that a little light wine-tasting is not likely to prompt one to go quite overboard, as it was in East Africa where I had the pleasure of experiencing my very first hangover. I intend to hold my alcohol much better this time around."

"We both know that if you don't take it, I'm going to spend it on something frivolous and pretty," Liliana said, with neither care nor shame. Her arm slid through his; had they been alone, her head might have rested on his shoulder. "Much like myself, of course."

She listened to his explanation, stroking his forearm throughout.

"It is lovely country, my darling, I would be happy to describe it to you," she offered. "As for drunkenness...well, I will admit I have something of a soft spot for it. You are quite adorably fervent, I've found."

I wish to be with you and only you tonight.

"Anything specific that night?"

"Well," Ignis said, after a moment of weighing and deciding, of leaning a little against Liliana and crossing his hand to find hers on his arm to tangle up their fingers, "I'll admit, much of that night was quite the blur past a certain point, and more than a decade in between has hardly caused them to get any clearer. Just...a bit of remembrance...for my own frivolous and pretty youth."

Ah, see, it was a joke, because he'd never been frivolous, and there were some who would argue he'd never been young, either.

He would be hard pressed to deny the pretty, though.

"Are we still set for Innistrad after this, my love? Do you suppose we should pick out a bottle for your accountant before we depart?"

"Well, as much as I might enjoy exploring this hotel's amenities more than visiting an accountant," She pulled a face "I suppose we should. Or you'll never forgive me for getting your hopes up."

She paused and considered. "Get a red. He's a vampire."

Ignis huffed a small, wry sound of amusement of that. "Well, of course he is," he crawled. "It seems one could barely throw a stone on that plane without managing to strike a bloody vampire..."

Which, theoretically, should make his task a little easier, but, ah. Time would tell.

"And I would be...amenable," he added, thoughtfully, "to the prospect of staying here longer if you'd prefer, my darling. We could always postpone the introduction even further. However, it behooves me to remind you that the sooner we get this done and over with, the sooner you'll no longer have to deal with me pestering you about it."

He turned his head, so that he might press a soft kiss against hers.

"We'll certainly have plenty of time to come back."

Edited 2024-08-01 20:53 (UTC)

His path to vampirehood was a very different one than normal and Ignis would likely be most displeased to hear it.

"No, no," she sighed. "Besides, we should check on the estate and all of that." Also, Liliana had her own ill-advised to-do list. "But we're absolutely coming back sometime. And possibly even leave the hotel room while we're here."

As opposed to their last trip.

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Wine & Dine: Pairing Fine Food with Fine Wine in Fine Countries; Thursday, 4th Period [08/01].

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