Sibling Rivalries: Chili Edition

[brave_heart_verity]

Flyers have been going up around the Forum and Commercial District for the last week or so. This morning,the lights in the VSW Meadhall came on. By noon, anyone getting close enough to an open door would know: chili's on!

Inside, everything's set up and waiting for the hungry and the curious: Clint's cooking in one corner, and Verity's in the other. Between them, tables are laid out with the necessities: bowls, plates, spoons, and plenty of napkins. There's beer and iced tea, some lovely tres leches cakes provided by the Nexus' favorite Japanese detective, and various toppings for the chili: bottles of sriracha and sweet Thai chili sauce, red pepper flakes, green onions and red, lime wedges, diced bell peppers and jalapeños, crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream. Cornbread and tortilla chips round things out.

Long tables with a mix of benches and chairs fill the hall on either side of the fire pits. One has board and card games stacked neatly at one end (they were neat when they were put out, at least). Another has two boxes, one wrapped in purple paper and one in pink, for depositing voting slips.

Poll #17301 1st Annual Chili Cook-Off

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 7

View Respondents

Who gets your vote?

View Answers

Clint--Avengers Assemble!
3 (42.9%)

Truthfully? Verity.
4 (57.1%)

The fire pits are lit, the food is waiting, and there are games in want of players. What are you waiting for?
((There will doubtless be further Cupid-based shenanigans, but this weekend, it's all about the platonic relationships. Bromances, BFFs, and family ties rule the day! Let's celebrate! Threadhopping, tangents, games, and mischief are all encouraged. Just don't start a food fight or Verity will have to yell.))

Comments

Clint Barton's "Avengers Assemble" Chili

[aw_hawkguy]

Clad in a purple tee shirt, heavy apron, and welding mask, Clint Barton toils over a tall pot, stirring its contents and checking them regularly. "Come an' get it, kids!" he calls. "The chili that amazed Asgard! The chili that beat an evil robot! The chili that saved the world! Come and get it!"

The chili in question is rich and thick, a mixture of red kidney beans, black beans, stewed crushed tomatoes, and just a few lentils that's had the excess water slow-cooked out of it to the point that spoons stand up straight and every muscle on Hawkeye's not-inconsiderable arms stands out when he goes to stir. A veritable menagerie of ground meats add to that robust body, including beef, venison, bison, and alligator. As well as mouth-watering, it's also eye-watering--carmelized onions and garlic are only the beginning of the spicy flavor profile, which rolls up tabasco and diced jalepeno on its way to incur the curses of spice merchants with a blend of turmeric, cumin, worcestershire sauce, chili powder, and a note of molasses and liquid smoke to finish.

Those with gentler mouths are advised to take theirs ladled over a bowl of crumbled-up cornbread, topped with shredded cheese, a generous dollop of sour cream, and a few fresh minced chives. Those desirous of a hotter experience are welcome to some of this year's new experiment, his "Infinity Gauntlet" salsa: scotch bonnets, red savina habaneros, komodo dragon chili peppers, bhut jolokia, Trinidad moruga scorpions, and Carolina reapers, blended cold with chopped tomatoes to preserve enough heat to make Volstagg blanch.

[brave_heart_verity]

"I didn't know we were supposed to come up with fancy names..." Okay, so now she's feeling a bit whiny. Deal with it. "Do you always name your food?"

Did someone say Assemble?

[juststeverogers]

Steve's glad for the sizable amount of coat racks so he can unbundle from the cold outside once he's inside the hall. The last thing he wants to do is waddle around in his huge coat and mittens all afternoon while he's trying to mingle.

He's got on another of his Avengers teeshirts that he's been slowly collecting tucked into a pair of jeans with only a scant few charcoal smudges on it. Must have been cleaning today instead of arting. Verity had been the one to invite him formally to this shindig, but Clint's hollering draws him over there first.

"Gotta admit, that smells pretty good."

RE: Assemble

[red_room]

"Wow, this is a surprise." As usual, Natasha shows up almost entirely out of nowhere when she does decide to arrive. She's out of uniform, but that rarely tells if she's fresh off assignment or not.

"It's not the fourth of July, and it's sure as hell not the last day of school we're celebrating...what's the occasion?"

And, more importantly, does this Clint make a better chili than hers? Because she needs to know this. For science.

[bestdadinamestris]

"Chili that saved the world? How could a man resist?" Hughes approaches Clint with a bit of a chuckle and a smile.

"It's nice to see you again, Clint. How have you been?" He gestures to the chili in a silent request for a bowl. He'll definitely need to add some cheese and sour cream to his, but not too much. If it's spicy, he wants to enjoy it that way.

Of course Bugs is going to try the salsa

[shoulda_toined]

(And now he's literally spewing fire uncontrollably. Bugs running on the Rule of Funny, however, this is just Cartoon Fire that does no harm to anyone other than Bugs himself.)

[smartass_captain]

"Nice getup." Jim quips as he makes his way over. He'd been at Verity's table for a bit, but hadn't had anything to eat just yet. Seems like he's more interested in greeting his siblings and wishing them best of luck before he gets down to fooding.

He's also carrying a small casserole dish under one arm that definitely isn't empty.

"Good response so far?"

[fightlikehell]

The smell of that many meats together alone has his nose in a tizzy now combined with a sensation that is burning slightly in his sinus. Matt is up to the task to try both to be a good sport.

"I'm going to just have a fraction of a portion." And yes, Matt's sporting the glasses, the cane, the whole she-bang. At least he's looking relaxed while out and about.

[hellburger]

Once Miller has polished off his sample of Verity's chili, he wanders his way over to Clint, a fresh beer in hand.

"Hey! Clint, right? From the Star Wars thing?" He flashes a smile and eyes the contents of the pot. "Sounds like your chili's got quite the resume."

[sumarusfinest]

Once Katsuya's got his dessert station set up and coffee ready for anyone needing a break from all of this spicy food time, he'll make his way over to the chili tables to do his part in the voting process.

Also, who wouldn't get hungry smelling all of this?

"Barton." He gives the Avenger a polite nod in way of greeting. "Should I be concerned, given the welding mask?"

[onemorebounty]

Do I dare ask the caliber of robots where you're from?

*Samus' tone is wry, but amused.*

I'll try a bowl.

[brother_alone]

"Cooking competition, huh.." Well, that's a new one. Joshua Washington is still a relatively new face to the Nexus and one that has tried desperately to stay under the radar.

A free meal sounds pretty great to a homeless guy in the middle of winter though.

"Anyone welcome so long as they vote?" He's pointing to the flyer in his hand.

[ixis]

An ugly mage with a horn and claw is now here, slamming a bowl onto Clint's table and declaring way too loudly, "I WILL PROVE IT IS NOT TOO HOT FOR AN IXIS MAGE! YOUR SOUP DOES NOT INTIMIDATE ME!"

Whoa, dial it back like...thirty notches, weirdo.

In the Pink Corner...

[brave_heart_verity]

Clint may be slaving away over his chili, but Ver? She's relaxing. She's got a book and a beer and the occasional amused smirk to throw her brother's way. Her chili is done and nobody has to fight with it. (The casual demeanor or fauxhawk shouldn't fool anyone; she's super serious about all this.)

Her chili is also, it should be noted, amazing. Maybe she doesn't have fancy names for things, but she's got a chili that started life as a beef roast and fresh tomatoes, a mix of kidney and black beans and chickpeas, stewed together until the tomatoes were soft and creamy and the beef was falling apart. Then the beef was shredded and the pot was seasoned and spiced and put to simmer. Caramelized onions, roasted garlic and bell peppers, a blend of chilis, smoke and bittersweet chocolate, a hint of black tea and a note of something more exotic round out the flavors.

This is a good, proper stew: thick, warming, inviting second servings because no taste buds were killed in the eating of the first. But if someone is so enraptured they never want to taste food again, she too has a little pot of stewed-down chilis with which to heat individual servings to taste. But she takes no responsibility for what happens after.

[hellburger]

Kazuhira Miller, a weak-willed mortal, cannot resist the siren call of free food in a toasty venue. He wanders into the hall, scoping out the spread and the impressive decor before sidling up to Verity's table. Seems it's ladies first, as usual with this guy.

"So ... I'm gonna to assume you're the 'Verity' half of this competition? I don't think we've been introduced." He offers a hand. "Kazuhira. Or Kaz for short."

Hot Toddukah Chili: The Seconding

[smartass_captain]

The barely audible blip of the PINpoint is the only marker to Jim's arrival to this shindig. He's got what looks to be a small casserole bowl complete with lid tucked under one arm and moves right over to Verity's table as soon as he arrives, giving her a big wave.

"Damn. Hot Toddukah chili again so soon? What have I done to deserve this? Because I'll do it again and again if this stays on the menu."

[romeoinabox]

It should be little surprise to Verity that her cooking draws the attention of Red the moment he steps into the Meadhall. Given the way he voraciously ate his way through snacks at their tea together, she can be assured that he came with an appetite.

"Good afternoon, Verity," he calls as he approaches. With his winter coat over his arm, it's revealed that he's dressed in a full suit today. Seems he's a snappy dresser all the time. He leans close to the pot and take a good, long sniff before smiling brightly at her. "What wonderous winter meal have you cooked up for us today?"

[bestdadinamestris]

"Hey there, Verity!" Look who's back in his own body and happy as a clam about it. Hughes approaches with a bright smile and an air of excitement.

The pot of chili gets a raised eyebrow once he's close enough, though. "It sure smells amazing, but what's in it? And... can I have some?" Because, really, how could he resist?

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"Good afternoon, Verity," the thin man greets her--and when did he get here? "How goes the triumph?"

[shoulda_toined]

(Having already done the fire-spewing gag once, Bugs noshes down on the chili like a perfect gentleman, except for one little thing he can't resist commenting on:)

What, no carrots in da recipe?

[fightlikehell]

Ah, now this is a smell that is not going to remove any hair from his nostrils. He already has an idea of who is at hand on smell at a distance. It overpowers the other familiar fragrances.

"What enthralling thing are you reading there, chef?"

[red_room]

Natasha's been hanging around at Barton's table for some time, chatting about something or other while eating his chili offerings, but when she's done she's heading right over to Verity's, giving the other a nod in way of greeting when Verity notices her.

"Quite the competition going on. You two have drawn one hell of a crowd."

The Obligatory Dessert Station

[sumarusfinest]

As this event is really much more about the sibling rivalry over who has the better meaty stewlike concoction, Katsuya has done his best to set up in a quiet part of the hall. He has three tres leches cakes with varying toppings: fruit, a dusting of cocoa powder, and one with a fourth leche in the form of drizzled dulce de leche atop the whipped cream icing. He's cut all three cakes once already for easy serving and has several disposable bowls and plastic cutlery for folks to obtain their dessert in.

Once he gets all set up, he will wander to go try out the chilis, but rest assured for those needing sweet relief from all the spicy chili, he won't leave any wanting for dessert.

[brave_heart_verity]

Verity's going to come by when Katsuya's setting up, stopping a few steps away. "Hey... need any help?"

This is so awkward. She hates that this is so awkward.

he's sort of anywhere milling around

[cardboard_boss]

Boss will be walking around looking at all the different foods wondering what the hell is going on to be frank. A celebration but for what? Snake isn't really one for socialising and he can't help but stand watching everyone else whilst smoking his e-cigar.

"Huh. People must like food here a lot."

[brave_heart_verity]

"Yes, we do." A good hostess pays attention to the people coming and going, and Ver's managed to do that halfway well. She sees Boss wandering around eventually and tries to catch his eye to wave him over. "Hungry?"

[jinmenken]

There's a furtive, furry presence skittering from hiding place to hiding place, always doing his level best to stay out of sight. Under tables, behind chairs, one notable case of ducking under a floor-length dress. He always peeks first, peering from behind cracked glasses, before scurrying to the next hiding place.

Whenever he gets the chance and someone who's manning the tables looks away, Manjimutt darts out and attempts to snag a plate, a bowl, a single treat in his teeth and duck back into hiding. Free food brings out the hungry cryptids in the Nexus.

[aw_hawkguy]

At some point, Clint notices the little... creature. "What the...?" Bending down, he asks half to himself, "we got a stray?" And more to whatever's down there, "hey, little guy, I'm not gonna hurt ya, I just wanna say hello. Okay?"