Starring:
Date: Feburary 16th, 2010
Summary:
Goh sells his Pickled Vegetables to some excellent clients!
"Oh no! Pickled Vegetables that aren't perfect!"
Konoha Village Entrance
With the dawn of a bright new morning behind the village of Konoha, people are starting to go about their business. Goods and services are being sold, ninja are coming back and forth from missions.. the place is busy. Quite busy!
One who is joining in on this is Goh. Sitting on the ground near the front Gates, the blonde haired Jounin displays several ceramic pots in front of him. Various labels are printed on them, showing what sort of things are inside. For yes, that's right. Goh's Pickled Store is… open for business! With a big grin on his face, the teen throws his hands up as he sits cross legged. "Pickled vegetables! Take them on missions, or, if you're returning, have some to revitalize your soul! The Number One Vegies in all of Konoha!" Fortunately, since the pots are corked, there's no smell wafting out yet.
Taji was on no mission but he is hanging around the front gates of the village, as if just curious as to what is going on here. When Goh starts his little sales pitch, Taji hops down from the bench he was sort of perched on, sitting on the back of the bench oddly and balanced, and hops to his feet. He walks over towards Goh, and tilts his head, "What kind of vegetables do you have today? I could use some, if they aren't too pricey and if they are worth eating. What do you have?" He asks as he peers at the containers, to see what wares might be had.
With Taji's appearance, Goh lights up visibly. "Ooou! My first customer! And I've only been set up for a few seconds. Kukuku!" A hand lifts to rub his chin, eyes closing. "I guess I am pretty amazing… Anyway!" A thumb points to his chest, "I am Goh; Konoha's Number One Pickled Vegetabler. I even have a world ranking too! What you see before you are pickled vegetables of many different varieties. Different vegies, different pickling time, different spices. Anything you could possibly hope to find in an amazing taste is right before you!" His hands spread out, encompassing the ceramic pots in front of his cross legged position. "They are quite modestly priced, if I say so myself. As a Jounin of the village, I get plenty of money from missions. I don't do this to get any income, really." A big grin. "So. What's your name?"
A quizitive look is given to the various pots, as Taji comes closer, "I'm Taji, and I'm a Genin." He taps his forehead protector, as if it is proof of his claim, "But, I'm a vegetarian, and so the idea of pickled vegetables seems like something good. A change in diet as it were." He explains, "So, do you have any thing special here today? Anything I really should see?" He asks, a grin on his face as he does so."
"Oooh. A vegetarian, huh? Well, you'll be happy to know that I don't use any beef or meat of any kind in my pickling process. It's all natural, with plants collected from all around the world! I travel far and wide, sampling only the best vegies for my wares." He nods a bit. "Well Taji, you sure are in for a treat. I actually happen to have with me some.. special pickled vegies. Guarnteed to make you quiver with anticipation before each bite. I don't usually sell it, but.. I can make an exception this time around! For a vegetarian, you probably can appreciate this more than anyone else! Are you keen? Or would you rather a more basic brew?"
A faint smirk takes hold on Taji's lips, "I don' think I 'quiver' for much of anything." He says, as if he finds this a tad amusing, "That said, tell me what you have and I'll answer you. But I won't agree to eat anything on a dare or whim. I want to know what it is I'm eating. Even if you must keep the recipie a secret, you can tell me generally what you're offering? Can't you?" He asks as he glances from the pickling jars back up to Goh, "I am glad to hear you don't use meat in your workings though."
"It's this!" Pulling out a smaller ceramic pocket from underneath his thin jacket, Goh presents it forth. "..my combination, 1-2 brew! Blended with oils found near the borders of Kirigakure as well as the desert flowers that bloom rarely in Sunagakure, an ordinary piece of garlic becomes something truly wonderous. Behold!" Placing the pot down on the ground with the others, Goh unseals the cork. "..My Pickled Garlic!" The smell that comes out from the pot is… well, putrid! Unless of course, you're into the whole pickled vegetable thing. In which case, it smells very tasty. Sweet for garlic, almost un-naturally so. "It's been pickling for a good month now. I would like a taste tester."
Taji's nose wrinkles a bit at the smell, then that faint smile grows, "Ah…. I don't think I've ever smelled anything quite like that." He admits as he moves closer, "It may be a bit exotic for what I'm used to. But… I'm willing to try it, if you'll let me?" He ventures as he gets rather close to the clay pot. "Garlic you say? I know there are a few different kinds of garlic. What kind did you use?" The smell seems to appeal to the boy, rather than chasing him off.
Coming running into the area, SInoe stops and her eyes go wide. She looks around and then points at Goh, "Ha!" She states and walks up, "What is that amazing smell?!" She steps up and looks at the little ceramic container and then up at Goh before nodding to the others, "This must be something amazingly good." She nods and then peers at it, "I did not hear what you said you called it." She glances then to Taji and then at Goh again, looking, well, eager.
Goh can't help but grin widely. "You /are/ very well suited to trying this, aren't you? I don't think I've been asked that question before. I am glad to have someone appreciate it like you. Perhaps I should market to more vegetarians?" Goh shrugs a little. "Very well then! They are.. Artichoke Garlics!" Pretty standard, it seems. "I know, it's standard garlic, really. Quite easily found But that just makes it more amazing."
At the sudden arrival of Sinoe, Goh tilts his head a little bit. "Oooh. Sinoe! Right? Right. You're smelling Konoha's Number One Pickled Vegetables right now! Made by yours truly; Goh. Can I interest you in a batch?"
Taji laughs, "I tended some gardens from time to time, so I know something of the herbs and vegetables. Everyone had to do a bit of everything, I suppose and so…" He trails off, his smile fading a tad into a frown, that he shakes off, "In any case, I would be happy to try a taste, to see if your work has paid off? Perhaps this other person, ah… Sinoe is it? Would like some too?"
A quick nod and Sinoe leans forward, "You're giving out samples, yes?" She hmms and then looks at Taji before looking back at Goh. She tilts her head to the side, "I'd really love to try it at least before I buy it." She nods her head, "Did you add any spices? Is it only pickled? Did you hadd perhaps pepper?" She hmms and licks her lips.
"Of course. Sinoe, you are more than welcome to my private batch as well. These are just prototypes mind you, and are not guaranteed to rank as well as my other perfect vegies. But! Please, have some at your leisure." The ceramic pot remains sitting there on the ground, awaiting to be picked up and likely eaten from. "Here…" And just like that, he offers some chopsticks forth, placing them next to the pot. "In my pickled garlic? Of course! There are a mixture of little spices mixed in. Not too much, but enough that you'll taste them without the garlic being overpowered. Now, enough talk! Eat up!"
With that, Taji picks up the chopsticks and grins, reaching in to pluck out one of the garlic cloves with precision. He examines it a moment then… with little ceremony he opens his mouth and pops in the garlic, to give it a taste. He hesitates a moment, just tasting it, letting the flavor linger as he lets each little bit of the experience come through so that he can hope to give a full report when he is finally done!
Taking out a piece, Sinoe looks at it a moment and then chews on it. She sits back on her heels a bit, squatting as she chews and puts her hand to her chin, her elbow to her knee. She chews and chews and finally stands up and nods, "This is delicious." She declares and points, "I shall take a whole batch!" She nods and then ponders, "And then if there are more of other types of vegetables you deal in I shall try those, too." She nods her head and then puts her hands on her hips.
Goh's eyes narrow slightly as Taji pops it in his mouth, ensuring to taste all of the different sensations and flavours. It's almost like he's trying to put the poor Genin into some sort of genjutsu! But surely he's not, right? Right. Eyes shift down to the chopsticks as Sinoe grasps some of the garlic too. As she does, Goh puts the cork back onto his pot and thrusts it back under his jacket. "Ah! It seems that Sinoe likes it! But I have some bad news." Goh frowns. "..this pickled garlic. There isn't enough of it yet to go around, so it's not being sold. However! You are free to try any of these before me and take some home with you." He gestures to the some dozen pickled pots in front of him, nodding cleanly. "I assure you, they are all just as tasty! Ranging from asaparagus to zuchini."
Taji finally swallows the treat and shrugs, "It is very interesting. You know, this might sound strange but… well, no… I'm sure you know best about your pickling." He leaves it off. "That is a shame you don't have more. I'll have to see what else you have, sample a few and maybe take a pot home with me of what I like best? If that sounds okay?"
Looking at all the available stuff she opens up her pouch and looks inside, counting before asking, "Is there a sampler? A way I can get a little of each to take home?" She hmms as she looks down and then up at Goh before glancing to Taji, "You have something more to add about the garlic?" She hmms as she looks, "I liked it and vegetables are /very/ important."
"Ooou!" Goh flicks a thumb up. "That of course is fine. Sample amoungst yourselves, decide which you like and go from there." The Jounin chuckles and nods. "As I said, it's still under construction, that recipe. I know the holes in it." At the question posed to Sinoe, Goh shakes his head. "I haven't, no. Pickled vegetables are very cool because they sit in their own, respectable pickling jars. As we speak they continue to flavour! So if you mixed and matched, the flavours would get all mixed too.I suggest taking some from each pot and putting them in a brand new pot. I have some spare ones, I think."
Shrugging, Taji says, "I don't know about that, I mean if you did it right you might stumble across an even better flavor if you thought about what you were mixing. Like mixing spices, you could end up with something that was just right. But it would take a lot of work I bet." He starts to sample here and there, "I do think I'd be best off just finding what I like best and getting a bunch of that to start with." He says, mostly talking to himself it appears. He stops talking for a bit as he tastes, too busy to add much more as he samples.
A hmm and she ponders before looking at the pots before pondering more, "Hey." She says quietly, "What if you put more than one pot together?" She looks up at Goh, "Take pots and like, seal them together to make one container with multiple holding spots like multi-pouch belts." She nods and the points, "You could do that, have several together and sell them in one set as a sampler." She nods her head, "But for now." She states, "I'll take this one, that one, and that one." She declares without even looking at what is inside.
Goh grins, watching as Taji goes about his sampling with fervor. Watching him go at it was almost inspiring! "Taji, you are by far my most clued in customer! Never before have I met a pickler with the same tastes and qualities as I. If I were taking on an apprentice, you'd surely get the spot. Heh, unfortunately I'm not. But yeah. Good to meet a fellow pickler. At Sinoe's idea, Goh sort of blinks a little. "I..I guess I could do that! I'll definitely give it a shot. Man, you youngsters are definitely bright, huh? I can't even keep up you. And nice choices!" He declares, handing her over an empty ceramic pot. "Here… Use the chopsticks to fill yours."
And so the trio go about discussing Pickled Vegetables, with both Taji and Sinoe heading back home satisfied.
