#tasting menu

IRON LUNG

Course 1: Blood Ocean

(served when we first see Simon on screen)

To drink: a pure varietal red Grenache, which should be close to a true blood-red color

To eat: a chicken curry with plenty of spices and paprika, this is going to go well with the Grenache because the chicken is not a super dark protein, and so it won’t taste too strong compared to the less-intense wine, but the spices should really compliment it. I haven’t had a lot of grenache so take this with a grain of salt BUT I’m very confident in the spices thing.

Course 2:

(Served when Simon wakes up after the skeleton incident)

To drink: a classic vodka martini served in a small glass jar with a red olive stuffed with Calabrian chili as a garnish. This should look like an evil red eye and be a nod to the jar of rubbing alcohol he knocks back.

To eat: oysters with a red onion mignonette. this will be a very sour sauce on an already salty oyster, which will add the missing flavor pieces to the botanical and spicy cocktail and garnish. plus it should be a fitting and attractive pinkish red, and should remind you of the eel.

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PROJECT HAIL MARY

Course 3: Petrova

(Served when we see Grace alone in his classroom before we meet Stratt)

To drink: a small Moscow mule in the traditional copper mug. I don’t have much of an explanation for this, other than that it’s a vodka cocktail and a nod to Ilyukhina who supplied Ryland with the vodka

To eat: a rich and spicy pork al pastor burrito bowl, as a nod to Grace’s burritos from the book. I like spicy things with my mules so that’s why I’ve chosen that.

Course 4: Amaze!

(served when Rocky comes onto the ship)

To drink: a medium bodied pinot noir from Sonoma (let me be a snob here please I promise it won’t happen again). This is mainly to go with the food which I really wanted to add, but the fruitiness of nice Sonoma pinot noirs is going to go so well with a really rich broth just trust me on this.

To eat: thick and rich beef ramen with mushrooms, bean sprouts, black garlic and a soft boiled egg. should line up with the ramen/eating scene in the movie which I find hilarious.

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DEBRIEF/NON-OPTIONAL BLOODYMARY POWERPOINT

Course 5: Bloody Mary

To drink: a Bloody Mary. Obviously, hehe. Add some Crystal hot sauce to that bad boy and the same vodka used for the martini and the mule for consistency.

To eat: a kimchi burger slider (kimchi, burger patty, over medium egg, small brioche bun, crystal hot sauce). Reference to the meburgers from the book.

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You smile at her your food untouched. You’re too busy watching her enjoy the food. You grip your fork a little harder unsure if it’s from her reaction or from the aroma of the slowly caramelising onions, garlic and rosemary filling your senses and the air with a magical scent.

She finally opens her eyes and its twinkling. You give her a shy smile and pop a morsel of food into your mouth. You manage to say after swallowing, “good?”

"Mmm" she hums. “I won’t be able to move after this” she says wiping her mouth on a napkin.

You offer her another ladle full which she initially refuses but eventually accepts. Internally you hoot and holler knowing she really liked what you had prepared. Nat isn’t usually a big eater so this was a massive win. You ask her about her day and she talks animatedly as she eats. You watch her lips, the adorable crinkle in the corner of her eyes as she relates something funny, the alluring almost-dimple that forms in her cheek and her shining eyes.

You think there must be, there has to be a connection between food and lust. Or was it just her?

You half stand offering to top up her glass of wine and she immediately shushes you insisting you let her pour the wine since you had cooked dinner. She fills your glass and then hers before sitting back down. She continues her story about cats, or something, you were too distracted watching her take a sip from her drink. You watch her larynx move as she swallows and you imagine your lips moving up and down that smooth column. 

Then she laughs placing the glass of wine back onto the table. “You didn’t hear a word I said did you?”

“I heard every single word” you reply chuckling nervously at being caught red handed. 

She clicks her tongue at you while pushing her chair backwards. You blush a crimson red as she circles the table and pulls your chair away from the table to sit herself in your lap. 

Your breath stutters as her face nears yours. “I have dessert ready in the fridge” you manage.

You feel her warm breath on your neck as she nuzzles you there. “Leave them for later” she says pulling herself closer to you arms linked around your shoulders. Her whispers leave you tingling with desire. 

Your eyes roll in their sockets. “Can you manage a little?”

She removes her lips from your neck to face you. Her forehead against yours. “Maybe…” she says raising your chin with her index finger, “…maybe I want another kind of dessert first” she teases.

Your skin is on fire as she smirks at you. You’re sure she can feel your heart thumping through your chest. She connects her lips with yours and you can taste spices and a faint aroma of wine on her tongue. 

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