Posted by Lieutenant Navale Huzzen (Engineer) in Florence’s Lounge- Expanding Tastebuds

Posted by Chief Petty Officer Sam Nazarian (Host of Florence’s) in Florence’s Lounge- Expanding Tastebuds

Posted by Lieutenant Navale Huzzen (Engineer) in Florence’s Lounge- Expanding Tastebuds
Posted by… suppressed (42) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

He watched Navale as she sampled, enjoying seeing her reactions. “Yeah, the olives have a briny taste as well as being rich with oil. They’re quite the sensory experienceIt’s too much to do in one bite, but as you eat them, you can experiment with bites of different things. What you eat before will affect the taste of each item.”

~Sam, Host of Florence’s

“Hmmmm, alright.” Navale slid everything off the skewers and started creating patterns with the food. Cutting up some of the pieces smaller so she could try as many possible combinations as she could manage. It was all very methodically thought out. Then she started sampling everything in her range of possibilities. She enjoyed them all, even if she wouldn’t eat someone them again. She commented on the different results as she tried them.

Lt. Huzzen, Engineer

Sam grinned. “You know, the biggest joy for me these days is seeing someone really enjoy themselves. It’s the biggest compliment someone can give me. It’s what makes this not work at all, but a bit of fun I get to do each day. Though I will say that there are days I do miss crawling about a ship with you all, and being stuck in the systems.”

~Sam, Host of Florence’s

Navale’s eyes widened slightly, “You’re an engineer, Sam? I didn’t know that. I tell you, after this last one, we could have used an extra pair of hands.”

Lt. Huzzen, Engineer

He gave her a smaller smile. “I used to be. Left Starfleet eight years ago. I originally enlisted during the war. The job itself became too much to manage but I still liked being on ships so I asked for permission to work on them in a civilian capacity. I feel like this is a better way for me to contribute now.”

~Sam, Host of Florence’s

Navale grinned, “I bet you still tinker though, don’t you?” She glanced down the bar and around the lounge, “I think you fit in just fine here. And everyone certainly enjoys the atmosphere you’ve created in here. So why a lounge host?”

Lt. Huzzen, Engineer

He grinned. “Yes, I do tinker. At least I can fix my own replicators when I need to. Save you the trouble of coming down. But don’t worry, I log everything.”

“I won’t tell if you don’t,” Navale laughed, “checking the logs is above my paygrade, unless ordered.”

Sam folded his arms on the bartop. “As for why I chose this fine occupation… I like people. I like being on ships too. Space agrees with me. And every ship needs someone outside of the chain of command to talk to. I’m a firm believer in mental health care, but I also know that sometimes you just need a casual place to vent or seek advice. I found people in my department used to do that a lot with me, so I consider it a free service for all who visit Florence’s. I’ll help however I can, even if in the end I gently suggest they talk to someone in Psychiatry.”

~Sam, Host of Florence’s

“Sometimes, that’s all people need. Just someone to talk with, a chance to not feel isolated. I think that’s what stops most people from seeking out help. They feel alone and like no one cares.”

Lt. Huzzen, Engineer

Sam nodded. “Exactly. And there can be a lot of fear about one’s career, even if, especially on the Ogawa, there is so much more understanding about mental health needs. If I can bridge the gap until they get the help they really need, I’m glad to do so.” He lifted a finger. “Though I should be clear that I’ve done some very rudimentary training before I came here knowing that it would be useful. I couldn’t be sure who would walk through those doors.”

She took the time to glance around at the people in the lounge. “It’s beautiful isn’t it? All the different people in once place. Not just the different species, but the differences between individuals.”

“It’s an extraordinary thing. Living in the Federation is not something I take for granted, though I’ve seen microcosms of this even back in my grandparents villages, or on Betazed when I was young,” Sam said. “But I will say that a hospital ship like the Ogawa is truly unique. People are here because they can offer help, are the ones that need the help, or are here to make sure everything runs well enough for people to be able to dispense the help. It’s a truly noble purpose, even if you ar the one that needs help. I can’t think of a better place you could be, and I’ve been more than my share of places.”

“That is exactly why I asked for a transfer to the Ogawa. I loved work with the corp of engineers. It was exciting and fun to experiment with new designs, but I wanted to do something where my work was making a daily impact. I saw the Ogawa had an opening and I applied.”

He flashed her a grin. “Once you’re done with those, it’ll be time for dessert. You’ll have to tell me whether you’d like something light, or rich.”

~Sam, Host of Florence’s

“Oh that’s tough. Everything tonight has been light, so something rich would be nice. However, I’m interested to see what you can do with a light dessert. Can’t I have both?” She laughed and then finished the last bites of the current dish.

Lt. Huzzen, Engineer

Sam leaned forward and met her gaze, his eyes sparkling. “Both? Hmmm. Well, it is your special meal and I fully believe we should indulge ourselves whenever we can. But do you think you can wait for one of them? It takes time to make it perfect.”

~Sam, Host of Florence’s

Navale leaned toward him as well. “With a descriptor like ‘perfect’ who could say no. I have no other plans, so I’m all yours for the evening, Sam.”

Lt. Huzzen, Engineer

He flashed her a grin. “Then I’ll be right back.” He slipped away to the storage/prep area.

A few minutes later, he returned but with no food in hand… yet. He did have a bottle of something yellow in his hands though. “Do you like lemon-flavoured things, Navale?”

~Sam, Host of Florence’s

Navale grinned back as he walked away and when he returned. “I had lemonade when I was at the academy, but never had anything else. I liked it, as long as there wasn’t too much sugar in it,” she said as she eyed the yellow filled bottle in his hand.

Lt. Huzzen, Engineer

“Hmmm, this will be an interesting experience then,” Sam said as set the bottle down behind the bar. He grabbed a cocktail shaker and tossed in some ice, and then poured in a small amount of the vibrant yellow liquor and then squeezed in some lime juice. Giving it a thorough shake, he emptied it into a small delicate footed glass, and set a slice of lime on the side. He slid it over to Navale.

“Now, this is something you sip slowly. It’s limoncello. It’s an apéritif, but it will complement both the desserts, I think. It is sweet, but it’s quite strong and the acidity of the lime will cut through some of the sweetness. Limoncello always reminded him of a lemon sucker, but when you added the lime it morphed into something else entirely.

~Sam, Host of Florence’s

Navale picked up the glass and turned it, watching the color in the glass for a moment. Then she lifted it to her lips and took a cautious small sip from the rim. Her eyes squinted and her nose wrinkled. Then she took another ship and sighed. “Oh, that’s divine. Absolutely strange, but I would definitely sabotage a computer console for this.”

Lt. Huzzen, Engineer

He laughed openly, his tenor voice echoing in the lounge. “That’s a new one, but I appreciate your commitment. And I agree, it’s pretty special. And so you know, I always keep a bottle around. It’s surprisingly handy to have around.” He loved seeing that flicker of delight as the taste of something that agreed with a person finally settled into their mind. It was always such a beautiful moment.

~Sam, Host of Florence’s

Navale’s eyes glittered with amusement. “Oh no. Oh Sam did you just tell me you keep this ambrosia in stock? That’s dangerous. You’ll never get rid of me.”

Lt. Huzzen, Engineer

Still grinning, he gave her a sideways glance as he stepped backwards through the bar. “Hmmm, not sure that’s the problem you think it is.”

He disappeared for a minute.

Navale grinned, but it was delighted rather than amused.

When he returned, he carried a silver dome covered dish. Setting it down, he rested his hands on top. “Okay, do you want the rich dessert first, or the light one. The order will affect your final overall impression of the meal.”

~Sam, Host of Florence’s

“Now now Sam. You told me to put my trust in you and let you take care of the evening. So I am all in. How do you want me to experience the end of my meal? Hmmm?”

Lt. Huzzen, Engineer

Sam gave this great thought and lifted the dome, but only enough for him to pull something out from underneath the dome and slide it to Navale. It was a cleear parfait glass with layers of cookie crumb and a pale green creamy substance like a pudding, with toasted coconut on top.

While the concoction was creamy, it came off the tongue as being much lighter, as if it was half foam. The cookie crumbs in the base were crunchy, but also light.

“You could end on a light note, and this would certainly ensure you didn’t leave feeling like it was all too much. But I think the second dessert you’ll appreciate when it’s time. It’s something very satisfying.”

~Sam, Host of Florence’s

Navale picked up her spoon and took a delicate scoop out of the cup. The warm toasted bite of the coconut was a stark contrast to the foamy pudding and the playful crunch of the cookies. Her eyes closed as she focused on the flavor and textures. “Hmmmm,” she sighed out. “That appearance is deceptive to the actual texture. What is it?” She scooped another bite, slightly more this time.

Lt. Huzzen, Engineer

He watched her taste the treat with an intense gaze, waiting for that one moment of surprise and delight. She had a very expressive face and it was something Sam always gravitated towards. He liked being able to see people’s emotions in some way.

“Riqiin foam. They use a standard injection process to add air to something like a custard but they take molecular gastronomy to whole new levels. Riqiin has an added chemical compound that will change the foam as it sits. In fact, if you let it be for a minute you’ll notice it’ll split into evenly into a pudding layer and a foam. Sort of like topping something with whipped cream.”

~Sam, Host of Florence’s

“Really?” Navale glanced back down at her dish and watched it expectantly so she could watch the change. “That’s a whole lot of complex chemistry, but with a really delicious result. Chemistry was never my strong suit. Which is funny since I’m actually decent with math.” She laughed softly, bending down to peer into the glass as the desert began to separate out.

Lt. Huzzen, Engineer

As she watched, she could see that the upper part became paler and the lower half of the foam darkened, almost gelling together.

Sam leaned on the bar, bracing his elbows on top with his fingers laced. He watched her eye the dessert so intently that he couldn’t help but smile. “There’s a lot to be said for chemistry. It’s very highly underrated.”

~Sam, Host of Florence’s

Navale glanced up at him over the rim of the glass and grinned wickedly. “Oh, I have to agree. Chemistry is amazing. I just learned that I’m better off letting it have its way, rather than try to manipulate it.” She winked at him and glanced back down at the desert that was now seperated. She sat up and took her spoon. She very meticulously took some of the lighter foam first, then the gel and tried them separately to get a taste for each. Then she took a third bite with all of it together. Her expression showed her delight. “Sam, I don’t think you are a bartender, I think you’re a magician.”

Lt. Huzzen, Engineer

His eyes crinkled at the corners as his smile deepened. “There are worse things to be considered. I accept your compliment,” he said. “Now, dig all the way to the bottom where the actual pudding is, making sure you get the cookie crumbs on top and see how it all works together. I’m going to go check on the other dessert…” He stood up and backed away, his gaze lingering on her for a moment before he turned and headed off.

~Sam, Host of Florence’s

Navale watched him back up, something about his gaze made her feel like she was blushing and she grinned. Then she took the spoon and dutifully dug to the bottom of glass and made sure she had some of everything on it and then slipped the spoon in her mouth. Her eyes closed and she hummed with delight. After a moment, without opening her eyes she called, “Sam! Be glad I’m not a pirate!”

Lt. Huzzen, Engineer

Sam turned and looked back at her with slightly raised brows and a deep smirk. “Something tells me I might actually wish for the opposite.” Then he slipped out of view.

Navale laughed. She had not expected the evening to turn into a delightful session of flirting with Sam. She wasn’t complaining though.

He returned a minute later with a small pedestal plate in hand. It held a shiny domed brown object that looked enough for one person. Sam set it down gently and slid it towards her. “A Ktarian chocolate puff, personal edition. Seventeen types of chocolate. It’s light in texture but very rich with different textures inside. A study in contrasts, as it were. After the lighter dishes you’ve tried tonight I thought you might appreciate something you could savour that left a lasting impression.”

~Sam, Host of Florence’s

Navale looked at the concoction. Even the aroma screamed of rich decadence. She looked up at him, over the puff, “Oh no worries there, Sam. This evening most certainly is leaving a very lasting impression.” Navale picked up her fork, turned it sideways and sliced down through the puff, making a small wedge. The puff seemed to explode on her tongue, but it also melted slowly spreading its richness across her taste buds. It was still warm which added an additional layer to the riot of textures and subtle different flavors of the different chocolate. Navale didn’t say anything, It was too good to ruin by commenting.

Lt. Huzzen, Engineer

Sam leaned a hip against the back of the bar and watched her take in what was the perfect chocolate dessert (in his mind). It just didn’t get better than that. and her reaction was everything he had hoped it to be. The truth was that while this meal had taken time and effort to put together, it was no different than he did any other day. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. Navale had shown curiosity and enjoyment over trying new things and, feeling the same way in his own life, he wanted nothing more than to indulge that curiosity. He hadn’t expected this evening to be quite so fun, but every day on the Ogawa was a constant surprise. So in many ways, he was simply paying it forward, and for his effort he had made a connection with someone. Or at least he thought he had. It would not have been the first time he had been wrong, but her comments told him that was likely spot on.

Navale took her time with the dessert. It was rich, yes, but she wasn’t in a hurry for the meal to end. Even removing the food from the equation, she was enjoying it far too much.

While he was gone he could still hear the chatter in the lounge. “Oh, Huzzen, is that a Ktarian chocolate puff?” There was just an affirmative hum from the engineer. “That’s my favorite. Let me have a just a small bite.”

“If you want to keep your hand and teeth intact, you stay away from my desert. I’m not in the mood to share, Kazik.”

“Awww, but Navale, just a little bite? I haven’t had a non replicated one in forever.”

“Go ask for your own then. This is mine. I’m only sharing with me, myself, and I. Well, and the creator of such a fine dessert… maybe. Go away.” The fellow engineering officer laughed and held up his hands in a placating manner and walked off.

Letting her enjoy her dessert, he slipped away and came back with a small espresso cup, and slid that over to her as well. “Decaf espresso, since the chocolate is more than enough, but it enhances the flavour of the chocolate and the bitterness provides a contrast to the sweetness in the dessert.”

~Sam, Host of Florence’s

Navale paused in the process of removing the fork from her mouth and making sure removed every piece of chocolate of the tines before getting another bite. She looked at the cup and then back at Sam. “Okay, so I am not overly familiar with Human Coffee Culture, but I thought the whole point of espresso was to give you a concentrated shot to jolt you awake for hours. What is the point of a decaf version?”

Lt. Huzzen, Engineer

He grinned widely. “Actually espresso in its undoctored form is quite an experience. There’s a nuance of taste based on the quality of the beans you use. Just like chocolate or wine, the taste of coffee is highly affected by its growing region and conditions. Now, decaffeinating the beans is quite the process and it’s an art to add back the flavour that was removed. So if you think about it, drinking any sort of coffee plain and without caffeine means you’re in it for the taste alone. Otherwise, why drink it?”

Sam leaned towards her, his blue eyes alight. “Now, you don’t have to like coffee itself to get what you should from this dessert experience. Try a sip of the espresso and then a bite of the chocolate puff. And don’t let that espresso go cold. Changes everything,” he said with a wink.

~Sam, Host of Florence’s

Navale had leaned toward him. His eyes were stunning. Did anyone else notice that? Anyone else get close enough to notice? Hmmm??

Navale picked up the espresso and took a generous sip. Then quickly took a bite of the puff. The result was astonishing and heady. It was like a chocolaty intoxication. She had read somewhere that chocolate was considered an aphrodisiac for some species. She wasn’t sure that was the exact way to describe it, but it was close. Then again it could be the way the man across the bar was watching her too.

Lt. Huzzen, Engineer

He watched her carefully as the fullness of the combination landed on her palate and her expression showed him what he hoped to see. “Exactly,” he said, his voice low.

Navale’s eyes flew up to his at the low word said privately between them. Like he had caught her at something, and she absolutely liked that he had.

With a tiny smirk he leaned back and grabbed a rag. “Let me know if there is anything else you need. Just going to take care of a couple tasks,” Sam said, before proceeding to wipe down the entire back of the bar.

~Sam, Host of Florence’s

Navale could think of a whole list of things she needed. Well, okay that she wanted. The first being to get rid of any tasks Sam had that required him to not spend the rest of the evening with her. She consumed the desert slowly. Combining the espresso with the puff each time and letting the experience fully wash over her before taking another bite. She watched Sam the whole time. The play and ripple of muscles as he moved About behind the bar. His expressions as he spoke to people and when she happened to catch his eye. She didn’t hide the fact she was watching or that she liked what she saw.

He had so casually gone back to work once he’d given her the final dish of her meal. Perhaps she had misunderstood. That was disappointing, but it was a great night either way. And she could look.

Lt. Huzzen, Engineer

Stepping away had given him a moment to take a much-needed breath. The exchange before he forced himself to move away had been all kinds of intense. In the best possible way of course. But while he was happy to flirt with someone, it didn’t happen constantly. He wasn’t quite in extroverted, but nor was he introverted. He liked to think of himself as easy going, but that didn’t mean he flirted with every random person that graced his bar. He had no personal rules against it (he was on a starship where every person was he met was potentially a patron) but he was mindful that in a closed environment like the Ogawa, it was harder to create space between people if things went badly.

He could feel the intensity of her gaze on him as he worked and it had to admit he enjoyed it. So as he worked (entirely busy work) he stole small glances in her direction. Yes, he wanted her know he was okay with her watching.

As the dessert slowly disappeared, Sam made his way back over. “Well? I promised you a full dining experience full of exploration. How’d I do?” he asked.

~Sam, Host of Florence’s

She knew he was watching her too, but she couldn’t quite peg the reason. Was flirting just for fun, her mistake and he was just that easy going, or was he just checking for when she was done? Sam had barely left her through the whole thing, but now he seemed to stay away.

Oh well. Maybe she was wrong or maybe he wasn’t sure. Oh dear it wasn’t the rank thing was it? Commissioned officers weren’t supposed to fraternize with enlisted. But Sam was retired. That rule didn’t apply any more. Maybe it mattered to him?

Well it didn’t bother her. She smiled around her fork as she took the last luscious bite and finished it with a sorrowful sigh. She grinned at him. “It was amazing, Sam. Thank you so much for such a memorable evening. Then of course there was the food, which was amazing.”

Lt. Huzzen, Engineer

Folding his arms across the bar as he leaned in, a wide smile graced his face. “You are most very welcome.” A beat passed and he had to decide what to do. Oh hell, why not? Besides, there was a twinge of emotion from her that worried him a little and he wanted to correct. “And I have to admit that at first it was all about the food, but as the evening went on I kept watching your reactions and hoping for good ones. I didn’t want you to be disappointed. And I also have to admit that it’s been quite a while since I’ve had such a lovely conversational partner. In fact, I think that it bears repeating, don’t you?”

~Sam, Host of Florence’s

The grin on her face transformed into a delighted smile. “I most definitely do.” Her smile turned mischievous, “I could come sit on this bar stool every night and partake of your conversation and culinary expertise.”

He took in the shape of her smile and how it moved across her face into her eyes. For a moment Sam was utterly transfixed.

“Or,” she added, “please tell me you mean something more personal.”

Lt. Huzzen, Engineer

It was the please that got him. It meant reciprocity. His grin deepened. “I am most definitely up for spending time with you away from this bar. But your schedule is likely more in flux than mine, so just tell me when.”

~Sam, Host of Florence’s

Navale had to stop herself from saying the first thing that popped in her head. Which was ‘right now.’ “Normally, my day off would be the day after tomorrow, but space dock and repairs and all that. So I’m covering an over night, but I’ll be off at 0700. Then,” she sighed happily, “shore leave a couple days after.”

Lt. Huzzen, Engineer

“Well, it might end up feeling like forever but I think I can make sure I am findable during shore leave. Goodness knows we all deserve some.” It wasn’t like he had just been hanging out here in the lounge during the crisis. He was looking forward to downtime as well.

And he was being honest about not wanting to wait that long, but there were practical matters at hand. Though on occasion he was known to throw caution to the wind.

Sam ran a hand through his dark and stylishly shaggy hair before moving his finger to tap his lips a couple of times. “And yes, I will eagerly anticipate our next meeting,” he said, the word meeting sounding more provocative to his own ears than perhaps he initially intended.

~Sam, Host of Florence’s

A private smile crossed her lips at the way he said it, her eyes meeting his. “I will too.” She sighed playfully, “Well now I have a conundrum, Sam, knowing it will be longer than either of us prefer. Do I linger here to prolong the evening or do I leave in the hopes that the time passes faster?”

Lt. Huzzen, Engineer

The corners of his eyes crinkled as he smiled. “Well, that is definitely a conundrum. I have another hour here before one of staff takes over. So you are more than welcome to stay and chat with me when I’m not serving others and I might even be able to conjure up a cocktail to sip on. Or you could leave and make me wish you had stayed. Both are fair options.”

~Sam, Host of Florence’s