QCC Newsletter

Recently a conversation was held with Kerrinne of Ivory Vineyards.

QCC:

After a short trip to the mainland, Madje arrived in Ivory some time early just after High Tea was beginning to be served. Armed with a few pocketfuls of rolled sandwiches, cookies, and candied lemon peel, a wineskin of raspberry juice, a notepad, writing utensil, and his shiny QCC Merchant Interviewer badge, he made his way to Ivory to meet with the lauded Queen Kerrinne. Dressed in his usually casual attire, the some-what scruffy young man had taken a moment to comb back his wiry crow's wing black hair, tucked his cream-colored shirt into navy trousers, straightened his cuffs just a little, and brushed off his boots before meeting with the Queen for a tour of Ivory's splendid vineyards. It didn't help that he'd gotten side-tracked by just about everything shiny and marvelous inside the vestibule of the castle - but Kerrinne managed to peel him away from the distractions to herd him in the right direction eventually!

Kerrinne:

Kerrinne's guard escorted them down by carriage to the 150 acre vineyard that sat at the foothills of the Lartian Mountains in Ivory. The carriage stopped in front of the store front at the gates. Once inside the store, she led Madje out beyond onto a path where one could see three large buildings on the sides and open vineyard draped over the hillsides ahead of them. "Ivory Vineyards predates my rule of this land." Kerrinne tells Madje.

"My first husband's family owned and operated this vineyard for nearly 150 years prior to my ownership. It was originally called Sneed Vineyards. The building on the right there is where we actually make the red wines and brandies, then across the path there we store the wines in one warehouse and the brandies in another."

She wore a lovely green sundress with her long strawberry-blonde hair down in wispy curls around her waist. On top of her head was one of her signature hats, wide brimmed -- it was white with a broad green ribbon.

QCC:

    The young Crowkin listened with rapt attention while Kerrinne spoke, scribbling down notes as he went and making a rough sketch of the beautiful landscape as they walked.

    "Sneed Vineyards? I think I like Ivory Vineyards much better! Au, but it's so beautiful here - do you ever have to chase out children? I remember sneaking into vineyards as a kid to eat the grapes," Madje chirped cheerfully, peering through the rows and rows of grapevines as if trying to catch a glimpse of some wayward child running through with their hands and mouths dyed purple.

    "Can you tell me about the processes you use to make your delicious wines and brandies? I purchased some of your Mina Vivant a while back for Yule - and let me tell you, quoa! It was incredible!"

    It was hard not to stare overly long at the lovely Queen, particularly when her hair glistened and caught the sunlight. Occasionally, the scatter-brained boy bent down to pick up fallen strands, which he stuffed into his pocket before jogging to catch up with Kerrinne again.

Kerrinne:

He might notice that Kerrinne's bare feet would poke out from beneath the skirt of her dress as she walked on ahead.

"Oh, only during the End of Harvest Festival will you find children here. The place is pretty well guarded to protect our customers from anyone with malicious intent."

Her golden-green eyes swept the rows of vines growing on either side of the path once they cleared the buildings.

"Our process? Well, without giving away trade secrets...our grapes are hand selected and picked with care. For different wines and brandies we look for different quality and types of grapes. So only those that are perfect for its respective end product is chosen. The grapes are then crushed and fermented. Some go on to become wines, and others are taken to our brandy distilling section.

We use copper alambic pot stills for this process. The trick with most wines and especially brandies is aging. To make them taste good, they must be adequately aged. Although I will caution against any brandy drinkers who drink unblended brandy. After 65 years, they actually begin to deteriorate, which is where your blended brandies and cognacs come into play."

QCC:

    Well, hoelle, if she was walking about barefoot and didn't mind, Madje figured he'd kick his boots off and leave them behind along the path they'd be walking back down. He hated wearing anything on his feet, really, and walking alongside the Queen, he felt much more comfortable with the countryside dirt beneath him - closer to the earth. Jotting down more notes, he nodded enthusiastically, imagining the intricate procedures and steps in his head.

    "I love the look of old-fashioned copper, it's just so handsome - but you mention the aging process! How long do you generally age your wines and brandies? And what is the difference between blended and unblended brandy, if I might ask?"

    Where brandy and cognac was concerned, Madje wasn't quite up to speed - that was more his Sister's area of expertise, so he'd blurt out a few more questions with wide, expressive eyes and a goofy grin on his face as he surveyed the lands they walked past with much excitement.

Kerrinne:

She smiled at him thinking he might be around the same age as her oldest son, but then again looks can be deceiving in the land of RhyDin. She, herself, looked around mid to late thirties but clocked in well than double that.

"Good questions. Wines are aged much less in barrels than brandies are, the wines vary from 18 months to 36 months. They can continue to age in bottles, which is why we don't store them in barrels any longer than 36 months. Brandy on the other hand does not age in bottles, so it has to be stored in toasted oak barrels until it is ready to be batched at whatever tenure we have set for it."

She paused near a wooden bench and sat down motioning him to sit beside her.

"As for blended and unblended, unblended brandies are just straight brandy while blended are brandies that have other brandies or cognacs of varying ages mixed in with them to help give them a more mature flavor. Ooh!"

And her golden-greens flashed open wide.

"We have a brand new wine for this season!" As though she almost forgot.

QCC:

    "Auuu, toasted oak barrels?"

    One had to wonder if there was a giant toaster shaped just for barrels - at least, that was what Madje imagined in his mind and sketched on his pad of paper in a rather comical drawing. Adding smoke squiggles rising from a barrel in an oven on his notepad, he grinned up at her with a twinkle in his eye.

    "That's not too long to wait for a tasty spirit, though, how long does wine, brandy, and cognac age in bottles until they go bad? Can they go bad? I mean, I know vinegar is fermented wine, but just how long can someone keep them in bottles before they start to go strange? Au, and what is cognac? I'm sorry, I'm not very up-to-date on this complicated alcohol-related subject," being a typical tavern hopper with change in his pockets, he tended to only really drink ale, so higher class alcohol was reserved for special occasions. Taking a seat beside her on the bench, he bounced on it lightly to test its springiness - it was always fun to bounce just a little.

    When the summer green-gold of her eyes flashed so vibrantly, his youthful features perked with an added excitement, and he grinned as he chirped, "A new wine! Please tell me all about it!"

Kerrinne:

"Well, if properly stored wines can sometimes outlast the standard human lifespan. The worst enemy of wines is light, heat, and lack of humidity. Always store your wines horizontally and in a cool damp cellar, even an underground cave with a spring would be ideal! Brandies are pretty much the same, but they will not improve in flavor being stored in bottles. So when you buy your bottle of brandy, drink it up! Only store your wines."

She brushed a stray strand of hair out of her eyes and smiled to a worker of the vineyards passing by. Four little imps were behind him jumping all around and laughing on the way to their next delivery.

"Cognac is a specially made brandy that comes from certain areas only, particular grapes. As for this new wine..." she grins like a child as she turns back to Madje. "...it's our first dessert wine, a port. Most of the QCC members think I have fallen off the ground, but I've been working here in the vineyard on this new port. It's called Kassi's Seston Port named after my granddaughter and our Capitol city. It will be for sale starting in August."

QCC:

    The Crow's dark eyes were wider when she mentioned that wines could outlast entire life spans, mumbling something clearly expressing his surprise in his own language and writing down notes.

    "Light is bad, humidity good, store hor-i-zon-tal-ly...Au, but not everyone has a nifty cave with a spring, would a root cellar work all right too? And drink....brandy....right...away, well if it's a really good brandy, I don't imagine that would last very long as it is! Thank you for the tips, though, I'm sure that will help a lot of people! Quoa! Haud su...!?"

    Nearly jumping onto her lap when the imps hopped on by, his long, rangy arms wrapped about her shoulders as Madje clung to her and pulled his knees up to his chest, watching them as they went to make their deliveries. When they had passed, he eased back down onto the bench c a r e f u l l y and coughed, reaching over to smooth the wrinkles out of her sundress apologetically.

    "I'm sorry," his cheeks were suffused with a light shade of pink, but he smiled through is embarrassment, "A dessert wine! Au, that sounds lovely! Kassi's Seston Port, your granddaughter must be so excited to have a Port named after her! What does it taste like? And what would you typically eat it with? Or do you not eat anything with Port wines?"

Kerrinne:

"Well, yes a root cellar would do."

She blinked at his reaction to the imps.

"Oh, that's fine. They're not dangerous."

Kerrinne keeps them in line by burning them alive in front of the others now and then.

"They make great workers. I buy them dirt cheap at slave auctions."

She pat his hands gently and then straightened out her own dress.

"Yes, a dessert wine. My granddaughter is a little young to be excited about having a wine named after her, but I think she will be pleased when she's old enough to understand the gesture. Port wine is typically richer, sweeter, heavier, and possesses a higher alcohol content than most other wines. This is caused by the addition of distilled grape spirits (such as our very own brandy) to fortify the wine and halt fermentation before all the sugar is converted to alcohol. It is commonly served after meals as a dessert wine or with cheese."

QCC:

    "Au, phew," he sighed and settled again, smoothing down the ruffled feathers at the nape of his neck beneath his hair and sucking on his lower lip with one eye squinted - he was flighty like that most times, really.

    "Slave auctions?"

    He hesitated at that thought and shook his hands out, maybe it was better not to ask! Popping another rolled sandwich into his mouth, he offered her a bite of a previously uneaten one before taking a sip of raspberry juice from his wineskin.

    "Port wine sounds really tasty! I love cheese, so I'll definitely have to try that one! Do you have any tips to serving particular kinds of wine with foods? Wine pairing, I think it's called? Au, and what would you say are your top sellers for Ivory Vineyard? Do you have a particular favorite that you drink regularly? What else goes really well with brandy besides food?"

    Madje was eating between questions, making certain to swallow before speaking so he wouldn't seem overly rude, perking up again when a thought came to mind, "Ay, have you ever thought about having an auction featuring your especially rare wines?"

Kerrinne:

She chuckled at all his questions as she watched him eat.

"No, thank you. When we're done talking, I'll take you up for a taste of the port. You can be the first person other than myself and my staff to taste it! I don't believe in wine pairing. I'm a huge, huge fan of drinking whatever tastes better for you, because everyone has different tastes. If you want white wine with your chicken, have it! Of course, I'd prefer you had red wine since I don't sell white."

A broad flash of a smile.

"Our top sellers are definitely Ivory Mina Vivant and Ivory Reserve Merlot for red wines and the Ivory Extreme appears to be a popular gift giving idea while the Ivory XO blended is our top brandy seller. I drink the Ivory Extreme for special occasions, and regularly I drink Ivory Signature Reserve and Ivory Mina Vivant."

She blinked a little, "Well, no I never thought to auction them. I tend to hoard them until someone comes along to bargain with me. I don't even advertise them, but people who are seeking the rare know to find me."

QCC:

    Pursing his lips lightly, he glanced down at the sandwich and picked a few pieces of pocket lint off of it with a shrug before popping it into his mouth - Madje ate like some people breathed, blame it on his higher metabolism. His eyes lit up again when she mentioned she'd give him a taste, grackling noisily with glee, "Au, thank you!! I'd love that so much, thank you!"

    Listening to her philosophy, he just grinned, though he turned just a light shade of green at the mention of eating chicken - squinting with one eye, he just chuckled and jotted down the best sellers chipperly.

    "I really liked the Mina Vivant, it was a real hit during Yule! I'll have to try the Ivory XO, too, I've never really had a chance to sample brandies - except when I sneak it from my Sister's flask or snifter," snickering a little, he was glad his Sister didn't mind boy cooties, "What is the Ivory Extreme like? I've never really had champagne before, is it tasty?"

Kerrinne:

"The Mina Vivant is very dear to me."

She added. Then she couldn't help but a chuckle a little bit at his words as she stood up and began walking back toward the store down the path they had come.

"Well, it's not a champagne, per say. It's named Grand Champagne because of the region. Some of the grapes used for this particular drink we import in from the Grand Champagne region of a place called France. So Grand Champagne is a term given to cognacs and brandies that use grapes grown in that region."

She shrugged a little bit.

"As for tasty, it is a very stout but smooth drink. If you are not comfortable with harder liquors, you will probably not like it."

QCC:

    Now that was news to him! Madje always thought champagne was the expensive bubbly stuff that rich people brought out to celebrate the holidays - occasionally he'd be able to sneak in and steal a glass, but...

    "Au, I see! I'm glad you were able to clear up that misunderstanding for me, but as for being comfortable with harder liquors - well, I'm certain I wouldn't remember what I liked or didn't like after a glass or two," snickering, he hopped up from the bench to follow her back toward the store with her, marveling over the wide brim of her hat and staring at the way the rim rippled in the playful breeze. There could be so many uses for her hat, too, but it was something of a pity that the top of her hair was concealed under it - au, never-minding that, he picked up his boots and carried them along with him till they reached the step before setting them down again.

    "So you mentioned people can bargain with you? I never really thought of that! Do you barter goods?"

Kerrinne:

The guards posted near the store, who normally just stand there, opened the doors to the shop as they got close to permit them inside. And Kerrinne walked inside after he set his boots down, then she settled onto a stool at the bar. With a glance over to the person behind the counter, "Will you please fix this gentleman a nice glass of port with a plate of cheese. In fact, I will have one too."

She turned back to him as the worker set to his task of doing as the Queen asked.

"Do I barter goods? Have I been holed up in Ivory so long that someone does not know of my reputation for bartering?!"

"My dear man, while I did not invent it, some say I have certainly perfected it."

QCC:

    "Ay, good day to you, ay," Madje chirruped pleasantly as he went in, dipping forward in a light bow toward the guards, "Au, thank you!"

    Upon entering the store, he gazed around his new surroundings, taking everything in and wandering from one end of the store to the other - and back, then forward again, pausing only when he heard 'cheese' and flashing the Queen a bright smile.

    "Cheese! Au, thank you! And, I've only been with the QCC for about two years now, and some-how I still don't know everyone! Please forgive me, I didn't know - but what sort of things do you barter for?"

Kerrinne:

She motioned toward a stool near her.

"Have a seat when you have finished exploring the store."

Half the store was set up like an extravagant bar, while the other half a wine store with racks containing bottles of various wines.

"It's quite alright. I have semi-retired, so I suppose my reputation was bound to diminish. So it was expected, but still disappointing. Never the less, I barter for just about anything. Countries, lives, goods, services, whatever I want or whatever someone else wants from me."

She winked.

"For the last...well...I can't say how many years, because it will date me, but for more years than most people can remember, I have gone down to the market area of RhyDin proper at least once per week to barter for fruits and vegetables. Yes, I could get them here for free, but I go to keep sharp. Those vendors are the best!"

QCC:

    Distracted by the way the lighting reflected off the top of the polished bar, Madje blinked when he heard her voice, staring at the stool blankly before sliding onto it with his long, crow legs propped up on a rung. Pulling his hair back into a ponytail, he tied it with a bit of string and blushed just a little when the Queen winked at him, trying not to look too long over her and smiling sheepishly.

    "It's a beautiful store, the bar is a wonderful touch, too! Countries, you say! Lives? Goods and services I can understand, but..." trailing off with a snicker, he looked over his shoulder suddenly as if he could see the market from the shop - which, of course, he couldn't, but, "That sounds wonderful, I imagine you get a lot of really great deals at the market."

    One had to wonder what else people might want from Kerrinne, but he was too shy to ask something like that, certainly! Only now registering that she'd said 'retirement', he cocked his head birdishly to one side, "You're too young to retire!"

Kerrinne:

Kerrinne had a naturally affinity from birth with creatures of flight, particularly birds, so perhaps he felt that link with her - the link most people weren't aware of. So she rather liked this fellow, and she knew sometimes she could be rather out there for most common people.

"Oh, sometimes they curse and chase me out of there."

She grinned very broadly showing off her lovely white teeth. Then she blushed and waved her hand at his young comment.

"Oh, well, thank you."

She'd leave it at that. The worker brought two glasses of port and a plate of cheese to the bar in front of them.

"Here, help yourself."

She told him.

QCC:

    The thought did occur to him that he felt rather comfortable around the Queen, it helped that she didn't mind mingling with someone of a lower social class - that she didn't have that royal air about her that some nobles possessed. Settling down comfortably with his elbows propped up against the edge, he watched the cheese and Port being brought out with hummingbirds in his stomach, breathing, "How exciting!"

    Realizing his comment might have made her uncomfortable, he twisted to flail his hands about just a little, "I mean, I didn't mean you were too young - I meant...au, tzscht."

    Trying to compose himself again, he chewed on his lower lip thoughtfully and stumbled over the words in his head, distracted by the smell of the cheese and wine and picking up a piece to eat.

    "Au, qua, so I'm not sure what I meant - but you should come out more often, the QCC markets and races are always so exciting, and I'll bet a lot of people have missed you too," taking a glass of Port, he sniffed at it curiously and took a sip with an embarrassed smile.

The afternoon progressed with much jovial conversation, dotted with free samples, cheese, and the sharing of other snacks as they continued their interaction. Overall, Madje was very pleased - and more than a bit tipsy - when he finally took his leave half-way through the evening, taking his notes with him and filing them away for the future Merchant Interview section to be shared with everyone!

"Note to self," the Crow murmured on his way home, "Barter in the future with Queen Kerrinne of Ivory!"

If you would like to have your shop featured in Merchant's Corner, please contact Madje Askavinge.

August 01, 2006 Newsletter [OOC: Please note you should refresh your browser to make sure you are viewing the most recent update.]	Directory of Items: New this update Events Markets Merchant Spotlight About the Mailstring QCC Main Bank Checks Newsletter Archives Racing Newsletter Non-Equine Newsletter
[ Enter the QCC site ] From the Director's Desk... Kyral Laithe-VanSandt has voluntarily stepped down from her amazing run on the QCC Council, but will still be a part of the QCC and some of its functioning tasks. You can look for her at the next sale barn auction, and she'll continue with some of our organizational efforts, and act as advisor. Some changes effective immediately: - Des Sunhaven-Hayll will take over as acting Racing Commissioner. She is well versed in the aspects of racing, and has been in charge of the betting for the past month. There will be no disruption or change to the races as they currently run. - Taking over as our Taverns & Markets Manager will be Madje Askavinge. He has been active in merchant arena for some time now and has been carrying out the merchant interviews for these updates. Belladonna Maddox successfully held the return of the NE Races. Look for them every other month! Feel free to contact any of the council and staff with questions. Next update will be August 15th. [ Don't forget the QCC Message Board- While the mailstrings have limiting guidelines, members may use the board for things like merchant business flyers as often as they wish.]
NEW SINCE LAST UPDATE New Members Businesses BUSINESS NAME: The Golden Winged Tavern HOUSE AND DESIGNATION (MAIN/SECONDARY): Empire of Zaire WEBLINK: http://www.freewebs.com/goldenwingedtavern/ OWNER/MANAGER: Gwendolyn Faye (daggerofbeauty), Lotte Elendoloth (Lotte oftheCaves) HOURS OF OPERATION: Open whenever the music is loud and the food is good. LINK TO ROOM: aol://2719:62-2-Golden%20Winged%20Tavern ------------------------------------------------------ - Saturday, July 15, 2006 at 17:53:26 (EDT) BUSINESS NAME: D'Nyte Stallion Service and Mare Care HOUSE: Kantrador WEBLINK: http://jadedelyion.homestead.com/DNyteStuds.html OWNER/MANAGER: Jade (jadelyiondnyte@aol.com) Rap (serdnyterodello@aol.com) DESCRIPTION: Offered are trained and proven joust,racing,and superior stallions to enrich your bloodlines. Breeds offered: Lusitana, Andulusian, Drum Horses, Friesans, Thoroughbreds and Australian Stock Horse. Mare Care, Boarding, Foaling and Imprint Training are also offered. ------------------------------------------------------ - Tuesday, July 18, 2006 at 13:05:10 (EDT) BUSINESS NAME: The QCC Journal HOUSE: I'tanight WEBLINK: http://qccjournal.homestead.com/index.html OWNER/MANAGER: Naurlina@aol.com DESCRIPTION: An updated source of news and information for the members of the QCC. ------------------------------------------------------ - Sunday, July 23, 2006 at 19:19:32 (EDT) BUSINESS NAME: D'Nyte Holistics HOUSE: Kantrador WEBLINK: http://www.muncon.com/dnyteholistics/ OWNER/MANAGER: drakendnyte@aol.com DESCRIPTION: All of your holistic care needs in one place. ------------------------------------------------------ - Sunday, July 23, 2006 at 22:26:06 (EDT) BUSINESS NAME: Angels In Waiting Alpacas HOUSE: Kantrador WEBLINK: http://angelsinwaiting.homestead.com/Products.html OWNER/MANAGER: Chan, Manager Channery@aol.com DESCRIPTION: Clothing made of the softest and strongest natural fibers that we know of. Seasonal Livestock Auctions. ------------------------------------------------------ - Sunday, July 23, 2006 at 20:53:53 (EDT) BUSINESS NAME: The Chocolate Spa HOUSE: Ravenwood WEBLINK: http://www.rayvenswoode.com/chocindex.html OWNER/MANAGER: orders can be sent via James Scarlett jasscarlett@aol.com DESCRIPTION: Indulge. The Chocolate Spa has many fine relaxation therapy treatments to pamper the most deserving of clients. ------------------------------------------------------ - Saturday, July 29, 2006 at 22:58:40 (EDT) BUSINESS NAME: The Lamp Shoppe HOUSE: Stone Cross WEBLINK: http://www.crypticnights.com/lampshop/lampshop.htm OWNER/MANAGER: QueenVictoriakd@aol.com DESCRIPTION: Lighting for your home, ship, and outdoors. ------------------------------------------------------ - Monday, July 31, 2006 at 20:36:12 (EDT) Back to top	EVENTS AND IMPORTANT DATES Check the QCC Event Calendar for more details. QCC Racing Aug 3rd 8pm est Aug 4th 9pm est [ room link ] QCC Racing Sale Barn Aug 6th, 8pm est Ivory's Masquerade Market Aug 19th, 10pm est [ site ] Ravenwood's August Joust details to follow! [ QCC Message Board ]

MERCHANT SPOTLIGHT Recently a conversation was held with Kerrinne of Ivory Vineyards. QCC: After a short trip to the mainland, Madje arrived in Ivory some time early just after High Tea was beginning to be served. Armed with a few pocketfuls of rolled sandwiches, cookies, and candied lemon peel, a wineskin of raspberry juice, a notepad, writing utensil, and his shiny QCC Merchant Interviewer badge, he made his way to Ivory to meet with the lauded Queen Kerrinne. Dressed in his usually casual attire, the some-what scruffy young man had taken a moment to comb back his wiry crow's wing black hair, tucked his cream-colored shirt into navy trousers, straightened his cuffs just a little, and brushed off his boots before meeting with the Queen for a tour of Ivory's splendid vineyards. It didn't help that he'd gotten side-tracked by just about everything shiny and marvelous inside the vestibule of the castle - but Kerrinne managed to peel him away from the distractions to herd him in the right direction eventually! Kerrinne: Kerrinne's guard escorted them down by carriage to the 150 acre vineyard that sat at the foothills of the Lartian Mountains in Ivory. The carriage stopped in front of the store front at the gates. Once inside the store, she led Madje out beyond onto a path where one could see three large buildings on the sides and open vineyard draped over the hillsides ahead of them. "Ivory Vineyards predates my rule of this land." Kerrinne tells Madje. "My first husband's family owned and operated this vineyard for nearly 150 years prior to my ownership. It was originally called Sneed Vineyards. The building on the right there is where we actually make the red wines and brandies, then across the path there we store the wines in one warehouse and the brandies in another." She wore a lovely green sundress with her long strawberry-blonde hair down in wispy curls around her waist. On top of her head was one of her signature hats, wide brimmed -- it was white with a broad green ribbon. QCC: The young Crowkin listened with rapt attention while Kerrinne spoke, scribbling down notes as he went and making a rough sketch of the beautiful landscape as they walked. "Sneed Vineyards? I think I like Ivory Vineyards much better! Au, but it's so beautiful here - do you ever have to chase out children? I remember sneaking into vineyards as a kid to eat the grapes," Madje chirped cheerfully, peering through the rows and rows of grapevines as if trying to catch a glimpse of some wayward child running through with their hands and mouths dyed purple. "Can you tell me about the processes you use to make your delicious wines and brandies? I purchased some of your Mina Vivant a while back for Yule - and let me tell you, quoa! It was incredible!" It was hard not to stare overly long at the lovely Queen, particularly when her hair glistened and caught the sunlight. Occasionally, the scatter-brained boy bent down to pick up fallen strands, which he stuffed into his pocket before jogging to catch up with Kerrinne again. Kerrinne: He might notice that Kerrinne's bare feet would poke out from beneath the skirt of her dress as she walked on ahead. "Oh, only during the End of Harvest Festival will you find children here. The place is pretty well guarded to protect our customers from anyone with malicious intent." Her golden-green eyes swept the rows of vines growing on either side of the path once they cleared the buildings. "Our process? Well, without giving away trade secrets...our grapes are hand selected and picked with care. For different wines and brandies we look for different quality and types of grapes. So only those that are perfect for its respective end product is chosen. The grapes are then crushed and fermented. Some go on to become wines, and others are taken to our brandy distilling section. We use copper alambic pot stills for this process. The trick with most wines and especially brandies is aging. To make them taste good, they must be adequately aged. Although I will caution against any brandy drinkers who drink unblended brandy. After 65 years, they actually begin to deteriorate, which is where your blended brandies and cognacs come into play." QCC: Well, hoelle, if she was walking about barefoot and didn't mind, Madje figured he'd kick his boots off and leave them behind along the path they'd be walking back down. He hated wearing anything on his feet, really, and walking alongside the Queen, he felt much more comfortable with the countryside dirt beneath him - closer to the earth. Jotting down more notes, he nodded enthusiastically, imagining the intricate procedures and steps in his head. "I love the look of old-fashioned copper, it's just so handsome - but you mention the aging process! How long do you generally age your wines and brandies? And what is the difference between blended and unblended brandy, if I might ask?" Where brandy and cognac was concerned, Madje wasn't quite up to speed - that was more his Sister's area of expertise, so he'd blurt out a few more questions with wide, expressive eyes and a goofy grin on his face as he surveyed the lands they walked past with much excitement. Kerrinne: She smiled at him thinking he might be around the same age as her oldest son, but then again looks can be deceiving in the land of RhyDin. She, herself, looked around mid to late thirties but clocked in well than double that. "Good questions. Wines are aged much less in barrels than brandies are, the wines vary from 18 months to 36 months. They can continue to age in bottles, which is why we don't store them in barrels any longer than 36 months. Brandy on the other hand does not age in bottles, so it has to be stored in toasted oak barrels until it is ready to be batched at whatever tenure we have set for it." She paused near a wooden bench and sat down motioning him to sit beside her. "As for blended and unblended, unblended brandies are just straight brandy while blended are brandies that have other brandies or cognacs of varying ages mixed in with them to help give them a more mature flavor. Ooh!" And her golden-greens flashed open wide. "We have a brand new wine for this season!" As though she almost forgot. QCC: "Auuu, toasted oak barrels?" One had to wonder if there was a giant toaster shaped just for barrels - at least, that was what Madje imagined in his mind and sketched on his pad of paper in a rather comical drawing. Adding smoke squiggles rising from a barrel in an oven on his notepad, he grinned up at her with a twinkle in his eye. "That's not too long to wait for a tasty spirit, though, how long does wine, brandy, and cognac age in bottles until they go bad? Can they go bad? I mean, I know vinegar is fermented wine, but just how long can someone keep them in bottles before they start to go strange? Au, and what is cognac? I'm sorry, I'm not very up-to-date on this complicated alcohol-related subject," being a typical tavern hopper with change in his pockets, he tended to only really drink ale, so higher class alcohol was reserved for special occasions. Taking a seat beside her on the bench, he bounced on it lightly to test its springiness - it was always fun to bounce just a little. When the summer green-gold of her eyes flashed so vibrantly, his youthful features perked with an added excitement, and he grinned as he chirped, "A new wine! Please tell me all about it!" Kerrinne: "Well, if properly stored wines can sometimes outlast the standard human lifespan. The worst enemy of wines is light, heat, and lack of humidity. Always store your wines horizontally and in a cool damp cellar, even an underground cave with a spring would be ideal! Brandies are pretty much the same, but they will not improve in flavor being stored in bottles. So when you buy your bottle of brandy, drink it up! Only store your wines." She brushed a stray strand of hair out of her eyes and smiled to a worker of the vineyards passing by. Four little imps were behind him jumping all around and laughing on the way to their next delivery. "Cognac is a specially made brandy that comes from certain areas only, particular grapes. As for this new wine..." she grins like a child as she turns back to Madje. "...it's our first dessert wine, a port. Most of the QCC members think I have fallen off the ground, but I've been working here in the vineyard on this new port. It's called Kassi's Seston Port named after my granddaughter and our Capitol city. It will be for sale starting in August." QCC: The Crow's dark eyes were wider when she mentioned that wines could outlast entire life spans, mumbling something clearly expressing his surprise in his own language and writing down notes. "Light is bad, humidity good, store hor-i-zon-tal-ly...Au, but not everyone has a nifty cave with a spring, would a root cellar work all right too? And drink....brandy....right...away, well if it's a really good brandy, I don't imagine that would last very long as it is! Thank you for the tips, though, I'm sure that will help a lot of people! Quoa! Haud su...!?" Nearly jumping onto her lap when the imps hopped on by, his long, rangy arms wrapped about her shoulders as Madje clung to her and pulled his knees up to his chest, watching them as they went to make their deliveries. When they had passed, he eased back down onto the bench c a r e f u l l y and coughed, reaching over to smooth the wrinkles out of her sundress apologetically. "I'm sorry," his cheeks were suffused with a light shade of pink, but he smiled through is embarrassment, "A dessert wine! Au, that sounds lovely! Kassi's Seston Port, your granddaughter must be so excited to have a Port named after her! What does it taste like? And what would you typically eat it with? Or do you not eat anything with Port wines?" Kerrinne: "Well, yes a root cellar would do." She blinked at his reaction to the imps. "Oh, that's fine. They're not dangerous." Kerrinne keeps them in line by burning them alive in front of the others now and then. "They make great workers. I buy them dirt cheap at slave auctions." She pat his hands gently and then straightened out her own dress. "Yes, a dessert wine. My granddaughter is a little young to be excited about having a wine named after her, but I think she will be pleased when she's old enough to understand the gesture. Port wine is typically richer, sweeter, heavier, and possesses a higher alcohol content than most other wines. This is caused by the addition of distilled grape spirits (such as our very own brandy) to fortify the wine and halt fermentation before all the sugar is converted to alcohol. It is commonly served after meals as a dessert wine or with cheese." QCC: "Au, phew," he sighed and settled again, smoothing down the ruffled feathers at the nape of his neck beneath his hair and sucking on his lower lip with one eye squinted - he was flighty like that most times, really. "Slave auctions?" He hesitated at that thought and shook his hands out, maybe it was better not to ask! Popping another rolled sandwich into his mouth, he offered her a bite of a previously uneaten one before taking a sip of raspberry juice from his wineskin. "Port wine sounds really tasty! I love cheese, so I'll definitely have to try that one! Do you have any tips to serving particular kinds of wine with foods? Wine pairing, I think it's called? Au, and what would you say are your top sellers for Ivory Vineyard? Do you have a particular favorite that you drink regularly? What else goes really well with brandy besides food?" Madje was eating between questions, making certain to swallow before speaking so he wouldn't seem overly rude, perking up again when a thought came to mind, "Ay, have you ever thought about having an auction featuring your especially rare wines?" Kerrinne: She chuckled at all his questions as she watched him eat. "No, thank you. When we're done talking, I'll take you up for a taste of the port. You can be the first person other than myself and my staff to taste it! I don't believe in wine pairing. I'm a huge, huge fan of drinking whatever tastes better for you, because everyone has different tastes. If you want white wine with your chicken, have it! Of course, I'd prefer you had red wine since I don't sell white." A broad flash of a smile. "Our top sellers are definitely Ivory Mina Vivant and Ivory Reserve Merlot for red wines and the Ivory Extreme appears to be a popular gift giving idea while the Ivory XO blended is our top brandy seller. I drink the Ivory Extreme for special occasions, and regularly I drink Ivory Signature Reserve and Ivory Mina Vivant." She blinked a little, "Well, no I never thought to auction them. I tend to hoard them until someone comes along to bargain with me. I don't even advertise them, but people who are seeking the rare know to find me." QCC: Pursing his lips lightly, he glanced down at the sandwich and picked a few pieces of pocket lint off of it with a shrug before popping it into his mouth - Madje ate like some people breathed, blame it on his higher metabolism. His eyes lit up again when she mentioned she'd give him a taste, grackling noisily with glee, "Au, thank you!! I'd love that so much, thank you!" Listening to her philosophy, he just grinned, though he turned just a light shade of green at the mention of eating chicken - squinting with one eye, he just chuckled and jotted down the best sellers chipperly. "I really liked the Mina Vivant, it was a real hit during Yule! I'll have to try the Ivory XO, too, I've never really had a chance to sample brandies - except when I sneak it from my Sister's flask or snifter," snickering a little, he was glad his Sister didn't mind boy cooties, "What is the Ivory Extreme like? I've never really had champagne before, is it tasty?" Kerrinne: "The Mina Vivant is very dear to me." She added. Then she couldn't help but a chuckle a little bit at his words as she stood up and began walking back toward the store down the path they had come. "Well, it's not a champagne, per say. It's named Grand Champagne because of the region. Some of the grapes used for this particular drink we import in from the Grand Champagne region of a place called France. So Grand Champagne is a term given to cognacs and brandies that use grapes grown in that region." She shrugged a little bit. "As for tasty, it is a very stout but smooth drink. If you are not comfortable with harder liquors, you will probably not like it." QCC: Now that was news to him! Madje always thought champagne was the expensive bubbly stuff that rich people brought out to celebrate the holidays - occasionally he'd be able to sneak in and steal a glass, but... "Au, I see! I'm glad you were able to clear up that misunderstanding for me, but as for being comfortable with harder liquors - well, I'm certain I wouldn't remember what I liked or didn't like after a glass or two," snickering, he hopped up from the bench to follow her back toward the store with her, marveling over the wide brim of her hat and staring at the way the rim rippled in the playful breeze. There could be so many uses for her hat, too, but it was something of a pity that the top of her hair was concealed under it - au, never-minding that, he picked up his boots and carried them along with him till they reached the step before setting them down again. "So you mentioned people can bargain with you? I never really thought of that! Do you barter goods?" Kerrinne: The guards posted near the store, who normally just stand there, opened the doors to the shop as they got close to permit them inside. And Kerrinne walked inside after he set his boots down, then she settled onto a stool at the bar. With a glance over to the person behind the counter, "Will you please fix this gentleman a nice glass of port with a plate of cheese. In fact, I will have one too." She turned back to him as the worker set to his task of doing as the Queen asked. "Do I barter goods? Have I been holed up in Ivory so long that someone does not know of my reputation for bartering?!" "My dear man, while I did not invent it, some say I have certainly perfected it." QCC: "Ay, good day to you, ay," Madje chirruped pleasantly as he went in, dipping forward in a light bow toward the guards, "Au, thank you!" Upon entering the store, he gazed around his new surroundings, taking everything in and wandering from one end of the store to the other - and back, then forward again, pausing only when he heard 'cheese' and flashing the Queen a bright smile. "Cheese! Au, thank you! And, I've only been with the QCC for about two years now, and some-how I still don't know everyone! Please forgive me, I didn't know - but what sort of things do you barter for?" Kerrinne: She motioned toward a stool near her. "Have a seat when you have finished exploring the store." Half the store was set up like an extravagant bar, while the other half a wine store with racks containing bottles of various wines. "It's quite alright. I have semi-retired, so I suppose my reputation was bound to diminish. So it was expected, but still disappointing. Never the less, I barter for just about anything. Countries, lives, goods, services, whatever I want or whatever someone else wants from me." She winked. "For the last...well...I can't say how many years, because it will date me, but for more years than most people can remember, I have gone down to the market area of RhyDin proper at least once per week to barter for fruits and vegetables. Yes, I could get them here for free, but I go to keep sharp. Those vendors are the best!" QCC: Distracted by the way the lighting reflected off the top of the polished bar, Madje blinked when he heard her voice, staring at the stool blankly before sliding onto it with his long, crow legs propped up on a rung. Pulling his hair back into a ponytail, he tied it with a bit of string and blushed just a little when the Queen winked at him, trying not to look too long over her and smiling sheepishly. "It's a beautiful store, the bar is a wonderful touch, too! Countries, you say! Lives? Goods and services I can understand, but..." trailing off with a snicker, he looked over his shoulder suddenly as if he could see the market from the shop - which, of course, he couldn't, but, "That sounds wonderful, I imagine you get a lot of really great deals at the market." One had to wonder what else people might want from Kerrinne, but he was too shy to ask something like that, certainly! Only now registering that she'd said 'retirement', he cocked his head birdishly to one side, "You're too young to retire!" Kerrinne: Kerrinne had a naturally affinity from birth with creatures of flight, particularly birds, so perhaps he felt that link with her - the link most people weren't aware of. So she rather liked this fellow, and she knew sometimes she could be rather out there for most common people. "Oh, sometimes they curse and chase me out of there." She grinned very broadly showing off her lovely white teeth. Then she blushed and waved her hand at his young comment. "Oh, well, thank you." She'd leave it at that. The worker brought two glasses of port and a plate of cheese to the bar in front of them. "Here, help yourself." She told him. QCC: The thought did occur to him that he felt rather comfortable around the Queen, it helped that she didn't mind mingling with someone of a lower social class - that she didn't have that royal air about her that some nobles possessed. Settling down comfortably with his elbows propped up against the edge, he watched the cheese and Port being brought out with hummingbirds in his stomach, breathing, "How exciting!" Realizing his comment might have made her uncomfortable, he twisted to flail his hands about just a little, "I mean, I didn't mean you were too young - I meant...au, tzscht." Trying to compose himself again, he chewed on his lower lip thoughtfully and stumbled over the words in his head, distracted by the smell of the cheese and wine and picking up a piece to eat. "Au, qua, so I'm not sure what I meant - but you should come out more often, the QCC markets and races are always so exciting, and I'll bet a lot of people have missed you too," taking a glass of Port, he sniffed at it curiously and took a sip with an embarrassed smile. The afternoon progressed with much jovial conversation, dotted with free samples, cheese, and the sharing of other snacks as they continued their interaction. Overall, Madje was very pleased - and more than a bit tipsy - when he finally took his leave half-way through the evening, taking his notes with him and filing them away for the future Merchant Interview section to be shared with everyone! "Note to self," the Crow murmured on his way home, "Barter in the future with Queen Kerrinne of Ivory!" If you would like to have your shop featured in Merchant's Corner, please contact Madje Askavinge. Back to top	MARKETS Ivory will be hosting the Ivory's Masquerade Market August 19th 9pm cst The Crossing Stone will be hosting the September 2006 QCC Market More details to follow! October 2006 QCC Market Open for Hosting! SGoD/Anordaldae will be hosting the November 2006 QCC Market More details to follow! December 2006 QCC Market Open for Hosting! If you would like to host a future market, send your letter of interest to Des Sunhaven-Hayll ! With the number of new houses and individuals growing every day, it has become necessary to ask people attending events to declare their affiliation so that event attendance checks are issued to the right places. Back to top ABOUT OUR MAILSTRINGS QCC Voluntary Mailstring This mailing list is made up of QCC members who have consented to be on it. The purpose of this list is to allow business announcements and flyers to be sent to those groups and individuals that welcome the information and intend to distribute it to their members. This mailing list does not replace any mailing lists compiled by individual businesses or event hosts from their own patrons and customers. Being a member of the QCC does not automatically put you on this list! It is by request only. Sign yourself up if you want to receive Voluntary mailings. Mail List Alert If you receive mail list alerts for any of the QCC mail lists, please forward them to council@questcoin.com. Sometimes when we are updating the mail lists, an SN gets put back into the signup list. That auto-generates a privacy alert that gets mailed to you. If you'll forward those alerts to the council, we'll know you got it. It was most likely triggered by something we did; but if we didn't do it, we'll certainly want to know. :) QCC Member Mail List Any QCC members who wish to be on the QCC Members' Mail List to receive QCC Updates directly from the Council should send a note to council@questcoin.com to be added to the list. This does not take the place of the Voluntary Mail List. Sign-up for the Voluntary Mail List is still self service and you'll find the sign-up page here: QCC Voluntary Mailstring Mail List Notes: We don't care if the addresses on the mail lists are for RP characters or not. If you have AIM characters and you want to put a non-RP address on the mail lists to get the QCC notices, that's fine with us. Back to top