#Clove Currant

[craftycultivator]

Golden Currant (Ribes aureum)

Along with Lilacs, Golden Currant is one of my favorite plants of Spring. The clove scent of the flowers is wonderful and I can’t wait for my plant to get large and produce even more flowers. It can also be found under other common names like Clove Currant, Buffalo Currant and pruterberry (I haven’t heard that last one, but it was listed on Wikipedia, so I also included it here… if you know where…

[morethansalad]

Vegan Old-Fashioned (WWII Era) Christmas Pudding

[sabersplit]

34 Rue Saint Germain - Dyptique

Top notes

Black currant

Green notes

Citrus

Pink pepper

Clove

Cinnamon

Cardamom heart

Heart notes

Rose

Geranium

Tuberose

Iris

Violet

Base notes

Wood notes

Eucalyptus

Balms

Resins

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Some Perfumery Vocabulary

Absolute - An extraction from a concrete using alcohol. The essential oil of scented flowers and other aromatic plant parts in its purest and most concentrated form. It is extremely expensive. A few important oils used in an absolute form are: geranium, lavender, lily, and rose.

Accord - A combination of a number of different scents which blend together to produce a new fragrance.

Agrestic - "Of the countryside"; odours of heather, forest depths, and the meadow.

Aldehydes - Aromatic chemicals isolated for the first time in the 19th century, but that also occur naturally. Certain aldehydes provide an increased diffusiveness, sparkle, and lift to perfumes, most famously in Chanel No. 5.

Almondy - Bittersweet, soft, and nutty scent.

Amber - An accord in perfumery that is supposed to recall the qualities of ambergris. It is often constructed with labdanum, Tolu balsam, or Peru balsam. Often an accord in Oriental perfumes.

Ambergris - A highly prized perfume ingredient consisting of the oxidized excretion from a sperm whale. It is rarely used in its natural form in perfumery because of its rarity, exorbitant cost, and concerns about sourcing ambergris from live whales rather than from shore-found ambergris. It’s said to have an earthy, sweet, tobacco, and pleasantly animalic scent. It primarily works to bring out other notes in perfumery rather than to impart a particular scent on its own.

Ambrein - The primary scented molecule in ambergris, isolated and used in perfumery. It’s warm, sweet, vanillic, and ambery, with facets of spice and tobacco.

Animalic - Describes fragrances with animal ingredients in natural or synthetic form, including civet, castoreum, musk, or ambergris. The voluptuous, erotic, and sometimes disturbing quality of animalic perfumes can register in an olfactory way, as something “dirty” or animal-smelling, or as a feeling, a mood, or a quality. Sometimes, it can be both.

Aromatic - Having a strong or distinctive smell.

B—E

Balance - A combination of different fragrance notes so adjusted in proportion to one another that none of the individual notes is more prominent than any of the others.

Balsamic - The resin from the bark of trees and shrubs (Peru, Tolu, styrax) that have a rich vanilla scent. Balsamic is a term used to describe perfumes with the soft, ambery aspects these resins impart.

Benzoin - A sweet, balsamic resin used in incense and as a base note in perfume for its vanillic scent and fixative properties. Also known as styrax because it comes from the bark of the styrax tree.

Bergamot - The essential oil from the peel of the nonedible Citrus aurantium fruit that looks like a small orange. Its sweetish, mellow lemony scent is a crucial top note in perfumery.

Calone - A synthetic “marine” note that is supposed to evoke the freshness of the ocean. It has a slight watermelon facet.

Camphoraceous - Describes a fresh, clean, medical fragrance.

Caramel - Sweet, rich, creamy, buttery scent.

Cardamom - An intensely aromatic, sweet spice from the ginger family, in the form of a pod filled with seeds.

Carnation - A smoky, sweet, and clove-like scent, the latter facet due to Eugenol, the primary component of clove.

Cassis - (or black currant bud) A sharp, fruity, almost cat-urine-like scented perfume note.

Cistus - (or Labdanum) A resin from the rockrose bush, traditionally gathered from goats’ beards as they fed on the plant. Labdanum is said to be the note closest to the scent of ambergris. Creamy, soft, vanillic.

Citrus - Fresh, light fragrance characteristic of citrus fruits, but also imitated synthetically.

Civet - In classical perfumery, the cream harvested from the anal gland of the mongoose-like civet animal, often described as cat like. Fecal-smelling when undiluted, civet “rounds” out other notes when used judiciously. Famous as an overdosed note in Guerlain’s Jicky (1889), it is considered one of the first abstract modern scents. Civet is primarily in synthetic form now.

Clove - An aromatic spice similar to cinnamon, but less sweet. Its primary component is Eugenol.

Coniferous - The fragrance note of pine, spruce, juniper and similar such trees, often used in men's fragrances.

Diffusive - A perfume whose fragrance quickly becomes apparent in the air surrounding the wearer.

Dry - The aromatic effect of perfume ingredients such as woods and mosses in contrast to sweet and warm fragrances.

Earthy - The subtle fragrance impression of earth or earth-mould which is found in certain essential oils such as vetiver and patchouli.

Equine - Notes of hay and leather.

F—M

Floral - The general fragrance of flowers.

Fruity - Citrus, berries, tropical, and other non-citrus fruit scents.

Fungal - Molds, yeast, and mushroom scents.

Green - General fragrance of grasses and green plant parts.

Harmony - A pleasing combination of fragrance notes.

Hayfield notes - Usually based on coumarin, which have an odour of new-mown hay.

Heavy - Denotes a fragrance in which the least volatile ingredients, such as mossy or animalic ones, are dominant, giving a very strong effect. Such fragrances are mostly used in chypre and oriental-type perfumes.

Herbaceous - The characteristic general fragrance of herbs and herbal medicines. Sage, rosemary and lavender are examples.

Honey - Used as an ingredient in early Arab perfumes and appears in later European ones (e.g., Honey Water). In modern perfumery a substance providing the sweet aromatic effect of honey and known as Honey (or Miel) is manufactured synthetically.

Indolic - The disquieting, ripe, animalic, and almost excremental facet of scents.

Leather - A perfume accord and category of perfume constructed from various notes, including birch tar, styrax, castoreum, and a variety of synthetic notes.

Light - Delicate, clean, and fresh-laundry scent.

Marine - Iodized scent.

Mellow - Soothing and calming scent.

Metallic - A fragrance reminiscent of metal, providing a clean, cool effect. Metallic notes are used in perfumes to assist in promoting an effect, not as main fragrances.

Minty - A fragrance reminiscent of mint, e.g., peppermint or spearmint. Such fragances are usually used to provide a special, fresh effect in a top note.

Mossy - The general odour of oils obtained from mosses and lichens.

Musk - Produced by the musk deer and excreted by the male during mating season. Musk deer were killed almost to extinction for their valuable musk glands, which were dried, and whose musk “seeds” were removed and steeped in alcohol to create tinctures for perfume. The scent of real musk is warm, with depth and a dark animalic aroma. Many synthetics now can mimic musk scent, but one of the most superior musk synthetics, nitro-musks, which were in Chanel No. 5 and countless other vintages, has been banned due to toxicity concerns. Musk can also be substituted with plant ingredients including ambrette seed and angelica.

Musty - Damp, earthy, or stale odor.

N—W

Narcotic - Exceptionally strong and heavy fragrances obtained from some flowers (e.g. jasmine and tuberose) and animalic ingredients, which need to be used with careful discretion in a perfume.

Ozonic - A perfume accord that attempts to create the smell of fresh air after a thunderstorm.

Peppery - Odour of pepper.

Powdery - Soft and clean scent.

Rich - Fragrances that have numerous layers, notes, and accords in all stages (top, mid, base), creating a multifaceted feel.

Rounded - The overall smoothness and fullness of a fragrance.

Sharp - A strong scent.

Smoky - The slight smell of smoke created in a perfume by certain oils such as Birch Tar Oil. It is used in men's fragrances to provide a leathery effect.

Spicy - Describes in general the distinctive fragrance of essential oils which have been obtained from spices.

Sweet - A sweet and rather sugar-like fragrance such as vanilla.

Tobacco - Fragrances resembling cured tobaccos, which are particularly popular in masculine toiletries.

Wintergreen - Has a very powerful and fresh, medicinal odour.

Woody - Fragrances reminiscent of wood. These fragrances are provided by wood oils, such as cedar, by essential oils from other plants having a wood-like aroma, such as patchouli, and by synthetics.

Sources: Perfume: The Art and Craft of Fragrance by Karen Gilbert ⚜ The Perfume Handbook by Nigel Groom ⚜ Scent & Subversion by Barbara Herman ⚜ Scent: A Natural History of Fragrance by Elise Vernon Pearlstine ⚜ Introduction to Perfumery by Tony Curtis & David G. Williams ⚜ The Big Book of Perfume

More: Word Lists ⚜ References ⚜ Describing Scent ⚜ Fragrance Notes & Levels

[mylove-iv]

⠀𐔌 . ⋮ red tiger balm .ᐟ ֹ ₊ ꒱

ʚ narumi gen x fem, physical therapist! reader ɞ

synopsis: during a joint training conference between the first and third divisions, many notice how captain narumi gen seems to have fallen head over heels for you but what they don't catch is that you both smell like spiced mint, cinnamon, and clove.

genres: fluff, romance.

content warnings: profane language (it's gen duh).

word count: 1.1k words.

author's note: inspired by my love for the warm scent of red tiger balm and how much i love narumi gen ദ്ദി ˉ͈̀꒳ˉ͈́ )✧

‎‧₊ ─ masterlist .ᐟ ༘

Narumi Gen smells of spiced mint, cinnamon, and clove.

It’s a subtle warm medicinal smell that clears one’s nose when Narumi walks past or when one stands near him.

Some days, it’s faint and nearly indistinguishable but whenever Tuesday rolls around and their Captain returns from his off-base day off, the same spicy camphor scent never fails to make a full return subtly with its strong aroma sticking closely to Japan’s Strongest Anti-Kaiju Combatant.

It’s become a running gag within the first division that Narumi’s part-time job during the colder seasons where runny and stuffy noses are at an all time high is being everyone’s Vick’s vapor rub.

But one winter’s Monday morning, kaiju alarms ring throughout Tokyo and many bear witness to the palpable irritation on Narumi Gen’s face as he arrives on base.

Amid the smoke and ash lingering through the air, those working directly with the Captain note the unusual absence of the scent of spiced mint, cinnamon, and clove that Narumi normally smells of. 

Another thing many officers of the First Division also notice is that along with the aroma’s absence is that it goes hand in hand with Narumi’s intensified impatience and snark as he barked harsh order after harsh order.

Many are unsure on which cologne, balm, or hell, even perfume the First Division’s Captain uses to attain such a fresh and warm scent yet none dare ask their quick-tempered Captain.

┊ ੈ✩‧₊*°࿐ྂ。

When the joint training conference between the First and Third Division rolls around at the Tachikawa base, it doesn’t take long for platoon leaders and a few officers of the First Division to catch onto how their Captain’s soft currant red eyes seems to latch onto you, the Third Division’s resident physical therapist.

Members of both divisions soon bear witness to how Narumi’s gaze always seems to be searching for you and how they soften whenever you enter the same room he was in. 

They also don’t miss how he always seems to be at a loss of words whenever you speak to him, a gentle yet sweet smile on your face as you ask him if his shoulder is still tight and how much adoration fills his usually tired eyes whenever he's in your presence.

It then clicks to many that Narumi Gen, Captain of the first Division and Japan’s strongest Anti-Kaiju Combatant, has a big fat crush on the Third Division’s physical therapist.

┊ ੈ✩‧₊*°࿐ྂ。

With Narumi’s constant visits to you under the guise of tight muscles and achy limbs, it’s become routine for Hoshina to tease him relentlessly.

You’ve just finished sanitizing your therapy table when a soft knock rasps itself against the wood of your office door.

Humming a sweet ‘come in,’ your irises meet soft currant red ones and a honeyed smile is tugging at your lips when you see Captain Narumi in your doorway.

“Captain Narumi,” Your voice is a bit breathy due to your fumble of pausing at the sight of him but he’s entranced nonetheless. “How can I help you?”

It takes him an embarrassing moment to formulate a response to your question but he quickly rasps out, “My wrist is actin’ up again.”

Worry floods your eyes and Narumi savors how your eyes trail from his own down his body and to his right wrist.

It’s greedy of him to watch eagerly how your teeth sinks into your bottom lip in concern but a pang of disappointment tinges his chest as your eyes move off his body and to his left.

He follows your gaze silently and Narumi doesn’t bother hiding the pure indignation on his face when his eyes meet deep wine red ones.

Are you fucking kidding me?

“Narumi, what can I do for ya?” Hoshina’s grin widens as Narumi’s eyes stretches open when that bowl-cut jerk sits himself in front of you—infuriatingly close—on the therapy table.

Your eyes look apologetic enough to soothe the jealousy raging in Narumi, “I’m sorry Captain Narumi but Vice-Captain Hoshina has an appointment with me currently.”

Hoshina 1, Narumi 0.

He feels like a kicked puppy. “But please wait, I’ll take you in after treating Vice Captain Hoshina.” You words have him perking up, a small lovesick grin tugging at his face before he’s padding out your door, not before sparing a withering glare towards Hoshina whose grin becomes a bit more teasing.

┊ ੈ✩‧₊*°࿐ྂ。

After a bit of waiting, your head pops out from your office and Narumi’s chest tightens when you smile oh so sweetly. “Sorry for the wait Cap, but come on in.”

He’s aching to be near you so when you disappear further into your office and Hoshina walks past him, the smell of mint and menthol wafts in his nose.

Narumi’s nose wrinkles at the scent, huffing in distaste causing Hoshina to snicker slightly before the former is shutting the door and seating himself onto your therapy table, thighs spreading slightly as you set yourself between them. 

“It’s your shoulder again, hm?” You murmur softly, fingers tweaking the muscle beneath his clavicle, feeling how tight they were before moving a bit further up, causing Narumi to wince gently.

“Mh.” Narumi hums as his eyes flutter to a close, basking in your warmth as he enjoys the the smell of spiced mint, cinnamon, and clove permeating through your office space.

┊ ੈ✩‧₊*°࿐ྂ。

The week-long joint training conference draws to a close and many, especially those of the First Division, have gotten sick and tired of the longing glances their Captain continuously throws at you.

He hasn’t even made a move on you yet for fuck’s sake! Many groan in their heads as both division Captains and Vice Captains salute to each other as a thanks.

You stand beside your division Captain, Ashiro Mina, with a gentle smile on your face and many hold their breath when Narumi takes a step towards you.

Please make a move! Officers of both divisions pray before they watch with a bated breath when Narumi takes your hand sweetly, placing a gentle kiss atop your knuckles as your cheeks tint pink.

Jaws then drop as Narumi’s other hand trails along your jaw before taking your chin and pulling you in for a sweet kiss.

It’s takes way too long before someone reacts. “Narumi, get yer damn lips off my pt!” Hoshina hollers, disbelief lining his features as his eyes are wide open in shock.

“What?” The mentioned captain grunts, eyes glaring at the said man as his next words leaves everyone speechless.

Cause who would've thought that Narumi Gen has the balls to-

“Is it so wrong to kiss my wife?” Narumi snarks causing an uproar between both divisions as you laugh sweetly, forcing his eyes to latch onto your pretty face as enamored expression settles itself on his face when you look up at him so lovingly.

Fuck, my wife is so pretty! Narumi finds himself thinking like the lovesick fool he is for you.

© 2024 𝐌𝐘𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆-𝐈𝐕. do not copy, repost, share, or translate any of my works to tiktok, instagram, and/or any other websites/platforms.

[ltwilliammowett]

Cooking like a Sailor - Mince Pies

Christmas is fast approaching and at this time of year, there is a little treat that should not be missing anywhere, especially in England, not even on board ships. There, too, sailors can look forward to a mince pie.

Mince pies go back to a medieval pastry called a chewette. Chewettes were either baked or fried and filled with pieces of liver or meat mixed with boiled eggs and ginger. As a variation, chewettes were filled with dried fruit and other sweet ingredients. In the 16th century, they developed into a Christmas speciality. In the 17th century, liver and meat were increasingly replaced by kidney fat, and since the 19th century, the sweet form has largely established itself as the typical mince pie in Great Britain and North America. Mince pies with meat have not been common since the 19th century.

But now to the recipe from the late 18th century (Lobscouse& Spotted Dog, by Anne Chotzinoff Grossman, Lisa Grossman)

You need 1 pound of short pastry and 1/2 pound of puff paste. Preheat the oven to 450° / 230°C and prepare the pastry. Roll out the short pastry to a thickness of approx. 0.3 cm on a lightly floured work surface and cut it out so that it fits into a muffin tin with one edge (this is easiest), then roll out the puff paste to the same thickness and also cut it out so that it can serve as a lid, i.e. slightly larger so that you can still seal the whole thing well.

Fill everything with the filling and bake for 10 minutes, then turn the oven down to 350°/175°C and bake for a further 20 minutes.

Now the filling

3 pounds shin of beef 1 pound suet, finely grated 1 3/4 cups dried currants 3/4 cup raisins 3/4 sultanas 1/2 cup candied orange peel, coarsely chopped 3 cups tart apples, peeled cored and coarsely chopped Juice and coarsely chopped zest of 1 lemon Juice and coarsely chopped zest of 1 Seville orange 2 tablespoons grated ginger 2 cups of sugar 1 teaspoon mace 1 teaspoon ground cloves 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon of salt 1/2 cup cider 1/2 cup brandy 1/2 cup red wine

Cook the meat until it separates from the bone and chop finely. Now mix everything with the remaining ingredients. You can fill your pies now or keep the mixture in the fridge and use it later for an even more delicate flavour. As a tip for a meat-free version, you can also use dried cherries or other dried fruit.

Now you can serve your little treasures, give them as gifts or put them out for a kind soul on Christmas night. Bon appétit!

[yukirayu]

Nitro+CHiRAL Protagonists: Fragrance Details

The latest announcement from Nitro+CHiRAL includes new products involving all five (main) protagonists, some of which are perfumes. (The link to the shop can be found here.)

For reference purposes, below are the details about the fragrances used for each protagonist:

TOGAINU NO CHI: Akira - Fragrance Type Woody Chypre

[Top Note] Lemon, Lemon Flower, Cardamom [Middle Note] Cinnamon, Cedarwood, Incense [Last Note] Musk, Agarwood, Patchouli, Amber

LAMENTO: Konoe - Fragrance Type Green Floral

[Top Note] Cassis, Figleaf [Middle Note] White Lily, Lily of the Valley, Lilac [Last Note] Cyclamen, Ozone, White Musk

SWEET POOL: Youji - Fragrance Type Green Aromatic

[Top Note] Bergamot, Lime, Melon, Black Currant [Middle Note] Estragon, Cucumber Green, Geranium [Last Note] Raspberry, Musk

DRAMATICAL MURDER: Aoba - Fragrance Type Fruity Musk

[Top Note] Grapefruit, Lemon, Pear [Middle Note] Red Apple, Jasmine, Rose, Gardenia [Last Note] Musk

SLOW DAMAGE: Towa - Fragrance Type Oriental

[Top Note] Cinnamon, Vanilla [Middle Note] Lilac, Clove, Elemi, Musk, Leather, Raspberry [Last Note] Guaiac Wood, Stylax, Vetiver, Patchouli

[madamlaydebug]

The foods within the States that create the least amount of mucus in the body. VEGETABLES

* Amaranth greens – same as Callaloo, a variety of Spinach

* Avocado

* Bell Peppers

* Chayote (Mexican Squash)

* Cucumber

* Dandelion greens

* Garbanzo beans

* Green banana

* Izote – cactus flower/ cactus leaf

* Kale

* Lettuce (all, except Iceberg)

* Mushrooms (all, except Shiitake)

* Nopales (Mexican Cactus

* Okra seasonal * Olives (not soaked in vinegar)

* Onions

* Poke salad – greens

* Purslane (Verdolaga)

* Sea Vegetables (wakame/dulse/arame/hijiki/nori)

* Squash - except pumpkin

* Tomato – cherry & plum/roma only

* Tomatillo

* Turnip greens

* Watercress

* Zucchini

FRUITS

(No canned or seedless fruits)

* Apples

* Bananas – the smallest one or the Burro/mid-size (original banana)

* Berries – all varieties – no cranberries

* Cantaloupe

* Cherries

* Currants

* Dates

* Figs

* Grapes – Seeded

* Limes (key limes preferred with seeds)

* Mango

* Melons – Seeded

* Orange (Seville or sour preferred)

* Papayas

* Peaches

* Pear

* Plums

* Prickly Pear (Cactus Fruit)

* Prunes

* Raisins – Seeded

* Soft Jelly Coconuts

* Soursops – (Latin or West Indian markets)

* Tamarind

GRAINS

* Amaranth

* Fonio

* Kamut

* Quinoa

* Rye

* Spelt

* Teff

* Wild Rice

NUTS & SEEDS

* Hemp seeds

* Raw sesame seeds

* Raw sesame seeds /tahini butter

* Walnuts

* Brazil nuts

OILS

* Coconut oil (do not cook)

* Olive oil (do not cook)

* Avocado oil

* Grapeseed oil

* Hempseed oil

* Sesame seed oil

SPICES AND SEASONINGS

MILD FLAVORS

* Basil

* Bay leaf

* Cloves

* Dill

* Oregano

* Savory

* Sweet Basil

* Tarragon

* Thyme

SALTY FLAVORS

* Pure Sea Salt

* Powdered Granulated Seaweed -(Kelp/Dulce/Nori – has “sea taste”)

SWEET FLAVORS

* 100% Pure Agave Syrup – (from cactus)

* Date Sugar/Syrup

PUNGENT AND SPICY FLAVORS

* Achiote

* Cayenne/ African Bird Pepper

* Culantro * Habanero

* Onion Powder

* Sage

HERBAL TEAS

* Anise

* Burdock

* Chamomile

* Elderberry

* Fennel

* Ginger

* Raspberry

* Sarsaparilla

* Tila (Linden flower)

* Valerian

[angelmush]

recipe please 🥺🥺

i put this in the comments of the original post but i’ll put it here for you too!

i used red currant bakery’s recipe for marbled pumpkin bread and then riffed on it, so the final product tastes pretty different! it’s more gingerbread-y than the original recipe, but both ways are great. i doubled the amount of coffee and cocoa powder. i probably tripled the spices but i didn’t measure them and don’t remember which ones were in the recipe or what i just decided to put in LOL but i used cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, cardamom, allspice, powdered ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. i added 1 tbsp of molasses, and i folded in half of a bar of chopped dark baking chocolate in my pantry that i needed to finish, saving the prettiest pieces to place on the top.

[wafflefries13]

Twisted Teas

I don’t know a lot about tea, only that I usually like it iced and sweet, a casualty of growing up in the south. But I’ve been wanting to learn more about it, especially blends. I found this cool website, Adagio Teas, that have a bunch of fan made fandom blends for a ton of different books, movies, video games, and tv shows (#notsponsored). So I thought I would try my hand at making teas for the Twisted Wonderland cast. I tried to go off vibes, color schemes, and their favorite food. Hopefully my train of thought makes sense. If anyone wants to actually try any of these let me know how they taste. 

Adagio Teas: Signature Blend

Riddle: 

Wild Strawberry 

Summer rose

Cream 

Extra scoop: Rose hips 

Ace: 

Dewy cherry

Fiery cinnamon spice 

Vanilla oolong 

Extra scoop: Cherry 

Deuce:

Green rooibos blueberry 

White blueberry

Kentucky whisky 

Extra scoop: Blueberries 

Cater: 

Passion Fruit 

Pomegranate grove 

Orange

Extra scoop: Orange peels 

Trey: 

Cocomint green 

Assam melody 

Pu-erh hazelberry 

Extra scoop: Cocoa nibs 

Leona:

Pu-erh dante 

Tiger eye 

Turmeric bliss 

Extra scoop: Marigold flowers 

Ruggie: 

Ceylon sonata 

Hojicha 

Hazelnut 

Extra scoop: Safflower 

Jack: 

Lapsang souchong 

White pear 

Almond Oolong 

Extra scoop: Ginger root 

Azul: 

Earl gray lavender 

Black cherry 

Chocolate truffle 

Extra scoop: Lavender flower 

Jade: 

Forest berries 

Almond oolong 

Toasted mate 

Extra scoop: Raspberry leaves 

Floyd: 

Autumn mist green 

Oriental spice 

Gunpowder 

Extra scoop: Cloves 

Kalim: 

White eternal spring 

White tropics 

Coconut grove pouchong 

Extra scoop: Coconut 

Jamil: 

Cinnamon rooibos chai 

Masala chai 

Mango melange 

Extra scoop: Aniseed 

Vill: 

Blackberry 

Cherry green 

Rooibos jasmine 

Extra scoop: Cornflower 

Rook:

Assam melody 

Earl gray bravo 

Butterscotch 

Extra scoop: Lemon verbena 

Epel: 

Spiced apple chai 

Candy apple 

Rooibos vanilla chai 

Extra scoop: Apple pieces 

Idia: 

Maple cream oolong 

Almond cardamom cake 

Honeybush banana nut 

Extra scoop: Cocoa nibs 

Ortho:

Almond

Chocolate chip 

Vanilla 

Extra scoop: Candycane 

Lilia: 

Earl gray moonlight 

Black cherry 

White chai 

Extra scoop: Cherry 

Silver: 

Forest berries 

Pu-erh hazelberry 

Almond oolong 

Extra scoop: Lemon balm 

Sebek: 

Kukicha 

Green chai 

Chili lime green 

Extra scoop: Lemon peels 

Malleus: 

Dragon fruit dream 

Camomile 

Citron green 

Extra scoop: Hibiscus flowers 

Crowley: 

Earl gray bravo 

Blackberry 

Caramel 

Extra scoop: Pink peppercorn 

Crewel: 

Irish breakfast 

Currant 

Hojicha 

Extra scoop: Raspberry leaves 

Trein: 

Vanilla oolong 

Cream

Butterscotch 

Extra scoop: Apricots 

Vargas:

Masala chai 

Fiery cinnamon spice 

Spiced mate 

Extra scoop: Cardamom seeds 

Sam: 

Foxtrot 

Green rooibos key west 

Citron green 

Extra scoop: Lemon peel

[not-poignant]

👀 may we sneak a peek at that scent masterlist...?

Sure! I don't have every character worked out yet but here we go (no betas mentioned because betas don't have scents in the same way):

Peak Alphas

Augus Each Uisge - Torn leaves and fresh water.

Crielle ferch Fnwy - Gardenias and blood.

Gary Konowalous - While drinking heavily each night, he has a strong overlay of red wine tannins, with a base scent of wood or wood shavings. When he scales back on the red wine, the woodsy scent rises up.

Gwyn ap Nudd - Brittle, bright, like melting metal.

Temsen Ohlo Ohlo - Green and astringent. It's more grassy.

Alphas

Anton Valenosk - 'Warming,' or like warming spices, like spice cake.

Caleb Crawford - Caleb's scent is earthy and clove-like with occasional glittery spikes, almost like the sensation of poprocks.

Christian Smythe - Woodsy and soft, and gently appealing.

Eran Iliakambar - Faint charcoal, earthy, occasional flashes of neroli.

James Visser - A richly green forest floor, with faint top notes of citrus.

Janusz Bodanowicz - A little metallic, with overtones of sharp fruits, like berries or currants.

Kadek Setiawan - Tea tree

Michael Henton - Apple and pear. It's not an overbearing scent.

Omegas

Alois Flitmouse - Faint and astringent, a little like black tea. Once he starts having healthy heats again, it turns sweeter and warmer, and Anton compares it to mead.

Efnisien ap Wledig - Extremely non-distinct (usually just 'chemicals') while dosed on all the drugs Crielle gave him. As he becomes healthier at Hillview, a distinctive scent appears which is oceanic, and makes people think of the sea. Many people don't realise it's him.

Lucien Beaumont - Lush and creamy, hints of tonka.

Mosk Manytrees - Astringent and tangy.

Nate Prince - Mild and fresh, like rain. It's very subtle, but can feel smell like a storm when he's stressed.

[exhausted-archivist]

Informal Thoughts on Universal Pantry Staples in Thedas

Yes, I'm thinking about food again. So, part of what I’m working on for the Thedosian food project I have is figuring out universal pantry staples for Thedas. I am largely working from canon, but I am also working from a watsonian perspective on what isn’t named canon. Which can be really hard because I have to look at BioWare and not try to explain why a tropical environment would not have an abundance of cherries, or how certain foods don't ship well even in modern terms and thus, no, Ferelden likely shouldn't have access to tomatoes. But hey, I'm working on the suspension of disbelief and trying to figure out how it could work in a world with magic, but where magic is feared and typically reserved for luxuries.

I also didn't include things that would spoil easy, such as: cherries, grapes, lemons, oranges, plums, tomatoes, ect. Essentially anything with a high water content that would spoil easy. But are also super common around Thedas. Mostly because when I think pantry, I think long term storage. I also tried to keep out dairy products and eggs. But there is a way to keep butter for prolonged periods of time, so it got in by a slim technicality.

A quick note: when entering the suggested or speculated portion of these listings, this is not accounting for all economic levels because to do so would mean next to nothing was universal.

Additionally, when it comes to spices, we know that the Avvar value "lowland" spices heavily and use them for special occasions. However, because they aren't staples I was hesitant to include them in these list but opted to do so for no other reason than an idea that if they can get to the Avvar, they are likely commonly available else where. So spices are marked with a *

The canonically stated staples

These are actually pretty sparse. They aren't typically directly called out, but these few are, and so they have their own little section. Outside of that, well it is mostly suggestion.

Barley (At times mentioned to be specifically Fereldan)

Elfroot

Grease

Lentils

Onions

Wheat

Some canonically suggested universal pantry staples due to their common appearance in recipes, use in abundance, use in hard times/as rations, and seen prolifically in-game:

Allspice*

Almonds

Apples

Basil (dried or fresh)

Bay Leaves*

Black Pepper* (Coarse and finely ground)

Butter (typically goat, but cows as well)

Cabbage

Carrots

Cheese

Chocolate

Cinnamon* (ground, whole stick, ect)

Cloves*

Cumin* (crushed, ground, grated, ect)

Dill Seeds*

Dried Beans

Dried Berries (currants, cranberries, raisins, ect.)

Dried Meat

Dried Peas

Fennel Seed*

Flour (typically wheat)

Garlic

Ginger

Ham

Honey

Jam

Leeks

Mace

Mint

Mustard Seed*

Nutmeg*

Oil (not specified)

Oregano (dried or fresh)

Parsley/Mild green herb

Pickled Vegetables

Potatoes

Salt (historically Orlesians in the highlands salted a dragon worth of meat on an annual basis)

Salted Meat

Squashes (Pumpkin and others)

Sugar (typically from sugar cane)

Thyme

Turnips

Vanilla

Vinegar

Wine (Most common seems to be red wine)

If you think I missed anything or have any recommendations or thoughts of your own, please do share! I would love to hear any thoughts on what you think would likely be staples in the pantries of Thedas. If you need to know what is available, you can check out this post I have listing all the flora currently mentioned in Thedas.

[fatehbaz]

Christmas pudding [...] [is] a boiled mass of suet - a raw, hard animal fat [...] often replaced with a vegetarian alternative - as well as flour and dried fruits that is often soaked in alcohol and set alight. [...] [I]t is a legacy of the British Empire with ingredients from around the globe it once dominated [...].

Christmas pudding is a relatively recent concoction of two older, at least medieval, dishes. [...] “Figgy pudding,” immortalized in the “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” carol, appeared in the written record by the 14th century. [...] During the 18th century, the two ["plum pottage" and "figgy pudding"] crossed to become the more familiar plum pudding – a steamed pudding packed with the ingredients of the rapidly growing British Empire of rule and trade. The key was less a new form of cookery than the availability of once-luxury ingredients, including French brandy, raisins from the Mediterranean, and citrus from the Caribbean.

Few things had become more affordable than cane sugar which, owing to the labors of millions of enslaved Africans, could be found in the poorest and remotest of British households by mid-century. Cheap sugar, combined with wider availability of other sweet ingredients like citrus and dried fruits, made plum pudding an iconically British celebratory treat, albeit not yet exclusively associated with Christmas.

Such was its popularity that English satirist James Gillray made it the centerpiece of one of his famous cartoons, depicting Napoleon Bonaparte and the British prime minister carving the world in pudding form.

In line with other modern Christmas celebrations, the Victorians took the plum pudding and redefined it [...], making it the “Christmas pudding.” In his 1843 internationally celebrated “A Christmas Carol,” Charles Dickens venerated the dish as the idealized center of any family’s Christmas feast [...].

Three years later, Queen Victoria’s chef published her favored recipe, making Christmas pudding, like the Christmas tree, the aspiration of families across Britain.

Christmas pudding owed much of its lasting appeal to its socioeconomic accessibility. Victoria’s recipe, which became a classic, included candied citrus peel, nutmeg, cinnamon, lemons, cloves, brandy and a small mountain of raisins and currants – all affordable treats for the middle class. Those with less means could either opt for lesser amounts or substitutions [...]. Eliza Acton, a leading cookbook author of the day who helped to rebrand plum pudding as Christmas pudding, offered a particularly frugal recipe that relied on potatoes and carrots. [...] The high alcohol content gave the puddings a shelf life of a year or more, allowing them to be sent even to the empire’s frontiers during Victoria’s reign [...].

---

In the 1920s, the British Women’s Patriotic League heavily promoted it – calling it “Empire Pudding” in a global marketing campaign. They praised it as emblem of the empire that should be made from the ingredients of Britain’s colonies and possessions: dried fruits from Australia and South Africa, cinnamon from Ceylon, spices from India and Jamaican rum in place of French brandy.

Press coverage of London’s 1926 Empire Day celebrations featured the empire’s representatives pouring the ingredients into a ceremonial mixing bowl and collectively stirring it.

The following year, the Empire Marketing Board received King George V’s permission to promote the royal recipe, which had all the appropriate empire-sourced ingredients. Such promotional recipes and the mass production of puddings from iconic grocery stores like [Sains-bury's] in the 1920s combined to place Christmas puddings on the tables [...].

---

All text above by: Troy Bickham. "How the Christmas pudding, with ingredients taken from the colonies, became an iconic British food." The Conversation. 8 December 2023. [Bold emphasis and some paragraph breaks/contractions added by me. Image and caption shown unaltered as they appear published by Bickham along with the article's text.]

[which-item-poll]

Tea Blends for Ace Trappola: Currant, Dewy Cherry & Honeybush Apricot, accented with cherry (blended with honeybush tea, black tea, rose hips, hibiscus, apple pieces, natural wild cherry flavor, cherries, natural apricot flavor, raspberry leaves, natural currant flavor, peach pieces & marigold flowers)

Tea Blends for Deuce Spade: Forest Berries & Fiery Cinnamon Spice, accented with blueberries (blended with black tea, cinnamon, cinnamon ground, natural forest berries flavor, orange, natural spicy cinnamon flavor, raspberry leaves, raspberries, strawberries & cloves)

[pixelfoodie]

Guyanese Black Cake - This traditional, dense cake is a Christmas staple in Guyana and throughout the Caribbean. It is flavored with rum and a variety of dried fruits. The dried fruits used in the cake are usually prunes, raisins, currants, and cherries. Apart from flour, butter, sugar, salt, and eggs, the cake also features rum and spices such as cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, mace, and vanilla. This rich and moist cake is also very popular at Guyanese weddings. src.: https://www.tasteatlas.com/guyanese-black-cake art ref.: www.alicaspepperpot.com

[strange-winter-witch]

With Halloween being around the corner, and being around other stresses such as work, coworkers going through their own stresses, and my personal stress, I decided to a simple negativity relief spell.

I used a black candle for releasing negativity, protection, and getting rid of some bad luck. I also have some Dragon's Blood incense burning for protection as well.

Also, my altar is not as decorated as it usually is, but I packed most of it up for moving.

And also while I was at Wichita, after working at another Dollar Tree I stopped at Five Below and found this....

It's incense. I love me some good incense during my spell. And these incense have such vampire vibe names. In case they are hard to read they are

Crimson Rose- Red Roses and Patchouli

Midnight Mass- Black Amber and Lavender

Ethereal Nightshade- Black Currant and Dark Vanilla

Nocturnal Forest- White Musk and Sandalwood

Widow's Veil- White Lily and Jasmine

Gothic Romance- Aged Sandalwood and Opopanax

Penny Dreadful- Burnt Sugar, White Sage, and Clove