#Cutting a wheel of Parmesan

[orcelito]

OH FUCK today I cut up the other half of the parmesan cheese wheel (awful) so there was a bunch of wax I had to shave off the cheese AND

I made this little guy. Just a little dude. Incredibly worth it.

[fanaticsnail]

Hey! Hope you’re doing well this fine day~ I had a cute idea if u just wanna hear me rant about it.

So imagine teaching Killer a new pasta recipe whether that is a new sauce or new way to cook it and making it for him and watching him literally LIGHT UP with pure glee over how good it is. I say this as I’ve made my grandma’s spaghetti sauce which is STRAIGHT UP ADDICTING every time I make it and gobble it all up. Like the reader can be like a straw hat or kid pirate who is like hey I have this really yummy pasta recipe if you wanna try and afterwards she keeps on exchanging recipes with Killer and lowkey he in love with her mwahahaha (cause as they say in Princess and the Frog ��the quickest way to a man’s heart, is through his stomach”). And she cooks it for him since he is always cooking 🥹🥹🥹

Also! I do have to add how much IM OBSESSED with the recent Hey Doc Drabble. Idk if you saw my tags but man I was GOING THROUGH IT. All the sweet nicknames and just the pure desperation for doc to be okay like 😭😭😭 and POOR HEAT AND BUBBLEGUM LIKE AWWWW I need a part 2 to that or SOMETHING just to see an aftermath if you will. Wire calling them “honey” had me WEAK.

Alright imma head out now, have a marvelous day/night 🏃🏽‍♀️🏃🏽‍♀️🏃🏽‍♀️

How did I miss this 😭. Thank you for your beautiful compliments on the 'Hey Doc' series. It's been an absolute joy to write. Reading through tags and reblogs are my favourite: especially when it's as enthusiastic as yours has been. You're so much fun, and I very much appreciate the time you take to read and go through my silly things. I can't write a full fic, but I hope this little drabble satiates the need of cooking with Killer 🖤.

Pasta

Masterlist Here

Word Count: mini-fic, just a little one.

Themes: Killer x reader, fluff, cooking, food, Killer is in awe, you are cooking, and I am hungry.

The one thing he hasn't managed to perfect is a pure, unadulterated Marinara. Anything to do with crushed tomato he finds too acidic, and over compensates with far too much salt to cut the tannins. He's tried everything: more onion, less herbs, malted brown sugar, refining his own salt by storing sea water on the oven, everything. He just can't seem to get it right.

Killer and pasta: his one weakness.

He would never admit it, but he has been attempting to perfect each recipe he comes upon. Pesto is all made from scratch: crushed fresh basil, the purest of virgin olive oils, a parmesan wheel with crispy salt crystals, oven toasted pine nuts, cloves of bulbed garlic, everything perfected by his skill in his kitchen. His pesto pasta is better than Sanji's, and the curly-browed chef is both impressed and intimidated by it.

Watching from a safe distance as you bounce gleefully within the dominion of the kitchen, he hunches his back and places his whiskered chin over his laced fingertips. He was unsure as to why you offered to cook for the crew, but your enthusiasm had him step aside to watch you work. It was the initial confession of homesickness that did it for him. Knowing food can aid in emotional regulation and comfort, he was more than happy to watch from his position sitting at the kitchen island.

And then the smell hit him.

The sweetness of roasting tomatoes, onion, garlic, and the herbal aromatics of thyme, rosemary and sage. The soft waft had his heart swell and beat in his chest and eyes twinkle in curiousity. Stirring the rotund vegetables in the pot and expertly crushing them with the blunt tip of the wooden spoon had him sit up attentively in his seat, watching you as you attend to the sauce from muscle memory alone.

He was in awe, perplexed, and intrigued.

Each time you would move on to another element of the dish, Killer would move a little closer. Each time your back was turned, he would perch himself just a little more towards the simmering pot. When you moved to the pantry to decide which shape of pasta to begin to boil, you could barely make out the shape of Killer's mask being partially elevated over his lips and nose by one large hand. Using a fresh spoon, he dips it into the sauce and puckers his purple-tinted lips and extends a breath of cool air to stifle the heat.

As soon as the first drops meet his tongue, he can't help the soft moan that escapes him at the flavor. Upon your return with a bag of penne in hand, you are immediately hoisted into the air with Killer's hands beneath your arms. Gently spinning you before placing you on the ground, he claps his arms over your shoulders and leans down closer. The purple hue of his lips is stretched up in a smile, his joy at your sauce immediately having him taken aback and fullfilled in the knowledge that he now has the answer he desperately seeks.

"Teach me. Please."

And who were you to deny him? It was a family recipe, and this crew aboard the Victoria Punk was your new family. Gently raising one of your hands to cup over his on your shoulder, you crinkle your nose at him and nod with a smile to match his own.

"Yes, chef."

Tag list: @mfreedomstuff @daydreamer-in-training @since-im-already-here @gingernut1314 @writingmysanity @sordidmusings @i-am-vita @indydonuts @feral-artistry @the-light-of-star @empirenowmp3 @racfoam @sunflowersatori @carrotsunshine @skullfacedlady

[lrgcarter]

So, I'm the first person to point out that advertising and marketing doesn't work in an age where people have no money to spend on products.

and at the same time...

Italian artistic gymnast Giorgia Villa (bronze medalist in a previous Olympics, Silver medalist in the current Olympics, Italian national champion various previous years) is a Brand Ambassador for Parmigiano Reggiano, or as you and I would call it, a Parmesan Cheese Company.

Obviously everyone is saying that she shills for Big Parma, which, yes, was funny the first time I heard it.

But I want to focus on the photographs that have been taken as part of her role of Brand Ambassador. These ones were produced by a person/company named Gabriele Seghizzi Photography.

In the photographer's own words, "The goal was to produce three types of contents. First we had to shot some portraits, posed and contextualized with some of the tools that the athlete uses daily in her discipline. The second type were shots in which some of the products brought by Parmigiano Reggiano were inserted and attempts were made to reproduce pre and post sport consumption opportunities. While the third and last kind of shots were real action photos, as if I had to document a typical workout of her."

I would like to focus on a few bits of that quote.

Contents 1: 'portraits, posed and contextualized with some of the tools that the athlete uses..." Okay, so far so good, photos of the athlete doing the thing she is second place at in the world.

Contents 2: 'shots in which some of the products brought by Parmigiano Reggiano were inserted...'

What sort of products, you ask? Well, Big Parma of course, we've already covered that!

You might think "well, those are way too big to 'insert' anywhere-" and yeah, I'm going to cut you off there, because obviously the insertion happens using the photographic art of implication using a shared and mutually understood visual language. By which I mean, an arrow made out of cheese pointing in the direction of the intended insertion.

Next bit of Contents 2:

"...and attempts were made to reproduce pre and post sport consumption opportunities.'

Pre and post sport consumption. So that's ... eating it before and after sport, right?

Okay, yeah, that's one way to eat a ridiculously big cheese-

Wait a second! Now the photographer is specifically aiming for size-play vibes! And vore vibes! Especially if you're some kind of cheese-person!

Anyway, contents 3 is a standard set of photos of the athlete doing her sport. Possibly as a sort of after-care to help her ground herself back into the world of not-everything-being-about-giant-or-tiny-cheeses.

So, if you're a cheese person or a 'not-to be-a-lesbian-but' person, check out this link for more photos. Be warned, they're pretty big.

Anyway, what was my point? Oh yeah! Theoretically, I have now done some free marketing for this big cheese company. I have fallen into their trap of helping promote their cheeses!

BUT

Nobody who is ever going to see this post will ever be able to afford ONE giant cheese wheel, let alone FOUR. So it still isn't working, Big Business! You will have total brand recognition but the line will still go down because nobody can afford your products!!

In conclusion; universal basic income, nationalising water and energy, making housing a human right and then making sure all human rights are provided to everyone, and decriminalising sex work are the bare minimum of what we need to do to fix society.

[eonars]

4 years ago today Steven and I were blissed out watching parmesan cheese wheel cutting videos

[dubious-writing]

💜Larsdunn!

💜 surprise kiss / impulsive kiss

Hello anon! So sorry this one also took a long time, I once again had to go be a slave to the wheel of capitalism. I like my job though, so it’s okay. This one became less of a snippet and more of a 1,216 word oneshot. I hope you like it!!

Vince is not entirely sure how he ended up here. 

Well, not literally. He can trace each step that brought him to this room and this situation. Getting picked for one of those silly PR interviews last week, sitting down in that decorated conference in front of a camera to answer questions not in any way related to hockey or how the team is doing. Somehow letting the topic stray to the comments about his and Adam’s eating habits they made at the beginning of the season, admitting that yes he did finally cook a meal for Adam. Telling them that the favor hadn’t been returned yet, actually, now that you mention it.

Somehow being roped into showing up at Adam’s house 8 days later after practice with no game that evening, sitting down at one of the island's barstools, and letting a producer tie a blindfold around his head. They must’ve sprung for a good brand - if there is a good brand of blindfolds - because the fabric is thick enough that he can’t see any shapes through it, and there’s no light peeking in either the top or bottom.

So yeah, he technically knows how he got here, filming some fun little PR piece with his d-partner. He’s just not entirely sure how he ended up here, in Adam’s kitchen, chatting while a meal is being made like this is some kind of normal domestic scene for them.

It’s not, no matter how much Vince wishes it was.

The producers keep asking them questions when the pauses between conversations start to lull too long, keeping the soundbites going, milking as much content out of this situation as they can get. Vince tells stories about learning to cook with his mother when he was young, naive mishaps from his twelve year old self. Describing his favorite meals, how difficult it is sometimes to take the time to make something from scratch during the season. Adam, in turn, admits that he can cook perfectly well - good, even, if some of his exes are to be believed - he just doesn’t necessarily like to. Finds it a little depressing to be cooking for one all the time.

Vince knows a way he could fix that, but is too much of a coward to voice it out loud.

The longer they sit there, the more Vince can pick up on the scents being created just on the other side of the island from him. Garlic and caramelized onion, lemon pepper and rosemary, sizzling bacon and marinated chicken breast. If nothing else, it all smells amazing. Every so often, Adam will set a pan down, open the oven, stir something in a pot, metal on stainless steel.

Vince isn’t worried, per se. Adam is an adult; you don’t get through three decades of life without picking up a few tricks, a little bit of cooking knowledge. He’s not even that peeved about the blindfold honestly, perfectly happy to sit there and laugh at all of Adam’s dry little jokes you wouldn’t be able to pick up on unless you were paying attention. Mostly he’s worried about liking it too much, being taken care of in this way, yearning for something he’s not allowed to have.

After maybe thirty minutes, the oven beeps as it’s turned off and all the burners click as the gas is cut, and Adam pronounces the food ready. Vince hasn’t been allowed a peak this entire time, but he has a vague idea about the meal being placed in front of him. Some kind of altered carbonara recipe, chicken and herbs and onions being thrown in with the normal pasta and bacon and eggs and parmesan, he’s pretty sure.

They don’t give him a fork on account of the whole not being able to see anything right now thing, which they warned him about beforehand. What Vince isn’t prepared for, though, is the sudden heat of Adam’s body at his elbow, overwarm from standing in front of the burning stove for so long. The hand that’s placed, featherlight, on his shoulder makes him jump just a touch. There’s the sound of a utensil scraping against a plate, and then Adam’s voice soft in his ear requesting open your mouth please.

Vince is never going to be able to unhear that.

But he obeys, opens his mouth so Adam can guide the fork full of food onto his tongue, clenches his teeth over the tines to make sure he gets it all. It’s an explosion of flavor the second he starts chewing, and he can’t help the moan that escapes his throat when he does.

“Oh my god, this is amazing.”

He swallows quickly and doesn’t hesitate to open his mouth again for another bite, which Adam gives him after a slight pause. His second moan is even louder.

“Is it really that good?” Adam asks, and his voice sounds strangled, like he was genuinely worried about Vince’s reaction.

“Dude, yes, this is literally so good. You’ve been holding out on me, what the fuck.”

There’s a puff of warm breath against the side of Vince’s face when Adam chuckles at him. Oops; the editors will have to take care of that later. “It’s really not that complicated of a recipe.”

“That doesn’t matter.” Vince turns his head in Adam’s direction, licking his lips to catch a stray bit of sauce before smiling up at his d-partner. Adam swallows very loud around his own forkful of food. “If you know what you’re doing, it will always taste this good. That’s what my mom used to say, anyways, when she was teaching me the basics. I’m gonna make you cook for me more often now– mmm!”

It’s not delicious pasta and chicken bumping up against his mouth this time; it’s Adam’s own lips smashed against his.

It’s objectively not that great of a kiss, seeing as how Vince was halfway through a sentence and not at all prepared to be kissed by the man of his dreams. But it’s Adam, so it’s still pretty fucking perfect anyways.

It only takes a few seconds - three, because Vince didn’t even realize he was counting - for Adam to pull away again, and the only thing that can be heard in the silence that follows is the popping of soap bubbles in the sink where Adam set the dishes to soak.

“Um.”

“I didn’t– fuck, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to do that.”

Vince reaches up to pull the blindfold off, feels his curls fly in every direction with the motion, and looks at where Adam is grimacing down at him with a hand rubbing the back of his neck. He looks so worried, like he’s afraid of Vince’s reaction, of getting yelled at or something.

He’s the man of Vince’s dreams, but he’s so stupid sometimes.

“Did you… did you want to though?” Adam takes half a step back before Vince darts a hand out to grab his wrist. Looks like they’re both doing things they didn’t necessarily mean to. Adam looks so terribly worried, and it’s a look Vince has never seen on him before, a sight so foreign that a kernel of understanding pops in the back of his mind, and maybe… maybe he is allowed to have things, actually.

[pizzapasta23045]

this is really specific and weird but: albedo eats grated cheese straight out of the fridge in the middle of the night

I can see that. Albedo def has, like, the weirdest taste in food.

Like his regular diet is straight up the broke college student in an exam study crunch but, like, every single day. I can imagine him drinking the good 'ld student coffe every morning before work.

(For those who don't know, to make "student coffee" you makes some normal coffee and then use the coffee you just made as water for your next batch so it comes out more caffeinated. It tastes gross but it exists.)

Also I feel like he'd like the specific student meal in Italy called "melt whatever random cheese you have in your fridge and shove some ham on a plate of pasta". Lovely food, very nice.

It'd be funny if he had just, like, a little cabinet in his lab filled with cheese that he sometimes pulls out and cuts to eat. Like he's got a whole 2/3kg wheel of parmesan in there.

[reciperolodex]

Dutch Baby With Bacon and Runny Camembert by NYT Cooking

Ingredients

4 ounces bacon, chopped (about ½ cup)

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon baking powder

8 large eggs

¾ cup whole milk

¼ cup grated Parmesan

¼ cup chopped chives

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 (8- to 10-ounce) wheel of Camembert, rind on and cut into ¼-inch slices (not wedges)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Place bacon in a 9-inch oven-safe skillet, then set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fat has rendered and bacon has browned on the edges, 7 to 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, pepper and baking powder. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and milk, then whisk egg mixture into flour. Stir in Parmesan and half the chives.

3. Once bacon is crisp and brown, raise heat to medium-high, and add butter, stirring until melted. Pour batter into skillet, then quickly arrange Camembert pieces on top.

4. Transfer pan to the oven, and bake until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining chives, and serve immediately.

Tips

To make this vegetarian:

[mademoiselleseraph]

Back when i worked by a cheese kyosk they used to announce when they cut up a new wheel of parmesan because most people don't get to see a whole wheel in their lives because it's so pricey. If he legit got a half wheel for only like $10.40 that's a once in a lifetime opportunity and i'm sure he'll figure something out

[orcelito]

oh for another stupid thing i did recently. ALSO on friday. well i was getting ready to prep the tiramisu cream. and i was Also getting ready to cut up the big parmesan wheel. so i grabbed the parmesan wheel with my left arm (it's a Real armful) and i needed the mascarpone cheese tub. and my dumb ass was just like "Hm i need this in my arm. YEET" except. at myself?

i threw the mascarpone cheese tub at my ribs. accidentally. but it fuckin HIT & i cant see a visible bruise but it definitely felt like i bruised my ribs. hurts when i touch the area. i felt very not smart after this.

[luckystorein22]

Is grated Parmesan cheese real cheese?

Yes, grated Parmesan cheese is real cheese. It is a hard, granular cheese made from cow's milk, with a nutty and salty flavor. Parmesan cheese is also known as Parmigiano-Reggiano, named after the regions in Italy where it is traditionally produced.

To make Parmesan cheese, milk is first heated and mixed with rennet, an enzyme that curdles the milk. The resulting curds are then cut, heated, and molded into the familiar wheel shape. After several months of aging, the cheese is grated into small pieces and packaged for sale.

It's important to note that not all grated Parmesan cheese is created equal. Some brands may include additives like cellulose powder or other types of cheese, which can affect the flavor and texture. To ensure you are getting real Parmesan cheese, look for a label that says "100% Parmigiano-Reggiano" or "Parmesan made from cow's milk." Additionally, consider purchasing a block of Parmesan cheese and grating it yourself for the freshest flavor.

In conclusion, grated Parmesan cheese is a real cheese made from cow's milk and has a distinct flavor and texture that adds depth to many dishes. Just be sure to check the label for 100% Parmigiano-Reggiano to ensure you are getting the real deal.

[the-witchhunter]

“Did you really think you could stop me? You, some I’ll formed revenant?” Vlad monologued. If the Red Hood’s face were visible through that ridiculous helmet of his, Vlad was sure he’d be glaring daggers at him as the man gloated.

“No,” the modulated voice range through a hiss of static from the damaged helmet “I can’t.” He admitted. Vlad felt giddy. “But HE can!”

“Wha–“ a wheel of parmesan Reggiano to the head cut him off.

Jason stepped over the unconscious halfa, making his way towards his ghostly savior. He was beaten and battered, but the armor took the brunt of the damage, and despite his bruised ribs protesting he raised his arms to embrace the man he loved.

“Cut it close there, spooky.”

“It worked out in the end, love.” Smiled the Dairy king before phasing his face through the helmet to plant a kiss on Jason’s lips

Jason smirked. Try the Gouda indeed

Prompt #903467

Cheese

[aiiaiiiyo]

Cutting a wheel of Parmesan Check this blog!

[gec2unow]

so i work in the imported cheese department of a grocery store where we work with things that look like this to cut cheese wheels into sellable chunks

and i just have to say. holy shit. we have to hand wash them and cheese gets in EVERY little crevice of it. also the edges are sharp ive cut myself so many times in the sink. ALSO also the wires break and theyre so loud when they snap and it scares the shit out of me every time. ok that's all

[poltergeistings]

oh tonight my psychic manager made a joke about me cutting my hand open and then 2 seconds later i did and then he insisted on cleaning it and putting a bandaid on instead of me

[ethicallysourcedhumanmeat]

sometimes working in a deli is good actually

[luvdsc]

haha, what if we kissed? (lol jk... unless?)

fact! you’re secretly in love with your best friend, and so is he!

pairing :: zhong chenle x reader genre :: fluff / best friend, buzzfeed worth it au word count :: 5,072 words warnings :: none playlist :: sunny afternoon (red velvet) ⋆ about love (marina) ⋆ all about you (nct u) ⋆ love (x lovers) ⋆ bella notte (f. murray abraham & arturo castro) author’s note :: i literally just finished writing the rest of this in my meetings today and am posting during my lunchbreak, but happy (1 day late) birthday, chenle sweetheart!! ♡ ↳ part of the not clickbait series.

“Hello, and welcome back to another episode of Dream: Worth It!”

Chenle shouts loudly from the driver’s seat, waving excitedly at the camera attached to the dashboard as he waits for the traffic light to turn green. You visibly flinch in your spot on the passenger's side, startled by the sudden greeting, and even Jisung jumps in the backseat, almost dropping the camcorder he was fiddling with.

Your best friend continues to give the camera a dazzling smile, paying no attention to your and Jisung’s brief glares. “Today on Worth It, thanks to a fan’s suggestion, we’ll be trying out three different spaghetti dishes at three drastically different price points to find out which one is most worth it at its price!”

“Yes,” you chime in, nodding excitedly at the camera and giving a little wave. “So if you want to see another riveting episode of Chenle and Jisung going on three dates at three drastically different price points while I third wheel again, please stay tuned!”

“Hey!”

Both the boys wildly protest, but you blatantly ignore them, checking your phone quickly before beaming at the camera again. “So here’s our first spaghetti fact! The word ‘spaghetti’ is actually the plural version of spaghetto. Spaghetto comes from the Italian word spago, which means twine or thin string.”

“Wait, that actually makes sense. Spaghetti looks like thin strings,” Chenle says, eyebrows shooting up in surprise.

“Yeah, basically every language makes sense, except for English,” you remark, setting your phone down in your lap before turning to your best friend. “So are you excited for this episode’s dish?”

“Yes! Shout out to Moony for your suggestion,” Chenle calls out, driving forward before making a right. “If anyone else has any suggestions for future videos, please feel free to comment below.”

You start to explain the first restaurant to your viewers. “Our first stop is called Legalize Marinara! It’s a small hole in the wall place in downtown LA, and fresh pasta is made everyday. We’ll be talking to the owner and chef Johnny Suh about the daily process.”

“And cut!” Jisung calls out, and you stop there, pressing the off button to end the recording. Later on, the three of you will have to work on snipping up the recordings to create a smooth transition from there to a shot of Johnny and his restaurant before jumping into your quick interview with him.

You quickly scroll through the questions you had written ahead of time to ask Johnny on your phone, mouthing the words and memorizing them. You were always the one who asked about the history of the restaurant because Chenle wasn’t as good with the more sentimental questions and preferred the light hearted ones about the food specifically, which you didn’t mind. As long as you get to try good food at the end of it, you’re one very happy, very stuffed camper. You are very much looking forward to visiting Legalize Marinara.

“—and that’s how the pasta is freshly made everyday in the morning.” Johnny finishes up, giving the camera a very charismatic smile and a wink. “We also have a special brew of coffee created by my dad, but that’s a story for another episode. I’ll bring out the spaghetti once it’s ready.”

You and Chenle thank him before going over to sit at one of the small metal tables near the entrance. The place had a sort of modern, yet retro feel to it with an eclectic mix of vintage, kitschy furniture adding pops of color here and there to the otherwise simple space with a neutral palette. The name of the restaurant flashes as a neon sign, serving as the main wall decor along with records scattered here and there on the wall as well.

Jisung stands across from the two of you, propping the large camera on his shoulder in preparation. You and Chenle both take a sip of the special coffee drinks Johnny prepared for you each on the house, pleasantly surprised by the crisp, refreshing taste your taste buds are immediately hit with. Johnny appears minutes later, a pretty plate of simple spaghetti and meatballs along with some Parmesan and garnish on top in hand.

“Here’s our most popular dish: spaghetti with meatballs!” he announces, placing the plate in front of you both carefully. “It’s a simple tomato sauce, but it’s made with organic, local ingredients that we get from the farmer’s market every morning. We get the fresh meat from the butcher down the block everyday to make the meatballs and buy the cheese from local sellers as well. We also add the secret spice mixture created by my mom to the meatballs, which gives it a distinct flavor from other restaurants. Please dig in, guys!”

You immediately swirl your fork into the plate of spaghetti. It looks and smells absolutely fantastic, and your mouth is already watering. You cannot believe that this only costs thirteen dollars. This is an absolute steal. You are just about to take a bite when—

“Wait! We didn’t do a ‘cheers’ yet!” Chenle exclaims, sticking out his fork towards you. You clink your fork against his own metal utensil, and he’s finally satisfied, retracting his arm. Finally, you take the much anticipated bite. The flavors absolutely explode in your mouth, and you’re already reaching out to take a second forkful of the delicious masterpiece.

“This is amazing,” you declare, and Chenle nods enthusiastically, spearing a meatball with his fork. Jisung briefly pans the camera over to Johnny, who shows a double thumbs up before doing finger guns and giving an exaggerated wink.

“Here, try this.” Chenle cuts a piece of the meatball and offers it to you. You reach out for it, but he pulls back, smiling widely and eyes sparkling. “Nuh uh, that’s too easy. Say ah, Y/N.”

“I—” Your cheeks grow warmer than ever, and his grin grows broader, wriggling the fork in front of you. Face burning, you move forward and take a bite. You can hear Jisung fake gagging behind the camera and very much would like to flip him the bird, but you are a professional. You’ll get him back for that later. After all, revenge is a dish best served piping hot and spicy, and you have some Carolina reapers leftover from another video that may accidentally find its way into Jisung’s ramen next time.

You and Chenle spend some more time describing the dish in between bites as Johnny pipes in here and there with some well placed dad jokes that has Jisung shaking his head behind the camera. By the end of it, you both are very happy, and you switch places with Jisung who has a chance to try out the pasta himself at last. He silently eats it before tossing a thumbs up at the camera, and you stop the recording there. After thanking Johnny once more before the three of you leave, you all pile into your car and get ready to go to the next stop.

Up next: Penne for your Thoughts.

“Can we stop here?” Jisung pipes up, peering out the window with interest. His eyes scan the surroundings, peering at the empty space and the wide stairs in front of the spiraling columns of a grand building.

You furrow your eyebrows, glancing at your friend in the backseat. “We’re still a couple blocks away from the restaurant though.”

“This looks like a good spot to film a dance,” he muses to himself before sitting up straighter. “Can we take a quick break? We’re still early, and I wanted to film a quick TikTok before the sun sets.”

You look over at Chenle, who shrugs and pulls over. He backs up into an available parking space, parallel parking smoothly, one hand gripping the back of your seat and the other on the steering wheel. “Alright, do your thing, Jisungie.”

Jisung excitedly hops out from the back. You and Chenle follow suit, locking the car behind you. Your friend is busy setting up his collapsible tripod before placing his phone on it and calling over to you, “Hey, can you stand in front, Y/N? I wanna angle this correctly and check the lighting.”

You move in front of his phone, standing several steps in front of the stairs. Jisung fiddles around with his phone for a few moments, switching up some of the settings and zoom functions before straightening up, eyes bright. “Okay, stay there to mark the spot! I’m gonna press the start button to record. Chenle, can I borrow your phone? I need to play the song for the dance.”

Chenle hands him his phone, and the familiar intro to Doja Cat’s “Say So” begins to blast on top volume. Jisung hands it back to its owner and hurriedly moves to stand in front of his own recording phone as you step aside. “I kinda also need you two in my TikTok.”

“Wait, what? I don’t know the dance,” you protest, starting to back out, but Jisung grabs your hand, pulling you into view, as Chenle bounces over with a shrug of his shoulders, never one to shy away from the camera.

“You don’t need to dance. I just need you both to uh, kiss my cheek on, um, both sides when I tap on them both. It should be the fourth time she says ‘say so’ in the song,” he stammers slightly, face turning slightly pink. He avoids making eye contact as you give him a suspicious look, crossing your arms over your chest.

“What? Why?”

“It’s part of the dance! Now get out of the shot please because the chorus is finally coming up again!” He unceremoniously shoves you out of the frame, and Chenle quickly catches you before you faceplant into the ground. You have a few choice words to yell at your friend and are about to furiously march over to him, but Chenle tightens his grip on you. “Let’s just let him finish, and we can go on. You know how he is about dancing.”

“I’m paying Renjun to put another cockroach picture as his lockscreen again,” you huff, frowning at the dancing boy. “Why didn’t you say anything about the whole kissing request anyway?”

“Eh, I’ve done it before. It’s no big deal.” Chenle shrugs, and you start to stutter, brain malfunctioning, “Wait, you did wha—”

“Oh, it’s almost our cue!” Chenle pushes you towards Jisung as he runs behind the camera to the other side, and you find yourself stumbling for a second time before catching yourself. Grumbling to yourself, you catch Chenle’s apologetic expression, and you sigh, shaking your head as you wait on the sidelines for Jisung to do the move.

And there it is.

Jisung points at his cheeks, tapping them on both sides, and you and Chenle jump into the frame. You lean forward, pressing your lips softly against— wait.

Eyes widening, you jump back in shock, mouth popping open, and the same reaction comes from your best friend when you two realize that you just kissed each other. On the lips.

Crouched on the ground, Jisung looks rather smug after quickly dropping down mid-dance and orchestrating the whole incident. He quickly stands up, striding towards the camera and ending the recording, before efficiently packing up the equipment and walking back to the car without another word.

“Did we just—” you splutter, unable to continue your sentence, as your face grows increasingly warm. Chenle refuses to make eye contact with you, the darkening blush spreading across his face like wildfire. The two of you both direct your disbelief at the same target, rushing over to the car which he boredly stands next to, waiting for Chenle to unlock it.

“Jisung!” You both shout his name, and he just stares at you both, a small grin across his face that he struggles to hide. “What?”

“‘What?’ That’s it? What was that?! Why did you do that?” you exclaim, waving your arms around. Chenle is rendered speechless, unable to say anything after the quick outburst of his other best friend’s name.

“I was tired of listening to Che—mmph!” Jisung is abruptly cut off as Chenle throws his hand over his friend’s mouth, effectively interrupting whatever he was about to say. The two of them silently look at each other, maintaining some sort of telepathic stare that’s probably discussed in the universal book of the bro code. You’ve seen Jaemin and Jeno or Renjun and Donghyuck share the same look before and never really understood it. To be honest, it kind of reminds you of that one moment where the main characters of a chick flick gaze into each others’ eyes and then kiss.

The sound of a text notification cuts off your train of thought and breaks the intense stare down going between the two boys, and you check your phone, eyes widening. “Oh my god, we’re going to be late if we don’t go now! Taeyong just texted me to confirm if we’re coming.”

The three of you hurry into the car, buckling up in your seats. Your hand lightly grazes Chenle’s amidst the rush, and you freeze. You look up, heat spreading across your face, as Chenle meets your gaze, turning redder than spaghetti sauce.

“Alright, you can continue this moment at the restaurant,” Jisung says loudly, jolting the two of you out of your stupor. You quickly retract your hand, mumbling a quick apology, and look away, cheeks still growing warmer than ever. Chenle awkwardly clears his throat and starts the car up, driving to your second stop on the map.

Penne for your Thoughts is simply lovely. It reminds you of a place you would see on the shiny cover of Architecture Digest: a hot spot where all those social influencers would take aesthetic snapshots and post to their Instagrams. The restaurant is quaint and spacious: a large area filled with lots of greenery, hanging plants in simple white ceramic pots, white painted brick walls, and wooden tables with soft cushions on each seat. Once you wrap up the interview with Taeyong, you are seated next to an open window with a great view of a pretty koi pond in the back.

“We serve Korean fusion style food here, and our spaghetti has a freshly made tomato sauce that includes chopped kimchi infused in it. We found that using garlic marinated pork belly makes a more flavorful meatball, which we char slightly, paying homage to the wonderful KBBQ samgyeopsal. We also found that a raw egg yolk on top adds a richness to the pasta, which is similar to a bowl of bibimbap. And there’s some grated Parmesan and mozzarella on top.” Taeyong sets the plate of gorgeous spaghetti in front of you and Chenle with a shy smile. “I hope you both enjoy it.”

You don’t know how else to describe the dish, except that it is beautiful (Just like the restaurant owner, like have you seen his face? Lee Taeyong is the true modern day Adonis, but you digress). You swear you saw Chenle wipe a tear from his face out of the corner of your eye. Practically salivating, you impatiently wait for Jisung to take a few close up videos and pictures of the dish before you immediately dig in.

Fork awkwardly hovering in the air, you pause, turning to Chenle. “Uh, cheers?”

His own loaded fork is halfway to his mouth when he halts. “Oh! Right. Yes. Um, cheers, Y/N.”

The two of you stiffly tap your forks against each other before facing forward again and finally taking the much desired bite. The flavors are bursting like fireworks, and if someone told you that you had died and gone to heaven, you would believe them because there’s no other word to explain the taste other than heavenly. Dante had many circles leading to the center of hell. If you are to apply the same concept to heaven, Legalize Marinara would be the first circle you enter once you go past the pearly gates, and Penne for your Thoughts would most definitely be the second.

The clinking of Chenle’s fork against the plate breaks you from your thoughts, and your good mood falters when you remember the incident again. You plaster a quick smile as you begin to describe the dish to the camera. Chenle chimes in with a wide smile of his own that looks a little too forced, but the only one who seems to notice is you.

Once the recording is wrapped up, Chenle drops you off at your apartment building for you to change into a more dressier attire for the last stop. He and Jisung will change at their place before coming back to pick you up for dinner.

Up next: Terrazza San Valentino.

The place is positively breathtaking. It is an upscale restaurant with open seating on a terrace, leading to a beautiful view of the ocean. Wisteria vines and bright flowers weave their way through the twisting low iron fences encompassing the space as they climb the sides of the building. You have the perfect seat to witness the picturesque sunset over the rippling waters. A bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon had been brought out and now rests on the covered table, uncorked and already poured out into two glasses. It very much reminds you of the beautiful restaurants you visited along the Amalfi Coast, specifically Il Capitano in Positano. You only hope that the food here will be just as amazing as the pasta you ordered there.

You just wish your company was a little better. The atmosphere felt more awkward than the time your mom had set you up on a blind date with her coworker’s son. You had to text Chenle for help that time, and he came to your rescue, helping you escape after pretending to be your long lost son. Obviously, your date wasn’t dumb enough to believe that, but he did believe that you were completely off your rockers and immediately took off after that.

Sneaking a glance at your best friend, you sigh when you realize that he refuses to look your way. You carefully tuck the skirt of your wine red dress under your crossed legs. The sweetheart neckline emphasizes the simple gold necklace you have on, and the dress tapers off at your waist, accentuating your figure perfectly. You paired the outfit with a matching lipstick, a simple black clutch, and some elegant black heels with ribbons that loop around your ankles into a pretty bow.

In other words, you look stunning, and Chenle’s palms are growing sweaty. He undos the first few buttons of his white dress shirt, desperately wanting to take off his tailored suit jacket, but his attire would look much too casual without it. He avoids eye contact with you and remains silent, growing even more flustered by the second, and looks at Jisung helplessly.

Of course, his other best friend proves to be useless again (Disappointing, but not surprising). Jisung simply wriggles his eyebrows at him, eyes darting from you to Chenle, before zooming into his face at a very unflattering angle. Chenle throws him a dirty look, and Jisung merely sticks out his tongue in response. However, they immediately smoothen their expressions into much more pleasant ones when Jaehyun comes out with the plate of food on a small cart.

“This is our play on spaghetti.” He gives you a dimpled smile, and you briefly wonder if the customers rave about this restaurant because of the food or the chef. Perhaps it is a combination of both.

He continued to explain the dish, setting it down in front of you and Chenle. “We use strangozzi that is made fresh every morning. We infuse sun dried tomatoes that we dried ourselves into the olive oil for a minimum of thirty days. The pasta is cooked for sixty seconds, while we slightly sauté grated truffle in the oil in a pan. Once the pasta is ready, we transfer it to the truffle pan and cook it for another minute, making sure to coat the pasta in the sauce. And then we grate some Parmesan and truffles right on top at the table.”

Jaehyun pulls out the expensive mushroom, generously grating thin slices on top of the glistening strands of pasta. The smell is incredible, and your eyes are already hyper fixated on the dish in front of you. He puts down the mushroom and grater, picking up the second grater and the cheese from the cart before shredding the cheese perfectly.

When he finishes, Jaehyun places them back on the cart and smiles at you both charmingly once more. “I hope you enjoy your meal. If you need anything else, please feel free to ask.”

You thank him before he leaves, and Jisung takes all the necessary shots before giving the okay to start eating. You and Chenle offer up some comments about the elegance of the dish, describing its appearance and finally twirling some on the end of your fork. You murmur a quiet “cheers” as the two of you clink your glasses of wine together and take a sip before having the first bite.

The amount of money you have to pay to have a truffle dish is absolutely worth it. The taste is simply indescribable, and you truly have no words. You are blown away by the amount of flavor that can be created with just a few ingredients, and your taste buds are singing. Wide eyed, you turn to look at Chenle, who has the same astonished expression on his face, already staring back at you in complete surprise.

“Holy shit,” you breathe out, and your best friend agrees with you. “Holy shit indeed.”

You immediately go for another bite, and Chenle quickly follows suit. “This is— this is incredible. I don’t know how to describe it, except, except, wow. I can’t stop eating it, and the sun dried tomatoes, olive oil, fresh pasta al dente, and truffles just work so well together. It’s like a symphony in my mouth.”

“I agree,” Chenle nods enthusiastically, swiping another forkful of the yummy goodness. “This has to be one of the best dishes of the entire season.”

“Yeah, absolutely.” You spear a slice of the truffle with the pasta, and the ensuing bite is simply perfect and delectable. “I would come back here every single week if my bank account would let me.”

The stifled atmosphere between the two of you suddenly becomes relaxed at that point, the thick tension dissipating with food never failing to act as the perfect ice breaker and buffer simultaneously. For now, you can pretend the kiss didn’t happen and almost forget it (key word: almost).

“There’s a very popular fan suggestion,” Jisung pipes up, looking at the comment section of the previous video where you and Chenle announced your current recording’s star dish. “It got over twenty thousand likes and five hundred responses.”

“What is it?” You pause in eating, fork poised in the air, as you look over to your friend behind the camera. Chenle pays no attention, continuing to take another bite.

“Recreate the Lady and the Tramp moment.”

Your jaw drops, and your eyes grow round. Practically scandalized, your voice goes an octave higher. “You mean the kissing scene?!”

At the mention of kissing, Chenle chokes on a noodle, spluttering and nearly hacking up a lung, and you quickly reach over and firmly pat him on the back repeatedly until he stops coughing with a weak “thanks.”

“What? This is a food show! Why do they want us to kiss?” your best friend wheezes, and you pass him a glass of water. He grabs it from your outstretched hand gratefully and takes a large gulp.

“I don’t know, fan service? Anyway, it’s good for the views!” Jisung gives you a thumbs up, and you frown at him, crossing your arms over your chest.

“Why don’t you do it with Chenle then?”

“It specifically says you and Chenle,” he informs smugly with a smirk, and you glower at him, much to his amusement.

“Well, if it’s for the fans…” Chenle trails off, a faint blush beginning to make its appearance on his face. He hesitantly pulls out one strand of the pasta, picking up one end on his fork.

You can’t believe this. Yet, you slowly reach out for the other end of the strand with your fork, twirling it onto the metal prongs securely. You move to take your end of the noodle, while Chenle does the same, both of you actively avoiding eye contact.

“Oh c’mon, at least make it a little more romantic than that. Jeno and Jaemin have more chemistry than you two right now,” Jisung complains, and you would very much like to chuck the half full bottle of wine at his big, annoying head (Chenle also has similar thoughts).

Taking a deep breath, you finally place the noodle’s end in your mouth. Cheeks burning, you can feel your heart rate already skyrocketing at the mere thought of kissing your best friend again. You know you’ll freeze up if you look at him, so you do your best to focus your gaze on the center of the noodle strand. You’ll have some time before the two of you meet in the middle, right?

Wrong.

It comes much too soon, and your palms are growing sweaty as your heart races in your chest at a breakneck speed. Your lips are mere millimeters away from his, and you pause. You can’t hear anything, but the pounding of your heart and the blood rushing to your cheeks, and you finally find the courage to peek up at your best friend. You find him already gazing at you, a soft expression on his face. His eyes dart down to your lips before meeting your eyes once more, and you suddenly realize that he’s waiting for you, that he won’t do anything unless you want it too, that it’s okay if you don’t.

But you do.

So you muster up all the courage you possibly can and close the distance, carefully pressing your lips against his for a tender kiss before biting off the noodle. When you pull back, you finally notice the awestruck expression written all over Chenle’s face. He lets out a small laugh of disbelief before he positively beams, bouncing in his seat, and you sport a matching smile, albeit a little bashful.

“Uh, anyway, who left that comment? We should probably give them a mention,” you say, clearing your throat and hoping the heat subsides in your cheeks soon. Chenle continues to grin like the Cheshire Cat and secretly grabs your hand underneath the tablecloth, intertwining your fingers with his. You can feel your face exponentially growing warm once again, but you still send a pleased smile to your best friend.

“Uh…” Jisung awkwardly laughs, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “‘Insert goofy’s chuckle.’”

At Jisung’s answer, you freeze up entirely in your position before immediately turning and locking eyes with Chenle in complete horror, the both of you instantly coming to the same, dreadful realization.

“HYUCK?!”

One new notification: Dream: Worth It uploaded a new video!

insert goofy’s chuckle commented:

oh my god you guys actually did it. your relationship started all thanks to ME 🙆🏻 you’re welcome btw 😘 I take payment in the form of your first born’s name

notanimpasta replied: @ insert goofy’s chuckle ok calm down rumpelstiltskin

jisung pwark replied:  @ notanimpasta what a perfect nickname for him. He’s an ugly little greedy man

ghosts are real so suck it hyuck replied: @ jisung pwark LMAOOOO (and congrats, chenle and y/n!)

 insert goofy’s chuckle replied:  @ jisung pwark what tf no one asked??? 

notanimpasta replied: @ jisung pwark wait hold on you were supposed to edit that end part out????

jisung pwark replied: @ notanimpasta i left it for the views ☺️

big head king replied: @ jisung pwark people watch for the food tho!!! 🙂

nana ଘ(੭*ˊᵕˋ)੭* ੈ♡‧₊˚ replied: @ big head king I watched it for the kiss. Love is so beautiful 🥰💓💞🥺🥺💕💛💟✨💖

jenojam replied: @ big head king I had watched it for the food! but congratulations, y/n and chenle :) 

insert goofy’s chuckle replied: @ big head king i watched it because ron jeon said you mentioned me

ghosts are real so suck it hyuck replied: @ insert goofy’s chuckle IT’S RENJUN!!!!!! 🤬🤬 

mork lee rawr xD replied: hahaha I watch for the food~

insert goofy’s chuckle replied: @ mork lee rawr xD Thank you Mark, very cool!

winwin in past tense is wonwon!!! commented:

whoop whoop congrats lele 🥳🥳

rapperpunzel commented:

the pasta looks good 🍝

johnny’s communication center commented:

Thanks for stopping by! Come back for the couple’s special discount anytime 😉

baa baa yang sheep commented:

oh my god finally!!!

ghosts are real so suck it hyuck replied: @ baa baa yang sheep you owe me $50 I was right, it happened before the season finale

baa baa yang sheep replied: @ ghosts are real so suck it hyuck suddenly i’m jared, 19

xiao dejasmine commented:

hahahaha cute ! 😁😁

ty track commented:

Thank you y/n and chenle for visiting ~~ congrats on your relationship !!! -TY

junguwu (◕‿◕✿) commented:

YAAAAAS CHENLE SWEETIE 😘😘😘

jisung pwark commented:

check out my latest tiktok video @ jisungpwark to see their actual first kiss!!! and don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe ☺️

notanimpasta replied: @ jisung pwark STOP USING US AS CLICKBAIT

jisung pwark replied: @ notanimpasta no ❤️

jisung pwark replied: @ notanimpasta also red is sus

big head king replied: @ jisung pwark so when are you gonna do the best friend kissing challenge huh 👀

jisung pwark replied: @ big head king SHUT UP CHENLE

honeyfairy replied: @ jisung pwark 😳😳

gu ren gui god commented:

wow~ very cute, chenle! my angel 😊

FIGHTING HAEYADWAE commented:

YOOOOO CONGRATS, MAN 🤩🤪🤪

prince jae commented:

thank you guys for coming by! please stop by next year on your anniversary free of charge (:

insert goofy’s chuckle replied: @ prince jae omg mark and I will be there for sure ❤️

showmethemonet replied: @ insert goofy’s chuckle my new boyfriend and I will be there too ☺️

insert goofy’s chuckle replied: @ showmethemonet I’m sorry, I was wrong, pls don’t leave me for bts jin even though i am so much more handsomer and talented than him 😌

apado gwenchana god commented:

nice 😎👍🏻