#I love the knife option it’s terrific!

[maddcactus-art]

This one was about skills, hobbies, possessions\tools and a workplace. Clark is a man of many talents, he easily learns new things, though he prefers to use well known tricks and abilities. One of his talents is drawing. He used to draw since he was young, but in a highschool he didn’t have much time to devote to this hobbie. There was a huge gap when he couldn’t draw at all - no time, no place, shots firing everywhere, battleground and stuff, hand’s wounded, healer’s down, can’t draw... He picked up drawing  for a short time when he was at Shawn’s place and then again when he got older. It became his career, thanks to Shawn, who gently pushed him to arrange an exibition of his works (and also provided him a room for a studio). The stuff Clark draws varies from realistic landscapes and interiors, nebulous portraits and mystic images of the sea with lighthouses, to nightmarish hellscapes with horror scenes of terrific and monstrous creatures. He doesn’t like when people watch him draw. The second skill Clark has is one of the less used ones. He can cook pretty well. Maybe not a 5 star restraunt level dish, but a solid tasty home coocked meal, which will make a person go for seconds. Clark doesn’t like to cook for himself and only does it for someone else, as a token of appreciation. He himself is not a picky eater, he can eat any greasy fast food and be okay, thanks to his high metabolism. He also forgets to eat sometimes. Clark loves sweets and sour candies. He also a big fan of banana flavoured stuff, like milk. Third skill he has is a less common one but was the most useful to him. It’s survivng by all means necessary and the ability to kill. He probably may murder a man with a toothpick if he has one, or he may go straight for the neck. Biting is always an option. He prefers close encounters and doesn’t hesitate to use dirty tactics, like attacking an enemy from behind or coming at them in complete darkness. Enraged he can take on an enemy twice his size, no matter how well armed they are - if Clark decided to murder them, they will be dead one way or another. Mostly he defences himself and attacks only after being attacked first. There’s an exception when he FEELS that the person in question broke the unspoken justice rule. Like, for example if there’s an asshole abusing a child or a woman, someone kicks a dog or is threatening his loved ones - the best outcome for these people, is going away with broken off limbs. Otherwise they’ll probably be dead. Because Clark has this painful (and sometimes sick) sense of justice. -=#o#=- As for hobbies (besides drawing), Clark picked up on Shawn’s love for old movies and TV series. They both love watching old sci-fi movies (in this world there’s a TV series about space adventures, kind of like if Star Wars and Star Treck had a child). While Shawn also likes horror and slashers, Clark prefers 80s romcoms and adventures, he finds them comforting. He had his dose of gore for life already... So, no wonder. While watching the movies with Shawn, Clark likes to joke about what is happening on the screen. He doesn’t go overboard, but he makes Shawn laugh and it’s making him happy, to see Shawn smile. So, I guess, this is also one of his hobbies. -=#o#=- Clark doesn’t have that many possessions and he doesn’t get attached to material things. Most of the stuff he has is either stolen or was gifted\bought by Shawn. (Clark stole: a gun, from a guard of the psychiatric hospital. A knife, from Shawn’s kitchen. A pencil, from Shawn’s desk. To draw. Duh. He was given: a small teacup to use as an ashtray. Cigarettes. Because he gets really grumpy if he can’t smoke...) Because of a specific proffession, Clark doesn’t have a dedicated workspace (later he gets a studio to draw in.), but half of his plans and decisions were made in an old red van, that actually belongs to Katy. Katy is a runaway 16 year old girl, who unfortunately stopped at the car wreck, to check on the driver, who managed to crash into a tree on the side of the road. This driver was Clark. Instead of thanks he tried to hijack Katy’s van, and when she refused to leave the car, he just stole the car with its owner. (Not really a kidnapping, but... eh?) Some time after that Clark and Katy became friends. And “Betty” became a headquarters and a home for them both.

[smylealong]

Starting Bulgasal. Let's see how it goes. Thoughts below the cut.

What a terrific intro!

WOOT, what cinematography!

What just happened?

HOLEEE SHEET

The costume department is brilliant.

Mannnnnnn the atmosphere is excellent.

They did not even give that poor kid a name?

Oh gosh. This is terrible. Poor kid.

THIS is what 10,000 BC wanted to be.

I love that everyone has snow-bitten cheeks.

OMG. They aren't holding back.

STOP WHATEVER YOU GUYS ARE DOING AND WATCH BULGASAL.

OH HE CAN SPEAK? (Just how traumatized must that poor child have been to have decided not talking forever is the best option?)

Not even 30 mins in and invisible ninjas are chopping onions.

This Shaman Lady. I hate her.

This guy will use the kid as a weapon, won't he?

Oh shut up, bitch!

At least the General seems to genuinely care about him.

OOOOOHHHHHH. Excellent.

And here comes our hero! Excellent intro.

The music reminds me of Naruto, which is a very high compliment.

Oh now another status conscious asshole is here.

Whumpers would be happy.

HOW is he supposed to get along with anyone? No one wants to be near him.

Do you blame him?

Onion ninjas are back.

This General is a good egg. I like.

Camera work is stellar.

Damnit! A leaf falls before it is supposed to? It's Hwal's fault.

These folks aren't pulling ANY punches.

Is it me or does Hwal look like Helan Zhen?

WHO THE HECK KEEPS CHOPPING ONIONS?

What does that mean?

Very interesting.

They haven't changed, have they?

There she is. Still spouting hate.

THE MUSIC! THE MUSIC!

I have a feeling a BIG twist is coming.

Oh poor child! (Onion chopping resumes).

This scene reminds me of Tumbbad. (What wonderful throwbacks!)

Whaaa???

It's the shaman woman, I bet!

GOOD GOOD. PROPERLY CREEPY.

He's too late! NOOOOOO.

Oh!

OMG MY HEART IS GOING TO LEAP OUT OF MY CHEST.

HOLY SHEEET. THE BACKSTORY COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE HORRIBLE.

That's it. I lost it. I am proper sobbing now. I am writing this through tears.

They're twisting that knife deeper and deeper.

Why would she be using a sword?

Transferring the curse or something?

What???

HOLY COW!!

[aiorevelations]

A Number, Not a Name: part 17!

In the words of Connie “You better buckle your seatbelt. It’s gonna be a strange ride.” Though strange may not be the most “accurate” word. Lol.

Present-day:

Liana sat on the edge of her bed, utterly exhausted. She placed her clutch on her nightstand and then reached down and slipped off her black heels. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It had been a very long and tiring evening. On nights like tonight, it was easy for doubt to try and take over her mind. The past five years had been long and exhausting but in a few more days it would all be worth it. At least that’s what she told herself. She sat up from the bed and reached the closet. After sliding the closet door open, she started untying the bow in the back of her dress. She stopped as she eyed her bracelet, thinking back to a time nearly two decades before. Her eyes then landed on the jewelry box tucked in the corner of the closet shelf. Memories flooded her mind as she combed through its contents. Finally, she found it. Her mother’s charm bracelet.

She let out a shaky breath as she held the piece of jewelry in her hand. She remembered her sister’s gentle smile. The tender look in her eyes when she gave her the bracelet. To Neptune and Back. Forever. That’s what they had promised each other. How easily promises could be broken. It had nearly killed her inside, seeing Milena these past few weeks yet not being able to talk to her face to face. Right now they were on opposing sides of the spectrum. For both their sakes it was best to stay out of each other’s lives. The only thing they'd probably agree on would be their hatred for Dalmar. Beyond that, there wasn’t anything to bind them together.

A tear escaped Liana’s eye. She had hoped her and Milena’s love for one another would be enough but in the end, tragedy had torn them apart. 

…..

Tasha lay back in bed; she had to admit, it was rather nice to feel a soft mattress beneath her after all the hours she’d spent on her feet, never mind her argument with Jason.

Only one more day. Thank goodness. She turned over, sinking her head into the pillow. 

She found himself thinking about home, not her place in D.C., but the home she shared with her mom and dad, who had died a couple of years ago. It had been the best of times growing up. Being an only child one could say her parents spoiled her. Dolls, dresses, coloring books. Every gift imaginable they had given their little girl. Yet they had instilled in her a sense of responsibility and hard work. Told her to never quit on a job or task but to see it through to the end. She supposed that was why she was always determined to make sure all her assignments were a success. If only her parents could see her now. Her life as an NSA agent. She severely doubted this was the life they had had in mind for their daughter, considering how protective they had been over her. Every fall or tumble they’d be there by her side. As a girl, she’d sometimes be a little annoyed by their constant babying of her. Being such a free independent spirit all she wanted was to spread her wings and fly. Now what she wouldn’t give for them to fuss over her again. To talk to them just one more time. 

Tasha turned on her side and wiped a tear streaming down her cheek. She wasn’t one to dwell on or show her feelings. She’d push them to the side and keep on going, it was easier that way. To those on the outside, it seemed like she was unaffected or even cold and distant. Like nothing affected her. As if she didn’t feel anything. But the truth was she did feel deeply. Love. Loss. Joy. Pain. Every emotion tugged at her heart. For her, especially in this line of work, it seemed better to try to forget them. It was easier not to open up. To stay closed off. Not many people could get past her walls. She’d supposed it’d stay that way. 

Perhaps that’s what makes me a good agent. My ability to not let my emotions impact my decisions…unlike other people. Tasha shut her eyes and shook her head. Just forget it. Soon enough he’ll be someone else’s headache. She chuckled and glanced at the clock on her nightstand. 4:30. I really need to get some sleep. Tasha closed her eyes and tried to block out the city noises in the distance. 

Suddenly she felt a sharp, almost stabbing, pain in her arm and a hand cover her mouth. Her eyes shot open. She told herself to stay calm. The worst thing she could do was panic. A strong hand grabbed her right arm and dragged her out of the warm bed. As her feet touched the cold floor, Tasha stepped her right foot back behind her and twisted to the right. She found herself standing in front of an older muscular man. Tasha quickly brought her arms down and wrapped them around his legs. She leaned forward and tackled the man to the ground. She flipped over him and brought a swift hard punch to his face, sending him collapsing to the floor.

Glancing up she saw a younger brawny gentleman lunging toward her. Tasha sprang in his direction and jumped on his left leg thigh. She placed her hands on his shoulders and swung around him. She placed her right leg around his neck and then hooked it under the man’s right arm. She put her left leg under the man’s right arm, grappling it. She leaned back behind the man’s back and twisted her body to the left around the man’s arm. The movement sent him flying to the floor as she landed upright on her feet. Seeing no one else in the room Tasha quickly darted for the door. In the darkness, she couldn’t tell if they were some of Dalmar’s men or not. Right now she didn’t care.

…..

Jason brought his fist to the man’s jaw which caused him to stagger backward. The previous man he’d fought had been a lot easier to subdue. He had hoped he and Tasha would have been able to make it back D.C. without any “incidents.” I should have known this was too easy. The man brought his hand to his bloodied face and wiped away some of the blood from his mouth. His eyes were filled with rage. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife. The two men faced each other silently for a moment. The man rushed toward Jason. Jason grabbed the man’s arm with his left hand and pulled it as far as he could to the left side of his body. Jason then raised the man’s arm above his head as he brought his right fist to his chest several times. The man dropped the knife and doubled over in pain. Jason grabbed the pen on his nightstand and ran as fast as he could to his room’s door. His heart was pounding and all his senses were on high alert. Capture was not an option. As he stepped outside the door he ran into someone. Instinctively he brought his fist up to the person’s face but realized it was Tasha. He could tell by the look on her face that she was just as relieved to see him as he was to see her. 

“Thank God. It’s you.” Jason sighed. “I have the pen” he held it in front of her.

“We have to get out of here!” Tasha started down the hall.

“Right behind you!”

 Whatever other guests were on this level Tasha and Jason were quite sure they were awake by all the noise. The thing they couldn’t afford was innocent civilians getting caught up in whatever situation they were in. The shouts of “Be quiet.” and “We’re trying to sleep.” confirmed their suspicions. Jason and Tasha had nearly reached the stairs when they saw two men holding tasers by the door leading to the stairwell.

“There’s another staircase at the other end of the hall!” Tasha yelled. They ran toward the other end of the corridor. However, they found themselves cornered as they spotted the same men they’d taken down in their suites coming towards them.

“Where to now?” Jason asked. 

“Um...um” Tasha frantically looked around. Behind them, the men they’d seen by the staircase were coming closer. Things were quickly spiraling out of control, anyone could see that. Tasha spotted a passageway branching off of the main hall just beyond them. “Down that side hall.”

The two of them ran to the hall’s end. To the side, there was a large air vent. Jason quickly ripped the cover off and peered through the opening. “Looks like there’s a vertical shaft up ahead about ten yards.”

 “Terrific. Vertical shafts are my favorite.” Tasha scrambled into the shaft and started making her way up. Jason clambered in after her on his elbows and knees. The shaft was dark and dank. Sharp edges of sheet metal scraped and cut against their exposed skin.

“It’s sure tight in here,” Jason muttered under his breath. “Good thing I’ve been working out.”

“Really. I hadn’t noticed.” 

“Which part? How tight it is here or how I’ve been working out?”

Tasha rolled her eyes as she came to a bend in the shaft. “Do you have to use humor in every situation?”

“It’s how I cope,” Jason took a breath.“So is this how all your other missions go?”

“If you’re asking if I’ve ever had to climb in an air vent in my pajamas. The answer is no.”

“I should have figured.”

“I see some light up ahead. I think it’s the end of the shaft.”

“Good.”

Tasha winced. “Ow.”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I cut my leg again on the side of the shaft.” Tasha reached the top of the vent. “We made it to the next floor.” She pressed up against the vent cover and pushed it to the side. She slid through the opening and stood up. Jason quickly exited the air vent. They each looked around, expecting any moment for their pursuers to turn up. The floor level remained all clear and eerily silent. Except for their heavy breathing, not another sound was discernible on the third story. They each eyed the staircase for a few seconds. Seeing no one they gave the other a knowing look and nod and raced to the stairs. Down the winding staircase, they went. The clattering of their footsteps resounded through the building. They were going so fast they nearly tripped on a few occasions. Tasha and Jason had reached the last landing before the ground floor when Jason felt a tingling sensation in his leg. In a split second, it turned into a searing burning pain, like an electrical current flowing through his body. Every inch of his body was in excruciating pain. He felt his legs begin to give way and he collapsed to the floor. He could hear a muffled sound. The sound of Tasha calling out to him yet he was too dazed to make out the words. 

Tasha saw standing in front of her the younger gentleman she’d taken down earlier. Holding a taser in her direction. The left side of his face was still splattered in blood from the punch she’d given him earlier. “Looks like this is the end of the line” he snarled.

Tasha hurled herself at the man. The man fired off his taser gun just as Tasha reached him. The shot fired off at the ceiling. Tasha sent the man flying back into the wall behind him. The man brought his hand up Tasha’s throat. She struggled to breathe as the man’s fingers closed tighter around her neck. She brought her leg up and kicked the side of the man’s head. He released his grasp and slumped to the floor. 

Tasha whipped her head around and saw two other men coming at her. She crouched down to the ground and kicked and spun her leg out toward one of the men, taking his legs out. Tasha flipped over to her feet and delivered a kick to the other man’s abdomen. The man stayed on his feet and grabbed Tasha from behind. He desperately tried to pin her arms behind her back. Before he could Tasha elbowed him in his face and placed her hand firmly behind his neck. She brought her legs to her chest and then down again to the ground, flipping the man over her head as she fell to the ground. She quickly placed her hands behind her head, lifted her legs into the air, and pushed herself back on her feet into a squat. She straightened herself up and rushed to Jason’s side.

She brought her hand to his face. “Jason, are you okay?” 

He struggled to sit up. “I’m fine,” he grimaced.

“Here let me help you up.” Tasha gave him a hand and helped him to his feet.

“Thank you.” He took a breath. “Nice job by the way.”

 “Thanks.” Tasha scanned their surroundings and the stairwell exit making sure it was clear. “Can you walk?” 

Jason took a step forward. It was painful but nothing he couldn’t stand. “Yeah. I’ve had worse.”

“Let’s get out of here.”

…..

“White Falcon have you acquired the targets yet?” Red Sparrow’s voice came through the man’s earpiece as he ran down the hall.

“Negative” the man replied, out of breath. “Acquiring them has proved more difficult than I anticipated. Fortunately, though…” he paused to try to catch his breath “I have several...backup plans.”

“You better.” she snapped. “I’m not paying you all this money to screw this up. Understand?!”

“Completely,” he muttered in response. 

…..

Tasha and Jason ran out under the portes-cochère of the hotel. Overhead the sky was still pitch black with visible stars dotting the night here and there. Two black SUVs with tinted windows were parked by the curb out front. The cars appeared unoccupied. By appearances, all the men had entered the hotel. One thing was for sure they weren’t sticking around. From behind the vehicles, a man suddenly appeared with a taser gun. Tasha and Jason ducked to the ground as he pulled the trigger. They walked crouched to the side of one of the cars and pressed against it. They quickly made their way around to the back of the SUV while the man walked around it as well. Every second felt like an eternity passing. The man appeared in front of him. Jason brought his fist square to the man’s face catching him off guard. He hit him repeatedly in the stomach and flipped him over. The man almost immediately regained his footing. Jason was still experiencing the effects of being tased earlier and could feel himself quickly losing strength. His opponent sensed this as well and punched Jason multiple times in the jaw and stomach, causing him to stumble to the ground. Tasha’s opened the trunk of the car, looking for anything useful. Inside she spotted a tire iron which she grabbed. Seeing the man’s back to her Tasha firmly gripped the tire iron and hit him as hard as she could across the head. The man fell forward to the ground, blood spewing from the gash across his head.

Jason stood up. “He’ll have a nasty headache tomorrow,” he commented as Tasha began to search the unconscious man’s pockets. Inside one of them, she found the keys to the SUV. “Got the keys.”

Tasha jumped in the driver’s seat while Jason climbed into the passenger seat beside her. She twisted the key in the ignition. The car rumbled to life. Tasha backed the car up and drove forward into the street. A shout from the entrance of The Chardell filled the air. Through the car windows, Tasha and Jason could see the rest of the men running outside and scrambling into the other SUV. Tasha spun the car on the asphalt and headed down a side road. She floored the accelerator. Cars beeped and honked. Dust filled the air as Jason and Tasha raced down the street, weaving through traffic. They could make out the car following them at full speed.

Tasha knew at higher speeds the risk of an accident astronomically increased. One could easily spin out of control or slam into another vehicle. However, that was a risk she had to take, she reasoned. She flattened the accelerator as much as she could. The reading on the speedometer went up with every passing moment. 80 mph. 90. 95. 100. The sound of guns firing filled the air. The rear window shattered, sending glass flying in every direction. Their pursuers, whoever they were, were getting desperate.

 “Get down!” Tasha yelled. Jason and Tasha crouched down in their seats. More gunshots pierced the air. Glass rattled and flew every which way. On the floor. The dashboard. The leather seats. Toward their faces. Jason didn’t even want to imagine what would happen if they got caught.

…..

“What the heck are you doing?!” the man screamed.  “We need them alive!”

“We are aiming for the tires! Besides you were the one going on about how we need to take them out fast!” one of the men responded as he fired his gun. 

“Just hold the fire, we don’t need it!” he barked at them. He looked down at the clock located on the car dashboard. “It won’t be long now.”

…..

“What's our next step?!” Jason asked.

Tasha glanced at Jason. Panic gripped her eyes. “Try to get to a secure location. After that, I’ll try to contact Headman. He’ll either send a helicopter for us to an extraction point or try to come up with some rescue plan if we’re taken in. Though I can’t promise it’ll be successful.” Tasha looked back at the winding road ahead. “We knew the risks aft…” Tasha trailed off. Her mind felt suddenly clouded and a wave of sleepiness washed off her. She shook her head trying to shake it off. “After…after all.”

Jason put his hand on her shoulder. His eyes filled with worry and panic. “Tasha! Tasha, are you okay?!”

Tasha felt a pounding in her head and her vision blurred. She squinted her eyes desperately trying to see the road, but it was no use. A nauseous feeling came over her and she found it difficult to breathe. Every passing second she felt worse and worse. 

“Jason…” Tasha struggled to speak. Jason was at a loss of what to do. They were caught in some hellish grave nightmare and there was no escaping. He pulled the pen out he had carried in his pocket. He knew they couldn’t afford for its information to be in the wrong hands. It was basic training. When facing imminent capture, discard any evidence. He quickly pressed down on the black button of the pen which was located below the two metal buttons. He held it down for five seconds. The seconds he counted down in his head. One by one the images it contained were permanently erased. Jason then glanced at Tasha. Desperation and pain were etched on her face. He could tell how hard she was trying to hold on yet she was failing.

“Here let me drive.” Jason sat up from his chair and started to move to the driver’s seat. Suddenly a wave of pain washed over him too, sending him back down. There was no mistake he’d been drugged as well. In his blurred vision, he could make out saw Tasha’s darkened form slump onto the steering wheel. Dear God…help us. He prayed as he slipped into unconsciousness. 

[ofmythsandmadness]

i got tagged to do the three characters who live in your head rent free and why? thing by the dear @belowva​ !! 

there’s probably a better list of people i could drum up but honestly, it’s late and i’m not feeling terrific so i’m going off the top of my head. rip to the other losers i’m unhealthily obsessed with !! 

one -- diego hargreeves.

(^ lmao had to put two gifs to honour both looks)

i feel like this...is a given. it’s kind of the whole shtick this blog runs with and for good reason!! that mf man is a godsend and like, shoutout to whoever cast david casteneda as him because i could not imagine a better person to play the role. that’s obviously not the only reason i love diego, sure, BUT--

diego is i guess a comfort character?? i’ve gone through a ‘bit’ of a shlump in my life the past year, and there were a lot of points where all i could really do was sit in my bed with my thoughts. and for some reason my brain latched onto the wickedly hot, sassy, knife-throwing vigilante dork with maaybe some daddy issues. but can you blame me?? 

also, fun fact -- s2 of tua has a weird sentimentalism to it for me because i was really, really messed up and considering some pretty shite options for a while, but i just kept reminding myself that if i go through with it, i’ll miss out on seeing the next season of that one netflix show and -- y’know. bada bing bada boom. 

one -- clint mf barton (comic version).

(not my art, credit to the artist; found this on twitter aeons back)

honestly i’ve been stuck in a lot of clint barton and natasha stuff lately. not as a ship, more just trying to appreciate the two most neglected. and, look...my man clint, i don’t even like men that much but this man will forever get me. NOT j*remey r*nner, i can’t stand him and i will never support his clint.

i’m such a fucking sucker for chaotic dumbass characters who make me want to simultaneously hug them and jump their bones (respectfully ofc ofc) and that man is that personified. i’m not really good with comics, i know there are people who collect them ALL and credit to you!! but hawkeye has always been a character i’ve read up on. and i’ve esp loved matt fraction’s work for the character. those graphic novels are *chef’s kiss* impeccable.

three -- helena bertinelli.

LOOK. LOOK. LOOK. HOWTHEHELLCOULDYOUNOTLOVEHER.

mary elizabeth winstead is probably my ultimate celeb crush and the SECOND i saw her as the huntress in birds of prey, i swear to the lord i was down for the motherfucking count. my heart probably made my rinky dinky town think it was under attack, from how hard it was pounding. i was watching that movie WITH MY LITTLE SISTER and the entire time i was just thinking the most OBSCENE thoughts with absolutely no control and i just...

that woman could STOMP ME INTO THE GROUND and i would just lay there, smiling dreamily and mumbling my thanks. i love her so much. i wish there was more helena content (and bop in general??). online and in general, i would just love to get more helena in the future. :’)

honourary mention to jason todd, because a friend has recently gotten me hooked on the dude. aaaannnd, for fuck sakes, throw in mai from avatar because i’m lonely and my taste clearly lies in tall dark mysterious edgy could-be assholes with a thing for sharp objects. 

i can’t think rn of any users to tag so i will put these in when i wake up tmr. but if you see this and you follow me consider yourself tagged and do this bc i want to see what you have to say !! tag me in it so i know too!!

[maychorian]

It’s been a while since I’ve written about Belladonna, my hurdy gurdy-wielding bard, but last night was a corker, so I decided to write it down.

So we've been on this quest to gather a bunch of really powerful artifacts in hopes of stopping the White Wind, an ancient evil bent on destroying the world. There are twelve artifacts in all. At our recent stop at the magic school, we learned that these artifacts are needed to conduct a very powerful ritual to lock the White Wind away. This has been done several times over the millennia, we're just the most recent iteration.

The artifact Belladonna carries is called the Water of Purity, and once a month it has the ability to remove any ill effect from a willing creature, including death. Remember this for later, as it is important. Belladonna previously used it to heal an intelligent undying person named Jason of the curse he was under. Before this stop at the magic school, she used it to heal a huge walking tree that had been hollowed out and used as a mobile fortress by a bunch of evil folks.

The folks at the magic school advised that we need to get our hands on an artifact called the Puzzle Box, which can help us find the rest of the missing items. The issue is that the Puzzle Box no longer exists on our plane. It might have been destroyed, or slipped out of existence. They offered two options to get it back: go back in time to when it wasn't destroyed and take it from there. Or try separating our minds from our bodies to go to the plane of thought and will it into existence. After much deliberation, we decided that time travel was way too risky. So two of our members, Effy and LittleWall, decided to go to the plane of thought.

In order to complete THIS crazy powerful ritual, we went to a monastery full of people who could help us. Once we arrived, we sat down to dinner and started getting to know the monks who lived there. Things got rather fraught. One of the monks, a ninja named Judith, told us about how she and a bunch of other monks had been lured away from the monastery by someone who promised a way to defeat the White Wind. This person was another monk, named Uwe, so they thought he was trustworthy.

They underwent a ritual which involved getting painful brands. Uwe had a brand, too, but it was different than the one Judith and her companions were getting. And when the ritual was over, they realized it was a trap. The brand was a means to control them and force them against their will. Judith was strong and managed to fight the control and get away, but the brand was still hurting her. It cut her off from her religion and made her unable to obey any orders from her leader.

She was hugely distressed, She tore off her robe to show the brand, and she was crying. Belladonna felt very bad for her, just as she had for Jason. She asked what had been attempted to heal the brand, things like dispel or break enchantment. Then she offered to use the Waters of Purity, since it had been a month since she healed the walking tree.

Judith was grateful for the offer, but told her to save it. And use it on Uwe, if the chance ever came up. Belladonna promised she would, and also promised that if all else failed, if they both survived the war, she would return afterward and heal Judith with the Waters.

Effy and LittleWall needed to meditate for 24 hours to prepare for the ritual to ascend to the plane of thought. When the time came, everyone gathered in the meditation chamber. Our two companions, as well as the abbott of the monastery, were in the center of a magical circle. They went catatonic as the ritual began, and their bodies were helpless. The rest of stayed outside the circle to provide support and protection.

We were attacked. Uwe and his band of broken monks charged into the chamber. For awhile we held our own, but things started going bad pretty quickly. Uwe moved into the magic circle and did a huge amount of damage to Effy. He might have killed her if she hadn't rolled a 20 on her fortitude save. Then another monk moved into the circle and attacked the abbott, doing a lot of damage. Things were looking bad.

As soon as I figured out this was Uwe, I started having thoughts. I wondered if I could use the Waters of Purity as a splash weapon. So, when my turn rolled around, I did something that I thought might be stupid, but might be awesome. I walked into the circle and attacked Uwe with the Waters.

I rolled a 24 to attack his touch AC. So yeah, it worked. The brand on Uwe's chest lit on fire, as did the brands of all of the other monks, including Judith. It burned for a few seconds, and they screamed, but then the fire faded, leaving only clean, healed skin behind. Uwe was almost at death's door. He rolled out of the circle and plunged a knife into his own heart. The other monk who had been in the circle moved out, too, and also warned Belladonna to move out of it, so she did.

And that was the end of the fight, as well as the end of the gameplay session. We will need to do some investigation and figure out what that was all about, as well as dealing with our companions ascending to the plane of thought. But it was a terrific night. Emotionally affecting and terrifying at times, and ultimately triumphant. The GM was very proud of my cleverness in using the Waters of Purity that way. Somehow it hadn't occurred to him that I would try that, but I did, and it was awesome.

I love RPG.

[writerpeach]

Dahyun's Lesson

Twice Mina/Dahyun

5993 words

Categories: male reader, smut, threesome

NSFW 18+

“Tokyo's really pretty, isn't it unnie?” Dahyun asks Mina while staring at the nighttime skyline through the large hotel window.

“It is! Not as pretty as you though,“ Mina replies, remote in hand, scanning through the Netflix menus, trying to find something new to watch.

Dahyun groans at the cheesiness and sticks her tongue out at her.

The two girls had sent you on a hunt for something to satisfy their hunger, it was past midnight so room service wasn’t an option anymore, and there weren’t a whole lot of places that delivered this late either.

“Shouldn't he be back by now? I'm starving,” Dahyun asks as her stomach growls, as if it was agreeing with her.

“He's not used to the street layout, it's much different than Seoul and he's not as confident in his Japanese as he should be, maybe he got lost. Let me message him and find out.“

Before Mina can unlock her phone a loud click signals your arrival as you enter the room with an assortment of food containers and cups.

“Sorry, I had to go to three different restaurants to find a place that carried watermelon juice for you Mina.“

“That was really nice of you, any kind of juice would had been fine baby, you didn't have to go to all the trouble. “

“It was worth the effort, I know how much you like it. Besides now I'll never forget how to ask for it in Japanese.”

“You're such a dork,” Mina says as she laughs, showing that cute gummy smile of hers as she grabs the cup and has her first sip of the sweet fruit beverage.

Moments go by as empty styrofoam packaging and plasticware is sprawled out over the hotel room table, Mina gathers it all up and deposits it in the trash can, sitting back down and having another drink of her favorite fruit juice.

“That was really good. I think, maybe we should work some of that that food off now?”

You and Mina flash bedroom eyes at each other, Dahyun catches the not-so-subtle innuendo and the sexual tension that could be cut with a knife, deciding she's somehow overstayed her welcome, even though she was sharing half the room with her older Japanese member.

“I guess that's my cue to leave. I'll go see what Sana unnie is doing and leave you two alone. “

Mina laughs. “Already? You don't have to leave you know. In fact, you could even stay and… watch us if you wanted to to. Maybe, we could even teach you a thing or two?.”

Dahyun coughs and nearly chokes on her cola.

“Wait, what? Wouldn’t..that be weird? I-I wouldn’t I just get in the way?”

“No, of course not baby girl, the extra set of eyes is certainly most welcome. If you’re uncomfortable with it that’s totally fine, but I’m sure neither one of us would mind the addition of an audience. “

You nod your head in agreement, “Not at all. We’ll put on a show for you.”

“O-okay... if you insist.” Dahyun tries to not put her nerves out on display.

“We do.”

Dahyun makes her way to the leather chair in the corner right by the bed and plops down in it. Mina grabs you by the hand as you both approach the front of the bed just in front of her.

She cups the side of your cheek and kisses you softly, her lips smack against yours, the taste of watermelon juice still lingers and without warning she shoves her tongue in your mouth, wrestling around your own. Mina takes control and pushes you up against the hotel window, pressing your back into the cold translucent pane as Dahyun looks on.

Mina strips you of your shirt, throwing it beside Dahyun and kneels before you, unbuckling and unzipping your pants, making quick work of them and yanking them down to your ankles.

She rubs your hardening cock through the fabric of your black cotton boxers, desperate to free itself from the burdensome cloth. She digs her delicate fingers into the elastic waistband and pulls them off, freeing your now rock hard erection as it feels the cool air for the first time, you step out and kick both counterparts, sending them away.

Dahyun gasps at your size as Mina shoots a devilish grin at her, she brings her warm tongue to the base of your cock and edges upwards, giving slow, small flicks and lathering up your cock nicely, she reaches the head of your cock and swirls circles around it, brushing against your slit wildly.

She strokes your cock until convinced you’re fully erect, bringing it in into her slick mouth, wrapping her soft, plump lips around your head and squeezing tightly, you can’t help but notice that Dahyun can’t seem to keep her eyes off of your erection.  

“It’s okay to look, baby girl. His cock is really nice isn’t it? ” Mina asks the purple-headed girl with a smile on her face.

Dahyun nods, still too nervous to speak. Mina brings your cock back into her slick mouth, working your length with her hand, twisting around and stroking it as she brings her left hand to your balls and fondles them gently, Mina knew how much you loved ballplay, the sudden pleasure makes you gasp, the sensations were fierce and blissful, and there being a third body in the room enjoying the show only added to it.

Not before long your shaft hits the back of Mina’s throat with ease, she begins bobbing her head up and down as her saliva coats your cock, Dahyun was almost shocked at the natural ability Mina had able to fully take your cock inside her mouth and deepthroat you.

“Fuck, that’s so good Mina, don’t fucking stop.”

Mina’s blowjob is sloppy and wet, her tongue flicks around the underside of your head wildly, with every stroke of her mouth more and more ecstasy fills up your body, threatening to overload you. Under different circumstances she might have taken her time with you, making you squirm with anticipation and buildup but this time she wants to show off to Dahyun.

“You’re really good at that unnie.” Dahyun finally speaks up.

She’s unable to respond as she’s balls deep in your crotch, so you speak for her.

“Mina has had a… lot of practice. She really knows what she’s doing.”

Mina was terrific at sucking cock, she had picked up lots of experience in the past few months, blowing you in almost every possible location - hotel balconies, multiple cars, various bathrooms including the ones at JYP entertainment, the dressing room to her favorite lingerie store, the list goes on.

She even had the audacity to blow you in a public park down by the Han river late at night, you'd almost gotten caught by two middle-aged ladies out for an evening stroll, she had to do her best to convince them the reason your pants were down by your ankles was because you had just spilled hot coffee all over yourself, and were trying to soothe your legs with the pretend ointment she had stashed in her purse that was actually just Mina’s moisturizer. It was a good thing Mina acted as well as she gave head.

“Have you given a blowjob before Dahyun?” Mina asks as she pauses the magic she was performing between your legs.

“Uh, a few times, I don’t think I was very good at it though.“

“You can’t be that bad, come here and try. I’ll guide you through the process.”

“O-okay.”

Dahyun stands up and takes the position, kneeling in front of you as Mina scuttles next to her. She pulls her purple locks back and out of the way, granting you easier access to her mouth.

Mina instructs the girl, “Just start with the tip, baby girl. Use your tongue first.”

Dahyun does what she says and meets her tongue to your tip, slowly painting broad strokes around your swollen head, swirling around in random directions, watching as Mina looks on in approval. Her soft fingers take hold of your cock as she steers it into her mouth, sucking the tip of your cock ambitiously, trying her damndest to make you feel good.

Your breath shudders as she looks up at you doe-eyed. “Does that feel okay?”

“It feels really, really good, keep doing what you're doing.”

Dahyun reattaches your sensitive tip to her mouth with more force, her pace increases as she becomes more confident in what she's doing, eager to please you.

“You’re doing good Dahyun. Try to keep more eye contact,” Mina says, coaching her.

Her eyes meet yours, strands of purple hair fly wildly as she establishes a rhythm, bobbing her head up and down, mimicking what Mina was doing moments ago, for someone who didn’t seem to know what she was doing her blowjob felt amazing, those soft lips applying more and more pressure that send waves of pleasurable sensations throughout your body.

Dahyun’s mouth felt slightly different from Mina’s, her red lips weren’t as plump but they had a softer feel to them, her tongue was wetter, and the inside of her mouth felt just as warm and pleasurable, if not more so. Dahyun looked so, so pretty with your cock in her mouth, the pink and purple streaks of color in her hair really contrasted nicely with the pale tint of her skin.

Mina barges in and presses her tongue against the base of your cock, slicking up your shaft and sending new waves of sensations. Before you can even acknowledge her movements she dives face first into your balls, bringing each one into her mouth and slurping sloppily. Mina's hot breath on your balls was heavenly, it drove you crazy enough to want to finish on both of their pretty faces, but you exercised some self-control.

“God… that feels so good.”

The sight of the gorgeous women kneeling before you, tongues and mouths wrapped around every part of your shaft was a mind blowing feat that causes your head to unconsciously jerk back, the delight emanating over each and every part of your body was putting you in a daze, you need a moment to take it all in, as you weren’t sure when, if ever, you were going to have such a more perfect experience in your life.

Dahyun becomes more adventurous, and before you can blink more than just your head has moved past her lips, warmth surrounds your hard cock as more of it fills up her slippery mouth. Her mouth glides up and down, as Mina’s tongue wanders all over the base of your shaft. Before you know it Dahyun has taken you halfway, but she struggles a bit and has to back off, as a trail of spittle from your cock carries over and lands on her chin.

Mina looks at her concerned, “Don’t take more than you feel the need to baby girl. You don’t wanna gag yourself. “

“Okay. Am I doing okay so far, unnie?”

“You’re doing wonderful. Do you need a break? I’m fucking wet, and I need get fucked by that cock of his. ”

“He’s all yours, Mina unnie. “

The two girls stop their movements, allowing you to finally catch your breath.

“How do you want me baby?” Mina asks seductively, biting her lower lip.

“From behind, need to see that tight ass of yours while I fuck you.  Dahyun, you can get on the bed too so you can get a closer look.”

“Oh, o-okay.”

“If you want, you don’t have to. But you’re going to miss out.”

Dahyun moves to climb on the bed, but Mina puts a hand on her shoulder and stops.

“Wait, Dahyun, come undress me first.”

She gulps and looks back at you, as if asking for your approval, you give a quick nod for her to go ahead.

Dahyun reaches up and unzips the dresses’ oddly placed front zipper, Mina helps out take each arm out of the straps before pulling it over her head.

Her hands tremble as she unbuttons each button, she tries to calm her nerves before exposing more and more of the older girl’s bare skin, she reaches the last button and removes it, unveiling it off her shoulders. The length of the shirt was long enough to cover up Mina’s lower body, and with its sudden disappearance Mina is left in nothing but a black lace bra and mint green underwear, the two colors paired up nicely against the creamy white tone of her body.

The younger woman in front of MIna is spending maybe a little too much time staring at her chest, ogling her as she reaches behind her the girls back, trying to unhook her bra, pulling at her straps everywhere but to no luck.

“Unnie, where is it?”

Mina laughs, “Sorry, it’s in the front.”

Still ogling Mina’s now exposed breasts, round and perky in shape, she looks away quickly as soon as Mina’s eyes meet hers, as if she had just been caught cheating on a test.

Mina's hands meet Dahyun's who brings them to her own breasts, using them to cup them, staring directly into her eyes.

“Do you like what you see? You’re practically drooling baby girl. It’s okay to stare, It would be rude of you not to. Have you ever undressed a woman before, Dahyun?”

She shakes her head no, still refusing to make eye contact.

“You’re cute when you’re nervous. Let’s get this pesky underwear off me now.”

Dahyun captures her fingers into Mina’s waistband, pulling the colorful garment down and off her hips, and dragging it away, uncovering her delectable shaved pussy as it makes way down her toned legs and hits her bare feet.

Mina’s naked body looked radiant in the light, her body was small but had the perfect amount of thickness in her legs and thighs, her breasts sat shapely on top her chest, perky and firm, not too big but not too small either. Her stomach was just magnificent and mouth-watering, you had indulged on several occasions in licking whipped cream off her tight abs, as well as other sugary ice cream toppings.

The two girls climb up on the bed, Dahyun sits on the pillows while Mina gets down on her hands and knees to face her, her feet are at the edge of the bed and her bare ass is facing you. She looks at you behind her and licks her lips.

“Fuck me baby.“

You stand behind her sprawled, naked body, taking a hand to her right cheek and giving a firm squeeze. Mina’s ass was honestly flawless, sculpted perfectly with just the right amount of curves, were Dahyun not here you most likely would have opted for anal sex instead, but that was probably too much for the mostly innocent girl to handle so soon.

You run a finger through the lips of Mina's pussy, collecting her slick and just as she said a few minutes ago she was already dripping. You tease Mina’s glistening lips with your cock in one hand, spreading them open with the other until you’re satisfied she’s wet enough to enter, with one grandiose movement you thrust deep inside her tight pussy as she cries out in pleasure.

“Fuck!”

Immediately you feel her walls clench around your cock, her lips squeeze tightly as her juices help lubricate your cock, you grab her narrow waist and impale yourself further and further, her pussy stretches out to accommodate your size until you bottom her out, pulling her body into yours with every thrust.

Meanwhile Dahyun feels anxious, a pool of wetness forms between her legs, threatening to ruin her underwear underneath.

You pick up the pace, giving deep, long thrusts inside Mina’s silken pussy, your balls smack onto her warm flesh with every thrust, filling her to the hilt. Mina’s normally soft, quiet voice was now booming, soft moans became loud ones, echoing around the surface of the expensive looking hotel room.

For a brief few seconds you actually forgot Dahyun was still there, the tightness of Mina’s wet cunt dominated your mind, it was the only thing you could process in the moment.

Dahyun savors the sight in front of her and bites the fingertip of her index finger, everything was a lot to take in for her. Mina was one of her closest friends and coworkers, she had seen her every single day for over three years, some of those times without clothing, but not like this. Here Mina was, naked and bent over in front of her, her face was contoured with pleasure and she was being fucked unrelentingly by someone who was equally close to her, if she had to admit it she was pretty fucking turned on right now.

Mina’s cries and moans break any tension Dahyun had building.

“God, that feels so good baby, you’re so fucking deep, Fuck! Pound that fucking cock in me, fuck me until I cum.”

You’re fully embedded inside Mina’s tight cunt now, every deep thrust inside her felt better than the last. You piston her tight hole with every inch of your cock, her walls were squeezing around you more and her breath was becoming more shallow by the second, you could tell she was getting close. Sweat begins to mist over Mina’s soft skin, the two of you are quickly becoming drenched in it, with every fluid movement of your hips your bodies meld together like gum.

You make eye contact with Dahyun before finding a good rhythm to fuck Mina with, you grab onto her soft, smooth shoulders for support and really pound her pussy, you feel her clench even tighter around your cock. Mina is so awash with pleasure that she buries her head into the sheets to try and dampen her moans but its seemingly fruitless, the pleasure just keeps building and building in her abdomen, boiling over past her breaking point.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck! I’m gonna fucking cum baby, I’m gonna fucking cum all over that cock!”

Mina succumbs to the pleasure as she cums hard, her orgasm hits with an intensity she wasn’t expecting, her hips buck as her whole body trembles, she grips the sheets with clenched fists tight, her dripping cunt pulses around you, becoming impossibly wet as she rides out her climax, you slow your thrusts down to almost to a stop, helping her catch her breath and recover.

Dahyun looks awestruck, the sight of a woman, even one she was deeply close to, losing herself and orgasming hard in front of her for the first time was a bit of a shock, she actually felt a tinge of jealousy and desperately wanted to experience that same euphoria.

Pretty soon she would get that chance.

“Fuck...baby…that was so good.” Mina’s voice relapses into a whisper again, she can barely move with bliss, much less speak.

“It’s time our Dahyun got some pleasure of her own don’t you think baby? Why don’t you have a seat for a change this time?”

You pull out of her slowly, as Mina’s tight, slick pussy lets go of your cock, you occupy the same chair that Dahyun was in earlier.

“Dahyun, come here, come lay in front of me, baby girl.”

“Y-yes, unnie.”

“We need to get rid of these annoying clothes.”

Mina moves quickly, seizing the bottom of her red striped top and lifting it up and over her head, exposing a light pink cotton bra, simple in nature. Mina pounces on the girl, diving into her mouth, surprising her with the sudden movement but she doesn’t resist. Both of their lips clash together as Mina cups her right cheek, tongues playing with each other unexpectedly, Mina is taken back a bit at the other girl matching her levels of passion.

Dahyun wanted to be touched more than she thought, even if she would never admit it. Mina breaks the kiss and moves her lips down to the left side of her neck, kissing every spot, placing soft, gentle pecks before diving in, nipping and suckling at the bare skin, intent on marking her and turning her skin a beautiful shade of dark red.

She reaches behind Dahyun to undo her clasp, using one hand and refusing to stray from her neck, she sheds the garment off her body, throwing it halfway across the room.

As if she tasked with a mission to have Dahyun completely naked, Mina makes quick work of her plaid skirt, unzipping the metal zipper pressed against her right thigh, yanking it off her and tossing it, landing almost in the same spot as the discarded bra. Underneath was a matching set of underwear, the only difference was the wet spot that had soaked through the front part of the fabric.

"Look at you baby girl, you made a mess didn't you?"

Dahyun doesn't say anything as her face turns crimson red.

Mina presses her palms flat on Dahyun’s stomach, trailing her delicate hands upwards across the smooth, pale skin, making way to her small, yet infinitely perky breasts and cupping them, kneading each one before walking her fingertips to the center of her mounds and playing with her sensitive nipples, pinching them lightly, causing the girl on her back to gasp.

Continuing her ambush on the pale girl’s chest, Mina kisses the area just below her neck, right under her collarbone, before bringing her mouth to Dahyun’s left breast, flicking strokes with her tongue against the sensitive nub, swirling around it and suckling it. She advances to the other one, never leaving her hand from the former, fingertips still rolling the spit-drenched nipple in between, as she indulges in tasting her other bud, slicking it up just as much as the other one, causing her body to twitch.

Mina inches slowly down Dahyun’s body, leaving a path of kisses on her stomach, pressing her lips firmly enough to leave a light outline of pink lipstick. She reaches the mecca of her body, hooking fingers in the waistband of her cute pink underwear, hauling them off her hips and dragging them down her legs, relieving her of the garment as she flings them at you like a slingshot, landing squarely in your lap.

Dahyun's naked body was utterly gorgeous, paleness blanketed her soft skin from head to toe.

“Are you ready?”

“I-I think so.”

“Keep your legs open for me.”

A devilish smile washes over Mina, she stares intently into Dahyun’s pretty eyes before opening her mouth again.

“You’re all mine, baby girl. I’m going to ruin you.”

Right before diving into the feast between Dahyun's thighs, Mina ties her hair up in a makeshift ponytail, keeping her hair out of her eyes. She tries to calm the girl down by rubbing her warm, milky white thighs, she could sense the nervousness.

Dahyun wasn't a virgin, she had sex before but it wasn’t a pleasant experience, he was rough and cold, he didn’t give a shit about her needs, not even bothering to eat her out, and certainly didn't make her cum.

"Just tell me what you like baby girl, I'll do whatever you want." "I-I don't know unnie, I've never even touched myself before." Dahyun's voice was weak and shaky, her lips were quivering. "Okay then, just tell me what feels good, and I'll keep doing it to you," Mina says in that soft, quiet sultry voice of hers, smirking ear to ear.

Settling into position, Mina nudges Dahyun's body, rotating slightly to ensure you have the perfect view, you sit back in your chair and relax, eagerly awaiting the masterpiece that was about to take place for your eyes only.

Mina marks her inner thighs gently with kisses, warming her up, she's already so sensitive that her body jerks. She runs her hands through Dahyun's dark pubic hair before cupping her arms under her thighs and pulling her closer.

Mina brings the middle finger of one hand and teases it up and down her slit, gathering the slick that forms suddenly. She gently introduces the same finger inside her warm entrance, feeling the resistance of her tight walls as they constrict around Mina’s digit, as if she was being pulled in and not letting go. Mina looks at you, content with what she finds.

“She’s so fucking tight baby, she’s going to feel so good when you fuck her. I’ve barely touched her and she’s already drenched. “

She brings her ring finger to meet with the former, driving further into Dahyun’s tight pussy, her juices help lubricate MIna’s slim fingers, assisting her to thrust in past her knuckles.

“How does that feel baby girl, are you okay?”

Dahyun’s breath is becoming shallow, “It feels really good unnie, keep going.“

The two fingers slipped inside Dahyun push in deeper, until Mina fills up her pussy to the hilt, rocking back and forth, finding a rhythm, Mina fingers the girl aggressively, not intending to stop anytime soon as they curl and twist inside with every flick of her wrist, she begins to moan softly, taking in each and every sensation.

“Look at her baby, she’s so fucking wet, she’s going to be nice and ready for that cock once I get through with her. “

MIna was through with foreplay, and wants to desperately taste Dahyun, she dives in between her creamy thighs, using her tongue to give her pussy a long, satisfying lick from bottom to top, hovering on her clit for a few seconds before making her way back down.

She replicates the move again, and again, and again, tasting her juices on her taste buds,  satisfied with the sounds coming out of Dahyun’s mouth, implying she must be doing something right.  

For the first few minutes Dahyun is completely speechless. Mina buries her face deep in between her succulent thighs and begins to eat her pussy out wildly, with the lust and hunger of a wild animal, it was like she had something to prove, that she was an expert at giving oral sex to both genders. Even as Mina was face first buried in Dahyun’s crotch she still somehow managed to look elegant.

Dahyun’s whole body shudders, the pleasure Mina was giving her below was unlike anything she had felt before, with every touch of Mina’s wet, warm tongue, she loses herself more and more, trying her hardest not to be overcome with the constant sensations surrounding her body.

A particularly loud, messy slurp comes out of Mina’s mouth, making Dahyun squirm even more.

“God, Dahyun, you’re so fucking delicious, I should have done this a long time ago.”

Mina gives her mouth a rest, finding Dahyun’s hardened clit and capturing it with her thumb, pressing into it and rubbing up down first, then circling it, never once letting up on the pressure, the sensitivity completely drives her up the walls.

The sight in front of you really was something else, you take a few moments to yourself, the blood rushing to you loins incessantly ensured your erection would never cease until your future climax. Mina was doing her best to make sure Dahyun felt as good as possible, needing her to share the same pleasure she had just moments before, it was by far the most erotic thing you’ve ever laid eyes on.

“Do you want a taste baby? You should really taste this sweet pussy of hers, it’s so fucking good.”

“Of course, I’ve been waiting.“

You take up Mina’s previous position as she moves beside you, you give little time to recover before snatching Dahyun’s sensitive nub into your mouth finally, suckling and nuzzling on it, tasting her sweet nectar for the first time. She tastes tangy and sweet, a bit like the duality of pineapple.

Dahyun takes in the differences in technique, Mina ate pussy with a more gentle approach, savoring every lick and taking her time more, you opted for a more forthright method, you liked to dive right in, sloppily, both ways made Dahyun completely squirm.

What seems feels like seconds but in reality was minutes go by, just as you feel yourself finding a nice rhythm and really start to enjoy the taste and feel of Dahyun’s warm, wet pussy, you feel a soft hand on the side of your cheek, and Mina pushes your face away playfully.

“Ok, you've had enough baby, I wanna make her cum myself,“ Mina grins devilishly, unwillingly to share her with you.

“You're so greedy .”

“I know.”

Mina dives right back in to the treat between Dahyun’s legs, holding onto her thighs for dear life, downright devouring her pussy, suckling at her clit wantonly and slurping up every single drop of her sweet juices that leak out, not wanting any to go to waste.

“Fuck! Unnie!”

The sudden swear word takes you both by surprise, it wasn’t something Dahyun did often, if ever. Mina was intent on driving the girl to the edge, far past the brink, all the way to her first orgasm.

Dahyun abruptly feels a pressure creep into her abdomen, every second that goes by it grows stronger and stronger.

“Mina unnie, I-I, I-m, Mi-na...”

Dahyun has been reduced to a shaking, quivering mess, she’s coming apart, and can’t even form full words anymore.

“You're about to cum, baby girl. Just relax, and let it happen. It's going to feel real good.”

The pressure in Dahyun’s body completely boils over, her orgasm strikes like a whip, her hips buck wildly, she scrambles to cling onto the back of Mina’s head, closing her eyes as her whole body convulses as the euphoria takes over her whole body. Mina tries her best to help Dahyun ride out her orgasm as she keeps contact on her clit, bathed in her delectable juices all over, her face glistening as the luminescence hits.

“How was it baby girl?” Mina looks up and asks, lips and chin completely drenched as she watches Dahyun slowly catch her breath.

“Good...really good. You’re amazing, unnie.”

Mina turns to you, grasping to back of your head and kissing your lips deeply, the taste of Dahyun’s nectar still fully on her lips.

“She’s all yours baby. Come fuck her. “

Mina gets out of the way, as you move forward, caressing Dahyun’s thighs, aiming your hard cock towards that gorgeous, shimmering pussy of hers, running your tip over her clit before pressing against her welcoming lips, eagerly anticipating that first feeling of penetration.

With the gentlest movement you part her lower lips with the head of your cock, thrusting inside and feeling her warmth wrap around your shaft before your tip disappears inside her slick pussy, she jerks back in response, eliciting a sultry moan from her mouth. Her lips preemptively hug your dick tightly before they yield their grip, her juices dowse your shaft in them, allowing for additional penetration.

You enjoyed the subtle differences between each woman’s body, Mina was extremely wet, it didn’t take much before her body gave you easy access, whereas Dahyun was extremely tight, much tighter than other Twice members, so much so that it almost hurt yourself to penetrate her.

“Does it feel good, baby girl?” Does it feel good being fucked by that thick cock of his?” Mina asks, already knowing what the answer is.

“Fuck, it’s so good, unnie. I-I-”

“Tell him what you want him to do to you.”

“Fu-fuck me deeper. Much deeper. I can take it. “

“You heard her, baby. Fuck that tight little pussy of hers nice and deep.”

You do as told, thrusting far in the depths of her tight pussy, filling her with every inch your cock before you bottom out, pulling out all the way and thrusting deep back in, fluidly and in one movement, all the way to the hilt. She cries out at the sudden lack of emptiness, gripping the sheets as the pleasure hits her hard.

“Don’t stop. It feels, so, so good.”

Dahyun’s words are a mere whisper now, with each deep thrust she heads further along her second orgasm of the night. She lets herself go, wrapping her thigh around your waist, shedding off the timidness and full embracing the pleasure deep inside her.

The two of you become silent for the first time of the night, taking in each other’s pleasure, as both of you begin to feel close to climax.  

Mina, tired of being a passive participant, lunges for Dahyun’s neck again, moving her body at an angle as to not get in the way, plunging her mouth against the soft flesh on the girl’s right side this time, licking and suckling every spot, not as roughly, one love bite was plenty for the time being.

The soft lips pressed against her send her spiraling towards the peak of her pleasure, within moments everything crashes around her, she constricts around your cock tightly, flooding your cock with wetness as her body repeats the process.

“Fuck, I’m gonna, I’m gonna cum again!”

Her orgasm is more intense this time around, every part of her body spasms, her moans are no longer quiet but shrieking, luckily Mina is there to guide her through it, comforting her as she comes down from her high.

Her aftershocks still vibrate around your cock, quickly becoming the catalyst to your own orgasm, the pressure building in your balls was no longer possible to stop.

“Fuck, I’m gonna cum, so, fucking hard.”

You pull out of Dahyun at the last possible second, her freshly fucked opening was shimmering and glossy with juices. Your cock unexpectedly winds up in Mina’s hand, she wanted to be the one who strokes you to release, keeping the running tally of two bodies she would deliver to orgasm that day as she aims your cock over Dahyun's body.

“Cum for us baby. Shoot that hot load all over her, you've earned it. “

What was two or three strokes later you erupt, thick white hot cum ejects from your cock, the first stream of creamy goodness lands between her tits, with the rest hitting her stomach, glazing her abdomen. With each spurt you feel relief, looking down at her midriff painted white, almost blending in with the color of her pale skin, Mina strokes you until the aftershocks in your body subside, allowing you to recover as you crash to the bed beside Dahyun.

Mina is not letting a drop of your sticky cum go to waste, licking it off from Dahyun's glimmering stomach and cleavage, gathering it all on her tongue before advancing towards her face, planting a deep kiss and sharing your hot cum with her before the two women lock eyes and both simultaneously swallow their portion.

“Teach me more things, unnie.”

“Whenever you want, baby girl. Next time I’ll show you how to eat pussy.”

[emathevampire]

🖊

Amanthos is comically bad at hiding the fact that he’s undead… and yet the current party he’s travelling with has yet to call him out on his BS. Like, okay, he’s good enough at passing for living, but only in passing. If you spend more than a couple days with him, you’re more than likely to notice that even for one of his race, he looks a bit off colour. But NO ONE will call him out on ANYTHING, except for the fact that his eating habits (particularly his habit of eating things that are not food and may in fact be literal poison) are setting a bad example for the child they’re trying to cure of an eating disorder. So… here’s how that discussion went (it’s p long so i cut it for space). Victor, Amanthos, and Eridañe are my characters. Gelwyn, Livia, and Shiro belong to my players.

Context: The party has just killed a True Demon and is discussing how best to go about training Eridañe, the hate-spawned demon child they rescued from the Abyss, to fight, since her combat capabilities are pretty unimpressive once you take away the artifact that grants her a variety of terrifically evil spells. Victor and Amanthos are not exactly friends, but they’ll agree that working together will probably be the best option. Victor most begrudgingly, as he is extremely protective of Eridañe and does not like the “small annoying nerd man who smells like a dead hooker.”Shiro: “How many dead hookers have you smelled?”Victor: “Ha ha. Very funny.”Amanthos: “Well? How many?”Eridañe: “What’s a hooker?”Amanthos: “‘Hooker’ is a crass term for a person who—“Livia shoots all of them a dirty look and covers Amanthos’ mouth.Livia: "It’s nothing you need to worry about right now. How about we start your training once we get out of the sewers? Those monsters won’t stand a chance.“Victor: “I won’t tell you when you’re older. Anyway… what else do you know that smells like death and too much perfume? Besides little knife-eared nerds who talk too much for their own good?”Livia, suddenly nervous: “um.. I think that’s just the smell of… his perfume. It’s just… a fancy elven thing. Right Amanthos?”Amanthos, lying his ass off: “I have an intolerance for positive energy, like approximately a third of my race do. Some of the other effects of the affliction unfortunately include that wet corpse smell in humid weather… which I try to mask for the benefit of those around me.”Victor, not buying a single word of it: “Riiiiiiiiight.”Livia: “It’s not his fault he um… has a medical condition?”Victor: “Oh he has a medical condition alright.”Victor: “It’s called being fucking dead.”Amanthos: “HEY! I do NOT fuck the dead!”Gelwyn: “I don’t think that’s what he meant…”Amanthos: “Necrophilia is HIGHLY ILLEGAL AND IMMORAL I would never!”Victor, snickering: “Oh boy, sensitive subject? I see listening comprehension in this party is piss poor.”Amanthos: “…”Eridañe: “We would never piss on the poor!”

Livia: “Would you two stop it! We have enough to worry about without you two fighting!”Victor: “If we were fighting, your little boyfriend would already be dead, kid.”Victor: “But as you can see, he’s still in one piece.”Gelwyn: "No, Eridañe, he didn’t mean that he was pissing ON the poor. In this context, piss is an adjective that is modifying the word ‘poor’. You are correct, though, that we would never piss on the poor. That would be terrible behavior.“Livia, blushing, clearly embarrassed: "I like this conversation more, can we just teach Eridañegrammar for a while?”Victor raises an eyebrow as the smirk on his face grows more pronounced.Eridañe: “I’m… confused.”Gelwyn: “It’s alright, kid, almost no one else in this room gets it either. Remind me when we get out of the sewer to make you another gold star. For the effort.”Eridañe: “Yay! I love gold stars!” She pulls a chewed up wad of gold stars out of her mouth. “More please!”Livia: "Have those been in your mouth this whole time?“Eridañe: “…if i say no, do i get another one?”Livia: “You might get another if you tell the truth.”Victor: “Hey! We talked about this! Only food goes in your mouth!”Gelwyn: “… Ok… Going to have Dimas make the stars from now on. Out of something that’s supposed to go in a mouth.”Livia: “Wait, what are those made of?”Victor sighs exasperatedly: “I don’t know, but it’s better than the broken glass I caught her chewing on yesterday. Or the rusty nails from the day before that. Or just the straight up fucking dirt. Or poison she fished out of a rat trap. I swear I don’t know how she finds these things”Eridañe grins mischievously.Livia looks horrified.Victor: “It’s not funny. Stop that. Don’t you care that you could get seriously hurt?”Livia: “He’s right, if you keep putting stuff like that in your mouth you’re going to get sick or hurt yourself.”Eridañe: “But Amanthos eats whatever he wants all the time! Why can’t I eat paper flowers too???”Amanthos, who has been quietly relieved that the prior conversation had been forgotten up til now, is now caught looking mortified as he tries to subtly exit the conversation. Caught and dragged by the scarf, by Victor, whose eyes are glowing menacingly. Liva steps in-between and tries to separate them, but Victor has already gotten hold of him.Amanthos: “…in my defence, I never knew she was watching?”Victor, growling as he pulls Amanthos’ face up close to his: “Why am I not surprised that the phrase ‘you are what you eat’ is true once again, in the case of the man who apparently eats literal garbage and poison for sport?”Livia, pulling Amanthos away from him: “Eridañe, just because you see someone else eat something they shouldn’t doesn’t mean you can. Why not eat something that tastes better than glass or dirt?”Eridañe: “Food is evil, or it tastes bad and hurts you… why don’t you eat things that aren’t evil?”Eridañe: “If it tastes bad and hurts you, it’s not evil!”Livia: “Food definitely isn’t evil, where did you hear that?”Eridañe: “…i just know it.”Livia: “Would you believe me if I said I could find you food that is 100% evil free?”Eridañe: “Yes. But only if it looks gross, smells bad, tastes bad, and feels bad. The opposite things are evil and make you a bad person if you eat them.”Livia looks very confused and looks up at the party.Victor: “Wait a minute is this why you won’t eat vegetables? Because you think they’ll taste good?”Amanthos: “Fascinating…” Victor glares at him.Gelwyn: “Ok, new plan. When we get out of here and get all the pressing matters taken care of, we’re gonna have us a celebratory dinner. Think we’ve earned it. And we can use this as an opportunity to demonstrate some proper eating habits. I’ll ask that you trust me on this, kid, but you’ll find eating properly is a surprisingly important part of Stabbing Evil Things.”Eridañe: “But I am eating properly! You’re the ones that are wrong…”Gelwyn: “Let’s think about it this way. Who’s better at stabbing things, me or you?”Eridañe, smugly: “Me. You slash things.”Amanthos: “She does have you there.”Victor: “NOT helping.”Gelwyn shoves his greatsword straight though the dead Vermin Lord’s body.Gelwyn: “Ok. Who’s better at stabbing. Me or you?”Eridañe proceeds to do the same, and then pulls her rapier out the other side with mage hand. Eridañe: “ME.”Amanthos: “Okay, hold up, can we not desecrate a corpse please?!”Gelwyn frowns, and redirects his next attack into the stone wall, burying the adamantine blade in to the hilt. Gelwyn: “Me, or you?”Victor: “Kids, please, you’re both very good at stabbing, but can we remember basic sword safety before things—“Eridañe uses true strike to shove the rapier all the way into the wall through a crack in the brick.Victor: “—get out of hand???”Amanthos: “Oh no, why would we ever stop anything before it got out of hand. Fights, insults, whatever this devolved into… no, let us absolutely keep going until someone gets hurt or says something they regret.”Gelwyn: “Quiet Large Children, we are in the middle of a lesson. You can bicker by yourselves. So how far into the stone did you get, Eridañe?”Eridañe proudly shows that she got it all the way to the hilt, she just used the dexterity method as opposed to brute forcing it.Gelwyn: “Yes. And your blade is shorter than mine.”Victor: “She’s also much smaller than you are.”Gelwyn: “And if she wants to sass me with semantics, I’m going to call her on technicalities.”Victor: “Large children? I’m not the one engaging in pissing contests.”Amanthos nods. Victor yells at him to stop agreeing with him.Gelwyn: “That is literally what you and Amanthos were just doing. I’m attempting to demonstrate the virtues of proper eating habits. Stop interrupting.”Victor begins to open his mouth to contradict him, but stops and just glowers quietly in his general direction instead.Eridañe: “It’s not fair though! Your sword is bigger than mine! You’re cheating!”Gelwyn: “Here, you can use my sword then.”Eridañe: “No, you use mine so it’s fair.”Gelwyn: “If I used your sword, it’s probably going to break. You can use my sword without worry, though. Much stronger metal.”Eridañe: “No I can’t. It’s the wrong shape.”Gelwyn: “Because you aren’t good enough at stabbing yet.”Victor: “She’s not proficient with anything else yet… she is actually being honest. She’s not a proper fighter, she never trained with anything else.”Gelwyn: “Yes. So I’m the better stabber. Which she needs to admit.”Victor: “Arguably, yes, however not in a way she can meaningfully correct without a long delay in her training. And also not in a way that eating healthy will necessarily fix. Eating properly will help her use her own sword better, not let her use whatever sword she wants.”Eridañe: “If you’re better with my sword than me, then I’ll believe you. But nobody is better at stabbing than me! Nobody!”Amanthos: “I would take this challenge but something gives me this funny feeling I am already in enough trouble…”Victor: “Yes you are. Now sit down and shut up.”Gelwyn: “Ok, I’m going to abandon my demonstration, ‘cause nobody seems to be getting the point… Which was that part of the reason I’m so good at stabbing is because I make sure to eat properly. As good as you are, Eridañe, if you made sure to eat properly, you’d find it even easier. Is that something EVERYONE HERE CAN AGREE ON?!”Amanthos, Livia, and Victor all look down sheepishly and nod in agreement, along with quiet murmurs of “Yes, eat actual food, please…”Amanthos: “I… did not know that the habits I found tedious and exhausting to maintain were having an adverse effect on the most vulnerable members of our team. I failed to realise that keeping up with this particular one was a necessity for more reasons than the obvious ones. You have my sincerest apologies, and I promise to do better about it in the future.”Gelwyn: “Thank you… Now I need to sharpen my blade when we get out. Eridañe, you should let me check your sword, too. Metal weapons don’t hold up long against stone, even Adamantine and Mithril. Weapon maintenance is pretty much the "Eat properly” of swords.“Victor: “Oh, so now you think about that! Why do you think I was trying to get you two to cut that shit out in the first place?!”Amanthos, grinning: “Well, it is no wonder they failed to comply. Cutting would have been contrary to the objective of the contest they were engaged in.”Victor: “…I hate you.”Amanthos: “I know.”

In character, Amanthos is relieved that he’s gone this long without having to explain anything to the paladin, and that they’ve all been gullible enough to go along with the excuses he makes. He’s secretly honestly thinking he’s getting away with it. Out of game, however, me the DM is just like “HELLO? MAKE HIM TALK, DAMMIT!”

They’ve had every opportunity to interrupt one of his 8-hour bubble baths and find this nonsense happening. They’ll have more than enough opportunity to ask why, when told to restrain enemies until they can be questioned, he tied them up with black silk rope and chains in a way that implies he only has ranks in Use Rope for kinky shenanigans. They have every reason to question his motives and his character. But they won’t. I’ve been reduced to having other NPCs ask the obvious questions because the gang is so incredibly resistant to my attempts to quietly stir up drama. I am literally dying over here begging my players to make him spill the tea, while Amanthos sits at the table sipping it smugly and feeling altogether far too pleased with himself.

[livingcorner]

The Best Knife Sets on Amazon, According to Hyperenthusiastic Reviewers

Whether you’re a beginner in the kitchen or a more seasoned chef, a set of knives can make cooking at home a whole lot easier. And if you really want to save time and effort, rather than building your knife collection one-by-one, you can buy a knife set. The trick, of course, is finding one that’s filled with actually nice, sharp knives. That’s why we’ve scoured Amazon to find the best knife sets that are highly praised by the most enthusiastic reviewers. And if you’re looking for something a bit more specific, we’ve covered the best kitchen knives, the best chef’s knives, even the best knives for kids, too.

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You're reading: The Best Knife Sets on Amazon, According to Hyperenthusiastic Reviewers

More than 20,000 reviewers give this knife set five stars and many were happy to find both an affordable and attractive option, but most importantly sharp. This isn’t a self-sharpening knife block, but more than 400 reviewers liked set’s external sharpener. One reviewer thinks it’s “the best part. Most people assume a knife will keep its sharpness throughout its lifetime, but unfortunately, that’s not true. When the time comes for them to dull down a bit, I can sharpen them right back up.” One reviewer who has a “modern looking kitchen” appreciates that this set, which he calls high quality, matches his decor with its “nice acrylic space saving rack.” He also adds that the “knives are already incredibly sharp” but the knife sharpener will come in handy as he plans to use these knives a lot. “Still on the fence? Just go for it, make the plunge,” says another reviewer. He’s owned these knives for three months and hasn’t had to sharpen them yet.

Over 8,000 five-star reviewers were impressed with the quality (and price) of this 22-piece kitchen-knife set from Farberware — and dozens appreciate the additional cooking tools. “We purchased this item for our home just after we moved in as a starter set. We absolutely love it,” writes one such reviewer. “The knives stay sharp, the scissors are great for so many household things, and the measuring cups are perfect for all your cooking needs.” Plus, all the pieces are dishwasher-safe, so they say there’s “no rusting,” and it’s “all well-crafted.” Another reviewer replaced their old kitchen knives with these and says the set “looks great on my counter and the knives have sliced through everything I’ve used them on so far effortlessly.”

If you’re new to the kitchen, this is an ideal starter kit. At least one reviewer describes it as a “beginners set … For an adult who doesn’t do that much cooking and just needs something that will cut different things — watermelon, chicken, a steak with dinner — this is great.” The set of 14 blades is comprehensive enough without being too overwhelming, which another reviewer appreciates. “I live alone, so it has all of the essentials without taking up too much of my counter space,” they say. And though reviewers comment on the relatively inexpensive price of this set, they also say that they are quality. “The knife is sturdy and has a good weight when you hold it,” one says. “The blades are super sharp and cut cleanly and easily.” Maybe best of all is that unlike many of the sets on this list, reviewers say they have had no issue washing these in the dishwasher.

“If you’re a professional chef, these likely aren’t the knives you’re bringing to work. If, however, like me you’re prepping and cooking two to three meals a day for your family, these are an excellent option,” writes one reviewer. And part of what makes these knives ideal for a home cook is their weight. “If like me, you’re looking for a quality, domestic knife that is lighter, and will help you effortlessly glide you through meal prep several times a day, these are a great choice,” one user writes, and another says it’s a “good weight especially for arthritic hands.” They are very sharp knives, and many others shared their cautionary tales of accidentally nicking themselves. But that’s not a bad thing: “Every cut is like a hot butter knife through butter, and will be for a long time if you take care of them.”

The durability of this “supersharp and heavy” set shocked and impressed reviewers. According to one, “I found myself buying knife block sets regularly because nothing under $200 lasts these days, until I purchased these. They are nice and weighed. Great quality and long lasting if taken care of property (hand wash and dry, don’t put in dishwasher or you could rust them). I am very pleased with these,” he says. Another reviewer — a professional chef for almost 20 years — previously thought that “you don’t get quality in an inexpensive knife set. This AmazonBasics Premium set really impressed me … This here is a quality product at a good price. Treat them with respect and they will last for YEARS.”

Read more: What do you write on a kitchen tea card?

Reviewers were impressed by this relatively inexpensive set’s ability to hold up to to pricier sets. One professional chef says, “I use high quality (read: expensive) knives at work all day. My budget-conscious fiance surprised me with these for the home. Needless to say, I was skeptical … So I put them to the test against my Miyabis. Incredible. I was truly shocked at how well these worked!” Dozens of reviewers also praised the sharpness of the blades, with one saying that even after six months, “They’re still the sharpest knives I’ve ever had and I haven’t even had to sharpen them since I opened them.” Others praise the knives’ weight, which “helps each slice come through nice and clean (and didn’t squish the tomatoes down!).” People also like the included kitchen shears, which are both “very well made” and “fantastic.”

Nearly 9,000 five-star reviewers love the sturdiness of these stainless-steel-handled knives, which they say are easy to clean and incredibly durable. (The set also comes with two kitchen shears and a built-in knife sharpener.) One reviewer, who’s purchased many different sets of knives over the years, calls this “the best” one yet. “I really like that the whole knife is one complete piece. Knives I’ve had in the past are made with the handle being a separate piece and those would either get [water-damaged] or the handle would eventually crack or break off,” they explain, adding, “I would buy these again in a second!” Another reviewer also found their performance to be comparable to a nearly-$1,000 set. “My last roommate had a $900 set of knives … I thought these might be okay, but not even close to the expensive set I was used to using,” they explain. “Not so! These are very sharp stainless-steel knives,” with “no wooden handles to worry about breaking.”

More affordable than the 15-piece set above, this stainless-steel set also gets praise from reviewers for its sleek design, sharp knives, and included scissors and sharpener. “The set is amazing,” begins one reviewer, who says the knives are “SO sharp … and very lightweight, but the handle is sturdy enough to give you control while cutting everything from onions to steak.” Another says they’ve “had this set for several months now. One thing I love is it doesn’t take up a lot of room on my kitchen counter. The black color is nice, it doesn’t look cheap, and the knives and scissor are sharp.” A third reviewer says that the knives “cut with such precision,” but the set still looks “nice and stylish” in their kitchen.

Reviewers say this knife set’s wooden handles and block make it an exceptionally attractive addition to any countertop. “I’m really impressed with these knives. The wood is very attractive, and with a mineral-oil treatment it looks even better,” one such reviewer writes. “The blades are very sharp and slice through both vegetables and meats with ease. I hand-wash them and have had no problems with rusting at all.” Reviewers also appreciate the included carving fork and external knife sharpener — though several warn that you may not even need to use the latter. “Um, so everyone in the house now has a new scar from the first time using these knives and not expecting how they cut literally everything like butter,” one reviewer says, adding that they “peeled a damn watermelon with these like it was a kiwi.”

This more affordable set is considerably smaller than the brand’s 16-piece set above, but reviewers find it just as stylish and sharp. One reviewer, who says that they’re “pretty particular about chef knives” and “weren’t expecting much,” reports that they’ve since used all the knives in the set, and “enjoy the feel and balance. I would buy these again.” Another home chef purchased theirs as an upgrade “from the random assortment of cheap knives I bought in college,” and is glad they did. “The wood handles and solid feel overall make it easier on the wrists to cut food,” they say, adding that the knives are so good that they’re planning on returning a more-expensive set from Cuisinart that they received as a gift. And a third reviewer describes the knives as “surgically sharp and very comfortable to use,” adding that they “cut VERY well.”

“I am a total knife snob and these knives are THE BEST,” writes one reviewer, who says these knives “genuinely bring me joy on a daily basis.” He lost a $300 set during a move and “didn’t want to cough up” that much money again. After buying these a little reluctantly, he writes,”I can honestly say that at half the price these knives are just as good as the alternatives. The steel is high-quality, they hold their sharpness, they’re well balanced and comfortable to hold, plus I love the modern glass knife block.” There are benefits to that glass block, other than aesthetics. Another customer explains: “It makes more sense than any other knife storage I’ve seen. First, the blades aren’t resting on anything. Unlike traditional wooden blocks, it’s terrifically easy to clean. Just take the top rack off, unscrew the tops of the pillars and it comes apart.” He likes the knives themselves, too, calling them “the best knives” he’s ever owned. “The knives worked like magic. They are very sharp, but if you handle them with care, they do the work for you,” says. One thing to remember, “don’t put wet knives in” the stand warms another reviewer. “They’ll cloud the inside of the glass.”

This set, as one reviewer writes, is made up of “extremely sharp and professional grade knives.” Another discerning reviewer says, “I was looking for forged Zwilling blades, made in Germany. These feature ice-hardened, stamped blades. When blades are hardened in this manner they’re more durable and long-lasting than regular stamped blades. You’ll immediately notice that the blades stay sharper for longer and will hold their edge.” Another reviewer praised that “you can just feel how well they are put together.” Yet another satisfied customer raved that “the knives are lightweight, well balanced and the handles are ergonomically well designed for a very comfortable grip, helping to lessen fatigue if doing a lot of prep work. I was surprised by how light [but also] sturdy [they are] thanks to German steel and Henckels tempering process.”

Japanese-made Global knives are a longtime favorite among chefs, knife sellers, and even Strategist editors for their supersharp blades and lightweight, ergonomic handles. That may be why more than 200 Amazon reviewers give this three-piece knife set — which includes a 3.5-inch paring knife, a five-inch chef’s prep knife, and an eight-inch chef’s knife — five out of five stars. But you don’t have to be a well-seasoned chef to add them to your knife block. “I just now started cooking — more specifically for a Whole30 [diet] — which is a whole lot of fruit and vegetables,” one reviewer who swapped out their old kitchen knives for these ones writes. “This set is PERFECT!” They use all three “every single day,” and are “so thrilled with them. Things that were once hard to ‘saw’ through such as lemons and sweet potatoes are now like cutting butter.” Another reviewer likes them so much they even gifted a set to their co-worker. “I absolutely love my Global knives. They look and feel great in your hand. Slicing, dicing, cutting, and chopping are a breeze.”

This beginner-friendly set is “a perfect knife for anyone who wants to start cooking for themselves, but isn’t a pro and not ready to invest in one of those reality kitchen knives that cost $100 or more,” writes one reviewer. Many others agree. Like this one, who says, “If all your cooking for is one or two people, then you don’t need something that can slice through a tin can in two seconds anyway. That’s too much knife for too little a job. So, for the price, the Zyliss is probably the best value you can get for something that approaches a serious chef’s knife.” These knives are easy to use, too, reviewers say. “The light weight is nice and the shape of the handle keeps my hands from cramping when I’m chopping a large batch of sturdy veggies,” says one. “The chef knife style blade is deep enough that I don’t have to worry about smooshing my knuckles into the cutting board, either.”

If you prefer a knife set with sheath covers that are still made of stainless steel, reviewers praised this one highly. “These blades are great, the sheaths are sturdy and look great,” says one shopper. “The knives fill and kitchen related task you may have. The orange knife is personally my favorite, cuts through all kinds of things with no effort needed: bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, my thumb, this thing cuts through anything.” Reviewers also said the knives were could withstand dishwasher cycles. “I bought these a while back and they are still holding up great, even with daily use and running them through the dishwasher. Love them,” says one shopper. And one reviewer, who isn’t sure the knives are actually stainless-steel, writes, “I do know that I kept one of these knives in water in my sink for two days, yes, I am ashamed, LOL, and nothing rusted.”

Read more: How to Organize Your Kitchen Cabinets and Pantry

Reviewers have sliced through fruit, bread, “Havarti cheese with no problem,” even a case of water bottles (though that reviewer “cut not only through the plastic casing, but also one of the water bottles themselves without even realizing it.”) To put it simply, this set of six knives is sharp. Similar to the AmazonBasics set, these are also stainless steel with a colorful coating — but they are slightly less non-stick. Nonetheless, many reviewers say it does “a great job of not sticking to food while slicing.” Lots of reviewers like the matching sheaths, too, which both protects users’ fingers and the blades themselves. But these Farberware knives can still take a bit of a beating: One reviewer has “spent a fortune over the years on beautiful, sharp knives” keeps coming back to these, because, “They are sharp and I abuse them, throw them in the dishwasher, and hack away.”

“Sharpest knife I’ve ever had in my house,” says one reviewer. “Cuts great and the ceramic coating makes sure nothing sticks to them, which makes them easy to clean.” Many other reviewers like the ceramic coating on these stainless-steel blades. “This was my first set of ceramic coated knives,” says one. “I will never go back to regular steel. These are great.” Others love the colors. “These knives have gorgeous colors, and they WORK,” one says, admitting their old roommate influenced them to get this set. “I was thrilled to see this set because I actually like these colors more personally. The sheaths are a wonderful addition to keep them sharp but I particularly like them because our knife drawer is just that much safer to reach into in a hurry.” Another reviewer says, “The color is so nice. It doesn’t peel and it’s so great to be able to identify my utensils among all my roommate’s stuff!”

Parents with little helpers in the kitchen love these kid-safe knives. They are plastic, so they are little finger-proof but strong enough to actually be effective. “They cut surprisingly well, through fruits like apples and pears, through shea butter, cocoa butter, bread, and other things,” one parent says. Another writes, “Don’t expect a fine chop or slice, of course, but kids can definitely help rough chop veggies and protein.” And while one parent said there is a bit of learning curve for kids, they eventually get the hang of it. “Took the kids two or three times of me really getting in there to teach them how to use and hold the knives and food, but they’re cutting their own strawberries pretty proficiently now after a couple weeks of practice,” they say. Kids as young as two can even do it according to one reviewer: “My 2-year-old cut her bananas and her strawberries without any issues. My 4-year-old cuts up fruit and sandwiches.” And while the consensus is these knives are kid-safe, many parents still suggest some supervision when using them.

Shoppers looking for something more portable than a knife block said this roll set was a “game changer.” One shopper praised the bag for its “heavy canvas” material, and another says they were “impressed by how much it holds.” A third reviewer, who brings this on his bike commute to his job at a restaurant, writes, “I’ve been in the food industry for more than ten years. This knife roll is awesome and for a very affordable price. You can fit all this and a bit more if you organize it … for this price and quality it can’t be beaten.” But even just parents who like to cook will appreciate this space-saving option: One reviewer reports that after giving this roll set to his dad, “ He cried with a smile I haven’t seen on his face in a very long time when he opened the roll and began looking at and handling each knife. Highly recommend.”

The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best women’s jeans, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, ultra-flattering pants, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.

Every editorial product is independently selected. If you buy something through our links, New York may earn an affiliate commission. The Best Knife Sets on Amazon, According to Reviewers

Source: https://livingcorner.com.au Category: Kitchen

source https://livingcorner.com.au/the-best-knife-sets-on-amazon-according-to-hyperenthusiastic-reviewers/

[yierknives]

How can we overcome the challenge of making cheese boards？

We love making cheese boards because they’re an easy, no-cook meal that still feels special. All you need is the board, a few delicious cheeses and accompaniments, and a set of cheese knives — like our new black resin writeable cheese knives, for instance.

When it comes to making cheese boards, the possibilities are truly endless. Whether I’m pulling together a late night snack, an easy lunch, or appetizers for 20 people, cheese boards are my choice for every occasion.

But there’s still some preparation involved, especially if you’re building a larger-scale board for a crowd — and one of the best ways to lighten your workload when entertaining is to do as much of that prep as possible in advance. In the case of cheese boards, that prep consists of two steps (we told you this was easy!): gathering your goods — whether hitting a local store or our online cheese shop or raiding your fridge and pantry — and cutting or portioning wedges.

Sounds simple, right? But not all cheeses are equal when it comes to pre-cutting. Here are our tips for simplifying your board building — and which cheeses you can pre-cut, which you should cut right before serving, and which ones you should leave whole.

Cheese boards can be as fancy as you’d like, but most of the time, my boards are pretty simple. 2–3 meats, 2–3 cheeses, a pile of crackers, and a few handfuls of snack foods that I pull from whatever is stashed in the pantry.

You can pull something together in about 5 minutes or spend half an hour assembling something fancy. I lean towards the quick and simple in pretty much every aspect of life, so I’ll give you one guess how I make a cheese board most of the time.

Cheeseboard Ideas

The secret to a great board? Just pile it on there. In all seriousness, you might not think you have what it takes to pull together a great board, but I bet you do.

If you’re a fan of fancy meats and cheeses, go for it with all your favorites. Sometimes our boards cross the line to fancy, but most of the time, my kids ask for a cheese board lunch (a.k.a. snack lunch) and I just use whatever is on hand.

Our everyday cheese boards usually wind up with a couple different deli meats folded into piles, some sliced cheddar, a wedge of brie (if it happens to be in the refrigerator), peanut butter pretzels, assorted bits of leftover crackers, and whatever fresh vegetables or fruits and nuts are in the house.

Sweet and Spicy Almonds, Candied Walnuts, and Cinnamon Roasted Pecans are terrific additions if you happen to have some stashed in the pantry or have a few extra minutes to make them.

Pick your theme

One of the beautiful things about cheese boards is how the possibilities are endless: you can build a fantastic board around any season, holiday, or occasion, with fancy ingredients or basic pantry staples. But they’re also great for those everyday mealtimes when you want something nourishing, quick, and delicious.

Source your snackables

Start with the cheese, of course! While you can include as many varieties as will fit on your mini-sized serving surface, we like to focus on one or two types of cheese max. Maybe a half-round of soft, supple Sharon Creek Brie from My Artisano, for instance, or a few slices of nutty Pleasant Ridge Reserve. We also love these adorable Tiny Bloomy Buttons from Lakin’s Gorges. They’re the perfect size for a mini cheese board!

Next, grab your accoutrements — whatever catches your fancy. Think fresh or dried fruit, veggies (crisp, fresh slices or briny pickles), slices of dry-cured sausage or maybe a few rosettes of prosciutto, a handful of nuts, and some of your favorite crackers, crisps, or bread. Add chocolate, caramel, or your favorite candy to satisfy your sweet tooth and maybe even some pretty greenery or little flowers for presentation.

Any of our winning options are quality knives that will serve you well, but selecting the perfect one is about your preferences and ideal price point.Want more recommendations for the best kitchen knives and cutlery to complete your cheese knife board set? Check out our guides to the yier cheese knife set.

Why choose YIERCITY?

We do professional knife set retail and wholesale business. We hope to be your stable global supporter and partner. We are an enterprise integrating factory and trade, specializing in the design, manufacture and sales of high-quality knife sets. We always make every effort to ensure the quality of each set of knives.

[mythandwords]

31 Days of Spiritual Journaling part two (1 of 2)

6. Make a beginners or field guide for an important element of your practice (stones, weather, herbs, gardening, tarot, camping…)

So, I actually did write a very lengthy blog post about one element of my witchy practice. I am going to copy most of it here because I think it’s pretty useful stuff for the average witch.

Banishment spells are terrific for getting rid of unwanted things, people, or general negativity in your life.

These spells can be done at any time, but if possible, you can do them at the waning or dark moon for added efficacy.

When performing banishing, you must be calm and centered. It does not good to carry your own negative energies into banishment. So, make sure you’re well grounded, calm, centered, and in a good place before performing banishments.

Once you’ve completed a banishing, you will have an empty energetic space left over. Refill the newly created space with positive energy. You can use uplifting music, or visualization, dance or yoga, even a positive sexual act will help refill the space where the negativity was with new, positive energy! This step is often overlooked but it’s best if you can refill the space with positive energy than allow it to remain open for new, negative energy to come in.

Resources:

Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram (disclaimer – I’ve never done this one. It dates back to Alesiter Crowley and the Golden Dawn and isn’t really my style, but I’ve included it because it is a very well-known one. And if it’s your cup of tea, I say give it a try and let me know your results)

http://www.sacred-texts.com/bos/bos026.htm

Fire Banishing:

This simple banishment is perfect if you’re short on time.

Materials needed:

slip of paper

pen

fireproof surface or bowl

lighter or matches

To Work the Spell:

Write down what you’re banishing on the paper – the name of a person, or spirit or the negative energy you wish to remove (negative self-talk, bad habits, etc.).

Focus on what’s written down, visualize it in your mind as clearly as you can.

Light the paper on fire and drop it in the bowl or on the fireproof surface. As the paper burns, visualize the negativity leaving your life. Then, focus your attention on what your life will look like after the banishing takes effect.

Once the fire is out, dispose of the ashes away from your home. Scatter them into the wind or on the ground or dump them in the trash outside your home.

Use common sense and don’t do this spell on flammable surfaces, in the wind, or anywhere you can’t control the fire or your surroundings.

Candle Banishing:

Another simple banishment, this one takes more time than the fire banishing above.

Materials needed:

black candle

candle holder

lighter or matches

black pepper

salt

a knife for carving

oil (your choice here, you can use essential oils or olive oil or whatever you have at hand)

Sprinkle the salt in a circle around you and your work space. Visualize the salt protecting you during the ritual.

Visualize the target of the banishing spell. Carve your intention into the candle. Again, this can be used for banishing negative energy, a person, or a spirit.

When you’ve finished, anoint the candle with the oil and sprinkle the pepper over it. Put the candle in the holder and light it, speak your intention aloud. You may say your intention once or you may chant while the candle burns.

Allow the candle to burn itself out. Never leave a burning candle unattended. This step may take several hours, depending on the size of the candle you chose to use.

You may carve a line into the candle at the half or third way point up the candle and confine your spell work only to that portion of the candle if need be. If choosing this option, only use this candle for banishing in the future.

Poppet Banishment:

Sympathetic magic can be incredibly useful. It’s versatile and can be used for almost any purpose you can imagine. The use of a poppet has a long history in many different religious practices.

You will need to make a poppet for this banishing spell. A poppet represents a person, so it should resemble one as best you can. Feel free to be as elaborate as you wish here.

You can make your poppet from fabric, clay, wood or just about any other material. I will give you one way to make a poppet from fabric here.

Materials needed:

piece of fabric ( for banishing black is good, or something with a print like swords or fire)

thread

needle

filling (cotton balls, poly fill, old pantyhose, socks, etc.)

oils, leaves, stones, herbs, etc. to put in the poppet (you can also use something personal of the person you are wishing to banish such as hair or a photo)

Cut out a body shape from two pieces of your fabric – ideally your poppet will have a head, two arms, and two legs, and a torso. You can make your outline before cutting. It only needs to be big enough to stuff later.

Place your two pieces of fabric with the right sides together. Place the pattern (if you made one) on top and cut it out. Leave a little room around the edges for seams when you sew the poppet together. You can use a sewing machine to stitch the poppet but hand-sewing will give you the time to really focus your efforts on the magic. As you sew, visualize the person you are creating. Tell the poppet who it represents, saying something as simple as, “I made you and you are John Doe,” will work. Leave a small, unsewn space for filling the poppet – enough space to stick a couple fingers into the poppet is all you need. Turn the poppet right-side out.

Now you are going to fill the poppet with the filling you chose. You may also add the additional spell components, if you choose to use them – oils or stones or whatever you gathered. The more you can individualize the poppet, the better. Make sure you get the filling into all the crevices of the poppet. Again, as you are stuffing the poppet, tell it who it is.

Once stuffed, sew the hole up. Now are you are ready to decorate and customize the outside of the poppet. You can dress your poppet like the intended, draw any tattoos or distinguishing features onto the poppet if you wish. Add hair from string or yarn or whatever you have at hand. Tell the poppet who it represents as you do this step as well. You can tell the poppet how much you dislike it, and how much better your life would be without the person.

Now that you have your poppet, you can perform a banishing spell on it.

A simple spell is to light a fire beneath the poppet with a candle. The intent is not to burn the poppet up but to single the bottom of the poppet. Tell the poppet that the person it represents is hurrying out of your life. Once done, take the poppet somewhere away from your home and bury it.

7. Engage with the theme of love. What does that mean to you?

Wow love. Romantic love. Familial love. Friendship. Love comes in all shapes and sizes and there is no wrong or right way to feel, find, and enjoy love. Yes, before you give me grief, I know there are toxic people. I know love can be used as abuse. I know all the negative there is in the world. But, this is my forum, my answers to prompts, and my positivity (that hopefully inspires you or makes you feel better). And my desire is to spread good into the world so I’ll be focusing on that. If you want a forum for the other side, I’m happy to oblige that too. Just reach out and we’ll get negative together.

For now, let me take you on a journey about the meaning of love as it relates to my spirituality.

If you look up the definition of love you will find that it talks a lot about attraction, attachment, devotion, and affection. You might even find a reference to loyal and benevolent love as of God’s fatherly concern for humanity.

And those are all good and right ways to define love. Except. Except for that one about loyal and benevolent fatherly concern for humanity. Is it though? Do we assume our gods to be like humans and treat us with fatherly concern? Sure. That’s one way to put a focus on it. And I’ve got no doubt that the gods do love humanity. Because without humanity, what are the gods? Our belief gives them structure in which to work with us. Without our belief they are thunder and lightning, sun and moon, the mundane and the everyday. It is only with the addition of our own belief, our own spirituality, that the gods take shape at all. That does not mean to say they do not exist without our belief, only that they cease to be ‘gods,’ to us and become ‘life.’

It is our love that gods need. Just as it is the acceptance and guidance of the gods that humans need. Love. In both directions. Symbiosis in the most literal, powerful way. We need one another to be spiritually complete. And that’s an amazing way to be. Existence with the divine because the divine need us too. Neat.

8. Take notes on a book, article, video, or guide about something you’d like to do soon.

Gods, this is an easy one. I’ve a bucket list as long as my arm of things I want to do before I die. One of the ones that has popped back to the top of the list lately is to take my family to Iceland. I am a traveler who has been staying put a bit too much of late…just waiting for my kid to be old enough to enjoy some of the places in the world that I adore. And this year, Iceland is top of the list.

I don’t even have to take up a lot of your reading time here on this one. I will just point you to the website I use for my “notes” on the trip: https://www.icelandtours.is/en/

Iceland is amazing. I realize not everyone has the funds to travel, or to travel extensively. But. If you ever find yourself in the position where you can scrape together the money to go…Iceland is just beautiful and the Iceland Tours website has a lot of great options out there for you to do.

9. Did you have experience being pagan/witchy in school? Advice for kids who grow up in a pagan/witchy home?

I was weird in school. I’m sure that comes as a shock to…probably no one who reads my blog, really. I’m still weird in life. Ha. I wasn’t pagan. I was kind of witchy but it was low-key witchy and remained separate from almost everyone at school, save the one or two other kids who were also low-key witchy. So, I was kind of in the broom closet about my witchy side back then. Advice for being kids growing up in a pagan/witchy household…I can give some of that. I’ve got a kid so I feel entitled to speak on it. Hubs is mainstream Christian. I’m (looks at self) whatever this is…hey, I just call it like I see it…anyway. My son rides a line where his father’s religion is out there and socially acceptable…and mom is…weird. I make no secret of what I do, but I also don’t really push my agenda on my kid, if you can get behind that. He is allowed to, and encouraged to, ask questions of both of us about what we believe…and shockingly, he's allowed to formulate his own thoughts on what spirituality and religion mean to him. He is a member of a mainstream church…which we don’t attend. Hubs is lassie-faire about religion and disagrees with some of the teachings of his own religion, so he’s OK with his son asking/questioning/learning about this stuff in a holistic, natural way. My advice to kids in similar situations is to do what my son does…ask, learn, grow at your own pace and in your own way. It’s up to your parents to raise you to be a moral, upstanding member of society who can pull your own weight one day. But that doesn’t mean your parents get to decide what your spirituality will look like for you. They can point you in a direction and hope for the best (whatever that looks like) and they ought to answer questions to help you learn as best they can. I hope you all get the opportunity to do that. Ask. Learn. Grow. That’s my advice for what it’s worth.

10. What are your core values? Challenge yourself to list them and explain your choices. (Need help? Get started by looking at formalized lists like the 9 noble virtues, et.)

Gotta go with the Hávamál for this one to start….then I will digress because not all of the Hávamál isterribly nice to women…but it’s a jumping off point toward a greater understanding of values and morals and ‘right.’

Working my way through the stanzas:

Look before you leap. The Hávamál recommends you look around before you advance through the doorway because you can’t know for sure what enemies are there without checking. So, look before you leap.

2 through 4. Be a good host. Offer hospitality. Food. Clothing. This is an easy one. And, for me, extends beyond the borders of my own home. Making offerings of hospitality should be done whenever and wherever I may find myself. My hospitality might just be standing in solidarity with someone else, or it might be traditional food or drink or a place to rest your weary bones.

5 and 6. Think before you speak. Don’t be so sure of yourself that you end up looking stupid through your assumed knowledge. Really. Good life advice.

[suncakemom]

Pulled Pork Recipe Oven

A truly American dish nurtured by centuries of care and love. Born over the smoke of the barbecue but we can have it from our oven too!

As I currently have a little time, I was searching on the internet the other day. Looking for fresh, interesting thoughts, inspiring recipes that I have never tasted before, to surprise my loved ones with. Searching for a while unfortunately could not come across lots of interesting stuff. Just before I wanted to give up on it, I stumbled on this yummy and simple dessert by accident at Suncakemom. It seemed so delicious on its photo, it required prompt actions.

It had been easy to imagine how it is created, its taste and just how much boyfriend is going to love it. Mind you, it is extremely easy to please the man when it comes to cakes. Yes, I am a lucky one. Or perhaps he is.Anyways, I got into the blog and used the precise instuctions that had been coupled with great pics of the operation. It really makes life much easier. I can suppose it’s a bit of a hassle to shoot photographs in the middle of baking in the kitchen because you ordinarily have gross hands and so i sincerely appreciate the time and effort she devote to build this blogpost .

That being said I am encouraged to present my own, personal dishes in a similar way. Many thanks the concept.

I had been tweaking the original mixture create it for the taste of my loved ones. I’ve got to say it turned out a terrific success. They loved the taste, the overall look and enjoyed getting a delicacy like this during a stressful week. They basically demanded more, many more. So the next occasion I’m not going to commit the same mistake. I am likely to twin the volume to make them delighted.

This Pulled Pork is from SunCakeMom.

Place the meat into a big enough bowl then add the salt, herbs of choice and garlic.

Fill it up with water then let it sit for a day in the fridge.

Take the brined meat out onto a high walled baking tray.

Coat it with mustard, paprika and any other optional spices.

Cover it with a lid or tin foil.

Place it into the oven and roast it for 3 to 4 hours at 300°F / 150°C.

Checking on the meat during this time is not essential but we can check it every now and then. When the meat doesn’t offer much resistance and the knife or fork just slides in easily, it’s done.

Take the cover off, put the sheet onto a higher rack and roast the outer layer to the desired color. Some like it golden brown others go for darker shades. Use the highest temperature in the oven and only the top heating if available. In 15 minutes it should show some results.

Take the pork out, then use forks to pull them apart.

[avalonfaery]

Let’s Hang Out Sometime

Prompt: Let’s Hang Out Sometime – Waking Up Restrained & Shackled

Summary: Kynthia wakes up in a cell being imprisoned by a familiar stranger.

Words: 1452

Warnings: A very messy family, suggestions of child abuse, kidnapping, nightmare (if I forgot to mention anything, let me know please)

"No please." She begged. "Not this. Anything but this. I won't let you do this."

"It's not your decision to make." A strange voice answered as a figure stood over her, holding something above his head. "Goodbye, Kynthia."

The figure brought what she thought was a knife down to cut her, and she screamed.

Kynthia woke herself screaming, unsure what that vague nightmare was. It terrified her, that much she was sure, but still, she had no idea what was supposed to have just happened. Catching her breath, she tried to look around, but she was greeted only by darkness. Everything felt familiar, so she figured she must be in her room at the Palace, though she had no memory of falling asleep there.

She had no memory of falling asleep at all.

Kynthia tried to move her hands to rub her eyes and maybe try to find some way to cast some light in this growing darkness, only she found that she couldn't move her hands. All she felt was the cold touch of metal against her skin as it pressed into her wrists, preventing her from moving. She heard a familiar clanging noise whenever she tried to move her arms, clanging that reminded her of...chains.

Oh no. Kynthia thought to herself, suddenly aware of what kind of situation she was in. I can't be here, I can't be back here.

Kynthia felt her arms aching and felt that they were being held above her head. Moving her fingers, she could feel the stone wall she had been resting on and the icy chains holding her wrists in place, preventing her from moving. The iciness of the chains sent a shiver down her spine and seemed to be trying to tire her, like it was draining her energy.

That will not end well. Kynthia thought to herself, knowing what could happen if too much of her energy was to be drained. There wouldn't be enough to stop the bad things inside to escape, and they could never be allowed to escape.

"Whoever you are, you are making a big mistake!" Kynthia yelled into the darkness.

She didn't necessarily expect anyone to reply, or for anyone to really be listening to her, but she just wanted to ease her conscious with the thought that yes, she did actually warn them and they still went ahead with their plan of kidnapping her and attempting to drain her powers.

"I have no intention of keeping you here long enough to have your magic drained." A strange voice replied in the darkness. "I just need you temporarily out of my way."

Kynthia looked around, trying to detect the origin of the voice, but alas, no luck in that regard. She still couldn't see anything, and all she still felt was the metal that was slowly draining her of her energy. She felt her eyes growing heavy again but she fought with all her might to stay awake. She couldn't let herself fall asleep, not while she had answers she needed to obtain.

Also, she did not really fancy another nightmare.

"You know, if you needed me out of your way, why are you here, with me, instead of, oh I don't know, achieving something I would have supposedly ruined for you?" Kynthia asked, trying to make sense of who this person was and why they possibly thought it would be a worthwhile idea to kidnap her. "Also, how could I have possibly been a concern for your plans?"

"Why would I possibly answer your questions?" The person replied with disdain and it began to sound somewhat familiar to her.

"So there is really no reason you kidnapped me, oh great, just terrific." Kynthia muttered, trying to work out how she knew this person. Maybe that held a clue as to why she was chained up?

"Watch your tongue." The person growled, and the familiarity of his voice became more apparent, but still, she couldn't quite work out who this person was, or how she knew them. "I don't want to scar that pretty face of yours, but I will if you make this hard for yourself."

"So noble." Kynthia muttered sarcastically. "Did your father never teach you any manners?"

She heard a laugh. A cold, humorous, laugh. As though what she said was one of the funniest things this person had ever heard.

"You, you have no idea who I am." The person realised. "Why, I would almost say I am hurt." They continued as footsteps started to approach her. "If I truly cared, at least."

She felt a rough hand grip her chin and force her to look in his direction. Or at least, she figured it was, she still couldn't actually see anything. She had no idea how the person holding her in this cell could. Their thumb stroked the faded scar along her cheek, and she felt it sting for the first time in years. How? How is this possible?

"Did you miss me, my dear sister?"

The dim light of a candle suddenly illuminated the room, allowing Kynthia to be able to make out more details about the cell, and her captor. He was smirking at her, the scar on his cheek (once identical to hers) seemed to have changed in some way. His hair had grown longer and wilder - though not in that cool way her friends seemingly loved. His eyes were the scariest change, seemingly raging like wildfire. She saw that he still wore the amulet around his neck, though her father told her long ago that it was no longer working when he had been unable to reach its owner.

"I can't say that I have, my dear brother." Kynthia said, recognising Exekias, the brother she thought she'd lost forever. "Afterall, it was me who pushed you into that portal."

"Oh, I promise, I'll make you pay for that mistake." Exekias replied. "But first, I'm going to make the man responsible suffer, I just need you out of my way."

"Because you know I am the only person who could ever beat you."

"I don't deny that." Her brother replied before turning his back to her. "We have always been each others equal and we most likely always will be."

"I doubt it. My equal would not be dumb enough to leave me in these chains." Kynthia growled. "My equal would not lock me up in this cell. My equal would never turn his back towards his family, towards me."

That last comment seemed to almost strike a nerve with him, angering him somehow. How? She didn't know. She was speaking the truth after all, and even her twisted brother should be able to see that. No matter what had brought him to this state, he should be able to see that it was true.

"Don't talk to me about them!" He yelled and turned back to face her. "Don't praise our so called family in front of me! They were the ones who separated us! The ones who used their own problems to justify the terrible life they gave us! I have had enough of it." He seemed to calm himself down and lower himself to be eye-to-eye with his sister. "To be honest, you are the only one I really care about in our entire shitty family, and while you might not get it now, I am keeping you here so that you don't hurt yourself trying to stop me from doing what's best for both of us."

"So what? You're just going to murder everyone except me, so that I can suffer for the rest of my life for doing the right thing and trapping you?" Kynthia asked. "You're just going to get everyone together like 'Hey, let's hang out sometime' to trick them into dropping their guard so you can kill them?"

"Well, it won't be as stupid as you described it, but essentially yes." Exekias replied.

"This isn't you, Exekias." Kynthia muttered, shaking her head. "This isn't right."

He snarled in anger. It was clearly not the response he had wanted out of her, she guessed that he had wanted her to beg for her life (which even he should know is something she would never do) or try to interrogate him further on why and how he was doing this (to be honest, she didn't really care, she just knew that he would when he returned to his senses). She maintained eye contact with him, which was like staring into her own eyes (in a way, she guessed she was), daring him to do his worst. Both knowing that this was the kind of fight neither could win, he saw no other option aside from punching her in the face, knocking her out.

[hectormirroredreflection]

A Look Into The Future: What Will The Art Deco Glass Furniture Industry Look Like In 10 Years?

15 Style Features Of A Dream Cooking area

All developers and also homeowners have their suggestions concerning what makes a fantastic kitchen, however throughout my years in the layout world, I've pertained to rely upon several best approaches for creating an effective, useful, lovely space. The addition of any kind of one of these products would significantly boost the appeal of an area. Integrate them all, as well as you would certainly have one stunning desire kitchen area.

1. Ample lighting. Incorporating different sorts of lighting in any area is fundamental, however it's particularly valuable in the kitchen area. An abundance of natural light is superb, however cooking areas additionally require practical resources of artificial light: ambient lights to develop an overall radiance, task lighting to illuminate workspaces and also accent illumination to highlight attributes in the room.

Brightening on a budget: Not prepared for a lights overhaul? Start by replacing your old light bulbs with LEDs-- they last longer, are extra energy effective as well as are available in amazing, cozy and neutral colour temperatures. Undermounted LED rope lighting, or puck lights are also budget friendly choices for lighting locations where cupboards cast darkness.

2. Abundant seats. Among the biggest demands I listen to as an interior developer is a requirement for even more visitor seats. People often tend to congregate in kitchens, so make certain there is sufficient room for pals to collect in locations that won't hinder the performance of your prep area.

Round tables are a wonderful method to provide simpler traffic flow and also can typically seat 4 to six people. Drop-leaf or extendable tables provide you flexibility. They can be pressed against the wall surface off the beaten track when not in use or gotten used to develop added seats for entertaining guests. This is a good service for a home that lacks an official dining-room.

3. Surface. A big island with great deals of counter room and also seating offers room for cooperation. Regular jobs such as paying expenses, sorting through mail, doing research or whipping up dinner can be implemented without first needing to move points around to make area. Having this clear surface area additionally has an emotional result that makes the residence seem clean also if other locations of the home are haphazard or covered with heaps of items.

No area for an island? Here are a couple of space-saving tips:

When every square inch counts, do not give up surface location for the tiny things. Mount your paper towel holder to obtain it up and out of the method. Rather than making use of a knife block, shop flatware on the wall using a magnetic strip. Locate a reducing board that fits over your sink or cooktop to ensure that beneficial counter space doesn't go to waste.

Fold-down workstation surfaces are the Murphy bed of the kitchen. They give you additional space when you require it as well as run out the means when you do not. They're likewise rather low-cost and also very easy to set up.

Or aim to our following must-have kitchen accessory: the movable workstation.

4. Movable workstation. An island on wheels, and even a bar cart, is terrific for cooking and enjoyable. It supplies more storage space and a versatile surface for prepping as well as serving.

What to look for: Stainless steel is great due to the fact that it's sturdy as well as simple to tidy, or decide for the extra budget friendly option, butcher block, for a different looks. When it involves dimension, make certain you have concerning 36 inches between the edge of the island and also bordering counter tops so as not to impede website traffic flow. Depending on your choice, you can select counter height or bar elevation. Make note of what's most comfortable prior to you go out shopping.

5. Ordered drawers. Split and dominate! Save your time and also peace of mind by keeping things cool and very easy to locate. Inserts as well as divider panels include framework to cabinets where loosened products often tend to accumulate. Having marked areas for all probabilities and ends will certainly assist you avoid overflow.

When searching for organisers, bear in mind first to gauge your cabinets. Prevent affordable plastic alternatives that warp gradually, as well as instead, search for something simply as sturdy as the cabinetry.

Tool storage space is essential. It's better (and cleaner) to nicely conceal devices than to have a bouquet of spatulas remaining on the counter.

Shallow spice storage permits you to swiftly see what you have instead of screwing up through a crowded cluster of containers. Incentive points if you relocate your spices from their initial packaging right into matching containers.

Stack cooking sheets and also cutting boards up and down in deep cabinets (if you have them) or narrow closets for less complicated accessibility. Dividers will maintain them upright. Do not forget to specify different cutting boards for produce, meats and bread.

Organisation for food storage space containers always appears to be a second thought (and also among the messiest components of the majority of kitchens). The amount of times have you reached for a piece of Tupperware only to locate its corresponding cover has disappeared? Cabinets consume loose covers, so keep them with each other. We favor glass storage for food as it is microwaveable and also remains in good condition much longer.

6. Pot as well as pan (and also lid) organisation. If you can get hold of a pot or pan and its cover without evasion the remainder of your cookware around, you're golden. Hanging them from hooks is a wonderful method to achieve this feat as well as make reliable use of upright room.

7. Pullout corner storage space. Smart closet organisers supply simpler access and assistance increase the otherwise dead area where your Tupperware lids are possibly concealing.

You can locate a multitude of products such as this online or via your neighborhood cabinets firm, and also the majority of corner features can be retrofitted to your existing kitchen cabinetry.

8. Committed appliance storage. Surprise storage space for tiny home appliances liberates counter space for a lot more useful usages.

When creating your kitchen or renovation cupboards, think about adding an appliance garage to keep your tools concealed. Homeowners also can convert an existing office by installing pullout shelves that supply quick and simple access to home appliances when you require them. Whatever you do, assign an assigned area for each and every gizmo, so they do not wind up awkwardly stacked on top of the refrigerator or out on the counter.

9. Tough hardware. Protect your cupboards with equipment. In time, oil from hands can use down the coating and unclean up or scratch the paint. Prevent unnecessary damage with sleek pulls or handles that will extend the life of your cabinetry. Search for a strong metal or something durable with significant weight. It will certainly benefit you-- as well as your cabinets-- in the lengthy run.

10. Citrus. When life offers you lemons, placed them to function. Whether you're including a little enthusiasm to your dish, spritzing up a rejuvenating beverage, loading up on vitamin C or just tidying up the cooking area, citrus is a valuable product to have on hand (plus, it presents well as a great splash of colour).

Lemons as well as limes are fantastic for organic rubbish disposal cleanup. Running the peels through water aids to clean the blades, and also the oils refurbish the fragrance. You can additionally prepare your organic cleaning service with lemon, baking soda as well as vinegar-- guide clear of marble countertops. The acid can trigger discoloration and also etching.

11. Hand Towels. Use decorative linen towels to minimize waste by utilizing less paper towels. Not just are towel towels much more environment-friendly, yet they additionally conserve you loan and include a little charm to the kitchen area.

In addition to your attractive tea towels and towel napkins, you'll desire to maintain a stack of cleaning towels or microfiber towels handy, so they're ready to order when you require them. It will certainly be much less unpleasant to pass up the benefit of paper towels if you're well-stocked for the next mess.

12. A clear catch-all space. Every day life makes it difficult to have an arranged house 24/7. Documents, tricks, shoes, water containers, bags and also other numerous products tend to stack up promptly in specific locations. Avoid surface area clutter by giving each of your points a designated home. Keys, mail, phone battery chargers as well as pens ought to all have a specialized landing spot, whether it's a full-fledged, built-in command centre, the back of a cabinet or ordered area inside a wardrobe.

13. Confined garbage as well as recycling. Garbage can occupy floor space, can scent bad and also provide mayhem for family pets. Covert storage is optimum, however if you do not have that alternative, at least ensure your containers have lids. Maintaining bins and also bags with each other makes it very easy to separate waste as well as recyclables.

Cabinets can be retrofitted to house custom-made pullout containers, however if you're seeking a simple remedy, look into preferred sellers like The Container Store or Ikea for a range of containers that will work to fit your existing room.

14. Coffee station. Life is just a little bit less complicated when you have everything you need in one area. If you can discover a means to construct it in or enclose it, also better. While a full-on coffee bar isn't constantly practical, having all your cafe accoutrements-- coffee maker, mill, beans or grounds, filters, mugs, sweeteners-- in one committed area will streamline your morning regimen.

15. Personality. Whether it's enjoyable, colourful devices or a sensational item of art work, a kitchen area needs to have an inviting atmosphere that permits for convenience, leisure and great times.

Accentuate your residence's fascinating architectural details. If you have beautiful old glass-front cupboards, flaunt some vibrant bowls or perhaps some classic glass wares. Delight in little accents, such as wacky doorknobs or vintage curtain tiebacks. These small information include fun, unanticipated style and personality.

[leathermantitanium]

Leatherman New Age - The Most Popular Multi Tool

The times a multi tool has been specifically what I required in a pinch are too expensive to count. I believe every person needs to own a multi tool. Even somebody with little experience in do- it-yourself, fixings, or any type of form of auto mechanics or building and construction can locate value in having a multi tool around your house. In fact, if you aren't going to keep a tool box in your residence or home, then you need to at the minimum have a multi tool handy.

With this being stated it's very easy to make the mistake of getting the initial multi tool you see in the buck store. These are frequently inexpensive and also break lovely fast, the blade as well as saw blades will plain as well as be almost worthless. The pliers will flex, the cord cutters will hardly reduce paper, and the screw chauffeur will certainly be a joke. A top quality Leatherman packed to the border with tools is a better alternative for just slightly greater than the cheapo device.

The Leatherman Wave is the most preferred multi tool Leatherman has. The Wave is the excellent depiction of Leatherman items. The top quality, tools, and also cost have made this a preferred Leatherman. This multi tool is an excellent jack of all profession design devices and also it is not made with a specialized use, however, for any type of type of use.

The Wave is an extremely solid device, also when positioned under anxiety it does not give the feeling of bending or stressing. The device is tough and also solid. Because of the strong building as well as structure, the Wave does can be found in at a significant eight ounces. Eight ounces is a little on the heavy side when riding in the pocket, once put in a pouch comes to be a lot more comfortable. This device is designed to be lugged when it's going to be utilized. As an everyday bring tool it's a bit much.

The Wave features an impressive 17 tools. Generally, you have a small tool box in your pocket. Like I said, if you don't lug a multi tool and also you're not too useful this is a fantastic device to keep in the cabinet or the closet simply in instance. A significant enhancement to this layout is the reality all the devices secure. This is incredibly handy, and also much safer when handling sharp devices.

The Pliers are difficult and also the body of the multi device makes a remarkable grasp. The pliers absolutely feel solid and also the ridges guarantee a sure grasp. The strong building of the device provides me a lot of self-confidence when turning, drawing, or flexing with these pliers. The wire cutters are longer than earlier Waves models as well as job extremely well. I tested the cable cutter with some old wire hangers. First, I began with one to see the outcome, it was smooth as well as quick. Later on, I began adding extra strands to evaluate the durability. They cut whatever I tossed at them, and also cut it quick. The only problem I had with the cord cutters is they aren't changeable. So you need to utilize them effectively in order to avoid problems.

The tools also feature a double sided file, one side for timber and also one side for metal. I really did not have much to do for the wood data so I utilized it to ravel a corner on my workbench and it functioned well. Like all multi device files its short so you need to put in some additional time. I utilized the steel file to smooth a burr on a revolver base pin that was troubling me. The data functioned flawlessly for the little work.

The tiny scissors are a tool most might regard as worthless, till you need them. The little scissors are surprisingly difficult and particularly the springtime activity, it is rather excellent. The medium screw motorist is a fast as well as convenient tool, possibly one of the most pre-owned besides the knife blade. Likewise consisted of is a huge and smidgen vehicle driver. Certainly included in this little bit chauffeur is a bit set with multiple Phillips heads and also level suggestion bits. You have a great deal of choices with a screw chauffeur, big and also smidgens. No size of screw shall quit you.

Next we pertain to the blade. Made from difficult 420 HC the steel is tough as well as element resistant. The blade holds an edge also after time and heavy use. The blade does not bend or fail, and cuts through rope, twine, as well as tape easily. The Saw blade is equally as hard and also best for little cutting work; naturally, it's no replacement for a normal saw.

Three devices that may rarely be made use of are still challenging as nails. The can opener is best as well as very easy to make use of with a little technique, useful if you are camping or in a survival situation. The following device is the container opener, and lastly a ruler is constructed onto the manage. Leatherman actually stuffed some devices right into this point.

The Wave is truthfully the ideal multi tool for both the do-it-yourself group and the this-is-the-only tool-I-will-ever-own crowd. The Wave can ride in the pocket, tool box, the boat, as well as the truck and be handy in any one of them.

The Wave has some optional devices one can purchase, consisting of little bit chauffeur extender, an additional bit kit, flashlight combination sheath, natural leather or nylon sheath, lanyard and also pocket clip. Leatherman also recognizes that the troops love and also use these tools, and also developed a sheath constructed for usage with a MOLLE system, which is the common webbing used to hold army equipment.

The multi device has a couple of characteristics. As pointed out the devices all lock into place. The Wave is made of hard stainless steel. There is additionally a black oxide variation available. The black oxide is an exceptionally tough finish that looks terrific. This sort of surface is perfect for the army, because the normal stainless steel is glossy as well as reflective. A number of the tools have the ability to be operated with only one hand. Plus Leatherman offers a 25 year guarantee on all their items. Leatherman additionally has fantastic client service and also fast turnaround for any work done.

All-in-all the Wave is an amazing tool that can be utilized in virtually any type of scenario. The amount of tools makes it important to anybody.

[choclette8]

If you like a bit of alliteration, how about “spelt strawberry shortcakes scream summer”? It’s not a lie. And furthermore they’re totally delicious. Knock up a batch, invite your neighbours around and enjoy them in or out of the garden. Serve them warm with whipped cream and macerated strawberries.

International Scone Week

Every year Lavender and Lime hosts International Scone Week. Celia of Fig Jam and Lime Cordial started this rather wonderful event back in 2011, but Tandy has been holding the baton for the last few years. If you blog and love baking and eating scones as much as many of us do, please join in with #ISW2019. If you don’t blog, just enjoy the recipes.

Last year I made these matcha & honey spelt scones. They were really tasty and I loved the pastel colour created by the matcha green tea powder. In previous years, I’ve made emmer scones, chocolate scones, and white chocolate & whey scones, amongst others.

Strawberry Shortcakes

Strawberry shortcakes are a very British summer bake. The first recipe was recorded in the 16th century. Everyone seems to have their own recipe, but really they’re a type of scone – just slightly sweeter and shorter and they’re made with cream rather than milk. They’re really quick and easy to prepare, so just perfect for the summer season. It’s true you’ll need to turn on your oven to make them. But they only take fifteen minutes or so to bake, so they shouldn’t make your kitchen too hot.

Having just said that strawberry shortcakes are scones, there is another version. Strawberry shortcake can also be layers of thin shortbread biscuit, filled with macerated strawberries and cream. My mother made me one of these for my birthday one year. It was terrific and the most delicious birthday cake I’ve ever had. Sadly, I was unable to partake on the day. I’d spent the day in hospital where I’d had a general anaesthetic. This meant that when I arrived home, I was fit for nothing but my bed.

Spelt Strawberry Shortcakes

The list of ingredients may look long, but it’s not as bad as you think. Apart from the strawberries and cream, you’re likely to have everything you need in your store cupboard. I’ve used a mix of bicarbonate of soda and cream of tarter as the raising agent. That’s how I’ve always made scones. But you can use two teaspoons of baking powder instead, if that’s what you have. I’ve also added lemon zest and fresh lemon thyme to the mix. This makes these spelt strawberry shortcakes even more delicious. But if you don’t have lemon thyme, you could try using ordinary thyme instead, or just leave it out altogether.

Wholemeal Spelt Flour Dough

As a whole food baker, I’ve made these shortcakes with wholemeal spelt flour. This means they won’t rise as much as you’d expect scones to rise, but they will taste even more delicious and they’ll be a bit healthier too. You could sieve out the biggest bits of bran, if you can be bothered. I didn’t on this occasion.

If you want to use ordinary wholemeal flour or even plain flour, go carefully with the liquid. You might need to add a little more or a little less, respectively.

Forming the Dough

All you need to do, is place the dry ingredients into a bowl. Grate in the lemon zest. A microplane is best for this. Add cold cubed butter, or as I do, cut it up with a knife once it’s been added to the flour. Then rub it in to the dry ingredients with your finger tips. It’s important the butter is cold as you don’t want it to melt whilst you’re rubbing it in. Some people grate the butter into the flour to make the process easier, but I find this too faffy and it creates extra washing up.

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Add the dry ingredients into a large bowl along with lemon zest & thyme if using.

Cut the cold butter into the flour prior to rubbing it in with your fingers.

Once you’ve got a mixture that resembles rough breadcrumbs, add the wet ingredients. I’ve used a mix of cream and kefir rather than straight cream. Kefir is a brilliant ingredient for baking, but if you don’t have any, use buttermilk or soured milk instead. Bring the shortcake mixture together with a round-bladed knife rather than a spoon, as this will be lighter on the dough. Once it starts to come together, gather it up with your hands and form it into a ball.

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Make a well in the centre, add the cream mix and stir with a round-bladed knife until the mixture starts to come together.

Gather the dough up in your hands and form into a ball of dough ready for rolling.

The main thing to take into account with any shortcake or scone dough, is to handle it as little as possible. The more you handle it, the heavier and tougher your finished bakes are likely to be.

Rolling Out

Ideally, you should roll out the dough for these spelt strawberry shortcakes to about 2 cm (¾”). This will give you eight good sized shortcakes. With this batch, I rolled them out too thinly. I made ten, but they were a bit tricky to cut into halves once they were cooked.

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Roll to 2 cm and stamp out 8 x 6 cm rounds.

Brush with milk and sprinkle on a little demerara sugar.

Once rolled, stamp the dough into 6 cm rounds. You’ll need to roll all the leftover bits together again to make the final one or two. Brush with milk, then sprinkle with a little demerara sugar. This will give a nice crunchy top.

Macerated Strawberries

To macerate strawberries, you just need to let them soak in sugar for a while. This will cause them to release their juice which mixes with the sugar to create a gorgeous sweet, tart and glossy concoction. I’ve used rose syrup instead of sugar which gives a few welcome floral notes. The flavours really pop. If you have the right sort of roses, it’s very easy to knock up a batch of homemade rose syrup. If, however, you’re not able to make your own or can’t find any to buy, just use a couple of teaspoons of golden caster sugar instead. You won’t have those floral tones, but it will still be delicious.

You can also macerate your strawberries in a liqueur instead of, or as well as sugar. Lemon juice is an excellent addition and I’ve added some in this recipe. I find it helps to bring out the flavours.

Prepare the strawberries whilst the shortcakes are baking.

To Serve

These spelt strawberry shortcakes are best consumed on the day of making. Ideally, serve them warm from the oven. Whip up the cream whilst they’re cooling on the rack. Cut each one in half, spoon on some cream then top with the macerated strawberries.

Show Me Your Strawberry Shortcakes

Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make these spelt strawberry shortcakes, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below or via social media. Do share photos on your preferred social media site and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them. For more delicious and nutritious recipes, follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest.

Spelt Strawberry Shortcakes. PIN IT.

Spelt Strawberry Shortcakes – The Recipe

Spelt Strawberry Shortcakes

Strawberry shortcakes scream summer. These ones are made with wholemeal spelt flour and flavoured with lemon. You can also include thyme if you're feeling adventurous. Serve with macerated strawberries and whipped cream.

225 g (8 oz) wholemeal spelt flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 tsp cream of tarter

pinch of fine sea or rock salt

40 g golden caster sugar + a little extra for sprinkling

1 unsprayed lemon ((I use organic lemons when I can get hold of them))

small sprig lemon thyme (optional)

60 g (2 oz unsalted butter – fridge cold and cubed

60 ml (4 fl oz) kefir, buttermilk or sour milk

60 ml (2 fl oz) double cream + 125 ml (¼ pt) for serving

a little milk to brush the tops with

1 tsp demerara sugar for sprinkling

225 g (8 oz) ripe strawberries – quartered

1 tbsp rose syrup ((can substitute 2 tsp golden caster sugar))

Set oven to 200℃/400℉/Gas6.

Place the dry ingredients into a large bowl and rub in the butter with your fingers until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Finely grate in the lemon zest. I microplane is ideal for this. Add the lemon thyme leaves.

Make a well in the centre and pour in the kefir and cream. Stir with a round bladed knife from the inside to the outside until the ingredients are just combined and starting to form a dough. Bring this together with your hands, handling it as little as possible.

Roll out on a floured surface to about ¾” (2cm) thick, then cut into rounds with a 2 ½” (6cm) cutter. Combine the leftover bits, re-roll and cut again until the dough has all been used.

Place onto a greased baking tray and brush with milk then sprinkle with a little demerara sugar. Bake for 15 minutes or until the scones are golden and the bases sound hollow when tapped.

Place onto a cooling rack, but best eaten whilst still warm.

Whilst the scones are baking, place the strawberries in a bowl. Squeeze in a tbsp of lemon juice and add the rose syrup. Stir and leave to macerate.

Whip the cream.

Cut the shortcakes in half and top with the whipped cream and macerated strawberries.

You can use 2 tsp of baking powder instead of the bicarb and cream of tarter.

These shortcakes don’t rise as well as ordinary scones due to the bran in the wholemeal flour, but they are still light and delicious.

Best eaten on the day they are made. Or can be frozen once cooled.

Sharing

I’m sharing these spelt strawberry shortcakes with Recipes Made Easy for #CookBlogShare and Apply to Face Blog for #BakingCrumbs.

Spelt Strawberry Shortcakes with Lemon & Thyme If you like a bit of alliteration, how about "spelt strawberry shortcakes scream summer"? It's not a lie.

[suncakemom]

Hot sauce

Why do we like hot sauces and how is that not everybody into them? Let’s find out through a couple of hot sauce recipes!

As I lately have a little time, I was browsing on the web yesterday. Attempting to find fresh, exciting thoughts, inspirational meals that I have never tested before, to surprise my loved ones with. Looking for a long time unfortunately couldn’t find lots of interesting stuff. Right before I wanted to give up on it, I came upon this scrumptious and easy dessert by chance. It looked so yummy on its photos, it called for instant actions.

It was easy to imagine how it’s created, its taste and just how much my husband will probably enjoy it. Mind you, it is very easy to keep happy him in terms of puddings. Yes, I am a lucky one. Or possibly he is.Anyhow, I got into the blog: Suncakemom and then followed the simple instuctions that were accompanied by superb snap shots of the task. It really makes life much easier. I can suppose it’s a slight effort to take snap shots in the midst of cooking in the kitchen as you typically have sticky hands so I really appreciate the time and effort she put in to build this blogpost and recipe conveniently implemented.

Having said that I am inspired presenting my personal formulas in the same way. Appreciate your the thought.

I had been fine tuning the original mixture to make it for the taste of my family. Need to tell you it absolutely was a terrific outcome. They prized the flavor, the consistency and loved getting a sweet such as this during a lively workweek. They basically asked for more, a lot more. So next time I am not going to make the same mistake. I am going to double the amount to keep them pleased.

This post is based on Hot sauce recipe from SunCakeMom

Chop up hot peppers and garlic with a knife or a food processor that can be cleaned easily. Use various types of hot pepper for more fun.

Put the chopped peppers and garlic into a saucepan, pour the vinegar and water in then simmer on low heat until the peppers soften for about 5 – 10 minutes. At some point add salt and optional paprika too.

Empty the whole pan into a food processor and give it a good whirl until the whole mixture becomes uniform.

Add more water if more liquid texture is preferred otherwise pour the hot sauce into a jar. Use a sieve to get rid of the bits and seeds if desired.

The hot sauce can be happily stored in the fridge for at least 6 days but we can use standard canning procedures to make them last in the cupboard too. Check out how canning works in our KnowledgeBase.