#MELTED INTO A PASTRAMI

[battlemaster-ofceremonies]

okay. guys. we gotta talk rq.

his name is delissandro katzon. his TITLE is thane.

thane is a title. it's similar in rank to lord.

[rabbitcruiser]

Shape Up With Pickles Time

Shape Up With Pickles Time is an exciting event that celebrates everyone’s favorite tangy treat, the pickle. This special occasion encourages people to include pickles in their diet while focusing on staying active.

The combination of healthy snacking and exercise makes this celebration unique and engaging. From dill to sweet, pickles are highlighted as a versatile snack that can be enjoyed in various ways throughout the week​.

This event promotes healthier eating habits. Pickles are low in fat and calories but packed with flavor, making them a great alternative to more calorie-dense snacks.

Additionally, pickles offer essential vitamins like A and K, which are beneficial for overall health. This week-long event also serves as a reminder to incorporate more nutritious choices into our daily routines. It also encourages creativity in the kitchen. People are inspired to experiment with pickles in various recipes, adding a fun twist to traditional dishes.

Whether it’s adding pickles to a pizza or creating unique pickle-infused snacks, this event invites everyone to enjoy the culinary possibilities of pickles. Embrace the tangy goodness and explore new ways to make meals exciting and healthy during Shape Up With Pickles Time.

How to Celebrate Shape Up With Pickles Time

Pickle Taste Test Party

Host a pickle taste test party with friends and family. Gather various types of pickles, from dill to bread-and-butter.

Everyone samples each kind, rates their favorites, and enjoys the tangy fun together. This activity adds a social twist to celebrating pickles and sparks lively discussions about flavors​​.

Create Pickle Recipes

Get creative in the kitchen by making new dishes featuring pickles. Try adding pickles to sandwiches, burgers, or even pizza.

Explore different cuisines and see how pickles can enhance various recipes. This culinary adventure is perfect for those who love experimenting with food​.

Pickle Fitness Challenge

Combine fitness with fun by organizing a pickle-themed workout. Challenge friends to a run or bike ride where the winner gets a jar of pickles.

Incorporate exercises like squats or jumping jacks, with a pickle snack break in between sets. This makes exercising more enjoyable and pickle-filled​.

Pickle Jar Crafts

Use empty pickle jars to make quirky crafts. Turn them into storage containers, vases, or even candle holders.

Decorating these jars can be a fun, creative project for kids and adults alike. It’s a crafty way to repurpose jars and celebrate pickles in a non-edible form​​.

Pickle Trivia Night

Host a pickle trivia night with friends or family. Prepare questions about the history of pickles, famous pickle-related facts, and pickle-making processes.

Compete to see who knows the most about pickles. This activity combines learning with entertainment, making it a hit at any gathering​.

History of Shape Up With Pickles Time

Shape Up With Pickles Time began as a fun and unique way to combine healthy eating and exercise. This celebration takes place in the first week of February each year.

The event was created to encourage people to enjoy pickles, a low-calorie, and flavorful snack while promoting physical activity. This clever combination aims to inspire healthier lifestyle choices in a light-hearted and enjoyable manner​.

The idea behind Shape Up With Pickles Time originated from the notion that pickles are not only tasty but also beneficial for those trying to maintain or lose weight.

Pickles are low in fat and calories but rich in vitamins A and K, making them a nutritious addition to any diet. The event highlights the importance of pairing healthy food choices with regular exercise to achieve better overall health.

By focusing on both diet and fitness, Shape Up With Pickles Time has gained popularity among health enthusiasts and pickle lovers alike.

It encourages creativity in the kitchen, urging people to explore new recipes and ways to incorporate pickles into their meals. This event not only celebrates the humble pickle but also serves as a reminder of the benefits of a balanced and active lifestyle​.

Source

[whitefireprincess]

Pastrami Cheddar Melt | Michael's Deli

[s10127470]

Restaurant Idea: The Nicktoons Diner

I'm sure just about all of you are familiar with The Krabby Patty Kollab Wendy's launched back in October, commemorating of the 25th anniversary of SpongeBob SquarePants.

I tried for myself on opening day, and I really liked it.

But it did get me thinking about this....

What if there was a restaurant that was themed around not just SpongeBob, but all the Nicktoons in general.

And thus, I created the idea known as.....

THE NICKTOONS DINER!

If the name didn't clue you in already, this restaurant would be a diner, ala Steak n' Shake, Big Boy, and Denny's.

But with a Nickelodeon theming.

Layout is what you would expect from a diner.

There's the dining area with tables, booths, and a counter that you can sit and eat at.

And like any diner, you'll get a decent view of the kitchen.

The diner is also a drive-in, so you can eat in your own car.

Plus they'll actually provide a little disposable table for you to use while eating.

The dining area itself would be sporting a Nickelodeon theming, with orange and green colored chairs and a design of multicolored splats all over the floor.

And on the walls, you'll several pieces of art featuring hundreds of Nicktoon characters, dressed as workers of the diner and depicting them as working at the diner as well!

Now let's for the real meat of this post, the menu!

Burgers:

(All can be made double pattied if desired and sesame seed buns are used with just about all of them)

-The Krabby Patty: The trademark food of the restaurant! A simple Angus ground beef patty, seasoned and grilled to the perfection. Then topped with American cheese, lettuce, onions, tomatoes, pickles, ketchup, mustard and mayo.

-Sandy's Rodeo Burger: An Angus ground beef patty topped with sharp cheddar, onion rings, bacon, sliced jalapenos, and BBQ sauce.

-Aang's Veggie Burger: A plant-based protein patty topped with the same toppings as The Krabby Patty.

-Tito's Kahuna Burger: An Angus beef patty topped with mozzarella cheese, lettuce, caramelized onions, a grilled pineapple slice, bacon, and teriyaki sauce.

-Jeremy's Mushroom and Swiss Burger: An Angus beef patty topped with Swiss cheese, sauteed mushrooms, caramelized onions, and a garlic spread, all between a brioche bun.

-Blake's Chili Burger: An Angus beef patty topped with hearty beef chili, sharp cheddar, and diced onions.

-The Breadwinners' Patty Melt: An Angus beef patty topped with American cheese, Swiss cheese, caramelized onions, and thousand island dressing, all between two slices of toasted rye.

Sandwiches:

-Harold's Hero: A foot-long sub with ham, roast beef, salami, pastrami, pepperoni, prosciutto, provolone, mozzarella, lettuce, onions, tomatoes, pickles, mayo, and deli dressing, all between white beard.

-The Chokey Chicken Club: A boneless chicken thigh, seasoned, marinated, and fried to golden brown, topped with pickles and coleslaw, all between a brioche bun.

-Phil and Lil's Philly Cheesesteak: Seasoned shaved steak topped with sauteed onions, mushrooms and bell peppers, and a four cheese sauce.

-Raymundo's Fish Sandwich: A hand-battered cod fillet topped with American cheese, lettuce, pickles, and tartar sauce, all between a brioche bun.

-Deuce's Gyros: Grilled, marinated lamb topped with lettuce, red onion, tomatoes, feta cheese, and tzatziki, all wrapped up in pita bread.

-Lynn's Meatball Sub: Seasoned, cooked balls of beef topped with melted mozzarella cheese and warm marinara sauce, all between a foot-long of white bread.

-Lori's Chicken Caesar Wrap: Grilled marinated chicken, romaine lettuce, homestyle croutons, shredded parmesan cheese and caesar dressing wrapped in a warm tortilla.

-Sam's Veggie Wrap: Spinach, sliced avocado, carrot, cucumber, edamame, and hummus wrapped up a warm tortilla.

-Robot and Monster's Double Decker BLT: Bacon, lettuce, tomato and a special sandwich sauce, all between three slices of bread.

-Tommy's Double-Decker PB & J: Peanut butter and grape jelly, all between three slices of grilled rye.

-Casey and Alberto's Cubano: Grilled ham, roasted pork, mustard, pickles, and Swiss cheese, all between Cuban bread.

-Biggie Cheese's Deluxe Grilled Cheese: Cheddar, Swiss, Muenster, Gouda, and Provolone, melted and all between two slices of grilled sourdough.

-CatDog's Hot Dogs: All beef franks placed between warm hot dog buns, and topped with American cheese, ketchup, mustard, diced onions, and relish.

-Arnold's Big City Dogs: All beef franks placed between warm poppy seed buns, and topped with celery salt, tomatoes, pickled peppers, diced onions, neon green relish, and mustard.

-Sonic's Chili Dogs: All beef franks placed between warm hot dog buns, and topped with beef chili, shredded cheddar cheese, and diced onions.

Breakfast:

Peck's Omelettes and Scrambles:

-Veggie Omelette: Spinach, onion, bell peppers, tomato, mushrooms, and cheddar.

-Country-Style Omelette: Country sausage, American cheese, hash browns and sauteed onions topped with country sausage gravy.

-Meat Lovers Omelette: Bacon, sausage, ham and cheddar.

-Ultimate Omelette: Sausage, bacon, bell peppers, onions, mushrooms and cheddar.

-Philly Cheesesteak Scramble: Scrambled eggs, seasoned shaved steak, green pepper, onion, mushrooms, and shredded cheddar served over hash browns

-Mushroom Swiss Scramble: Scrambled eggs, caramelized onion, mushroom, spinach, and Swiss cheese served over hash browns.

-Ultimate Scramble: Sausage, bacon, bell peppers, tomato, onions, mushrooms and cheddar.

Waffle's Pancakes and Waffles:

-Buttermilk: The classic, topped with butter and maple syrup.

-Strawberry: Topped with chopped strawberries, strawberry syrup, and whipped cream.

-Blueberry: Made using batter mixed with blueberries, topped with blueberries, blueberry syrup and whipped cream.

-Wildberry: Made using batter mixed with blueberries, topped with strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, blueberry syrup and whipped cream.

-Cinnamon Roll: Cooked with cinnamon crumb topping and topped with cream cheese icing.

-Chocolate Chip: Made using batter mixed with chocolate chips, topped with chocolate chips and chocolate syrup.

-Chocolate Banana: Made using batter mixed with chocolate chips, topped with bananas, chocolate chips and chocolate syrup.

Powdered Toast Man's French Toast:

-Classic: Thick slices of texas toast battered in a signature french toast dip, topped with butter, syrup, and powdered sugar.

-Cinnamon: Thick slices of cinnamon swirl bread battered in a signature french toast dip, dusted with cinnamon sugar and topped with whipped cream, caramel sauce, and powdered sugar.

-Strawberry Banana: Thick slices of texas toast battered in a signature french toast dip, topped with strawberries, bananas, strawberry syrup, and powdered sugar.

-French Toast Sticks: Sticks of texas toast battered in a signature french toast dip, deep fried, and toasted with powdered sugar.

Pony and Annie's Classic Breakfast Dishes:

-Biscuits and Gravy: Warm buttermilk biscuits topped with country sausage gravy.

-Country Fried Steak: Tenderized cube steak, seasoned, breaded and fried, topped with country sausage gravy.

-Steak and Eggs: A 13 oz. seasoned T-bone steak (cooked to your choice) and two eggs in your choice of style.

-Chicken and Waffles: Chicken pieces, seasoned, marinated in buttermilk, breaded, and fried to golden brown, and buttermilk waffles.

-Breakfast Burrito: Bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, american cheese hash browns and chipotle sauce wrapped in a warm tortilla.

-Bacon, Egg and Cheese Biscuit: Bacon, fried egg and American cheese between a warm buttermilk biscuit.

-Chicken Biscuit: A hand-breaded chicken tender between a warm buttermilk biscuit.

-Sausage Biscuit: A sausage patty between a warm buttermilk biscuit.

-Steak Biscuit: A hand-breaded cubed steak and country sausage gravy between a warm buttermilk biscuit.

Squidward's Cafe:

-Premium Roast Coffee

-Americano: Comes in vanilla, almond, caramel, hazelnut, butterscotch, Irish cream, and toffee nut.

-Macchiato: Comes in caramel, vanilla, chocolate, hazelnut and raspberry.

-Cappuccino: Comes in vanilla, chocolate, caramel, peppermint, raspberry, and cinnamon.

-Latte: Comes in caramel, cinnamon, matcha and mocha.

-Iced Coffee: Comes in caramel, vanilla and mocha.

-Frappé: Comes in caramel, mocha, and chocolate chip.

-Donuts: Comes in glazed, chocolate frosted, strawberry frosted, jelly donuts, Bavarian cream donuts, apple fritters, bear claws, Boston cream, long johns, French crullers, cinnamon twists, glazed twists and maple bars.

Breakfast Sides and Drinks:

-Scrambled eggs

-Fried eggs

-Sunny side-up eggs

-Egg whites

-Toast

-Buttermilk biscuits

-Hash browns

-Sausage patties

-Sausage links

-Bacon

-Fresh fruit

-Orange juice

-Milk

-Sugar

-Grape jelly

-Strawberry jam

-Honey

Soups and Salads:

-Cosmo and Wanda's Club Salad: Romaine lettuce, turkey, ham, chopped bacon, tomatoes, cheddar and Swiss cheese with ranch dressing.

-Didi's Chicken Caesar Salad: Romaine lettuce, homestyle croutons, and shredded parmesan cheese, tossed with caesar dressing and grilled marinated chicken.

-Draculaura's House Salad: Romaine lettuce, red onions, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and croutons with your choice of dressing.

-Eliza's Fruit Salad: Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, pineapple, kiwi, mandarin oranges, and grapes.

-The Wachowski Family Chili: Hearty beef chili made with kidney beans, topped with shredded cheddar and diced onions.

-Abby's Tomato Soup: Rich, creamy soup made out of tomatoes.

-Susie's Chicken Noodle Soup: A warm broth filled with cooked chicken, noodles, carrots and celery.

-Mr. Krabs' Clam Chowder: A thick creamy soup filled with clams, potatoes, onions and parsley.

-Dressings: Ranch, Italian, Caesar, blue cheese, vinaigrette, honey mustard and oil.

Appetizers:

-Splinter's Pizza Rolls: Cheese and pepperoni stuffed rolls, served with a side of marinara sauce.

-Timmy's Loaded Fries: French fris topped with a melted four cheese blend, bacon crumples and ranch.

-Hazel's Chili Fries: French fries topped with hearty beef chili, melted cheddar cheese and diced onions.

-Luan's Mozzarella Sticks: Aged mozzarella coated in seasoned breadcrumbs and deep-fried to a golden brown, served with a side of marinara sauce.

-Sanjay and Craig's Wings: Fried chicken wings tossed in a choice of mild, buffalo, Cajun, garlic parmesan, BBQ, Hawaiian, atomic, teriyaki, sweet chili, Cajun ranch, honey mustard, lemon pepper, Jamaican jerk, raspberry, Korean bbq, and Carolina gold sauces, served with a side of ranch or bleu cheese.

-Chuckie's Pretzel Bites: Flash fried and lightly salted dough balls, served with four cheese sauce and honey mustard.

-Filburt's Potato Skins: Halved potato skins filled with melted cheddar cheese, bacon crumbles, and fresh chives, served with a side of sour cream.

-White Pantera's Nachos: Tortilla chips topped with a choice of seasoned, cooked meat (ground beef, chicken, pork or steak), a shredded Mexican-style four cheese blend, lettuce, onions and tomatoes, and served with a side of salsa, sour cream and guacamole.

-Skeeter's Pigs in Blankets: Mini beef hot dogs wrapped and cooked in pastry dough, served with a side of honey mustard.

-Lincoln's Mac & Cheese Bites: Balls of macaroni and cheese, breaded and deep-fried until golden brown. Served with marinara sauce and ranch.

-Ronnie Anne's Jalapeno Poppers: Halved jalapenos, filled with a shredder cheese and cream cheese mixture, wrapped in bacon.

-Stinky's Corn Nuggets: Balls of corn-based dough, battered and deep-fried. Served with ranch.

Dinners:

-Lok's Roasted Chicken: Seasoned chicken, oven-roasted.

-Lynn Sr's Meatloaf: A cooked loaf of ground beef mixed with eggs, breadcrumbs, onions and a variety of seasonings, topped with a ketchup and BBQ sauce mixture.

-Garfield's Lasagna: Layers of flat pasta sheets, ragù, ricotta, basil, mozzarella and parmesan.

-Jon's Spaghetti and Meatballs: Boiled spaghetti noodles, topped with cooked marinara sauce and seasoned balls of ground beef.

-Lagoona's Tuna Casserole: Flaky tuna tossed with egg noodles, peas, celery, and mushroom soup, baked, and then topped with buttery breadcrumbs.

-Porkchop's Roasted Pork Chops: Seasoned pork chops, oven-roasted.

-Freddy's Chicken Pot Pie: A creamy chicken and vegetable mix, all baked in a flaky pie crust.

-Nigel's Shepherd's Pie: Cooked, seasoned minced beef, carrots, peas and corn, topped with mashed potatoes.

-Tucker's Pot Roast: Chuck roast, seasoned and slowed cooked in broth, with carrots, celery and potatoes.

-Ren and Stimpy's Roast Beef: A rump roast, seasoned and slowed cooked until given a brown chest.

-Rocko and Heffer's Chokey Chicken: Chicken pieces, seasoned, marinated in buttermilk, breaded, and fried to golden brown.

-Katara's Roasted Fish: A whole fish, seasoned with herbs and spices and flavored with lemon.

-Otto's Fried Fish: Beer battered cod fillets, fried until golden brown.

-Reggie's Fried Shrimp: Shrimp pieces seasoned, breaded and fried until golden brown.

-Odie's Chicken Alfredo: Grilled marinated chicken and broccoli over penne in creamy alfredo sauce.

-Nermal's Chicken Parmesan: Hand-breaded fried chicken breast topped with marinara and melted mozzarella cheese, served with spaghetti.

-Twister's Calamari: Squid rings hand-breaded and fried until golden brown, served with a lemon and marinara sauce.

-Sam's Fried Oysters: Oysters hand-breaded and fried until golden brown.

-Sokka's Meat Skewers: Skewed pieces of chicken, beef and pork, seasoned and fire-roasted.

-Zuko's Spicy Garlic Chicken: Crispy chicken coated in a spicy, sweet, savory garlic sauce.

-Gerald's Chicken Tenders: Hand-breaded chicken tenders, fried until golden brown.

-Reptar's Dino Nuggets: Hand-breaded and fried chicken nuggets shaped like dinosaurs.

-Heath's Spicy Nuggets and Tenders: Hand-breaded nuggets and tenders with a spicy twist to them.

-Leonardo's Supreme Pizza: Topped with pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, sausage, and black olives.

-Donatello's Veggie Pizza: Topped with mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, black olives, and tomatoes.

-Raphael's Meat Lover's Pizza: Topped with pepperoni, sausage, beef, ham, and bacon.

-Michelangelo's Everything Pizza: Topped with pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, sausage, black olives, tomatoes, beef, ham and bacon.

-Suki's Stir Fry: Stir-fried chicken breast with mixed vegetables, mushrooms, scallions and sesame-ginger glaze.

-Clawdeen's Ribeye: A seasoned ribeye steak, cooked to desired color.

-Dudley's T-Bone: A seasoned ribeye steak, cooked to desired color.

-Tak's Pork Ribs: Pork ribs, seasoned, smoked, and slathered in BBQ sauce.

-El Tigre's Tacos: A choice of soft or hard taco shells, filled with a choice of seasoned, cooked meat (ground beef, chicken, pork or steak), a shredded Mexican-style four cheese blend, lettuce, onions and tomatoes, and served with a side of salsa, sour cream and guacamole.

-Sheen's Enchiladas: Corn tortillas filled with a choice of seasoned, cooked meat (ground beef, chicken, pork or steak), a shredded Mexican-style four cheese blend and refried beans, topped with more cheese and red sauce.

-Puma Loco's Burrito: A flour tortilla filled with a choice of seasoned, cooked meat (ground beef, chicken, pork or steak), a shredded Mexican-style four cheese blend, lettuce, onions and tomatoes, and served with a side of salsa, sour cream and guacamole.

-Cindy's Prime Rib: A prime rib roast, seasoned and slow-roasted until medium rare.

Carl's Sides and Sauces:

-French Fries

-Onion Rings

-Mashed Potatoes

-Side Salads

-Seasonal Steamed Vegetable Mix

-Brown Gravy

-Peas

-Corn on the Cob

-Baked Potato (with shredded cheese, bacon bits, chives and sour cream)

-Green Beans

-Mac and Cheese

-Roasted Asparagus

-Garlic Bread

-Breadsticks

-Dinner Rolls

-Cornbread

-Buttermilk Biscuits

-Coleslaw

-Baked Beans

-Mexican Rice

-Tortilla Chips

-White Rice

-Ketchup

-Mustard

-Mayo

-Special Chicken Sauce

-BBQ Sauce

-Honey Mustard

-Four Cheese Sauce

-Ranch

-Blue Cheese

-Buffalo Sauce

-Queso

-Salsa

-Sour Cream

-Guacamole

Soft Drinks:

-Yahoo Soda: A cola.

-Pineapple Punch: A pineapple-flavored soda.

-Fairy Lemonade: A pink lemonade-flavored soda.

-Purple Flurp: A grape-flavored soda.

-Reptar Power: A lime-flavored soda.

-Rocket Rush: A orange-flavored soda

-Air Flow: A lemon-lime flavored soft drink.

-Jungle Juice: A fruit punch.

-Ghostly Green: A green apple-flavored soda.

-Jujuberry Jam: A wildberry-flavored soft drink.

-Sonic Blast: A blue raspberry-flavored soda.

-Cool Cherry: A cherry-flavored soft drink.

-Robot Riot: A blueberry-flavored soda.

-Tigre's Roar: A mango-flavored soda.

-Irken Thirst: A black cherry-flavored soda.

-Mutagen Mist: A kiwi-flavored soda.

-Burpo's: A root beer.

-Water: Just water.

Fanboy and Chum-Chum's Frosty Freezy Freezes:

Features slushy versions of the previously mentioned soft drinks, but also has speciality layered and swirled slushes as well.

-SpongeBob and Patrick's Friendship: Pineapple and strawberry.

-Cosmo and Wanda's Love: Lime and pink lemonade.

-Dynamic Duo: Grape and orange.

-Four Nations: Blue raspberry, cola, orange and lemon-lime.

-Turtle Power: Blue raspberry, grape, fruit punch and orange.

-Danny's Ghostly Rush: Green apple and lemon lime.

-Heath and Abbey's Fire and Ice: Orange and blue raspberry.

-Team Sonic: Blue raspberry, lemon and fruit punch.

-Zim and GIR’s Irken Invasion: Black cherry and green apple.

Desserts:

-Otis' Milkshakes: Comes in vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, caramel, banana, peanut butter, orange creamsicle, Oreo, blueberry, fudge brownie, chocolate chip cookie dough, mint chocolate chip, and Nutella.

-Angelica's Cookies: Comes in chocolate chip, double chocolate chip, white chocolate chip macadamia nut, oatmeal raisin, raspberry cheesecake, peanut butter, and s'mores.

-Helga's Mixers: Ice cream based treats that come in Oreo, M&M's, Reese's, chocolate chip cookie dough, Butterfinger, Heath, Snickers, Crunch, fudge brownie, strawberry cheesecake, and Turtles flavors.

-Jimmy's Floats: Comes in vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and root beer.

Patrick's Speciality Sundaes:

-Triple Gooberberry Sunrise: A sundae head made with four scoops of vanilla ice cream, with candy-coated chocolate pieces for the eyes and nose, a strawberry licorice smile, chocolate Magic Shell at the top, and sliced three bananas topped with cherries.

-Bikini Bottom Sundae: Pineapple ice cream topped with blue raspberry syrup, chopped pineapple and raspberries.

-Reptar Sundae: Vanilla ice cream topped with mint syrup, hot caramel and chocolate Reptar-shaped pieces.

-Fairy World Sundae: Two scoops of strawberry ice cream topped with green apple syrup, raspberry syrup, and yellow star-shaped sprinkles.

-Outer Space Sundae: Purple vanilla ice cream topped with dark chocolate syrup, and yellow and blue sprinkles shaped like stars, the Sun, and the Moon.

-Mutagen Sundae: Green vanilla ice cream topped with green apple syrup and orange sprinkles shaped like pizza.

-Four Nations Sundae: Three scoops of vanilla ice cream topped with blue raspberry syrup, hot fudge, orange marmalade, and whipped cream.

-Wild Jungle Sundae: Three scoops of vanilla ice cream between two bananas, topped with mango marmalade , pineapple marmalade, wildberry syrup, and green sprinkles shaped like jungle animals.

-Ghost Zone Sundae: Green vanilla ice cream topped with blueberry syrup and green and purple sprinkles shaped like ghosts.

-Woodland Sundae: Maple ice cream topped with caramel, pretzels and walnuts.

-Monster High Sundae: Raspberry and blue raspberry ice cream, topped with chocolate syrup and black and white sprinkles of bats and skulls.

-Spin Dash Sundae: Three scoops of vanilla ice cream, topped with blue raspberry syrup, lemon marmalade, and strawberry syrup.

-The Classics: Hot fudge, caramel and strawberry.

-Banana Split: Three scoops of vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice cream respectively, placed between two bananas, and topped with pineapple marmalade, hot fudge and strawberry syrup, whipped cream, and cherries.

Hugh and Pig's Old Fashioned and Fried Pies:

-Grandpa Lou's Favorite: Apple.

-Lola and Lana's Favorite: Strawberry.

-Ickis' Favorite: Cherry.

-Bessie's Favorite: Lemon Cream.

-Harvey's Favorite: Blueberry.

-Brad's Favorite: Peach.

-Knuckles' Favorite: Grape.

-Gaz's Favorite: Blackberry.

-Jenny's Favorite: Strawberry & Cream.

-Darwin's Favorite: Banana Cream.

-Cleo's Favorite: Coconut Cream.

-Libby's Favorite: Boston Cream.

-Snap's Favorite: Chocolate.

-Frankie's Favorite: Wildberry.

-Jazz's Favorite: Key Lime.

-Dib's Favorite: Pecan.

-Toph's Favorite: Mudslide.

-April's Favorite: Lemon Meringue.

Well that's all for now!

Let me know what you guys think about this concept i made!

And also.....

Out of all the stuff I listed, which ones would you most likely eat?

[raccoonodysseus]

Bread

Cheese

Orange juice

Toothpaste

Ritz crackers

Eggs (can be stolen, that's ok)

Gift bag

Ribeye

Chuck

Brisket

Ribs

Tenderloin

Sirloin

Shank

Bacon

Pork loin

Honey ham x2

Chicken wings

Chicken breats

Chicken thighs

Drumsticks

Air fryer

New spatula, burnt the old one, melted :(

Chicken broth

Chicken bouillon

Rotisserie chicken

Whole chicken

Chicken in a biscuit crackers x4

Crunchy peanut butter

Orange marmalade

Box Kraft Mac and cheese x1.5

Costco gift card (for ma :,))

Can of baked beans

Can of baked beans with bacon pieces

Taco seasoning

Vanilla ice cream

Kalamata olives

Spiderman pajama shirt

Pistachio sorbet (if it's not sold out again)

Salami

Pastrami

Pepperoni

Prosciutto

Yarn

Note to self: don't bribe the cashier again.

how do you buy HALF a box of kraft mac n cheese?

[papasmicstand]

My Writing:

Struggling to Procreate the Unholy Bastard (23 chapters/complete)

-You have been the Cardinal’s Prime Mover for two years and have yet to conceive. The elder clergy are losing patience. What lengths will you go to to secure the Emeritus line, and what will it cost you?

TW: Non-con, self-harm, character death, blood (see AO3 for full tags)

Tied As One Infernally - A Dracopia Story (14 chapters/ongoing/ slow burn)

-Cardinal Copia is really struggling to be a vampire. He's disgusted by blood and by himself. Did I mention he's in charge of the infirmary? To combat his feelings he starves himself, or sometimes he is able to feed but purges later.

TW: Bulimia, anorexia, Non-con, blood (See AO3 for full tags)

Sex Surrogacy for Satan (4 chapters/ongoing)

-After discovering that the congregation is not being satisfied, Primo invites you, a sexual surrogate, to come to the abbey to help his brothers improve their skills. This is a large assignment, are you ready?

TW: Sex Surrogacy, Sexual Dysfunction (see AO3 for full tags)

The Celi-Bet (5 chapters/complete)

-The Papas undertake a ‘No Nut November’-esque challenge to raise money for the church. Will any of them make it?

TW: Abstinence, Failed abstinence (see AO3 for full tags)

The Devil's Lace (3 chapters/complete)

-An illness hits the band as they return home from the road. It’s lucky really, had it struck during the tour it would have been devastating. But it may take more than medicine to help the ailing musicians…

TW: Non-con elements, vomiting (see AO3 for full tags)

The Morning After (One shot/complete)

-It was the morning after the Spring equinox party and it had been epic. You shifted uncomfortably in the large bed, it felt like you were surfacing from a coma. What did you do? More importantly, who did you do?

TW: Non-con elements, infidelity (see AO3 for full tags)

Papa's Purple Pastrami (One shot/crack fic/complete)

-Papa takes out his pent up sexual tension on an innocent pastrami melt.

TW: Masturbation, sandwich defilement

Will you spill the wine? (One shot/complete)

-An embarrassing accident for Papa Emeritus III somehow devolves into in a smutty game.

TW: Piss (see AO3 for full tags)

Series - Cum-pletely Fucked - Unplanned Pregnancies in the Abbey

Part 1: You Get Me Closer to God... I mean Satan (One shot/complete)

-I offer you a virginal Cardinal Copia. He's madly in love with you and ready to be deflowered.

TW: Vomiting (see AO3 for full tags)

Part 2: Trifecta (One shot/complete)

-Copia had told you that the four Emeritus brothers had undergone a special communion with the dark lord, and that they would only be capable of siring children during Prime Mover rituals. You believed this because none of them had produced offspring, although they were all sexually active. And in Terzo’s case, extremely active... So, why are you in this predicament?

TW: Angry sex, vomiting (see AO3 for full tags)

Part 3: Vessel of Possibilities - A Choose Your Own Adventure with Terzo (4 chapters/ongoing)

-An encounter with Papa Emeritus III leads to a possibly life-altering decision for you. You are in control, so proceed as you wish.

TW: Unplanned pregnancy, abortion (see AO3 for full tags)

Series - CNC the Light

Part 1, Copia: Green Light of the Spectrum (One shot/complete)

-Copia would do anything for love, but can he do this?

TW: Consensual Non-Consent (see AO3 for full tags)

Part 2, Terzo: Wood (One shot/complete)

-Would you trade the beauty for the beast?

TW: Consensual Non-Consent (see AO3 for full tags)

[mistrdctr]

@suffcring sent: “american girls would seriously dig me with my cute british accent.” Darcy is an American girl. She does not have a British accent, and the one she is pretending to have is not, in any way, cute. [Memes & Starters | always accepting]

The crunch that appears when Stephen bites into his freshly-made Pastrami sandwich cuts through the silence following Darcy's words like a hot knife would melt through a block of butter; The action is interrupted, however, with him pausing mid-action as his brain receives the information given, works with it, and then...

He blinks. Once. Twice. Knits his brows as he looks up from his truly delicious lunch (god, he's been starving!), slowly chewing along as his bright gaze finally comes to a rest on the woman sitting across the table.

The soft fabric of his cloak touches his cheek, tries to wipe away what must be a smidge of mayonnaise; Strange tilts his head to the side, used to his garment's liking for PDA by now. His collar follows his motion however, and Stephen flicks his head to the side once more - twice - before muttering a low "Stop that." to which his companion finally retreats and lets him be messy in peace.

Yes, his gaze is still resting on Darcy. And yes, he blinks again, brows knitting even further before he opens his mouth. Then, he closes it. Opens it again. Closes it right after.

"---We gotta work on your 'british accent'," There's a lot of emphasis put onto the last two words, "and with 'we' I mean 'you'." A deadpan comment, made by a slightly confused sorcerer who's trying to have a good time and yet has to deal with whatever this is. "And while you do that - preferably inside your head - I'll keep eating my lunch. ---Deal?"

[charyou-tree]

What was the most memorable sandwich you’ve ever eaten?

There’s a little hole in the wall sandwich shop near where I grew up that made a wicked pastrami Reuben. Rye bread with caraway seeds, a pound of pastrami piled up so thick that the layers look like a geological formation, sauerkraut, melted Swiss cheese and Russian dressing, all toasted on a flattop.

Making myself hungry ngl

[withahappyrefrain]

Venus and Jake are very much a one cat, one dog family. I get the vibe from Venus that she loves all animals, but she just vibes with cats better and Jake is so dog coded. Definitely one to get a pure bred golden retriever or bring home a stray. No in between.

So when he tells Venus "I'm ready for a new addition to our family."

Which of course screws with Venus a bit because she just got used to the idea of being known, and now he just expects her to say 'yes' to having a child???

"I was looking at some dog shelters-"

She definitely has to be the strong one while he's planning a jail break. "Jake, I'm sorry, but we can't take them all."

"V, we can just buy a house on a piece of land, it'll be the dream. They can roam free. Look at their faces..."

And all she sees is his eyes and pure white smile next to a chihuahua that's vibrating into the next dimension. "Don't do that."

"Got you to cave once. I can wear you down again. And I've got some adorable friends this time."

And when he finally does take one to a room so that way they can play with them for a bit, he definitely tells the dog "go to your mama." And venus will never admit to the way it made her feel.

Not a thot, but a th❤(gh)t

I love this th♥️ght!

Venus loves all animals, but is drawn to cats due to how independent and selective they are. She and Jake adopt another kitty and name them Pastrami. Pastrami and Rugelach instantly bond.

Jake grew up on a ranch, so he loves any and all animals. I see him and Bob bonding over that (I headcanon that Bob grew up on a farm in the Midwest).

Oh God, he would ask it that way.

"Jake, that's a huge commitment and we just got married, don't you think we need some time to settle?" Venus asks, trying not to lose her shit.

Jake just nods like it's no big deal, "I get that. But I was looking at some dog shelters-"

Venus doesn't listen to the rest of his sentence because she's just thinking oh thank God he's talking about animals.

More cuteness underneath

"We are starting with one dog Jake. Our townhouse isn't big enough-"

"We can just buy a house," Jake shrugs as he continues to pet the German Shepard who has made their home into Jake's lap.

"You seriously want to buy a house just to have more dogs?"

"Not just more dogs. Eventually," Jake's cheeks begin to turn red, "Kids too."

Venus is doing everything not to appear flustered, "Slow down cowboy. Let's focus on a dog today."

They find this pitbull terrier mix. She had puppies before, and now that her pups have been adopted, the shelter wants her to find her forever home. Her name is Nellie and Jake is already thinking of what Jewish food they can rename her.

"That means she'll be good with other dogs and kids," Jake points out.

They take Nellie/Bagel (Jake's idea) into the playroom. Bagel is very curious about Jake (it's his Golden Retriever energy), whereas Venus is more calm and gives Bagel some space so they don't get overwhelmed.

"Alright Bagel, go to your mama!" Jake points to Venus and all of a sudden, she feels her stomach fluttering and a warm feeling washing over her.

Bagel's eyes perk up and she immediately goes over to Venus, who stretches out an open hand to let her sniff.

They take Bagel home that day.

Six months later, Jake comes home carrying a little black Labrador puppy.

"Jacob Seresin, why do you have a dog?!" Venus asks. Bagel's tail is wagging as she waits at Jake's feet.

"They were running along the highway and I knew a big storm was coming! I couldn't just leave them out there!" Venus can't even get mad because the dog is super cute and Jake's actions are secretly making her melt.

They do take the dog to the shelter but no one comes first the sweet little thing. And after seeing Bagel take such good care of them, Jake and Venus really have no choice but to adopt Lox.

[mariacallous]

Guess what? I wrote a cookbook all about Jewish carbs, and it’s called Modern Jewish Baker: Challah, Babka, Bagels and More. For those of you who may follow my ongoing food antics, then this news will come as no surprise. I love baking challah and dreaming up unique flavors like butternut squash and sage challah, coffee cake challah and even pastrami sandwich challah. But the book is so much more than challah, in fact, it is an in-depth, bake your-own adventure that walks you through not one or two but seven different kinds of dough — how to master each dough, and how to mix and match them with various fillings, flavors and toppings.

I spent the past year working on this beautiful delicious work of art, along with my sister-in-law Becca Goldberg. and am so excited to share one of my favorite recipes from the book: birthday cake babka. Forget cupcakes — you’ll be making this colorful cream-cheese-filled creation for your next celebration.

The recipe below is a bit of a potchke, as we say, (like a lot of work). So here is one shortcut: After the babka has baked and cooled, combine 1 cup (approximately 6 ounces) white chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30-second intervals, mixing in between with a small spatula, until completely melted and smooth. Drizzle melted white chocolate on top of each babka and allow to set.

If you need a refresher on shaping babka, pick up a copy of the book. Or you can also watch this video to help.

[rabbitcruiser]

National Pickle Day 

National Pickle Day is on November 14 and it was created to celebrate the pickle as one of the worlds favorite fermented foods. Pickles prove to be preposterously popular with people across the country; the number of pickle-eaters is projected to proliferate to more than 250 million by 2023. That gives plenty of pretext to position November 14th as prime pickle time!

History of National Pickle Day

The practice of pickling has existed for thousands of years. The process ensured a degree of preservation otherwise impossible in pre-modern conditions and was essential in providing a mobile supply of provisions for travelers as well as a dependable source of nutrition for those living through barren winters. While a diverse set of foods can be pickled, the cucumber emerges as the dominant food that most associate with the idea of both pickling and the word “pickle” itself. Archaeologists believe that the first evidence of pickled cucumbers originates from Tigris river valley civilizations, and the nutritional benefits of the food would go on to be lauded by such historical figures as Cleopatra and Julius Caesar. 

With all their popularity in the Old World, pickles would not make their appearance in North America until 1492. As you may have guessed by the year, the one responsible for their introduction was none other than Christopher Columbus. Pickles were included in sailors’ rations on his expeditions as a means by which to prevent the onset of scurvy. By the mid-17th century, cucumbers bought from Dutch settlers farming in the New York area were pickled and distributed throughout the region. This would lay the foundations for the territory to be the perfect site for the introduction of the kosher dill pickle. 

In the period of the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, a large number of Eastern European Jews immigrated to the United States and settled in the New York City area. They brought with them the unique methods that produce kosher dill pickles, and these early iterations of pickles would develop into the now-famous and ever-familiar food available in grocery stores throughout the United States.

National Pickle Day timeline

2030 B.C.

A Pickle Provenance

Mesopotamians pickle cucumbers native to India and give birth to one of the great staples of food condiments.

10th Century

A Pickle Pairing

Dill, a central ingredient in many brine mixtures used to culture cucumbers, arrives in Western Europe from Sumatra.

1940’s

A Pickle Portion

The United States government produces 40% of U.S. pickle output as they include pickles in rations for the armed forces.

2001

A Pickle Party

The first annual National Pickle Day celebrations take place in New York City.

Fun Stats About Pickles

A pickle in every home

More than 67% of all households eat pickles. American households in particular purchase pickles every 53 days!

America’s pickled angel

Americans consume more than 9 pounds of pickles per person annually. To give context, the average cucumber weighs about 0.8 pounds. 

A whole lotta acres

100,000 to 125,000 American acres are specifically devoted to growing pickling cucumbers and they’re grown in more than 30 states.

National Pickle Day FAQs

Is there a national pickle shortage?

Without raising too much alarm, there is a strain of mildew that has been particularly harmful to cucumber crops in the United States. However, researchers are working to develop a variety of mildew-resistant cucumbers, which would secure the future of the pre-pickle plant. 

What is the pickle capital of the world?

It’s up for debate! St. Charles, Illinois, the original home of the pickle-centric marketing company Pickle Packers International, held the title for more than four decades. However, the organization has since relocated to Washington, D.C., leaving this particular question open. 

What state makes the most pickles?

Michigan grows the most pickles.

National Pickle Day Activities

Break a Record: Got an appetite for pickles? Test your limits and see if you can break the world record for pickle consumption. The current holder of the throne gobbled up more than five-and-a-half pounds of pickles ... in six minutes. Good luck!

Envision Your Own Variety: Just because the technique has been around for thousands of years doesn’t mean that it’s been perfected… right? There are limitless possibilities as to how you can go about making pickles. Maybe it’s time for you to concoct your own formula and show the world what you (and your pickles) are made of!

Try 'Em All!: If you don’t want to stuff yourself silly with a peck of pickles, and you’re not inclined to brine your own cucumbers, consider sampling different kinds of pickles to discover which style is your favorite - from bread and butter, to sweet, to classic kosher dill, there are plenty of ways to enjoy this salty snack!

Why We Love National Pickle Day

Pickles Are Versatile: Although many choose to eat them on their own, pickles can be enjoyed fried, in a sandwich, in a dip, in a salad, among other ways.

Pickles Aid Athletes: Some may pucker at the idea of it, but drinking pickle juice can help athletes reduce the likelihood of experiencing cramps after intense exercise.

Pickles Have Probiotics: Pickles fermented in non-vinegar brine solutions carry with them probiotic microorganisms that provide a whole host of health benefits.

Source

[sandwichtribunal]

October List Sandwiches and September Wrapup

In October, the Tribunal will be covering Palermo's Panelle, Yorkshire's Parmo, and Utah's Pastrami Burger.

Welcome to October, sandwich fans! As always, a new month brings 3 new sandwiches for the Tribunal to investigate, and there are some good ones coming! But first, as ever, we must review what we learned in September. September’s Tribunal sandwiches included the Mulita, a Mexican melt from Tijuana involving 2 handmade corn tortillas, plenty of Oaxacan cheese, meats like carne asada or carnitas,…

[fizzyorange-v2]

please do reblog for a better sample size if you’d be so kind <3

[formeryelpers]

Beeps, 16063 Sherman Way, Van Nuys, CA 91406

Beeps is one of those classic LA burger joints – serving burgers in Van Nuys since 1956. The interior looks like a classic 50’s diner and the menu would be right at home in the 1950’s: burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, salads, Mexican food, breakfast (omelettes, waffles, French toast, pancakes, breakfast sandwiches, breakfast burritos), sides, shakes, and malts. There’s plenty of pastrami…but no zucchini fries. You can make any sandwich or burger a combo for $4.49 (fries and a drink).

I read some reviews and many people praised the tuna melts. That sounded perfect since I haven’t had a good tuna melt in ages. I like how they let you choose the bread and the cheese. Most places don’t offer you so many choices.

Tuna melt ($6.59) with your choice of cheese (pepper jack), bread (rye), grilled onions, tomato, tuna salad with onions. The reviewers were right. This was the best tuna melt I’ve ever had. The rye was buttered and grilled. The edges were crunchy. The tuna salad was quite hot (sounds strange but it was so good) with melted cheese, and grilled onions. Everything melded together. Delicious! And so affordable too.

Order inside and pay. They will bring your food to your table if you sit inside (and maybe if you sit outside?). There’s a loyalty card for sandwiches. Note: they do have parking but it’s pretty limited.

5 out of 5 stars

By Lolia S.

[laineystein]

Hey! A question to a New Yorker from the uninformed - in those Jewish delis, I've seen they serve pastrami and such with melted cheese. Is it fake cheese or are they not kosher? Thanks!

A Jewish deli just means a deli that is owned by a Jew and serves food that caters toward Jews. Ashkenazi Jews typically owned and opened them so they could have places where local Jews could buy cuisine like gefilte fish and matzo ball soup - things that you couldn’t get anywhere else. Some are kosher but many are not. Many of them have changed to “kosher-style” to appeal to a broader, less Jewish, customer base. Bottom line - if there’s no kosher certification, it’s not kosher. So if there’s cheese, it’s not kosher and won’t be certified. I guess they could be using plant-based…though I’ve never seen that.

I’m certainly not a Jewish deli expert, just a Jew that keeps kashrut. If anyone wants to give more information to Anon based on your experiences, by all means!

[helenaheissner]

Love During Robot Fighting Time: Chapter 21

Faith

“Okay, so, how is this gonna work?” Kate asked, swirling her straw inside her tall glass of skim milk. 

The three of us sat in a booth inside a twenty-four hour diner in West Hollywood, atop brown leather seats jammed into the back corner of the main dining room. Overhead lights buzzed above us, casting their hot glow downwards on our intrepid trio. The blues stylings of Blind Blake hummed from the speaker, while the aromas of potatoes frying and meat grilling and pastries baking all filled the air. We all split a plate of onion rings while we waited for our entrees to arrive, taking turns dipping them in a small bowl of ketchup. I sipped my orange juice and Zeke skimmed his finger over the rim on his glass of sprite. “How do you mean?” I asked after swallowing a mouthful of OJ. 

“I mean… Well, I guess I just mean I’ve never been in a real relationship before, let alone one where there’s three people total. Zeke and I have only been a couple for a short while so far and now we’re adding you and I guess I just don’t really know what all this entails.”

“She raises a good point,” Zeke said. He sat next to her while I faced the two of them, putting his arm around her. I tried to ignore the green sparks shooting through my chest, tried to make sure they didn’t ignite a verdant blaze of hideous jealousy. I had no reason to be jealous- I’d literally kissed both of them less than a half hour ago. 

“Yeah, she does,” I said. “Still, does it have to be that different from how things are right now? Zeke, you and I have been best friends for a while anyway, and a couple is basically just a pair of best friends who have a romantic and/or sexual component to that dynamic.”

“That’s true,” Zeke said, idly scratching at the beard stubble sprouting on his chin. 

“And she does have the most relationship experience between the three of us,” Kate said. 

“That’s a scary prospect,” I said. 

“That doesn’t fill us with confidence, babe,” Zeke said. 

Babe. 

He called me… 

He called me babe.

HE CALLED ME BABE!!!!!!!

I squirmed in my seat, putting my hands under my chin as I wiggled back and forth and smiled. “Heeheehee,” I giggled. 

“I think she likes that, babe,” Kate said.

“I’m inclined to agree, babe,” Zeke said. 

“This is getting a little confusing though, babe,” Kate said, smirking. “It’s kinda what I’m talking about- if all three of us are occupying the same space and we’re all calling each other babe, which babe is the babe to whom we’re referring.”

“That could get a little confusing, yeah,” I said. Then I winked at her. “Babe.”

Those big blue doe eyes went wide as she blushed and smiled. “I mean… That certainly helps.”

Zeke snort-laughed. “Okay, back on topic: I can kinda see a broader issue happening here with one of us feeling like a third-wheel if two of us spend more time one-on-one then with all three of us. And since Faith and I live together, that feels like it will probably happen at some point.”

“The last thing I want is for Kate to feel neglected,” I said. 

“I mean hey, that’s not something I want either,” Kate said wryly before chomping down on another onion ring.

The waiter, a short and stocky black man with braids tied back into a man-bun and a nametag that read ‘Jerome’, came over with our meals: a stack of banana chocolate chip pancakes with a side of ham and cooked golden apples for Kate, a pastrami reuben on rye with a side of potato salad for Zeke, and an avocado melt on whole wheat with a side of coleslaw for me. “Here y’all are. Anything else I can get for you?”

“We’re good for now, though we might want some milkshakes by the end of the night,” Zeke said. 

“Or just one, with three straws,” Kate said, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

I cocked (heh) a smile. “I like the way you think, Katie.”

“Hmmm. I like it when you call me that,” she replied. 

Jerome left us to our food, and we all got so busy chowing down we let the conversation go silent for a few minutes. After we’d sated our initial hunger and let ourselves slow down, however, I said what was really on my mind: “it does raise the question, though: we’re gonna have to find ways for all three of us to be together a lot if we want to avoid any of us feeling jealous or neglected. Like, I’m not gonna lie, I wish I was sitting on that side of the booth with one of you instead of being here on my own.”

“Then come over and sit with us,” Kate shrugged. 

“Kate, she’s not gonna fit,” Zeke said. 

“Exactly, and I’m worried about that becoming a metaphor for this throuple-”

“Oh God, that is what we are, aren’t we?” Kate said. 

“I prefer ‘polycule’ personally,” Zeke said. “If we’re serious about this.”

“I am if y’all are,” Kate said. 

I nodded in agreement. “We should set up some ground rules: for every one-on-one date that a permutation of the three of us goes on, we have to go on a three-person date.”

“I like that,” Kate said, cutting up her ham and mixing it in with the syrupy pancakes before taking a large bite. 

“I do too, but what exactly constitutes a date?” Zeke said. “Again, Faith and I live together and we hang out watching TV basically every night unless I’m going on a date with Kate. Does that count?”

“I don’t really think so, no,” I said. 

“Okay, but Kate, be honest, would you get jealous about that? Me and Faith watching movies without you?”

Kate shook her head while chewing her food. She swallowed, then said, “No, that’s just hanging at home.”

“Okay, but what if Faith and I started banging?” Zeke said. 

I had the misfortune of swallowing a bite of my own sandwich when he said that, and nearly started choking before forcing the food down. “Getting a little ahead of ourselves, aren’t we, Underhill?”

He rubbed the back of his head. “... Fair enough, but like… It’s been on my mind. And I know you well enough to know that it’s been on yours as well. Kate and I have already talked about how we’re not quite ready for that yet-”

Kate put her palm flat across Zeke’s face. “Babe. Babe, we’re in public.”

“... Right, sorry. Forgot that.”

“Thank God this place is almost empty,” I said with a nervous chuckle, looking around to make sure none of the three old couples scattered throughout the diner were gawking at us degenerate youngins. Blind Blake gave way to Dolly Parton, ironically begging Jolene not to steal her man. Heh, I was pretty sure I’d figured out the work around to that particular conundrum. “But, uh, yeah, I’ll admit, there is that aspect to this particular equation. You and I have known each other a while, and I’ve been on HRT long enough that I’ve gotten a lot more comfortable with my body. And since we live together, we certainly have ease of access-”

“Yeah you do,” Kate said, brows raised and grin downright shit-eating. 

I started laughing in spite of myself. “Damn, Katie, you’re BAD.”

“You’re surprised?” Zeke deadpanned. 

“I really shouldn’t be,” I admitted. 

“Indeed.”

“Okay, seriously tho- you two are further along in all this stuff then I am,” Kate said.

“Are we? You and Zeke have been together longer,” I said.

“You and Zeke have known each other longer,” Kate retorted. 

“And you two have been the most desperate to bang each other the longest,” Zeke said. 

“What?!” Kate and I said in tandem. 

“Oh, c’mon, don’t deny it,” Zeke said. “We’re already here, in a polycule, don’t act like this is new or anything.”

“It is new,” Kate said. She looked at me. “Right?”

“I…,” I began, quickly trailing off. Then I thought back, to all the times Calloway had annoyed me over the past year, and wondered if there was anything more to that than poor social skills. “Actually, he might be onto something.”

“I don’t understand you sometimes,” Kate said. 

“It’s okay, we can work on that,” I said, squeezing her hand.

She blushed. “Sounds good. Also, for what it’s worth, I don’t mind if you two want to start getting intimate with each other. I’m not ready for it yet, but I hopefully will be soon. And there’s no reason for me not to let you two get a head start.”

So many images clouded my mind at that moment. SOOOO MANY. “I… Okay. Zeke, what do you think?”

“I think… I’m open to it. But, circling back a little, how about this,” Zeke said. “A date counts as such if it involves two or more of us going out and doing something together. This can include going to hang out with Katie at her place, and her at our place, but not us two at our own place. Does that sound good?”

“I’m cool with it,” Kate said. 

“Me too,” I nodded. 

“And we’re agreed that for every two-person date there needs to be a three-of-us date that week?” I asked, finishing off my sandwich. 

“Absolutely,” Zeke said, inhaling his last bite of potato salad. 

“We should also have a group chat,” Kate said, swallowing a large quantity of pancake. 

“Oh, good idea,” I said, whipping out my phone and cobbling one together. I dubbed it ‘Faith’s favorite people.’

“Awww,” Kate said. 

“Very cute,” Zeke said. “Relatedly: one last question.”

“Yes?” Kate and I both asked. 

“Does this count as one of our ‘all three of us’ dates?” Zeke asked. 

“I think so,” I said with a wide smile. 

“So do I,” Kate said. 

“In that case, a toast,” Zeke said, raising his glass. “To us. And to new beginnings.”

“Cheers!” I said, clinking my glass.

“Cheers!” Kate said. 

Jerome came back, with a chocolate malt and three straws on a tray. He set it on our table. “Figured this was where the evening was headed. Did I assume correctly?”

“You did indeed, my good man, you did indeed,” I said. 

I reached over to the center and sucked on the straw, the two faces of the people I cared about more than anything came very, very close to me while they did the same thing. We all drank together, not stopping until all three of us were wincing from brain freeze and laughing together through the pain. Kate’s laughter came in time with the final notes of ‘Jolene’, and Zeke held both of our hands as we reveled in each other’s company. 

I could get used to this. 

***

Later that night, after we’d dropped Kate off at home, Zeke and I made our way back to our place and walked up to our apartment, hand in hand. He smelled so damn good, musky and virile, and his massive hands felt amazing wrapped around my small, calloused ones. He was so much bigger than me, and I’d always been short, but around him, I felt… Delicate. Around him, I felt like me, and I wanted to savor that feeling as much as possible. I wanted to make each second I spent with him count, to make up for the wasted years I’d spent trying to avoid taking responsibility for my feelings. I wanted that with Kate, too, but I’d wanted it with Zeke for longer, and I wanted him to know how much I cared about him. 

Besides, I wasn’t tired yet- locking down a relationship with two hotties tends to give you an adrenaline rush, as it turns out. 

“Nightcap?” I asked him as he closed and locked the door. 

“I… Think I meant it, when I said I don’t wanna drink anymore,” Zeke said with a nervous laugh. “My mom is… Very clearly an alcoholic, and I don’t wanna go down that road.”

“Zeke, hey, you’re nothing like her,” I said, my heart sawing itself in half at his words and his downcast expression. He couldn’t possibly still think he was like his parents. He had to know how amazing he was. 

“I know, I just… The risk seems high to me, still,” he said. “I wanna be better than her. And him. Both for myself… And for you and Kate.”

The smile crept onto my face in spite of the sorrow behind the situation. I went to him, cupped his cheeks in my hands. His stubble had already grown thicker- by morning, the beginnings of a beard would already be manifesting. He was so rough and hairy and hard; I was used to girls, soft and smooth and elegant. This was different: this was a man, built differently than me, wired differently than me. It had taken me a few months to really accept that I liked the differences, liked the way he towered over me, liked the way he leapt to my aid without hesitation, liked the way he wanted to be my knight in shining armor. But now that I had, and I knew that I could have it both ways… It was as if I’d unlocked some hidden part of myself, long neglected and shoved into a corner in the back of my mind. I was a woman, yes; but moreover, at that moment, I knew I was one of HIS women. And I loved being that. 

Guess it was up to me to show him how much I loved it. Challenge accepted. 

“Hey,” I said, standing up on my tip-toes, leaning against his chest, stroking his cheek. “You’re already more than enough for both of us. So don’t ever compare yourself to your idiot parents, yeah?”

“You really mean that?” he said, his nose touching mine, our foreheads pressing together, his heartbeat thundering as I leaned on him. 

“I really, really do,” I said, my mouth getting closer to his. 

Our lips met, and it was different from our first kiss- that had been exploratory, tentative, nervous. We’d both been shaking when it happened, terrified of the idea that the aftermath might not be as good as the anticipation. 

Now we knew we didn’t have that problem. His stubble tickled my face, making me giggle as my tongue entered his mouth and explored the inside. My hands dug into his hair and rubbed his scalp as he pushed forward and pinned me against the wall, hands running down my shoulders and settling on my hips. My knee popped and I pushed back, kissing his neck and his cheek, my hands running over his hard, muscular chest. 

He gripped my hips tightly and lifted me up, and I settled into his arms as my forehead pressed against his and my tongue once again found its way down his throat. “Bedroom?” I said in a hungry whisper. 

“Are you sure?” he said, kissing me up and down my arm. 

“Only if you are,” I purred. 

“That… That would be a nightcap more up my alley,” he said. “We’ll have to tell Katie about this, though.”

“That’s fine with me,” I said, pulling off his shirt and witnessing the glory of his six pack abs and toned pectorals, digging my hands into his modest garden of dark chest hair, nibbling his shoulder lightly. Arousal burned like a wildfire through every inch of me, desperate to consume everything. “And she said she was fine with it.”

“Okay,” he said, a downright wicked smile on his face, mischief in his eyes. He bridal-carried me into his room.

“Throw me onto the bed,” I pleaded. I was small and delicate, and I was in his massive hands and strong arms. I wanted to be reminded of just how much he could do to me. 

“Throw you?!” he said, aghast. 

I giggled. Oh, Zeke. Ever the gentleman. “Okay, toss me lightly. Is that better?”

He laughed, and carefully tossed me onto his mattress. Then he jumped on as well, kicking off his shoes and pinning me down by my wrists. He loomed above me, a massive tower of masculine desire and intention. “I’ve dreamt of this moment. Literally dreamt of it.”

“Honestly, same,” I said, looking up into him, desperate to relinquish all control and give myself over to him, mind and body- ESPECIALLY body. “Guess dreams really do come true.”

“Evidently, yes,” he said, tugging the dress down from my shoulders and carefully folding it before placing it on the floor. It was honestly the sweetest little thing he could have done, and it very definitely DID SOMETHING for me. “Now then: shall we begin, oh captain my captain?”

“Yes please,” I said as I unzipped his jeans and pulled them down. 

A very long, very involved, very sweaty night proceeded from there.

***

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