#almond syrup

[drconstellation]

Thoughts on Drinks in S2

Updated 10 Nov 2023

I thought I might put together some of my rambling thoughts on all the drinks that appear in S2 in general, since there are far more of them than food. I believe the hot chocolate is just as important as the coffee choices and some just make interesting comments.

Tea

Tea only makes a brief appearance, notably when Muriel visits the bookshop and meets Azriaphale. It is an introduction to the ways of humans. The only other tea we see are the offered herbal teas of peppermint (stimulating) or chamomile (a relaxant) to Maggie by Nina, and we don't know which one Maggie chooses.

Sherry

The request for sherry in the pub is, quite simply, hilarious, even without the Lady Bracknell ad lib. In Australia, where I am from, and I believe the UK as well, sherry has a long tradition as a ladies drink. And one wouldn't be adverse to have a nip or two (or more) while doing the cooking with it. If you haven't seen The Importance of Being Ernest performed, not just read it, you really must make the effort. (Coincidentally, I was taken as a teenager to see a version where Lady Bracknell was played for comedic effect by a man in drag. I loved it, and have never forgotten it, or the cucumber sandwiches.)

Wine

In S2E1 we have Nina reaching for the comfort wine while trapped in the coffee shop. She offers Maggie some, but she declines, and offers "No judgement."

Then we have some romantic wine in 1941, and some potentially romantic wine back in the present. Or is it?

Why don't you just talk to Gabriel, suggests Aziraphale. Alright, I will! declares Crowley, pausing only to take the wine bottle with him. The next thing we see is him ready to pass his Judgement on the amnesiac archangel.

Edit: I missed quite a bit of wine my first time around! There was two lots of wine in the Job minisode, and that was quite judgemental as well.

What, you didn't bring the wine, angel?

Then later in the cellar, while the storm rages, Crowley does find some wine and proceeds to enjoy the fruits of his demonic work while having a moral argument with Aziraphale.

Hot Chocolate

Ah! Ohohoh! The hot chocolate! Jim-short-for-James hot chocolate! I think it is very telling he is offered it by both Aziraphale and Crowley. The first gif sees him drinking while overlooking the Outside and a reflection of "give me coffee" in the window (this is the start of S2E3.) He is walking a different road to the others, one protected and facilitated by A & C. The coffee isn't for him, its for Other People. He gets his own special stash of the Good Stuff, labeled and everything. Privilege for the Frog Prince, sheesh.

Edit: Several times I've tried to explain the Choice of the Hot Chocolate, and I've actually replied to someone here about it in the mean time in a way that I'm happy with - here is most it, below:

Most of us get the two options, coffee, or death. But Jim has been given a third option, and he has grabbed it enthusiastically with both hands. Aziraphale has handed it to him in spades, even! That much will take a long time to get through, wouldn't it. It's a big generous gift, that Aziraphale understands well. Gabriel came to Aziraphale because he instinctively knew Aziraphale understood what he needed. Mr 'six-shots-of-espresso' loves his freedom, or liberty, and his life here on Earth. The humans who line up for their dose of Heaven every day do, too. Death is the option-that-is-not-an-option. It's duty. It's the tax we all have to pay for living. So the Metatron turns up and offers Aziraphale a coffee to one who doesn't drink coffee. Essentially the Metatrash offers a choice that isn't a choice. Aziraphale's only choice is to do his duty at this point, or else...well, we aren't shown it, but it seems the 'else' was too terrible to contemplate. (Or, as some people alternatively see it, the Metatron kept pushing until he was offered a carrot he couldn't refuse.) But Jim, he's been give the option that Aziraphale and Crowley really want, but can't quite have at this point. Freedom to love as they want, and openly in front of all Heaven, Hell and Humanity. They understand. They don't judge Jimbriel for this, they actually encourage it - they both make it happen right under the Ineffable Bureaucracy's noses in the end! The irony of it! They give their arch-enemy the gift that they dream of. I'm very tempted to digress off into a discussion about the two glimpses of authority we get from Crowley and Aziraphale in S2E6 at this point (Crowley yelling at the demons prior to the attack on the shop, and Aziraphale shouting at the Ineffable Bureaucracy representatives arguing what to do about Gabe and Beez in the shop to shut up,) and what it might it might tell us about their pasts. Because, as others have noted, Gabriel and Beelzebub have that freedom to be together in front of everyone because they have power - they are essentially the top ranking beings in this AU. They can do what they want with little fear of consequences. And I guess the Metatron didn't step in to intercede at this point because he essentially wanted Gabriel gone from the picture, and this was a convenient way to do it. So yeah, the sweet hot chocolate is Gabriel's special option, facilitated by Aziraphale and Crowley. He doesn't have to drink what the plebs drink, the bitter devotional duty to Heaven.

Whiskey

The demon drink. Fire water. (Maybe...enough said? Not sure...I've got dots to spare here...fire...and water...hmm...where have we seen that before...)

Coffee

Give Me liberty Coffee, or Give Me Death!

Six shots of espresso in a big cup for Crowley - lots of freedom for the demon.

The humans line up every day to get their ration of free will.

Regarding the Metatron's coffee offer to Aziraphale, the best explanation I've seen of it is here. The almond syrup signals that Aziraphale is being watched, and to me he is being offered a choice he can't refuse. He has no option but to accept it. In regards to the oat milk, I've seen a suggestion that it was a reference to Aziraphale being too free while on Earth and having a chance to "sow his oats." Also the purpose of offering it was to see if he was compliant enough to follow orders when asked.

Coffee shops have historically been a hotbed of foment, where new ideas were discussed, business conducted and rebellions started.

Finally there's a special mention for Gabriel and Beelzebub with their "intoxicating liquor."

Which they didn't. They got to make their own choice, in the end, thanks to Aziraphale.

Extra edit:

The Laudanum

I originally didn't include this one, but since posting this I realised how it fits in. I've written it up in this meta here - The Altar of Eccles Cakes, - because its a Sin Offering.

[A Sin Offering was for] atonement or unintentional sin. It would have the elements of a Burnt offering, as well as a Peace offering, but not be shared.

It pretty clear to most observers that Crowley did a good and "kind deed" for Elspeth here, which angered Hell in the process and then he was dragged forcibly downstairs to be duly punished for it. There is a post here from atlas-hope that suggests this is a parallel of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, drinking the cup of God's wrath to absolve Christians of their sins. They point out the laudanum is even poured into a goblet. Crumbs, that's a hefty bit of spiritual lifting, dear demon. What were you thinking, Anthony J. Crowley? It might cast that conversation you had with the carpenter back on the mountain in a new light, or least make us look back twice at it. (Plenty of time for contemplation before S3 arrives...) Remember, a Sin offering has elements of both a Burnt offering and a Peace offering: a giant Crowley gets Elspeth to promise to devote the rest of her life to being "properly good, not just pretendy good" and the money Aziraphale is forced to donate to her ensures her future prosperity. Sounds like a win-win situation there, Elspeth!

[morethansalad]

No-Bake White Chocolate Blueberry Cake Bites (Vegan & Gluten-Free)

[daily-deliciousness]

Cream cheese stuffed french toast with almonds

[fullcravings]

King Cake Inspired Bostock

[ineffablelunatics]

Almond and Barley…

Almond syrup is also known as Orgeat syrup(which most of the time now includes other things like orange blossom water or rose water). It used to be made with barley and almond blend. Thats where the name comes from.

“The word “orgeat” has its origins in the French word for barley, as the original syrup was a mix of barley and almonds.”

Where does barley come in Good Omens specifically with Aziraphale?

[youryurigoddess]

The Small Back Room — Hour of Glory (1949)

Good Omens 2 begins with the visit to The Small Back Room not because it was meant to serve as an exposition scene for Maggie and her record shop. It’s a substantial foreshadowing of the main plot and the relationship changes between Aziraphale and Crowley.

As all the other classics referenced throughout the show, this 1949 Powell and Pressburger production is easily available online — whenever you have 100 minutes to spare, I highly encourage you to watch it.

Our story begins with the arrival of Stuart, a British military captain, who makes his way through a labyrinth of offices towards a small building — the research section led by an eccentric, queer-coded, bow tie wearing professor Mair — to ask for help with a secret Nazi weapon.

That’s when the professor calls our hero, Sammy Rice — an engineer and bomb disposal expert in the service of Her Majesty’s government and, not accidentally, the most brooding, wounded man in Powell and Pressburger’s impressive canon of dysfunctional and alienated characters.

Due to a prosthetic foot keeping him from active service and confining to work in the titular back room instead, Rice is dramatically slipping into alcoholism. Haunted by self-loathing and disappointment with the internal politics, he can’t see the point of his research anymore.

Sammy is also conducting a clandestine affair with the secretary of his research unit, Susan. They live in the same building and meet regularly, but can’t openly enjoy their company or even dance due to his injury, which makes him even more bitter and pathologically determined to wear her angelic patience down.

Susan puts up with it until the minister is forced to resign. She knows that if non-scientists take over, their section will become useless, Rice even more difficult, and the war possibly lost. She urges him to take action and when he dramatically refuses to make a difference, she leaves him.

Seemingly at his lowest now, Rice becomes a sudden chance to redeem himself. Captain Stuart calls him about two unexploded booby traps found in Wales, but left to himself, he dies during a heroic attempt to dismantle one of the thermos-like devices before our engineer arrives at the scene.

In a nerve-jangling finale, Stuart’s notes help Rice dismantle the second device. He becomes a hero, gets an officer commission as head of the new scientific unit, and discovers that Susan not only came back in the meantime, but repaired everything he drunkenly destroyed in the apartment after their breakup.

The parallels seem straightforward enough for me to add that in this context the role of Maggie through most of S2 may particularly reflect Crowley’s stagnancy in both work and love life. And if you’re unsure why the demon identifies with the heroic roles and characters, you might want to read this post on the subject.

Now, The Small Back Room was distributed in the US under another title — Hour of Glory. Which happens to be a specific Bible term referring to Christ’s “hour”, the period supposed to consummate all of his work on Earth and reveal God’s ultimate plan of salvation: the Son’s death.

John 12:20-36 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

Christ’s hour began in the garden — this time the garden of Gethsemane — as he prayed passionately for the cup to be passed from him, similarly to Aziraphale declining Metatron’s offers on screen, both regarding the hot drink and his reinstatement as part of the Heavenly Host:

Luke 22:42 “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

All throughout the Old Testament, we see God’s wrath being described as a cup poured out on sin and those guilty of it. By accepting it, Jesus took the toll of all the sins — from Eden up until the last one to be committed right before his Second Coming — on himself, for the sake of his beloved humanity.

The passion of Christ continued as Judas betrayed him with a kiss, his disciples abandoned him, and the high priest accused him of crimes he was not guilty of. Even Pilate, the prefect of Rome, pretended to uphold the law; and remember we already expect a S3 trial based on another Archers movie.

All in all, it’s an hour of great injustice and pain, but also glory of God. We’re led to believe that the Ineffable Plan will similarly triumph over the great one (or whatever Metatron tries to implement at the moment), as it did in S1. And its ending will be a good one, back in a garden.

[swissmiss]

♡

[tartanbowtie]

An Oat Milk Latte You Can't Decline

For this GOetry Monday prompt

Form: tanka

Theme: an object in the Good Omens world

Also on AO3

the sweetened offer

a dash of almond syrup

bitter aftertaste

a reminder that freedom

was only an illusion

---

The oat milk latte with a dash of almond syrup, and what it signifies to Aziraphale.

A reflection on liberty, Good Omens Heaven as a cult, and the almond tree as a biblical metaphor for god's watchfulness and the punishment of rebels.

@isiaiowin @goodomensafterdark

[tonydaddingham]

thinking about crowley tunnelling into paradise and tempting eve to the apple. to give herself knowledge, rebelling against god to do so, and being compelled to leave once she has partaken. thinking about the voice of god entering the bookshop and tempting aziraphale to a delicious coffee. to what specific end is unsure, but regardless aziraphale is compelled to leave once he has partaken. you know. normal thoughts

[certifiedceliac]

V/GF Dark Chocolate Tahini Bars (via Baked Ambrosia)

[johaerys-writes]

People who post "healthy" recipes online that require a cup of almond butter and half a cup of organic maple syrup or some shit should go straight to jail

[the-metatron]

Trick or Treat!!

Please enjoy this delicious oatmilk latte with a hefty jigger of almond syrup. I assure it is not poisoned.

[morethansalad]

Vegan Rice Pudding with Plum Compote

[158590]

[fullcravings]

Gulab Jamun Cake

[hyungseos-cafe]

Pairing: TBZ x GN!Reader

Genre: Time Travel AU, Fluff, Angst

Warnings: Mentions of death, bullying/teasing, slight mentions of intoxication and occasional use of profanity.

Word Count: 18.6k+

Update Schedule: Every Monday and Wednesday

Summary: Time travelers, do they actually exist or are they only in bedtime stories? The letterbox series follows the life of a time traveler who writes of the 11 men they encounter overtime. In their best selling novel, they detail the story of how they discovered their grandfather's time machine and later goes into detail of the letters they leave before shifting into the next time continuum, but what happens when the 11 men go searching for them? Do their timelines convene? Do they ever meet again? 

A/n: So three things! One, I forgot to mention that this is a re-write from my old blog. Two, I forgot how many chapters there were. Three, if you want to be added to the tag list either comment on this post or send me an ask!!

Chapters:

0 - The beginning

1 - The works

2 - Crash Course - Space Time Continuum

3 - Protective

4 - Music Boy

5 - The Baker

6 - Arch Nemesis

7 - The Gardener

8 - First Heartbreak

9 - Hiatus

10 - Study Break

11 - The Gossiper

12 - Anatomy Class

13 - The Co-worker

14 - Track Buddy

15 - Best Friend

16 .1 - The discovery: The letters 1.0

16.2 - The discovery: The letters 2.0

17 - Fin

Taglist: @deoboyznet @winterchimez @mars101 @cloverdaisies @uwu0clock