#also I want to get better at learning to cook Indian dishes but I have so few people around me who like it

[sagehaubitze]

I made kheer (rice pudding) with leftover coconut rice and a bunch of date pieces and nuts, and like... ohh boy it falls into the danger zone of feeling like I'm eating very rich oatmeal and I'm questioning if I can just eat a bowl of this and claim it's dinner

(do not just eat dessert for dinner please)

[itz-stus]

Hello can you write some headcannons where dazai from bsd has a Indian wife thank you

Hello thank you for this request anon. I really appreciate it. So here are some headcannons for dazai with an Indian wife.

Masterlist

Dazai's Indian wife

Being his wife is going to a job itself. As much as he loves you he is a pain to look after

He will definitely be like learning Hindi and has heard a lot of scolding from you as well in it. Since he annoys you to death

Like if your newly married they you have like the whole Chuda and like the maganl sutra and all. He absolutely adores that.

If you're vegetarian he will take special care for you food yk since many people in India are vegetarian including me. So if that is the case there will be non veg in the house. So if he ever does eats he just eats outside.

As much ad bad he is at cooking he will try to learn how to cook some basic common dishes in India. Like Parathas and all. Cause u force him too

There will be mixed cuisines in your household. Yk like if you know how to cook and like it aswell then you would make like Japanese dishes but with a Indian touch like how our mother makes foreign food with Indian touch.

Dazai has ate every Indian dish you could make or have learned to make and appreciates you in every single one.

In your house Hindi music is compulsory like if your like music then in your house there will be light music all over the house.

At time you two dance to the beats and giggle at each other's silly moves.

There will be times like if Dazai comes home from the agency with like injuries (which is one a regular basis) you scold him every time. If he has a bigger injury like there is too much blood then you might as well scold him in Hindi.

You have made him try Chai. And after marrying you its become a normal habit of drinking tea with you in the morning.

He has learnt Hindi quite well and after some time he can also speak Hindi.

At first he had a terrible accent but it improved from time to time.

If you like reading Hindi books poetries then their will be a like reading sessions with dazai where you just both cuddle and you just read some books to him answering his every little question.

If you work at the agency then there will be like both of you are just talking casually in Hindi and Atsushi is like'wtf are they speaking?'

And if you have interest in history and politics like I do oh boy there will always be like those types of discussions in you household. Like you telling him something new about both Japan and India from mythology to history to civics everything is in the debate here.

Cuddling him to sleep is a mustttt cause it just feels so nice that you are giving your all to him. Listening to his voice just making your night as you kissed ever inch of his beautiful face.

Dazai on the other hand is just grateful to have some this caring. Some to talk to who just understands his very being. He would just be the sweetest.

He just loves everthing about you and tries his best every time. He wants to protect the very person who makes it a little more easier abd enjoyed to live from his miserable life. Who makes how makes him understand humans a little better.

If he comes late and finds you like asleep he would like cover you in you blanket like wrapping you nicely and cuddle you.

He would appreciate you everytime.

There is no doubt he does his suicide techniques abd always asks you on a lovers suicide and even whines after you say no.

He might be a little harsh sometimes yk like in early stage due to yk mafia thing but don't be mad at him he is quite the puzzle to solve so be patient with him.

There is not a single day complete if he hasn't pranked you or put your stuff away. He annoys you to death and teases you for it aswell.

He just enjoyed watching you get angry. Like the one time you were parking your car(cause he is not a good driver who even gave him a driving license)

"Sala kisne sikhaya hai in gadho go gadi laga b@&%&#₹@." You yelled as dazai just looked at you in amusement.

There was also this one time a girl was a little too close and dazai being dazai this mf asked her for a double suicide when you just went up to her like asked her to go since it was like the time for the agency but she won't buzz off. And you yelled.

"Ek ulte hat kar mara na toh tere plastic surgeon ko bhi surgery ki zaroorat pad jayegi. Bhag ya se!" And then she just looked at you weirdly when you just said like to buzz off in Japanese. While dazai is just watching the show rooting for you.

I feel like dazai might just be the kinda guy who would randomly dim the living room lights and turn on some classic romantic song and invite you to slow dance in the living room in your pyjamas at like ten at night and you just. waltz around with him for a while.

Between you and dazai there are both happy, comical and sad moments.

In sad moments if dazai is feeling low it's like a 6th sense to you by now. You always give him space if he wants to talk about it. If he doesn't you don't mind but just give him company like kissing him and like showing that you love him in every possible way. Which is also visa versa

In the end you are a happy married couple who is just as chaotic as much as both of you are cute.

Ps dazai is also scared from your ears twists when you scold him way to hard. He belives that you are even scarier than kunikida when you are truly mad.

[jegaphone]

This post kind of went off the rails as I was writing it but I'm still having a nice time getting my thoughts down on paper so to speak, so here it is anyway! Read on for instant pot thoughts and chicken suggestions.

@thievinghippo also requested new chicken recipes, and I happen to be making one of my favorites tonight - Punjabi chicken curry! The specific recipe requires a set of spices that may be less likely to be in your kitchen if you don't cook Southeast Asian cuisine on the reg, and I don't want to reproduce a recipe in full that isn't already available online, but I highly recommend Anupy Singla's cookbook Instant Pot Indian. Everything I've made from it has been an absolute banger, and once you have the basic set of ingredients on hand the recipes come together quickly and easily. A lot of pureeing instead of chopping, and dumping stuff into the pot to simply set and forget rather than having to mind the stovetop. There are also many options for adjusting the spice levels to your tastes!

I've made some terrible instant pot meals - rubbery, watery, tough. I know a lot of folks who have given up on it as an appliance. I think the most important thing I've learned is to use recipes (at least as a jumping off point) that were truly designed and tested for that cooking method. Until very recently I hadn't really seen the point in buying cookbooks when so many recipes are available online, but man, the difference in quality is often SUBSTANTIAL. I do have some trusted online sources for recipes (I want to make a post listing them soon), but just Googling or using something like All Recipes is a minefield these days. I'm trying to make too many points at once here, but what I really want to get at for the moment is that the instant pot is Good Actually if you use it right.

In particular, chicken in the instant pot turns into easily-shreddable, juicy, flavorful deliciousness. Just throw in whole thighs or breasts (boneless or not) along with the other ingredients for chili, curry, stew, etc. It can also become pulled chicken sandwiches, or get added to a salad to make it a heartier meal. There are so many possible variations, but as a very general baseline...

2 pounds of meat

1 cup of liquid (broth, aquafaba from cans of beans, tomato sauce, or even just water - in my experience erring on the side of a little more liquid is better, since you can always drain some off, but you don't want anything to scorch if it's too dry)

1 tablespoon of Kosher salt

Set the timer to 10 minutes on high

For the curry I'm making tonight, I marinated the chicken in spiced yogurt, and then added diced canned tomatoes, pureed onion, garlic, and ginger, frozen peas, and a bunch more spices. About five tablespoons of spices in total for this dish, but that varies a lot by cuisine and what the spices in question are! I'm being purposefully vague because one of the skills I've most valued learning for day-to-day cooking is to freestyle with what I have on hand, rather than having to meticulously plan ahead for stocking specific ingredients. This does require having a stocked pantry of basics... another post for the future!

[vynahillockresort]

Best Luxury Resorts in Wayanad | Top resorts in Wayanad

Want a fun and relaxing vacation in the hills? Vyna Resort, one of the best luxury resorts in Wayanad, is the perfect place! It’s like your own secret hideaway surrounded by green trees and singing birds. At Vyna, you can have a romantic trip with your partner, a fun adventure with your family, or a peaceful time all by yourself. Come explore Vyna Resort and discover your own little paradise among the luxury resorts in Wayanad!

Why Choose Vyna Resort for Your Wayanad Getaway

Live in Nature’s Lap: Vyna Resort is nestled in a beautiful forest, surrounded by tall trees, colorful flowers, and maybe even some animals! It’s a quiet and peaceful place where you can forget about your worries and enjoy the beauty of nature. The resort is built to fit in with the natural surroundings, so you’ll feel like you’re living in the forest but with all the comforts of a modern hotel. Imagine waking up to the sound of birds chirping and taking a relaxing walk through the woods – it’s the perfect way to start your day.

Stay in Beautiful and Cozy Rooms: Vyna Resort has different types of rooms and villas to choose from. If you want something romantic, try a cozy room with a view of the garden. For more space and privacy, you can choose a bigger room with your own balcony. If you’re looking for something extra special, they have fancy villas with your own swimming pool! All the rooms are decorated with lovely furniture, soft beds, and fluffy towels. You’ll have everything you need to feel relaxed and happy. These accommodations are a key reason why Vyna Resort is considered one of the best luxury resorts in Wayanad.

Eat Yummy Food: Get ready to enjoy tasty food at Vyna Resort. Their restaurant serves all kinds of dishes, from local Wayanad specialties to international favorites like pizza and pasta. The food is made with fresh ingredients, so you know it will be delicious and healthy. For a special treat, you can have dinner in a treehouse, high up in the trees, where you’ll feel like you’re in a fairy tale! They also have a cozy cafe where you can enjoy snacks and drinks. The dining experience at Vyna Resort is often cited as a major draw for visitors seeking luxury resorts in Wayanad.

Relax and Refresh: The resort has a spa where you can relax and pamper yourself. They offer massages that will help your muscles feel good and melt away any stress. They also have special treatments from India called Ayurveda, which use natural herbs and oils to make you feel healthy and balanced. You can also try facials, body scrubs, and other treatments to help you look and feel your best.

Have Fun and Adventure: Vyna Resort is not just about relaxing. They have lots of fun activities too! You can go for walks in the forest with a guide who will tell you about the plants and animals you see. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can try rock climbing or go on a jeep ride through the jungle. The resort also has a swimming pool where you can cool off and have fun with your family and friends. You can even try your hand at fishing or boating in the nearby lake.

Amazing Experiences at Vyna Resort:

Campfire Nights: Imagine sitting around a campfire with other guests, telling stories, and making new friends. You can roast marshmallows and enjoy the warmth of the fire under the starry sky.

Ayurveda & Wellness: Learn about ancient Indian healing traditions and try special treatments that will help your body and mind feel better.

Plantation Tours: Go on a tour to nearby farms where they grow coffee, tea, and spices. You’ll learn how these things are grown and harvested. It’s a fun and educational experience!

Cultural Experiences: Join workshops where you can learn to cook traditional Kerala food, make beautiful crafts, or even learn some dance moves. It’s a great way to experience the local culture and have some fun.

Your Questions, Answered:

Q: I’m looking for the best luxury resorts in Wayanad for a family vacation. Is Vyna Resort suitable for children?

A: Yes! The resort has a special play area for kids, a kiddie pool, and fun activities for the whole family.

Q: Are pets allowed at the resort?

A: It’s best to ask the resort about their rules for pets before you bring your furry friend.

Q: I’ve heard great things about the luxury resorts in Wayanad. What makes Vyna Resort stand out?

A: Vyna Resort offers a unique blend of natural beauty, comfortable rooms, delicious food, and fun activities. It’s the perfect place to relax and enjoy the best of Wayanad.

Q: When is the best time to visit Vyna Resort?

A: Wayanad is nice throughout the year, but it’s best to visit from October to May when the weather is cooler.

Q: Can the resort help me plan my activities and sightseeing?

A: Yes! The resort staff can help you book tours, hikes, and other fun things to do in Wayanad. They’ll help you make the most of your vacation.

Q: Will the resort pick me up from the airport?

A: Yes, the resort can arrange transportation to and from the closest airports.

Q: Is it easy for people with trouble walking to get around the resort?

A: Vyna Resort tries to make things easy for everyone. While some parts of the resort might be a little hilly, they have special facilities and rooms to help people who have trouble walking.

Conclusion:

If you’re looking for the best luxury resorts in Wayanad, Vyna Resort is an excellent choice. It’s more than just a place to stay; it’s a chance to relax, have fun, and experience the beauty of nature. You’ll create unforgettable memories at Vyna Resort, your very own paradise in Wayanad.

[tinyrebeldinosaur]

Responsible For A Food Delivery Whatsfordinner.Ie Budget? 12 Top Notch Ways To Spend Your Money

When it involves cooking, it is necessary to bear in mind that every person started someplace. I do not know of a bachelor who was born with a wooden cooking spoon and also prepared to go. There is a great deal of learning that have to be performed in order to come to be a prolific cook and then there is always space for improvement. Not just do you require to begin with the basics when it comes to food preparation but you practically require to begin again when discovering to cook a brand-new food such as Chinese, Thai, or Indian food.

10 Undeniable Reasons People Love Best Restaurants In Kilkenny

This means that at any type of given time in your cooking learning cycles there is fairly most likely someone someplace that is far better and/or even worse at food preparation than you. Take heart from this since even the most effective have poor days when it involves food preparation. There are many individuals that cook for various reasons. Some chef in order to eat as well as survive while others prepare due to the fact that they in fact enjoy the process of cooking. Some chef during times of psychological upheaval and also others cook out of sheer monotony. Whatever your factor for food preparation or finding out to cook you must constantly begin with the basics.

The first thing that you require to discover is what the various terms you will find in dishes actually indicates. There are several brand-new and also occasionally international sounding terms that you will certainly discover in common dishes. These terms can mean the difference in dish success or failing. You must have the ability to find a good area in any inclusive recipe book that clarifies the various interpretations for unknown terminology. If you aren't absolutely particular what is implied by "folding in the eggs" it remains in your benefits to look it up.

How Did We Get Here? The History Of Restaurants Bunratty

One more great little bit of guidance when it pertains to cooking basics is to attempt less complex recipes for some time and afterwards expand your perspectives to the extra intricate dishes that abound. The majority of recipes will certainly have a little note concerning their degree of trouble and also you can check out the recipe to see whether or not it is something you want preparing or positive that you can prepare. Keep in mind Rome had not been built in a day and it will certainly take quite a long time to build a reliable 'collection' of dishes to work into your meal planning rotation.

The good news is that when you have actually discovered the fundamentals of food preparation it is not likely that you will certainly ever before require to relearn them. This indicates that you can constantly build up and also broaden your cooking abilities. As you find out brand-new dishes and also enhance your culinary skills as well as talents you will certainly uncover that preparing your own meals from square one is a lot more rewarding than preparing packaged meals that are purchased from the racks of your neighborhood supermarkets.

10 Fast food Facts About Restaurants Near Me Open That Will Instantly Put You In A Good Mood

You will certainly additionally find as your experience as well as self-confidence grows that you will find yourself increasingly more typically improvising as you go and changing dishes to fulfill your personal choices. If you like basically of active ingredients or want to make a dish a little bit basically spicy in flavor you can make easy adjustments along the way in order to accomplish this goal. In other words you will certainly begin in time to create dishes of your extremely own. Which is something you won't always learn when it pertains to standard cooking skills for newbies but you would never ever discover if you didn't grasp those standard cooking abilities.

Cooking Indian Food in the house - Where to Start?

If you review my article, Curry - A Journey, released on the Curry page of this site, you'll know that my very first experiences of the meal were of the common variety which the British usually cooked as well as consumed when living abroad a couple of decades ago. You'll also recognize whatsfordinner Affordable dining that I then found "genuine" Indian culinary as well as made a decision that as I could not manage to eat in restaurants that a lot, I needed to learn how to cook the stuff myself.

5 Vines About Whatsfordinner.Ie Chinese Restaurants Ennis That You Need To See

My very first quit after that, was a neighborhood bookshop, where the choice of publications on Indian culinary was somewhat limited. Nonetheless, I struck lucky and uncovered a publication called Indian Cookery by Madhur Jaffrey - what a locate. Written in straightforward language yet with wonderful descriptive message and recommendations on what to serve with what, it was just what I had been looking for.

There was an impediment, nevertheless, which was the countless checklist of flavors, flavorings and also flavourings in the front of the book. I really did not understand where to start - I would certainly become aware of fairly a lot of them, having actually enjoyed a few TELEVISION programs on Indian cooking however, "assistance" I thought, "buying that lots of at one time is going to cost a fortune". If you're thinking the very same, do not panic. Sign in your shop cabinet. You probably currently have several of the items you will certainly require. For instance, look for black peppercorns, bay leaves, chilli powder (if you're already a fan of chilli con carne), ground ginger, nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon if you cook cakes or apple pies. Maybe you'll discover mustard seeds if you do your own pickling and sesame seeds if you make rolls or cook Chinese food. That just leaves a few basic active ingredients which show up in a great deal of Indian dishes - cumin, coriander, turmeric as well as cardamom. Usually you need ground cumin as well as coriander yet if you buy the whole spices, you can grind them as required (as well as they maintain longer in this way also).

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The other point I did was to pick a fairly easy recipe to begin with and I simply acquired the seasonings I needed for that. The next time I wish to prepare an Indian meal, I selected another dish with similar components so I needed to just get a pair extra things. Quickly enough I developed an entire shop cupboard of the things I required and it didn't have had such a drastic impact on my budget.

Then there was no stopping me - I also understand some dishes by heart currently as well as you can do the same if you intend to.

You do not need unique devices for Indian cookery, although I would not be without my electrical coffee grinder (to grind seasonings) and it's nice (however not required) to have the standard recipes to serve your dish in. Other than that, you require a little bit of patience and it's enjoyable to cook with a buddy to ensure that you can share the cutting as well as grinding or have a person reviewed the recipe bent on you step by step so you don't go wrong between.

The flavours are terrific, a curry night is actually friendly, so go on, give it a try.

N

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[midwestgender]

wish i had tried more foods before i went vegetarian,,,,, like YEAH i can get vegeterian versions of those foods but am i really ever going to find an authentic alternative to like,,, pork buns or like literally 90% of japanese dishes.... i grew up in a very boring white american household food wise and im just now getting into trying stuff that not like what you feed a 7 year old at a bbq and im like. sad that theres so many dishes ill never really get the full effect of 

[beatrice-otter]

Easy ways to make food taste better

Like many people, I don't cook meals from scratch very often. I can! My parents viewed cooking as a basic skill that everyone needs to know, so they both taught me themselves and had me do cooking in 4-H. (4-H is very good at encouraging children to build skill sets in whatever area they're doing projects/competing in, so that if you start as a pre-teen and continue on through High School you will end up with a very complete skill set in $area, whether that's cooking or photography or raising/showing animals or sewing or woodworking or one of a million other subjects. If you have kids and you live in the US, I highly recommend seeing if there is a 4-H club in your area because your kid will learn so much.) But I don't often choose to cook. I eat a small range of basic, low-prep foods, but I (literally) spice things up so that a) they taste better and b) they don't get monotonous. But I know how to do so because I know what I like from learning to cook a wide variety of things, and a lot of people who eat the same way I do don't have that skill. So here's a cheat sheet. First of all, you have to learn what spices you like. And I don't mean spices as in just "things that make food spicy" I mean all the stuff that goes into food to flavor it. There are a lot of spices out there, it can get very complex, but spice blends are your friend! Do you like Italian food? Italian Blend Seasoning is for you. Is it as good as tailoring all the herbs and spices to the flavor profile of each dish as a true chef would do? Nope! But it is perfectly acceptable. Do you like Indian food? Curry powder is the same way. There are others, too. Garam Masala is a spice mix for people who like South Asian food. Creole Spice Mix is for Cajun food. If you want to move beyond spices mixes, google recipes for your favorite dish and see what spices/seasonings are used in the recipes. Chances are, you will like those. In addition, you're probably going to want powdered garlic and either dried onion flakes or onion powder. Are they as good as fresh garlic and onion? No! You know what they are? Easy to use and shelf stable. Also, you can buy them in large containers relatively cheaply, and they make pretty much ANYTHING better. Second, learn what condiments you like. Not just ketchup, I'm talking all the other sauces that come in bottles. This one is easier, because you probably already know So now that we know what spices we like, we start adding them to things! Basic Rules for learning how to put seasonings in stuff: 1) Start small. You can always add more, but it's a lot harder to take stuff out. 2) Keep tasting as you add seasoning, so you can tell when you're done. 3) limit the number of seasonings/flavorings you're adding, especially when you're starting. Pretty much everything goes with garlic and onion, but not every spice goes with every other spice. If you're using a spice blend, you probably don't have to add anything else. If you're using individual spices/seasonings and you don't already know what flavors pair well together, keep it simple. 4) Garlic, onion, salt, and pepper are the basics. There are extremely few flavors that won't go well with them. If you think it needs something but don't know what, try one of those. 5) If you want to get fancy and do your own combinations of seasonings, check out recipes of dishes you like to see what seasonings are used together and what proportions they use. You can adjust it to your taste, but it will give you a place to start. 6) If you are doctoring a prepared meal and don't know where to start, check recipes online for what that dish would have if made from scratch, and add those seasonings to taste. Over time, you will get better at figuring out what you like and how things combine and what goes with what. Once you know more, that's when you start getting wild and crazy. Yes, I know, there are a lot of jokes about white people and spices, but "intense, in-your-face flavors" are for people with a lot of experience at making it the right intense flavor. You can get there! But if you're just starting out, start small and work your way up. Here's the key: since I only have spices I know I like, and I add a little bit at a time and taste it as I go, I can mix and match fairly easily. The worst that's going to happen is that sometimes two flavors don't mix as well as I'd like. Some results are better than others, but the only times I've had something I couldn't stand to eat was when I dumped a whole lot in at once. So now we're ready to start adding flavors to things. Here are some examples: Campbell's condensed Tomato Soup is kind of boring. But if you cook it with milk instead of water (so it's creamier) and add some Italian Seasoning mix, it is no longer boring. Campbell's chicken noodle soup is much better if you put some dried onion flakes, garlic powder, and spice mix of your choice in before you cook it. Unless you're buying the really high-end gourmet stuff, you can probably improve any soup by adding the right seasonings (to find out what you should use, google that type of soup and look at recipes.) Boxed macaroni and cheese is also easy to change up. Tonight, I was feeling fairly basic. So when I made it, I put in a generous dash of garlic and onion powder, a smaller dash of paprika, a dash of salt, some frozen peas (cooked with the noodles in the same pot), and some grated Parmesan cheese out of a can. It tasted great. (All of this is in addition to the regular packet of cheese powder that comes with it and the milk and butter it says to add.) If I'd been in more of an Italian mood, I could have used Italian seasoning mix instead of the paprika. Or maybe grabbed some other spice from the cupboard. Or put in a dollop of ranch dressing or salsa or other condiment that goes well with cheese. There are so many possibilities. This works in a lot of other ways too! I eat a lot of baked potatoes. They're healthy (providing lots of nutrients), cheap, and easy to make. (About 4-5  minutes in the microwave for a large potato.) And you can put almost any flavor with potato and it will work. Seriously. Microwave the potato, cut it open, mash down the insides, put a little butter on it, put your seasoning of choice on it. Or pick a condiment. Or melt a slice of cheese on top of it (I recommend waiting until the potato is pretty much done, cutting it open and mashing the insides, then putting the cheese slice on top and microwaving it for another 30 seconds). On weeks where I'm really low on spoons, I will have baked potato and chicken nuggets every night of the week and the baked potato will taste different every night of the week. Night one: Italian seasoning mix. Night two: Ketchup and Mayo. Night three: Curry. Night four: melted cheese. Night five: honey mustard salad dressing. Night six: paprika and garlic and onion powder. Night seven: barbecue sauce. In fact, most vegetables work really well for adding flavorings. Take the veggie, throw it in a bowl, put in a bit of butter and your seasoning of choice, and microwave it for a few minutes. Voila! If I want to cook and want something simple, the easiest "from scratch" meal you can make is "meat with condiment." No, seriously, choose your condiment. Here's an example with chicken: take the chicken pieces, cover them in condiment of your choice (barbecue sauce, honey mustard salad dressing, etc.) and bake it for 30 minutes. At 30 minutes, take it out, turn it over, put a tiny bit more of the condiment on what is now the top, and bake it for another 15 minutes. There you have it! Whatever cut of meat you have, you can put the condiment on it and bake it according to the instructions for that cut of meat, and it will be good. (Unless you pick a condiment you don't like, but why would you do that?) Eggs are also easy to doctor up with the seasonings and condiment of your choice. I make scrambled eggs a lot. Sometimes I put in mayo and italian seasoning. Sometimes I put in ranch dressing. Sometimes I put in curry powder. With scrambled eggs, put the seasonings in while you're cooking them, but put condiments in after. What are some simple tricks you use to make basic and pre-packaged food taste better?

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[scorpionyx9621]

Resident Evil Headcanons About my Favorites Because I'm Camping Out in My Room During a Heat Wave. (IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER) (Chris, Mia, Piers, and Ethan)

Chris

For as put-together and business first as Chris seems, a large part of it actually is his coping mechanism from The Mansion Incident and the whole litany of viral outbreaks/conflicts Chris has faced. Chris fully swamps himself into his work to escape having to deal with the trauma he's built.

After Chris snaps and goes on a year-long drinking binge to the point he forgets most of his identity following the Edonia incident of RE6 and after Piers's sacrifice at the end of that game. Chris does see a therapist and gets better, but he'd still rather be busy and overloads his plate than be left alone with his thoughts for too long. Thus furthering the self-destructive cycle.

Part of the reason why between the years of 2004-2013 Chris got so FREAKING SWOLE was because Chris is that guy who is in the gym pumping iron for 3 hours a day at minimum like he's fighting demons except Chris is actually fighting/running away from his demons.

I headcanon that Chris is bisexual. He isn't out of the closet so to speak but with how much he burrows himself into BSAA Missions and actual training/office work not many people are openly asking Chris what team he plays for. The only people who know are Claire, Jill, Barry, Leon (Claire let it slip accidentally), Piers, Sheva, Ada (Because it's Ada and she knows everything) and Wesker.

Jill was actually the first person Chris ever came out to. Jill could just tell. Mostly because Wesker was Chris's original bi panic™ and Chris would not shut up about it. This went from crush to abject, seething hatred of Wesker after Chris found out he was alive again at the end of Code Veronica.

It's stated somewhere that about 10% of the population is immune to the T-Virus. (Vanilla T virus not T-Veronica, T-Abyss, T-Phobos, TG, C, or whatever additional viral flavours we're adding) and Chris and Claire are a part of that 10 percent. But Chris also has the ABCC11 gene mutation that causes Chris's sweat to not smell. Conversely, Chris also has the gene that makes cilantro taste like soap and he HATES IT. He has to make a big deal every time he gets Mexican/Indian/Thai/Chinese food because he has to tell the restaurant no cilantro because it will RUIN the dish for him and he feels so bad having to do it every time. (Chris loves Mexican food too)

We don't have any birthday information for any of the more popular resident evil characters so Astrology is basically anyone's guess. But to me, Chris Redfield radiates Aries energy but also very heavy Capricorn energy too.

There's a line that was cut from RE5 where Jill teases Chris for flirting with a woman in the BSAA Tech Department who was a bit younger than him and Chris, embarrassed, denied the accusation. It's not a lie, Chris does like them younger than him. (Use that info as you want/wish) and while Chris denied it with the intern. Chris just tried to pretend the conversation never happened. When Jill, Chris, and Piers were all in the same room together and Jill always would just make eyebrows at Chris. Piers caught her doing it once, but Jill snapped back at him telling him to fall in line.

Chris circa 1997-Umbrella Chronicles absolutely did not learn or even know how to cook. This man lived off of take out, cigarettes, coffee, spite, and still had a damn near perfect Twunk physique. I'll bet once the BSAA got founded and really off the ground Chris realized oh fuck I'm actually in charge of shit now I need to get my life together. And Chris just went from burgers and fries 3-4 times a week for dinner is fine to just competitive bodybuilder school of dieting. And Chris just went in.

Chris, Barry, Jill, and Claire all have Thanksgiving together and they do it twice. Because Barry immigrated to Canada after RE1 the Mansion Incident Survivors plus Claire all always get together for Thanksgiving in October at Barry's house or at Chris/Claire/Jill's living situations every year. The triumvirate always ends up adding another person to the mix. One year Claire has brought Sherry numerous times after RE6. Leon was the most recent of the RE family to come to a Thanksgiving. Jill brought Carlos twice (Chris and Carlos DID NOT get along at first but eventually became friendly.) Chris has brought Piers once. The year prior he brought Sheva.

Chris's cheat meal/drink is so stupid. A venti java chip frappucciono from Starbucks. Chris just likes coffee flavored stuff. Whether it be using ground coffee as a rub on a cut of meat or a rich, espresso ladden tiramisu.

Chris eventually became Rosemary's sort-of surrogate father. After the events of Village the BSAA moved the Winters's back to California so Rose and Mia could be closer to Ethan's family and burial spot. Ethan didn't want to make things more difficult for the family so he had a whole base of operations set up outside the Winters's Northern California (we're talking Redding north not San Francisco north) and Chris really always was just this grump, cranky, older, often disappointed dad to Rose. But Chris had his moments.

Mia

HNNNNNGGGHHH BOY DO I HAVE A LOT OF FEELINGS ABOUT MIA AND A WHOLE LOT OF THEN AREN'T POSITIVE.

But this is a headcanon post I'm not going to rip her to shreds. I appreciate her as a complex, complicated character but I just have to say. While Mia sent out the distress call to Ethan in a moment of clarity from her mold infection. Ethan was ultimately the one who chose to try to find Mia. RE7 was Ethan's fault. he could have been completely sane and rational and chose either to take this to the police or to ignore this. But this love-smitten fool decided to fall for the trap and become the main character of Dumpyface: The Louisiana Chainsaw Massacre. RE Village was ALL on Mia. While the Winters's couldn't have foreseen all that went down. Mia knew FULL WELL about Mother Miranda, what her intentions were as a scientist, that Mother Miranda WAS in Romania, that Ethan was indeed very much still infected with the mold, that she knew the full extent of Ethan's infection as well and that this likely wasn't Ethan but that the mold probably re-animated Ethan, and she willingly allows herself to be impregnated by what is essentially a BOW with a consciousness and a good personality.

ANYWAYS.

We actually do know Mia's birthday! In RE7 it's on her driver's license! December 14th 1984. Meaning she's a Sagittarius! (And that makes too much sense for me to be comfortable with!!)

Mia being a researcher with The Connections instead of just being a random handler for Eveline adds such depth to her character (and not in a good way.) Like what makes you become a researcher with a literal bioterrorist organization in the Resident Evil Universe? Umbrella was publicly and openly shunned after The Raccoon Trials. Mia and Ethan would have been middle schoolers/high school freshmen during the Raccoon City Incident. Mia would have HAD to have known the ethical nuking she was doing.

We know she's from Texas so my vague background/life story she has is she was born/raised in Austin to a fairly affluent family. While her family was loving they cared more about her grades and appearances than actually caring about her. She excelled in school and got a full-ride to Rice University in Houston (a school often ranked in the top 10 in the country) and excelled in Biology. With a particular emphasis on biochemistry and particularly mycology. Hence why someone with the connections picked her up.

Mia was originally baited with the idea that what she was doing was experimenting on a fungus that could, in essence, end aging and could even destroy cancers. When she realized what she had gotten herself into The Connections basically told her she can leave if she wants. But they will kill her if she does.

She probably became disillusioned once she realized she was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Beginning to take up heavier drinking and not caring about herself. She eventually cut herself off from her family. Her younger brother died when she was a child. And her parents died in an accident right after she started with The Connections. Things were not okay for Mia at the beginning/middle part of her twenties.

Mia probably was sitting down at the bar of a cantina in downtown Austin on one of her rare evenings off. 3 mezcal margaritas and her usual bartender passively concerned about Mia but more concerned about a group of rowdy, twenty-something "tech bros" going on about the upcoming tech boom of people from San Francisco flocking to Austin soon.

Mia felt eyes gazing at her but pretended not to notice. She wasn't in the mood to entertain a boy at this time. Yet when she heard a voice ask why she was sitting all alone she turned to tell him off she stopped in her tracks. She was taken aback by the man. He wasn't a Greek God of a man but he had very appealing physical features and a smile that just made her think the whole world felt lighter. The blond man with a moderately slim build was trying to flirt with Mia but only being about halfway successful. Alcohol was not Ethan Winters' friend that night.

Nothing happened that night and both Mia and the man went their separate ways. Mia couldn't remember if his name was Evan or Ethan by the time she woke up. The next day was a horrific day at the lab in terms of biological horrors so she ended up going back to the cantina only to find the blond man from yesterday back at the bar sitting in her spot. Mia had playfully joked about how he was sitting in her seat. Ethan just retorted back that he didn't think he was back in high school to which Mia just let out a gruff chuckle. "Besides. You're much more beautiful than the girls I went to school with." The words took Mia back both by the abruptness and just how frank and honest Ethan was being. The two stayed at the bar till closing time that night.

Mia and Ethan soon started seeing each other more frequently. Every weekend at the cantina became once a week at the park, then became Ethan dropping off lunch at Mia's lab. (At the gate of course. Poor stupid Ethan had no clue he was putting his and Mia's lives at stake.) which eventually became the two of them moving in together.

The Connections quickly found out about Ethan and while they didn't forbid Mia from dating and eventually marrying him. They monitored Mia even closer now and made her take on more of the harsher approach and take on more hands-on experiments. With her superiors asking her almost every day about Ethan. Mia knew that Ethan was in danger but she loved him. And Ethan loved Mia. Ethan loved Mia more than she had ever felt love by anyone else in the world. The Connections could burn in hell. She wouldn't let them step between what they had.

My Headcanon is that right before Mia "went missing" when the transport tanker crashed in the hurricane in Louisiana prior to RE 7. Mia had finally concocted a plan to escape The Connections, turn herself into authorities, and attempt to get her and Ethan into the witness protection program. The Connections caught onto what she was doing and placed her as Eveline's handler during the treacherous voyage.

After Ethan passed Mia was relocated to Northern California at her request to at least be somewhat closer to Ethan's mothers. Chris reluctantly agreed and gave Mia and Rosemary a small security detail. Mia eventually did end up serving some time for her role in The Connections (like 9 months. Should be more but hey) and now she works remotely as a high school biology teacher for a remote GED/Homeschool program.

Piers

*through gritted teeth* Twink

In all seriousness Piers is such an interesting character. He actually has a character compared to your generic idealized action survivor tropes. And is character is that he's an asshole. Like as much as I love Piers I need everyone to take a second and look back at a YouTube run of Chris's RE6 campaign. Piers is not a nice person. Nor is he a good one. Ethically and morally yes, but he falls perfectly in the box of lawful asshole.

Like I love your Piers, I really genuinely do, and I know losing your daddy I mean captain was really hard for you. That being said it wasn't your brightest position to hunt down a bitter alcoholic with a temper and force him to lead a mission of bright-eyed soldiers into a literal war zone of zombie mutants.

ANYWAYS HEADCANONS AGAIN I NEED TO STOP RANTING ABOUT THESE CHARACTERS.

Piers and Chris fucked. You physically cannot convince me otherwise. Like I'm sorry I'm not sorry that you're wrong. You're just wrong if you think otherwise. I'm literally begging you to go back and look at the RE6 Chris campaign and all the supplemental material. In Revelations 2 this man literally has the gaul, the tenacity, the AUDACITY, AND the GUMPTION to email Claire DIRECTLY. Address her very formally, and asks for pictures of Chris when he was younger. What normal person does that. Like Piers babygirl I need you to stop.

If any of the RE men are going to be a yandere whose name isn't Albert Wesker. His name is Piers Nivans. He gives me crazy stalker ex vibes but in a hot way because he is hot.

We know Piers came from a long line of military men. That just happens in America. Some people are just products of that machine. Yet his parents were somewhat disappointed with Piers choosing to go with the BSAA as opposed to sticking with the US Army. I have a feeling his parents also didn't know about Piers's sexuality either but I'm not trying to think about potentially negative things.

Name a Resident Evil character with more Scorpio energy than Piers. I'll wait. His facial features scream Aries rising but that man has heavy Scorpio in his birth chart. Most likely in his sun, moon, and even Venus and Mars most likely. He just has those Scorpio eyes that make you feel like he's staring into your freaking soul man.

It may shock you but I get the vibes that Piers is from, of all places, Colorado. Colorado Springs to be exact. Very heavy military town out in the mountains. No real easily discernable accent. Piers was kind of equated to the "All-American Boy" trope.

Piers is a polyglot. He can speak English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese fluently. He's conversational in German, Dutch, Chinese, Indonesian, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, and Swahili. Before he passed he was studying Arabic.

Piers played Baseball and Hockey growing up and being from Colorado he's an avid ice-skater and snowboarder, particularly Alpine snowboarding. Fun fact that's not so fun as a fact. Piers's most prized possession was a $2k customized Jones alpine snowboard. When Chris went to Piers's quarters back at BSAA HQ after RE6 one of the things he found was Piers's snowboard. Chris was given it with the permission of Piers's family where Chris got it sealed in resin and it's framed in his apartment.

Piers wasn't necessarily in charge of the aux at Chris's BSAA squad group but Piers challenged the last person to a fight and Piers beat the SHIT out of them so Piers controls the music. Hope the BSAA Alpha team likes Santana, Nelly, Linkin Park, Jimmy Eat World, Usher, Madonna, Eminem, Jennifer Lopez, and Pink.

Speaking of fights. Do not fight Piers. He may be a whole 155lbs at 5'9 inches tall but this man has pure, carnal, horrific rage if pushed far enough. He got called the F-slur once in high school and it was by the star football quarterback trying to get attention and be a dick. Two cracked ribs, 5 teeth knocked out, an eye almost out of it's socket and a major concussion and three broken knuckles out of Piers later. No one was ever calling Piers that again.

How does Piers stay so lean you ask dear Resident Evil fans who somehow are still reading this? He has Celiac Disease AND is very lactose intolerant. Piers literally cannot eat ANY of the fun foods without having to dedicate 2-5 hours a day on a toilet. Like he'll be fine if he has a burger on a regular bun but he's gonna regret in about 2-3 hours.

Piers is concerningly well organized. His bed is always made and in perfect shape. He has a shoe holder, so many organizers for things like toothbrushes, sports equipment, laundry, (Piers genuinely does 3 separate loads of laundry for colors, whites, and misc)

What's Piers's one secret food weakness (he'll love you forever if you get him this) snow cones, specifically Hawaiian shaved ice. Coconut and mint flavored Hawaiian shaved ice. Everyone on the squad has tried it and Chris was the only one who didn't spit it out. Telling Piers "the flavors work it's just not my thing"

Ethan

Mr. Moldman, bring me a meme (bung, bung, bung, bung)

Ethan is so fun to headcanon about because Capcom literally gave us ✨nothing✨ other than he's an engineer and the world's greatest dad.

Ethan was adopted in my Headcanon. His birth mother was in her mid-teens when she had Ethan and gave him up after he was born. Ethan's birth farther wasn't in the picture and didn't want anything to do with him and neither did Ethan's birth mom really. He did meet his birth mother right before he went off to college but when he found out she had a new family of her own and she made it known she didn't necessarily want him to be a part of her life, it shattered him. Ethan never got a chance to meet his birth father as he had passed when Ethan was still a child.

Don't be too sad though. Ethan grew up in San Francisco and after he was given up he was quickly adopted by another family. His adoptive mother and father were so ecstatic about their new baby boy. Unfortunately said marriage didn't last and his adopted parents separated when Ethan was about 3. Ethan's adopted mom got custody of Ethan and she eventually came out of the closet and got into a partnership with another woman.

Ethan's Dad still was a part of Ethan's life and Ethan got to see his adoptive father every weekend. His adoptive dad lived out in Santa Cruz so it only was about a 2 hour drive every weekend there and back. Ethan's Dad was around long enough to see Ethan and Mia get married but died during the time period that Mia was missing.

Ethan's mom's partner Elizabeth (Liz for short) was a Mathematics lecturer at a nearby prestigious university (Berkeley) and it was from her where Ethan got his love for STEM and eventually settled on Engineering to be his passion.

Growing up Ethan actually was a soccer prodigy in his childhood and teen years. Being a star striker that was the proud owner of 3 state rings in high school and multiple scholarships to play soccer in college. Ethan ultimately went with his dream school UCLA (much to the dismay of his Northern California parents. Like come on Ethan, Stanford was offering you a scholarship, STANFORD)

Ethan actually tore his ACL on his left leg at the last game of his freshman year. His leg never fully recovered so he eventually dropped soccer at the collegiate level so instead he burrows himself into his academics and his work outside of school (Ethan worked at a Nike store during the weekends/summers and during the school year he worked at the UCLA IT department) this is also the reason why Ethan's fastest movement is brisk walking.

Funny enough. Ethan hates mushrooms. It's his least favorite food (it's a texture thing for him) and this dislike for mushrooms did not change once he died and got reanimated and had his consciousness co-opted by a mold colony.

Another funny fact: Carla Radames from Resident Evil: 6 is actually Ethan's second cousin once removed from his birth father. (Ethan and Carla have the same Great, Great Grandparents. It's from Ethan's dad's-mother's-mother that they are related.)

Ethan is a passable chef. He's by no means bad, but him and Mia came to a mutual agreement that Mia would do most of the cooking unless Mia wanted a few specific dishes that Ethan makes. The first dish he ever made Mia was actually his steamed shrimp, pork and cabbage dumplings. Those dumplings funnily enough became Mia's pregnancy craving and Ethan was overjoyed to make food for Mia as opposed to any other odd cravings. Ethan also was known for his homemade chili oil, hummus, and sangria (Ethan's secret recipe for Sangria is Pinot Noir, Spanish brandy, watermelon puree, raspberry, blood orange and cucumber.) Plus Ethan can make a mean American diner-style omelette.

While I get Capricorn/Aries energy from Chris and absolutely get Scorpio energy from Piers. Mr. Winters gives me some very powerful Cancer vibes. Particularly a Cancer rising. Home and family is #1 for this man and Ethan is VERY SURE to physically force you out of this existence with a one-way ticket to the afterlife should you cross him or his family. Ethan probably has an Aries sun, but particularly Ethan being a March Aries but with a cancer rising.

Ethan needed A LOT of therapy after the events of RE7. Thankfully he did receive the help that he needed and so did Mia. Although Mia was less receptive to the idea of therapy and gave her therapist the cold shoulder more often than not. For a sentient mold colony he did surprisingly well at therapy. Way to go sentient mold colony that dog-eared Ethan Winters. You did good.

From what we see The Winters don't have any pets. There's an explanation for that. Ethan is allergic to almost all forms of pet dander. Even the dang mold collective got that right. Ethan was a sniffly sneezing mess when the therapist brought their shockingly well-behaved therapy husky.

Ethan became pretty good at making dumplings from his mom's partner Liz. Who is Chinese. And growing up in San Francisco Ethan got to experience the whole range of Chinese cooking. Poor Ethan's second time cooking for Mia he used WAY too much Szechuan peppercorn and Mia physically couldn't eat more than 2 bites.

Unfortunately for Ethan and his mom's the last time they saw Ethan was very briefly right after the events of RE7. When Ethan died back in 2021 they hadn't seen Ethan in almost 3 years. Thankfully the two of them are very heavily involved in Rose's life and, Chris Redfield allowing, they spoil her rotten when they can.

[simoneashleydaily]

Simone Ashley interviewed for Hollywood Authentic

The New Wave: Simone Ashley

April 6, 2022

By Peter Howarth is the former editor-in-chief of Arena, British Esquire and Man About Town

‘I like making breakfast; whether it’s a smoothie or just scrambled eggs, it’s the first thing I think about, to be honest, in the morning,’ announces Simone Ashley. But her signature dish is curry. ‘I’m South Indian, so I’m Tamil, and the food… I mean my mum, she cooks the most amazing food.’ Today, in honour of Mum, Simone is making us a vegan curry. It’s vegan ‘because it’s just easier to do’, though she was vegan for a while, but started to eat meat again on the set of Sex Education, the Netflix series that turbo-charged her career.

Today’s recipe is, says Ashley, nothing special, just a go-to from a book. First up is the rice: ‘The trick is getting your ratios right. Ratio of rice to water and just low heat. You don’t want it to burn at the bottom, you don’t want it to overcook. Just take your time with it.’

Then she takes command of the kitchen, asking for a vegetable peeler – ‘This is a weak peeler!’ – and adds coconut oil, garam masala and black mustard seeds to butternut squash, not to mention the ready-peeled garlic she’s brought with her, as if she always travels with ingredients to hand. ‘I love cooking,’ she says. ‘I don’t really get to do it much with traveling around all the time and being on set, so it’s nice and a bit therapeutic to use my brain in a different way.’

Simone Ashley, now 27, says she grew up on Disney classics. ‘We always had The Jungle Book playing or Snow White… We went to Disneyland all the time.’ She knew the words to the whole of the remake of The Parent Trap – ‘Me and my brother used to recite that film in the car whenever we had long journeys’ – but admits that she thought the Lindsay Lohan character was played by real twins.

Then in adolescence it’s fair to say she developed very non-Disney tastes: one favourite film was Boogie Nights, and another, Kill Bill. ‘I loved Uma Thurman in Kill Bill… Everything about that film, the colours, the cinematography, the music, everything, and just how driven this character was.’ Tarantino’s world was, however, a far cry from her own, growing up in Surrey with her parents, both academics, who were first-generation immigrants from India. She did the normal teenage things like waitressing and getting fired from a hairdressers – ‘I messed someone’s highlights up and I washed them off in the wrong way’ – and claims that unlike her Sex Education character, she was not ever part of the cool gang at school.

‘I failed at everything in school. It was just my attention that was bad,’ she says. And she also failed to learn Tamil or Hindi, which her mother encouraged her to do. In the end, Mum got her playing French video games to try and get her to pick up the language, reasoning that as she’d been named Simone, French might be the answer. It wasn’t. ‘I was awful – at maths, all of that stuff. Just had no interest. And my brother would force me and sit me down, bless him, and get me to revise, get me to study. He tried so hard and I just had zero interest in it. I was very stubborn in that sense. If I didn’t like it, then I just wouldn’t do it.’

That stubborn streak paid off, though, when she found acting. She says now that she was just determined to make it work. Shortly after her first job as ‘a background artist’ in Straight Outta Compton, she did more TV work in the UK and then landed the role of the bubble-gum-bubble-blowing Olivia in Sex Education.

During lockdown she moved to LA to try and jump-start things stateside. ‘I do love LA,’ she says. ‘I have more fun here, when I’m out here, and I eat better; I think it’s the sun. It just makes me feel a bit more energised and proactive.’ She spent her days walking a secret hiking trail through Griffith Park to admire the view of Los Angeles spread out below while eating sandwiches. And then occasionally she’d hit the road. ‘I used to drive a little Mustang when I was living out here, and I loved it. I’d always have Fleetwood Mac blasting and I’d just take off.’ The music was inherited from her dad, she says: ‘I grew up listening to that kind of music. The Doors, Rolling Stones, Fleetwood.’

Ironically, the next job required Ashley to relocate back to the UK for Bridgerton, the hit period drama, famous for being colour-consciously cast. Ashley is front and centre of Season 2, so front and centre that when she looks out of her hotel window on Sunset today, what stares back at her is an enormous billboard: ‘When I wake up and I’m getting hair and makeup done or I’m having breakfast or a coffee, I’m literally looking outside at mine and Johnny [Bailey]’s and Charithra [Chandran]’s faces!’

She’s been overwhelmed by the response to the series: ‘We’ve seen such really positive feedback from people seeing people that look like me and Charithra on this show,’ she says. And she admits that the role has changed her. ‘I used to think, “Oh, I want to just be seen as an actress”, but I now realise that in this line of work you are representing and you do have a voice. I think a part of me was quite scared of owning the fact that, yeah, I am representing a minority. And I think it would be quite naive of me to think I’m just an actress, because, to think that is to think that the problem’s been solved and that we are in an industry and in a world where it’s completely normalised, and we’re far from it. Hopefully, in 20 years’ time it won’t be an issue, but we’re not there yet.’

She confesses she hasn’t talked about this before because ‘there is something quite scary about owning that position’. But then she smiles. ‘But I can have so much fun with this and I don’t need to be afraid. And it’s not about just me. It’s about sharing space with so many other amazing South Indian, South Asian actors.’

It sounds like she’s had a revelation. ‘Whatever industry you’re in, whatever you do, we all have a voice, we all have the power to speak,’ she says. ‘And I think that’s something I’ve never addressed in my life until now, when I’m dipping my toes a bit further in, I guess. Yeah it’s a bit scary, but it feels limitless when it’s positive, like you can just keep going downhill, like on a bike, speeding forward. It’s like when you’re on a swing, that stomach feeling. There’s nothing to stop you.’ And we’ll eat to that.

[scripttorture]

One of the central characters in a fantasy story I'm writing has torture as part of her backstory. She was captured by an evil race, and one individual in particular put her through a "training" regime designed to turn her into a useful/trustworthy slave. Specifically the goals of the training were:

- destroy her sense of self / agency

- overwrite her ingrained response of healing herself when injured (she has magical healing powers)

- an affectionate or worshipful disposition towards her captors

- immediate obedience to any command

I feel like both physical and psychological torture / mental conditioning are probably appropriate, though I'm leaning away from including sexual abuse. I honestly don't know much about torture at all and the only things that come to mind as producing a result similar to what I'm looking for are the Game of Thrones torture sequence and the use of obdience collars in the Codex Alera book series. The latter is very interesting to me because it is a magical device that inflicts pain in reaction to disobedience but also inflicts pleasure to reward obedience.

I guess I'm just wondering if you have any advice for what kinds of methods would be good to include in a process designed to produce obedience, rather than torture for its own sake or to extract information, as well as if there are any common pitfalls I should try to avoid in writing about such a thing.

The training itself won't be in the book, but I need to be familiar with it for backstory purposes because later in the story this character encounters her torturer again, and is subjected to some further abuse before she finally overcomes her fear and kills him.

Alright well I’m going to be straight up with you: the scenario you’ve presented is a very common torture apologist trope. It’s incredibly unrealistic. And it’s unrealistic in ways that support torture by claiming it can be ‘useful’.

 Which probably means that you’re new to the blog and haven’t heard me give this talk before. That’s OK, we all learn sometime and it’s not my intention to shame you for the fact you’re not as obsessed with this stuff as I am or couldn’t afford to shell out for the books.

 Torture does not produce obedience. The best evidence we have right now suggests it encourages active resistance.

 If you got a lot of your inspiration from Game of Thrones then frankly I’m not surprised you came up with apologia. The torture in that series is incredibly badly handled. And a big part of the point of running this blog is that most people are getting their information on torture from shows like that. Which happens because the research is inaccessible and hasn’t been popularised the way fictional tropes (sometimes fictional tropes literally started by torturers) have been popularised.

 The important thing is what you choose to do now.

 I’m going to break down the problems here and make some suggestions for what you could do instead.

 Firstly: there is no torture or abuse that will guarantee obedience. Pain does not make people meek or compliant or willing to follow commands.

 Torture survivors are not broken.

 They are not ‘controlled’ by their torturers and the suggestion that they are is used in the real world to bar real survivors from treatment. It is also used to bar them from entering safe countries and to argue that they shouldn’t be allowed visas or passports.

 The best statistics we have for any sort of compliance under torture come from analysis of historical French data where torture was used to try and force confessions (something we know torture can sometimes do).

 The ‘success’ rate averaged at 10%. Under torture 90% of people will not comply long enough to sign their name.

 Secondly: torture does not and can not ‘make’ a victim feel ‘worshipful’ towards their torturer. The suggestion is kind of like asking if someone can tap dance immediately after removing the bones from their legs.

 Torturers have no control over a victim’s emotions. They have no control over their symptoms. They have no control over their beliefs.

 And there is no such thing as a torture that can change someone’s mind in a way torturers can control.

 Once again, this fictional trope is used by politicians and the media to justify marginalising real torture survivors.

 I have read hundreds, possibly thousands, of accounts from torture survivors. I’ve read historic and modern accounts. I’ve read accounts from all sort of people from all over the globe. I have never seen a survivor say anything positive about their torturers. I have never seen anything close to toleration.

 A lot of survivors are blisteringly angry at their torturers. A lot of them feel overwhelming levels of spite and some report literally putting themselves at risk of death in order to spite their torturers. And yes, a lot of them are afraid too. None of these emotions are mutually exclusive.

 Affection is impossible. We are not wired that way.

 Thirdly: I understand that ‘evil races’ are a long standing fantasy trope but it would be remiss of me if I didn’t mention the racism inherent in that idea. That some people are ‘born bad’.

 I’d strongly suggest you look up the Black, Indian and First Nations people that I know are on this site critiquing these kinds of fantasy tropes. Because they will be able to explain it better then I can.

 Fourthly: the term ‘psychological torture’ is a pretty common dog whistle for torture apologia.

 Most of the time tortures that people dub ‘psychological’ are things with real, physical effects that lead to lasting injury and death. They just don’t tend to leave obvious external scars. I use Rejali’s term ‘clean torture’ for these techniques. Researchers distinguish them from scarring tortures because they are harder to detect and prove in court.

 The majority of survivors today will have experienced clean torture. They will have no obvious physical scars. But they will still be disabled. They’re ‘just’ less likely to see any form of justice for it.

 Fifthly: torture is a terrible training method because it decreases a person’s ability to learn.

 Torture causes memory problems. It also often causes lasting physical injuries that make performing basic tasks more difficult. And it causes a lot of serious psychological problems which make performing basic tasks more difficult.

 A trained person who was never tortured will always out perform someone whose training involved torture.

 I probably sound quite angry here.

 I write fantasy and I also write about torture a lot. But I can’t imagine that it’s just flavour for a fantasy world or some artefact of the past. Torture is a real, present threat in the country that I grew up in. If I was to return now I could, literally, be tortured and executed.

 If you want to include torture in your world, in your story then you are committing to telling someone else’s story. You are representing an incredibly marginalised group of people and you are presenting that representation to a third group, one that has never had contact with real torture survivors.

 Are you comfortable with the idea of telling your peers that survivors are still controlled by ‘the enemy’? That they’re passive? That they don’t have the capacity to make their own decisions?

 Are you comfortable knowing that the popularity of this message keeps millions of genocide survivors in refugee camps, blocked from citizenship, aid and safety?

 I understand feeling attached to a story and a character. And I understand that this information is hard to find. Hell I’m probably going to end up with the only English copy of one of the pivotal textbooks because I’m shelling out to get it translated.

 You say you want to write a torture survivor. With respect I don’t think you know what a torture survivor looks like.

 I think the most helpful, and kindest, thing I can do here is describe what torture does to people. Because I can’t tell you whether that’s something you want to write. I could try and rebuild this scenario for you (and if you decide you’re interested in that after reading all of this and all the links then I suggest looking through the blog tags for ICURE, torture as training, Black Widow and Overwatch.) But I think you need to decide whether you actually want to write a torture survivor first.

 Here’s a post on the most common torture apologia tropes.

 Here’s the post on the types of memory problems torture commonly causes. I strongly recommend picking at least one.

 Remember that this would never go away. Improvement and recovery in torture survivors means learning to live with symptoms. The symptoms themselves are permanent.

 It’s a hundred different alarms set up on their phone to try and make up for the forgetfulness that makes them miss appointments. It’s the little bottle of perfume in their pocket to bring themselves back to reality when they get intrusive memories at work.

 Here’s a post on the other common symptoms.

 You want something in the range of 3-5 of those, though more are likely if your character is held for years. Each of them should be severe. Every single symptom should have a large, negative, impact on the character’s daily life.

 Do you know anyone with chronic pain? It warps their world. Work can become impossible. Basic household tasks like getting dressed, cooking, cleaning the dishes are done through gritted teeth or not at all. Hobbies and ‘fun’ activities dwindle as they struggle to find a way to do them that doesn’t hurt. Interaction with other people, even loved ones, can easily become barbed.

 Because the pain makes everything more difficult. It means everything takes more energy, more effort. Which means that things fall by the wayside, whether that’s by a pile of mouldering dishes in the sink or snapping at a child. It means tears and the social judgement that follows them. It means the world narrowing as it gets harder to go out.

 Do you see what I mean? Every part of life.

 That’s an example for one symptom. You need to work out at least four. Then figure out how they interact. Then figure out what the character can do to make her life better.

 With chronic pain that can mean painkillers but it’s always more then that. It’s re-learning how to do things; how to put on trousers without aggravating the bad knee, how to sew with one hand. It means learning to cut down on what they do and it means learning a new sort of flexibility; accepting that there are days when the pain is too much.

 It can mean having the same conversation about disability over and over again. With family, with friends, with colleagues. ‘I can’t do that.’ ‘I can do that sometimes but not always.’ ‘That will hurt me.’ ‘I can’t use that chair.’ ‘I can’t get my arms that high above my shoulders.’ ‘I need help with this.’

 And that sometimes means learning a kind of patience that is really barely held back rage. Or perhaps I’m projecting a little with this last one.

 If you’ve never met a torture survivor, if you’ve never looked at a survivor’s work, then all this is difficult. You’re trying to imagine something from first principals with nothing to fall back on.

 So let’s bring some survivors into the discussion here. Some reality.

 Who’s listened to Fela? How about Bobi Wine?

 Fela Kuti was the father of modern Afro beats music. He was tortured multiple times and during one attack, which destroyed his home, his mother was murdered by the military. When he got out of jail Fela marched her funeral procession past the biggest barracks in Nigeria’s biggest city. He wrote two songs about this attack and he doubled down on his opposition to the military government.

 Fela’s music started causing riots.

 You can read what I have to say about him here. You can listen to his music on youtube.

 Here’s an interview with Bobi Wine, which was conducted shortly after he was tortured in Uganda. He talked about how he was determined to go back and continue fighting. Which he did. He even ran against the president.

 I’ve also got a short piece on Searle who was a cartoonist captured by the Japanese during World War 2. His drawings of what happened in To the Kwai and Back are worth seeing. Especially if you want to write atrocities on this scale. They will show you the scale and how to focus on the small, human elements despite that overwhelming scale.

 Alleg’s The Question is pretty much a must, it’s one of the most thorough accounts from the Franco-Algerian war.

 Monroe’s A Darkling Plain is also a must, it’s a series of interviews with survivors of various different conflicts and atrocities. Some are torture survivors. Some are not. It is essential reading because it shows the variety in survivors as well as giving a sense of their lives beyond the symptoms.

 Finally Amnesty International has literally hundreds of interviews and studies available for free online.

 The most important decision for any story with regards to torture is whether it should be there at all.

 So much of this topic is intimidating and so much of it is difficult to write. Not just in the ‘oh this is horribly effecting’ sense but in the ‘I have twelve things to juggle in this simple scene’ sense.

 Ask yourself what torture adds to this character and this story. What does this backstory actually give this character?

 Because if the point is to have her vulnerable and then ultimately triumphing violently over her attackers I don’t think you want a torture scenario. You could get the same thing from a bad guy trying to drug her and having the kidnapping fail when she fights him off, clumsy but effective nonetheless.

 And she could still come out of something like that traumatised.

 Right now I really don’t see this adding anything but torture apologia to your story.

 Handling torture well in a story means accepting that it can’t be the same story without it. It means watching the characters and narrative warp under the weight of it. It means lasting effects, for all the characters and for the world itself.

 I believe you are capable of writing that if you want to, pet. But this ain’t it.

Edit: I’m having trouble seeing the beginning of the answer here. Can anyone let me know if there are formatting issues again please? The first word in the htmal is ‘Alright’ but what I’m seeing on tumblr starts 8 paragraphs in.

Available on Wordpress.

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[painted-crow]

Okay this is wildly off topic but I saw that you cook japanese food. Can you recommend some dishes to try or ways to get myself to like it? I want to like Japanese food so bad but I haven't liked anything I've tried aside from super basic stuff like sushi, teriyaki, and gyoza. I've even tried making curry and omurice at home and everyone except me loved it.

Japanese cooking resources

Ah, I have been called upon! Lemme dig some stuff out of my Bird nest for you :D

Disclaimer: I'm not Japanese or an expert on this. I'm just a cooking nerd who thinks Japan has the best food and experimented a whole bunch with Internet recipes and stuff from the Asian market.

Recipes

I learned a lot of what I know from these two foodie blogs:

Just One Cookbook

No Recipes

(the latter site does, in fact, contain recipes, but the blogger would encourage you to build the confidence to cook without them)

Since you're having trouble finding dishes you like, I suggest starting with udon: thick, chewy noodles often served in dashi broth, perhaps with fried toppings. You can prepare udon a bunch of different ways, that's just a classic one--but no matter how you make it, udon is a pretty easy sell. Tonkatsu is another dish that's hard to dislike, and makes a good topping for your udon if you want to make both at once!

Fun travel memoir

There is a fantastic book called Pretty Good Number One: An American Family Eats Tokyo.

It's a foodie travel memoir and it's exactly what it sounds like: this guy went to Tokyo for a month with his wife and daughter and they ate a bunch of food, his daughter made friends with half of the entire population of Tokyo, and he wrote about it. He's a really entertaining writer, and it has great descriptions of all kinds of Japanese food, so from there it's easy to go look up recipes.

Shopping

You'll want to go to an actual Asian market if you can find one locally. Use Google, they're often tucked into odd buildings.

Different Asian markets cater to different cultures' cuisines, so there might be one market with a full assortment of Indian MTR spice blends but no kombu or katsuobushi in sight. They usually have a variety though. If you can find an H Mart, you're golden (H Mart is Korean, but will have the stuff you need for Japanese food). Be willing to explore a bit! Last resort, go ahead and use Amazon, but trust me--the Asian markets are cheaper, and I much prefer supporting them to feeding Amazon.

Just One Cookbook also has a list of Japanese pantry essentials, which is really good, but it's also really completionist (I don't even have all of those premade sauces) and stretches the definition of "pantry" a bit, so it seems more intimidating than it should.

Here's my version.

Pantry essentials:

Good soy sauce. Just get something that says "traditionally brewed" and you're fine. If you spot dark soy sauce: it's smokier and less salty, very different, it can't replace normal soy sauce but you might grab it too.

Short grain "sushi" rice. Try not to overpay for it. If you're in an Asian market you're fine. If you're in the fancy organic section of Hy-Vee, you're gonna get ripped off.

Mirin. A seasoned cooking wine. Unfortunately, bad mirin is easy to find and is loaded with corn syrup. Try to find some that isn't; remember, ingredients are listed on the bottle proportionally. It's very worth paying $10 for a good bottle of mirin. I don't *think* you have to be 21 to buy it? Drinking it would probably be unappealing. Mirin is very important, and it's a versatile cooking ingredient; once you know what it does you might find yourself putting it in everything.

Sake. You do have to be of legal drinking age to buy this. Which kind you get for cooking isn't a super big deal, and you can get by with just mirin most of the time.

Kombu and katsuobushi. The former is a kind of seaweed/kelp (it may look dusty with white powder; that's natural MSG and it's a good thing). The latter is shaved dried smoked skipjack tuna and looks a bit like pencil shavings; you might see them labeled "bonito flakes." They're common ingredients for dashi (basic Japanese cooking stock), but you'll see katsuobushi used as a topping on lots of savory dishes. If you can't find these, try looking for dashi powder or tea bag type dealies.

Toasted sesame oil. Not hard to find.

Rice vinegar. Same.

Panko bread crumbs. These are special, lofty, crispy breadcrumbs. They're different because of SCIENCE and are what happens when you electrocute bread dough. I'm not joking.

Cornstarch/potato starch. I slightly prefer potato starch (good texture), but they're not that different.

Nori. These are those pressed algae sheets you use to wrap sushi, but they're used for other stuff too, like onigiri, or shredded as a topping.

Noodles. Obviously, if you want to make udon, you need to buy some. You can easily find dried udon, but if you spot frozen or even fresh udon noodle packs, grab them.

If you can find an Asian market that stocks all this, you should be able to get the whole list for around $50. Asian markets tend not to be expensive, which is yet another good reason to learn to cook Japanese food. (Other reasons: healthy, tasty, easy to cook in a small kitchen...)

Of course, you also don't need to get the whole list at once! It's not cheating to just get what you need for a particular dish.

Fun stuff you can find at Asian markets

With the basics out of the way, here are additional tasty things you might want to look for:

Furikake. Not strictly necessary, but I like it. It's a topping/seasoning blend you can mix into your rice, and it comes in lots of flavors, some fishier than others. Start with a nori or vegetable flavor if you're uncertain. Tamago flavor = egg.

Ramune. If you've never had marble soda before, don't deny yourself the adventure of trying to figure out how to get the bottle open. Lots of flavors.

Good instant ramen. Nongshim's Shin Ramyun is what I usually get, and even Walmart sells it. You'll never buy Maruchan again.

Candy. So, I don't know who's in charge of Japanese fruit flavored candy, but it actually tastes like fruit, which is wild.

Yuzu and/or sudachi juice. If you can find these, grab 'em. They're citrus juices. Yuzu is a bit like lemon but less strongly sour and more... clean? Crisp? while sudachi is a bit like lime but more green and complex. I'm describing these poorly. You might also be able to find candy or drinks with these flavors.

Sugary drinks with nata de coco in them. Nata de coco is a firm jelly-like dessert type... thing. It's made from coconuts and it's got a unique jelly/crunchy texture and is odd but good. You might be able to find nata de coco on its own, but I'll warn you: the kind you get packed in jars will be Very Sugary.

Tapioca pearls. If you like bubble tea, here's the place to get your boba.

Umeboshi plums. These sour/salty pickled plums are a tasty ramen topping.

Ice cream. Those square melon popsicles are delicious, but get them home quickly, their texture is very temperature sensitive! And if you spot individually wrapped ice cream cones, grab one.

Euro cakes. These look kinda like round Twinkies, but Twinkies only dream of being this tasty. I like the pandan flavor best. Don't be put off by the green color.

Soft tofu. So good 🥰 and weirdly hard to find in supermarkets. It's got a texture like custard, and apart from its fairly neutral, fresh flavor, will easily pick up any flavors you put on it. An excellent addition to udon soup; add it last, the tofu is fragile (and doesn't actually require cooking). Silken tofu sometimes comes in shelf stable packages. My experience with those has been fine, but the general consensus is that the tofu you get from the fridge section is better.

Frozen pork buns. They might be labeled "siopao" or "bao" (Chinese names) or "nikuman" (Japanese name). Lil bread buns with bbq pork or other fillings. You steam them in the microwave and they're delicious.

I'd recommend having fun getting a few of the things off this list, rather than being a completionist about the first one, if you find yourself choosing between the two. That said, make sure you get the stuff you need for the thing you want to make!

Okay, now I want a pork bun. I wonder if my brother's eaten them all yet...

[sourwormsaresour]

Hc's on La Squadra's favourite foods?

Sorry this took a while! Finals are right around the corner and I wanted to to look up foods to make sure I was presenting them accurately. 

Illuso, the proud Spaniard he is, is a paella connoisseur. The man has a huge paella pan specifically to make paella and he spends his spare time perfecting the art of making the best paella in the world. Every summer once a year he brings the pan out, orders a ton of ingredients, and makes a large batch of paella for the team to eat in a nearby park. Weeks or even months before "paella day" Illuso would be ordering ingredients in advance, and spend hours preparing everything. He would even go as far as grinding the saffron himself, making the broth early in the morning, and refusing anyone else from helping. Formaggio and Ghiaccio constantly whine about how long it takes, to which Illuso always replies “Paella doesn't wait for anyone- YOU wait for it.” But it’s all worth it in the end when the sun is setting and everyone's huddled around the open fire chowing down on paella and drinking alcohol they bought from the nearby liquor store. Illuso wouldn't say this out loud, but he loves these moments with his team.

Prosciutto doesn’t have a specific favorite food but anything rich and heavy or similar to classic French cuisine is his go-to meal- maybe Cabernet Braised Short-Ribs with Creamy Mash Potatoes to soak up all that sauce. He loves the kind of big meals that you would love to take your time eating late into the night and pair with a glass of wine. Growing up, he had a tough relationship with food because his mother often controlled what and how much he could eat; being a child actor also didn't help. So it took him a while to rebuild that relationship into something healthier, and that led him to like foods that can guarantee a nice food coma afterward. He doesn’t eat these types of foods often though (he still has those feelings of guilt when he eats them) and prefers his comas to be undisturbed, but he will eat these foods on occasion. He and Formaggio are food coma buddies and you would often find them after a big meal napping on the same couch together. Sometimes the other members join along too. 

Gelato is a soup lover and loves a classic Minestrone on a cold day. As a kid growing up poor and having to care for his siblings ever since he was young, Gelato quickly learned how to make meals given whatever was available. Hot soup was the easiest and often quickest thing to make that used leftovers and can keep his siblings and his bellies full and bodies warm during the winter, so soup became his go-to for cooking and ultimately his comfort food. Gelato would often make soups in his spare time as a way to also destress and cook at night with minimal noise complaints. He loves all types of soups: bisques, creams, broths, purees, chowders, anything that's warm that you can sip is a soup for him to eat. He also goes heavy on seasoning, mainly because it helps hide bad flavors that might have come from the leftovers but also sees having access to fresh spices as a sort of wealth status in his eyes. Whenever the team is in a financial pinch, Gelato makes soups to mitigate costs on food and they often end up being very tasty in the end.  

Melone likes Palak Paneer and Saag Paneer, but he also loves to eat anything South Indian or vegetarian South Asian. This is mainly because his meals are often plant-based and he loves spicy foods in general. Melone likes to incorporate various types of spices into his meals and learned how to make South Indian food himself using local ingredients. He and Illuso would often visit Lombardy or Rome to shop for spices, which lets them interact with the South Asian communities of Italy frequently. You can catch them often gossiping with the local aunties or exchanging recipes with the grandmothers they got to know. One of his favorite pastimes is trying new recipes he learned from them, experimenting with spices into other foods, or making fusion foods based on recipes he learned; it's usually a hit or miss, but it’s often an adventure to get there. Melone occasionally flexes on his teammates for handling spicy foods better than everyone. 

Risotto has a major sweet tooth, so his favorite foods are desserts. In particular, he loves Pastiera and always looks forward to them during Easter when his aunt makes them. From the crumbly crust to the orange flower scent that fills his nose whenever he takes a bite, Risotto enjoys every bit of it. Ever since he began work as an assassin, he's been trying to find bakeries that can make the same Pastiera he loved and even tried to make it himself; all turned out to be bust. Nothing beats his aunt's version and he honestly can't bake if his life depended on it. Yet every year around Easter time, Headquarters gets a mysterious delivery of Pastieras with no address that surprisingly tasted like Risotto's aunt's recipe. Everyone assumed one of the neighborhood grandmothers decided to give them an Easter present and testing the dessert showed no traces of poison or anything malicious. Yet Risotto knew where the Pastiera came from. Despite the memories of his past often bringing sadness whenever he remembered them, eating the Pastiera every Easter always put a smile on his face.

Sorbet is a stickler for authentic Carbonara. However, you have to make it exactly like it should be made: with the best guanciale, expensive Pecorino Romano, fresh handmade pasta, nothing more or less. Sorbet himself isn't a great cook but he knows how to make carbonara and would often make it whenever the ingredients needed are available. He refuses to substitute anything in the recipe and will savagely criticize you if you use regular bacon or, God forbid, garlic, in your carbonara. Like some of the other members, Sorbet would also spend his time perfecting his recipe, but doesn't do it as much due to the simplicity of Carbonara's ingredients and his refusal to add anything that would ruin the authenticity of the dish. However, nothing can beat his mother's carbonara. He hopes that one day he could make a carbonara that is just as good as hers. 

Formaggio loves to eat Pizza Fritta. He grew up eating a lot of processed, high-carb foods as a child in the working-class due to convenience and cost. Both his parents worked long hours and struggled to get by often, which made him eat premade foods often and make do with it. As a result, he finds foods that are full of carbs very comforting and once thought he invented something when he fried pizza dough for the first time. That's when he discovered Pizza Fritta and often made it because it filled him up quicker, has more richness and flavor than "healthy" foods, and fried food is just addicting to eat. At one point he made it a business that he ran with his childhood friends where they would make Pizza Frittas but then stopped when they realized they weren't selling well. Formaggio still enjoys eating and making them, experimenting with whatever toppings he can get his hands-on, and he has his own "secret" dough recipe he refused to give out. Sometimes he makes batches to give out to the team and would steal ingredients from the other team members whenever he makes them. They always tell him he could just ask for ingredients but he never does.

Pesci's ideal meal would involve eating whatever fish he just caught after a long fishing day and maybe some premade side dishes to accompany it. Growing up in a family of fishermen led him to enjoy the experience of waking up in the early morning to go out to sea, catch fish into the noon, and returning to the beach where you set up a grill or fire pit to cook your dinner. Depending on the fish and how the grill or fire pit is set up, Pesci loves to cook it in any way he can: grilled on a stick, steamed with herbs, fried up in thick batter, anything you can think of. Prosciutto and Risotto often join him on his fishing excursions, mainly because they're the only ones who can tolerate the constant waiting that fishing had and the aesthetic of fishing and cooking your food without fancy equipment (looking at you Illuso), but Pesci doesn't mind it. He's just glad that he has some friends to join in and keep him company when he’s at sea. Prosciutto and Risotto would fish along with him, but let Pesci work his magic when it comes to cooking the food afterward. 

Ghiaccio is down to have a really good hamburger with everything on it- the kind that has a juicy fresh patty, melted cheese, flavorful sauce, and crisp vegetables to balance everything out. Like Prosciutto, he also grew up with a controlled diet; it was more of not allowing him to eat foods that would compromise his health, like processed sugars and unnecessary carbs. Ghiaccio never had a chance to try certain foods until he became an assassin and now he loves eating things he wasn't allowed to eat before. He's still conscious about what he eats because he's still into having a healthy and athletic lifestyle, but he loves that feeling of rebellion when he's eating what looks like fast food. Late-night drives involve him getting an order of burgers and fries and eating them while speeding down the freeway; one hand on the steering wheel, the other holding his burger. He also loves a good chicken sandwich, and would probably cry in joy if he ever had a chance to try In-and-Out or Chick-Fil-A. 

[cheonsa-gyu]

txt reacting to having an indian girlfriend

› members x reader

› fluff & some very slight angst

› mild warnings like insecurities

› request ⟶ Hello, I am your recent follower. Can I request you to make a TXT scenario where they date an Indian girl? Since I am one 👉👈 So I was wondering what you would think about it.

› a.n ⟶ thank you so much for the request. i don't believe any of the members would oppose someone because of their race, especially if they are in a relationship. please never be insecure about your race. that goes for every race and every person. we are all beautiful! because of your specific request i did write it pretty angsty, i hope that's okay.

› masterlist

› request

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

y e o n j u n

Yeonjun wouldn't see the cultural differences as an issue.

He would try to understand Indian culture so he could either impress you or make sure he'd never offend you in any way.

So he would always ask about your culture and want to know more.

If he ever noticed you feeling insecure about your skin color or race, he wouldn't waste any time reassuring you and complimenting you.

It would hurt Yeonjun to see that the person he cared about most, felt insecure in any way, especially about something like this.

He'd definitely try to involve your culture in your daily lives as well, so you would never feel homesick or insecure.

It could be anything from taking you to an Indian-style restaurant to learning traditional Indian-style dancing and then showing it off to you.

Yeonjun would always want you to feel loved since you meant the world to him and he would never let something like race get in between the two of you.

"You're beautiful just the way you are"

s o o b i n

Soobin would have some difficulty getting used to the cultural differences at first.

But he would try his hardest to understand the cultural differences and respect them, as he really wanted to be with you.

Soobin would be someone who would praise you a lot and show his love for you with his actions.

He would kiss your hands, arms, and shoulders and in general anywhere with exposed skin.

He would probably also take some online classes and learn how to cook some Indian dishes for you.

Soobin would also love to try wearing traditional Indian wear with you sometime after seeing some pictures of it you had shown him.

In general, Soobin would just be the sweetest most supportive boyfriend.

"Come here, let me kiss you again"

b e o m g y u

Beomgyu would honestly not care about the cultural differences at all.

Like he would notice them a few times, but he wouldn't care at all.

I think if anything he would treasure the things you guys had in common and would respect boundaries and differences.

If he ever noticed you being insecure, he would honestly be confused?

Because to him, you were absolutely perfect and he didn't see it at all.

And for that, I think at first he would feel a little unsure about how to even fix your insecurities since you were a gem in his eyes.

He would try to make you feel better by making you laugh and then complimenting your beautiful smile.

And then he'd comfort you by hugging you until you felt better.

A lot of the time he didn't even have to say anything, he would just hold you until you could push your insecurities aside.

"You mean everything to me"

t a e h y u n

Taehyun is someone who would put so much effort into learning about his s/o's culture.

I see him as someone who would look up classes and videos on how to learn Hindu just so he could impress you and make you like him even more.

Taehyun is just so wholesome, so it would seriously crush him if he saw you feeling insecure in any way.

He would sit down and have a long talk with you about it and tell you just how beautiful you were.

He would always make sure to check in with you and make sure you felt beautiful in every way.

And if he ever saw you feeling insecure in the future, he would remind you about the talk you guys had, while holding you.

I also see him as being someone who would love to travel back to your home country with you and learn more about the culture firsthand.

"Please don't ever think you're not beautiful"

k a i

Kai would probably be pretty similar to Soobin in a lot of ways.

He wouldn't have as big of a problem with the cultural difference, but he would definitely feel a little overwhelmed with everything.

Once he had gotten more comfortable with the differences, he would always feel so fascinated whenever you told him anything new about your culture.

I do also see him as someone who would love to try wearing traditional Indian clothing, if you ever showed him a picture of what it looked like.

In general I picture Kai as being someone who wouldn't completely know what to do if his s/o felt insecure.

He would try to comfort you through his actions rather than words, as he wouldn't really know exactly what to say.

He would cuddle extra close to you and make sure to kiss you all over your face if you ever seemed sad.

"Don't be sad anymore, Jagiya"

[some-lists]

10 Documentary Series for the Wanderluster

If you’re sick of being stuck indoors and isolated from the rest of the world, you might find yourself binge watching travel documentaries just like me.

I’ve always loved traveling. I’ve been to a handful of places, but there’s so much more out there. These docu-series will make you want to get off your butt and hop on a plane ASAP. Of course, that’s not really an option in this pandemic, but these shows can offer a nice dose of escapism right in your living room.

These are just a few available to stream that I really loved. (Btw, most of these are about food. Because I love food.)

1. Somebody Feed Phil

I love this show. Everybody Loves Raymond creator Phil Rosenthal travels to some of the most beautiful locations around the world to try the best foods. He meets with locals, expats, and world renown chefs who show him the best local dishes and their culture. Phil isn’t the best food critic. Most of his commentary consists of, “Mmm, that’s good!” But his cheery, friendly demeanor makes for easy watching as he casually befriends locals in every international city he visits. Oh, and the theme song is killer.

Watch it on: Netflix

2. Street Food: Asia & Latin America

Get ready to be hungry! Made from the same people behind Chef’s Table, this series takes you to a different country in each episode. Street Food: Asia and Street Food: Latin America are actually listed separately on Netflix. But they are essentially two different seasons of the same show. You’ll meet local street chefs who’ve made their living cooking and selling their best comfort foods on the street. They share their stories of hardship, determination, sacrifice, joys, and successes. Each episode has close ups of every dish that will have you salivating.

Watch it on: Netflix

3. Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted

Season One of this National Geographic series is currently available on Disney Plus. We see chef Gordon Ramsay travel to some remote locations, where he not only learns about their local ingredients, but has to forage and hunt them himself. At the end of each episode, we see him face off with a famous chef from each region. It’s beautifully shot with some really breathtaking views of these amazing landscapes. We see the vast Sacred Valley of Peru, majestic glaciers of New Zealand, and tropical blue waters of Hawaii. Now, if only Disney Plus would release the second season.

Watch it on: Disney Plus

4. Down to Earth with Zac Efron

Down to Earth with Zac Efron is not just a feast for the eyes, but a series that will make you think. Zac Efron travels with his friend, Darin Olien, to learn about various methods of sustainable living. We learn about sustainable energy in Iceland, fresh water in France, and blue zone diets in Italy. They also take the time to explore and enjoy the best leisure activities and cuisine in each country.

Watch it on: Netflix

5. Conan Without Borders

Conan Without Borders is a segment of his talk show that is now available on Netflix (but only the first season). Of course, you can still watch more on YouTube, but those videos are cut into shorter segments. Conan’s buffoonery is put to good use as he travels to learn about other people and their countries. His shtick is the clueless, ignorant American abroad. It’s an honesty that’s rewarding, as he shows these countries in a light few Americans get to see. He’s hilarious in each episode as he accidentally (or not so accidentally) offends, but also learns from the locals in each country.

Watch it on: Netflix, YouTube

6. Travel Man: 48 Hours In...

Travel Man has had 10 seasons, and 7 (ish) of them are on Hulu. It’s a recent discovery for me, so I’m still making my way through the episodes. Richard Ayoade travels to a different city with a different celebrity for 48 hours. They do a lot of the typical things the average tourist would do. It features transportation, checking into a hotel (usually on the higher end), seeing the sites, and exploring different foods. Most of the celebrities who join him are British, so I’m not too familiar with them. It probably works better if you know who they are, but it doesn’t matter. Richard Ayoade’s dry humor makes each trip amusing regardless.

Watch it on: Hulu

7. Jack Whitehall: Travels with My Father

British comedian Jack Whitehall takes a belated gap year trip with his 70-something year old father. The stark contrast between their personalities make for a very interesting vacation. We go on a real ride with the two as we get to know them and as they grow from the experience. Jack is full of energy and definitely more open minded of the two, but we can also see why his father gets annoyed with him. He’s a big kid and, at times, spoiled. At first Jack’s father comes across as snobby and ignorant, but we learn to laugh at his biting humor and his efforts to connect with Jack. We also get a bit of a different view of each location. We visit eccentric temples in Thailand, watch trained rats search for mines in Cambodia, check out motocross skiing in Germany, and more.

Watch it on: Netflix

8. Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations

Seasons 7 and 8 of the late Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations can currently be viewed on Hulu. If you’re a humanitarian at heart, this one is for you. Anthony Bourdain is after truth. He’s not interested in commercialized tourist traps or filtered Instagram photo ops. He’s after the real place, the real people, and the real history. He visits disadvantaged populations around the world. He meets with locals, journalists, and humanitarians in each country. Their conversations are often about poverty, political corruption, and marginalization. But he also has some lighter missions as well. A trip to Naples in search of the real Italian food experience. A discovery of Croatian culinary greatness. A cook off in Tokyo between the world’s greatest chefs. What we see is not always pretty. Sometimes it’s truly upsetting. But sometimes it’s great too. Either way, it’s the truth. What Anthony Bourdain ultimately does is capture the heart of the people, something traveling tourists often overlook.

Watch it on: Hulu

9. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

I’m not a huge David Chang fan. I’ve only made it through one episode of Ugly Delicious. (It was the curry episode, because I love Indian food.) But I found Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner a much easier watch. It’s a lot more chill. There are only four episodes. (That helps.) He and a celebrity friend tour a different city, try the food, and just chat it up. This series focuses more on location and culture, rather than just the food itself. The personalities of his celebrity guests help provide color and humor to each episode. Kate McKinnon, as always, is a delight.

Watch it on: Netflix

10. Tales By Light

Tales By Light follows photographers around the world as they capture stunning works of art. This is a must see if you love art, especially photography. Watch humpback whales dance under water in Tonga, the colorful Festival of Holi in India, abandoned desert ghost towns of Namibia, and indigenous cultures of Australia. Season 3 is especially sobering. Photographer Simon Lister and UNICEF ambassador Orlando Bloom travel to Bangladesh to capture portraits of children in need. You’ll marvel at the beauty, but also cry for the less fortunate.

Watch it on: Netflix

[aster-aspera]

One love, one house

CW: food mention, loads of fluff

Relationships: romantic DLAMP

Chapter title is from sweater weather by the neighbourhood

read on ao3

Masterlist for my superhero AU

Patton loved his roommate, he really did, but he was just a little eccentric. Patton could deal with the sneaking in at hellish hours in the early morning, and the mud he tracked into the appartement and the faint smell of antiseptic and blood that was always present in their bathroom.

He could even deal with his roommate occasionally forgetting his tasks or even disappearing for days on end.

But this was just unacceptable. Patton stood in front of a near empty fridge, only a refrigerated tupperware full of noodles and a jar of pickles left.

“Virgil?” He called.

His roommate looked up at him from under his messy bangs, dark circles that seemed to take up half of his face under his eyes. He really should stop sneaking out at night. Patton had hoped he would have gotten more sleep during the holidays, but it seemed his roommate was determined to work himself into an early grave.

“What have you been eating?” He asked, pointing to the fridge.

Virgil gaped at him for a moment as the question made its way into his sleep deprived brain.

“Uhm, noodles?” He said, sounding unsure of himself.

“Just noodles?”

“And pickles, I guess.”

“During the holiday season?”

“Yes?”

Patton sighed. Virgil just continued staring at him, seemingly unaware of why Patton was so upset.

“You did eat something other than noodles on Christmas, right?” He asked, his voice edging on desperation.

“I dunno, when was Christmas?”

Patton snapped.

“Nope, this is unacceptable. I don’t care if you celebrate or not, but you should at least eat something.”

“I ate.” Virgil grumbled.

“Noodles!” Patton interjected.

“And it’s not like I had a lot of time on my hands to cook an elaborate meal.”

“One, it’s not that hard to throw some vegetables into a wok and two, what are you even doing during the holidays, it’s not like we have classes.”

Virgil looked down.

“Studying.” He mumbled.

“More like studying , with the way you look.”

“I don’t look that bad.”

“You look like a corpse, a cute corpse, but still a corpse.”

Virgil flushed and Patton had to fight not to coo. He was just so cute.

“Whatever, are you free tonight?” He continued.

“Uhh, sure? I have something at 11 though.”

“That’s fine, I’m cooking you dinner tonight and we’re going to have a little holiday celebration.”

“Patton, I don’t really celebrate Christmas.”

“It’s not about Christmas. I just want to have a nice night with my friend and while I’m at it, I want to make sure you’re eating something for once.”

“Ok, fine. We’ll have a holiday celebration.” Virgil groaned, but he didn’t seem totally against the idea.

Patton cheered.

“Okay, I’m going to pop over to the store first. We’ll need ingredients.”

“It’s fine, you don’t have to bother yourself too much.”

“Nonsense, I love cooking for others. Also, we’re all out of food except noodles, so I’d have to go shopping anyways.”

Virgil had the decency to look mildly guilty at that.

Virgil accompanied him to the store. Which, unlike Patton had expected, did not speed up the shopping process, but only slowed them down as they fooled around.

“Okay, okay. Let's get this done quickly, thyme is money.” Patton said, waggling his eyebrows at Virgil.

“What the hell am I doughing here.” Virgil groaned.

Patton gasped. “You made a pun!” He exclaimed.

“Yeah well, don’t expect too many of those. I wouldn’t want to oatverdo it.”

Patton gasped in delight.

“The s’more puns you make, the s’more i love you.” He proclaimed and Virgil blushed beet red.

Patton giggled as he looked at Virgil having fun. His roommate was usually a lot more reserved and morose. He had no idea what had happened that had put Virgil in such high spirits, but whatever it was, Patton was grateful. The smile that graced Virgil’s face was the most breathtaking thing he had seen all week.

Patton looked away, aware he had been staring just a little too long.

The meal was delicious, if he said so himself, and Virgil seemed to agree. He lounged back in his chair languidly, sleepy from the good food. He looked better than Patton had seen him all month. The colour had returned to his cheeks again and his eyes sparkled.

Patton silently congratulated himself on a job well done.

“That was great, Pat. Seriously.”

“I’m humbled by your compliments.”

Virgil smiled.

“Where did you even learn how to cook like this?”

“My moms taught me. They made sure to teach me all the basic survival skills like cooking, laundry and how to snare and skin rabbits.”

“Snare rabbits?” Virgil laughed.

“I lived in a forest, I had to be able to take care of myself. They taught me all kinds of other cool survival stuff too.”

“Nice, my mom barely taught me how to turn on a stove.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine.” Virgil waved him away. “My parents just had other priorities in my upbringing. Maybe you could teach me to cook something other than pasta?”

“I’d love to.” Getting to cook and spend more time with Virgil? It sounded like heaven to Patton.

Virgil looked at the clock and suddenly shot up.

“Shit, I have to go. I’m sorry. Thanks for the food, Patton.”

“It’s fine. Anytime.” Patton watched him leave with an empty feeling in his stomach.

He didn’t mind his roommate’s odd habits, but sometimes he wished he didn’t always run off.

~

Patton had to be honest, when Virgil had first told him about his boyfriends, he had been quite shocked.

Not because of the boyfriends, plural. Patton was pretty sure he was polyamorous himself.

No, it was the fact that quiet, shy, reserved Virgil, the guy who Patton had never seen interact with anyone except Patton, had somehow gotten himself not one, but two boyfriends.

And yeah, maybe he did feel a sharp stab of jealousy when Virgil first told him. He wondered how his boyfriends had gotten him to realize they wanted to date him. Patton had been trying to make his feelings clear for months now and was almost convinced Virgil was aromantic.

They must have yelled something along the lines of “We have romantic feelings for you” to get through that thick skull of his.

Patton didn’t resent Virgil for dating them, he was happy for him. Virgil really needed something good in his life.

And now, here he was, cooking up an elaborate meal for Virgil’s boyfriends.

When Virgil had told him about his boyfriends and the fact that they had been going steady for a while, Patton had insisted they come over for dinner sometime.

“I have to make sure they’re not going to break my best friend’s heart.” He had argued.

Virgil had complained at that, but his boyfriends had agreed and a date had been fixed.

Patton had maybe gone a little overboard with the meal. Two curries stewed on the stove and he was just about to throw the homemade falafel into the pan. In the oven, naans he had made from scratch were baking.

He hoped they liked Indian.

Virgil let his boyfriends into the appartement and wow, they were hot.

One of them, the shorter of the two, beamed at him, his smile perfectly blinding, and walked over to him.

“Hello, you must be the charming Patton I’ve heard so much about.” He said with a theatrical bow.

The taller one walked over to them with a more reserved smile.

“I’m Logan and this character here is Roman. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Virgil has told us a lot about you.” He stuck out his hand.

“Really, he has?” Patton felt a warm glow at that knowledge.

“Well, it’s nice to meet you too.” He continued.

“So you’re the one who’s been keeping our Virgil alive?” Roman asked him.

“What?” Patton asked.

“V has a lot of skills, basic self care isn’t one of them.” Roman clarified.

“We’re happy he has such a good friend.” Logan added.

“Well, I’m happy to take care of him. But, yeah, self care isn’t one of his skills.”

“As much as I appreciate you guys bonding, I can take care of myself.” Virgil interjected.

“Debatable.” Logan said.

Roman seemed to have noticed the food bubbling on the stove by now.

“Ooh, indian.” He exclaimed.

“It smells good.” Logan complimented.

“Well, it’s nearly done, so get seated and I’ll bring the food over.”

“You guys are in for a treat. Pat’s the best cook I know.” Virgil informed them.

Patton blushed at the high praise.

“I must say I’m intrigued.” Logan said, while taking a seat at the table.

Patton turned off the stove and added a few leaves of coriander before carrying the dishes over to the table.

“Do you need a hand? It looks like a lot.” Roman offered.

Finally, with Roman’s help, the table was set and they all dug in, dipping their naans into the curries Patton had made.

Roman moaned theatrically.

“God, this is just heavenly.” He praised.

“It’s great Patton.” Virgil offered.

“Yes, it is quite splendid. What spices did you use?” Logan asked him.

“Well, this one has chilli powder...”

“I can taste that.” Virgil grumbled.

“Turmeric, cumin and coriander and the other one has bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and more chilli powder.”

“That’s a lot of spices.” Roman said.

“That’s the secret to Indian cooking, the things they can do with spices is just magical.” Patton replied.

They talked more.

Logan told him he was studying theoretical physics at the university where Virgil also studied.

“Wow, theoretical physics. Isn’t that like black holes and stuff?” Patton asked, intrigued.

“Oh boy, don’t get him started.” Virgil muttered.

Logan paid him no mind.

“That’s one aspect but it’s also so much more. It touches on all aspects of our lives.” With that Logan launched into an impassioned speech about all the things theoretical physics touched on and the different aspects of it.

Patton didn’t understand everything he was going on about, physics hadn’t been his best subject in school, but he enjoyed listening to Logan all the same. He had a way of speaking that drew you in. It was clear he really enjoyed the subject he was studying. Patton felt like he could listen to Logan for hours on end. A glance at the others told him they felt the same way, both of them staring at him with fond expressions.

“I apologise. I was rambling again, I have been told I have a tendency to do that.” Logan cut himself off.

“What? There’s nothing to apologize for, it was really fascinating.”

Logan smiled softly but didn’t go on. An awkward silence fell over the table.

“So!” Patton piped up brightly. “What do you do, Roman?”

“I’m studying to become a nurse actually.”

“Really? cool!”

They chatted about all kinds of things. Roman complained about the amount of things he had to learn. Logan told him it was nothing compared to what he had to study. Virgil lamented about annoying professors. And Patton listened, feeling a little like an intruder but a part of it all the same.

They complemented each other perfectly. Patton had no idea how they had met or what made them such a good team, but it must be something wonderful indeed.

In that moment, Patton wished so fervently he could be a part of it. He barely knew Logan and Roman and yet he could feel himself falling for them even now.

They didn’t seem to mind him being there, roping him into the conversation easily.

Logan smiled at him from across the table and Roman slung an arm over his shoulder, laughing at one of his puns.

Virgil was just getting up to refill the water jug, when an alert on his phone went off. All three of them jumped up.

“We have to leave.” Logan said, looking at his phone.

“Shit, I’m so sorry Patton.” Virgil repeated for what seemed like the thousandth time. It felt like whenever Patton was finally making progress in his relationship, something interrupted.

He didn’t mind the weird habits, he just wished he would let him in on his secrets. Hadn’t he proved his trustworthiness to Virgil?

They left him with the dishes and an empty feeling in his chest.

~

Roman, Virgil and Logan sat at the dinner table while Patton busied himself in the kitchen, finding comfort in the familiar routine of cooking. A tense silence filled the usually cozy apartment.

“How long have you known?” Logan asked finally.

Patton looked at Virgil when he answered.

“Probably since the first month.”

Virgil stammered. “I thought…”

“You thought what Virgil? That I didn’t notice you sneaking in at five in the morning? That I didn’t notice that whenever you ran off during dinner, Storm was suddenly on the news? That I didn't notice all the cuts and bruises you collected? You thought, what? That I was stupid? Blind? Deaf?” He knew he was being unfair, the others looked tired and miserable and guilty. But all his frustration at being left in the dark for years was bubbling over.

He was so tired of being treated as stupid, of being left behind when the others had to attend to hero bussiness. He was tired of lying awake worrying about them.

Patton returned to chopping the leeks with more force than absolutely necessary.

“We wanted to protect you.” Logan said, guilt colouring his voice.

“I don’t need your protection. I think you saw that tonight.”

“Yes, we were wrong. I realize that now. We apologize”

“I don’t.” Virgil said.

Patton stared at him. “What?”

Virgil stood up and faced him. “I’m sorry about lying to you, but I won’t apologize for trying to protect you. It’s bad enough these two are out on the streets, I don’t need another untrained civilian risking their life.” Virgil gestured at Roman and Logan, who didn’t look happy about being called untrained.

Patton laughed bitterly. “I’m not untrained, that much should be clear. And what makes you so trained then?”

Virgil sighed.

“When I said my parents had other priorities in my upbringing, I meant it. Instead of learning maths and chemistry, I learnt how to fight, how to take down a grown man, how to disappear into the shadows.”

“Why?” Patton asked, he was aware Virgil hadn’t had the most traditional upbringing, but this wasn’t what he had expected.

“I was to be an assassin, but the company we worked for disbanded and my mom decided to give me a normal life.” He explained coldy, it was clear there was more there, but Patton decided now was not the best time to ask.

They were all tired from the events of the evening and Patton really just wanted to curl up in bed and sleep for another week. All his anger at his friends keeping him in the dark had faded, leaving him with just his exhaustion.

He turned back to the quiche he was making, with store bought dough, his mom would be shocked, and slid it into the oven.

“I’m just happy you guys are alright.” He said, extending an olive branch.

“Well, we were lucky our valiant knight in shining armour came to our rescue.” Roman said, his voice lacking his usual flamboyance.

Patton sat down next to Virgil and laid his head on his shoulder. Virgil wrapped his arm around him.

“You guys are lucky I knew where you were.”

“Yeah, how did you do that? Do you have us micro-chipped or something?” Roman questioned.

Patton just smiled mysteriously.

~

Patton popped his head into their bedroom, where Janus was talking into a phone. Patton listened for a moment as Janus talked to someone in rapid fire French, sounding mildly irritated.

He noticed Patton standing in the doorway and held up a hand signaling he would be done soon. He rolled his eyes and mouthed “Grandmother” at him.

Patton stifled a giggle. Janus’s grandmother was notoriously difficult.

“Oui, oui mémé, je promets.”

He put down the phone with a sigh.

“Why is she like this?” He sighed in exasperation.

Patton wrapped his arms around Janus’s waist and nuzzled into his neck.

“It’s ‘cause she loves you, honeybee.”

“Loves to annoy me, more like. Anyways, did you need something, mon cœur ?”

“Yeah, you said you’d help with dinner?”

“Course, give me a minute, I’m coming.”

“I’ll go peel the potatoes.” Patton bounced down the stairs.

On the couch, Logan and Roman were attempting to watch a period drama, keyword, attempting.

They were currently critiquing the costumes in the show, Roman in particular was raving about corsets on bare skin.

Patton smiled, he loved them both very much, but watching a movie or show with them was nearly impossible. They both had trouble keeping their thoughts to themselves.

“Having fun?” He asked as he pressed a kiss to Roman’s forehead.

“Corsets on bare skin, Patton! What is wrong with them?” Roman flung his hands up, nearly knocking Patton’s glasses off.

“Whoops, sorry.” He apologized.

Patton kissed him again and gave Logan a quick side hug.

“You guys enjoy, I’m going to get started on dinner.”

“I highly doubt I will be able to enjoy it, considering all the mistakes in the writing and costuming.” Logan muttered.

Janus joined him in making dinner and together they worked efficiently. Janus was a great cook and a good help in the kitchen. Together, they managed to make something good without getting in each others’ way too much.

Janus put on an old timey jazz song and as the food sizzled on the stove, they slowed gently in the kitchen.

The door opened and Virgil blew in with a gust of cold air. He groaned as he dropped his bag on the floor.

“Everything all right, mon amour?” Janus questioned.

“Just tired, training was hard today.” Virgil sighed.

“Yeah, I see. Go take a shower.” Janus wrinkled his nose.

Virgil made to kiss Janus but he warded him off.

“Go shower first.” He instructed.

“I want a kiss.” Virgil whined.

“I’ll give you a kiss.” Patton said.

“Don’t enable him.” Janus groaned but he pressed a quick kiss to Virgil’s nose.

Patton drew Virgil in for a soft, gentle one and then pushed him in the direction of the shower.

“Go. Food’s nearly done.”

Right on cue, Roman bounced into the kitchen, Logan trailing behind him.

“Food’s ready?” He asked.

“Not yet. Will you guys set the table?” Patton asked.

As busy clattering filled the kitchen, Patton felt a smile slip onto his lips. Janus noticed and wrapped his arms around him.

“What are you thinking about?” He whispered into his ear.

“Just thinking about how lucky I am.”

“Yeah, we really are.” He sighed.

They smiled as Virgil entered the kitchen and promptly got wrapped up in a hug from Roman.

[foodbytesback]

A Millenial's Guide to Dinner Parties

Ok, sorry.  I didn’t have time to write anything real  for this week, because I was too busy planning a dinner party.  But uhhh that counts as a food-related topic, so I’m just gonna write about that. 

You may be asking “just how much “planning” do you need?” The answer? Much.  

I feel like I never understood how “we’ve been planning this dinner for months!” made any sense as a sitcom throwaway line, until I tried to plan a dinner between myself and 3 other adults- 1 who just started a second job, 1 who just started grad school, and 1 who lives out of town.  But people who love to say “fail to plan, plan to fail” rarely seem to specify what kind of planning that entails, so let me break down my approach (or, in some cases, things I learned in light of my approach) so that you too can funnel your anxiety into worrying about all the right things.

Consider your living space

Since I knew 2 of those 3 really like Indian food, I decided I’d base the menu around that.  Incidentally, this ended up having one major benefit that I would recommend keeping in mind: if you, like me, don’t have a proper dining room table, don’t serve anything that would require a fork and knife.  If you’re gonna be eating on the couch (Or, if you have a studio that doesn’t have room for a couch, bed? Floor? Getting imaginative about how to host people in a studio is its own challenge), you should consider serving something that can easily be eaten one-handed while balancing the plate in your lap.  Besides curries, I would also recommend tacos (or any kind of finger-food), stir-frys or any sort of braise/stew, although a soup that’s too thin is just asking to be spilled.

Cook as much as you can ahead of time

The day of the event, you’re really gonna want to make sure all your mise en place is… uh, en place.  It’s a given that dishes that are a multi-day process (like the bread dough for the naan) are going to be done well beforehand, but you really will be better off taking care of as much of the things that could be dismissed as doable the day of as you can the night before (or the day before that, depending on your schedule, if your produce is fresh it will survive a couple of days chopped).  For me, this meant dividing up the bread dough into smaller, individual portions, pre-cutting anything that needed to be cut (which luckily ended up being just onions, garlic, one serrano pepper, paneer, and chicken), marinating the chicken, and making the sauce for the chicken tikka masala.

You may have noticed that one of those containers used to be soup.  Or that the pepper’s in a ziplock bag.  Yes. Listen: I don’t work for Food Network, I don’t have hundreds of those little bowls lying around.  I didn’t even have lids for most of those deli containers.  I can only steal so much from work before it becomes noticeable.  If you’re only making one thing, feel free to combine ingredients that get added in at the same time in the recipe together in one container.  I ended up keeping most of mine separated out like this because I needed garlic for pretty much everything, so it made sense to just have one big thing of garlic, etc.  Honestly, you should just have one big thing of garlic on hand at all times, dinner party or not. 

Even with all that prep, it still took me close to 2 hours to cook the chicken, add it to the sauce that I had dumped into a crock pot for reheating, put the rice on, make the 2 paneer dishes (for clarity: saag paneer and a weird dish one of my friends mentioned liking that doesn't’ seem to have any actual basis in Indian cuisine that’s just paneer sauteed with onions and cumin seeds) and bake off several naan.  Which leads me to my next point...

Provide entertainment that doesn’t involve you

Yes, the whole point is that you want to spend time with your friends. But, unless you’re making something like dumplings, where you can easily enlist your friends to help you, you’re gonna be alone in the kitchen while your friends hang out without you.  In this case, they played WarioWare on my Switch and played/made fun of this weird foodie trivia game that I had never even bothered to unwrap from its protective plastic that focussed way too much on Julia Child-era cooking shows, wine varietals, and antiquated edicate, all while I listened from the kitchen.  Because my apartment is pretty small, “from the kitchen” means about 5 feet away, so it’s not like I was really feeling that left out.  I was able to break away from cooking every-other question or so to shoot someone a judgemental glare any time they couldn’t get an answer that I assumed was somewhat-common knowledge right. I should also mention that if you know it’s gonna take a while to cook everything, put out some sort of snack, too.  I hadn’t thought about this, and ended up throwing a box of pumpkin spice Twinkies at them.  

I guess this can be avoided by just having them come when the food is ready. I guess. 

Clean as you go

This is pretty much true for any time you cook something, but seriously, the dishes really start to pile up when you’re cooking larger quantities.  This goes double for things like tasting spoons, which I’m normally fine with reusing when I’m cooking for myself, but I will NOT subject my guests to double-dipping.   And take my word for it, you’re gonna want to go into the actual serving of dinner with an empty sink, because after everyone’s left you’ll turn around and be caught completely off-guard by how many dishes have to be done.  

Have fun and be yourself

No, really.  If your friends are anything like my friends, they’ll just be happy to see that one friend from out of town again or at the very least get a free meal.   Like, despite (or because of?) my obsessive planning, when the time came to actually start cooking I felt no pressure to have to go at my usual breakneck line cook pace, because my friends were there to have a fun little evening, and that’s exactly what I gave them.