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aranarumei · 1 year ago

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the anomalous agate (part one) *updated

hey guys. some of you probably wanted to see "two" written there! that'll take a little more time.

for those of you who don't know what the title's about at all, this is my crossover fic for the case files of jeweler richard and sasaki to miyano. specifically, this asks the question of "what if hanzawa masato visited jewelry étranger?"

i wrote the original version of this chapter in like, four days, and this is me doing an actual editing pass. it's not required to read it, as I don't actually add any new information, but I would recommend it. this fic is also posted on ao3, so you can read the updated chapter there, as well

edit: part two | part three | part four | epilogue

without further ado, I'll leave the fic under the cut!

case 2-x: the anomalous agate (part 1)

The longer I worked for the shop, the fewer days arrived when there were no appointments scheduled. As always, Richard seemed unfazed by the lack of customers. I supposed it made sense—this was a shop that only existed on the weekends, after all. He had hired me, but had the two of us not met by chance, it was likely he wouldn’t have hired anyone at all.

Perhaps the reason my employer seemed so content was the fact that he was currently cutting into a delicate slice of tiramisu crepe cake. He ate with almost ethereal grace, and as I somehow hadn’t thought to grab a slice for myself, my mind wandered to the circumstances that had led me to the purchase.

The week before, I had been making Richard’s royal milk tea as usual—I felt somewhat confident in my skills at this point, but there really was no matching a master—and asked him if there was a reason we didn’t serve coffee to customers. It was a common feature of many cafés, after all, and though this place was no longer a café, we still offered things like tea and snacks to customers.

Richard had stared at me like he was waiting for me to figure something out on my own, and after wracking my brain for possibilities, I tried, “We have barley tea and green tea, so it can’t be because you think anything except for royal milk tea won’t do…”

I received a deep sigh for my efforts. Richard arched an eyebrow. “Do you know how much is involved in the process of making coffee?” he asked.

As the coffee I most regularly consumed came from a can, there wasn’t a single response I could give.

That night, I searched up the process of manufacturing and brewing coffee, and quickly found myself beginning to develop a headache. Not only were there many places where coffee beans were grown, the different ways in which coffee was then brewed and what it was paired with felt almost limitless. Searching for espresso machines brought prices well over 15,000 yen, and it was at that point that I began to understand what Richard had conveyed in a single sentence.

Instant coffee could be made without any sense of technique or equipment, but the kind of coffee that set one’s mind at ease was probably the kind that only a real café was capable of. Or a coffee enthusiast, and I was neither. I tried to conjure the image of being offered canned or instant coffee at Jewelry Étranger, and immediately wrinkled my nose. Coffee at a café was meant to be pleasant; I had no desire to remind myself of what it felt like to work night shift after night shift as a security guard. Any comfort the scent had brought was overwhelmed by its bitter necessity. The caffeine might have kept me awake, but it had worsened the quality of my sleep.

Still, though I had given up the idea of introducing coffee to our drink selection, I must not have completely forgotten about it, because the next time I stepped into a bakery, their offering of a tiramisu crepe cake caught my immediate attention.

I’d had tiramisu only once during a birthday in junior high. Birthdays when I was younger were a melancholy affair—they were small, intimate celebrations that reminded me of the insignificance of my life. It was the same feeling as lighting a candle in pure dark—loneliness shined more under small points of light. But my mother had always remembered to buy a cake year after year, no matter the circumstances. While she had already developed a taste for coffee, I still considered it something that was a bitter, awful drink that adults actually enjoyed. But after some firm persuasion from my mother, I reluctantly dug in.

Add enough sugar, and bitter mellows into sweet. I knew that now, but as a child I had been given an experience akin to magic. Even years after the fact, I could still recall the light and sweet taste accompanied by the delicate hints of coffee and chocolate.

Remembering it now, it was hard to explain why I hadn’t had one in such a long time, but I hadn’t developed the habit of searching out cafés, bakeries, and sweet shops until I started working at Jewelry Étranger, either. Food simply tasted better as of late.

This bakery in particular was a favorite of mine—it felt like every time I entered, there was still some sweet I had yet to try. And encounters like these, where it felt like little parts of my life were slotting together in serendipitous fashions, were becoming far more common. It was obvious in the way I’d found out about Tanimoto-san’s love for rocks and minerals, as well as her friend Shinkai-san’s dance company, or, in a more negative light, Hase-san visiting at the exact time I happened to be in the back of the shop, but when I told Richard this, he simply brushed it off.

“The more knowledge and experience you acquire, the more the world reveals itself to you,” he said. “Department stores existed before you began working here, but only once you took an interest in diamonds did you notice the kinds of jewels they sold. The girl you wish was your girlfriend had an interest in minerals long before you began to. That was not fate—it was the fact that the more you learned, the more you could find commonalities or points of connection in the world around you.” He paused. “You, in particular… I would guess that you run into so many coincidences because you’re unable to turn your back.”

He was correct. The more people that visited Richard’s store, the more that I came to knew about the world. I had liked Tanimoto-san before I had met Richard, and she had loved rocks and minerals for far longer. But because I had been able to meet with Richard—and that was an encounter that could have only been fate—I’d gained awareness of a part of the world that had always existed, just not in my eyes. The more I learned about jewels, the more I treasured various things.

So that Saturday, I entered the bakery again, bought a slice, and arrived at Jewelry Étranger with an offering.

“…I still won’t give you a raise, you know,” Richard said.

As always, he looked beautiful. I had the feeling that he’d be annoyed if I told him the purchase was due to a bottomless kind of gratitude.

“I know.” At this point, I wondered if I needed to directly tell him how he paid far more than what I earned as a security guard. But I’d already turned down a job offer to stay here, so he must have known that I felt as if the work I was doing here was infinitely more valuable.

Since we’d had this kind of exchange quite a few times before, Richard tried the tiramisu crepe cake without much fuss. It was obvious he was enjoying it—perhaps his face hadn’t cracked out into a smile or anything of the sort, but there was always a serene look on his face when he was enjoying sweets.

As he ate, a question popped to mind: “Say, Richard, have you had real tiramisu in Italy before?”

Richard paused between bites. “Do you mean to ask if I’ve had authentic tiramisu?”

“Well, you just seem as if you’ve been everywhere in the world…”

Rather than tell me if he’d spent time in Italy or not, Richard began to speak about the conflicted meaning of the word ‘authentic.’

“Tiramisu is Italian in origin, but the exact nature of how it was first produced is still up for debate. As we recognize it today, it certainly does not come in the nature of a crepe cake, but—” He paused again. “Grab yourself a fork, would you?”

I stared at him blankly as he deliberately placed his fork down on his plate. The last few bites of the tiramisu crepe cake remained untouched, and only when he tilted his head in confusion did I rush to the kitchen in realization.

When I returned, Richard continued speaking without commenting on my lack of wits. “Something being authentic indeed means it is the real thing—a genuine article. Authenticity is also related to truth—in art, the style of realism is grounded in an attempt to depict life authentically, without alterations or embellishments. For gemstones this is a fairly simple thing to classify—jewels are mined from specific places, so we designate that which is naturally-occurring as authentic. This runs in opposition as to imitation jewels, which are made from a different material, and approximate the look of a jewel without matching its innate qualities. The question of authenticity also is relevant when looking at heat treatment—pigeon blood rubies that haven’t undergone heat treatment are more valuable, because they have acquired the color naturally, yes?”

I nodded in agreement, reminded of Tanimoto-san’s opinion on heat treatment. She probably prized the authenticity of a gem—the one-of-a-kind nature each jewel had. I understood her feelings, but I also thought there was some kind of wonder in the process of polishing and cutting and heat treatment—each step gave a jewel a special kind of shine. But beauty was the kind of thing where opinions differed often.

I couldn’t imagine anyone disagreeing about Richard’s beauty. “You’ve forgotten to actually put your fork to use,” he said, and I startled out of my daze to hurriedly take a bite.

As expected, the tiramisu crepe cake was both light and sweet. The texture of crepes was certainly different from what I’d eaten as a child, but both carried that sense of pure delicacy—each layer felt like cotton-candied air. Though it didn’t smell like coffee, there was indeed the warm, rich undertone of what I’d come to understand as coffee’s flavor. If I could spend a birthday just like this… it would be a treasure of a memory.

Richard’s lips curled. “How is it?”

I made sure to properly swallow before I replied. “It’s delicious,” I marveled. “I don’t know why I’d forgotten the taste.”

“When you make rice at home, would you consider that rice real or authentic?” Richard asked. When I nodded, still chewing on my final bite of cake, he then asked, “Why?”

Maybe I would buy tiramisu on the way home. Or gift some to Hiromi—I could only assume that my birthday all those years ago was the last time she’d had tiramisu, too. “Well, because it’s rice,” I said. “I bought the rice grains, didn’t I? They were grown naturally. And then I cooked them.”

“If you acquired the exact ingredients required for tiramisu, and followed the same exact process as the original—though there are debates at to what the original is—would you still say that was authentic?”

I frowned. “I… suppose I would? Since everything is exact.” Was there a loophole I was missing?

“Perhaps,” Richard said. “Because it is hard to pinpoint its specific origins, what tiramisu qualifies as authentic can be hard to judge. Though the base components and methods are the same, the exact specifics differ—some may consider any tiramisu that follows the general process to be authentic, while others may not. In the case of champagne, unless what you think of champagne is made in the Champagne region of France, it cannot legally be called by that name. Even if the sparkling wine that is created is similar in taste, or uses the same process and ingredients, if the grapes are not sourced from that region, it will not be champagne.”

“Even though it’s possible to make an equivalent product?”

“You could, indeed, make a very close match,” Richard said. “But it would legally not be authentic. Can you think of a reason why someone might want a name of a food protected?”

When phrased like that, the answer arrived to me immediately. “Brand protection,” I said. “Because the idea of champagne is precious, if other winemakers started selling something labelled as champagne, it would lose some of its prestige. By controlling what can be called champagne, they retain control over the production and image of champagne.”

“Good for you,” Richard said, and I bit down a smile. “Authenticity holds a different value for many people and many things. All that aside… this tiramisu crepe cake remains delicious.”

“It is,” I agreed, and then began to make him tea.

The rest of the day passed by in peace. Richard read from his collection of books, blond hair glittering under the sharp sun. I busied myself by cleaning the kitchen and running out to complete a few errands. The movement was helpful; the chill of autumn had settled in, and I had made the mistake of dressing far more lightly than Richard. His choice of wear likely made it easy for him to sit still, but I thought that even if he was wearing his suit in a blizzard or a tropical summer, he would seem as even-keeled as ever. That was the beauty of jewels—they were something that was gorgeous from all angles.

Around a half hour before closing time, the intercom buzzed.

Richard set down his book, and I went to let in our surprise customer.

Accompanied by a brush of cold wind, a young man stepped into the shop. He had a slim frame, but despite being dressed as lightly as I was, showed no signs of being sensitive to the cold. His hair was slightly long in the front, bangs barely cropped above his eyes, but it was trimmed evenly. He was dressed casually yet neatly in a simple powder-blue sweater, gray slacks, and loafers.

The door closed behind him, and he glanced around the room once before asking, “This is a jeweler’s store, correct?”

“You’d be right,” I said, guiding him to sit in one of the red armchairs.

His hesitant expression curved into a full-faced smile. As he sat down, the awkward lines of his body began to bleed away, and he relaxed into the chair with an air of steady self-assurance. His pose remained polite, though—he kept his hands carefully folded over his lap, and his ankles were loosely crossed.

Originally, I had wanted to give him something to soothe his nerves, but it looked like that was unneeded. Still, I asked, “Would you like something to drink?”

“Ah… that milk tea would be nice, if you don’t mind,” the man said, gesturing to Richard’s teacup.

Richard returned from the bookshelf, taking over the process of greeting our newest customer, and I headed back to the kitchen. Both men spoke in clear tones, so even though they spoke at a medium volume, their voices carried well enough.

“…Richard Ranasinghe de Vulpian? Is it alright to call you Richard-san, then?” He spoke the name slowly, but he pronounced Richard’s full name without fumbling.

“Yes, that’s alright. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too, Richard-san. I’m Hanzawa Masato. Apart from gemstones, do you also sell jewelry at this place?”

“Indeed, we do. Is there something in particular you’re looking for?”

I returned to see Hanzawa-san wearing a thoughtful expression on his face. His gaze flickered towards me as I reentered the room. “I was hoping to look at stud earrings… and I’d prefer if they weren’t prohibitively expensive, I suppose. Is there anything else I should specify?”

“Are there any kinds of stones you’re interested in looking at? Or a particular occasion or style this is meant for?”

When I drew close enough, Hanzawa-san turned to face me and accepted my tea, eyes still curved in a pleasant smile. “It’s something like a birthday gift, I suppose. As for stones… I’m not too knowledgeable regarding them.” He paused in contemplation.

Choosing a gift was always a complicated thing, in my opinion. For a gift, the trouble never ended at the purchase—it was always at the gifting that the issues arose. Would they understand the gift with the same meaning that I had in mind when I picked it? I thought about my grandmother and mother choosing my name. Was I the type of person they’d had in mind? I could only hope that was the case.

“I guess… something neutral would be best? The kind of earring fit for daily work wear.”

“Are you interested in looking at birthstones?”

Hanzawa-san sipped his tea, eyes fluttering shut in thought. “Not particularly.”

I had spent enough time with Richard to catch the traces of concern on his face, but not enough to understand the reason. “It will take some time for me to bring my selections out. Please enjoy your tea while you wait,” he said, and then he was off, a determined crease to his brows.

Though I didn’t know exactly what was troubling him, I could learn. Surely Richard wouldn’t mind if I made some small talk?

“Might you also be a university student, Hanzawa-san?”

Hanzawa-san waved dismissively. “It’s only my first year, so I think I’m younger than you. I know I’m a customer, but there’s no need to be formal. Your name is…?”

“Nakata Seigi,” I said. “I’m in my second year.”

“I was right, then,” Hanzawa said. He’d passed over both Richard and my name without comment. I’d expected him to end the conversation there, staying as restrained as he had with Richard, but he spoke to me freely. “Would I be right in saying you seem more interested in jewels as compared to jewelry?” At my confusion, he gestured to my neck, ears, and hands, which were bare of any accessories. “You don’t seem to wear any, so I’d wondered…”

“I suppose it’s the jewel itself that interests me,” I admitted. “Is it the opposite thing for you?”

“Most likely,” Hanzawa said. “It’s what I have experience in, anyways.”

At my once-again befuddled expression, Hanzawa brushed back his hair, and I caught sight of six piercing holes in his left ear.

“I see…” I replied, a little stunned. Now that I knew what to look for, it was easy to spot a few of his piercing holes even when his hair wasn’t brushed back.

Richard had probably noticed them from the moment he’d walked in.

Now that I thought about it clearly, a birthday gift could be presented to oneself, couldn’t it? Just like Yamamoto-san trying to buy herself a garnet. Guys with piercings weren’t all that uncommon in my university, too, but none of them seemed like the type to buy jewels in Richard’s store. Then again, Hanzawa looked so mild-mannered that the existence of his piercings alone was a surprise, so I took this fact in stride.

In the same way that I’d only noticed the tiramisu in that bakery after asking Richard about coffee, it was only now that I realized the reason for Richard’s concern. If it was a present for himself, the uncertainty to Hanzawa’s answers was troublesome.

“If I could ask…” I prompted as Richard returned to the table.

Richard set down his tamatebako with a harder than usual thud. He was still frowning, though maybe more obviously than before.

“Sure.”

“Is there a reason a guy as young as you has so many piercings?”

Before I could get a response, I jumped at the sharp click that sounded at my side. Richard had opened up his tamatebako.

Hanzawa kept smiling up at me. He took a long sip of his tea, and then directed his attention towards what Richard had selected.

I leaned over to take a look. As I did, Richard shot a pointed glare towards me. What? I mouthed back, but he ignored me.

The stones Richard had picked were split between gemstones with faceted cuts and cabochons. The studs themselves were made of a simple silver backing, with the stone fitted on top in a rounded or squared shape. The exceptions to this were the studs fitted with lapis lazuli, which were backed with gold. While I recognized the diamond and amethyst, there were a few colored stones in faceted cuts that I wasn’t certain I could identify. But the ones that caught my attention were the larger stud earrings, which were fitted with polished stones that didn’t sparkle but had bands of red, terracotta, and peach striped across its surface. Others had the same banding pattern but in soft grays and whites.

“These are beautiful,” Hanzawa said, smile fading into a look of deep consideration. He leaned forward to study each one. “Diamonds are a classic choice,” he mused.

“You mentioned that you might prefer a neutral color,” Richard explained, “The clear color of a diamond is well-suited to that purpose. They might be a little above your price point, but if you enjoy the look of them, there are various alternatives you can seek out.”

“I see,” Hanzawa said. He gestured to the rest of the jewels. “I recognize the amethyst. And the… lapis lazuli, yes? Seeing it in person, it certainly is a vivid kind of blue,” he commented. “But I’m a little unfamiliar with the rest of these gems. Would you mind explaining them?”

“Of course,” Richard said. “The green stone you see here is peridot, and the stones in yellow and orange shades here are citrine. Like amethyst, it is a type of quartz. This”—he pointed to a deep orange stone— “is heat-treated amethyst, which looks quite similar. The banded stones are agate. They are a mix of quartz and moganite—both have an equivalent chemical composition, but different crystal structures.”

I hadn’t heard of moganite until now—unless I was mishearing morganite, but Richard had such wonderful pronunciation I thought that was impossible.

Despite the overload of information, all Hanzawa did was nod in understanding. “Peridot,” he repeated to himself, a curious look in his eyes. “I don’t think I’ve seen any before.”

The stone he was looking at was a sparkling kind of lime green. “It’s like the color of spring,” I said.

“Yes,” Hanzawa agreed, and bowed his head, suddenly bashful. “It’s… well, it’s a color I’m fond of,” he admitted.

“Spring is a wonderful descriptor,” Richard said. “Peridot tends to come in lighter shades than most emeralds, and it far more affordable. Would you like to see more?”

Hanzawa shook his head. “…No, it’s not really… well-suited for me.” After considering the other stones before him, he pointed to the lapis lazuli. “What does this get its gold flecks from?”

“Lapis lazuli is composed of several different minerals, and a common one happens to be pyrite, which is what creates that gold color. As you mentioned, the blue of lapis lazuli is quite vivid, which is why, historically, it was ground to create ultramarine. Before a synthetic alternative was created, it was an extremely expensive and prized paint.”

Hanzawa smiled down at the stones. “I’ve heard of ultramarine. Isn't it what provides the blue shades in many of Johannes Vermeer’s works?”

I made a note to ask Richard who Johannes Vermeer was later. Richard’s clients often spoke of things I wasn’t knowledgeable about, but this was the first time it had happened with someone so close to my age—though it wasn’t like people my age often visited this shop in the first place.

“You would be correct. Blue pigments were otherwise hard to come by, so his work is well-known for his use of ultramarine.” After a pause, Richard added, “If you are looking for something neutral, blue tends to be a color that pairs well with others.”

“Oh, that’s—I’ll keep it in mind,” Hanzawa said. Haltingly, he asked, “Is jewelry made of lapis lazuli—is it quite common?”

“Compared to the rest of these stones, it’s a bit of a more delicate material,” Richard allowed, “so it has to be carefully looked after. But historically, lapis lazuli has been used in all kinds of jewelry.”

“…Is that so.”

Silence dragged on between them. Hanzawa seemed unbothered by it, though it was hard to see much of his expression from above. Even face to face, his bangs and lashes expertly obscured his eyes without actually hiding them.

“…This agate. I feel like I’ve seen stones with this banding before.”

“Banding is characteristic but not exclusive to agate,” Richard said. “It has been used for carvings as well as jewelry and remains popular today. Each piece of agate has differences in how exactly the banding occurs, so one could say that each piece is truly unique.”

“Unique…” A ghost of uncertainty appeared on Hanzawa’s face, but it was gone in a flash. “Does it come in any other colors?”

“Oftentimes agate will be dyed into various colors, but there are some other colors present in naturally occurring agates. Would you like to see them?”

“Surely that dyed agate is prettier, huh?” Hanzawa murmured, so low I barely heard him. Apropos of nothing, he then straightened up, looking flustered. “Sorry,” he said. “I think—I think I’m a little in over my head.” He drank the last of his tea in disconcerting silence. “And it’s near closing, anyways,” he added.

“If you’d like to come back, we take appointments,” I said.

“…Right,” Hanzawa said, eyes still fixed on the sets of earrings before him. He set his teacup down on the table. “What would be a good time?”

“Sunday, 4PM?” Richard suggested, and Hanzawa agreed.

With that settled, Hanzawa thanked me for the tea, bid a polite goodbye to us both, and exited the shop, leaving another gust of crisp air in his wake.

Hanzawa had been right—it was now closing time. I went to collect the now empty teacups, only to find Richard looking up at me expectantly.

“What?” I asked.

He sighed. “Nothing that concerns you, I suppose.”

“By the way, who’s Johannes Vermeer?” I asked, ignoring the faint irritation in his voice.

“Have you ever seen a picture of Girl with a Pearl Earring?” Richard asked.

A vague portrait sprang to mind. “He was the artist?” I confirmed, and then went to wash the teacups.

When I returned, Richard hadn’t moved from his seat. Rather than close it and return to his room of jewels, he was staring at his open tamatebako.

I took a seat next to him. “Thinking about our client?”

“…Jewels reflect the inner feelings of a person,” he said after a long silence. “I wonder how to convey that truth to a person like him.”

“Is it harder because he’s young?” I asked, unsure what Richard thought Hanzawa was like. I didn’t even have enough information to describe Hanzawa as like anything. “Well, Hajime-kun was much younger, but his circumstances were different…”

“You’re quite young yourself,” Richard commented dryly. “Aren’t you two the same age?”

“If we went to the same university, I’d be his senpai,” I said. “Still. It’s rare. I thought he’d be more nervous.”

“…I don’t think he wasn’t nervous,” Richard said, but when I prodded him for an explanation, he didn’t elaborate.

“Well,” I said, wondering how I could clear those worry lines from his face, “we’ll see him next week.”

“Maybe,” Richard said, and this, I didn’t need him to explain.

If Hanzawa Masato came in next week at the appointed time, or if he had disappeared out that door for forever, it was impossible to know.

#my writing #kiri.txt #cfojr #hanzawa to tashiro #hanzawa masato #the case files of jeweler richard #i just KNOW i'm going to post this and find some grammar or spelling mistake i didn't catch and. I'm just going to have to live with that #jeweler richard

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thekitchnpro · 3 years ago

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21 Uses for Your KitchenAid Mixer

New Post has been published on https://thekitchnpro.com/21-uses-for-your-kitchenaid-mixer/

21 Uses for Your KitchenAid Mixer

A KitchenAid mixer is a stand mixer that most people use to mix up cake batter and cookie dough. However, these mixers can do so many more things if you would only give them a chance! First off, KitchenAid mixers have a high-speed motor that is powerful. That alone makes it possible to use this kitchen item to tackle so many things in your home. If you do not own a KitchenAid mixer yet, and are considering one for your home, trust us when we say this is one of the most versatile items you will ever own. And once you start using this mixer, you will never be able to go back to using another type of mixer ever again!

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Shredding chicken can be a time-consuming task, but not if you let your KitchenAid mixer take over! All you need to do is make sure your chicken is either baked or parboiled. It is best to do this with boneless chicken breasts, because the bones are removed for you. However, if you use bone-in chicken, you can easily remove the bones before you start the shredding process. Add warm chicken to your mixing bowl and use the flat beater accessory on low to start shredding your chicken. It only takes approximately three minutes to shred enough chicken to make buffalo chicken dip, chicken chili, or dozens of other shredded chicken dishes.

9. Make Delicious Homemade Pasta

Do you love making homemade versions of different foods? If you answered yes, you are going to love the option of making homemade pasta with your KitchenAid mixer. Attaching the pasta sheet roller attachment will make this process so much easier for you. Once you have mixed the dough using the dough hook, attach the item mentioned above. Simply section your dough out and roll out sheets in the thickness you desire. Use the multiple pasta cutter options to cut your pasta into the size you want. There are so many options when it comes to homemade pasta, so let your creativity go wild!

10. Slice and Dice Fruits and Vegetables

Most people turn to a food processor to do this type of work in their kitchen. However, you don’t need both kitchen items if you already own a KitchenAid mixer. All you need is the food processor attachment, and you can be slicing and dicing in no time at all. You can choose the size you want, and the mixer will do the rest for you.

11. Mix Up Guacamole

Making guacamole isn’t difficult, but the mixing can be taxing, especially if you love smooth guac. We recommend adding the avocados, seasonings, garlic, and lime juice to your mixing bowl. Add the paddle attachment and turn your mixer on medium speed to mix all those ingredients together. Once everything is all mixed together, you can easily stir in onions, jalapeños, diced tomatoes, and other favorites.

12. Mix Up Filling for Stuffed Shells

Making stuffed shells is a process and it takes a lot of time. You can cut down on some of that time by mixing your stuffed shell filling in your KitchenAid mixer. Simply mix your cheese, eggs, seasonings, and other ingredients together in the mixing bowl. It is best to use the paddle attachment for this process. Once everything is mixed together, you can easily scoop it out to fill the shells.

13. Make a Yummy Dip

Some dips are super simple to mix together by hand. However, there are certain dips that use ingredients that are difficult to mix. Those dips must be made in a KitchenAid mixer if you want to save time and energy. Any dip that requires cream cheese and other ingredients like shredded cheeses, spinach, and other vegetables end up being really thick. Most of those dips are actually placed in the oven to warm up after the mixing process. We recommend throwing everything into your mixer and then scraping it all into an oven-safe pan when you are finished. Your dip will be ready for the oven, and ready to eat, in no time at all.

14. Scrambled Eggs

Have you ever made scrambled eggs for a crowd? Let us say that if you have, you will appreciate your KitchenAid mixer even more! Scrambling up eggs for one or two people is easy by hand. Scrambling eggs for a dozen people requires a little assistance. Use the whisk attachment on your mixer to whip your eggs before whipping again with a little milk and seasonings.

15. Prepare Meatloaf

What happens when you mix meatloaf by hand? If you are like most people, you end up with hands covered in meatloaf mixture! You can prevent this by simply using your KitchenAid mixer to prepare your next meatloaf. To make your meatloaf in your mixer, we recommend starting by beating the eggs. Add the milk, breadcrumbs, and other ingredients before mixing again. Finally, add the meat before the final mixing. The end result will be a perfect meatloaf where everything is mixed well together, and nothing is left sitting at the bottom of the bowl.

16. Make Homemade Butter

Have you ever made your own homemade butter before? If you haven’t, you must try it really soon! You don’t even have to go the homemade route to have delicious butter with your next meal. We recommend starting by placing softened butter in your mixing bowl. Add the seasonings you would love and let your KitchenAid mixer combine everything completely. Store the butter in an airtight container until you are ready to use it. And if you want to make your own butter, add heavy cream to your mixer. Whip the heavy cream on high until butter forms. Simply drain away any excess liquid and your butter will be ready to eat.

17. Make Marshmallows

Going to the store and grabbing a bag of marshmallows to make s’mores is something you see everyone doing when the weather is nice. But what if you could use your KitchenAid mixer to make your own marshmallows? Find a wonderful marshmallow recipe and add the ingredients to a pot on the stove. Once everything has come to a boil, add it all to your mixing bowl. Beat the liquid on high until it is thick. It will double in volume by the time it is done. Pour it into a pan and cut out your marshmallows. You get bonus points if you create cute shapes instead of squares!

18. Make Homemade Candy Hearts

Despite the time it takes to cut out all the candy hearts, making this sweet treat in a KitchenAid mixer is fairly easy. Since this candy dough is thick and sticky, it is not something you want to mix by hand. This is why so many people pull out their KitchenAid mixers to make this candy, as well as other types of candy.

19. Make Homemade Playdough

You don’t need to run to the store every time your playdough gets dried out and is unusable. Instead, all you need to do is make your own homemade playdough. Simply mix all the ingredients together in your mixer before placing in containers. You may want to wash your mixer out in between each color, so your colored playdough turned out vibrant instead of a muddled mess.

20. Make Your Own Meringue

Making meringue is a long tedious project, especially if you are using a hand mixer. We recommend putting the whisk attachment on your mixer, adding the ingredients, and start mixing away. It will take some time for the peaks to form, but once they do, your meringue will be almost ready for you to use.

21. Make Frosting

Most people run to the store to buy containers of frosting when they need to make a cake. However, it is just as easy to throw a few ingredients into your mixer! In fact, we think it takes less time than a trip to the store. You can make buttercream frosting, peanut butter frosting, chocolate frosting, and so much more. No matter what type of frosting you make, it will be lightweight and delicious! You can easily use your KitchenAid mixer to do these twenty-one things in your kitchen. However, these are not the only things you can do, and make, using this mixer. We know you can find many other uses for your KitchenAid mixer if you simply take a step back and think about it for a minute or two! We recommend asking your family and friends what they use their mixers for, because they can share a wealth of ideas too. Take your KitchenAid mixer out of storage today and see what yummy treats you can make with it! We guarantee you will save a ton of time in the kitchen and that means you can make even more goodies than you have in the past!

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thebingetown · 5 months ago

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Birthday Decoration Ideas to Make Your Celebration Unforgettable

Birthdays mark a significant milestone in our lives, a day to celebrate and cherish our journey. Amongst the anticipation of cakes and gifts, decorations often set the tone for the celebration. To ensure a successful celebration, consider your budget, guest list, date, time, theme, food, drinks, entertainment, and activities.

Essential decoration items include balloons, streamers, crepe paper, and themed decorations that align with your chosen party theme. Balloons, in particular, are a versatile and vibrant decoration option; you can use helium balloons, tassel balloons, balloon walls, arches, and confetti balloons to create a festive atmosphere. Simple banner decorations are cost-effective and customizable, suitable for any age group. If planning a party at home seems challenging, consider venues like The Binge Town, which offer comprehensive services including decorations, food, and photography, ensuring a hassle-free and memorable celebration.

Their excellent customer service and additional offerings, such as a gift section, cater to last-minute needs, making the experience seamless for you and your guests. Flower decorations also add a touch of elegance and freshness, especially for outdoor venues. Whether it’s a child’s whimsical wonderland, a sophisticated adult affair, or anything in between, incorporating creativity and personal touches into your decoration choices can transform any space into a magical realm. From classic balloon decorations to personalized banners, the possibilities are endless, allowing you to create a festive and memorable celebration filled with joy, laughter, and cherished moments.

By focusing on thoughtful details and planning, you can ensure that your birthday celebration is not only visually stunning but also a heartfelt and unforgettable event for everyone involved.

#anniversaries #bangalore #moviescreening #celebration #hyderabad #delhi #privatetheatre #decoration #bollywoodedit #landscape #thebingetown

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badlypackedtraveller · 5 months ago

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All the Dennis women.

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone

Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone

Silence the pianos and with the muffled drum

Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead

Scribbling on the sky the message “Betty’s dead”

Put crepe bows round the white necks of public doves

Let the traffic policemen wear black gloves

The stars are not wanted now, put out every one

Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun

Pour away the oceans and sweep up the wood

Mum, granny, great-granny’s gone, as we always knew she would.

Well this is weird, isn’t it? As you know Betty didn’t leave extensive funeral instructions or, indeed, hardly any instructions at all. In fact, she was much more specific about what she didn’t want. She’d bemoan the waste of a penny needlessly spent or the value of a penny saved and was aghast at the expenditure at dad’s funeral. So here we are, thanks for coming, to send her on her way as best we can. If Sainsbury’s did own brand funerals I’m sure she would have had one.

The last five years have been a torrid time as mum’s deterioration into a dementia fog worsened. But let’s not define mum by the last five years, she was much more than that, and find some happier times to remember her by.

She certainly had her airs and graces but loved making mischief, she loved bossing dad about, she wasn’t averse to a bit of irreverence. She tried to poison me, you know. Twice. On a visit to Sleaford she got Billy and Martha to help her make a crumble, with a purple crayon in it. When that didn’t work she tried again with a dismembered leg from one of Martha’s dolls. Famous in her kitchen for her Dundee cakes and my favourite rock solid, lumpy lemon meringue pie. She loved picnics and awful hats, she loved anything colourful, she loved her garden. Most of all she loved all her children, grandchildren, husbands wives and partners and was overjoyed to meet her great-grandchildren although she would wail “All boys, all boys, you would think one of them could have produced a girl!!” Martha/Vic/Amy, be warned. I think she loved the smallest children best, maybe something of the teacher in her. She loved it when the latest newborn grandson was plonked in her lap.

She loved her garden. There was a time when she could go round the garden and give you the Latin name to every shrub and flower. In her later years she loved to be driven along the front at Broughty Ferry, have a walk amongst the Rock Garden and pause for a moment at a bench in the sun. This would usually involve engaging some a hapless stranger in conversation too. Was it only last year that most of the family met at the little cafe there on her birthday? As a child I remember days out to Stately Homes or formal gardens and being put out of the car with instructions not to get in a mess. Of course, within minutes Dave would have splashed in a puddle, I’d stand in a cow pat and Liz would be perfect. I’ve a photo of mum and dad having a countryside picnic somewhere – dad dressed down for the occasion in his blazer, shirt and tie and mum in a white coat and court shoes.

She had green fingers. She could taking a cutting, stick it in a pot of garden mud and, hey presto, nine times out of ten it would flourish and bloom. Sue and I took a couple of tough, hardy Scottish rhubarb roots out of her garden to replant in Newark. How hard can it be to grow rhubarb? I’ll tell you. A few spindly stalks but mostly nothing, nada, zilch. Thanks mum for not passing on that gene.

We were asked if we wanted mum’s ashes. Dave and Liz said No, I said an immediate Yes. Of course, mum had to die sometime but I didn’t want her to go in the winter when the ground is hard and the plants are dead. I’m glad she went in the spring when the garden is coming back to life. So, I’m going to take mum’s ashes and sprinkle them on our vegetable patch and she can encourage new life and new things to grow. Mum will eventually get back to England and this year we’re going to have a bumper crop of Betty Tatties, Betty Beans and Betty Berries.

When we were clearing out Dad’s study I found a little booklet of poems. I’ll read one and then, as per mum’s wishes, we’ll have the lord’s prayer, then there will be a piece of music while Betty leaves us. Mum came to Scotland in 1964 and often said that she hadn’t had a decent green vegetable or felt properly warm since. Well mum, you’re going to be as hot as you’ve ever been in about an hour’s time I can assure you.

Do you feel downhearted or in need of friendly cheer

Come with me I’ll show you one who’ll lend a listening ear

Come with me to Betty’s for a cup of tea.

Maybe sometimes down a bit but hardly ever out

The kettle can soon be on, steam bubbling from the spout

Come along to Betty’s for a cup of tea.

Find the tea refreshing, with shortbread as a treat

Come and talk of family fun and fellowship so sweet

Come along to Betty’s, please say you’ll come with me

Yeah, let’s go round to Betty’s for a cup of tea.

Now the lord’s prayer, which we’ll do in silence. Many years ago I was at an RAF rugby player’s funeral. All blokes uncomfortable and not sure what to do. The vicar introduced it like this. If you don’t know how to pray think of it as a scrum. Prayer is making sense of the turmoil, get hold of the ball, hang on to it briefly then pass it out down the line. We’ll just have a minute now while we say our own private goodbye to Betty.

OK, Betty’s going to leave us now to a favourite tune. When you hear it I hope you’ll know what to do. Mum would love it. (Morecambe and Wise – Bring me Sunshine).

youtube

or this

Bye mum.

#Betty #bringmesunshine #Youtube

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rabbitcruiser · 11 months ago

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National Whipped Cream Day

Picture the scene: you have been cooking some delicious pancakes for yourself and your family to enjoy for breakfast or brunch. Some family members smother their pancakes in butter maple syrup, while others prefer to eat them with a pile of cut fruit. But the thing is, you know that you want something different.

So, you decide to bring out some whipped cream and gently apply a beautiful dollop to the top of your pancakes. All of a sudden, the room goes silent. It is at this point that you know you have stumbled upon the perfect accompaniment to a stack of pancakes. And now, everyone wants to get in on that whipped cream game too!

There is no denying that whipped cream has the power to transform many different sweet treats, desserts and even hot drinks. The sheer simplicity of it has the power to turn almost anything into a culinary work of art.

Now it is time to celebrate the very essence of whipped cream on this day, National Whipped Cream Day!

History of National Whipped Cream Day

For those who have never sampled the delight that is whipped cream, they have certainly missed out on something great! In a nutshell, whipped cream is a type of sweetened cream that gets “whipped” by a whisk or mixer until it becomes light and fluffy. The air that is added through the whipping process creates something that is altogether unique and delightful.

To achieve the best results, a cream that contains no lower than 35% fat is getting whipped. The process of creating whipped cream is simple, involving either a hand whisk or mechanical agitation with a high-speed mixer, although hand whisking would certainly be a lot of work.

While some people prefer the plain taste of whipped cream, others take things a stage further. It is often possible to find whipped cream that is flavored with ingredients such as cinnamon sugar, vanilla, or chocolate.

Today, there are also dairy-free variants of whipped cream for people who struggle with milk intolerances or do not eat dairy for other reasons. Most of these are marketed as vegan-friendly and can still be delicious.

Many people might think that whipped cream is a relatively modern culinary invention. But, believe it or not, the origins of this tasty treat date back to the 16th century!

The earliest known evidence of whipped cream appears in the form of recipes that hail from 1549. An Italian Renaissance cook, Cristoforo di Messisbugo, listed whipped cream as an ingredient in one of his recipes. His cookbook, Banchetti, Composizioni di Vivande e Apparecchio Generale, refers to something called “milk snow”, which is believed to be a primitive form of whipped cream.

Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, whipped cream was also known as “snow cream”, which is a delightful and endearing term for it. The earliest known literary references to whipped cream seem to date back to 1629 in France (crème fouettée) and 1673 in England.

National Whipped Cream Day is actually a nod to pay homage to the birthday of Reddi-wip founder Aaron Lapin, who was born in 1914. It was in 1948 that he invented Reddi-wip, which is now one brand name of the aerosol canned version of sweetened whipped creams and also non-dairy whipped toppings.

How to Celebrate National Whipped Cream Day

Get on board with enjoying National Whipped Cream Day using these ideas and more:

Enjoy a Dollop of Whipped Cream

Some people might need a dessert to enjoy whipped cream on top of, but others might be happy just to turn the Reddi-wip can upside down and squirt it into their mouths! Even folks who would not normally partake in dessert can use this day as an excuse to celebrate.

Plop a spoonful on top of a stack of pancakes, inside a rolled up crepe, on the side of a piece of chocolate cake or in a variety of other ways. Choose fresh whipping cream made at home or enjoy the premade versions. No matter what, the right way to celebrate this day will certainly include taking part in a breakfast, lunch or dessert that includes whipped cream!

Use Whipped Cream in a Favorite Recipe

Adding whipped cream to various recipes can change the whole thing into something more glorious. Try out these ideas for recipes that include whipped cream, whether of the homemade variety or in a frozen non-dairy form:

Lemon Curd Mousse. One simple dessert that will impress guests uses a jar of lemon curd (an English treat) that is carefully combined with a bowl full of sweetened whipped cream. Serve with fresh berries.

Fluff Salad. Quick and easy, this fruit salad makes a refreshing side dish or dessert that’s especially easy to put together for the hot summer months. It uses fruit, mini-marshmallows, nuts, coconut and, of course, whipped cream.

Oreo Trifle. Make it with Oreos or really any type of cookies. Trifles are easy to put together and don’t require baking. Simply layer whipped cream with cookies, pudding, fruit and more.

Chocolate Cream Pie. Well, it doesn’t actually have to be chocolate! Peanut butter, coconut cream, or Key Lime pie. Really, any cream pie will do, as long as it is piled high with a huge dose of sweetened whipped cream right on top.

Source

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bittersweettweet · 42 years ago

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Today, we celebrated Ari's birthday. Behnaz, Shabnam, Melody, and I gathered in Behnaz's room to prepare decorations. Excitedly, we carried them upstairs to our shared room on the third floor. It's a cozy 15"x15" bedroom, and Shabnam and I took charge of decorating it ourselves. We managed to find some free green paint, which we used to color the walls. To add to the ambiance, our neighbor Afsaneh, from our previous home a few blocks away, gave us a green light she was discarding. Even the carpets matched the color scheme. It all came together mysteriously, considering green is an unusual choice for a room. We love the privacy that this room offered us, especially after years of sharing a room with bunk beds.

Our room even has a small kitchen area, with a tiny sink and a door leading to a compact toilet and shower. The shower isn't ideal, we rarely use it. Additionally, there's a double glass door that opens to the rooftop, a place we occasionally hang out.

During the celebration, we tossed an eggshell filled with confetti up to the ceiling, causing the confetti to scatter joyfully. Colorful lines of crepe paper adorned the room, some twisted and others braided. We had a cake that read "Happy Birthday Ari" and played a cassette tape, enjoying each other's company. Ari received several lovely presents: a dress from Nasrin (Behnaz's mom), a fancy pen with a watch from Dad, a game from Behnaz, a toy from Liz, a doll bed from Behrooz, and a shoot ball from me. I think Ari liked the pen the most, and Mom and Shabnam were also involved in that gift. We had an amazing time celebrating together.

Mr. Goosheh called, inviting us over, but Mom mentioned that we were all feeling unwell and hoped to visit next week. Their family is not Baha'i, so it's rare for us to socialize with non-Baha'is. Trusting others has become challenging in these times.

I'm memorizing a prayer, as a part of my Baha'i class homework. It has been three long years since we were able to attend Baha'i classes freely, without fear. Life has changed significantly since we moved here. After the revolution, talking about being Baha'i or anything related to the Baha'i Faith became forbidden and punishable.

Our Baha'i classes which mainly focused on becoming better human beings, were held on Fridays at different people's houses. The teachers were all volunteers, and both girls and boys attended the classes together. The books were written in proper Farsi, which was quite challenging. We often received homework assignments that involved memorizing prayers or tablets.

Our last teacher, Mr. Zamani, lived on our old street, just a couple of blocks away. He was always kind to us children, keeping candy or gum in his pockets, whether we were at his house or somewhere else. During our final class at his place, he gave each of us a fragrant carnation. I received a beautiful red one, my very first flower.

One night, Mr. Zamani unexpectedly visited our house. He was good friends with Dad. They engaged in a serious conversation, and both seemed somber. After he left, I overheard Dad telling Mom that they were coming for him. Dad had urged Mr. Zamani to flee, but he chose to stay true to his faith. That very night, they came and arrested him. Nobody knew where they were holding him until they called his wife to collect his body. I heard that his body bore signs of torture inflicted by candles and knives. His two daughters are around the same age as us, and while we attempted to reconnect, things have changed irreversibly. Their house feels sorrowful and bleak, reflecting the sadness that has engulfed their lives.

Lots of Baha'is have gone missing, and it's really sad. But I'm so thankful that my dad wasn't one of them, even though he was super active in hosting firesides where lots of people came to learn and even become Baha'is. It's a relief that he's safe.

I'm such a chatterbox today. I need to get back to my homework.

12/31/1982

#diary #journal #life story #true story #makeup revolution #iran revolution #discriminacións

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anonofseasons · 2 years ago

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While I answered an ask a long time ago about what foods El, Howie, and Bee get for their birthdays, I feel like making a post for Shannon and Sophie's birthday meals! Okay, and Rhett, I might as well! It's worth noting that Sophie treats herself on random days in her adulthood. The joys of having baking skills and marrying a decent chef! :P Sophie Breakfast: any sort of baked pastry with apple drizzled with white chocolate, orange slices, and an orange cranberry muffin Lunch: white fish with mashed potatoes all topped in a creamy garlic sauce Dinner: Butternut squash soup with walnut bread Dessert: lilac and vanilla cake with buttercream frosting Rhett Breakfast: He likes omelettes where the egg is super thin and rolled like a crepe around bell peppers and seasoned chicken strips Lunch: spicy cabbage with meat (often a sausage or shrimp) and peppers Dinner: grilled kabobs slathered in seasonings, sun-dried tomatoes, and baked potatoes with sour cream and green onions Dessert: he likes rice crackers (usually savory) and anything his wife will bake as long as it's not too fruity or rich (He doesn't have a big sweet tooth) Shannon Breakfast: peach slices, honeyed toast Lunch: he likes to go into town and buy street food off the vendors, which usually involves a lot of grilled meats, fried veggies, and breads Dinner: mushroom risotto, maybe with some fried zucchini and yellow squash Dessert: he doesn't buy this for himself, but he loves peach pie and Sophie eventually makes it for him It's worth noting that Shannon's childhood birthdays were... efforts, sometimes, financially. He usually got some kind of secondhand book or clothing item, and food was dependent upon what his parents could grow, hunt, and afford. He did usually get squash bc they grew it, and peach pie was his dessert. There's more in an upcoming chapter about Shannon's childhood meals in winter, but he's lucky he's a summer child where they had more fresh produce and a better selection of animals to fish/hunt.

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demonslayedher · 11 months ago

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There was no cake.

=_=;

Long story short, a lot of things have gone awry. There was lots of work to do. There were many little disappointments. I became a demon. I didn’t get tickets for a Ufotable dessert, nor did I have time to make one.

But I did get a ticket for a take-out drink.

So I got the 'Nemi Juice.

And it was really good! Very tart and sweet.

They sadly have no notebooks right now, which I was really hoping for because I wound up really liking the one I got on my first Ufotable Cafe trip last September. That was good because I saved money; believe or not I don't actually like a lot of basic goods like acrylic stands.

That is, unless they are life size.

And it was kind of like celebrating with Genya and Nezuko!

So anyway, thanks for voting, sorry for no results! All my ideas were mean anyway; my main alternative to anything that involved cutting a dessert in half was to draw the boys in chocolate on the plate or on marshmallows or something, and have a slice of cake be the cart they're carting their dead dad around in.

Although they had birthday sets, if I could have gotten a dessert at the cafe, I'd have gotten the Hantengu crepes because I thought it was funny how his other forms were all toppings for the crepes--totally depends on your mood!

If I can't get myself an Ufotable Cafe spot for my birthday, who should I try making my own birthday dessert motif of? (Based on the characters loosely interpreted in the current theme)

#kny in real life #kny merch

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crepearchives · 2 years ago

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Master Post: Cookie Run: Kingdom

⚙️ Released on January 21st, 2021, Cookie Run: Kingdom is Devsisters’ take on a role-playing game that combines a deep story with equal parts destructive combat and emotion, and an open-ended city builder complete with its own economy used to expand your kingdom’s territory while also providing supplies to boost your gacha-reliant combat team. While often teased even before Jelly Pop (Puzzle World’s former title) was released with plenty of things changed between beta and final, the game itself is still quite large and demands just as much storage in your device as Ovenbreak does. I’d say… somewhere between 3 and 4 Gigabytes. It’s also graphic-heavy, so crashes might be imminent if your device can’t handle it.

Upgrade your castle, expand your kingdom, engage in battle with simple 2-5 button controls, destroy anything that gets in your way, greet a LOT of Cookies (although none of them could possibly be as smart as me, Strawberry Crepe Cookie), and analyze a deep story that involves five Ancient Heroes and Cookiekind’s engagement against the forces of Darkness.

Economy & Kingdom Subheadings

Resources

Materials & Goods

Storage

Production Buildings

Package Shop

Landmarks

Cookie Castle

Territory

Fountain of Abundance

Bear Jelly Balloon

Train Station

Tree of Wishes

Sugar Gnome Laboratory

Sky Garden

Touc’s Trade Harbor

Hall of Ancient Heroes

Decorations

Battle Subheadings

Basics of Battle

Advanced Combat Elements/Gimmicks

Classes

Coin Segments

Stats

Status Effects

Enemy Compedendum

World Exploration (Crispia) - Dark Mode - Master Mode

Beast-Yeast World Exploration

Today’s Bounties

Sublime Cake Tower

Trial Grounds

Special Episodes

Kingdom Arena - Super Mayhem

Tropical Soda Islands

Guild Subheadings

What is a Guild?

How to Join a Guild

Guild Battle

Museum

Cookie Alliance

Guild Domain

Managing your Guild

The Editor’s Guild

Cookie & Lore Subheadings

🍪 Cookies (Click the Crown 👑 emoji next to a Cookie to find their CRK profile if one exists unless it has a 📋 📝 or ❌ next to it)

Magic Candies

Crystal Jams

Treasures

Costumes

Cookie Bonds

Costume Collections

Tower of Records

Quest Lines

Soulstones and Soulcores

Toppings

Beascuits

Quotes

Hall of Encounter

Miscellaneous Subheadings

The Tutorial Process 📦

Your Account

Achievements

Titles

Profile Icons

Kingdom Info

Kingdom Prosperity

Friends

Global Chat

Settings

The Importance of Wifi

In Case of Crashes

Event Subheadings

(In Progress)

#cookie run #cookie run kingdom #crepe archives master post #crepe archives

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bakersstreetirregulars · 2 years ago

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Battle the B.A.D 4 Part 4 - Mikrokosmos

⚙️ These guys won’t just leave already! It’s like they brought in a beehive to swarm the place! And someone needs to find that master power breaker!

Stage 1

Wave 1: 5 Jelly Bees (single file)

Wave 2: 6 Jelly Bees

Bonus 3rd Wave: 3 Frogg-o’s

Bonus 4th Wave: 3 Queen Jelly Bees, 5 Jelly Bees

🍪 You were saying something about a beehive?!

⚙️ Shush it, Ordinary! This is the first time we’ve crossed the path of eleven Jelly Bees in this stadium! The second time we went around this area, there was an influx of Frogg-o’s and the hive’s queens!

Stage 2

Wave 1: 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 Cake Hounds (total of 6, spread across small rows)

Wave 2: 2 Roll Cake Hoglets, 2 + 2 Choco Cake Wolves

Wave 3: Roll Cake Hog, 2 Roll Cake Hoglets

⚙️ Another round without facing the band?! Come on out and play, cowards! Or do you want to get backhand slapped by my magichanical Crepe Arms?!

Stage 3

✨ It all comes down to one last dance.

⚙️ And let’s make it count! Us and the B.A.D 4?! We’ll bring the pain-

💀 -to the Producer!

🍪 Huh?!

💀 She never recognizes TRUE talent like MY vocals!

🍰 Plus she has NOT lived up to the proper standards of Cake Hound treatment!

⚙️ Then why not just stay together as a band?! Those BTS Cookies do have a point when they say to believe in yourself and sing it from the bottom of your heart. Stand up to the man and resign from D.K.E.C. and do what you wanna do! That’s what I did just so I could keep doing what I wanted to do back then and stay with my Wafflebots.

🍫🔨 And be a hero?! Nuh-uh! Pass me that mic, small fry, because I’m BORN TO BE BAD, VILLAIN 4 LIFE! WE ARE THE B.A.D 4!

🌰 Now that the problem’s solved and the BTS Cookies are COOL with having B.A.D 4 on stage, now we can bring the pyrotechnics and jam to their debut hit, “Bad and Dark” on the Rhythm Stage!

⚙️ You HAVE TO complete all 12 stages of the battle campaign and play “Dynamite”, “Butter”, and “Permission to Dance” before you can play this song. Whether you play “Mikrokosmos” is optional.

Editor’s Note: This is actually my first time doing this one, that’s how much I’ve been off this event since my internship got so involved. Quality’s just low because I had to compress it from ~702 MB because Tumblr has a hard time processing large files like a 3 minute music video in HD.

This song can be played over and over again WITHOUT using BTS Concert Tickets, but you can’t get ARMY Bombs or any other rewards from it directly. Shroomies worth more points will replace any ARMY Bombs you find on the trail. You CAN, however, apply your score to the Bad and Dark progression event and get rewards based on your overall cumulative score according to this rewards track and your score in millions:

3 million - 3 Magic Cookie Cutters

7 million - 20 Level 7 EXP Star Jellies

12 million- 50 Chaos Cake Pieces

15 million- 100 Topping Pieces

20 million- 30 Epic Soul Essences

25 million- 2 Medium Searing Raspberries

30 million- 100 Chaos Cake pieces

35 million - “Bad and Dark” Title

40 million - 5 Special Cookie Cutters

50 million - 2 Medium Swift Chocolates

60 million - 100 Chaos Cake Pieces

70 million - 5 Legendary Soul Essences

80 million - 1,000 Rainbow Cubes

90 million - 2,000 Crystals

120 million - “Rise up from the flames” title AND 10 Epic Soulstones of Choice chest (containing Cookies released through October 13th, basically anything before Schwarzwälder)

Shoutout to @/crktravelzine (whose notification appeared during the recording) and the work they’re doing. Even though I didn’t get the position on their team as a writer (because they only had two spaces open this time), I look forward to what they’ve got in the end.

#cookie run #cookie run kingdom #cr kingdom #crk x bts #bts #bad4 #bad and dark

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aranarumei · 1 year ago

Text

the anomalous agate (part 1)

edit: there's an updated version of this here

so. a few days ago i floated the idea of a crossover of hanzawa to tashiro and the case files of jeweler richard to the illustrious @dirtbra1n, and after talking about it i. could not stop thinking about it. here is that. you will notice above it says part 1, and that is because I spiralled a bit out of control. this is so long (4.3k) that I thought it merited me posting it on ao3 as well, if you'd prefer to read it there. there's also some notes about the fic contained there, none of which I feel like repeating, except i do have to credit the line of dialogue where seigi asks hanzawa why he has so many piercings to @dirtbra1n. that's entirely their genius.

without further ado, under the cut:

case 2-x: the anomalous agate (part 1)

The longer I worked for the shop, the fewer days arrived when there were no appointments scheduled for the day. As always, Richard seemed unfazed by the lack of customers. I supposed it made sense—this was a shop that only existed on the weekends, after all. He had hired me, but had the two of us not met by chance, it was likely he wouldn’t have hired anyone at all.

I received a deep sigh for my efforts. Richard arched an eyebrow. “Do you know how much is involved in the process of making coffee?” he asked.

As the coffee I most regularly consumed came from a can, there wasn’t a single response I could give.

Instant coffee could be made without any sense of technique or equipment, but the kind of coffee that set one’s mind at ease was probably the kind that only a real café was capable of. Or a coffee enthusiast, and I was neither. I tried to conjure the image of being offered canned or instant coffee at Jewelry Étranger, and immediately wrinkled my nose. Coffee at a café was meant to pleasant; I had no desire to remind myself of what it felt like to work late night after late night as a security guard. While I felt coffee had a warm, comforting scent, I knew all too well that it was also a bitter necessity. I was thankful that the caffeine had kept me awake, but it only worsened the quality of my sleep.

Add enough sugar and it can turn bitter into sweet. I knew that now, but as a child I had been given an experience akin to magic. Even now, I could still recall the light and sweet taste accompanied by the delicate hints of coffee and chocolate.

This bakery in particular was a favorite of mine—it felt like every time I entered, there was still some sweet I had yet to try. And encounters like these, where it felt like little parts of my life were slotting together in serendipitous fashions, were becoming far more common. It was obvious in the way I’d found out about Tanimoto-san’s love for rocks and minerals, as well as her friend Shinkai’s dance company, or Hase-san visiting at the exact time I happened to be in the back, but when I told Richard this, he simply brushed it off.

“The more knowledge and experience you acquire, the more the world reveals itself to you,” he said. “Department stores have existed before you began working here, but only once you took an interest in diamonds did you notice the kinds of jewels they sold. The girl you wish was your girlfriend had an interest in minerals long before you began to. That was not fate—it was the fact that the more you learned, the more you could find commonalities or points of connection in the world around you.” He paused. “You, in particular… I would guess that you run into so many coincidences because you’re unable to turn your back.”

So that Saturday, I entered the bakery again, bought a slice, and arrived at Jewelry Étranger with an offering.

“…I still won’t give you a raise, you know,” Richard said.

As always, he looked beautiful. I had the feeling that he’d be annoyed if I told him the purchase was due to a bottomless kind of gratitude.

Since we’d had this kind of exchange quite a few times before, Richard tried the tiramisu crepe cake without much fuss. It was obvious he was enjoying it—perhaps his face hadn’t cracked out into a smile or anything of the sort, but there was a serene look on his face when he was enjoying sweets.

As he ate, a question popped to mind: “Say, Richard, have you had real tiramisu in Italy before?”

Richard paused between bites. “Do you mean to ask if I’ve had authentic tiramisu?”

“Well, you just seem as if you’ve been everywhere in the world…”

Rather than tell me if he’d spent time in Italy or not, Richard began to speak about the conflicted meaning of the word ‘authentic.’

“Tiramisu is Italian in origin, but the exact nature of how it was first produced is still up for debate. Tiramisu as we recognize it today certainly does not come in the nature of a crepe cake, but—” He paused to take another bite. “Grab yourself a fork, would you?”

I stared at him blankly as he deliberately placed his fork down on his plate. The last few bites of the crepe cake remained untouched, and only when he tilted his head in confusion did I rush to the kitchen in realization.

When I returned, Richard continued speaking without commenting on my lack of wits. “Something being authentic indeed means it is the real thing—a genuine article. Authenticity is also related to truth—in art, the style of realism is grounded in an attempt to depict life authentically. Without alterations or embellishments. For gemstones this is a fairly simple thing to classify—jewels are mined from specific places, so we designate that which is naturally-occurring as authentic. This runs in opposition as to imitation jewels, which are made from a different material, and approximate the look of a jewel without matching its innate qualities. The question of authenticity also is relevant when looking at heat treatment—pigeon blood rubies that haven’t undergone heat treatment are more valuable, because they have acquired the color naturally, yes?”

“You’ve forgotten to actually put your fork to use,” Richard said, and I startled out of my daze to hurriedly take a bite. Well, no one would disagree about his beauty.

As expected, the tiramisu crepe cake was both light and sweet. The texture of crepes was certainly different than what I’d eaten as a child, but both carried that sense of pure delicacy—each layer felt like cotton-candied air. Though it didn’t smell like coffee, there was indeed the warm, rich undertone of what I’d come to understand as coffee’s flavor. If I could spend a birthday just like this… it would be a treasure of a memory.

Richard’s lips curled. “How is it?”

I made sure to properly swallow before I replied. “It’s delicious,” I marveled. “I don’t know why I’d forgotten the taste.”

“When you make rice at home, would you consider that rice real or authentic?” Richard asked. When I nodded, still chewing on my final bite of cake, he then asked, “Why?”

I frowned. “I… suppose I would? Since everything is exact.” Was there a loophole I was missing?

“Even though it’s possible to make an equivalent product?”

“You could, indeed, make a very close match,” Richard said. “But it would legally not be authentic. Can you think of a reason why someone might want a name of a food protected?”

“Good for you,” Richard said, and I bit down a smile. “Authenticity holds a different value for many people and many things. All that aside… this tiramisu crepe cake remains delicious.”

“It is,” I agreed, and then began to make him tea.

Around a half hour before closing time, the intercom buzzed.

Richard set down his book, and I went to let in our surprise customer.

Accompanied by a brush of cold wind, a young man stepped into the store. He had a slim frame, but despite being dressed as lightly as I was, showed no signs of being sensitive to the cold. His hair was slightly long in the front, bangs barely cropped above his eyes, but it was trimmed evenly. He was dressed casually yet neatly in a simple powder-blue sweater, gray slacks, and loafers.

The door closed behind him, and he glanced around the room once before asking, “This is a jeweler’s store, correct?”

“You’d be right,” I said, guiding him to sit in one of the red armchairs.

“Would you like something to drink?” I asked. Originally, I had wanted to give him something to soothe his nerves, but it looked like that was unneeded.

“Ah… that milk tea would be nice, if you don’t mind,” the man said, gesturing to Richard’s teacup.

Richard returned from the bookshelf, taking over the process of greeting out newest, customer, and I headed back to the kitchen. Both men spoke in measured tones, so even though they spoke at a medium volume, their voices carried well enough.

“…Richard Ranasinghe de Vulpian? Is it alright to call you Richard-san, then?” He spoke the name slowly, but he pronounced Richard’s full name without fumbling.

“Just Richard is fine, too.”

“Nice to meet you too, Richard-san. I’m Hanzawa Masato. If I’m not incorrect, you sell jewelry at this place?”

“Indeed we do. Is there something in particular you’re looking for?”

I returned to see Hanzawa-san wearing a thoughtful expression on his face. His gaze flickered towards me as I reentered the room. “I was hoping to look at stud earrings… is there anything else I should specify? I would prefer if it wasn’t prohibitively expensive…”

“Are there any kinds of stones you’re interested in looking at? Or a particular occasion or style this is meant for?”

“I guess… something neutral would be best? The kind of earring fit for daily work wear.”

“Are you interested in looking at birthstones?”

Hanzawa-san sipped his tea, eyes fluttering shut in thought. “Not particularly.”

I had spent enough time to catch the traces of concern on Richard’s face, but not enough time to understand his worries. “It will take some time for me to bring my selections out. Please enjoy your tea while you wait,” he said, and then he was off, a determined crease to his brows.

Though I didn’t know exactly what was troubling him, I could learn. Surely Richard wouldn’t mind if I made some small talk?

“Might you also be a university student, Hanzawa-san?”

Hanzawa-san waved dismissively. “It’s only my first year, so I think I’m younger than you. I know I’m a customer, but there’s no need to be formal. Your name is…?”

“Nakata Seigi,” I said. “I’m in my second year.”

“I was right, then,” Hanzawa said. He’d passed over both Richard and my name without comment. I’d expected him to sound as restrained as he had with Richard, but he spoke freely. “Would I be right in saying you seem more interested in jewels as compared to jewelry?” At my confusion, he gestured to my neck, ears, and hands, which were bare of any accessories. “You don’t seem to wear any, so I’d wondered…”

“I suppose it’s the jewel itself that interests me,” I admitted. “Is it the opposite thing for you?”

“Most likely,” Hanzawa said. “It’s what I have experience in, anyways.”

At my once-again befuddled expression, Hanzawa brushed back his hair, and I caught sight of six piercing holes in his left ear.

“I see…” I replied, a little stunned. Even when his hair wasn’t brushed back, it was easy to see a few of his piercing holes.

Richard had probably noticed them from the moment he’d walked in.

Now that I thought about it clearly, a birthday gift could be presented to oneself, couldn’t it? Just like Yamamoto-san trying to buy herself a garnet.

I’d seen guys in my college with piercings, but none who bought any with jewels like the ones in Richard’s store. It was a kind of flashy choice for someone who looked so mild-mannered, but so were piercings in general.

In the same way that I’d only noticed the tiramisu in that bakery after asking Richard about coffee, I realized the reason for his concern. If it was a present for himself, the uncertainty in his answers could prove troublesome.

“If I could ask…” I prompted, as Richard returned with his tamatebako.

Richard set down his tamatebako with a harder than usual thud. He still looked concerned, but there was a different note to it.

“Sure.”

“Is there a reason a guy as young as you has so many piercings?”

Richard opened up his tamatebako with a sharp click.

Hanzawa kept smiling up at me. He took a long sip of his tea, and then directed his attention towards what Richard had selected.

I leaned over to take a look. As I did, Richard shot a pointed glare towards me. What? I mouthed back, but he ignored me.

The stones Richard had picked were split between gemstones with faceted cuts and cabochons. The studs themselves were made of a simple silver backing, with the stone fitted on top in a rounded or squared shape. The exception to this was the studs fitted with lapis lazuli, which were backed with gold. While I recognized the diamond and amethyst, there were a few colored stones in faceted cuts that I wasn’t certain how to identify. But the ones that caught my attention were the larger stud earrings, which were fitted with polished stones that didn’t sparkle but had bands of red, terracotta, and peach striped across its surface. Others had the same banding pattern but in soft grays and whites.

“These are beautiful,” Hanzawa said, smile dropping into a look of deep consideration. He leaned forward to study each one. “Of course, diamonds are a classic choice,” he sighed to himself.

“The clear color of a diamond is indeed well-suited to various shades of any outfit you might choose.”

“I see,” Hanzawa mused. He gestured to the rest of the jewels. “I recognize the amethyst. And the… lapis lazuli, yes? Seeing it in person, it certainly is a vivid kind of blue,” he said. “But I’m a little unfamiliar with the rest of these gems. Would you mind explaining them?”

“Of course,” Richard said. “The green stone you see here is peridot. The yellow, orange, and brown stones you see here are citrine. Like amethyst, it is a type of quartz. This”—he pointed to a deep yellow-orange stone— “is heat-treated amethyst, which looks similar to citrine, with minor differences. The banded stones are agate. They are a mix of quartz and moganite—both have an equivalent chemical composition, but different crystal structures.”

I hadn’t heard of moganite until now—unless I was mishearing morganite, but Richard had such wonderful pronunciation I thought that was impossible. Despite all of the information, all Hanzawa did was nod in understanding.

“Peridot,” Hanzawa repeated to himself. “I don’t think I’ve seen any before.”

The stone he was looking at was a sparkling kind of lime green. “It’s like the color of spring,” I said.

Hanzawa bowed his head, suddenly bashful. “Yes. It’s… well, it’s a color I’m fond of,” he admitted.

“Would you like to see more?”

He shook his head. “…No, it’s not really… well-suited for me.” After a moment of contemplation, he pointed to the lapis lazuli. “How does this one get its gold flecks?”

“Lapis lazuli is composed of several different minerals, and a common addition happens to be pyrite, which is responsible for that gold color. As you mentioned, it is a very vivid blue, which is why, historically, it was ground to create ultramarine. Before a synthetic alternative was created, it was an extremely expensive and prized paint.”

Hanzawa smiled down at the stones. “I’ve heard of ultramarine. Isn't it what provides the blue shades in many of Johannes Vermeer’s works?”

I made a note to ask Richard who Johannes Vermeer was later.

“That’s correct.” After a pause, Richard added, “If you are looking for something neutral, blue tends to be a color that pairs well with others.”

“Oh, that’s—I’ll keep it in mind,” Hanzawa said. Haltingly, he asked, “Is jewelry made of lapis lazuli—is it quite common?”

“…Is that so.”

Silence dragged on between them. Hanzawa seemed unbothered by it, though it was hard to see much of his expression, with both his bangs and lashes obscuring his eyes.

“…This agate. I feel like I’ve seen stones with this banding before.”

“Unique…” A ghost of uncertainty appeared on Hanzawa’s face, but it was gone in a flash. “Does it come in any other colors?”

“Oftentimes agate will be dyed into various colors, but there are some other colors present in naturally occurring agates. Would you like to see some blue lace agate?”

“If you’d like to come back, we take appointments,” I said.

“…Right,” Hanzawa said, eyes still fixed on the earrings before him. He set his teacup down on the table. “What would be a good time?”

“Sunday, 4PM?” Richard suggested, and Hanzawa agreed.

With that settled, Hanzawa thanked me for the tea, bid a polite goodbye to us both, and exited the store, leaving another gust of crisp air in his wake.

As it was now closing time, I went to collect the now empty teacups, only to find Richard looking up at me expectantly.

“What?” I asked.

He sighed. “Nothing that concerns you, I suppose.”

“By the way, who’s Johannes Vermeer?” I asked.

“Have you ever seen Girl with a Pearl Earring?” Richard asked.

“He was the artist?” I confirmed, and then went to wash the teacups.

When I returned, Richard was staring at his open tamatebako.

I took a seat next to him. “Thinking about our customer?”

“…Jewels reflect the inner feelings of a person,” Richard said after a long silence. “I wonder how to convey that truth to a person like him.”

“It was strange to see someone so young here,” I agreed. “Well, Hajime-kun was much younger, but his circumstances were different.”

“You’re quite young yourself,” Richard commented dryly. “Aren’t you two the same age?”

“If we went to the same university, I’d be his senpai,” I said. “Still. It’s rare. I thought he’d be more nervous.”

“…I don’t think he wasn’t nervous,” Richard said, but when I asked him what he meant, he didn’t elaborate.

“Well,” I said, wondering how I could clear those worry lines from his face, “we’ll see him next week.”

“Maybe,” Richard said, and this, I didn’t need him to explain.

If Hanzawa Masato came in next week at the appointed time, or if he had disappeared out that door for forever, it was impossible to know.

#hanzawa to tashiro #the case files of jeweler richard #hanzawa masato #my writing #hanzashiro #nakata seigi #richard ranasinghe de vulpian #kiri.txt #lotsa things going on with hanzawa here.#this went thru a very painful edit where i was like. how much of hanzawa do we get to know.#and i decided to cut back on it. bc it felt more in character that way.#anyways im really excited #itll take me way longer to write the next couple of parts but i Will write them hopefully #ever since i wrote that propaganda post for the tashiro outfit poll ive been thinking abt the Themes of a hanzawa to tashiro #that takes place in tashiros third year #anyways. hope yall enjoy.#also if u like hanzawa to tashiro youll LOVE case files of jeweler richard.#did my best to sort of make this feel like the novels but its also definitely my style.#harusono

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too-many-blorbos · 1 year ago

Text

Expanded character profiles for the romance targets:

GALE DEKARIOS Age: 30

Pronouns: He/him

Profession: Quantum Physics grad student/researcher

Skills: Science (+5), History(+5), Investigation(+5), Insight(+2), Persuasion(+3)

Family/Friends: Tara (pet cat), Mother, Father, Elminster (mentor)

Enemies: Mystra (ex-fiancee)

Usual order: Tea of the Week or Earl Grey, any fresh pastry

Likes: Wine, cooking/cuisine, writing poetry, reading, cats/animals, kids that aren’t his, anything science related, helping people, logic puzzles Dislikes: gossip magazines, litter/messy streets, alarm clocks, fast food,

Attracted To: Kind people who help others. Intelligent conversation. Romantic gestures befitting a Hallmark movie.

Looking for: a committed relationship with someone who respects his studies and pushes him to be his best self.

Dealbreakers: Constant rudeness, constant selfish behavior, polyamorous relations, “friends with benefits” relations

Ways to woo him: -Listen to his research -Invite him to a volunteer charity event -Gift him a bottle of Arabellan dry wine -Visit a dog park

----------------------------------------------------------------------

ASTARION ANCUNIN

Age: 29

Pronouns: He/him

Profession: Barista

Skills: Acrobatics(+4), Perception(+2), Deception(+2), Performance(+1), Persuasion (+1), Sleight of Hand (+7), Stealth (+7)

Family/Friends: Karlach (coworker), Six younger siblings

Enemies: Cazador (father)

Usual order: Custom drink he calls “Blood Sugar” (incredibly complicated, nobody but him can make it right, involves whipped cream and both vanilla & caramel syrup), red velvet cake or chocolate eclairs

Likes: Gossip, roasting people, good wine, personal makeovers, doing magic tricks, running rigged games, attention, privacy

Dislikes: Volunteer work, volunteer work, disrespect, entitled people, rednecks, thrifted or secondhand gifts, being ignored, being nosy about his past

Attracted to: Well-groomed people who like caustic humor and will bite back.

Looking for: initially, a casual relationship with frequent intimacy; eventually, a committed relationship where he feels safe and wanted.

Dealbreakers: Being controlling, physical or verbal abuse (genuine insults instead of teasing ones), rejecting romance once he offers it

Best ways to woo him: -Compliment his outfit/hair -Flirt back when he flirts -Hanging out at home watching movies or playing games -Hanging out in public roasting passersby or window shopping -Visiting a carnival and letting him cheat at all the games -Give fancy gifts -Listening to his past without offering pity; either stay silent but present, or curse out Cazador

-------------------------------------------------------------------

WYLL RAVENGARDE Age: 25

Pronouns: He/him

Profession: Investigative journalist

Skills: Science(+3), Animal Handling(+2), Survival(+3), Intimidation(+5), Perception(+3)

Family/Friends: Duke Ravengarde (father, estranged), Mizora (patron)

Enemies: Zariel (crime lord), Minthara (CEO)

Usual order: Black coffee with three sugars and two shots of espresso, chicken & asparagus crepe

Likes: Volunteer work, dramatic reveals, fencing, historical reenactment, ballroom dancing, handmade gifts, romance and adventure stories

Dislikes: People abusing power, clickbait journalism, raves, horror movies

Attracted to: People with strong ideals who will support him in seeing justice done.

Looking for: A supportive relationship full of genuine affection, a good partner for life

Dealbreakers: Polyamory, obstructing his investigations, comparing him negatively to his father, being lusty too fast, making fun of his interests

Best ways to woo him: -Ask him about history -Attend a ballroom dance -See a play/theater performance -Walk on a beach -Assist with an investigation -Help him get out of his contract with Mizora -Encourage him to reunite with his father on his own terms

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

KARLACH CLIFFGATE Age: 25

Pronouns: She/her

Profession: Barista/semi-professional boxer

Skills: Athletics(+5), Perception(+2), Survival(+4), Intimidation (+3)

Family/Friends: Astarion (coworker), Shadowheart (coworker), Halsin (regular)

Enemies: Zariel (former boss), Mizora (ally of former boss) Usual order: Pink Drink, cake pops

Likes: Freeform dancing, rock music, hugs, hanging out with friends, fireworks, animals, helping others, sports, cuddles

Dislikes: people abusing power, the healthcare system, math problems, reading, roasting

Attracted to: Passionate people, touchy people, people who don’t treat her like she’s stupid

Looking for: Someone fun and passionate in a steady relationship where every day is an adventure. She’s the “surprise supersoaker fight” wife, the “kidnaps you for a weekend anniversary trip” wife. She wants someone who will enjoy that spontaneity and also reciprocate it.

Dealbreakers: Being boring, being rude to strangers/workers, trying to make her act “responsible,” being controlling

Best way to woo her: -Invite her to volunteer at an animal shelter -Oktoberfest party/beer tasting/frat party -Watch her fights and cheer her on -Small gestures like bringing flowers or leaving a lipstick kiss on a napkin

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

SHADOWHEART Age: 23

Pronouns: She/her

Profession: Barista

Skills: History(+2), Religion(+3), Insight(+6), Medicine(+5)

Family/Friends: Adoptive mother

Enemies: Everyone, until proven otherwise

Usual order: Espresso

Likes: night orchids, Enya, emo music, hearing gossip, birdwatching

Dislikes: swimming, wolves, sharing gossip, nosy people

Attracted to: people who respect her privacy and don’t pry, people who listen open-mindedly, people who show concern for her wellbeing

Looking for: Someone who will comfort her and let her make her own decisions without pressure

Dealbreakers: Condemning her beliefs, pressuring her to talk about private matters

---------------------------------------------------------------------

LAE’ZEL K’LIRR Age: 23

Pronouns: She/her

Profession: Military reserves

Skills: Athletics(+5), Acrobatics(+3), Survival(+4), Intimidation(+2)

Family/Friends: Friends are for losers

Enemies: Everyone is an enemy until proven otherwise

Usual order: Black coffee, sometimes a ham & cheese croissant

Likes: discipline, order, the military, her country, working out, war stories, war history, good beer, hunting, astronomy/space

Dislikes: pacifism/diplomacy, begging, disrespect to her or the military, misogyny, lateral thinking puzzles, philosophy, charity (for her or anyone else)

Attracted to: physical strength, strong leadership skills and strategic thinking

Looking for: A purely physical relationship with no commitment on either side

Dealbreakers: Being “excessively” charitable, criticizing her rudeness and bluntness, anti-military sentiment

-------------------------------------------------------------------

MINTHARA BAENRE Age: 35

Pronouns: She/her

Profession: CEO

Skills: Athletics(+6), Insight(+4), Intimidation(+6), Medicine(+3), Persuasion(+6), Religion(+1)

Family/Friends: None

Enemies: Halsin Usual order: Americano, cinnamon roll

Likes: fine wine, charcuterie boards, silk robes, playing the harp, her pet tarantulas, strength training, hiking, praise from superiors, history documentaries & podcasts

Dislikes: messes, loud dogs, philosophical dilemmas, rhetoric, diplomacy, losing anything to anyone

Attracted to: Obedience, well-groomed appearance

Looking for: Someone pretty and supportive to keep her company on her rise to the top

Dealbreakers: contradicting her in public, opposing her career ambitions, being sloppy, doing anything that helps her enemies or hinders her projects ----------------------------------------------------------------

HALSIN EMERALDGROVE Age: 37

Pronouns: He/him

Profession: Conservationist

Skills: Athletics(+6), Stealth(+4), Nature(+4), Animal Handling(+7), Perception(+7), Survival(+6)

Family/Friends: His pets, his coworkers, the local homeless community, Nature

Enemies: Minthara, Kagha (coworker) Usual order: Chai latte, poppy seed muffin

Likes: petrichor, natural fields, all animals, hiking, camping, wading in streams, weight-lifting, cuddles, nature documentaries, folklore, fresh fruits and vegetables, gardening, foraging, sustenance/sustainability hunting

Dislikes: Industrialization, pollution, gentrification, people who litter, trophy/recreational hunting

Attracted to: warm, compassionate people who go out of their way to help others and champion for the rights of sapient beings

Looking for: A semi-commited physical romance with one or more person

Dealbreakers: disrespecting nature, opposing political reform, being mean to animals, complete submission, negging

I built a tabletop Dating Sim RPG based on "Baldur's Gate 3"

Do I play a lot of dating sims? No. Has it been play-tested? Not once! Have I even finished playing the original game? NOPE!!! But I was bored at work and this is the result. Have a go if you care to try it out.

BALDUR’S CAFE

This RPG is set in a local cafe. The love interests are regular customers or employees that you can interact with. The goal is to romance one or more person. Your conversations earn XP, which improves your relationship with them as well as your own stats. PLAYER CHARACTERS To make a character, pick one of the standard D&D races. Your character has standard D&D stats and race modifiers.

Instead of “Class,” you have a “Profession" which grants you Proficiency (+2) in three Skills of your choice. Any real-life profession is acceptable, at the GM's discretion. You may also choose two additional Skills to have Proficiency in (these can be explained by background or hobbies).

Skills are used in interactions to impress/persuade/help your target. You roll to determine your success. In addition to mechanical bonuses, there may be situational bonuses if you say or do something that appeals to the target.

Note: This game uses the same standard Skills as D&D, except that Science replaces Arcana. There are eighteen standard skills. Your bonus to any skill is Proficiency + Stat Modifier for the corresponding stat.

Strength (STR): Athletics

Dexterity (DEX): Acrobatics, Sleight of Hand, Stealth

Intelligence (INT): Science, History, Investigation, Nature, Religion

Wisdom (WIS): Animal Handling, Insight, Medicine, Perception, Survival

Charisma (CHA): Deception, Intimidation, Performance, Persuasion

MECHANICS To Level Up your character, you need a certain amount of Personal XP (PXP) total. To Level Up your relationship with a target, you need Relationship XP (RXP) with that specific target.

XP is earned by interacting with targets. The amount of XP is based on the trickiness of your interaction. Normal interactions that go well are Easy and award 25 XP per interaction. Trying to make your target laugh would be Medium (or even Deadly, depending on the target). Navigating a tense social situation could be Hard or Deadly.

Personal XP (PXP) represents your social skills and experience in talking with people. It is not possible to lose PXP; every interaction teaches you something about how to talk to people, and helps you get used to doing so. Thus, even negative interactions earn PXP. Your character level is determined by the accumulated XP of all your interactions. For instance, if you have normal Easy conversations with three targets, you will have 25 RXP with each target and 75 PXP. Earning PXP gives you better stats and more skills and abilities.

PERSONAL LEVEL

Level 2: 300 PXP. May reroll one (1) skill check per game session

Level 3: 900 PXP. Additional reroll, +2 to one Skill of your choice

Level 4: 2,700 PXP. Additional reroll, +2 to two Skills of your choice

Relationship XP (RXP) represents your closeness with a specific target. Only positive or neutral interactions will result in RXP; hostile interactions will reduce your RXP with the target. The more hostile, the more RXP you lose. Because some targets are enemies with others, it is possible to gain RXP with one target and lose RXP with another target in the same conversation. You cannot please everyone. You must consider how your actions affect other relationships.

RELATIONSHIP LEVEL

Level 2: 300 RXP. Close friendship

Level 3: 900 RXP. Possibility of romance

Level 4: 2,700 RXP. Possibility of marriage

GAMEPLAY Every time you enter the cafe, the Game Master (GM) will set up a different scenario, deciding who’s in the cafe and what they’re doing. You can then have your character do whatever you think fitting. The GM will have the targets respond, tell you which Skill Checks to make for your actions, and award PXP and RXP based on how you handled the interaction. While this game is largely based on improv–a social situation simulator–the play style may change depending on the GM and players. For instance, instead of giving free reign, the GM might present the player with a limited set of options as video game RPGs do. The GM may also plan dynamic encounters: not every day in the cafe is going to be peaceful. You might walk into a fight, or a table having a party, or employees dealing with a grease fire. There are many things you can do to instigate conflict and interaction. The main goal is to have fun. After reaching Level 2 with a target, they may invite you to activities or plan hangouts. You may also meet them by chance in other areas of your daily routine. Once this happens, you can work with your GM and plan specific interactions with the target: Say, you want to meet them at a music festival and bring a picnic basket and play guitar for them. Simply tell the GM what you have planned, and the GM will have you roll and roleplay to pull it off. Be careful: even if you’ve planned an interaction carefully, the target may not react the way you expect, and the scene may get disrupted by outside forces. This is all part of the fun of the game: there will be unexpected challenges to overcome.

#bg3 #baldurs gate 3 #dating sim #All the romance! None of the combat! Unless your GM likes to stage bar fights

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thekitchnpro · 3 years ago

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21 Uses for Your KitchenAid Mixer

New Post has been published on https://thekitchnpro.com/21-uses-for-your-kitchenaid-mixer/

21 Uses for Your KitchenAid Mixer

1. Make Delicious Homemade Ice Cream

2. Whip Mashed Potatoes

3. Cream Butter and Eggs

4. Grind Meat

5. Knead Dough

6. Mix Batter

7. Make Yummy Homemade Juice

8. Shred Chicken

9. Make Delicious Homemade Pasta

10. Slice and Dice Fruits and Vegetables

11. Mix Up Guacamole

12. Mix Up Filling for Stuffed Shells

13. Make a Yummy Dip

14. Scrambled Eggs

15. Prepare Meatloaf

16. Make Homemade Butter

17. Make Marshmallows

18. Make Homemade Candy Hearts

19. Make Homemade Playdough

20. Make Your Own Meringue

21. Make Frosting

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starstuffandalotofcoffee · 4 years ago

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where’s that post that says wow the Buzzfeed Tasty editors clearly hate food because they’re right

#evidence includes the video I just watched in which people thought robert pattinson's depression cornflake sugar pasta monstrosity was great #and anything involving crepe cakes #you don't make a crepe cake unless you're a deeply unhappy and twisted person #let alone a gigantic one #occasionally there's good stuff notably the one where the woman makes short rib ragu for her wife #and their sourdough starter was actually quite helpful #also the one where they were like wow melania's cookies suck and hillary and michelle's cookies rule

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bangtansmauyeondan · 3 years ago

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MOONSTRUCK | Part 13 - Next Weekend (Text in between images.)

Pairing: Seokjin x Fem Reader | Namjoon x Fem Reader

Genre: F2L, social media au, soulmates au, office au, slow burn, fluff, implied smut, angst, slight crack, and drama. (Inspired by BTS - Moon)

Summary: You don’t know what the world looks like without Seokjin. Growing up in the same neighborhood, a low iron fence separating your family home and his, your lives have always been tangled up with each other. So much so, that after graduating college and securing your respective jobs, you decided to pack everything up and move to the same apartment building in the city— him, sharing a unit with his younger brother and his college bestfriend; you, sharing a unit with your younger brother and his equally chaotic bestfriend. Eternal neighbors thing, right? Or is that all there is to it?

A/N : I added some links on the written part to help you picture out the look I am going for. Ha! Someone has to make a decision! As always, if you want to be added on the taglist, just send me an Ask!🌙

Taglist: @bts-reveries @tan-dulset @persphonesorchid @joonjoonsmiles @jayhope88 @thatbangtanjagiya @anaceciliaxr @justinetingball @halesandy @yoongleskitten @onemanbandarmi @juju-227592 @ephyra1230 @somelazysundays @ygbubs @timelessruins @taestefully-in-luv

••••••••••••

Another month has passed since your brother got into a bit of a kerfuffle with your ex, getting the police involved and you didn't notice that you have already gone back to your normal routine— stopping by at the cafe in the morning, work, go home, and sleep. The once-a-week get-together at Jin's apartment still continues as usual, but there were days when you would pretend to be working overtime just to avoid the interaction. On days when you didn't feel like hanging out with the others, you were on the phone with Yejin, listening to her either complain about work or gush over her husband's antics. Yejin has been a big part of your healing process after what happened with Namjoon. She meets you at the cafe every morning and walks with you back to it after work, where both her husband Mingyu and your bestfriend Jin are waiting to pick you up. After all, she's the only girl friend you trust that has been around and has seen how your relationship with Namjoon bloomed and withered.

"I saw the look on his face when he tried the meatloaf! I knew he didn't like it but he told me it was good!" Yejin almost toppled over laughing while telling you about her father-in-law's reaction to the meatloaf she baked. "Then later on, Mingyu told me that his dad doesn't really like meat and gravivates towards seafood and you know," she winced, "LEAFY VEGETABLES. Eugh!" she shuddered, clearly disgusted.

You were sitting in one of the corner tables of the cafe you frequent at, drinking coffee and sharing a neat stack of pomegranate crepe cake. It was a quiet Saturday afternoon and you decided to catch up before another busy whilrlwind of a week kicks off.

"Okay, anti health freak, I'm gonna go grab a slice of that chocolate cake over there," you pointed at the dainty decadent-looking chocolate cake topped with berries and oozing with cream on the side, sitting prettily on the display case. "Do you want anything?"

"Oooh... chocolate cake sounds good right now," Yejin scanned the cakes on the display case and pointed at the one next to your choice, "Can you get me a slice of the one topped with Malteser's, please?"

"Okie dokie," grabbing your purse, you made a beeline for the counter.

You were too engrossed in trying to locate your wallet from your purse that you didn't notice you're already nearing the line, and the next thing you knew, you're hitting a boulder— or at least that's what you thought and what it felt like. "Oh my god! I'm so sorry! I wasn't really looking at where I was going!" you told the man with a fiery red mullet in front of you. He's not that tall, compared to Jin or your brother, but his manly built was enough to intimidate you.

"Yn? Is that you?"

You were a little surprised with the recognition and it took a few seconds before you realized who the guy was. "Oh hi! Yoongi! I'm sorry, I didn't see you AND I didn't recognize you," you chuckled awkwardly.

"I can't blame you! I was in a suit and my hair was bleached blonde when we first met!" he smiled back. "Hey, uhh... go take my place on the line, I forgot that I left something at my shop, so..." he motioned to the door and gave you a small nod. "I'll see you around, Yn."

"Yeah, thanks! See you around," you waved at him timidly as he left.

Yejin, who has been watching the interaction unfold asked you the question she's been dying to ask the moment you sat back down with your cakes, "Ed Sheeran called... he said there's a new ginger hottie in town. GIRLLL WHO IS THAT?!"

#bts imagines #bts smau #kim seokjin #bts ff #bts fics #jin moonstruck #bangtansmauyeondan #moonstruck au #bts smaus #bangtan ffs

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rabbitcruiser · 2 years ago

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National Whipped Cream Day

Now it is time to celebrate the very essence of whipped cream on this day, National Whipped Cream Day!

History of National Whipped Cream Day

Many people might think that whipped cream is a relatively modern culinary invention. But, believe it or not, the origins of this tasty treat date back to the 16th century!

How to Celebrate National Whipped Cream Day

Get on board with enjoying National Whipped Cream Day using these ideas and more:

Enjoy a Dollop of Whipped Cream

Use Whipped Cream in a Favorite Recipe

Oreo Trifle. Make it with Oreos or really any type of cookies. Trifles are easy to put together and don’t require baking. Simply layer whipped cream with cookies, pudding, fruit and more.

Source

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