#and they have a latte made with lions mane

[andragoras-in-vanity]

bruh why do my feet hurt. like the bottom of my feet, the same way if id been walking for hours. i dint walk anymore, i cant, but i should not feel such pain as soon as my soles touch any surface. its not even just if im standing, its just any time the bottom of my feet touch anything PLEASE i cannot live like this, it cannot be another new normal. i want to walk again like i used to. id get tired fast but i had nowhere to be so it was okay, but now it hurts. i hoped that once i move and my mental health gets better id be able to start working up to walking again but it feels more and more unlikely every day

i wanted to do a graveyard tour when i go on vacation, its 90 minutes and thats pushing it for me if theres no benches. youd think this is the point i give in and try to find a wheelchair but i dont have friends around, and my family isnt supportive of that. which means they wouldt stop me from using one, might even help me pay for it, but they wouldnt push me even though i cant push myself. i know im going to have to push myself for stuff like the clava cairns or the beaches and castles, but fuck. the graveyard is accessible enough for a wheelchair...but i probably wont be able to use one.

its impossible to communicate just how scary it to feel your pain grow and lose abilities right before your eyes with no one around who you can really rely on. all my friends are far away, if they get it theyre not close enough to help. my only hope is a partner who wont mind having to put in a little extra sometimes. but im too fucking tired to try to meet someone. i never go out because im miserable here and im so sick of the internet and dating apps, how have other people in worse conditions than me ended up so loved and so helped and i couldnt even get that when i was mostly able bodied?

even assuming i could use a wheelchair, that building would be somewhat accessible, i also have to worry about a 9+ hour flight and lots of driving. i should be okay on the flight but cars make me motion sick, and theyre on the opposite side of the road. food thats even slightly not what im use to, has the smallest amout of filler ingredients like palm oil or soy, and my guts rip themselves apart. this is ten days ill be away and anxious abt my dog. even if my legs werent a worry, my stomach still would be.

i cant even say im scared tbh, im just sad. life was supposed to get better after 17 but its only gotten worse and im sick to death of this and i dont want to die but i dont want to live life like this.

i cant move away fast enough to start over somewhere that feels like home in a big old haunted house with a nice garden and tall trees. im afraid i wont get to move away and april will come and ill have to go to court over disability benefits and be rejected again despite not having been able to work for years.

im just sad, and im sore and theres no treatment for this pain.

[sxdfcxe1485]

Mushroom Tea – History, Benefits, Recipes, and More

Mushroom tea, a beverage made by infusing various types of mushrooms in hot water, has gained popularity in recent years for its potential health benefits. Among the various mushroom teas available in the market, DXN Reishi Gano Tea, Ganoderma Tea, and Reishi Gano Tea have garnered attention for their exceptional medicinal properties. In this article, we will delve into the history, benefits, recipes, and more surrounding mushroom tea, with a special focus on DXN Reishi Gano Tea and its counterparts.

A Historical Perspective

Mushroom tea is not a novel concept; its origins trace back centuries, with evidence of its consumption in various cultures around the world. Traditional Chinese medicine, for instance, has long recognized the healing properties of mushrooms. wild chaga mushroom   Reishi mushrooms, known as "Lingzhi" in China, have been used for over 2,000 years to promote health and longevity.dxn reishi gano tea benefits

The Rise of DXN Reishi Gano Tea and Ganoderma Tea

One of the most renowned names in the world of mushroom tea is DXN, a Malaysian-based company that specializes in producing high-quality mushroom-based products. DXN Reishi Gano Tea and Ganoderma Tea are flagship offerings, both containing Ganoderma lucidum, a type of medicinal mushroom highly valued for its therapeutic effects.

Reishi Gano Tea Benefits

DXN Reishi Gano Tea is particularly celebrated for its numerous health benefits. This tea is made from premium quality Reishi mushrooms, which are rich in bioactive compounds like triterpenoids and polysaccharides. Some of the potential benefits of DXN Reishi Gano Tea include:

Immune Support: Reishi mushrooms are known to boost the immune system, helping the body fight off infections and illnesses effectively.dxn ganoderma tea

Stress Reduction: This tea may help reduce stress and promote relaxation, making it a popular choice among individuals seeking to unwind after a long day.lion's mane tea benefits

Antioxidant Properties: Reishi mushrooms are packed with antioxidants that combat free radicals in the body, potentially reducing the risk of chronic diseases.ganoderma lucidum tea

Improved Sleep: Some users report improved sleep quality and reduced insomnia symptoms after regular consumption of Reishi Gano Tea.dxn tea ganoderma

Cardiovascular Health: DXN Reishi Gano Tea may support heart health by regulating blood pressure and cholesterol levels.tea with ganoderma

Chaga Mushroom Benefit

While DXN Reishi Gano Tea features Reishi mushrooms, other mushroom teas, like chaga mushroom tea, have their unique set of benefits. Chaga mushrooms, often found in Siberian forests, are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Chaga mushroom tea is lauded for its potential to support overall wellness and boost the immune system.best mushroom tea for health

Recipes and Variations

Mushroom tea can be prepared in various ways, from simple infusions to more complex recipes. Some common ingredients include fresh or dried mushrooms, hot water, herbs, spices, and sweeteners. Here are a few popular mushroom tea recipes:

Basic Mushroom Tea: Steep dried or fresh mushrooms in hot water for 15-20 minutes, strain, and enjoy.mushroom tea reviews

Mushroom Chai: Combine chaga or Reishi mushrooms with chai spices like cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom for a flavorful twist.

Lion's Mane Latte: Lion's mane mushrooms, known for their cognitive benefits, can be incorporated into a creamy latte with almond milk and honey.

DXN Reishi Gano Tea Elixir: Mix DXN Reishi Gano Tea with honey, lemon, and ginger for a soothing elixir.medicinal mushroom tea

Mushroom Tea Side Effects

While mushroom tea is generally safe for consumption, it's essential to use the correct species and ensure proper preparation.reishi mushroom tea   Some wild mushrooms can be toxic, so it's crucial to source mushrooms from reputable brands like DXN to avoid potential health risks.benefits of mushroom tea

Exploring Mushroom Tea Brands

Several brands offer a wide range of mushroom tea products. DXN stands out for its commitment to quality and extensive research on medicinal mushrooms. When choosing a mushroom tea brand, consider factors such as sourcing, quality certifications, and customer reviews.reishi tea benefits

The Future of Mushroom Tea

As interest in natural and holistic health approaches continues to grow, mushroom tea is likely to remain a popular choice for those seeking the benefits of medicinal mushrooms. DXN Reishi Gano Tea, Ganoderma Tea, and other similar products offer convenient ways to incorporate these potent mushrooms into daily routines.reishi mushroom tea benefits

In conclusion, mushroom tea, with its long history and proven health benefits, is a beverage that deserves attention.reishi green tea   Whether you opt for DXN Reishi Gano Tea or explore other mushroom tea varieties like chaga or lion's mane, the potential rewards for your well-being are worth sipping on. So, brew a cup of mushroom tea and take a step towards a healthier and more vibrant life.ganoderma tea benefits

[vegi1]

Can Vegans Drink Coffee? Exploring Coffee Production

Let me start by saying that being vegan means abstaining from consuming all animal products, including meat, dairy, eggs, honey, and even certain food additives derived from animals.

This lifestyle choice is rooted in the belief that animals have the right to be treated with respect and compassion and should not be used for human consumption.

However, being vegan is more than just a diet; it’s a way of life beyond food choices.

Many vegans like us avoid using products tested on animals or made from animal by-products, such as leather, wool, and silk.

In addition, vegans may choose to support ethical and sustainable practices in all aspects of their lives, from the clothes they wear to the products they buy.

Now that we have a better understanding of what veganism entails let’s talk about the production and processing of coffee and how it affects whether or not coffee can be considered vegan.

It is clear to all of us that coffee beans themselves are, of course, plant-based products. But you should know that the processing and flavourings added to coffee can sometimes involve animal-derived ingredients.

Are you surprised?

Regarding coffee production among veganism, one concern for us is animal fertilizers.

This concern comes from the fact that some coffee farms use fertilizers made from animal waste, such as manure, to enrich the soil.

However, many coffee farms use vegan-friendly fertilizers made from plant-based materials.

Another consideration I want to tell you is using milk or cream in coffee.

Traditional dairy milk is, of course, not vegan. Still, many plant-based milk options, such as soy, almond, and oat, are readily available.

Do not worry because many coffee shops now offer these alternative milk options, making it easier for vegans to enjoy a latte or cappuccino.

Another point you should consider is that some coffee flavourings, such as syrups and sauces, may contain animal-derived ingredients such as honey, milk, or even cochineal extract made from crushed beetles.

But, as I said before, do worry; many vegan-friendly coffee flavourings are made from natural ingredients like fruits, herbs, and spices.

So, although there are many concerns for us when we want to enjoy a cup of coffee, many options can be found for vegans to drink coffee easily.

Are you a coffee lover who’s looking for some new and exciting options to switch up your routine?

If you have considered the consequences and benefits of drinking coffee and want to use the alternative ones, let’s explore alternative vegan-friendly coffee options that offer similar flavor and caffeine content as a traditional coffee.

I’ve got some amazing vegan-friendly coffee alternatives that are not only delicious but also better for you and the planet.

One popular alternative I want to introduce is herbal coffee, made from roasted herbs, grains, and nuts, such as dandelion, chicory, and barley.

This beverage has a similar flavour and aroma to coffee and is often used as a caffeine-free substitute.

I want to tell you about another option which is mushroom coffee.

This coffee combines coffee with extracts from medicinal mushrooms, such as lion’s mane and chaga. If you’re looking for something with a little kick, try adding some spices to your coffee. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom are all great options that not only enhance the flavor of your coffee but also have health benefits.

For those who prefer a more traditional coffee flavour, there are also many plant-based milk alternatives, such as soy, almond, and oat milk, which can be used instead of dairy milk.

These milk alternatives are often available at coffee shops and can be used to make vegan-friendly lattes and cappuccinos. Let’s start with one of my favorites – oat milk! This creamy and slightly sweet milk alternative is perfect for lattes and cappuccinos. It’s also rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, making it a healthier choice than regular dairy milk.

Another great option is almond milk. It’s low in calories and has a nutty flavor that complements the taste of coffee perfectly. Plus, it’s a great source of vitamin E and healthy fats.

Coconut milk is also a popular choice among coffee enthusiasts. Its tropical flavor adds a unique twist to your morning cup of joe, and it’s packed with essential minerals like magnesium and potassium.

And last but not least, there’s always the option of going straight black! Black coffee is a classic and simple option that’s naturally vegan and calorie-free. It’s also a great way to taste the full range of flavors and aromas in your coffee beans.

[mudwtrreviews]

Coffee - Mud Wtr Review

Tea is arguably the most popular natural coffee alternative because there’s a wide variety of caffeinated and caffeine-free teas to choose from. But the problem with tea is that it tastes nothing like coffee, which makes it an unattractive alternative for someone who likes the taste and flavor of real coffee, see the result of MUD WTR Review. 

Some smart brands have seized that opportunity and launched beverages that fill the gap between coffee and tea. MUD\WTR is one of those coffee alternatives, and I had an opportunity to test it over the past few weeks.

MUD WTR Review

MUD WTR is a coffee alternative that’s made out of organic spices (you can find a complete list of ingredients below). It has only one-seventh of the caffeine of coffee and claims to give you natural energy and increase your focus without the jitters and crash that some people experience after drinking regular coffee.

Pros

Attractive taste and flavor.

100% organic ingredients.

Eco-friendly (reusable and recyclable) packaging.

Offers a lasting boost of energy without the jitters and crash.

Paired with an MCT-oil creamer, MUD WTR can be turned into a creamy latte.

Whole30 approved, vegan, kosher and certified gluten-free.

Ingredients

Depending on where you stand on the dietary spectrum (vegan, paleo or carnivore), you might consider MUD\WTR to be either the healthiest product on the planet or you might have reservations.

Without getting into a vegan vs. carnivore argument (I’ll reserve that for a future blog post), I’ll be up-front and tell you that I follow a predominantly animal-based diet. That means I consume a lot of animal meat and fat (including organ meat), paired with the least-toxic plant foods available, such as avocados, sweet fruits and certain (deseeded and peeled) veggies.

Most of MUD\WTR’s ingredients don’t fall into the “least-toxic” category — but neither do those of coffee, as discussed earlier in the article. So let’s talk about the ingredients in MUD\WTR before I give you my assessment and interpretation of their relative toxicity.

The primary ingredient in MUD WTR Review is masala chai, a black tea made with spices including organic ginger, organic cardamom, organic cloves, organic nutmeg and organic black pepper.

Additionally, MUD\WTR contains organic cacao, organic lion’s mane, organic chaga, organic cordyceps, organic reishi (all of which are adaptogenic mushrooms/funguses), organic cinnamon, organic turmeric and Himalayan salt.

Some people have labeled MUD\WTR a “mushroom coffee.” While that might sound odd, I think it’s a fair description considering that the good portion of the powder is made up of mushrooms.

Taste and Texture

When I started drinking coffee many years ago, I didn’t actually drink coffee. I drank beverages that had coffee but also other things that masked the taste of what should have been the primary ingredient. I’m talking about milk, sugar and other ingredients that would help tweak the beverage’s flavor to my liking.

If you’re among those who enjoy flavored coffee rather than black coffee, I think there is a much higher likelihood that you’ll enjoy the taste of MUD\WTR. 

When I took my first sip of this coffee alternative, I immediately thought about wintertime. That’s because of the subtle notes of cocoa, cinnamon and nutmeg that I strongly associate with the colder months of the year. In other words, MUD\WTR tastes like a Christmas-inspired latte without the overwhelming sweetness you might be used to (if you buy your lattes from Starbucks, that is). 

As far as the texture is concerned, MUD WTR Review tastes earthy and gritty. That’s because not all of the powder completely dissolves in the water. If I had to guess, that’s where the product name (mud water) comes from. Overall, I really like both the taste and the texture — especially in the context of a flavored, caffeinated beverage.

[etherealwaifgoddess]

One In A Million - Chpt.9

Summary: Now that the timeline is irrevocably altered Rose has to make a tough decision. Content Warning: smut, a good bit of it.

Word Count: 2.6k

Author’s Note: Hello lovelies! Well, we’re winding down now. Only one more chapter and the epilogue to go. Honestly this chapter is a bit of serious plot followed smut, like half the chapter is smut lol. So... enjoy! XOXO - Ash

Chapter Nine

You know there is no fixing what’s happened. The timeline is irrevocably changed now that Bucky made it through the draft. Your jump point is a month away, circled in red on the calendar hanging in your kitchen. You had spent so much time thinking of ways you could extract yourself from their lives but now the looming reality is, you don’t necessarily have to. You had forged a split in the timeline and this reality is going to keep going whether or not you’re a part of it. The pressing need to jump back to your time so as not to disrupt realities is no longer an issue, the damage is done. 

You’re quiet that night while the guys celebrate Bucky’s good luck. They dance around the living room to old records, trying to get you to join in on their fun. Steve puts on La Vie En Rose, imploring you to dance with him to the sweet tune that initiated your first kiss. You relent, dancing around your tiny living room in his arms, Bucky watching from the sofa with soft eyes. It’s difficult to accept that this could be your life. There are so many pros and cons to staying and you had never really stopped to consider it as a real option. 

Later that night you lay awake in the darkness on your side of the bed. Steve is tangled up with Bucky like an octopus but you only have one ankle looped into their jumble. You stare up at the ceiling running through plans and calculations and options. It’s some time around 2am that you come to the conclusion that you don’t want to go back. A scary revelation for sure, but one a small part of you had suspected was coming for months now.  

The 1940s are problematic compared to your modern life but all the issues don’t overshadow your love for Steve and Bucky. You’ll have to be careful, hiding your relationship until well into your old age when polyamory becomes more acceptable. Steve and Bucky will have to hide their love until then too, unfortunately. You’ll have to put up with society considering you inferior just because you’re a woman. There won’t be a Starbucks latte back in your life until you’re too old to really enjoy one. You won’t have the luxury of a smartphone or a decent computer until you’re well into your eighties. It’s jarring to realize how much you had taken for granted when you were volunteering to go back. 

You look over at your guys, sighing quietly to yourself in the darkness. It’s still worth it. Every inconvenience, every struggle, it’s worth it to have them in your life. To get to see the soft little looks Bucky gives Steve when he’s overcome with love for him. To spend a quiet day listening to the scritching of charcoal on paper as Steve loses himself in another drawing. Getting to see the way the first rays of sunlight hit Steve’s golden mane of hair in the early morning. Hearing Bucky’s laugh, so loud and authentic, when something funny catches him off guard. The way they both will randomly scoop you up in their arms, peppering you with kisses and whispers of I love you. Staying with them is worth it all in spades. 

The next day you’re the first one up. You had caught a few hours sleep in the wee hours of the morning but they were restless ones. A pot of coffee brews on the stove, the smell alone helping to wake you up. You’re making pancakes for your guys, a special Saturday morning treat that you make sometimes when the mood strikes. There are fluffy stacks waiting on plates when Steve finally emerges from the bedroom looking adorably sleep rumpled. Bucky is only a few steps behind, yawning and stretching as he joins you. 

“Wow, I got lucky two days in a row now. I should put down money on a game or something.” Bucky teases, snatching up a plate for himself. 

“Actually these were a treat for Steve.” you say just to be smart. 

With a wicked smirk, Steve grabs the plate away from Bucky who scrabbles after it frantically, unwilling to lose his precious breakfast treat. 

You roll your eyes and give one of the other plates to Bucky, placing a kiss on top of his disheveled hair when he takes his seat at the table, “You’re lucky I love you both.” 

“And we know it.” he tells you before taking a bite of the hot syrup laden cakes. 

You spend a lazy weekend at home with the guys, quietly working through your plans to get word back to your team that you’re okay. Steve paints with watercolors and Bucky works on repairing the broken slats in your fence out back, both of them happily occupied while you plan. You’ve run through every scenario you can think of and it should work the way you intend it to. The jump point is designed to take you back to the lab and it’s timeline, but it may not necessarily need you. The brooch needs to be activated and then, after a short countdown, the brooch and whatever it’s attached to will blink back to the lab. You don’t know if it requires an actual living creature or if an inanimate object will do but you figure something with a pulse is a safer bet. Some poor little mouse or bunny is going to have the journey of a lifetime. The team will be displeased you messed up the timeline but hopefully they understand your reasons for staying. 

Plans set in your mind, all you have to do now is wait a few weeks until the jump point. The world seems to shift again now that things have been decided. You feel connected to the thrumming city around you again. The older man running the butcher shop seems kinder, the girl who works at the bakery could be a potential new friend. Possibilities are endless now that you have time. 

Dinner is a lively affair. All three of you are restless after a whole day of hanging around the house. Bucky cooks up the steaks you’d bought on your quick trip out and you toast the bread you’d gotten from the bakery in the oven with lots of butter and garlic. Steve mixes up a salad of vegetables from your kitchen basket and your garden, wanting to contribute to the meal. It’s a nice spread by the time you’re all done and you choose to eat outside on a blanket so you can watch the sunset. The weather is warming up finally and as long as you have a light sweater you’ll be okay to stay out for a bit even once the sun goes down. 

As expected, none of you want to go inside, even after nightfall. Stargazing in the city isn’t great due to the light pollution but you can still see some of the twinkling stars in the night sky. You’re lying between Steve and Bucky who are wrapped around you and holding hands across your middle. It’s sweet and you can see why Bucky loves being in the center of the bed. The guys are up to something, you can tell when they start to stroke along each other’s hands and wrists with slow, fluid motions. Soon they’re littering kisses on your shoulders and nuzzling in closer. 

“You see that pretty little constellation there?” Bucky says pointing at the night sky, “The one to the right of the moon?” 

“Cassiopeia?” you ask him, zig zagging your finger along its shape.

“Our girl is smart, Steve.” Bucky praises, “Yeah, darlin’, cassiopeia. Did you know you have almost the exact same pattern in freckles on the back of your right thigh?”

“I do not.” you snort.

“You do,” Steve chimes in, adding in a low tone, “I would be happy to show you if you’d like to move this inside.” 

You roll your eyes at his antics but shrug, “I think that can be arranged.” 

Bucky is standing before you can even fully sit up, he scoops you up into his arms and you let out a very unladylike squeal. Steve is shushing you, grinning as if he approves of Bucky’s ridiculous show of bravado. You’re glad you ran the dishes in earlier but the cups and blankets will have to wait until morning. All three of you have other things in mind.

Bucky carries you all the way to your bedroom, depositing you on the enormous bed with a playful flop. Bouncing on the mattress elicits another squeak from you and Bucky chuckles at the sound. Crawling over your body like a lion going in for the kill, Bucky starts unbuttoning the long trail of opalescent buttons on the front of your dress. He only gets down to your waist before he showers your breasts with kisses, mouthing over the slippery satin of your brassiere until your breaths are coming in harsh gasps. You roll your head to the side, eyes fluttering open for a minute and you catch sight of Steve. And what a sight it is. Steve is leaning up against the door frame, still fully clothed, palming himself over his trousers. His cheeks are stained a deep pink, pupils blown wide with lust. “Stevie.” you gasp out his name like a prayer.

Bucky lifts his head at your voice and looks back catching sight of Steve himself. “Gonna join us?” he asks, pulling back from you to extend a hand.

Steve gives him a lazy, smug smile before coming over to take his hand. Bucky pulls him in quickly, Steve slamming against his chest roughly. Bucky’s mouth is demanding, possessive, and Steve can’t get enough. You lay back, content to watch them have their moment. Fumbling with your buttons you get them all undone and push the sides away, leaving you bare except for your bra and panties. Your guys are taking their time loving on one another above you so you take the opportunity to slip a hand down between your folds. If you’re going to have a front row seat, you might as well enjoy the show. 

A breathless unf slips past your lips; you got yourself closer to the edge much faster than you’d expected. Both pairs of blue eyes snap down to look at you and your hand stills beneath your panties. “Hi” you say sheepishly. 

“Whatcha doin’ doll?” Steve asks with a smirk.

“Enjoying the show.” 

“If you’re enjoying it so much maybe you should join in.” Steve leans down to trail kisses from your throat down to the lacy edge of your panties. Bucky is kissing lines along Steve’s back and you don’t know which is working you up more, Steve’s mouth on your skin or Bucky’s on his.

“You like watching us?” Bucky taunts, having caught on to your not so subtle staring.

You nod, “Yeah. So much.”

“What if, instead of taking turns, tonight we can all enjoy ourselves together?” 

Steve’s whole body shudders at the suggestion but you’re unsure of the logistics.

“How? I mean, yes. But, how?”

“Well, you can stay right there and let Stevie fill up that perfect little pussy of yours, and while he’s busy doing that I’ll be busy filling him up.” 

Steve whimpers and you moan. Bucky knew his suggestion would be a hit but he loves hearing your reactions. You nod frantically, helping Steve get your clothes off while Bucky undresses himself and starts tugging at Steve’s shirt. “Stevie,” Bucky coos after he gets all three of you bare, “Why don’t you go down on our girl while I get you ready?” 

Steve doesn’t have to be told twice, sliding quickly down your body to oblige Bucky’s request. You lean up a little on your elbows, wanting to watch. Bucky is so careful with Steve, slowly pressing a vaseline coated finger into his hole until Steve gasps against your throbbing clit. Bucky is babbling a stream of praise as he adds another finger, slowly working Steve open. Steve has to pause, resting his head against you, hips thrust involuntarily, when Bucky grazes his prostate with two curled fingers. “Buck, enough. I wanna feel it. Enough.” Steve pants out, desperate. 

“You good, darlin’?” Bucky asks you, making sure you don’t need more time yourself. 

“Mhmm” you moan in assent. 

Steve moves up from between your legs, holding onto your hips with a loving squeeze as he lines himself up with your entrance. He pushes in slowly as always, letting you get used to the size of him before burying himself fully inside you. Steve stills and you see Bucky running a hand along his back, giving Steve a moment before he breaches the tight ring of muscles and drives himself home. Steve is shaking, breaths coming in pants, and he’s gripping your hips so tightly you’re certain you’ll have bruises in the morning. You’re not sure who starts moving first but after a moment the three of you fall into a rhythm, gradually increasing your pace until it’s frenzied and desperate. Steve reaches a hand down to toy with your already too sensitive clit and you fall off the edge of your orgasm. Steve curses, knowing he should have expected the chain reaction he just set off. Between Bucky hitting his prostate with every thrust and your inner walls squeezing around his cock while you come beneath him, it’s all just too much. Steve comes with a shout, harder than he has ever before in his life, and thinks he may actually black out for a breathless moment. Bucky, driven to his own edge watching you fall apart for Steve, is lost when Steve’s muscles clamp down around him while he comes. Bucky gets a few more stuttering thrusts before he’s spilling deep in Steve who shudders a few more futile thrusts in you at the sensation. You’re breathing heavily under the pile of your guys, amazed and blissed out beyond words. 

Bucky is laying delicately on Steve who is laying not delicately on top of you. He’s so light though, it doesn’t bother you and you wrap your arms around him when he starts to roll off to the side when Bucky finally lets him go. All three of you need cleaned up but no one’s brains are working quite yet and instead you lay in your tangle, idly stroking whatever limbs are closest and enjoying the quiet post orgasmic bliss. 

A little while later Steve nudges your chin with his, getting you to look him in the eye. “That was okay, right?”

You give him a reassuring smile, “More than alright.” 

He lets out a relieved breath at your words. “Good. Great. I love being with you, I really do. But Buck and I… we go way back and I still need him too sometimes.” 

“Sweetheart, I didn’t expect you and Bucky to stop having sex just because we started. You two should still enjoy each other whenever you want, whether it includes me or not. I’m sure there will be times when it’s just you and me or just Bucky and me. That needs to be okay too.” 

“You really are one in a million.”  Steve says, his voice soft with something akin to wonder. He snuggles closer, wrapping you so tight you can scarcely breathe. Bucky huffs seeing Steve enveloping you and dives on top of you both so as not be left out. Between the squirming and laughter somehow you get comfortable and a shower is put off again until cooler heads can prevail.

Tag list! @wolfarrowepz​

[ghostking-wenning]

Radishes, Chapter 5

It took me way longer to edit and finish this than I thought! But I think I’m finally happy with it. Let me know what you think!

2600 words, rated G, NingXian, modern au, rom-com, zoo date!, etc. 

⭑⭑⭑

Qionglin woke bright and early Saturday morning. He liked to sleep in a little on days off, but the moment his eyes opened today, he was buzzing with excitement. The only thing on his mind was his date with Wuxian. They weren’t set to meet for several more hours, however, so Qionglin busied himself making breakfast. The ritual of cooking was relaxing. Washing vegetables, whisking eggs, slicing bread -- it was like meditation. With a serene expression, he sat at the table and dug in. It was a simple meal, but it was fresh and delicious. There was something special about making food with ingredients he’d grown himself.

He washed up, slowly and thoroughly, and put everything away. He puttered around his small house, an in-law style apartment a little ways away from the main farmhouse. Several of these little houses dotted the property; his grandfather had built them for his children, and this one had been left to Qing and Qionglin when their parents passed. It had stood empty for a long time, until Qionglin was grown. Qing stayed here when she visited for the holidays, but she would probably never return to the farm permanently, so effectively, Qionglin had the whole place to himself. It was small, quiet, and cozy. It was home.

Eventually, though the hours had dragged by, it was time to go. Qionglin changed his clothes multiple times before deciding on a pair of trendy-looking joggers he’d never actually worn -- they were too nice to do farm work in -- and a t-shirt with a little ghost on it. Both were gifts from Qing. I should get her to take me shopping soon… He topped the outfit off with a plain green jacket and checked himself out in the mirror. This’ll do.

He texted Wuxian as he walked to the car. “On my way! :)”

An hour or so later, he arrived at the cafe where Wuxian asked to meet. He perched on a garden wall and tried to calm his fluttering heart, but his efforts were in vain. Wuxian strolled up, hands in his pockets, smiling brightly. Today he wore dark grey trousers, and a crisp white v-neck under his usual leather jacket -- far simpler than the outfit he’d worn on stage the night before, but he still looked amazing. Qionglin hopped to his feet, already grinning wide.

“Hey!” He said cheerfully, vaguely pleased with himself for not stuttering.

“Hey, yourself,” Wuxian replied, slinging an arm around Qionglin’s shoulders. Qionglin still wasn’t used to being touched so casually and so much; a faint blush crept up his cheeks. “I like your shirt,” he went on, tapping the ghost printed on Qionglin’s chest. His fingernails were painted a deep red that caught the sunlight and glittered.

“Oh, thanks… I wish I could pull off nail polish like that. It looks really n-nice on you.” He wasn’t used to praise, either, but he’d been raised to always return a compliment.

“Why couldn’t you?” Wuxian asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Um, well, I don’t think it would suit me that well… plus I’d just mess them up right away doing farm work.” Qionglin reasoned.

“I guess that makes sense,” Wuxian said, shrugging one shoulder. “Shall we?”

He steered them into the cafe. The interior was sleek and modern-looking, all polished steel and gleaming white countertops. Qionglin was distantly reminded of a high-end electronics shop, or perhaps an art gallery.

Wuxian leaned down and whispered conspiratorially. “This place is pretentious as hell, but their coffee is out of this world.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” Qionglin murmured back. “I’ve never really tried coffee, so I wouldn’t know the difference, heh.”

“Never? Like really never?” Wuxian asked, dumbfounded.

“Nah, my family is all tea-drinkers. We never had it around, and I’ve never really bothered.” He shrugged. “... Is that weird?”

“Nah, not really. I kinda live off coffee, though. There’s probably more caffeine than blood in my veins.” Wuxian quipped. “I think I’m the weird one in this case.”

Qionglin snickered a little. He was a little weird, but it was part of why Qionglin liked him. “S-so what should I get?” He asked, looking at the menu hanging above the counter. “I don’t know what any of these words mean…” He’d heard of things like lattes and mochas, but what the hell was a macchiato? Or a ristretto? I didn’t realize I’d need a vocabulary lesson for a coffee date, he thought wryly.

“Hmm,” Wuxian tapped the side of his nose. “Do you trust me?” He asked, repeating his question from last night.

Qionglin paused then nodded. “... mn.” He blushed again, remembering their conversation, remembering his misunderstanding. But I understand now. It’s okay now. He reminded himself to stay present. “I- I’ll get us a table.”

There was an empty table in the window, with a vase of little pink and white flowers. Qionglin plunked down and waited patiently for Wuxian. He waltzed over a few minutes later, placing a glass mug in front of Qionglin.

“Careful, it’s hot,” he warned, kind of pointlessly. Steam curled off the surface of the coffee.

“You don’t say,” Qionglin teased, earning a surprised snort from Wuxian.

“Fair enough,” he admitted. “So how have you been in the … 13 hours since we last met?”

“Honestly? Nervous.” Qionglin said, fiddling with a wooden stirring stick.

“Yeah? Me, too.” Wuxian agreed.

Qionglin looked up sharply at him. “Y-you? Really? Why?”

“Well, you see, I have a date with a really cute guy today.” He smirked, eyes twinkling.

Qionglin’s heart did a backflip in his chest. “I- I… um…” He floundered for a moment before falling quiet, staring into his cup. There was a layer of fluffy milk foam on top, with a dusting of cinnamon. It smelled nice; toasty, rich and a little citrusy. He took a careful sip. It was slightly sweet, slightly bitter, and really quite tasty.

“What do you think?” Wuxian asked. He’d been watching intently.

“It’s good!” Qionglin began. “I didn’t really know what to expect, but I like it. It’s sweet, but not too sweet, it’s a little bitter, kind of citrusy and chocolaty. The cinnamon is a nice touch, too. It really brings it together.”

“Wow,” he said, looking mildly impressed. “That’s a much more thought-out answer than I expected. You sound like a professional food critic or something. You must really know your stuff, huh?”

“Ah, n-not really… I just watch a lot of cooking shows.” Qionglin demurred.

Wuxian raised an eyebrow but didn’t press the matter. “Wanna try mine?” He slid his cup across the table. His was dark and clear and it smelled strong and heady.

Qionglin tasted it and made a face, his eyes narrowed and his nose scrunched up. It was so harsh! Without any milk or sugar, the coffee was sour and bitter, and so strong it made Qionglin cough a little. He pushed the cup back across the table.

Wuxian tried not to laugh at his expression. “Oh, well,” he said, barely suppressing a giggle. “More for me.” He took a long drink and set his cup down with a clack and a satisfied sigh.

Qionglin sipped his own drink, grateful for the sweetness washing away the acidic tang in his mouth. They made idle chatter over their drinks, and when they were done, headed to Qionglin’s car.

“It’s nothing fancy, but it gets me around,” he said, somewhat apologetically.

Wuxian plopped into the passenger’s seat and said “No worries, I don’t even have a car.”

The drive to the zoo was short, Wuxian navigating and singing along to the radio. He reached over and casually rested his hand on Qionglin’s thigh, just above the knee. It took all his concentration not to swerve into the wrong lane. When he collected himself, he placed a hand on top of Wuxian’s and steered with the other. He felt his cheeks burning and his head felt like it was full of cotton.

They arrived soon after, bought their tickets and stood before a map, debating where to begin. They started with the African Safari section. Wuxian was a pace or two ahead of Qionglin. Qionglin took a breath and reached for Wuxian’s hand. Wuxian looked back and smiled wide. He tugged Qionglin a little closer, their shoulders bumping occasionally as they walked.

In a wide, grassy field, zebras, gazelles, and a couple of giraffes wandered about, grazing and playing.

“Did you know that a group of zebras is called a dazzle?” Qionglin asked.

“Really?” Wuxian asked, watching a baby zebra drink from a pool of water. “That’s kinda cute.”

“Yeah!” Qionglin agreed. “When they all stand together, their stripes make an optical illusion that confuses predators- thus, a dazzle.”

“Neat!” Wuxian chimed, still watching the zebra. Qionglin wasn’t sure he was listening, but he was used to that. They continued through the exhibit, snapping photos of the animals and chatting. Finally they reached the lions’ enclosure. A few lionesses were stretched lazily out on the large rocks, sunning and grooming each other. In the middle of them all lay a huge male lion with a thick mane, dozing peacefully.

“That guy knows what’s up,” Wuxian said, gesturing to the king lion.

“No kidding,” Qionglin nodded. “He just gets to loaf around surrounded by his girlfriends all day.”

“Do you know any cool stuff about lions?” Wuxian asked, looking sideways at Qionglin.

Qionglin blinked. “Wh-what?”

“Like, a group of lions is called a pride, right?” Wuxian prompted.

Oh… he was listening? Qionglin brightened. “Yeah! Um, let me think…” He pondered for a moment. “Oh! D-did you know that big cats can’t purr like house cats?”

“Really? That’s a bummer, I bet it would sound pretty cool.”

“Mm. The trade off is that little cats can’t roar. Can you imagine?” Qionglin grinned, imagining one of his farm cats roaring a tiny roar.

Wuxian squeezed his hand lightly, smiling fondly. “Well, did you know…” he leaned in to speak softly into Qionglin’s ear. “... that your smile is really cute?”

Eloquent as ever, Qionglin made a faint squeaking noise. He panicked and said, “... Did you know that the roaring sound effect used for lions in movies is actually a recording of a tiger? Lions don’t sound like that.” Shut up, dork!

But Wuxian just kept smiling at him, his eyes crinkling at the corners, and he led the way to the next exhibit. They walked in surprisingly comfortable silence for a while, until they came upon a life-size bronze statue of a tiger. Wuxian trotted over to it and climbed onto its back.

“Take a picture!” He called out, striking a pose. Qionglin grabbed his phone and took a few shots. “Your turn now!” Wuxian insisted, waving Qionglin over as he climbed off the tiger.

Qionglin froze. “Wha-- me? But-- um…” He cleared his throat. “I... don’t really know what to do in pictures, I always look weird.” He recalled the time his grandmother had gotten angry with him for “ruining” their family new year’s photo when he was younger. When he looked at the picture himself, he couldn’t really tell what he’d done wrong; he thought he looked the same as ever. That couldn’t have been the problem… could it?

Wuxian placed a hand on his shoulder, pulling him back into the present. “Well, you’re in luck,” he declared. “I happen to be an excellent photographer. I can help you with that, no problem.” Gently he steered Qionglin to the tiger.

With a resigned sigh, Qionglin swung a leg over the statue and sat, awaiting further instruction. Wuxian nudged and shifted and repositioned him, turning his shoulders this way and that, adjusting his posture until he was satisfied. He lifted Qionglin’s chin, his fingers lingering on his jawline for a breathtaking moment.

He let go and stepped back, raising his phone. “Okay, smile,” he instructed.

It was hard not to smile, looking at Wuxian. Qionglin offered a sheepish grin and an awkward wave. Wuxian snapped a few pictures, moving around the tiger, crouching and leaning to get different angles. He looked through the shots as he walked back to the tiger, a small smile curling his lips.

“Here,” he said, showing Qionglin the screen. “You look great, see?”

On the screen, Qionglin was surprised to see that he actually looked happy. Maybe even a little nice.

“Oh… wow.” He said softly. “You are good at that.”

Wuxian chided him. “Give yourself some credit! Can’t take a good picture of a bad model, after all.”

He switched to the front camera and leaned against the tiger to take some pictures together. Feeling a little bold, Qionglin wrapped an arm around Wuxian’s waist, pulling him closer and smiling wider. Wuxian laughed, delighted and pressed against him, their cheeks brushing together. He winked into the camera and snapped about a dozen photos. They pulled a few funny faces, held up peace signs and finger hearts.

“Okay, one more,” Wuxian said. They posed, smiling, both a little flushed from laughter and proximity. Wuxian counted down, and at the last second, he turned his face and planted a kiss on Qionglin’s cheek. He perfectly captured Qionglin’s stunned expression, eyes wide, lips parted in a gasp.

Qionglin turned to stare at him owlishly. No words came, no thoughts formed beyond “!!!” Wuxian had a mischievous, self-satisfied look in his eye, smiling coyly.

A tiny voice in the back of Qionglin’s mind whispered actions speak louder than words. On impulse, Qionglin closed his eyes, leaned in and kissed Wuxian right on the lips. It was clumsy and awkward, their noses bumping together. But Wuxian leaned into it and took the lead, cupping Qionglin’s cheek in one hand, the other bracing against the tiger statue. His lips were soft and warm, they tasted faintly of cherry lip balm. Qionglin could smell his cologne, subtle and spicy.

They parted finally and Wuxian pressed their foreheads together. “I’ve been thinking about doing that all day,” he admitted with a quiet chuckle, his voice soft and low, his breath tickling Qionglin’s face.

Qionglin swallowed heavily. “M-me too…” he whispered, only just realizing it himself. Wuxian pecked him on the nose and pulled away, sliding a hand down Qionglin’s arm and grasping his hand. Qionglin slid off the back of the statue and sidled up closer to Wuxian as they continued on. He felt tipsy now, his face hot, his heart skipping, butterflies in his stomach-- but he was walking on air. Is that what I’ve been missing out on all this time? He sighed contentedly and laced his fingers through Wuxian’s.

A while later, Wuxian asked, “So, obviously you’re an animal lover, but what’s your favorite?”

“Hmm,” Qionglin considered for a moment. “I like almost every animal, actually. B-but if I had to pick, it’d probably be cats. I’ve always liked them, and they’ve always liked me. I dunno why, though… Anyway, what about you?”

Wuxian didn’t even have to think about it. “Rabbits, hands down,” he said. “They’re just too cute. And so soft! I wish I could have one, but I don’t think there’s enough room in my apartment.” He pouted a little.

“We have rabbits on the farm!” Qionglin said, a little too loudly. He cleared his throat and adjusted his volume. “M-my cousin raises them for wool, and as pets. Maybe… you’d like to come see them sometime?” He ventured.

Wuxian’s eyes lit up. “Can I really?” He asked, excitement plain on his face.

“S-sure! I could show you around too, and you could see what farm life is like. You could meet the rabbits, and the chickens, and we could h-harvest something and I could make dinner. Food tastes better when you pick it yourself. If-- if you want, that is.” Qionglin fidgeted with the zipper of his jacket, and looked hopefully up at Wuxian.

“Yeah,” he said, his expression soft and affectionate now. “I’d love to.”

[petitmochii]

I Like Me Better: Chapter One

August 31, 2017; New York City; 11:00 am

It was a cool, rainy Thursday morning in New York City, but nothing could match the signature icy glare from Veronica Hayes. She was sipping on a 90-degree soy latte with extra foam while getting her finishing touches from hair and makeup for today’s big interview. Her gaze bounced off the vanity mirror and landed on the back of my head, sending a shiver down my spine. I wouldn’t be surprised if I had frost bite by the end of the day.

“I am never drinking again,” Natalie came bouncing into the office, two hours late as always, juggling a pile of papers and two coffees from our favorite place down the street. She handed my coffee to me, “I feel like death.” She looked like death. Her fiery red curls laid in frizzy disarray upon her head, giving her a lion-like mane. The dark circles under her eyes showed her lack of sleep and there was still a slight tint of pink on her lips from the night prior’s makeup. She dropped her pile of papers with a thud on the floor and she slumped over her desk, opposite mine.

“So, you had fun on your date?” I cradled the cup of coffee with my name on it, “Or at least it sounded like it,” I smiled over the brim of the cup before bringing it to my lips. Natalie and I shared a third story walk-up apartment in Brooklyn Heights. Much to my dismay, we had very thin walls and Natalie often had late night visitors.

Natalie scoffed, “I came, I saw, I conquered...I came again,” she sat up just in time to catch my eyeroll. We both laughed, “What’s her problem? Queen of Hearts looks like she’s about to call for your head any moment.”

I glanced over my shoulder to discover Veronica’s eyes still fixated on me, “Honestly, I’m not sure,” I turned back towards Natalie and shrugged, “We’re in charge of the research and production for today’s interview, so I’m sure she’ll find a reason to crucify me later.”

“Ooooo who’s on the itinerary today?” Natalie perked up, “Anyone I know?” If there was one asset to having Natalie on staff at Billboard, it was her immense knowledge of celebrities and their dirtiest secrets. This was thanks to her upbringing as a socialite on the Upper East Side, with several famous friends and relatives.

“I don’t think you’ll know much about these guys, love,” I flipped my computer around to show her my word document of fun facts, photos, and upcoming projects, “they’re a K-pop band called BTS.”

Natalie clutched the sides of my computer, pulling it closer to her face, “You’re right, I don’t know them, but I’d sure like to get to know that one on the left.”

I was about to remind Natalie of Billboard’s strict “no fraternization” policy regarding celebrities, when I heard a shrill, “Ohhh Calendar!” Veronica’s stupid nickname she gave me during my first week at Billboard. I had a knack for remembering dates, and I made the mistake of correcting her in a meeting when she gave the wrong date for a Justin Bieber tell-all. I sighed and mustered up all of my strength to put on a fake smile. As I approached Veronica’s seat at the vanity, she began to shake her Starbucks cup in my direction, “it’s empty.” This was my Veronica’s language for ‘Can you please get me a new latte?’ except she was incapable of being polite. Veronica was a lead interviewer at Billboard, and as Digital Content Assistant, I was at her beck and call.

“Would you like your usual?” I shinned her my tight-lipped smile.

“Yes,” she tossed the cup in my direction, “Except, this time make sure it’s 90-degrees. The latte you brought me this morning was way too hot,” hence the death stares this morning, “For a college-educated girl, you sure don’t follow directions too well, Sarah.” It’s Sierra. I’ve worked for the company for almost four months, and she still can’t get my name right. It took all my power not to rip out her extensions, but instead I grabbed my coat and headed towards the elevator.

************************************************************************************************

The Starbucks line was long, as expected with the start of the lunch rush. Impatiently, I began to tap my foot as I look at my watch. 11:30am, I had 30 minutes before BTS would be arriving at the Billboard office.

It was almost my turn to order, when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to find two men, who looked around my age, dressed in colorful clothing, “I’m sorry, I hate to bother you,” said the taller of the two, “But is there something you could recommend for us? We’re not used to the U.S. menu in Starbucks.” The two men looked expectantly at me with stupid smiles on their faces.

“Um, I like the Chai tea lattes,” the taller man turned to his friend and began to translate in what sounded like Korean. It was my turn, “Hi Jack, I’ll take the usual and put it on the company tab. Please make sure it’s 90-degrees this time so I don’t get murdered.” I saw the staff at this Starbucks, every Monday through Friday, at least twice a day, so we got to know each other fairly well.

As Jack began to make my order, the man behind me cleared his throat to get my attention. I whipped my head in their direction, now annoyed. Noticing my frosty glare, he began to stutter, “You see, me and my friend here are from Korea, and this is only our second time in the US and we don’t know much about what to do...”

Jack announced my order was ready, “…so we could really use a local New Yorker to show us around, since we’re here for a while. If you’re interes-“

“You know, I’m really busy,” I grabbed Veronica’s order, “I don’t have time to stand around and talk with random people in coffee shops, let alone give them tours of New York.” I was never a rude person, even to strangers. But Veronica’s outburst put me in a bad mood, and I didn’t have the time to chitchat.

I pushed open the glass doors and pulled the hood of my coat closer around my face as the rain pelted down from the grey clouds above. I quickly peaked back at the two strangers, they were standing at the pickup counter waiting for their drinks. I couldn’t help but notice how embarrassed the taller of the two looked, red cheeked and scratching the back of his neck. His friend was bent over in laughter, obviously mocking his futile attempt at flirting. Normally, I would’ve felt bad, but I had a boyband to interview.

************************************************************************************************

When I arrived back in the office, Natalie was setting up the backdrop in the interview studio. Or at least, she was trying too. She was standing, wobbly kneed, on a rolling chair with her arms stretched out in ‘Y’ shape. With a face so red it was difficult to tell where her hairline began, she glanced towards me and whined, “Sieeerrra, help me!’

Grabbing the step stool, I rushed to relieve Natalie from her starfish stance, “First of all, you never stand on a rolling chair. There’s always a stepstool in here.” I fastened the black fabric to its metal support system, “And secondly,” I turned towards Natalie who was leaning against the walls, wiping her brow, “you need to learn how to do this by yourself. I won’t always be around to save you.”

“But you’re so good at it,” we took a step back to admire the interview setup, “Have I ever told you how much I love and cherish you?” Natalie stroked my hair and fluttered her puppy dog eyes at me.

“Not often enough.”

We were reviewing the research and questions I had prepared for the interview this morning, when we heard the distinct click of 5-inch Louboutin heels and the chatter of a mass of people. Soon enough, the wicked witch herself appeared in the doorway with a herd of young, very attractive men following her; BTS photographed well, but the pictures didn’t do them justice. Veronica clutched her Starbucks cup in her hand (too cold this time) and motioned us to move out of the way. We obliged.

The seven guys filed into the room, along with some older men whom I assumed were management, and each took a seat on one of the stools we set in front of the backdrop. Veronica took a seat in her obnoxious pink chair that resembled a Victorian throne. She crossed her legs, took out a compact and reapplied a thick layer of her ruby red lipstick. Blowing herself a final kiss, Veronica closed the compact and turned towards the guest, “Ready boys?”

“Let’s do this,” one of the guys cheered. I turned the lenses of the camera to focus on the group. I was in charge of audio and visuals, while Natalie took control of the lighting.

“That’s what I like to hear!” Veronica clapped her hands, causing her acrylic nails to clack against one another, “Before we begin, I’d like to introduce you to my assistants for the interview today.” Natalie and I appeared from behind our designated positions and stood next to Veronica’s throne, “On lighting, is Natalie Connor.”

“Hi,” Natalie let out a small wave.

“And in charge of the camera,” I could hear the honey sweet tone leaving Veronica’s voice, “is Sarah Kwan.”

“It’s Sierra,” I let slip as I struggled to hold in an eye roll. I scanned the sea of boys in front of me; each had their own style, whether it was colorful hair or equally loud clothing. When my eyes made it to the front row, my heart skipped a beat. I could feel the heat rising to my face, I wanted to run and hide, but I knew Veronica would never let me live that down.

The two guys from the coffee shop sat front and center. My attempted suitor looked as surprised as I felt, but his expression quickly changed to a smirk when he sidekick nudged his arm a mumbled something between laughs. How did I not recognize them? I had literally spent the entire morning researching their band and looking at pictures of them.

“Kwan?” one of the guys in the back, who I believed was called J-Hope, pipped up, “Are you Korean?” This was one of the few phrases I recognized in Korean because of how often I was asked.

A flare of heat came on my cheeks again, “Only half. I’m sorry I don’t speak Korean.” J-Hope nodded understandingly as I let my hair cover my face. I wanted to die. Natalie nudged me, but I ignored her.

“Well anyway,” for once I was glad for Veronica interrupting, “Let’s start with everyone introducing themselves.” I stepped back into my position, glad to have a camera between me and the group, it was easier to hide my embarrassment that way.

I focused the camera on my coffee shop mystery man, “Hello,” he glanced into the camera, “My name is RM, I’m kind of like a leader and translator for this group.”

Note: Sorry this is a lot of fluff! But don’t worry, there will be a lot more BTS in the upcoming chapters (and some potential smut ;)).

 Also, about the name change.... I really like the song “I like me better” by Lauv, and I think I’ll be using that song as inspiration for the story moving forward. Let me know what you think, and if you like this style of having a character, or if you would like bts/reader stories. 

[masalavegan]

The lovely folks @blackgold.elixir sent me some of their Organic Mushroom Elixir to try! Made with the goodness of Reishi, Lion’s Mane, Chaga , Turkey Tail, Cordyceps & Maitake All mushrooms with adaptogenic qualities, despite their names !!! 🦁 🦃 With the Sydney autumn setting in, I have been drinking a lot more Haldi Doodh AKA Golden Latte in homemade Almond Milk. Black Gold suggests adding in just 1/2 a teaspoon daily to soups or broths or warm comforting drinks ☕️ The powder dissolved quickly & leaves absolutely no flavour or smell behind! I want to try adding this to soup next as I do drink a lot of mixed Veggie soup through the colder months 🥣 Black Gold is a boutique New Zealand based company bringing the benefits of medicinal mushrooms for everyday use 🍄 🍄 🍄 🍄 #chaga #reishimushroom #reishi #yum #masalavegan #homemadealmondmilk #turmericlatte #goldenlatte #lionsmane #chaga #chagamushroom #adaptogen #plantbasedhealing #ancientmedicine #veganfollowback #eatplantstoheal #veganfortheanimals #mushroom #turkeytailmushroom #maitake #healing #clarity #bettersleep #blackgrapes (at Sydney, Australia) https://www.instagram.com/p/CbYpqRkPqdW/?utm_medium=tumblr

[dorito-aggretsuko-art]

Meet Tamara, my Aggretsuko fc I made when I joined the fandom. I recently updated her bio and now it looks so much better. Her full bio is under the read more. I do ship her with Ookami so if you don’t like fc x canon then maybe this post isn’t for you. Just walk away and don’t bother harassing me over it.

I know that the bio is not the best but I suck at making good bios

Name: Tamara

Nicknames: Tam, Rara (by her father)

Age: 23

Gender: female

Sexuality: still questioning

Species: golden lion tamarin

Profession: Sales accountant

Relationship status: Currently dating Ookami

DOB: 25th July

Hair colour: Orange

Eye colour: Black

Likes: Stir fry with rice, Friday nights, Dark chocolate lattes and rainy mornings (especially on Saturdays)

Dislikes: The smell of window cleaner, being tickled (especially on the neck),  when people fight over stupid stuff and being unorganised.

Personality: Tamara is a very sweet and friendly girl who works hard at her job. She is also very patience with people and really organised. She tries to get along with her co workers but sometimes she cannot stand them, especially when they can dump their work on her. However she is just too nice and can't say no to them. Sometimes she ends up nearly passing out from all the work she does for them.

She is not a shy person but back when she had a crush on Ookami, that was when her shy side came out. She would start to stutter and blush like crazy. She also fumbled over her words. When they finally did start dating her shyness died down but she would still get embarrassed when ever someone mentioned their "friendship".

Family:

Mother

Father

2 older sisters (adopted)

Strengths:

Good with maths. It was her best subject in school

Is very social to people

Organised

Weaknesses:

Can’t work in an unorganised area

Her kindness can lead to people taking advantage of her

Has a hard time saying no to someone

Basic info:

Tamara was brought up in a small city near Tokyo and she lived with her parents and two older siblings who were adopted before her birth. After she was born, they moved to Tokyo so that she could attend school where she always got into trouble for talking but she was amazing at maths. Calculations and money were her strong points. After she graduated she wanted to get a job in accounting so she moved out from her parents house and found an office building to work at. It paid well and it was close to her house so why not? She went for a job interview and managed to get a spot

 On her way to her first day of work she was walking through a park, admiring the beautiful cherry blossom trees when she bumped into someone. It was a maned wolf guy. She quickly apologised but he just walked off.

 When she arrived to the office, Mr. Ton asked Retsuko to show her around. After that, Retsuko lead her to her desk which was right next to the maned wolf guy from earlier. The two bonded over the break and and went out for coffee after work. They clicked and became very good friends.

 They hung out more until one day Tamara was working so hard she ended up nearly fainting. Thankfully Ookami was there to save her from hitting her head. He took her to the break room. It was at that moment that she realised her true feelings for him. She wanted to tell him how she felt but she was always scared of rejection and work just kept getting in the way.

 One night she is working later than usual and she ends up missing her train. She bumps into Ookami holding an umbrella above her. Tamara finally decided to confess to him now that no one is around to stop her. She told him and after a minute of silence, he admitted that he liked her too.

 They keep their relationship private as they don’t want everyone to know. Haida caught them once kissing each other in the break room and he promised to keep it a secret. Tamara found out about him dating other woman but he assured her that he loved her and her alone.

The two are currently in a relationship but they have no intention of going any further as of right now

Friends:

Ookami (Current partner)

Retsuko

Fenneko

Haida

Washimi

Gori

Neutral:

Resasuke

Tsunoda

Manumaru

Kabae

Enemies:

Director Ton

Tsubone

Komiya

Other facts:

Tamara is really self conscious about her body and weight

Before she was born her parents decided to adopt before they had a biological child so they adopted two girls

Her blood type is AB and she is a Leo

Although she is good at maths, she hates algebra.

[cliftonsteen]

Exploring alternative coffee beverages

While specialty coffee consumption continues to rise around the world, demand for functional alternative beverages is also increasing. 

This is in no small part because health and wellbeing are rapidly growing as consumer priorities. As a result, coffee alternatives marketed as “healthy” pre or post-workout supplements are becoming more popular. 

To learn more about alternative coffee beverages, I spoke to two professionals from the “low-roast” coffee market. Read on to find out what they told me.

You may also like our article on the matcha latte.

What is “alternative” roasted coffee?

Across the coffee sector, consumer interest in alternatives to “regular” roasted coffee has been changing. 

There’s no doubt that younger demographics have influenced the trajectory of the coffee industry with new product categories (such as cold brew and RTD lattes, for example). In response, roasters have changed their strategy to meet this demand and produce “alternative” beverages.

Logan Allender is the Head Roaster and COO at Atlas Coffee Club. “Typical coffee [like medium to dark roasts] attempts to strike a bittersweet kind of balance,” he says. “When we think bittersweet, we often consider foods like dark chocolates or cranberries.”

Logan roasts coffee for Golden Ratio, a company that produces single-serve, “gold” roast coffee bags in Austin, Texas. 

“Golden Ratio aims to be less acidic, [so] we find the resulting cup is smoother and sweeter,” he says. “[There are] more caramel [flavours], with complementing notes of cashew, oat milk, and malt tea.”

The “gold” roast profile also means that the caffeine levels in Golden Ratio remain high. According to the company’s website, it contains 50% more caffeine per gram than regular brewed arabica coffee. 

However, recognising that younger consumers are increasingly drinking smoother, mellower coffee beverages (like cold brew), it also aims to eliminate acidity and bitterness.

Logan says that this “gold” roast is achieved using a different technique. 

“Our approach is much more gentle than typical roasting – not too dissimilar from roasting nuts,” he tells me. “We use higher airflow and lower temperatures to create an even roast that ensures good moisture removal from the coffee, without overcooking the exterior.”

Golden Ratio is also only sold in pre-ground pouches. This helps to meet a growing demand for convenience among younger consumers. However, this isn’t the only reason why it’s pre-ground for sale.

Robbie Thomas is the Marketing Director at Golden Ratio. “Our beans are less roasted than regular coffee, [so] the beans are much more dense post-roast than regular coffee,” he explains. 

“This creates a problem with most coffee grinders – the golden beans will break them!”

The growing functional ingredient market

The global functional ingredient market is set to reach US $105.64 billion by 2027. But what does “functional” actually mean?

There are multiple definitions, but the general consensus is that a functional ingredient is a food or beverage item that has some kind of tangible benefit beyond its flavour. For instance, coffee is a functional ingredient which promotes health and wellness and improves wakefulness because of its caffeine content.

However, in an effort to make coffee even more “functional”, some consumers are increasingly looking to maximise the impact of their coffee. For instance, many people use cold brew in tandem with fitness supplements as a preworkout combo.

Robbie, however, explains that the functional beverage market is always evolving.

“People’s love of coffee and caffeination cannot help itself but to push new bounds,” says Robbie. “Today, we can see an explosion of new creative expressions, helping folks enjoy their coffee.

“This includes flash-frozen coffee, higher-quality instant, mushroom coffee, [and] low-roasted coffees (like gold coffee).”

Mushroom coffee is an historic example of a functional beverage. Despite its recent surge in popularity, the drink was actually used in early Chinese medicine. More recently, it was employed as a coffee substitute during the Second World War.

Mushroom coffee is typically made by adding hot water to a ground mixture of roasted coffee and mushrooms. These mushrooms are traditionally of the chaga, turkey’s tail, lion’s mane, or reishi varieties, all of which have supposed medicinal properties. 

However, while there are claims that mushroom coffee can improve immune activity and reduce the risk of heart disease, its flavour profile isn’t for everyone.

“While the spicy and carbonic flavours [can be preferable to some, it] can also be off-putting to others – often requiring customers to add milk or milk alternatives to reduce the bitterness,” Logan says.

“Acidity and bitterness are two sides of the same coin. [They are] the extremes of the pH scale and can be harsh if they go too far in any direction.”

Consumers & a new focus on wellbeing

“Two-thirds of Americans who drink coffee everyday add cream or sugar to their beverage,” Robbie says. “Only one-third of Americans who drink coffee everyday enjoy it black and without sugar.”

Adding milk, cream, sugar, or sweeteners can increase the calorie content of a cup of coffee and make it a less healthy beverage option.

Research shows that health and wellbeing is a growing priority for many younger coffee consumers; in a survey by Sandford Health, some 53% of millennials cited health and wellbeing as their most important values. 

“One in every seven US Americans wrestles with some sort of digestive issue,” Robbie says. “Regular coffee can irritate these through its natural acidity or caffeine levels.

He also says that Golden Ratio is five times less acidic than regular brewed coffee. This can be beneficial for consumers who are sensitive to acidic foods and beverages.

“Our beans are roasted less than regular coffee,” Robbie says. “It’s somewhere in between green coffee and a blonde roast (the lightest ‘regular’ coffee roast in the market).”

Caffeine sensitivity is another important factor, too. While coffee is linked with a number of health and wellness benefits, decaf and other caffeine-free alternatives are popular with people who are caffeine-sensitive.

Caffeine sensitivity itself is actually determined by an individual’s genetic makeup and metabolism. People with faster metabolisms tend to feel the impact of caffeine less. Conversely, caffeine naturally processes more slowly for people with slower metabolisms.

This growing segment of caffeine-sensitive consumers understandably looks for alternative beverage options. Furthermore, even for those who aren’t especially caffeine-sensitive, caffeine can lead to headaches, anxiety, and stomach problems in high doses.

Alongside decaf, however, other caffeine-free options are emerging on the market. Chicory root, for instance, can be roasted, ground, and brewed as an alternative to coffee. In New Orleans, ground chicory has even been mixed with coffee in a citywide tradition for hundreds of years.

How might this market develop?

As interest in higher-quality coffee and consumer wellbeing both continue to grow, the alternative coffee market seems set to increase. Robbie notes, however, that quality itself plays an important role in the development of these markets.

“Let’s take matcha for example,” he says. “It’s become overwhelmingly popular in a short period of time, but it’s not cheap [or] generic matcha that’s causing this meteoric rise.

“Instead, it’s ceremonial grade [or] specialty matcha that is making a big name for itself in [the] alternative beverage [market].”

Matcha is prepared by grinding young green tea leaves to a fine powder, then whisking the powder with hot water to make a tea, or adding it to steamed milk. 

Matcha has become overwhelmingly popular for its health benefits, as there is plenty of research linking the consumption of green tea to a decreased risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. 

The growing focus on health has also boosted the popularity of other traditional beverages, too. Another example is haldi doodh, also known as turmeric milk, golden milk, or the turmeric latte. 

Believed to have originated in India, this beverage is made by steeping fresh turmeric is in milk or dairy alternatives. It is then boiled and mixed spices and sweeteners. Studies have shown that curcumin (the active ingredient in turmeric) is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.

Beverages like these have become increasingly popular with wellbeing-focused consumers in recent years, and have started to appear on café menus around the world as a result.

But what does this mean for coffee? More competition, or a higher profile?

Coffee contains high levels of antioxidants, and a 2011 study published in Food Science and Nutrition found that it can reduce the risk of diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and certain cancers. 

Beyond that, thanks to the energy boost caffeine provides and coffee’s naturally low calorie content, interest in using it as a fitness supplement is increasing.

For example, consuming coffee before running has been found to increase runners’ top speed. Similarly, research from the University of Illinois concluded participants who drank coffee before exercising suffered less from muscle soreness.

But it’s not just health and wellness that drive the demand for coffee as a functional beverage.

“Customers are more interested in finding high-quality coffee that ensures farmers and the land are treated ethically and sustainably,” Logan says. “With Golden Ratio, we are roasting coffee much lighter than what is considered typical, [so there is] far less room to hide flaws in coffee with darker roasts.

“This essentially requires that we seek out the very best coffee and ensure those involved in its production are being ethically supported.”

Consumers are becoming more interested in alternative roasting techniques and alternatives to coffee. It’s becoming clear that both ingredient quality and consumer wellbeing are driving behaviours.

Furthermore, Logan notes that classic attitudes to coffee are changing. “Coffee drinkers are dropping the idea that adding anything or changing your coffee is sacrilege,” he concludes. “Ultimately, it’s your coffee and you should enjoy it however you want.”.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on white coffee around the world.

Photo credits: wonderkindco.co

Perfect Daily Grind

Please note: Golden Ratio is a sponsor of Perfect Daily Grind.

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The post Exploring alternative coffee beverages appeared first on Perfect Daily Grind.

Exploring alternative coffee beverages published first on https://espressoexpertweb.weebly.com/

[tmacks1]

3-D is making all kinds of interesting products. Dream Pops is the first ever plant-based popiscle made in a 3-D printed mold. The company partnered with a three- star Michelin Chef. The popiscles are gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, vegan, less than 5g of sugar, less than 2g of coconut sugar, less than 100 calories and others. There are interesting flavors are chocolate lion with lion's mane mushroom powder, or coconut latte or vanilla matcha with ceremonial matcha green tea. Also, they have vanilla sky with coconut cream in the cups. #dreampops #glutenfree #dairyfree #vegan, #soyfree #3dprinting More about the company can be found at:// www.dreampops.com https://www.instagram.com/p/CKAq1QBgNOd/?igshid=s1sumstifo6g

[segobh]

10 Mushroom Latté 🍄🍄🍄 - Natural Support for Immune Health, Brain Function, Longevity and Overall Wellness. - Made with Organic Reishi, Chaga Mushroom, Lion's Mane, Cordyceps, Turkey Tail, Shiitake, Maitake, Wood Ear, Mesima and Oyster Mushrooms. Lion’s mane mushrooms may help relieve mild symptoms of anxiety. Chaga mushrooms and Turkey tail mushroom contain many antioxidants, supplying the body with more antioxidants. Cordyceps have anti-aging properties and help with blood sugar levels. Certain components of the shiitake mushroom, such as eritadenine and b-glucan, can increase satiety, reduce food intake, delay nutrition absorption. Maitake mushrooms are rich in antioxidants, beta-glucans, vitamins B and C, fiber and minerals. Reishi mushroom may support immune function, help with anxiety as well as improve quality of life in those with certain medical conditions. Mesima has with a full spectrum of glycoproteins, ergosterols, triterpenoids and other myco-nutrients, which are essential for Supporting Natural Immunity. Oyster Mushrooms are low in calories and fat free, but high in protein and fiber, help antioxidant. Wood ear are rich in dietary fiber and high in iron. ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕ #café #latte #cafefrancais #cafelatte #bahrain🇧🇭 #bahraincoffee #bahraincafes #diplomaticarea #manama #fromfrancewithlove #cafesego #sego👩🏼‍💼 #coffee #Latté #Mushrooms (at Café Ségo) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8_stlHB1u6/?igshid=1vj78lwssy119

[michaelfallcon]

Meet Taika: The New Adaptogenic Canned Coffee From Kal Freese

Kal Freese is a two-time Finland National Barista Champion (2013, 2015) and part of the founding team at Sudden Coffee in the San Francisco Bay Area. Sudden Coffee helped launch a new category of specialty instant coffee—a wholesale rethink of the product that is still making waves around the specialty coffee world. Freese left Sudden in 2017 and is now the co-founder of Taika, a company that is today debuting a new line of ready-to-drink adaptogenic infused coffee beverages.

Taika, which means “magic” in Finnish, is launching with three plant-based coffee beverage offerings: a sugar-free, keto-friendly macadamia latte that Freese says “tastes like melted coffee ice cream,” an oat milk latte, and an unsweetened black coffee. All contain the same adaptogen blend of Cordyceps, Lion’s Mane, Reishi, Ashwagandha, and L-theanine designed to balance out the effects of caffeine and to, according to Taika’s website, keep the drinker “calm, focused, and clear.”

James Hoffmann—the London-based coffee vlogger, author, product spokesman, and World Barista Champion—is one of Taika’s early investors. He tells Sprudge he’s excited to work with Taika for several reasons.

“Firstly, and most importantly, they’re focused on the destination, where coffee takes you, how it makes you feel. Secondly, they really understand what great tasting coffee is and how hard it is to do well. This means that the moment they told me about the products, I wanted them in my fridge at home and at my office too. Most of the time I drink coffee because I either enjoy the taste or because I want focus and productivity, so that Taika does both without compromise or making me choose makes it incredibly compelling.”

Not bad as far as introductions go, but we just had to learn more. I spoke with Kal Freese digitally and asked him a range of questions about Taika, adaptogens, price points, and what he sees as the future of coffee.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. 

Hey Kal—thanks for speaking with Sprudge. How long has your new project Taika been in the works?

Kal Freese: I started working on Taika with my co-founder Michael Sharon in early 2019. Unlike most other CPG companies, we started by selling the coffee to our friends and their offices in private beta from the very first batch. This allowed us to get immediate feedback, iterate really rapidly, and sell over 50,000 cans before even launching publicly.

What’s in a can of Taika?

Both Michael and I love coffee (surprise). Alas, over the past few years caffeine started giving us nasty side effects many people are familiar with: anxiety, jitters, and heart palpitations. Decaf wasn’t the answer: most of the time we wanted some caffeine, but not too much.

This is when we learned about L-theanine and other adaptogens—natural plant extracts and functional mushrooms—that support the body’s ability to deal with stress. We started researching and experimenting with these compounds. Adaptogens turned out to be a game-changer in balancing the caffeine and reducing the side effects.

However, keeping a bunch of random capsules with you and remembering to take them every time you have coffee sucks. So we set out to create a coffee that’s absolutely delicious and perfectly calibrated with the highest quality adaptogens so there are no compromises.

We only use FDA GRAS certified natural plant extracts and functional mushrooms that have legit scientific evidence validating their effectiveness and safety. They also have a long history of demonstrated use in many cultures. For example, L-theanine is naturally found in green tea and has very robust evidence proving its effectiveness in working synergistically with caffeine.

We were also frustrated with so many other delicious drinks being so full sugar. We wanted to make Taika authentically good for you by not adding any sugar. Instead, we use a combo of monk fruit and allulose, a naturally-occurring rare sugar that’s found in figs and wheat. It’s almost as sweet as sugar but has 10% of the calories and no impact on blood sugar.

Most canned coffees are actually too high in caffeine: around 200mg per can. For most people, this much caffeine is counterproductive as it creates too much stimulation. Based on scientific research and our tests, the ideal amount seems to be around 100mg per can. During our R&D process, we ended up developing a method which we’ve now patented for adjusting the naturally occurring caffeine in coffee. We use this to dial the caffeine for every batch we make.

How important was it that this coffee product tastes like *good coffee*?

Taste is the most important thing. Our focus has always been on taste, health, and wellness—in that order. Right now, most beverages are either delicious or healthy but rarely both. We wanted to create something that’s both uncompromisingly delicious and authentically healthy.

Our coffee is roasted by 49th Parallel in Vancouver, BC. They’re one of my absolute favorite roasters in the world and I’ve been working with them since 2015. Their direct trade sourcing practices are among the best and their roasting is consistently on point. If you’ve ever been in a cupping with me, you might have heard me complain about underdeveloped roasts. That never happens with 49th.

What category does this product belong in? Are there any other companies doing something similar?

Roughly speaking, Taika straddles two categories: premium ready-to-drink coffee and functional beverages. That being said—taking a step back, we see this massive trend emerging at the intersection of taste, health, and wellness. Functional foods, plant-based meats, keto cereals, and similar products are seeing rapidly growing demand from consumers who want easier ways of living proactive, healthy, and joyful lifestyles. We call this stealth health.

Stealth health means creating products that are uncompromisingly delicious, authentically good for you, and tap into existing behaviors like your daily coffee ritual. We believe that there’s a huge global demand for these stealth health products, so we’re starting by reimagining a beverage that’s a global commodity and gets consumed more than 2 billion times a day: coffee.

Tell us about the price point—when Sudden launched it was $6 per cup and the big question was how to scale and bring that price down. Is this a consideration with Taika?

After working in coffee for more than a decade, I started to see this big discrepancy between the specialty coffee industry and the mainstream consumers. We in the specialty world are obsessed with the origin: what makes our coffee special. However, for the vast majority of people, coffee is a functional beverage that can also taste nice. Over indexing on the origin alienates us from consumers who care more about functionality, ritual, and convenience. Billions of people in the world are physiologically dependent on coffee’s functionality but I’ve seen virtually no brands trying to improve this.

Instead of the origin, Taika is focused on the destination: how the coffee makes you feel. This doesn’t mean we don’t care about the origin. We work with 49th Parallel to source amazing single-origin coffee and do everything in our power to make sure the sourcing practices are top-notch; we just don’t put all that in front of the can.

There are plenty of origin-focused premium cold brews at the $5 price point. Taika is not an answer to the lack of good coffee, but rather to an abundance of it. We believe that for anyone looking to get more out of their coffee, we deliver significant value that justifies that price point.

The $6 price point lands us squarely in the mid-range of functional and CBD beverages, with Vybes ($8) and Dirty Lemon ($10) picking up the upper end of that range.

There’s a lot of magical language on the can itself. Is there a balance between magic and science when it comes to adaptogenic coffee products?

One of our customers in NYC made a point that it felt almost magical to get a case of delicious yet healthy macadamia latte delivered to her within two hours in the middle of a pandemic, especially when a typical Amazon or grocery delivery now takes several days or a week.

This is the perfect example of the “wow” experience I love to create for my customers. I closed my cafe in Helsinki and started Sudden Coffee to make great coffee more accessible on a bigger scale. With Taika, we’re building the version 3.0 of what I call “scalable hospitality:” leveraging technology to accentuate the product experience and enable our customers to connect with the brand in a fun and accessible way.

In the beginning, I put my personal number on the cans so people could text us feedback and order more. It worked so well that we decided to put the number front and center. We’ve had some hilarious philosophical discussions with people trying to figure out whether they’re talking to a bot or a human. It’s fun and weird—a pretty good substitute for not being able to go to your local coffee shop right now.

You’re debuting Taika during an unprecedented historical moment—has the launch strategy changed?

In early March, more than 80% of our revenue was coming from office customers. That disappeared overnight with the shelter-in-place order and we completely pivoted our beta to a DTC approach.

We were originally planning on launching in April and decided to push that back by a month. I know this is a really hard time for a lot of people, including a huge part of my beloved coffee community. It feels weird to be launching a new product now because there’s so much uncertainty and so many people are suffering on many different levels.

On the other hand, we’ve been running this private beta for over a year and the feedback from our friends and beta testers about the benefits of calming, immunity-boosting WFH coffee has been unequivocally positive. We feel like providing this product and a fun, lighthearted approach to the space at this time is a way for us to help people cope. To address concerns around social distancing, we also launched two-hour contactless deliveries in SF, LA, and NYC.

In addition, for every case sold we’re donating a case to our heroes, the frontline medical workers. So far we’ve handed out over 1,200 cans. If you know someone in the frontlines in SF or NYC who could use coffee, shoot us an email at hello@taika.co.

Where will this be available?

Taika is currently available for contactless local delivery within two hours in SF, LA, and NYC and select retail stores, including Erewhon in LA and Bi-Rite, Rainbow Grocery, and Good Eggs in the Bay Area.

What’s the next step?

Growing our team, expanding our retail presence in SF, LA, and NYC and starting working on some new, exciting stealth health products beyond coffee.

Thank you. 

Follow Taika on Instagram and visit their official website. 

Zachary Carlsen is a co-founder and editor at Sprudge Media Network. Read more Zachary Carlsen on Sprudge. 

Meet Taika: The New Adaptogenic Canned Coffee From Kal Freese published first on https://medium.com/@LinLinCoffee

[shebreathesslowly]

Meet Taika: The New Adaptogenic Canned Coffee From Kal Freese

Kal Freese is a two-time Finland National Barista Champion (2013, 2015) and part of the founding team at Sudden Coffee in the San Francisco Bay Area. Sudden Coffee helped launch a new category of specialty instant coffee—a wholesale rethink of the product that is still making waves around the specialty coffee world. Freese left Sudden in 2017 and is now the co-founder of Taika, a company that is today debuting a new line of ready-to-drink adaptogenic infused coffee beverages.

Taika, which means “magic” in Finnish, is launching with three plant-based coffee beverage offerings: a sugar-free, keto-friendly macadamia latte that Freese says “tastes like melted coffee ice cream,” an oat milk latte, and an unsweetened black coffee. All contain the same adaptogen blend of Cordyceps, Lion’s Mane, Reishi, Ashwagandha, and L-theanine designed to balance out the effects of caffeine and to, according to Taika’s website, keep the drinker “calm, focused, and clear.”

James Hoffmann—the London-based coffee vlogger, author, product spokesman, and World Barista Champion—is one of Taika’s early investors. He tells Sprudge he’s excited to work with Taika for several reasons.

“Firstly, and most importantly, they’re focused on the destination, where coffee takes you, how it makes you feel. Secondly, they really understand what great tasting coffee is and how hard it is to do well. This means that the moment they told me about the products, I wanted them in my fridge at home and at my office too. Most of the time I drink coffee because I either enjoy the taste or because I want focus and productivity, so that Taika does both without compromise or making me choose makes it incredibly compelling.”

Not bad as far as introductions go, but we just had to learn more. I spoke with Kal Freese digitally and asked him a range of questions about Taika, adaptogens, price points, and what he sees as the future of coffee.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. 

Hey Kal—thanks for speaking with Sprudge. How long has your new project Taika been in the works?

Kal Freese: I started working on Taika with my co-founder Michael Sharon in early 2019. Unlike most other CPG companies, we started by selling the coffee to our friends and their offices in private beta from the very first batch. This allowed us to get immediate feedback, iterate really rapidly, and sell over 50,000 cans before even launching publicly.

What’s in a can of Taika?

Both Michael and I love coffee (surprise). Alas, over the past few years caffeine started giving us nasty side effects many people are familiar with: anxiety, jitters, and heart palpitations. Decaf wasn’t the answer: most of the time we wanted some caffeine, but not too much.

This is when we learned about L-theanine and other adaptogens—natural plant extracts and functional mushrooms—that support the body’s ability to deal with stress. We started researching and experimenting with these compounds. Adaptogens turned out to be a game-changer in balancing the caffeine and reducing the side effects.

However, keeping a bunch of random capsules with you and remembering to take them every time you have coffee sucks. So we set out to create a coffee that’s absolutely delicious and perfectly calibrated with the highest quality adaptogens so there are no compromises.

We only use FDA GRAS certified natural plant extracts and functional mushrooms that have legit scientific evidence validating their effectiveness and safety. They also have a long history of demonstrated use in many cultures. For example, L-theanine is naturally found in green tea and has very robust evidence proving its effectiveness in working synergistically with caffeine.

We were also frustrated with so many other delicious drinks being so full sugar. We wanted to make Taika authentically good for you by not adding any sugar. Instead, we use a combo of monk fruit and allulose, a naturally-occurring rare sugar that’s found in figs and wheat. It’s almost as sweet as sugar but has 10% of the calories and no impact on blood sugar.

Most canned coffees are actually too high in caffeine: around 200mg per can. For most people, this much caffeine is counterproductive as it creates too much stimulation. Based on scientific research and our tests, the ideal amount seems to be around 100mg per can. During our R&D process, we ended up developing a method which we’ve now patented for adjusting the naturally occurring caffeine in coffee. We use this to dial the caffeine for every batch we make.

How important was it that this coffee product tastes like *good coffee*?

Taste is the most important thing. Our focus has always been on taste, health, and wellness—in that order. Right now, most beverages are either delicious or healthy but rarely both. We wanted to create something that’s both uncompromisingly delicious and authentically healthy.

Our coffee is roasted by 49th Parallel in Vancouver, BC. They’re one of my absolute favorite roasters in the world and I’ve been working with them since 2015. Their direct trade sourcing practices are among the best and their roasting is consistently on point. If you’ve ever been in a cupping with me, you might have heard me complain about underdeveloped roasts. That never happens with 49th.

What category does this product belong in? Are there any other companies doing something similar?

Roughly speaking, Taika straddles two categories: premium ready-to-drink coffee and functional beverages. That being said—taking a step back, we see this massive trend emerging at the intersection of taste, health, and wellness. Functional foods, plant-based meats, keto cereals, and similar products are seeing rapidly growing demand from consumers who want easier ways of living proactive, healthy, and joyful lifestyles. We call this stealth health.

Stealth health means creating products that are uncompromisingly delicious, authentically good for you, and tap into existing behaviors like your daily coffee ritual. We believe that there’s a huge global demand for these stealth health products, so we’re starting by reimagining a beverage that’s a global commodity and gets consumed more than 2 billion times a day: coffee.

Tell us about the price point—when Sudden launched it was $6 per cup and the big question was how to scale and bring that price down. Is this a consideration with Taika?

After working in coffee for more than a decade, I started to see this big discrepancy between the specialty coffee industry and the mainstream consumers. We in the specialty world are obsessed with the origin: what makes our coffee special. However, for the vast majority of people, coffee is a functional beverage that can also taste nice. Over indexing on the origin alienates us from consumers who care more about functionality, ritual, and convenience. Billions of people in the world are physiologically dependent on coffee’s functionality but I’ve seen virtually no brands trying to improve this.

Instead of the origin, Taika is focused on the destination: how the coffee makes you feel. This doesn’t mean we don’t care about the origin. We work with 49th Parallel to source amazing single-origin coffee and do everything in our power to make sure the sourcing practices are top-notch; we just don’t put all that in front of the can.

There are plenty of origin-focused premium cold brews at the $5 price point. Taika is not an answer to the lack of good coffee, but rather to an abundance of it. We believe that for anyone looking to get more out of their coffee, we deliver significant value that justifies that price point.

The $6 price point lands us squarely in the mid-range of functional and CBD beverages, with Vybes ($8) and Dirty Lemon ($10) picking up the upper end of that range.

There’s a lot of magical language on the can itself. Is there a balance between magic and science when it comes to adaptogenic coffee products?

One of our customers in NYC made a point that it felt almost magical to get a case of delicious yet healthy macadamia latte delivered to her within two hours in the middle of a pandemic, especially when a typical Amazon or grocery delivery now takes several days or a week.

This is the perfect example of the “wow” experience I love to create for my customers. I closed my cafe in Helsinki and started Sudden Coffee to make great coffee more accessible on a bigger scale. With Taika, we’re building the version 3.0 of what I call “scalable hospitality:” leveraging technology to accentuate the product experience and enable our customers to connect with the brand in a fun and accessible way.

In the beginning, I put my personal number on the cans so people could text us feedback and order more. It worked so well that we decided to put the number front and center. We’ve had some hilarious philosophical discussions with people trying to figure out whether they’re talking to a bot or a human. It’s fun and weird—a pretty good substitute for not being able to go to your local coffee shop right now.

You’re debuting Taika during an unprecedented historical moment—has the launch strategy changed?

In early March, more than 80% of our revenue was coming from office customers. That disappeared overnight with the shelter-in-place order and we completely pivoted our beta to a DTC approach.

We were originally planning on launching in April and decided to push that back by a month. I know this is a really hard time for a lot of people, including a huge part of my beloved coffee community. It feels weird to be launching a new product now because there’s so much uncertainty and so many people are suffering on many different levels.

On the other hand, we’ve been running this private beta for over a year and the feedback from our friends and beta testers about the benefits of calming, immunity-boosting WFH coffee has been unequivocally positive. We feel like providing this product and a fun, lighthearted approach to the space at this time is a way for us to help people cope. To address concerns around social distancing, we also launched two-hour contactless deliveries in SF, LA, and NYC.

In addition, for every case sold we’re donating a case to our heroes, the frontline medical workers. So far we’ve handed out over 1,200 cans. If you know someone in the frontlines in SF or NYC who could use coffee, shoot us an email at hello@taika.co.

Where will this be available?

Taika is currently available for contactless local delivery within two hours in SF, LA, and NYC and select retail stores, including Erewhon in LA and Bi-Rite, Rainbow Grocery, and Good Eggs in the Bay Area.

What’s the next step?

Growing our team, expanding our retail presence in SF, LA, and NYC and starting working on some new, exciting stealth health products beyond coffee.

Thank you. 

Follow Taika on Instagram and visit their official website. 

Zachary Carlsen is a co-founder and editor at Sprudge Media Network. Read more Zachary Carlsen on Sprudge. 

from Sprudge https://ift.tt/2T1hBd7

[gethealthy18-blog]

276: What You Need to Know About Olive Oil With Tony Kasandrinos

New Post has been published on https://healingawerness.com/news/276-what-you-need-to-know-about-olive-oil-with-tony-kasandrinos/

276: What You Need to Know About Olive Oil With Tony Kasandrinos

276: What You Need to Know About Olive Oil With Tony Kasandrinos

I am here today with someone I am so impressed with on many levels, especially his time management and everything he accomplishes. I thought I was busy, but I don’t hold a candle to Tony Kasandrinos, the co-founder of Kasandrinos Olive Oil. You’ve probably heard me sing the praises of this olive oil on the blog and seen me cook with it on Instagram. It’s one of my favorite staples in the kitchen! I think you’ll love the story behind this family-owned company as well.

Tony is a native of New York, but he spent a good portion of his childhood in his father’s village in Greece. And at the age of 17, he joined the Marine Corps, and he has been serving on active duty since then (thank you Tony!). It’s an honor to chat with him today about his favorite topic, olive oil, and his second favorite topic, ways to spend more quality time with family.

Episode Highlights With Tony Kasandrinos

What Tony has learned about health and life from his time in Greece

How the typical diet in Mediterranean countries compares to the U.S. (bet you can guess!)

Reasons for olive oil’s long-standing reputation as one of the healthiest oils you can buy

How polyphenols in olive oil help skin health

Whether we need to worry about “fake” olive oil

How to choose a quality olive oil

Tony’s tips for better time management and productivity… for the sake of more family time

His #1 hack for managing stress

Why I (Katie) carry Kasandrinos olive oil everywhere (in their single-serve packets… no, there’s not a giant bottle in my purse)

And more!

Resources We Mention

More From Wellness Mama

Do you use olive oil? What’s your favorite? Please drop a comment below or leave a review on iTunes to let us know. We value knowing what you think and this helps other moms find the podcast as well.

Thank You to Today’s Sponsors

This podcast is brought to you by Four Sigmatic, a Finnish company bringing the everyday magic of mushrooms to our daily lives. If you visited my home, you’d notice my homemade coffee/tea bar in my kitchen. Above it hangs 8 wooden cups, called kuksas… one for each member of my family. These have become part of our family tradition as we often sip mushroom coffee or superfood eelixirsfrom them at breakfast or after dinner during family time. Wooden cup or not, I highly recommend all of the Four Sigmatic products and you’d also find every single one of them in my kitchen! Here’s how I incorporate them into my day: in the morning, I will drink one of their mushroom coffee blends, the matcha, the coffee latte or mushroom mocha with chaga. Throughout the day I sip their chaga, cordycepts or lions mane elixirs on their own since these are all caffeine free but have a host of benefits due including a major boost of antioxidants. Nighttime means their calming turmeric tea or reishi elixir with a splash of macadamia milk. Mom tip: I also always keep their activated charcoal lemonade on hand for the first sign for a stomach bug… my kids love it and charcoal always seems to help. As a listener of this podcast, you can save 15% with the code wellness mama at foursigmatic.com/wellnessmama.

This episode is sponsored by Just Thrive probiotics. I found this company when searching for the most research backed and effective probiotic available and I was blown away at the difference in their products! They offer two cornerstone products that are both clinically studied and highly effective. The first is their probiotic, which has been clinically studied to help with leaky gut and to survive up to 1,000 times as much as other probiotics or the beneficial organisms in something like Greek yogurt for instance. The difference is, their spore-based strains work completely differently than other types of probiotics. Also, this probiotic is vegan, dairy free, histamine free, non-GMO, and is made WITHOUT Soy, dairy, sugar, salt, corn, tree nuts or gluten—so it’s safe for practically everyone…I even sprinkle it in my kids food and bake it in to products since it can survive at up to 400 degrees! Their probiotic contains a patented strain called Bacillus Indicus HU36®, which produces antioxidants in the digestive system – where they can be easily absorbed by the body. Their other product is a K2-7, and this nutrient—you may have heard of it—is known as the “Activator X,” the super-nutrient that Weston A. Price—a dentist known primarily for his theories on the relationship between nutrition, good health, bone development and oral health. He found this prevalent in foods in the healthiest communities in the world. Their K2 is the only pharmaceutical grade, all-natural supplement with published safety studies. Like the probiotic, this is also, gluten, dairy, soy, nut and GMO free. Both are best taken with food so I keep both on the table. My dad has trouble remembering to take supplements so he taped them to the pepper shaker, which he uses daily, and they’re now on his daily list as well. Check them out at thriveprobiotic.com/wellnessmama and use the code wellnessmama15 to save 15%.

Source: https://wellnessmama.com/podcast/tony-kasandrinos/

[trenttrendspotter]

Naturals Find Their Way Everywhere

It may already seem like a lifetime ago, but let’s look back for a moment at this year’s Natural Products Expo West. It sprawled with healthy goodness across the entire Anaheim Convention Center, which felt like its own naturals village.

I was pleased to see the tried and true pioneers still thriving and hopeful for the newcomers with good intentions. Nearly 20%, 600 of the 3,500 exhibitors, were new to the industry. The Natural Products Expo was always a safe haven, a place where everything was made with the best possible ingredients. Now I recommend walking the show floor with a watchful eye. Green and health washing CPG companies are trying to piggyback on America’s search for healthier habits and get sold the opposite. Buyer beware!  On the other hand, there are more truly wonderful brands out there than ever before

“The spirit of Expo West has always been innovation. The conversations happening at Expo West are often catalysts for change well beyond the natural products industry,” said Adam Andersen, SVP, events, New Hope Network.

The industry is seeing more B-Corps, diversity, funding and philanthropy than ever before.

Here are some categories we’re keeping an eye on.

CBD Buzz

There are over 100 double-blind studies that show the effectiveness of ginger against pain but none for cannabis. Yet CBD is a hot topic in naturals because it has the medicinal and therapeutic effects cannabis offers without psycho-active properties. Continue to keep an eye on this category, the players in it now are the ones making change.

Shrooming

Every mushroom species has its own unique health benefits that can naturally aid wellness and recovery. The mushroom experts at OM cultivate, grow, powder and package the healthiest fungi nature has to offer. OM makes it easy to recognize which mushroom species support which bodily function. With powders geared toward help with cognition, energy and even weight control, OM Nutrition harnesses the unique powers of mushrooms and brings them to you in powders that can be easily incorporated into any meal.

Seed Milk

Manitoba Milling is flexing its flax expertise again with better seeds and alternative ways to benefit from them such as flax milk, the latest entrant which happens to be thicker, which is great news for latte lovers.

Birth Control Detox

Even before you start taking your prenatal vitamins, Premama has a powdered pill-free supplement to ease your body into pregnancy. These aids can help with all aspects of a pregnancy whether it be digestive support, sleep assistance and can even prevent birth defects. This natural line of daily prenatal essentials can easily be mixed into drinks and soft foods and will see a new mom all the way through lactation.

Bright smiles are natural again

Bright white teeth are making a comeback, this time as a symbol of natural health and wellness with the introduction of ORALGEN’s NuPearl.32x Advanced Teeth Whitening System. The peroxide-free kit is a natural and healthy way to achieve dentist-quality results from the convenience of your own home. The NuPearl.32x system is similar to whitening procedures used in dentist offices, but is actually “zing-free,” and even vegan. By using the NuPearl Perfecting Whitening Pen, the natural whitening gel is applied to the teeth while the exclusive NuBright LED technology™ uses low intensity lights, emitting high levels of brightness in a single direction onto the whitening gel, delivering professional results in minutes.

For natural brushing, we found Davids natural toothpaste. It’s made in America using sustainable ingredients to achieve effective oral care results safely, and enhance consumers’ tooth brushing experience.

Spiritual chocolate

A new genre of chocolate is providing dense nutrition and purpose. Over 500 years ago chocolate was used as a delivery system for herbs and medicine. Yes Cacao creates botanical chocolates with unusual additions like GABA (an amino acid naturally produced by our brains to balance melatonin and serotonin), Kava Kava (a Polynesian herb used for unwinding) and Lions Mane (a mushroom used to improve memory). Yes Cacao strives to improve holistic health and overall wellness through a much loved piece of sweetness, chocolate.

Probiotics with benefits

The fight against allergies requires tough protection and Probiogen’s Allergy Defense is a condition- specific probiotic that gets you through allergy season. Formulated by expert microbiologist Kiran Krishnan, Probiogen has extra benefits as the only probiotic with breakthrough Smart Spore Technology, blended with key herbals to support a healthy immune system for seasonal relief.

Bye bye baby meds

As the demand for essential oils continues to rise with more people leaning toward natural methods of care, Oilogic has made it safe and impactful for babies and toddlers. Clear of synthetics and impurities, Oilogic’s fool-proof and convenient essential oils help calm and soothe children’s skin, stomach, mood and sleep for natural parenting support.

Super Seasonings

Fresh herbs are causing mayhem in the kitchen. Trying to keep them fresh and chemical free is difficult yet almost every dish relies on them to provide flavor and delight. Simply Beyond has solved this problem and more. With Simply Beyond, simply spray before, during, or after cooking and every day dishes are instantly customized to your taste buds.

Deep within the Himalayas, HimalaSalt is found. Naturally formed with essential minerals its clean flavor adds sophistication to your plate. Crucial for wellbeing, HimalaSalt restores your natural alkaline balance reflected in your blood. This organic, high quality seasoning is available as travel size salt shakers and mini salt grinders. HimalaSalt also offers serving bowls and round plates all made out of Himalayan salt.

The Sadaf brand shows us fermented black garlic bulbs, an ancient delicacy developed in East Asia. Kept under controlled heat, this black garlic becomes soft, rich and caramelized compared to fresh garlic that is pungent with too strong of a taste. You can use black garlic as a complement to any dish or as an ingredient in dressings, sauces, dips and more.

A return to real granola

Grandy Oats is what real granola tastes like. This company keeps its granola real with all organic, non-GMO, locally sourced ingredients made in small batches at a solar-powered plant for a cleaner, tastier, healthier granola experience.

New ways to love avocado

AvoLov is the first and only company producing dehydrated, crisp and seasoned avocado chips. Dried at a low temperature, the super food properties and creamy taste of avocados are kept intact. With seasonings like sea salt, sriracha and chili lime, you need to get your hands on this new healthy snack as soon as it becomes available.

Aural health

Ear health is one of the main five senses, yet it’s often neglected. Tightness, clogging and itchy ears can make you uncomfortable, unbalanced and cause hearing difficulty. Ear candling and drops are easy, safe, natural and relaxing ways to care for your ears. In fact, the benefits of ear candling extend way beyond the ears. The ear candling experts at Wally’s Naturals taught us that it’s a way to relax your entire body and mind. It has a soothing, calming and warming effect like a sauna or a steam and forces you to take time out and focus on yourself. Like hearing the sea when you put a shell to your ear, candling sounds like you are next to crackling fire. It is a great ritual to do before bed to help you calm down and fall asleep faster. Candling has been around for thousands of years. It has roots in South American culture. Wally’s Naturals sells millions of candles yearly and has done so for nearly 25 years. Wally’s Naturals has minimal wax, a filtered tip to stop debris, and is engineered not to drip.

Brew hard to get super ingredients

Many of us love the idea of adding superfoods to our favorite meals and drinks with convenience, but at what cost? Sometimes adding superfoods feels too forced and the taste of what you’re having is compromised in the process. BareOrganics has taken the superfood trend to the next level, simply by putting taste and quality ahead of enforced ingredients.The innovative team of nutritionists and tastemakers at BareOrganics have found a way to bring superfoods to your coffee and favorite teas without compromising the delicious taste. Each superfood added to BareOrganics Coffees & Teas are perfectly paired with the drink to enhance taste, not distract from it. They are also packed with probiotics to support digestive health with every sip. Compatible with most single serve brewing systems, all BareOrganics Brew Cups are recyclable and contain biodegradable filters and grounds for less overall waste.

Plant-based home care

Earthy has aromatherapy built right into its home and laundry products. This natural lifestyle brand uses only raw ingredients from the earth and aromatherapy to nurture your home and body so you can keep an eye out for the environment.

Harmless foods

Eating vegan is good for you, but it can still contain allergens.  VioLife is a dairy-free cheese that doesn’t have lactose, gluten, nut or soy and it comes in expected dairy varieties including blue cheese, mature cheddar, smoked provolone, feta and others.  And it is so delicious you won’t even want the other variety.

Human-grade pet perks  

Most natural pet lovers agree our animal friends should be eating what we eat.  Riley’s makes that easy with organic treats in gourmet flavors your dog is bound to savor as much as you do.  Pumpkin & Coconut, Peanutbutter and Molasses or Beet & Barley are just a few that will make you wish your pet would share.

Souping

I’d make my own if I had the time but it’s not always possible.  Next best is a Ladle & Leaf soup that is packaged in a glass jar you can keep in your fridge for when you need it.  They are all chef-made by hand.

Nut alternatives

Featuring an ancient super food, Organic Gemini discovered TigerNuts after starting a diet restricted to food that was raw, organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, and dairy-free. A TigerNut is a root vegetable rich with essential nutrients and high in protein. Organic Gemini provides TigerNuts in raw snack packages or concocted oils, flours or smoothie mixes.

Allergy-free burgers

With a strong dedication to making tasty gluten-free organic products, QRUNCH began experimenting with different grains, vegetables and spices to make something everyone would want to eat. Eventually the QRUNCH burger was born consisting of quinoa, millet and organic vegetables. Just throw the burger in the oven, on the grill or in the microwave for a warm, healthy, tasty, gluten free dinner.

Farm to frozen desserts

The same brothers that brought Italian ices from New York to California in the 70’s have reunited to reintroduce the Natural Choice rice-based frozen desserts and Absolute Fruit sorbets straight from the farm, two new acquisitions for the Brothers International Desserts.

Locally sourced alkalinity

Evamor water is sourced from a rare artesian aquifer that’s naturally rich in minerals. Helping to balance your body and your life, Evamor has a pH range between 8.8 – 9.1 allowing an environment alive with electrolytes and alkaline goodness.

No soaking needed    

Serious allergies to peanuts and dairy are incredibly present in the world today. Finding healthy alternatives to these very prevalent foods is a huge challenge. NutraMilk makes it easy to make these alternatives in the comfort of your own home in minutes. NutraMilk is a kitchen appliance that makes smooth and finely filtered nut butters and milks without the need to soak nuts overnight.

As seen in Whole Foods Magazine