#basbousa cake

[fullcravings]

Basbousa – Semolina Cake

[morethansalad]

Vegan Hareeseh / Basbousa / Namoura

[suetravelblog]

Moroccan Pastries

Moroccan Pastry Assortment – Pâtisserie GATÔ Marrakech Moroccan pastries are a favorite memory of Essaouira, and a special part of Moroccan culture. It took me a while to discover them, because they look different, and I gravitated toward tarts, croissants, and other more familiar-looking confections. Glad I discovered these treats, a great compliment for mint tea. Ghoriba Bahla – Cuisine…

[majianguo]

Trying basbousa for the first time at Babylon located on Jalan Legian, a sweet syrupy semolina cake which is popular in the Arab world.

[kristina100000]

my first time making basbousa cake & mahalabia, i already had sugar syrup prepared for the basbousa and it tastes really good, really rich in flavor and sweet. for the mahalabia i only added vanilla extract

[don-daygamerz]

Ben Barnes x reader who's in her 20s and Ben likes her one day he couldn't control himself and says it like "I know I'm older but I still love you" idk something like this?!?

Hi sorry for the delay, I'm on break from taking requests but I'm not going to abandon your request. So here's a taste of the dynamic between Ben and (Name) as I figure out what to put together. Just some headcanons whilst I work on your story.

- (Name) being a Young millennial/Millennial Z.

- I can imagine reader being an Actress and a singer herself rising through the ranks due to her unique talent.

- Ben and (Name) first met through mutual friends.

- In fact, they met at the Troubadour where Ben was actually performing that night.

- (Name) was also invited to perform as well.

- My girl did Rock music. And did she have some serious pipes.

- Ben could not look away from her performance. He thought she looked so ethereal but at the same time so enticing under the blue and dim lighting of the stage.

- The way she strummed her guitar to impossible notes made her look like a Metal Goddess.

- When the show was over Ben had the chance to introduce himself through a friend of his who conveniently knew her as well.

- He felt shy to approach such an intimidating but captivating young woman.

- He found her to be very attractive and quite adorable actually. With her highlighted hair, smokey eyeshadow with glitter, dressed in a black sheer lace top with a dark bra underneath and a pair of dark jeans and laced doc marten boots.

- Immediately fast friends when they started exchanging dirty jokes (Ben can be a hound dog for sure).

- Ben enjoys to cook and share with his friends and after getting to know (Name), he's insistent that she joins him for dinner (with some friends, of course...it wasn't a date...not yet).

- When she first came to dinner she brought over some special dessert from her culture (Whatever ethnic background she is; I'd imagine it being Flan/Basbousa/Avocado ice cream/Ube cake...etc. could be any)

- Ben loved her dessert. Made it official that she introduces more ethnic desserts to his colonizer palate.

- Ben saw something unique in (Name): she was so funny, eccentric, talented, free spirited, and crazy but in a good way.

- It wasn't long before they'd coincidentally worked together staring in the Marvel series 'The Punisher'.

- I'd imagine (Name)'s character being the sister to Frank Castle and there is some sort of chemistry between her and Billy Russo.

- (Name) doesn't know this but Ben has actually watched her films and series.

- After meeting her for the first time, he grew curious about her work and explored her films and music, and immediately became enamored by her method of acting and her lyrics.

- Her first time to explore London, Ben is there as well and offers to show her around.

- When he took her to the Harry Potter store (Name) couldn't help but mention how he would've been perfect for a Harry Potter film:

"Ha ha not you too."

"Yes, me too. I've seen your old pictures and you would've been the perfect Sirius Black. Ugh what a wasted opportunity but too late, you're...oooold." She'd exaggeratingly say the last bit in a grim voice.

"I am not old you just happened to be born really late."

"That's what an old person would say."

- His contact name on her phone would be 'Shadow Daddy' (She just had to since his character, General Kirigan, was trending like crazy)

- It was a slow start between the two. Starting off as friends but then things between the two became serious.

-Serious how?

Having dinner together with just each other.

Visiting each other's designated trailers.

Going to London's famous bookstores and exploring great literature.

Ben and (Name) would even do a music sesh or duet some songs together.

She even got to meet his family.

He met her family as well.

- I can imagine (Name) being well versed in technology.

- Young Millennial Zs are just good to adapting to new technologies and constructing their own system units. So it's only natural that she's good at it as well.

- She's also a pro at video games. Like really good that she makes misogynistic, fascist pigs cry like little bitches.

- Like the chick has her own customized mug/tumbler that reads 'FASCIST TEARS'.

- A total badass in Call of Duty (Warzone), Overwatch, Dead by Daylight, Dying Light, Friday the 13th, League of Legends, etc. Don't mess with her.

- Ben one time heard her lay down some serious trash talk and come backs at a bunch of sexist, misogynistic 'men'. (He had spare keys to her place and found her preoccupied in her gaming room)

"Woah! Are you a gamer girl?! Send me some titty pics, bitch"

"You can't handle my melons, bitch. If you're looking for some titty action go back to sucking your mama's. Annoying ass brat."

"This game ain't for girrrllls! Go back to the kitchen and make me a fucking sandwich!"

*Soon after he said that (Name) would constantly headshot his lame ass character barely even touching her or landing a shot at her*

"What the fuck?!Nah Nah, fucking bitch is cheating!"

"Ha ha ha! You fucking suck man. I don't think this game is for you so how 'bout you go to the kitchen and make my fucking sandwich."

- Oh yeah, (Name) is a major savage when ripping into those assholes.

- She was surprised Ben found her like that and felt embarrassed. She was worried he would find it appalling with spoke... Ben was such a composed fella and her... she was basically the devil incarnate ready to erupt and drink the blood of her enemies.

- But her worries went away when Ben chuckled at the scene he had witnessed and asked if she was okay (in a nice way) She'd later explained about how she was being insulted online and it made Ben worried.

- She told him not to worry and that she handled well by kicking their ass.

- Ben's not a gamer (I think) but he was really impressed with how she put down those sexist assholes.

- He found it kind of hot.

"Well that was an...interesting reaction, ha ha ha!"

"Stop laughing! I feel so embarassed that you had to see me that way!"

"I have to admit I found it quite cute how you swore at the screen. Ha ha, you looked like an angry chihuahua. Ha ha ha!"

"Ha Ha very funny"

"Alright, I'm just teasing you. I just hope you won't get into trouble"

"Nonsense. Besides...they only try and get my account reported for 'cheating'. It's not my fault they deliberately suck at playing."

"You are really good... It almost feels unfair."

"You say that because you've never beaten me at Mario Kart to this day."

"I've been practicing whilst I was away filming. So I'd like to think now I'm close to beating you."

"Ooh ho ho. Big talk eh. I'd like to see you try. Prepare to lose...again!"

- The two also enjoyed teasing one another that it gave everyone the impression that they were couple. Heck even their parents thought there was something more between the two.

- Ben laughed it off when his parents told him and he denied saying that he was too old for her. But they thought differently.

- (Name)'s mom was rooting for them (aww bless her) and her dad well...He didn't mind Ben but that was his sweet baby girl. To him, Ben was corrupting his sweet, innocent, little 'angel' baby (Ahahaha he can't see it clearly that his daughter is basically the devil who thrives on Cyberbullying fascist gamers... Yeaahh, an 'angel' for sure but there's nothing wrong with putting down toxic gamers. The girl is basically considered a saint in the gamer girl community)

- Sure there was a bit of a large age gap between the two but his parents had no qualms against whom he dated as long they treated him well. And they believed (Name) was the right fit for him.

- Ben would also invite her to one of his recording sessions and let her listen to him sing and play his piano.

- She would also invite to him to her recording studio to witness her play and come up with new songs.

- She'd be in awe of his talent and it would not go unnoticed by Ben which just bolstered his ego and made him flustered at the same time.

"Enjoy the show?"

"You were amazing! I mean... You all were amazing." She included the rest of the musicians who played by his side.

"Thanks, I'm happy to hear that."

"I heard that you're putting a lot of focus into your music since you didn't have the time to do so?"

"Yeah. I've put it off for a while since I wasn't so sure at the time but..."

"You're doing great and I'm not just saying that as a friend. It may seem late but you've put in a lot of work and creativity into it. I'd say all these years you just had some pent up creativity storming through that head of yours."

"Thanks that means a lot. I appreciate it."

"Happy to help. Ooh now that you're a rising musician does that mean I can be one of your groupies?!"

"Ha ha ha you can be so ridiculous!"

"That's what you love about me."

"You have no idea."

- Ben doesn't understand it yet but he always looked forward to (Name)'s words of encouragement and unwavering support as he trekked through the world of music.

- Despite the age difference the two shared their worlds and experience with one another and it brought them closer and closer.

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

[lee-romee]

date palm trees have existed in Palestine for over 5000 years, or before the bronze age & building of the great pyramid. it is one of the most important fruits in palestine. these trees can get to be 100 or more years old. both medjool & barhi dates are grown, the former being the most common & the latter have 3 stages of ripeness, a very quick season, & tasting like caramel. most dates are grown in Jericho & the Jordan Valley, in West Bank & the Gaza Strip respectively.

you can buy Palestinian dates here, from Jericho in West Bank. Yaffa is a UK brand that sells Palestinian products, dates as well as olive products & za'atar. this site has an extensive list of shops to buy palestinian dates from as well.

makrouta (pinwheel date cookies)

maamoul (date-stuffed semolina cookies)

ka'ek (anise date cookies)

basbousa (syrup-soaked semolina cake) with dates

date and walnut cake

date molasses

[mariacallous]

Basbousa cake is a sweet tradition for Rosh Hashanah with a pretty interesting history.

In the beginning of the 20th century, NILI was a Jewish espionage network which assisted the United Kingdom in its fight against the Ottoman Empire in Palestine during World War I. Sarah Aaronson, her brother Aaron, and their sister Rivka, together with Rivka’s fiancé Avshalom Feinberg, formed and led NILI from the town of Zichron Ya’akov on Mount Carmel. In the fall of 1917, the Turks were able to unravel the spy network resulting with the death of Sarah Aaronson and Avshalom Feinberg. A few years before being part of NILI espionage network, Avshalom wrote to Rivka a love song named “אלף נשיקות” (“A Thousand Kisses”) that later became one of the most iconic love songs in Israel.

Not far from Zichron Ya’akov, in the Arab and Druze villages of the Galil Mountains, basbousa cake was served for hundreds of years during celebrations of joy and love. Basbousa means “a thousand sweet kisses” in Arabic and, today, is a favorite throughout the Middle East.

This basbousa cake with halvah cream and semolina crumble continues the spirit of the holidays. The cake is made from semolina flour and is sweetened with rich and floral syrup. This recipe is inspired by the tradition of dipping apples in honey on the eve of Rosh Hashanah to symbolize the ultra-sweet year we hope God will grant us, and is inspired by the love and joy we share with our family and friends during the holidays.

[girlactionfigure]

"Imagine! After 80 days of war - basbousa!"

Palestinians are not starving in Gaza. They're eating cake!

Basbousa is a semolina cake, drenched in syrup.

[wizards101official]

for character suggestions maybe Sakura Mochi? Or Basbousa Cake? Idkk I wanna see more non-western sweets in the strawberry shortcake universe 🥰

She’s a baker :v

[quarklynx]

Here it is folks, the long-awaited Genshin Impact Birthday Cake Breakdown, Episode 3: Sumeru Cake!

Details below the cut!

For a filling between the two layers, I’d recommend a Swiss meringue, stabilized whipped cream or another kind of frosting flavored with Saffron, Caramel, Coco, Vanilla, Tahini, or another nut/seed butter. If you want to try something a little different, you could try making an Iranian/Persian Halva (comparable in consistency to a fairly dry fudge) to add in a thin layer between the cakes, with or without additional frosting layered in. 

Jumping right into it, the cake has inclusions that appear to be a nut of some sort and judging by the color and theme I believe that Pistachio would be an appropriate choice, though Almond is one of the few nuts canonically in Genshin Impact (according to the english translation) so that would also work. Cardamom, Rosewater, or Orange would be an excellent flavor accompaniment, especially since pistachio doesn’t have a super strong flavor on its own if you choose to go that route. If you use almonds, use blanched and halved ones, if you use pistachios make sure they're shelled and broken into pieces.

In the countries/regions of the world that Suemru is analogous to I found one kind of cake that stood out to me: Basbousa (also known as Revani, Namoura, Shamali, or Harissa) a kind of cake typically made with Semolina and yogurt that is then soaked in syrup, it can even be made with almond, coconut, or pistachio included in the batter. But if you’re feeling less adventurous, or simply want a consistency that is more expected of a western-style layer cake, then I do encourage you to at least find a recipe that includes your nut of choice in the ingredient list.

If the type of cake you choose allows for it, a syrup soak could enhance the flavors of the cake and keep it moist since it’s not frosted all the way around. Any of the flavors I suggest for other parts of the cake would be suitable for this, especially Rose, Citrus, and Cardamom.

Swiss meringue, stabilized whipped cream, or any other kind of frosting would be just fine for the piped star dots on the top, and the ring of dots around the filling as long as it has the correct consistency to make large full blobs. 

Now for the decorations. 

The berries on the side would likely be easiest to craft with fondant (which you can diy with marshmallows), but you could take that extra step to make the berries shiny by brushing them with egg whites or vodka and letting them dry. They also bear a resemblance to Goji berries, Cape Gooseberries, and Strawberries if you squint, so you could use some of those to decorate the cake instead. And though they do look quite a bit like tomatoes, I do not suggest putting tomatoes on your cake. 

The Sumeru roses do not seem to have a real world counterpart, though Columbine, Dendrobium Orchid, Lisianthus, and Rose of Sharon flowers seem passably similar. Gum paste or fondant may be your best bet here otherwise. Crocus, Hibiscus, and Lily flower tutorials in your chosen medium would likely help you to best put together an accurate looking Sumeru Rose. If you plan to use real flowers, always check to make sure they’re not toxic before putting them anywhere near food.  

The musical score and bird standing up in the back could easily be done with fondant or gumpaste adhered to dowels or skewers to keep it upright, but Chocolate would be an elegant option as well. The technique used in this video would work to create the large shapes and the bird, and this one would be suitable for the music notes and the treble cleff. 

The leaf behind everything is large enough that fondant or gum paste might be too heavy without substantial support, so I would recommend using Wafer Paper/Rice Paper. This video should help in the creation of a big leaf (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOI-I0IhUHY), though it may still need some support to stay in place. Synthetic lilypads and monstera leaves are available for purchase online and in some craft stores if you would like a simpler but inedible option. 

That's a wrap! Good luck, and if you try to bake it be sure to share your efforts with me, I'd love to see!

The Aranara heads and hats would also be easiest to accomplish with fondant or gum paste, though it could be possible to make the heads themselves out of buttercream like the frogs in this tutorial, or to make them like cake pops. The hats would be doable if you follow a morning glory or leaf tutorial for fondant or gum paste, use whichever substance you’ve already used for the other elements. Just don’t forget the glasses, tiny leaves, and the little bow!

Finally, there appear to be blanched almonds, small pistachios, pine nuts, or lotus seeds placed around the edge of the frosting on the top, and scattered flower petals and more crushed nuts. Rose, violet, pansies, or edible orchids would work here, though I'd recommend orchids if you can get your hands on them.

[kittensartswriting]

pie 🥧 for the october-themed writing asks?

Apologies if you’ve already got that one!

Thank you for the question! I haven't gotten this question yet! :)

🥧 pie: let’s talk about food in your wip. are there any special recipes or traditional meals? do any of your OCs cook or bake?

None of the main characters cook nor bake, only Valeri and Cassia can even do either, even though neither is good at it. Elpis though is a priestess, so she does cook and bake. One of her duties is to bake darkaos, a flat syrup almond cake, somewhat similar basbousa or ravani, which are bought by preyers and given to Skadi as a sacrifice. They are actually eaten still with afternoon coffee served by the temple to anyone, but mostly the point is to serve those who wouldn't have money for that.

Because the world is pretty huge and there's a lot of traditional local foods, I'll add maps here before going into them.

In Horegtos desert there's these massive water magic lizards, which are mostly bred for desert travel, but in some parts there's a traditional meal for big celebrations where they stuff the lizard with spices, vegetables and fruits and roast it. The roasted carcass is then placed at the center of the celebration and slices of it are cut as people eat it.

In Virén their traditional sauces are made from wine, broth, syrup and strong spices. There's various versions which range from sweet and mild to very strong and spicy. It can be a basis for a stew, soup or just used to coat the food. They also use a lot of goat milk to make cheese and yogurt and various foods and sauces from them.

In Cabalusia bear is very traditional food for special occasions. Overcooked bear, bear sausages and bear stomach stew are considered to be great delicacies.

In Dir'ahin raw fish cured with salt is traditional delicacy. They also have a lot of sour milk foods all over the spectrum from very drinkable liquid to cheese. Reindeer milk is very common in northern and eastern parts but a delicacy everywhere. Lamb, cow and deer milk are also commonly used in southern and western parts.

[morethansalad]

Vegan Semolina Cake with Lemon Syrup (Basbousa)

[burberrycanary]

Still Left with the River (The Paradox of Motion) ∘ a Stucky Post-TFATWS Fix-it

I’ve finished Still Left with the River (The Paradox of Motion), which is a post-Endgame, post-TFATWS Stucky fix-it that involves a lot of food.

Food serves many roles in the story, picking up from how eating together can be social and communal as we see at the end of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Food also holds memories—finding what you ate as a kid again or pulling back up shared memories that haven’t come to mind in a while. And food is part of how this story is a complicated love letter to New York City.

But, especially for Bucky, food is a doorway back into the world. It’s a way to be kind to himself and experience pleasure with his body that was tortured and controlled for so long: turned against him. Food—restaurants, bars—are also a way for Bucky to get out of that brutally bare apartment and be around people again; to have a chance to form new connections in a world where pretty much everyone Bucky has ever loved is gone. What he has left is New York, which like him is still here, however changed—rebuilt over and over, transformed beyond recognition maybe but persisting in its bones, in the essential parts.

But then Steve’s body has experienced a lot of pain in his life, too, and he knows a hell of a lot about loneliness.

In this story when Steve comes back, Bucky is generous enough to want to share with Steve some of what he’s found—parts from their shared past that have endured into the present and some of the tender-pale and fragile-green shoots pushing up out of Bucky’s destroyed and rebuilt life—while Steve is struggling to find his footing in a world that’s once again changed while he was gone.

To borrow a line: I love you. I want us both to eat well.

Of course, Bucky would be generous with Steve. But also, after loss piled on loss, Bucky has somehow gotten back the only other person on earth who could understand so much, who can remember with him. Though regaining something isn’t the same as getting to keep it, which Steve and Bucky know all too well.

“Steve.” Bucky’s thumb runs back and forth through the fine short hairs at the nape of his neck. “C’mon. Come upstairs. You’re gonna love this. Gołąbki and kopytka. They do it right with fried onions and a little sugar on top. Everybody forgets the sugar.”

Leaning closer, Steve thunks his forehead right into Bucky’s, which is a small jarring hurt he didn’t mean.

“But not us.”

“That’s right,” Bucky says quietly. His warm living breath fans out against Steve’s face, from the corner of his mouth across the lower half of his cheek. “But not us. So c’mon, you mook. Up.”

Still Left with the River is a story about survival. It’s a story about food, art and grief.

For those curious, a list of foods in the image from the story are below in the cut.

1) Classic halal cart chicken shawarma

2) Fries, served with aioli not ketchup, that came with their lamb burgers and...

3) Orval trappist ale

4) Grocery store cookies, the kind that come on a plastic tray

5) Pastrami sandwiches

6) Peak summer peaches

7) Sorrel (aka Jamaica)

8) Gołąbki with rice and meat

9) A huge diner breakfast with both pancakes and hash browns

10) Old fashioned sugar cookies

11) Whiskey (I figure Steve has been around enough to pick a good bottle by now)

12) Harissa cake (aka Basbousa)

13) The NYC cheese slice speaks for itself

14) Horchata, and...

15) Oreja tacos

[lollipencil]

SuperMoon: Part 4

I keep thinking about this one, so let's keep going!

Enjoy and be gentle ---

Khonshu looked up at the moon. It had been so many long years since he'd seen it last, yet it had remained the same. Even as human culture and clothing had become so alien to him, the moon remained.

His temple, his guilded cage, had withered over the ages. Had become so unknown, that humans wished to understand it again.

To the point of slaughter it would seem.

Shaking his head, Khonshu turned to the most important thing at that moment: his new hatchlings. They were admittedly strange, being restricted to a single body, not even with additional heads. But, he hoped, that he could take care of all of them equally in spite of that fact. An idea clicked into place: "I should get them a gift." Delight filled his mind, taking up so much of his thoughts, that he failed to notice the group of humans who had very much noticed him.

---

Marc kept his eyes closed as awareness returned. Scents he was not yet used to filled his nose, but he could tell that the young woman's had faded slightly. Then another filled his nostrils: the smell of chicken but far stronger than usual. And it stirred the almost agonising pit in his stomach.

The moment his eyelids showed even an inch of light, they flicked around before finding the plastic bag on the furthest table. Slowly, Marc climbed out of his nest. Each carpeted footstep was silent. Even the crinkle of plastic under Marc's hands was almost absent. Instinct drove him to take back into his nest, hunger drove him to tear into it with his teeth.

The chicken itself had long since been cooked into dryness, but it hardly mattered.

Yet, even as he tore it apart like it owned him money, Marc could practically sense two someones entering the room behind him. He paused his meal, turning his head slightly to view his "visitors" out the corner of his eye. Dr El-Faouly and the young woman had come back.

Marc blinked cautiously. Neither of them got closer. The woman waved slightly. Marc hummed in reply and turned back to the chicken. It took great effort to ignore the shuffling behind him, but he knew that they wouldn't take his meal from him. He still flinched slightly when the TV turned on, though.

Only once every little scrap of meat had been stripped from the chicken, Marc finally let the bones drop from his hands. "Doc?" he rasped. "I'm here," Dr El-Faouly lowered the volume of the TV as he turned to Marc, "Do you need anything?" "...What's happened to me?" "We don't know," Dr El-Faouly stated grimly, "But we'll help you work it out." "'We'?"

As if on cue, the woman walked back in. "Yeah," she said plainly, "We aren't leaving you alone with this. I'm Layla, by the way. Now, is it ok if I take away the bones?" "...Should be." "Right," She gathered the bones into the suprisingly still intact bag before turning to Dr El-Faouly, "Have you eaten anything?" "...Not since before the quake," he admitted. "I bought some basbousa on my way up, want some?"

It turns out, the only thing weirder than being gene-spliced by some creature, was sitting down and eating cake while watching TV as if it never happened. About halfway through some tearful confession he was only half listening to, Marc's eyelids began to droop. A yawn cracked his jaw before he could stop it and, with a soft chirrp, curled up. By the time the sun started to lighten up the sky, he was asleep.

[karisomk]

Ndithande Chapter 3 https://archiveofourown.org/works/43602945/chapters/111683053 https://www.wattpad.com/user/Karisiomk

Okoye passed by him to come into his home and the light scent of sweet vanilla followed her. For her to smell so good and look good, he wondered if he was pulling her attention from someone else at the moment.

“ I am not sure if you would be interested in tea or perhaps something stronger.” He called back looking at the kettle on his stove only to search through his cabinets for wine.

Okoye looked back at him, pulling the containers of food out carefully and placing them on the table. “I think since I brought you tea I suppose wine would be a good second choice to have” she gave a light shrug of her shoulders.

Due to Namor's habit of taking or tasting his liquor or wine when he wasn’t around. Attuma had placed most of his bottles on the very top of the cabinet hoping to make Namor leave his wine bottles alone. Frowning some, when noticing at least one bottle was out of place he made a note to himself to tell Namor to get his own damn collection. Snatching a bottle down he began to pull at the cork while fuming about his cousin.

“Do you need help with opening it? I do have a corkscrew I can get back at my home.”

The scent of vanilla wrapped around him once more he could practically feel her warmth. Curious brown eyes stared at him and then at the bottle in his hand, she was standing close to him and Attuma couldn’t help but let his gaze wander down to her lovely breasts.

Clearing his throat he felt his mouth begin to feel dry, and his grip on the wine instantly tightens. “No, I think I have it.” He said a little too quickly. A loud pop was heard, the cork flying out of the wine bottle straight to the ceiling missing Attuma’s face by mere inches.

Okoye jumped but brushed aside Attuma to get a towel to help clean up the wine that was now spilling everywhere. First his hand and now almost taking a cork to his eye, Okoye was a distraction to him that was causing bodily harm. Moving to place the wine bottle in the sink, he grabbed another towel just to clean the red wine that dripped all over his hands and splattered on his shirt.

“Well, it looks like much didn’t spill too much.” Okoye straightened to place the damp towel after she wiped up the wine off the ground. “And are you okay?” she questioned .“Yes. Just maybe I have shaken the bottle and didn’t realize it was almost pointing to my face. But let's eat before the food gets cold.” Attuma lied even though he offered a reassuring smile to her, his dimples showing some. Okoye nodded but leaned close to brush her hand against Attuma’s cheek, wiping away the specs of red wine off his cheek.

“You have gotten wine everywhere.” Okoye chuckled while patting his shoulder and moved back to the table. Attuma felt the heat rise in his face while his cheek still felt warmth from her touch, he was glad she pulled away from him. He was unsure if he would have resisted leaning more into her touch, allowing her to trace his face if she had the desire. Attuma gathered plates and silverware for both of them while taking the wine bottle from the sink.

The smell of cooked meat and spices filled the air quickly, Attuma handing silverware to Okoye before he sat down beside her to reach the dishes. “I am not sure if you ever had this but this is called Chicken curry, Shuri helped me, and also a dessert called Basbousa. “She explained. Attuma gave himself a generous helping of rice before getting just as much curry to cover it. “It smells delicious, I have heard Namor speak of a dish like this perhaps at a restaurant he’s been to. I’ve never heard of Basbousa though.” Attuma stated between small bites.

Okoye served herself but taking a smaller helping of the food and moved to pour herself wine and some for Attuma. “Mm, it's a dish from my homeland, well both of them are. A sweet like cake. “ she mused. “Curry Chicken can be spicy but I asked Shuri to ease up on that for I was uncertain if you can handle it. “ A soft grunt came from him, “Do not alter your dish because of me, I prefer it spicy anyway.” Attuma cleaned his plate only to help himself to some more of the Curry Chicken, Okoye was glad that she decided to make a big pot of it even though Shuri grumbled in the process. His body was warm while his face was flushed but he ignored it. The dish was spicy, and his tongue was burning but yet he had the audacity to ask for her normal level of spicy for the dish. He couldn’t bring himself to stop eating because it was too good. The mixture of spices was refreshing to him, better than most dishes he cooked for himself. There was a glint of humor in Okoye’s eyes when she looked at him ever so often but she didn’t say anything.

“Do you do everything out here by yourself?”

The question came after a moment of silence and after Attuma finally had his fill of food, pulling his glass of wine closer to him. He nodded just as he took a sip, enjoying the strong but bitter taste of the wine.

“For a couple of years now, sometimes my cousins help me but it’s mostly me.” Attuma and Okoye allowed the surprised expression on her features.

“That is impressive considering running a ranch is very hard work. Your cousins should help you more, from day to day things could be difficult.” she mused. Attuma shook his head, “It may be difficult but I will not ask them to do that. They may join me on their own will.”

“I could help you on days that I am not busy if you do not mind.”

Attuma damn near choked on his wine and stared at Okoye, “ I am flattered but you said it yourself that it is hard work. Do not make promises you can not fulfill.” Part of him hoped that this wasn’t Okoye’s way of proving to flirt with him.

“I know what I said, Attuma. I have you know that I am well aware of what goes on in a ranch, my-.” she started to say not wanting to mention W'Kabi, her ex-husband she feared that it would change the mood. “Look, if you ever do need help and I am close by just let me know,” she said sincerely. Attuma glanced at his wine glass, tilting it carefully while watching the dark liquid for a second. Women that have made passes at him in the past had said the same thing and he never humored it because of his disinterest.

“Can you ride a horse?”

The question was sudden but an honest one while he glanced at her once more. Admiring how the light from the sun was now shifting, casting beautiful shadows on her face.

“Eh? Yes. I used to own a horse or well the horse doted on and was practically my own.” she explained carefully. Getting to his feet, he placed his glass down and pushed in his chair.

“Let's go for a ride then.”

Perhaps the wine was making her mind swim but excitement filled her as she got up to her feet, she followed him back outside his home and around to the back of the house. The wired fence stretched away from the property but was gated off with a wire fence giving enough pasture for the two horses and a few cows he had whenever out for rotational grazing. Since the cows were out strolling about in the gated pasture, the horses were in their stalls. Attuma led them to the barn, pushing the doors open wide while he spoke, “ I am going to take a guess and say you were raised on a ranch?” he questioned while Okoye carefully peered into the few gates doors where some horses were facing away. “Yes,” she said softly and Attuma nodded seemingly content with the answer for now.

Though she failed to mention again that even her ex-husband had one and both equally tending to the lands. Okoye weighed the options if things were to grow serious she would mention him, but for now, she couldn’t. That subject was a layer of personal issues she didn’t want to go into. Besides, she did notice that Attuma hasn’t yet said anything about his own personal life.

For all she knew, he could be entertaining this evening just as much as she was. Pointing at the black mare, who was faced away from the gate. “What are all your horses' names? This one is very pretty.” Attuma moved to stand by Okoye,” That's Nalo. And the chestnut that's now looking at you is Azi” he replied moving to pet Azi. “ Getting a horse bit piece, Attuma moved back by Azi to slip the piece into the stallion's mouth and secure it. Opening the gate, he guided the horse out near the saddles. Okoye gave the two space, admiring how Azi seemed to be eager about going for a ride. Azi tries its best to gently tug at Attuma’s shirt or even nudge him. Placing folded blankets on the back of the horse, Attuma finally placed it on a saddle and secured it.

Snapping on the reins, he looked to Okoye who came close to his side admiring Azi. “Don’t mind him, He’s showing out because you are here. “ Attuma offered his hand to Okoye to take so he could help her onto the saddle. A soft slender hand met a strong grasp, she held onto him firmly while holding the pommel of the saddle to ease up onto the horse. Attuma only let go of her hand to lightly hold her hips to guide her and to make sure she didn’t fall. He climbed onto the saddle next, only shifting some to get his footing right once on. His strong arms around Okoye to get both reigns, her back pressing lightly into his warm broad chest.

With a firm nudge into Azi’s side and the flick of the reins, the horse moved into a slow trot. Each light bounce pushed Attuma’s and Okoye’s hips into one another while Okoye gripped the pommel, but she prayed to Bast to cease her hammering heart. “Okoye-” Attuma said too softly into her ear, though she swore she could hear the humor in his tone when her shoulders tensed slightly. He was enjoying this too much.

“You said you were familiar with horseback riding and if you would like I could give you the reins. To the right by the pasture, there is a trail path that circles back around this area. It takes us by a lake and we make our way back again.” Holding the leather reins in one hand, he held them close to Okoye who took them after a moment. “Do you not believe me?” The question was blunt but she was curious but she wasn’t complaining. “I did at first but usually those that aren’t familiar horses tend to get nervous once near one or riding one. You didn’t.” he pointed out, watching as Okoye steered Azi onto the trail path that led to the lake. Rust and pink hues were scattered throughout the clouds as the sun had slowly begun to set. Okoye huffed and shook her head, an honest answer that came from Attuma at least. The air began to cool down, a welcoming change from the dry heat that lingered all early afternoon.

“My most recent horse was named M20, he was light gray but looked white from afar. A very kind horse tried his best to follow me around everywhere. I wasn’t his true owner but doted on me” she said with a faint smile. “Azi reminds me of him, he would not waste time nudging me or trying his best to eat or pull my clothing.” she chuckled. For once she was glad that Attuma couldn’t see her face, the longing for the horse lingered in her gaze.

“And where is he now?” He questioned, allowing one arm to carefully wrap around Okoye’s waist but his hands settled on the pommel of the saddle. “M20 is with his true owner and that was someone that I had been with at the time. My ex-husband,” she admitted.

There was a long silence, several questions that lingered in the back of Attuma’s mind now all being answered at once. Why he didn’t see anyone with her, no ring on her finger as well. But just as those questions were silenced, more arose with him.

“You miss him.” Attuma pointed out carefully while looking at the path ahead of him. The statement held a double meaning. While a foreign feeling burned his chest at the thought of her being distracted by another. Okoye’s sigh only made the sensation worse. Grassy plains stretched as far as the eye could see. Wildflowers of various colors all spread out before him, the scent of floral faintly moved passed them every so often.

“M20? Yes. The animals on the farm that I helped raise, were mine just as much as his. Yes.” Okoye frowned some. “Mm,” Attuma said softly, what odd sensation he felt that he could only label as jealousy slipped him.

“He took it away from you?”

“I gave my portion away, I wanted nothing to do with him or anything that could tie me to him.” Memories of her and W’kabi arguing with one another filled her mind, how W’Kabi tried to convince her to stay. That the moment of weakness he had that made him look to other women for comfort would not happen again. That he loved Okoye and that he would do better for her. This weighed on her heart, being forced to leave the memories of a proud W’kabi learning to garden for her. Or being chased by his own chickens out of the hen house. The brief envious that W’Kabi would have over his own horse M20 would favor Okoye and even try to push W’Kabi away. All these light memories could not outweigh the bad ones that hurt her. W'Kabi cheated on her and in return had the gall to still hope for Okoye's forgiveness.

Sudden warmth around her made her gasp, bringing her back to the reality that she was still with Attuma. Attuma’s strong arms had wrapped around her firmly, “ I am sorry, I shouldn’t have brought that up. If you would like to go back already we can.” he said quietly to her. He had seen the tension, the distant look as if Okoye was on the verge of shutting him out.

“No, it is not your fault. And no, I want to see the lake you mentioned.” Okoye stated, though placed one of her hands on his forearms and patted lightly. She welcomed that there was no judgment or ill thoughts towards her about this confession. Okoye had feared this would turn the evening into a short awkward one.

“We’re almost there, just pass that hill” Attuma pointed ahead of them while the grassy plains slowly became an incline. Attuma placed a hand over Okoye’s gesture for her to stop Azi at the top of the hill. The incline was high enough to overview his ranch and her home, and the road that led into town. Giving a beautiful view of the land and the lake itself. The sun had disappeared below the horizon, and orange and pink were replaced with deep blues and purples in the sky. Those same colors reflect on the calm large lake.

“It’s beautiful.”

Attuma nodded slowly, taking his hand off hers to place it back on her waist, Azi moved forward again down the incline and closer to the lake. “This was a favorite place of ours as children to visit, back then the lake was filled with fish too. We could swim all day, catch fish and go home to eat,” he explained. “When part of this property was lost, it became overfished and damaged. For the most part, I have repaired the pier and have it where if you catch it you release it back into the lake. This allows the fish a healthy cycle of growth and increases its population of them.”

Okoye didn’t pry about the term of lost, knowing that some type of legal battle had to ensue over the area. “Well I am glad that this is back in your care,” she said with a light smile. The wind began to pick up some, bringing more cool winds as it became darker. The lake was quiet besides fishes breaking the surface every so often to eat bugs that dared to hover too close to the surface. She steered Azi with ease, urging the horse to go back towards the hill to start making their way back to the ranch. Attuma chuckled to himself, his deep chuckle made his chest rumble some. Part of him was certain that Azi didn’t mind Okoye either for he had taken to her naturally. As many times Azi had pulled his reins out of Namor’s hand purely out of spite. Azi was very good for Okoye this evening.

“What?”

“Mm nothing, just Azi seems to like you too,” he confessed after a moment. A soft laugh was his reward from her, not minding how she leaned into him while they scaled the hill. “Oh, so it isn’t just that Azi likes me, hm.” she teased lightly. “Do not tell me I must spell it out for you.” he quipped back. “No, I think you almost taking a cork to your eye did let me know everything that I need to know. “ she hummed but laughed at Attuma’s slight huff. Each time he came close, she saw the way he froze up while soaking in every part of her. She wasn’t blind when his eyes lingered on her.

The night sky revealed bright stars that scattered out as the moon began to slowly raise. The path back seemed way too short for Okoye’s liking but she enjoyed it. “Thank you and thank you Azi for taking us to the lake today. "She said, reaching to lightly pat the horse while approaching the pasture. Attuma’s hand slid further up Okoye’s stomach slowly pushing her back towards him, while he leaned over her shoulder.

“Perhaps we can do this again.” Attuma offered while Okoye looked up at him, searching his eyes while he did the same. “I am sure Azi would enjoy that too.” He leaned closer to her, brushing his nose against hers. Feeling her hand touch his cheek, Attuma moved to place his lips against hers carefully. Afraid that she would know that he wanted to kiss her since his first night seeing her. Feeling her lips part for him, his warm tongue brushed against her slowly and Attuma’s head began to spin. The kiss deepened, and Attuma’s embrace tightened while their tongues swirled and pushed against one another until they were forced to pull for a breath.

“Yes, very soon,” she whispered against his lips. Attuma smiled, pecking her lips and then pecking her forehead.