#best Kitchen Suppliers in Worcestershire

[survivingthejungle]

Little Lies iv.

I LIIIIIIVE

When the rest of the Shelby family had gotten up that morning, it was revealed that they were going down to take care of business with a family called the Golds at a place referred to as ‘Charlie’s yard.’ Your mother and father were adamant about not wanting to be any more associated with their ‘business’ than they already were and Tommy understood. He did, however, point out that with the entire family gone, the three of you were to be alone in the house; therefore he appointed a handful of new Blinder boys to keep watch of the house and the family inside of it (he emphasized that they were to protect the ‘girl’ first, but neither you nor your parents knew that little detail). 

Hours and hours later a handful returned, after having belated Christmas dinner right out in the open. Tommy was still nowhere to be seen and you’d heard in passing that he was likely still at Charlie’s, drunker than hell. In the rain a policeman came knocking on the door, but before it was revealed that he was a policeman Linda came downstairs with a gun in her hand, ready to shoot. You stood at the top of the stairs watching her while your parents were back getting ready for bed.

“Who is it?” she called out.

“Inspector Moss.” She handed the gun to you with instructions to go and put it on her bed. When you came back downstairs she was still at the door and the officer wanted to leave a message for Tommy with her. You hid behind the wall, not wanting to be seen but wanting to hear what he had to say. “The, uh, intelligence officers in London have sent seven officers up to Birmingham… to take over the investigation into the communists and seditionists. They’ve got a list of people of great interest and, uh, top of that list is Ada Thorne, formerly Shelby. Now, they seem to think that she came back from New York to organize a revolution in Birmingham.”

“Well tell them they’re wrong,” Linda corrected him. You didn’t know Ada too well but she was very sweet, even though a little intense. “Ada Shelby’s now firmly back in place in the family business.”

“Thing is, when you get a mark against your name… it’s very hard to shift it. They will come looking for her.”

“Well, tell them there’s a queue; everybody wants a Shelby.”

“Mrs. Shelby,” the officer interrupted, getting clearly bothered by her stance. “These are military men, no less dangerous than any Italians. You tell Tommy. I think he’ll understand.” The officer then wished her a good night and left as she turned her back and shut the door. You stepped down off of the last stair. 

“Is everything alright?” you asked, even though you knew it was not. 

She put on a brave face for you. “Yes, dear, everything’s alright. Just a pesky policeman. Nothing to fret about. Would you like some tea?” she asked, leading you into the kitchen. You took a seat at the table. 

“Yes please.” 

She began filling up the kettle and placed it on the stove. “Better get right to bed after this; a young girl needs her beauty rest.” She smiled maternally at you. You knew that she and Arthur had a son but something about interacting with her gave you the feeling that she desperately wanted a daughter, as well. You also got the feeling that she would find a surrogate daughter in you.

The two of you drank your evening tea in relative silence and you went back up to bed, passing Tommy’s room on the way. You peeked inside; it was empty. Figured, you hadn’t seen anyone come inside. Yet you were still mildly disappointed that he still hadn’t returned. You looked both ways down the hallway to check for anyone who may have seen you. When you realized no one had done so, you crept slowly into his room, shut the door, and curled up under the covers.

You didn’t like knowing that Tommy was out and about somewhere where he may be getting harmed, but being in his room and his bed gave you a sense of comfort. The pillow and the blankets all smelled like him, and that mixed with the gentle warmth of so many covers lulled you off to sleep. 

In the early hours of the morning you became groggily half-aware of your surroundings. There was a dip at the edge of the bed, the sound of someone removing their shoes, and then someone slipping in to bed behind you. “Tommy?” you whispered, almost inaudible.

His hand stroked your head and he wrapped an arm around you over the covers. “Shh, go back to sleep.”

“Okay.”

—

You were awoken at six in the morning, told to be ready by seven, and made to leave at eight. Sometime during the entire morning fiasco you were informed by Tommy that you were to go with him to the factory that day and meet a boy named Bonnie Gold. Strange name, you thought, but figured it was just a British thing you weren’t used to. Your parents had been informed that you were going on an outing because ‘as a young girl, you shouldn’t be expected or forced to stay in a small house all day’, and that ‘you ought to get acquainted with some people your own age’. They gave their blessings and you were off. 

Tommy opened the door for you like a true gentleman, shut it, and got in on the other side before he said anything substantial to you. “You’re not going to the factory to meet Bonnie Gold.” You looked at him quizzically. “You’re coming with me so I can keep an eye on you.”

Your eyes widened slightly and you felt a bit incredulous. “Me? Did I do something wrong?” You couldn’t imagine why he would feel the need to ‘keep an eye’ on you all day unless he thought you’d do something wild.

“Oh, yes; you’re quite the troublemaker,” he smirked and tapped your nose. You scrunched your face and swatted him away. He got more serious as he started the car and began driving. “I’d feel better if I could keep you close all day. Know no one is gonna come after you, then.”

Your heart fluttered and your stomach erupted into butterflies. You said nothing in response, but you did grab his hand, smile sweetly, and place your head on this shoulder.

He let out a heavy breath. “Oh, you’re gonna be the death of me.”

— 

Tommy and the other Blinders who accompanied you into the building were strutting like there was no tomorrow; their eyes were cold and focused and anyone who looked at them could see that no matter what went down— they meant business. You struggled to keep up but managed not to fall too far behind Tommy when a man (who you assumed to be in charge while he was away) approached him. “Mr. Shelby; thank God you’re back. We’ve got real trouble.”

If Tommy was at all fazed by the statement, he didn’t show it. “What meetings do I have today?” he asked, disregarding the information. 

“Um, well, there’s a supplier from Coventry at ten; uh, the convener with the boilermakers unit at eleven, and then Chamber of Commerce at one. But that isn’t the thing--”

Tommy interrupted him. “Right. Clear the space here,” he began, taking out a cigarette and lighting it, “Move this car back, give me a hundred feet of rope and a bell.” You looked at him with knitted brows; what was he planning to do? You couldn’t imagine it had anything to do with his meetings for the day. The gentleman next to him was as confused as you.

“Rope?” he asked, dumbfounded. 

“Yep. And a bell.”

The man couldn’t have it. “Mr. Shelby, this place is about to explode,” he whispered sharply.

Tommy seemingly didn’t care at all. “A rope and a bell, Devlin,” he repeated, taking a drag. He motioned to you and Bonnie, as well as the older man next to him. “Bonnie, (Y/N), this way.” Before you could even register what he’d told the two of you, he was already moving. You did a brisk run-walk to catch up. You walked closely behind him, feeling very intimidated by all of the hard-looking men around you, the loud clang of metal on metal, and the sparks flying from every direction. “There he is, Billy Mills,” Tommy called out, his Brummie accent clearly evident. “Former heavyweight champion: Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and Worcestershire. Hello, Billy,” he greeted the man, who was sweating from the furnace he was working so closely to. 

“Yeah,’ Billy responded. “And now I work for you, Mr. Shelby, for not enough money.”

You began to feel nervous about this encounter. Was it about to get belligerent? You really weren’t in the mood to see two very large, very strong, grown-ass men get into a fight over money. Tommy just looked at him and took another drag. 

Instead of getting angry, he pulled out a wad of cash and held it out to the man. “Right. That enough for you?” Holy shit, you thought, I don’t know much about British currency yet, but that has to be a lot of money. 

Billy was wary of it, and you didn’t blame him at all. “Enough for what?”

“Someone here who wants to fight you,” Tommy told him. “Bonnie Gold. Come here, son.” Bonnie approached the man. “I’m an ‘eavyweight,” Billy warned, gesturing to Bonnie. “He’s a welterweight at best.”

Tommy nor Bonnie much cared about that. “Nevertheless, he wants to fight you.”

“Yeah. And then when I damage him, the Blinders will take my eyes.” Oh, Jesus. That’s graphic. 

Tommy shook his head at the man. “No come-back Billy. Just a fight. Queensbury rules.” You wondered what that meant but kept your mouth shut. He began to walk away and you trailed after him dutifully, like a puppy following its owner. You briefly entertained the idea that that was exactly what your relationship was. Billy then called out to him.

“When?”

“Now!” Tommy yelled back. 

“Where?”

“Here!”

“Tommy?” you asked, voice much quieter than you intended it to be. He slowed his pace a bit and allowed you to walk side-by-side with him, looking down to you. 

“Yes, love?”

“What’s going on?” you finally asked.

“Keep up, little girl,” he poked fun at you; “There’s to be a fight.”

“Yes, I can see that,” you retorted. “But like… why?”

He just winked at you and kept walking. “You’ll see.” The two of you came to stand at the edge of the makeshift boxing ring while Arthur went around placing bets with several of the workers. He then leaned down slightly and spoke quietly into your ear. “For lack of a better term, Bonnie Gold’s going to kick his ass.”

You nudged him with the side of your elbow. “Watch your words,” you joked. He smiled softly (so that his men couldn’t see him show emotion of any kind). The two of you fell into a comfortable silence and you looked up at him once more.

He truly looked like the most beautiful man God had ever created in that moment. He was focused on the action going on within the ring, but you could see the light from outside glint softly in his ocean eyes. He jaw was sharp and set and his lips just looked so lovely…

You wrapped your arms around his and he looked down at you again, very softly. “My men are never gonna respect me again if they think I’ve gone all soft for you,” he warned, but there was a playful tone in his voice. You smiled up at him in response, and lay your head against his arm. You were calm and content in the moment-- then the fight between Bonnie and Billy began. You turned your head against Tommy’s arm, only allowing one eye to peek at the fight. “What,” Tommy teased, “My brave girl’s afraid of a boxing match?” “I just don’t wanna see them kill each other; that’s all,” you defended. 

“They’ll be all right,” he assured, and turned his attention back. 

—

Tommy was right. Bonnie absolutely kicked the man’s ass. By the time the fight was over- which was not long after it began- Billy was laying on the ground with a bloody nose, unconscious. Arthur chucked. “Fuck me. That was a punch.”

“Jesus H. Christ,” you muttered, eyes wide. The two Shelbys laughed at that. Then Bonnie came over to his father and Tommy began to question him. 

“Does he have fits?” “No,” the man answered. 

“Asthma?”

“No.”

“How’s he cut?” Arthur added. 

“Well, no one’s cut him yet, but his skin’s thick.”

“Does he drink?”

“Water. Sometimes.”

“How many fights?”

“Twenty-five, bare knuckle, all knockouts. Five with gloves in pastures, all knockouts.”

“Holy shit!” you exclaimed. Tommy looked at you pointedly; silencing you immediately. “Sorry.”

“Against Romany fighters?” Arthur asked. 

“That’s why they won’t let us in the fairs no more! He keeps winning!”

Bonnie cut in for himself. “I could fight a fucking tree and knock it out, Mr. Shelby.

Devlin, the man from before, approached Tommy just then. “Mrs. Eden is waiting upstairs.” “Yeah, I’ll be there in a minute. Arthur?” he nodded his head and began walking away and you walked with him, unsure of where to be. “Just a minute, love,” he told you, and walked on with Arthur while you stayed put. 

Once he was out of earshot he continued. 

“What was that about?” Arthur asked. 

“She doesn’t need to know this bit. What do you think?” he asked quietly. 

—

The two brothers rejoined you soon enough and walked over to Bonnie and his father, offering him a deal the boy simply couldn’t refuse. The Shelbys would take him on- sponsor him- and in return they would get a good sum of money from all of his winnings. Then Tommy was on to his meeting with the woman Eden and left you in Arthur’s charge. “What was I not allowed to hear about?” you asked him.

“Oh, nothin’ important,” he mused, not making eye contact. “Just business talk is all. Nothin’ you need to worry your little ‘ead about. Now, c’mon,” he gestured, leading you outside of the factory, “How about we get ourselves some food to eat?”

—

Later that afternoon, when you and Arthur had returned from lunch, the factory was completely empty. “Where is everyone?” you asked. 

He grumbled. “Out on fucking strike,” he responded. “Fucking hell.” He turned to you. “Go on up to Tommy’s office. He should be there. Jessie Eden’s gone by now.”

“Okay. Bye, Arthur. Thank you for lunch.” He gave you a small smile and a curt nod and you were on your way. You knocked on the door to Tommy’s office and waited for him to answer. 

“Come in!” he called. Once he saw you his gaze softened. “Ah, there’s my little bird.” You smiled and headed over to him. He had stood up by now and embraced you warmly. “Did you behave yourself?”

“Yes, Tommy,” you promised, and he kissed the top of your head in response. 

“Good girl. Give me a minute and we can go take a walk outside for a bit.” Another knock on the door. “Yeah, come in.” It was Devlin again. 

“I did say this would happen,” he pointed to the window. Tommy ignored that.

“Who’s next?”

“Um, he’s a, a delegate from the European Council for Trade. He’s here to talk about the import of car parts to France.” “Right.”

“He’s come all the way from Paris… But, given the circumstances, I could send him away?”

Tommy considered it for a moment before responding. “Given what circumstances? Send him in.” Devlin nodded and left. 

“Tommy?” you asked. “Should I go?”

He shook his head no. “Not at all, love. You’re free to stay right here.” Then the door opened again and Devlin introduced the man he was to meet. 

“Mr. Shelby, this is Monsieur Paz from Paris.” Tommy stared at ‘Paz’ blankly, as if trying to decide if he recognized the man or not. Then Devlin left and the man spoke. 

“I heard you had trouble,” he began, in an accent that was clearly from New York. “It’s good of you to see me.” He looked at you. “Now, I don’t believe I know who this is?” He glanced from you to Tommy. You looked to Tommy, silently pleading for instruction. His face was stone cold and he showed no signs of emotion whatsoever. 

“(Y/N). Why don’t you wait just outside,” he quietly suggested. You took the bait and ran. 

“Yes, Tommy.” Speeding past the sketchy man, you uttered a ‘pardon’. 

“Good afternoon to you, miss,” he drawled, completely unaffected by the tense air in the room.

—

“... Ada Thorne, (Y/N) (Y/L/N), and finally… Tommy Shelby.” Luca Changretta placed the final bullet from Tommy’s empty gun onto the table. “None of you will survive,” he threatened as he stood up. “Your level of security is pitiful,” he added, looking out the window at you. “And we are an organization of a different dimension. I could’ve killed you when I walked through that door… You and your girl. But you see… I want you to be last. I want you to be alive after your entire family is dead; ‘cause my mother says that is what’ll hurt you the most.

“Your people have traditions of honor. As do we." He lifted up a blind from the window and looked out at you again. “Instead of sending you a black hand, I could’ve had you killed in the night. You don’t know why… But I want you to know why. And I wanna suggest to you, that we fight this… vendetta, with honor.”

Tommy, looking pissed as all hell, places his emptied gun down on the table. “No civilians,” he began, “No children. And not the girl. She’s not involved in this.”

“No police,” Luca added, as if he were suggesting something thoughtful. “Girl seems to me to be pretty involved, if you understand what I’m saying to you,” he smirked. Tommy ignored the snide remark and continued. 

“Welcome to Birmingham, Mr. Changretta.”

“Grazie.”

[geekade]

Geekade Top Ten: Stock Your Spice Rack

You’ve graduated from ramen and mac n’cheese and Sriracha isn’t doing it for you anymore. But when you venture into the spice aisle, row after row of little glass bottles stare you down, each more gnomic than the last and each price tag suspiciously steep for an ounce of dried leaves or colorful powder, and you always slink out of there with nothing more than another set of those disposable McCormick’s salt and pepper shakers.

You deserve better. This list includes ten essential seasonings to keep your salt and pepper shakers company without breaking the bank. Most of them mix and match well, and appear (or can be substituted for more esoteric ingredients) in basic recipes. (You can substitute dried herbs for fresh, but dried herbs have a more concentrated flavor than fresh, so use less.) When you want to cook these seasonings will enrich your marinades and dry rubs; when you don’t they will punch up your frozen pizzas and jar sauces.

Foodies will tell you that herbs come from the leaf or stem of an aromatic plant, and spices come from their roots, bark, fruit, and seeds. This list includes both. Foodies will also tell you that you should buy spices whole and grind them just before using them. They’re not wrong, but unless your idea of a relaxing after a long day of work includes laboring over a spice mill, go ahead and buy pre-ground. I won’t tell on you if you don’t tell on me.

Without further ado, here are the top ten seasonings to start your spice rack:

#10. Celery salt – Celery salt is just what it says on the tin, a mixture of ground celery seed and salt. You know that bright, sharp, green snap of aroma fresh celery gives off when you bite or cut into it? Celery salt is that snap, dried and concentrated into the secret weapon for all your dry rubs, marinades, and broths. Used sparingly ��� you never want your food to taste of celery salt – it neutralizes gaminess in chicken, pork, and occasionally beef, perhaps most famously in the classic Chicago hot dog. If a recipe calls for fresh celery and you don’t have any on hand, a tiny bit of celery salt can cover for you. And if you like Bloody Marys – I understand such people exist – celery salt smooths out the acid and umami collisions between (*shudder*) tomato juice and Worcestershire sauce.

#9. Garlic powder – After a long day, one of the biggest obstacles between me and a home-cooked meal is the prospect of peeling and mincing garlic. (Yes, the blade-smash trick is excellent, but it doesn’t make mincing any less of a PITA.) I may love garlic, but I love being a lazy bastard more. Enter garlic powder: all the flavor of garlic and none of the fuss. This shelf-stable shortcut can help along marinades, sauces, and breading mixes, especially on those nights when you Really Just Can’t, and/or you belatedly realize that was the one thing you forgot to grab at the grocery store. I have swapped it into marinades that called for actual fresh garlic cloves and mixed it (along with Italian seasoning) into breadcrumbs for everything from chicken/eggplant parmigianas to breaded zucchini to stuffed mushrooms. It’s not quite as good as the real thing, but it’s still pretty damn good.

#8. Cumin – Cumin seeds come from a flowering plant related to parsley. They provide the pungent signature notes of chili and shakshouka and add an unmistakable and unmissable richness to spice blends. On those winter days when you are too cold and miserable to bother with anything, potato wedges or cauliflower pieces tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper, and cumin and roasted in the oven will warm the cockles of your grim and frozen heart.

#7. Coriander – Coriander seeds (technically a dried fruit, but who wants to buy “dried coriander fruit?”) are an enduring mystery to me, because I do not understand how it is possible for my arch nemesis, cilantro (aka coriander), to produce something so delicious and essential. Coriander is both earthy and fresh, with an almost lemony aroma that brings out the best in fish and chicken. It pairs well with cumin, with which it often appears in salsas, curries, and dry rubs. Alongside orange peels, coriander also traditionally flavors Belgian Witbiers, so you home brewers have an extra reason to keep some on hand.

#6. Chili – Every spice rack should have at least one kind of chili pepper, even if you don’t like spicy food. Chilis, bell peppers’ spicier cousins, are sweet, bright, occasionally smoky and always delicious. They enliven everything from goulash to roast chicken to toasted nuts. Mixed with salt, they make a savory rim for tequila- or mezcal-based cocktails. If you only have one chili powder, cayenne has a bright heat that’s welcome almost anywhere. The jack-of-all-trades chili, cayenne powder can heat up a stew, a plate of eggs, a batch of cornbread, or even a mug of hot chocolate. But if heat really isn’t your thing, grab a bottle of smoked paprika instead. Its smoky, mellow notes add a nice touch of chili flavor with almost no heat. I wouldn’t add it to cocktails or hot cocoa, but it’s still great in marinades, dry rubs, and stews. In a pinch, you can mix either cayenne or paprika (I do both, but I’m a capsaicin fiend) with cumin, coriander, garlic powder, and a little oregano or Italian seasoning for a quick chili powder.

#5. Crushed red pepper – You might be thinking that I already told you to get a chili pepper, but crushed red pepper flakes’ texture set them apart from their ground counterpart. If I told you, for example, to sprinkle cayenne or paprika on your pizza instead of crushed red pepper flakes, you would be well within your rights to get me blacklisted from every reputable pizza parlor on the Eastern seaboard. The fact that they’re more whole than ground chilis but small enough to require no extra work from you means you can sprinkle them directly on a dish (like pasta or frozen pizzas, which often need the help) or infuse them in another solution, like a salad dressing or a dipping sauce. If you’re not persuaded enough to buy a bottle, just stow those little pepper packets from the pizza place. One day you’ll need a little heat, and your palate will thank you.

#4. Bay leaves – The dried leaves of the laurel tree, bay leaves add a savory, grassy, faintly woody aroma to broths, soups, and stews. This is one herb to buy and use whole. A leaf or two will do for a whole pot of chili or chicken soup or braised pork shoulder or tomato sauce, and almost anything improved by braising or long simmering will benefit from the addition of a bay leaf. It is best to pick them out when you’re done cooking, though; they don’t soften, and much like tea leaves, they’re not something you actually want to eat.

#3. Italian seasoning – Despite the name, Italian seasoning has applications way beyond Italian cooking. A collection of savory herbs that go well with broths, meats, sauces, and stews – it usually includes oregano, thyme, basil, rosemary, and marjoram – Italian seasoning pre-mixes spices that frequently get used together anyway. You can often get away with using it any time a recipe calls for just one of the herbs it includes. Mixed with coriander, celery salt, and black pepper, it makes a decent chicken rub. With olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and Dijon mustard it rounds out a sweet and savory steak marinade. A few shakes can help along a jar of red sauce that leaves something to be desired or turn plain olive oil into a dipping sauce for bread or breadsticks. Italian seasoning is the spice rack equivalent of a pocket multitool: It gives you versatility in exchange for precision and specialization. In a perfect world you would buy your oregano, thyme, basil, and marjoram fresh and dry them from the rafters of your picturesque kitchen, snipping off bits as needed. In the real world you crack open a bottle of Italian seasoning and call it a day.

#2. Kosher salt – This is miles apart from the iodized salt sitting in your salt shaker. Iodized salt contains iodine, which can lend the salt – and any food you season with it – a vaguely metallic flavor. The metallic edge is negligible unless salt will play a defining role in a flavor profile, as it does in brines or when sprinkled directly on a good cut of meat or fish. Kosher salt comes in bigger grains and packs more salt punch by volume* than iodized salt, and the lack of iodine means a clean, unadulterated flavor. Less complex but also less expensive, it’s also a cheap but viable alternative to sea salt, which can get real pricey real fast. Once you try Kosher salt on a steak instead of iodized, you will wonder where it has been your whole life and you will never go back. *The two major brands, Diamond and Morton, produce different-shaped salt crystals. Morton’s are flatter, so a teaspoon of Morton Kosher salt is saltier, by volume, than a teaspoon of Diamond. Most recipes base their measurements on Diamond’s crystal size; if you’re using Morton, start with half the specified volume and adjust to taste.

#1. Cinnamon – Cinnamon is the sweet, fragrant, inner bark of a tree from the same family as the bay laurel. Although best known for spicing baked goods like apple and pumpkin pies, cinnamon is the flavor you never knew you always needed in a surprising variety of beverages and savory dishes. You can sprinkle it over grounds before brewing or directly into your cup for more flavorful coffee, or add it to hot cocoa alongside cayenne. It is essential for mulling cider or wine and pairs well with whiskey and brandy cocktails, either directly or simmered into a simple syrup. And a tiny dash added to beef or pork, as a dry rub or in a stew, produces a result as irresistible as it is inexplicable.

The secret to stocking your spice rack affordably is to avoid that supermarket aisle as much as possible (except for the Kosher salt, which has less pricing variance). The absolute cheapest way to maintain your spice rack is to purchase from a bulk supplier. This is easier than it sounds – even Target carries bags of bulk herbs and spices, mostly for $1-2 a pop. The second cheapest way to stock your spice rack is to start at Trader Joe’s and World Market, both of which price their seasonings very reasonably and package them in durable, reusable glass bottles. Buy the glass bottles once and you can refill them from bulk purchases pretty much forever.

Now go forth, and never eat bland food again.

[goldleafkitchens]

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