#chicken 65 dry

[sravaniskitchen]

Chicken 65 Recipe

Check out this delicious Chicken 65 recipe on Sravaniskitchen! Perfect for a tasty homemade meal. Click the link to get the full recipe: https://sravaniskitchen.com/chicken-65-recipe/. For more tasty recipes, visit Sravaniskitchen: https://sravaniskitchen.com/."

[lucigoo]

#FFF243 - "Bring Your Older Gays To Play" at Club Erebor

#FFF243 - @flashfictionfridayofficial

Pairing - Bilbo/Thorin

Warnings - Implied smut

Word Count - 1050

Summary - Frodo had covinced Bilbo to go the event night at his favourite queer club. All Bilbo wated to do was go home, back to his books and cup of tea. Well, that was until Mr tall, dark and sexy was pushed into him.

Ao3 Here

Bilbo sighed into his odd looking cocktail. He was almost 65 years old. He felt much too old for this nonsense. Why did Frodo have to go to the one gay club that had a “Bring Your Older Gay To Play” night? He didn’t want to play. He was much too old and cantankerous for this. All these older men dressed up like spring chickens. Well, Bilbo was glad they were having a good night, he however was not. He wanted to be back home with his books and a nice cup of tea. He looked around at the surrounding people, the fast-paced music that was giving him a headache and all the grinding. All the touching and flesh on display. He spotted Frodo smushed between two much older men and couldn’t help but frown. He knew they would just be dancing, that Frodo had Sam waiting at home for him, but still, those older gents should know better than to dance with twinks like his lad. Bilbo was watching where their hands were on his boy like a hawk, when he watched Frodo’s head turn before he left the older men to join two younger ones. Lads that were beautiful, even if Bilbo said so himself, trying not to be a lecher. They were both in leather. The dark-haired one was dancing with a stunning woman who was wearing a trans flag as a cape. He was wearing a leather corset and Bilbo could see why Frodo was drawn to them. The blonde one was also in leather, just as tight, but much less revealing. Bilbo couldn’t see who he was dancing with, but he could see the blonde ogling his Frodo. He watched as Frodo bent forward and the blonde pulled back, a much friendlier rather than a predatory smile on his face now. Well, that was all right then, Bilbo thought as he turned back around for another of these vile concoctions. What he wouldn’t give for a decent ale or cider. Talk about stereotypical queer drinks, he thought with a frown. Because he had turned around, he didn’t see Frodo pointing at him excitedly, explaining he was his Uncle Bilbo, but may as well have been his da. It also meant he didn’t see the blond and brunette look at him and get mischievous smiles on his face. In fact, he was there, happily minding his own business, wishing it was 1am already, when he heard a slight commotion behind him and a solid body thud into him from behind. “I beg your pardon!” He said angrily as he turned. The person who had bumped him was facing the other way and was honest to goodness growling. It lit a fire in Bilbo that he hadn’t felt in years. “Fili, Kili, apologise,” the other man demanded of two unseen people. Blob heard a chorus of “Sorry Uncle Thorin” before there were giggles and quiet where they had been. “I swear you would think they were toddlers again,” the other man, Thorin, Bilbo assumed, said as he turned around towards Bilbo. Bilbo felt his mouth go dry at the sight in front of him. Thorin was tall, easily 6ft and dwarfing Bilbo’s 5ft 4 frame. He had long black and silver hair in intricate braids and a beautifully sculptured face. Bilbo almost thought he was looking at a god.

 A god with a frown, well that wouldn’t do. It had been a long time since he had seriously flirted and he was a bit out of practice, but still, he was cute, even on the other side of 60, even if he was even plumber then he had ever been before, and well, if this god of a man wanted to throw him about a bit he wouldn’t complain, moaning, well, that would be an entirely different story. “Hi,” he all but purred as he got closer. “Im Bilbo,” he said as he placed a gentle hand on the extremely muscular chest before him. He watched as the other man’s throat bobbed and he gave Bilbo a quick once over, a soft smirk gracing his face. Very nice, Bilbo thought as he pressed in closer. “Im Thorin,” the other man said in a deep, soothing voice. Bilbo closed his eyes, imagining what that voice could do to him on his plush bed. “Your sons?” he asked as he heard whispering behind them, peeking his head round Thorin’s deliciously bulky body and spotting Frodo, who was giggling like a faunt with the three people from before. “My nephews and my niece in law, menaces the lot of them.” Thorin said with a shake of his head that caused his hair to brush on Bilbo’s hand, making him shiver. “My nephew, my lad is with them. He is probably a bigger menace than yours.” Bilbo said with a laugh. “The little one with the curls?” Thorin asked. When Bilbo nodded, Thorin smiled. “Does he look like you did at his age?” “Similar, but I’m like a fine wine. I got much better, at everything, with age,” Bilbo said as he walked his fingers up Thorin’s neck and to his check, wiping some glitter that was under his eye. “Kili, the brown-haired menace,” Thorn said in exasperation. “It suits you, glitter and blue, very sexy,” Bilbo said as he put his arms around Thorin’s neck. “Do you ... Do you wanna get out of here? It’s not really my idea of a good time,” Thorin said, surprising Bilbo with his nervousness. “Mine either. Did yours do puppy dog eyes, too?” Bilbo asked and laughed at the sheepish expression and d from Thorin. “Well, I will not enjoy his smug smile tomorrow, but I’m glad Frodo dragged me here.” Bilbo said with a soft smile. “You are?” Thorin asked, smiling back. “Oh yes, come on Mr tall, dark and sinfully sexy, my bed is big enough for us both,” Bilbo said as he linked his hand with Thorin’s. Both of them ignoring the quartet of cheers from their little audience. Yes, Bilbo thought to himself as he walked out with Thorin’s hand warm in his. Considering he had despised the place, he was glad he had come and knew he was going to have a night to remember. Hopefully more than one. 

[fatehbaz]

“This makes me very happy, this is why we came down from the Sierra, to see the people celebrating the guáimaro tree,” says Orfelina Perez Restrepo, an Indigenous Yupa whose ancestral lands overlap with the lush valleys and rugged ridges of the Serranía del Perijá, a mountain range that runs along Colombia’s northeastern border with Venezuela.

Perez Restrepo has made the three-hour trek down the mountain [...] to attend the  Festival of Guáimaro in the bustling highway town of Becerril. Held annually for the past nine years, this all-day festivity is filled with dancing, games and even a cooking competition, all centered on guáimaro (Brosimum alicastrum), or the “tree of life,” according to the Yupa.

“We cook these nuts and eat them because they have high nutritional value and even help to heal from sicknesses,” Perez Restrepo says. Known as ramon or nuez Maya (Maya nut) in Mexico, and ojushte in El Salvador, guáimaro has been a dietary staple and source of natural  medicine for pre-Colombian societies in the tropical Americas for millennia. But in recent decades it’s become increasingly harder to find, according to Perez Restrepo

---

The guáimaro tree is a keystone species of Colombia’s tropical dry forest, an incredibly biodiverse ecosystem with species adapted to surviving long dry spells between rainy seasons. The tropical dry forest is located predominantly along and near the country’s Caribbean coast, but is also found further south in smaller, disconnected patches.

One of Colombia’s most threatened ecosystems according to the Humboldt Institute, the tropical dry forests are home to more than 2,600 species of plants, 230 species of birds, and 60 mammal species. The latter include seven species of primates, including the critically endangered cotton-top tamarin (Saguinus oedipus), a squirrel-sized monkey with a thick white mane found only in a handful of patches of primary tropical dry forest in Colombia’s Caribbean region.

The guáimaro tree, which thrives along riverbanks, can grow to a height of 45 meters (150 feet) high, provides food and shelter for both humans and animals in the tropical dry forest, and helps fix the soil and protect waterways. But deforestation threatens the tree’s survival: about 65% of the cleared land within the dry tropical forest has become affected by desertification [...].

---

But for Perez Restrepo, the Festival of Guáimaro brings hope that the forest is making a comeback. “We are making products from the forest like dulce de guáimaro, dulce de orejero, hummus de orejero, and marmalade of pineapple with camajón, all of which go deliciously on these breads and cookies made with guáimaro flour,” says Ana Flor Hernandez from behind one of the stalls at the festival. [...]

Tapping into a [...] bioregional culinary scene in Colombia, Tamandua now supplies several restaurants in the country’s capital with raw products like guáimaro flour. “We use guáimaro flour for everything, from crusts for chicken and meats, to flour to make empanadas, to dough for other baked goods, and even as colors and flavoring for things like ice cream,” says Eduardo Martinez, chef, agronomist and co-founder of [...] a [...] restaurant in Bogota’s [...] Chapinero Alto neighborhood. [...] “Our dominant forms of food production, both cattle grazing and monocultures, are destructive to our biodiversity and it is time that we address this,” [Felipe Garcia Cardona of Humboldt’s Biodiversity Sciences Program] says. In the case of guáimaro, almost every part of the tree can be used, Garcia Cardona tells Mongabay [...].

---

Headline, images, captions, and all text by: Ocean Malandra. “Colombia’s ‘tree of life’ births a new culinary and conservation movement.” Mongabay. 23 January 2023. With photographs by Juan Carlos Valencia and Ocean Malandra. [Some paragraph breaks added by me.]

[just-a-domesticated-cryptid]

TW: death of a pet, but if you skip over all the text there is a cute dog at the end

I want to talk about the dog who looked death in the eye and came back home, until she didn't.

When I was 13, still living in Romania, I had some god awful neighbours. Like many rural households, they had chickens, dogs, a horse (at one point). They mistreated all of them, and whilst I won't go into details, I hope a special hell is built around their souls after they die.

She was a puppy, back then. It was a hot and dry summer when she got stuck underneath the dog kennel. And she cried and cried and cried and those fucking assholes were just going to let her die.

Until another neighbour, who shared the fence with them, cut the fence and got her out. This 80 year old woman cut through the metal net and moved heavy rocks out of the way to get her out; she wasn't going to let her suffer any longer.

That's how she defied death the first time.

She brought her to me and my grandma. This little ginger dog, with a star on her forehead and white socks. I named her Ginny.

My grandmother, the woman who, in her 65 years of life, couldn't stand the sensory feeling of fur on her skin and couldn't fathom the concept of 'sleeping in bed with the dog', she would lovingly call her Gina or Ginuța. Ginny would sleep at her feet every night and rest her little head on her ankles. Ginny sat at her feet whilst my grandmother was cooking or doing crosswords at the table.

With all the love she could muster, my grandmother pet her, which is more love than she's ever shown to an animal in her life.

Hell, she'd make food and claim 'that's Ginuța's favourite' as she'd put a generous helping of polenta or potatoes in her dog bowl.

Soon after Ginny came home, she got into a fight with a stray three times her size. He got in because our front gate was broken and didn't properly close, and for the past 3 years nobody was bothered to fix it because it's not like we had anything valuable to steal anyway.

I still remember the yelps and growls as I broke them apart. All three of us were bleeding at the end of it, and it was my grandma's yelling that scared the dog off.

The next day, my grandmother nagged her brother until he finally fixed the gate.

Another time death narrowly missed her was when Ginny got hit by a car. Not run over, but it was considerably tough on her knowing she's about 4 kilograms of dog.

She limped home next to my grandmother's feet and slept.

She was fine, somehow.

Two weeks later, she was running and chasing the neighbourhood cats once more.

She was so happy to see me when I came back home after 4 years. I thought she forgot me, and I wouldn't blame her if she did.

But she didn't.

She wagged her tail and yelped with joy when she saw me walk through that old gate.

My grandmother is too old to take her on walks, so the time I spent home I took her to the park and I let her sniff and explore to her heart's content. I don't know what happened in her brain, but I imagine seeing a squirrel for the first time blew her mind.

She was 5 years old and I don't know what happened. Her fur, her beautiful ginger coat started falling off. Then she stopped eating. They took her to a vet and they said it's just a throat infection and she will be fine.

And today she died. She threw up blood and she died.

I don't know what happened. I don't know what fucking happened.

She was born and she died hungry.

But I know she lived well fed and well loved, with all the treats a good dog like her deserves.

[abramsbooks]

RECIPE: Immunity Salad (from Salad Freak: Recipes to Feed a Healthy Obsession by Jess Damuck)

You don’t need to already be sick to make this salad—but doesn’t just looking at it brighten your day a little bit? Eating it regularly during the colder months gives your immune system a boost but also just feels really clean and fresh when we may be eating a lot of things that aren’t.

Serves 2 as a light meal (This is great served with your favorite brothy soup.)

PRODUCE

2 large beets

2 sweet potatoes

1 (1-inch/2.5 cm) piece ginger, peeled

1 clove garlic, peeled

1 head fennel

1 grapefruit

4 cups (80 g) baby spinach

PANTRY

Extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

½ teaspoon honey

6 Medjool dates

½ cup (65 g) hulled pumpkin seeds (pepitas), toasted

COOK: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).

Trim the leaves from 2 large beets (reserve for another use; for instance, sauté them in a little garlic and olive oil!). Roast the beets for 60 minutes. (Note from Abrams: You can find Jess' technique in Salad Freak!)

When the beets have been in the oven for 20 minutes, slice 2 sweet potatoes in ¼-inch thick (6 mm) rounds, place them on another rimmed baking sheet, and toss them with olive oil salt and pepper. Roast for about 30 minutes, tossing the potatoes once, until they are golden brown and the beets can be easily pierced with a knife. Let them cool to room temperature or until they are able to be handled.

MAKE THE GINGER, GARLIC, AND APPLE CIDER VINAIGRETTE: Into a large bowl, grate 1 inch (2.5 cm) ginger and 1 clove garlic, then add 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, ½ teaspoon honey, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

PREP: Make an ice bath. Cut the stalks and fronds from the fennel bulb and cut in half, and then in half again, and then thinly slice on a mandoline right into the ice bath. Let crisp up for about 10 minutes, then pat dry on paper towels or a clean dish towel.

Cut 1 grapefruit into supremes.

Pit and slice 6 dates.

ASSEMBLE AND SERVE: Add the fennel, grapefruit, dates, 4 cups (80 g) baby spinach, beets, and sweet potatoes to the large bowl with the dressing. Toss everything to combine, arrange on serving plates, and then sprinkle with ½ cup (65 g) pumpkin seeds. And stay healthy!

One of TIME’s most anticipated cookbooks of Spring 2022

One of Food & Wine’s best cookbooks of Spring 2022

A USA TODAY and PUBLISHERS WEEKLY bestseller!

Delicious and beautiful recipes from Martha Stewart’s personal salad chef and the self-proclaimed “Bob Ross of salads.”

Offering more than 100 inspired recipes, recipe developer and food stylist Jess Damuck shares her passion for making truly delicious salads. Salad Freak encourages readers to discover and embrace their own salad obsessions. With the right recipes, you will want to eat salad for every meal and never get bored. By playfully combining color, texture, shape, and, of course, flavor, Damuck demonstrates how a little extra effort in the kitchen can be meditative, delicious, and fun. The recipes—such as her Citrus Breakfast Salad; Tea-Smoked Chicken and Bitter Greens Salad; Caesar Salad Pizza Salad; and Roasted Grapes, Ricotta, Croutons, and Endive Salad—are meant to be hearty enough for a meal all year round but versatile enough to be incorporated into a larger menu. For Damuck, the perfect salad balances each bite, with something tart enough to twinge your cheeks, something sweet to balance out the bitter, and something with a little salty crunch to finish. Salad Freak is not just about eating to feel good; it’s about confidently combining flavors to create fresh, bright, and satisfying meals that you will want to make again and again.

For more information, click here.

[boondockerblog]

Day 65 drive to Sunfair Lake near Joshua Tree Nat'l Park

Up, up, up. Just when we were thinking "who knew that Joshua Tree was this high" all of a sudden we saw a down, down, down in front of us. Into Morongo Valley we drove (a cute town with a shop sign that read "Dig Own Cactus 79 cents" and another shop names "Hippie Chicken". And then it was gone (the town we mean). Shortly followed by Yucca Valley with a population sign showing 25,000. Wow, out here in the dust! Neighborhoods of newish homes and every chain store you can imagine for miles and miles. And then the super cute tiny town of Joshua Tree with really cool looking tiny restaraunts and artists shops in what looked like the original 1930s and 40s buildings when the town first was founded. And of course Joshua trees.

We arrived at the dry lake bed. It is huge! Flat! Surrounded by hills and mountains. These 3 things made for 2 things we love - super quiet and, though you can see the whole 2 mile or so lake bed with no instruction you feel alone. Maybe 20 RVs, cars or trucks and people were 500 yds and more away from each other.

It's Thursday so being only 2 hours from the Coachella Valley we know the weekend won't look, and sound like this, but for now - Heaven.

[chickenfriedrecipe1]

How to make the delicious ‘Banana Bread’ at home? - Chicken Fried Receipe

November 23, 2022

How to make the delicious ‘Banana Bread’ at home?

Make the finest banana bread recipe ever with those luscious bananas. It can be made quickly in one bowl without a mixer and is delicious and moist.

Banana bread recipe made easy

The best thing about this banana bread recipe is that a fancy mixer is not required! You only need a mixing bowl, a fork to whisk the eggs, and a sturdy spoon to stir the batter. The amount of sugar is also flexible.

Prep time : 10 mins

Cook time : 60 mins

Total time : 70 mins

https://i0.wp.com/chickenfriedrecipe.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/download-19-3-1-2-2.png

Ingredients:

2 to 3 medium (7″ to 7-7/8″ long) very ripe bananas, peeled (about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups mashed)

1/3 cup (76g) butter, unsalted or salted, melted

1/2 teaspoon baking soda (not baking powder)

1 pinch salt, 3/4 cup (150g) sugar (1/2 cup if you would like it less sweet, 1 cup if more sweet)

1 large egg, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups (205g) all-purpose flour

Directions :

Prepare the pan and preheat the oven: Drizzle an 8 × 4-inch loaf pan with butter and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

Mash the bananas with a fork in a mixing bowl before being combined with butter. The mashed bananas should be combined with the melted butter.

Mix in the baking soda and salt. Stir in the sugar, beaten egg, and vanilla extract. Mix in the flour.

Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan.

Bake for 55 to 65 minutes at 350°F (175°C), or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Streaks of wet batter are unacceptable, while a few dry crumbs are acceptable. Loosely tent the loaf with foil and continue baking it until it’s fully done if the exterior of the loaf is browned but the middle is still damp.

Remove from oven, then allow to cool in the pan for a while. After that, take the banana bread out of the pan and allow it to cool completely before cutting. Slice and present. (A bread knife is useful for cutting slices that won’t crumble.)

The banana bread will remain fresh at room temperature for 4 days if properly wrapped. You can freeze or refrigerate the bread for longer storage for up to 5 days.

Is Banana Bread Healthy?

Banana bread is popular with both children and adults due to its sweet flavor and soft texture. This baked product is frequently seen as a healthy dessert option because it is loaded with bananas; in fact, it may be healthier than other baked goods.

Nutritional content

Calories: 421

Fat: 15.8 grams

Carbs: 68.4 grams

Protein: 5.3 grams

Fiber: 1.8 grams

Sugar: 42.1 grams

Sodium: 298 mg

You can see that this classic banana bread is low in protein and fiber and rich in calories, carbohydrates, and added sugar but overall, most varieties are a healthy source of important vitamins and minerals. For example, bananas are rich in potassium and vitamin B6. Additionally, if you use enriched flour to bake your banana bread, it will contain iron as well as B vitamins like riboflavin, niacin, and folic acid.

Health tip to follow

There are numerous banana bread recipes available for you to browse, regardless of the dietary regimen you adhere to. By utilizing low-carb flours like almond and coconut and lowering the quantity of added sugar in the recipe, you can bake banana bread with fewer carbs.

More links: banana bread recipe

finest banana bread recipe

[therappundit]

*The Best of the Bestest!: The Rap Pundit’s Picks For The Finest Rap Projects of 2022

*Just a list of MY favorite favorites from a year filled with a lot of damn good music.  

What else needs to be said at this point?  You have probably seen at least a dozen “Best of” lists by now, with many of the same albums cluttered near the top....but this is THE Rap Pundit’s list, so you know you’re bound to find more gems than chalk.

In a historically deep year for rap music (a topic worth profiling in the future), the headline story was probably the numerous side stories.  Be it the explosion of great music coming from areas that had a previously under-reported wealth of talent (especially Wisconsin and Florida), the underground scene getting more high profile exposure than it has in years (artists like billy woods, Fatboi Sharif and Lungs/Lonesword being shouted-out by numerous mainstream outlets!?), sample-driven drill officially becoming the preferred drill-flavor (at least on the east coast, shout-out Shawny Binladen, Four50, Big YaYa and the YTB), and of course the simply inescapable rise of club music’s influence on rap right now (Bandmanrill is clearly the master of this lane, but this style isn’t going away anytime soon)….if you couldn’t find something you loved in 2022, you might not actually like rap music.

But the proof is in the pudding, let’s get into it.  Here are my personal picks for the most impressive albums/mixtapes/EPs/projects/whatever of 2022…

***High Honors***:  Beware of the Monkey by MIKE, Motion Not Emotion by DB.Boutabag, Playing With Fire by ShooterGang Kony, Crack Music 2 by Skilla Baby, Beyond Belief by 38 Spesh & Harry Fraud, Gold Bricks by ElCamino, and Formal Intro by dp0mmy [+about 100 more that I plan to shout-out on future posts!]

100. VACABULAREE by Valee

99. The DogFather by Paco Panama

98. u be ight by QThree

97. Traumazine by Megan Thee Stallion

96. Metatron’s Cube by Aj Suede & Televangel

95. Spaceships on the Blade by Larry June

94. Scorpion Eyes by BandGang Lonnie Band$

93. Raw Extractions by Lukah

92. Marlowe 3 by Marlowe (L’Orange & Solemn Brigham)

91. SNOFALL by Jeezy & DJ Drama

90. Tales Of A Yung Son by Four50

89. Ima Island Boy by Pros AP

88. WHERE ARE THE BUGS!? by Cise Greeny, Phiik & Lungs/LoneSword

87. Let’s Do A Drill by Asian Doll

86. GRIPTAPE by the grittiest, Raz Fresco, Eric Right

85. Triple Black Diamonds 2 by al.divino & Estee Nack

84. Where The Shooters Be by SleazyWorld Go

83. As Above So Below by VIP Skylark

82. ONLY BUILT 4 DIAMOND LINKS by Peezy

81. Deutsche Marks 3 by Willie The Kid & V Don

80. THE LIZ 2 by Armani Caesar

79. Wordly Ways by Archibald Slim

78. I NEVER LIKED YOU (Deluxe) by Future

77. MARTINELLI MAC-ELEV by Willyynova

76. Jungle Life by DCG BROTHERS (DCG Shun, DCG Bsavv)

75. FACE (Deluxe Edition) by Babyface Ray

74. What They Hittin 4 by Jay Worthy & DJ Muggs

73. Sedale Threat by Wrecking Crew (Zilla Rocca, Curly Castro & PremRock)

72. Dollar Menu 4 by Mach-Hommy & Tha God Fahim

71. On High Alert, Vol. 4 by Real Bad Man

70. EA Monster by Young Nudy

69. Back For Everything by Kodak Black

68. raja’s sun by iblss

67. BussaBrick Vol. 2: BussOne 101 by Chicken P

66. 2 Headed Goat by 1100 Himself & Mitchell

65. The I&I by Teller Bank$ & Ed Glorious

64. COTI 2:  The Course of the Inevitable 2 by Lloyd Banks

63. The Broadcast by Fil Jackson

62. The 13 Tape 2 by Jugg Harden

61. HTR Vol. 1: The Legend of Tawny Tone by Koncept Jack$on

60. MEMPHIS MASSACRE III *or* CRUNKSTAR [I still can’t make up my mind!?] by Duke Deuce

59. BEFORE SHIT GOT WEIRD by The Cool Kids

58. ENDLESS by evrymN

57. 25 Features, Vol. 2 by Los & Nutty

56. SLANG CASINO by YUNGMORPHEUS & Obijuan

55. Before The Winner Comes The Fall by Grunge Gallardo

54. Valley of Dry Bones by Stik Figa & Conductor Williams

53. Paint the City (Gangsta Grillz) by Icewear Vezzo & DJ Drama

52. Lost In Austin by kingdoughmane.

51. Gold by DJ Muggs & Rigz

50. Black Vladimir by Meyhem Lauren & Daringer

49. Dog$hit & Ammunition by WTM Milt

48. Laughing so Hard, it Hurts by Mavi

47. Metal Lung by Shrapknel (Curly Castro & Premrock)

46. Da Under Dog by MarijuanaXO

45. The Forever Story by JID

44. SHADOWSELF by Sleep Sinatra & Ohbliv

43. CHAINLINK by Phiik & Duro

42. $oul $old $eparately by Freddie Gibbs

41. Church by billy woods & Messiah Musik

40. RAMONA PARK BROKE MY HEART by Vince Staples

39. SOGW2: Estee Nack & The Order of the Golden Fleece by Estee Nack & Sadhugold

38. Blame Kansas by T.F, Roc Marciano & Mephux

37. Joe Fog by Errol Holden

36. ill be right back! by amani & robalu

35. LIVE FROM THE OTHER SIDE by Mikem Nahmir & The Fades Formation

34. The Elephant Man’s Bones by Roc Marciano & The Alchemist

33. Her Loss by Drake & 21 Savage

32. Frank by Fly Anakin

31. SOUTH CENTRAL by G Perico

30. Sewaside II by Mike Shabb

29. King’s Disease III by Nas & Hit-Boy

28. Cold Cuts by Wiki & Subjxct 5

27. Melt My Eyez See Your Future (The Extended Edition) by Denzel Curry

26. Intros, Outros & Interludes by Domo Genesis & Evidence

25. Few Good Things by Saba

24. BABYST5XNE GORILLAS by Baby Stone Gorillas

23. Fair Exchange No Robbery by Boldy James & Nicholas Craven

22. Continuous Improvement by Papo2oo4, DJ Lucas & Subjxct 5

21. Kiss The Ring by Rome Streetz

20. MOB by Babyface Ray

19. I Love Y.O.U. cuz Y.O.U. Ugle Vol.1 by Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire

18. It’s Almost Dry by Pusha T

17. Smoke Detector by Rich Jones

16. The Soufside Villain by Marco Plus

15. Tana Talk 4 by Benny The Butcher

14. Continuance by Curren$y & Alchemist

13. Cheat Codes by Black Thought & Danger Mouse

12. Languish Arts and Woeful Studies by Ka

11. Spirit Roaming by AKAI SOLO

Aaaaaaaaand now, my top ten...

10.  I Told Bessie by ELUCID

[A well-oiled machine of an album, I Told Bessie lurches along from one ear-grabbing soundscape to another, each gifted contributor putting their stamp on some precious reflection from ELUCID (all producers were in top form here, but Child Actor, Messiah Musik and Sebb were especially potent).  As one half of Armand Hammer, ELUCID has no trouble being a tour guide through his own stroll down memory lane.  He is a superior narrator that knows his way around a vast array of different styles of instrumentals, which means that Bessie never gets too dark or too bright, adding easy replay value to even the heavier moments of the album.]

9. Component System with the Auto Reverse by Open Mike Eagle

[Open Mike Eagle has circled around the epicenter of the underground rap scene for some time now, always a worthy contributor, albeit not one to necessarily be recognized during award season. That should change with his latest effort, a brilliant piece of nostalgia, personal reflection, and an earnest love for hip-hop.  Also, great writing aside, the beats on here are simply phenomenal.]

8. SICK! by Earl Sweatshirt

[Forgot that this dropped in 2022?  The first AOTY contender to drop is all too often the album ending up with the short end of the stick come December, and that seems to be the case with SICK!.  Less sonically aggressive than much of his previous work, Earl still manages to cram so much thoughtful writing into quick, fun-size doses.  The most effective music isn’t always the music that begs for our attention, and this feels like an album where the listener is fortunate just to catch Earl’s thoughts before they float away, to make room for more poignant passing thoughts.  Perhaps Earl’s best gift as an artist is his ability to leave fans wanting more.]

7. Bokleen World by Mike Shabb

[By now the buzz is just starting to nip at Mike Shabb's heels. The Montreal MC/producer was not on my radar before this year, but hot damn has he made an impact in 2022.  If it wasn’t his TWO great solo albums that he dropped, it was the acclaim from tastemakers like Westside Gunn, who got his production skills the attention they deserve.  More importantly, Shabb is coming out of Montreal, Canada, making him a representative of a scene that is starting to make waves well outside of the Canadian border.  I loved his release from earlier this year, but for me it was Bokleen World that showcased all of the many dimensions of an exciting young artist.]

6.  MOOR CHORES by Lord Kayso

[Another artist that I was completely unfamiliar with at this time last year, Brooklyn’s Lord Kayso is closing out this year as one of my favorite artists.  There’s something about his delivery and the way that he colors in his world that feels simultaneously intimate but distant, much like how a young Nas was portrayed as a writer’s-writer, watching events in his community unfold from a project window.  Kayso reflects on his world with a casual delivery that doesn’t seem to be emotionally affected in the moment, but the fact that he’s sharing these personal stories at all confirms that he’s a man with a great deal on his mind.]

5. For All Debts Public and Private by Defcee & Boathouse

[Last year Defcee & Messiah Musik really surprised some folks (myself included) by dropping Trapdoor, one of the best albums of 2021, in December...so let that be a lesson to anyone that thinks they can finalize their annual Best Of lists by the time Thanksgiving wraps up.  That's a tough act to follow, but Defcee & Boathouse managed to strike in 2022 with another fantastic project in For All Debts Public and Private. An impressive list of some of the underground's finest join forces with Boathouses impactful backdrops and Defcee's revealing bars, all to create an album that is as thoughtful as it is prone to high levels of replay value.  When it comes to dissecting one's life and perspectives, I don't know if any MC's pen is touching Defcee at the moment.]

4. Deathfame by Quelle Chris

[Detroit's uber-talented virtuoso Quelle Chris has been accumulating one of the deepest catalogues in music for some time now, but Deathfame is truly one of his finest works top to bottom. An under-reported trend for Quelle is that he somehow finds a way to become more and more versatile as a producer with every album.  Never allowing his sense of humor to drown out his messages, and never being so devoid of humor that his messages come off as bitter, a great Quelle Chris album has become a most welcome tradition over these past few years....and I hope it continues!]

3.  Aethiopes by billy woods & Preservation

[Gonna keep it moving here…billy woods is just flat out the most prolific writer in rap music right now, Preservation is a genius and their chemistry is off the charts.  Add a handful of standout guest verses - EL-P, Boldy, Breeze and hot damn, Despot!? - and you have an AOTY worthy album.  Too many memorable quotes and verse of the year contenders to list, but for some reason there’s a special place in my heart for “trying to pay rent - but that’s not black empowerment, that’s you trying to pay rent”.]

2. 10 (a.k.a. HWH10) by Westside Gunn

[Maybe my favorite Westside Gunn project since FLYGOD, which for me (as a bit of a Griselda stan since 2015), is saying a lot.  Reminiscent of Kanye’s “anyone around, come to the studio right now!” energy during better times - his MBDTF G.O.O.D. Friday roll out - for the latest (last??) installment of his controversially titled music series, Gunn managed to pull together a somewhat surprising list of features for a mixtape of loose and FUN bar-fests over the most varied, ear-grabbing production that we have heard from the Griselda collective in a minute.  I’m not actually sure who was in the studio and who wasn’t, but when the outcome puts Run The Jewels, A$AP Rocky, Doe Boy, Black Star, Busta and Rae & Ghost together on the same project, you get a straight-up dope tape that reminds me of why I fell in love with underground rap music in the first place.  Classic Soundbombing vibes, for me.]

1.  Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers by Kendrick Lamar

[When it comes down to releasing new albums, no other rap artist needs to check as many boxes as Kendrick Lamar.  JAY-Z, J.Coke, Drake, you name it - none of them have to incorporate mainstream bangers, nuanced “conscious rap”, alternative choices, catchy lyrics, superior production, clear expression of ideas, and manage to touch the bar set by fans with incredibly high expectations for an artist that doesn’t release new music as often as his peers…but such is the life of anyone who is considered to have the highest ceiling in their field.  Yet with Mr. Morale, Kendrick unleashed the album that *he* wanted to release: a sprawling conversation piece that stumbles through dozens of sticky topics without digging his heels into any one stance for too long. 

 It’s the perfect expression of ideas from anyone that came out of the last few years of isolation with a creeping sense of doubt, mistrust for the information circling around him, and a general awkwardness for how to interact with the world once again.  I’m not sorry that many of the thoughts he shared on this album weren’t met as “correct” based on our expectations of what many of us want him to represent, but more importantly, Kendrick shouldn’t be sorry either.  Much like other prominent people of influence in the world today, we should be discussing the nuance of everything we’re told, and the great points often come from those exchanges - way moreso than the regurgitation of curated policy that is deemed acceptable by the loudest of audiences.  So yes, I believe Kendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers to be hands-down the best rap album of 2022.  All messages aside, how anyone could miss the well-crafted delivery and high quality production that is easily the most engaging of any mainstream rap album in 2022, is still pretty surprising to me….but I suppose conflicted opinions are exactly what should come from a talented artist stewing in his own conflicted opinions in recent years.   Oh well, I guess even the best in their field can’t please everybody.]

Next stop....best songs. 👀

[grumpygreenwitch]

The Fairy and the Prince #5

Part 1 - Part 2 - Parts 3 & 4 - Part 5 - Part 6, 7 & 8 - Part 9 & 10 - Part 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 & 16 - Part 17, 18, & 19 - Part 20, 21 & 22 - Part 23, 24, 25 & 26 - Part 27, 28, 29 & 30 - Part 31, 32, 33 & 34 - Part 35, 36 & 37 - Part 38, 39, 40 & 41 - Part 42 & 43 - Part 44 & 45 - Part 46 & 47 - Part 48, 49, 50 & 51 - Part, 52, 53 & 54 - Part 55 & 56 - Part 57, 58, 59 & 60 - Part 61, 62, 63, 64 & 65 - Part 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71 & 72

So a coupla nights back I nearly had a moment of terror because I thought I’d mucked up the updates, until I realized it was Monday, not Wednesday, and the update was on track. I probably was too tired to be mucking up with the queue, but here we are. In any case. Because the word count at this point has escalated to 60K+, I’m moving updates to once a week. I’ll just stuff ser Lyrian into a different day when I start posting his story.

Spring fought its way onto the world. Oliver left, and was not replaced. On the first bright, sunny day, cheeks chapped pink by an exceptionally cold and gusty breeze, Adam renewed his agreement with the two boys, and took off over the rooftops. He greeted every water-spout like a long-lost friend, and asked after Linden; their voices were just a little stronger than a whisper with all the snowmelt, and they were just as glad to see Adam, but they had not seen the young wildling with the shattered eyes. Adam went to the stork nest, but it was still empty; he pocketed a fragile half eggshell and raced to the cisterns, asking the fish. He braved a few early finches, who were exceptionally suspicious of the unruly young boy but could be appeased with courtesy.

No one had seen Linden.

He flopped face down on a steep tiled roof, breathing hard and thoroughly put out. He went through the Royal Gardens, where workers were busy making ponds and paths and adding flower beds and hedges, and into the woods where the nobility coursed and hawked and hunted and sometimes disappeared. There, in the dark shadows where snow still lingered, he shouted Linden's name and listened for an answer. But there were only the trees, whispering with their young green leaves, and it wasn't nearly as fun to fight pirates and barbarians alone. He climbed up a stately, elderly linden tree, the fragrant flowers still nothing but buds on its branches, and sighed, feeling abandoned yet again.

The next day he went as far as the river, where Beli and Dane hid under the old stone bridge to fish and talk, and startled the two boys by his presence. Rain chased them all back to the palace, and for nothing else to do Adam gave his old homework journal to the younger boy, and tried to teach Dane some fisticuffs. A king, he'd been taught, should always bear in mind the strengths of the people around him.

He ended up going to the lessons Leminy had snuck into his afternoons, lessons he'd been skipping to look for Linden. For all of a week they held his interest before he slipped away through the back of the kitchen, buying the silence of the chickens in the yard with a heel of bread and a handful of dry cherries. It was harder to sneak out three people but he managed and was quite proud of it, even as he immediately abandoned Beli and Dane and ran into the woods. He found them, that day, draped in dark and heavy fog; by the time caution brought him to a halt he could scarce see the path under his boots. When he cried out Linden's name, it echoed at him from every direction, as if other voices were taunting him with it. The whisper of the trees seemed almost a fretful warning.

He launched himself up the old linden tree, hoping if he could climb over the fog he'd be able to see something, but while the tree was easy enough to find, nothing around it looked familiar anymore. Adam almost felt as if the tree were closing its young spring foliage around him, shielding him, hiding him. From what, he couldn't have said. But he knew, as everyone did, that sometimes people went into the woods and didn't come back. Sometimes something almost like them did.

Beli and Dane came looking for him with torches, with sunset threatening and suppertime long past. They all got punishment details, but they were all fine with it, glad and relieved simply to have made it back to the palace, knowing without having to be told that it had been, perhaps, a very close thing.

Caution kept Adam to his lessons for another three days before he launched himself up to the palace rooftops. From the very highest point he could see everything around him; in the woods, far below, he could even make out the pale white smudges of the linden trees in bloom.

"You didn't fall this time!" the familiar voice cried out gladly.

"Linden!" Adam crushed his one true friend in a hug, found himself hugged just as tightly. "Wait, don't squeeze so hard, I've a present for you and you'll smush it."

"A present!"

"Yes, of course a present. That's how you tell people who've left you're glad they've come back."

"Oh, is it only when you leave and come back?" Linden sounded disappointed.

"Well, no, you can give presents any time you like, but it's good manners to have a reason. Else it feels more like an obligation and less like a gift." From a pocket Adam drew his handkerchief, and unwrapped it to reveal the half-shell of a stork egg, dry and gone nearly as fragile as one of the Dowager's teacups.

"That makes so much sense now," Linden admitted, and then gasped. "Is it a dragon's eggshell?"

"Nuh-uh." Adam shook his head, and whispered, "Basilisk."

They hunted said basilisk over the rooftops and under the eaves all that golden, merry afternoon, and not a few afternoons after. They went into the woods and sailed their ship into unknown oceans, the dead and fallen giant oak rotting so slowly that their slight weight hardly made a dent. The fog didn't return, but still sometimes Adam merely climbed into the boughs of the linden tree and lingered there, Linden perched close by, kicking bare feet into the green and sweet air. "Do the trees really speak to you?"

"Everything speaks, Adam," Linden replied, examining a bee that had meandered onto their fingers. "Like the fish and the toads and the wriggle-wriggle lizards. The trees just speak quieter. I don't know why you can't hear them, they're louder than the water-spouts."

"Well, yes, but the water-spouts have names and faces and mouths," Adam protested. He was resting against a branch and staring up at the sky as the leaves swayed in the breeze. "I suppose it's harder because I can't see which part is speaking."

"Is it that important, to see a face? It's just a face. I could make a face out of mud and twigs and grass."

Adam grimaced; he knew Linden had a point, and he knew his explanation wasn't one, but for once he couldn't find the words. He was, after all, only ten. "It's a hard question, Linden. Can you ask it later, when I know more things? I'll think on it, I promise."

"Psh, you don't have to." Restless fingers played with his hair. "I can tell you what they say."

"What, like now? Do they speak all the time?"

Linden nodded as Adam straightened up. "They fuss." The bee was thrown into the breeze, to go back to its bee business. "Get down, you're too high. Be quieter, you're too loud. You move too much. You don't drink enough."

"Sounds like a right pack of nannies," Adam couldn't help but grin.

"Right? We're not babies." Linden frowned. "But you did get caught out here on a hunting night. So I suppose maybe they're a little right to fret."

"A hunting night? You mean the fog?" Linden nodded, and Adam sat straddling the branch. "No one talks about that much. Sometimes people go into the woods and they just don't come back out. Or don't come back right."

"They don't," Linden replied, staring at their muddy toes. "I mean, sometimes their skin goes back, but what's inside isn't them anymore. It's..." They flapped a hand towards the heart of the woods. "It's of the Court."

Adam paused. The trees were whispering in the breeze, and he couldn't help but feel as he had that afternoon, when the linden had shielded him against something he could neither name nor comprehend, whispering warnings he couldn't understand. "Why?"

Linden shrugged. "It's payment of some sort. Like blood from a stone or bones from a grave. But I don't like the Court. They still think I'm silly, and I don't like people who think me silly."

"Oh, them." The immediate disdain in Adam's tone made Linden grin.

[fuzzysparrow]

Plasticine Man

Those who have seen the Oscar-winning films by Aardman Animations, such as Chicken Run, Wallace and Gromit, and Shaun the Sheep, will recognise the putty-like modelling material known as plasticine. Made from approximately 65% gypsum, 10% petroleum jelly, 5% lime, 10% lanolin and 10% stearic acid, plasticine comes in many colours and cannot dry, making it perfect for stop-motion animation. Since…

[loganinjapan]

Day 5: ACTIVITIES

Breakfast: McDonald's folded egg lovers, shield your eyes. I finally decided to give McDonald's in Japan a chance. I quickly ordered at the kiosk and I think this was the quickest service I've ever had at McDonald's. Might have been 60 seconds for I got my food. Anyways, this was underwhelming. Where's the flavor? The oil? The fat? The hash brown lacked moisture and its "oomph" factor. The McGriddles earned points for the real egg, but lost said points for being kinda dry. On the flip side, I finally acquired the holy grail: The Fried Apple Pie. Something that has evaded me by escaping the USA and fleeing overseas. I finally caught it. And it was good. Unfortunately, everything else was meh. 7/10. Farming Activity: This was more entertaining than I thought it would be. Except for the rocks. I hated the rocks. Anyways, today I activated my green thumb and provided free manual labor to the rice farm. We as a group went into the rice paddy and planted rice sprouts. We didn't get too dirty and luckily no one faceplanted!!! We saw groups of elementary schoolers wearing these really cool bright-colored hats. Really cool. Apparently, the area we planted rice in was a real-life location for Howl's Moving Castle. Pretty neat! Lunch: I got some Nanachiki from Family Mart and returned to Yuragi. You can read all about Yuragi on Day 4. Nanachiki is like a breaded fried chicken thigh which tastes heavely. Nuff said. Tohoku Shinkansen: My rural trip to Aomori had officially kicked off! So, my first attempt at the bullet train... failed. I got on the wrong train. No big deal though. I got to talk with a teacher who was leading his students on a field trip back from Tokyo Disney. I got off at Omiya Station and transferred onto Hayabusa 65. The bullet train was awesome and I had a whole row to myself! It went fast - super fast - 200 mph!!! That's insane. It was really nice seeing all the mountains and towns and scenery. I wanted to see Real Japan and I got Real Japan. Now I'm staying in Hachinohe and the room is 10x better than my hotel. Perfection.

[lovely-bones-stuff]

Breakfast: coffee with creamer (20cals)

Lunch: dry ribs (185 cals) ceased salad (110 cals)

Supper: chicken drumstick (155 cals) 1/2 cup rice (100 cals) cup of mixed veggies (65 cals)

Was very hungry so I had a Nutella sandwich (250 cals)

Total: 885 cals

[greedyapron]

31/1/2024 - Lunch

📍 Mr Biryani, Little India

🐓 Crispy Chicken 65 ($12.90)

Found it rather underwhelming. Chicken was crispy but it was also dry.

🍗🍚 Hyderabad Chicken Dhum Biryani ($14.90)

Decent biryani. 1 of this is good for 2! Their raita is so darn good! Can't stop eating it with the rice.

[liquorwinecave]

What is the Best Australian Wine for You

Australia is a wine powerhouse. We’re talking about the fifth-largest wine-producing country in the world! Australia is home to a talented community of winemakers championing all wine styles, from rosé wine to sweet wine and everything in between.

Australia produces a vast amount of fine wine, and although picking a nice bottle is easy, finding the right wine for you is a bit more challenging. After all, with so many alternatives, how to choose?

Here’s all you need to know about Australian wine and the grapes used to make it, from the robust Australian red wine made with Shiraz to the gentle Pinot Noir. Let’s find the right wine for you.

Australia’s Wine Regions

To understand Australian wine, one must first know how the 2156 wineries and 6000 grape growers are organized and how they label their wines.

Australia has a sophisticated yet straightforward appellation system. You’ll find distinct Geographical Indications (GI) under the umbrella term Wine Australia all along the country’s southern shore.

Vineyards run along Queensland’s southern shore, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia — grapes grow merrily in Tasmania as well! There are around 65 GIs in Australia, and they all focus on different wine styles depending on their climates, soil types and proximity to the sea.

To find the right Australian wine for you, let’s explore the most famous wine grapes where they are grown. Here’s a quick tour through Australia’s verdant vineyards. Our first stop? Australian white wine.

Australian White Wine

Chardonnay

Chardonnay is Australia’s most planted white varietal and the third most important after the red Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. Chardonnay is a noble grape. The queen of white grapes is native to Burgundy, France, but arrived in Australia in 1832. Winemakers love the grape for a reason — it thrives almost everywhere.

Of course, Chardonnay vines prefer colder climates, so you’ll find the finest Australian white wines made with the grape up on the hills or near the coast, where temperatures are lower.

Expect a tight acidic backbone and scents reminiscent of golden apples, white flowers, citrus peels and oaky vanilla over a medium-bodied and creamy palate. These wines are best enjoyed with pasta, creamy sauces, chicken thighs and savoury pastries.

Regions for Australian Chardonnay:

Margaret River, Adelaide Hills, Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula, Tasmania.

Wine to try:

Allandale Chardonnay 2021

Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc is the fifth most planted grape in Australia, and it’s often blended with Semillon, a style inspired by the white wines from Bordeaux. By the way, Semillon alone makes extraordinary wine in Australia as well, primarily in Hinter Valley.

Unlike Sauvignon’s European versions, these wines are brimming with tropical fruit redolent of passion fruit, lychee and kiwi, always with refreshing acidity. Enjoy Sauvignon Blanc with fresh cheese and seafood. For dry white wine, Australian white wine has you covered.

Regions for Australian Sauvignon Blanc:

Margaret River, Yarra Valley, Tasmania, Tumbarumba (Check the Sauv Blancs from neighbouring New Zealand as well!)

Wine to try:

Stella Bella Sauvignon Blanc 2021

Riesling

Riesling is the queen of cold-climate white grapes; it's easy to see why it thrives in Germany and Austria. Well, Australian grape growers have found great spots for growing the late-ripening and aromatic variety as well. The result is an elegant wine with floral and petrol aromas, often with hints of ripe peaches and mango. The sweetness in these wines may vary, so read the label carefully.

Riesling is particularly compatible with white meat, including pork and veal. It can be a great partner for spicy food like curries, too. Riesling is a wonderful summer sipper, and it’s easy to enjoy on its own as well.

Regions for Australian Riesling:

Clare Valley, Eden Valley, Tasmania, Western Australia.

Wine to try:

Pooley Butchers Hill Riesling 2021

Other Australian White Grapes

Many other white varietals show promising results in Australia, including Vermentino, Pinot Gris, Fiano, Muscat and others.

Australian Red Wine

Although Australian white wines are up there with the best in the world, the country is best known for its reds. Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah are the two most planted grapes in Australia and make almost half of the vineyards. Both grapes arrived in the country in the 1830s at the hands of the “Father of Wine Australia”, James Busby. Today, producers make the most acclaimed wines in the country with one of these two grapes, but there are others. Let’s get to know them.

Shiraz

Shiraz, AKA Syrah, is a red grape from the Rhône Valley, France. The rustic grape produces big and bold red wines with ripe fruit aromas and hints of freshly cracked black pepper and chocolate.

Shiraz is also commonly blended with Grenache and Mataro (Mourvedre) in the now-famous GSM blend, where Grenache plays first fiddle. These wines are complex but approachable and offer a wide range of fruit, herb and spice aromas.

Australian Shiraz is best enjoyed with hearty stews, meat pies, grilled red meat, barbecue, roasts, goat and lamb.

Regions for Australian Shiraz:

Barossa Valley, Margaret River, Hunter Valley, Clare Valley, McLaren Vale.

Wine to try:

Turon Artist Range Syrah 2019

Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon is the most planted grape globally and the second most popular in Australia. There’s no doubt the noble Bordelaise varietal produces age-worthy and structured wines across the country. You can find wines made 100% with Cabernet Sauvignon everywhere and spectacular blends, most likely Cabernet-Merlot and Cabernet-Shiraz.

Cabernet Sauvignon wines are an excellent match for thick, fatty steaks, especially rib eyes and strip steaks. Cabernet will also shine with meaty stews, casseroles and semi-hard cheese.

Regions for Australian Cabernet Sauvignon:

Coonawarra, Barossa Valley, Margaret River, Victoria.

Wine to try:

Suckfizzle Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is not amongst the most planted red grapes in Australia, not because producers don’t want to grow it, but because the thin-skinned Burgundian grape is tough to grow and only thrives in the coldest climates.

Pinot Noir produces elegant, almost silky red wines with elevated acidity and fruit purity on the nose and palate. These sensual wines pair best with mushroom dishes, oily fish like salmon and tuna, and roasted poultry. Pinot Noir is also often used to make pretty rosé wine.

Regions for Australian Pinot Noir:

Mornington Peninsula, Yarra Valley, Tasmania, Adelaide Hills.

Wine to try:

Quartier Pinot Noir 2021

Other Australian Red Grapes

There are dozens of other red grapes in Australia, although not nearly as popular as those described above. Tempranillo is worthy of a special mention, and it’s doing great in Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale, Heathcote and Margaret River.

Merlot, Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Petit Sirah (Durif) and many other grapes are worth seeking out, and they’re climbing the popularity ranks at an impressive pace.

There’s an Australian Wine For You

We’ve covered the most prominent red and white varietals in the Australian repertoire and where to find them. However, this is just a drop in the bucket — there’s much more from where these came from!

From world-class sparkling wine to lusciously sweet wine, Australian winemakers make wine for all occasions, food pairings and budgets. What’s the best Australian wine? That’s up to you. And you’ll have a great time finding the answer to that question.

Enjoy the wine Australia has for you and share it with friends and family. Australian wine is better than ever, and it’s not going anywhere. Are you ready to explore the vast country through your taste buds? All you need is a wine glass!

[thebiryanilounge]

The Biryani Lounge: The Best Indian Restaurant For Spice Lovers.

If you’re looking for an authentic place to enjoy a variety of Indian cuisine and spice, look no further than The Biryani Lounge. The restaurant serves a wide range of dishes that are sure to satisfy your taste buds with every bite.

Biryani: The Star Dish.

Biryani is a rice dish cooked with meat or vegetables. It is an Indian dish popular in South Asia, especially Indian and Pakistan. Biryani differs from pulao because it has more layers of flavour and spices and uses more oil than pulao.

Taste the Tandoori Magic.

Chicken Tikka

Tandoori Chicken

Murgh Malai Kebab

Zafrani Murgh Tikka

Chicken Tangdi Kebab

And more.

Tandoori dishes are traditionally served on the bone but can be ordered boneless as well. A popular choice is butter chicken, which consists of pieces of chicken cooked in a creamy tomato sauce flavoured with garam masala and topped with butter chunks.

Another favourite is a chicken curry made from boneless breast meat simmered in a spicy gravy that includes onions, tomatoes, and plenty of garlic paste; this dish may also include coconut milk for added richness.

Begin with Lip-smacking Veg and Non-Veg Starters.

We offer a delectable range of Veg and Non-Veg Starters that are perfect to kick off your meal on a high note. Here are the descriptions of our popular appetizers:

Chicken 65.

Chilli Chicken.

Pepper Chicken.

Chicken Lollipops (Dry, Wet)

Lamb Kali Mirch.

Chilli Paneer.

Gobi 65.

Cut Mirchi.

And many other delicious dishes.

Whether you’re sharing a plate with friends or enjoying a solo snack, our Veg, and Non-Veg Starters will surely delight your taste buds and get you ready for the main course.

Embrace the Fusion of Indo-Chinese Cuisine.

You can never go wrong with Indo-Chinese. It combines Indian and Chinese food that is perfect for spice lovers. Chicken Fried Rice is one of their best sellers, but if you’re looking for something different, try the Chilli Garlic Noodles or Chicken Noodles.