#courses to be a chef india

[kiarajoshi]

Culinary Schools In India

Embark on a delectable journey to become the world's best chef with Culinary Arts Courses from APCA India. They provide a variety of Culinary courses for beginners and experienced cooks alike.

[anjalicookingschool]

Missi Roti-Ingredients - Anjali Cooking School

Learn how to make delicious Missi Roti at home with this easy recipe. Perfectly spiced and packed with the goodness of gram flour, wheat flour, and fresh herbs, this traditional Indian bread is a treat for your taste buds. Ready in just 1.5 hours!

[thehotelschool]

Want to start a career in the food industry? Our culinary school in Delhi is the perfect place for aspiring chefs to start their journey. Join our food production course in Delhi and learn from our expert chefs to make your passion a profession.

For more information call us at 18001215344

[tyrantisterror]

At Sea Without a Map pt. 12

Water laps placidly over the corpse of the enormous stork, this nightmare bird who clearly never forgot that its ancestors were dinosaurs. As you survey the titanic avian's bleeding corpse, a single though dominates your mind: there's a lot of good eating on that bird.

Butchering the monster bird's carcass is no easy feat, especially since you aren't a butcher (that you know of) and are mostly going off of hazy recollections of baking turkeys once a year. Oh, and the fact that the bird you're trying to cook is the size of a goddamn Tyrannosaurus rex (albeit a lot longer in the leg and neck and smaller in the torso). There's more meat than you know what to do with, and some of it looks significantly less appetizing than the others, so you focus on the part of a bird you've always preferred eating when getting fried chicken: the legs.

You shove your harpoon through one of the bird's enormous thighs (once you pried off the feathers and scales, of course) and take some of the stranger instruments in your kitchen to prop it up over a fire you've made out of some sufficiently dry driftwood you've found, and proceed to slowly roast the meat to... well, not perfection, but edibility.

The drumstick is so large, though, that roasting it all in time for dinner is an unlikely prospect, so instead of rotating the rotisserie you decide to just cook one side at a time and call it good. That's... probably fine, right? And if it's not, hey, you're an amnesiac sailor, not an amnesiac chef.

At least one person enjoys your cooking. Clutching a huge chunk of roast stork meat in her long, hook-clawed fingers, Calibani's expression is full of delight as she tears into her meal with insatiable hunger. It's a sight that's at once endearing and terrifying, for while her obvious love for your cooking feels very complimentary, watching her sharp teeth tear into the flesh of that bird keeps reminding you of how she wanted to set those same chompers on you just last night. Plus her teeth don't seem to be fully rooted to her jaw like yours - there's a lot of movement going on behind her lips as she tears the chunk of meat apart that goes beyond the human act of mastication that you're used to seeing.

"What did you call this again?" Calibani asks between mouthfuls of stork meat. "Cooking?"

"Yeah, cooking," you reply. "It makes our food healthier, and it tastes better too."

"That's fantastic!" she squeals after taking another ravenous bite. "I never knew you humans were so clever!"

You laugh. "This isn't even good cooking. If I had some spices, I could-"

Her eyes go wide as she lunges forward and grabs your hands. "Let's find some spices!" she says, her smile wide and and just a bit crazy as her serpentine eyes peer deep into yours. "I'm serious! I want to try good cooking! Where do spices come from?"

You scratch the back of your head. "I dunno, India, I think?"

"Then let's go to India!" She beams at your before adding, "Where's India?"

"I don't know, I don't even know where we are!"

"But I told you, sweetness, we're in the Sea of Monsters!" Calibani shoots you a skeptical yet amused glance. "Don't tell me you forgot that already!"

"No, no, I remember, I just don't know where the Sea of Monsters is in relation to India," you say before adding, "And besides, people crossing the sea to take spices from India has historically resulted in some horrendous shit."

Calibani crosses her arms, puffs out her cheeks, and pouts. "Harrumph!"

Scratching your head again, you suggest "But maybe we can find spices elsewhere?"

Calibani's face lights up again. "Yay! Spices!" She goes back to eating her chunk of stork meat, while you look over the roasting drumstick and think about the day's events.

"Why did they run?" you ask quietly, more to yourself than Calibani.

"Hrmm?" Calibani looks up at you with a huge chunk of meat hanging from between her needle-teeth, then swallows it whole before asking, "Why did who run?"

"The storks," you answer. "They had us outnumbered, easily. Why'd they all take off when we killed their pal here? Why not finish us off?"

"Because they didn't think of that."

You blink, having not expected an actual answer to your question, much less one delivered so bluntly. You look at Calibani, and she has her eyebrows raised like what she's saying should be obvious.

"Most creatures don't think of themselves as part of a group, but as individuals," she explains. "When things go South, their first thought isn't 'what should we do,' but rather, 'what can I do to keep myself safe?' Just a knee-jerk reaction of short-term self-preservation. Those storks saw one of their own die, and each one thought, 'Oh, that could be me next,' and decided to bail. Most creatures work that way."

You nod, realizing her explanation makes an odd sort of sense.

"You're different, though."

That addition hits you like a semi truck. "Whuh?" you grunt in confusion.

Calibani is looking at you very thoughtfully. Her smile is smaller now, as if its flame was intentionally dampened, but no less genuine for it. "You think about others before yourself. That's why you tried to get me onto your boat last night, why you didn't let me fall overboard, why you gave me this nice fuzzy thing to wear-"

"It's called a sweater-"

"Right, a sweater, I remember." She smiles as she rubs the sleeve against her cheek to feel its soft texture. "And it's why you warned me when that bird was coming for us. You could have just run - some would even say that was wise, since I've given you nothing but trouble anyway." Her small, soft smile manages to radiate even brighter than the big ones she was giving earlier. "But you warned me, because that's the kind of person you are. I've never met anyone who acts that way before."

She looks down at her meat, as if afraid to meet your gaze, and you look away too as your struggle to figure out how to even begin responding to her analysis of you. Thankfully, the gap in the discussion proves unbearable for her too, as she breaks the silence with a new topic.

"That harpoon is really amazing! I never would have thought I could take down a creature as big as that bird, not in a million, billion years, but here we are, feasting on its remains thanks to your pointy little stick! You humans are really resourceful, aren't you?"

"Yeah, we're... clever." Your voice trails off as a flurry of thoughts and feelings rain down inside your head. "Calibani?"

"Yes, Sailor?"

"I..." You trail off again. "Um..." There are so many things you want to discuss, but you're not sure where to begin. It seems like the time again to consult your compass.

(We're in another conversation scene, so feel free to reply with questions/discussion topics to bring up. You can offer as many as you like, just make sure you label your suggestions with the Direction they'd correspond to. The more replies this gets, the more in-depth the conversation will be!)

[gold-dust-angel]

Good to see this trending even though I have no idea why suddenly today but—

A historic debate on marriage equality and legalising same-sex marriage is underway in the Supreme Court of India. The Union govt. is against it of course but the SC judges and the lawyers representing the petitioners are very progressive. The recordings of the live hearings are up on youtube and worth watching because the arguments in favor are just ✨chef's kiss✨ The verdict is yet to be out but I'm really hopeful. Anxious but hopeful. So far the CJI's statements point to a positive outcome for the queer community but let's wait and watch. It's gonna be epic🌈

[bangtanhoneys]

BTS Wedding Series: Food/Cake Tasting

SEOKJIN

If there was one thing Seokjin was adamant about in the whole wedding planning, it was the food. He had cooked for the boys for the past 10+ years, he had been on enough variety shows with food, he did enough of his own mukbang videos to affirmatively say that he was a foodie. And when it came to the cake, the two of you had worked out a design and the flavours you wanted. 

However, the whole food situation was firmly in his hands. 

There had been emails back and forth to the hotel on Jeju island with menus, a private phone call with the chef and a presentation by Zoom by said chef over the various Korean meals that the kitchen could provide. 

“Would it be possible to have a variation? Such as buffet stations and grazing tables laid out for everyone to pick from, to include different cultures but to include Korea as the main food as well,” Seokjin asked after going through your pinterest board where you had kept some of your ideas.

The chef in question glanced up, surprised as he was used to dealing with couples who went strictly with traditional Korean wedding food and never varied outside of that. His team were muttering in the background and there was various clicking, as they went through their own Google images to figure out what Seokjin was asking of him.

“We’re looking at a varied buffet rather than your strict sit down meal. I love American and Indian dishes, Seokjin loves Korean food and burgers. My parents prefer sushi yet they love Thai food. We have such a variation coming that we want to cover all aspects,” you summarised. And then the chef got it.

“Ah, I see! Right okay, so let’s do foods from around the world then. We'll have different food stations like you say - Japan, Korea, America, Italy, Thailand, India, Spain, etc. And then have a grazing table for fruits, bread, your desserts and then of course your wedding cake,” the chef said as he drew a plan on the board behind him. If he hadn’t been a cook in this life, you would have assumed he was an artist in another.

“The cake we’re going to sort when we’re next on Jeju but for desserts, could we look at brownies, cookies, blondies, cupcakes, etc. We’re well aware of people’s different choices,” Seokjin added as he wrote down his own list of his own requests.

“Mr. Kim, this is going to cost quite a bit. I know you’re an idol but this is going to cost.”

Seokjin gave a wave of his hand in an almost imperial way, causing you to hide a smile behind your hand. Another thing you had to give over to him was the budget. 

“Don’t worry about that - when it comes to my food, I’m ready to spend the money. Do you know BTS?”

Of course the chef did as did the whole team by the way they were nodding.

“Then you know I’m a foodie and I love my food. And this one here loves her desserts so it’s a compromise and I won’t compromise on food,” Seokjin added by pinching your side, wincing at the slap on the arm in return. 

“As long as you're sure. Let us arrange a date for you two to come and try some samples, then you can make a weekend out of it,” the chef suggested.

“A weekend trying food? Yes please!”

YOONGI

There was one thing you had promised Yoongi when it came to the wedding.

Tangerines.

He didn’t know how you were going to do it but he wanted tangerines because that’s what he loved and wanted. He had already picked out a four course meal for the wedding, fully Korean, with lamb skewers thrown in because he saw them on the menu and wanted them. The cake, however, was your deal. He just wanted tangerines.

So while you were looking for inspiration on wedding cakes during the early stages, you saw plenty of tiered wedding cakes with orange slices on the sides, painted oranges on the fondant, half naked cakes with fresh fruit all around. It was all locked away for your meeting with the lady who was going to do your wedding cake for you, something you dragged Yoongi along because coffee and cake went well together.

“So, what are you two looking for?” she asked, opening up her ipad to get started on the design.

“We’re both kind of plain people. The wedding decor is going to be simple with glass and flowers and candles. White roses, white peonies with plenty of greenery. Our invitations had a hint of blue on them. But Yoongi loves tangerines so I want to do tangerine name cards and if we could have tangerines on the cake as well, or in the flavour, then that would be perfect,” you explained. 

Yoongi perked up at the mention of his favourite fruit. He didn’t know about the name card suggestion as he had briefly glanced at your ideas and the idea that you wanted to incorporate something he loved, made him realise that every single decision had him in mind.

“Wait till you see the favours I’ve ordered,” you muttered as you patted his leg, grinning slightly.

“Is that why I’ve been locked out of the spare room?” he muttered back, one eye on the lady designing the cake and one eye on you.

“Of course. It’s hell in there right now.”

“So,” the lady interrupted unapologetically to show you her design. “I’m thinking vanilla buttercream because that works well, then we can add fresh tangerines or kumquats which are slightly smaller or I can make the tangerines and flavour them. For the cake layers, since you like simple, depending on the tiers and how many you need, we could go with vanilla cake with lemon to bring in the citrus, then another tier of vanilla with pink champagne and another vanilla with maybe chocolate.”

���These sound all amazing. Are we able to have any tasters?”

“I’ll be back in just a moment,” the lady said as she laid her ipad on the table with the design still in place.

“How many tiers do we need?” Yoongi asked, seeing the design was for three tiers. 

“Well, we’re looking at 250 for the reception and the Korean ceremony,” you said once you brought up your guest list file on the phone.

Yoongi sighed. As much as he hated being put on display like that, he knew it was to keep both sets of parents happy and to have everyone who meant the world there as well. At least the legal ceremony a few days before was just yourselves, the boys, your parents and no one else. 

“How many tiers can we do for 250 people?” Yoongi then asked the lady who came out with two trays of vanilla cake with different variations of filling. 

“You’ll be looking at 6 tiers then.”

Yoongi sighed again but happily picked up the fork he was given as well as a tray of cake. “Well, we best get tasting then.”

In the end, you picked vanilla with lemon, red velvet with cream cheese, vanilla with pink champagne and then a cookies and cream tier because at this point, why the hell not. 

HOSEOK

The hotel itself had many restaurants to choose from and when it came to the wedding, especially with the amount of guests who were coming and how much you were setting aside just for the food, the hotel had sent you all the menus available. 

You wanted Korean but mixed with a bit of international food as well as the wine and other alcohol to compliment it. Everything had to be big and bright like your wedding theme and to match your cake as well which had been designed to be dripped in bright rainbow colours with gold lustre and fresh bright flowers. 

“So Festa is our contemporary European dining, the Granum is all day dining and is international and the Club Member’s Restaurant is Korean so you’ve got a good mix here,” the wedding organiser said as she showed you to the private dining area where you were going to have your wedding tasting from the samples you had picked from the menus provided.

For starters, you had picked smoked salmon with caesar salad, kimchi soup with bean sprouts and shrimp croquette and dill cream. 

Scoffing all that with your wine and grinning as Hobi made notes, you then went onto your main dishes. These had been Hobi’s picks and you could tell when the dishes had arrived, large servings of meat. Prime steak was one dish, grilled lobster was another and then lamb rack with vegetables.

If that wasn’t enough, a small pizza and bolognese pasta also arrived.

“What?” Hobi asked around a slice of pizza.

“You think we’re feeding the country?” you asked, cutting into the prime steak that was cooked perfectly.

“I had to stop myself at the sides because there were too many,” Hobi admitted as he stole the piece of steak you had cut up.

“Of course,” you muttered as you stole the rest of his pizza.

Dessert had been a combined effort as your wedding cake was only two tiers and would feed just under 200 people. Blueberry cheesecake, chocolate tart with vanilla ice cream and then orange pound cake with ice cream. And not only that, the tables would get a platter of seasonal fruit.

“This is going to be hard,” you pouted as you spooned up some of the chocolate tart. “We might have to come back and try them again.”

Hobi chuckled as he bypassed the chocolate tart and went for the cheesecake. “I completely agree. Let’s bring Seokjin and Taehyung with us next time. They're the fussiest.”

NAMJOON

Picking the food had been an easy thing for the two of you as you both didn’t like fish and had settled on going Korean with a little mix of international foods for the guests who you just had to invite. Luckily enough, the maximum numbers for your outdoor wedding were 150 and you had managed to drop that to 130 for all your friends and family then the famous people who Namjoon knew he had to invite. 

It was a bit odd addressing the invitations to such famous people and it was even more odd when they actually accepted. With the food organised with the hotel, it was time to turn to the cake. 

You two had spent the better part of a day looking up wedding cakes with your appointment with the cake maker fast approaching and settled on a design you both liked - handpainted flowers alongside the tiers of the cake, all with meaning and thoughts behind them. Specifically picked for the two of you to incorporate your wedding flowers, birth flowers, etc. 

Namjoon happily tucked into the slice of cake the lady handed over, white chocolate passionfruit while she handed you coffee and walnuts. If there was something you both were adamant on, it was the cake flavours would be unique. 

You needed a four tier cake and while she designed the flowers on her ipad, you two tucked into the next set of flavours. 

“I want to take that cake home,” Namjoon pointed towards the plate that was now empty of his passionfruit slice. 

“I’m loving this raspberry and white chocolate,” you added as you cut a bit off with your fork and handed it over to your future groom.

“This is going to be so hard,” he muttered around the mouthful of cake and turned the plate that held his lemon slice. “But I think I’ve made my choices.”

“Oh? Already?” you asked, licking off some of the raspberry buttercream. 

“I want that passionfruit, as well as your raspberry one and I think we just need plain vanilla for the boring people. And I think we need a chocolate layer, maybe with caramel and I want a lemon layer as well,” Namjoon picked off, still happily munching on the lemon cake. 

You thought for a moment, thinking of all the people who were coming and if any of them were allergic to anything in those flavours and nothing was springing out at you. And when the lady showed you the design of greenery, daisies, white roses, peonies and little forget me nots - everything just fell into place.

“All those flavours and that cake design please.”

JIMIN

You didn’t know where the number of guests had come from but you somehow reached the 150 mark which was just a little squeeze for your venue but they had managed to confirm those numbers for the ceremony then the reception afterwards. You had picked and confirmed a cake well beforehand, settling on a five tier white cake but with fresh ivory and light pink flowers cascading around the cake itself. With flavours of vanilla, strawberry, lemon and raspberry, it had been sorted before you had even figured out your actual food menu. 

Jimin was firm when you two had spoken to your wedding organiser that he wanted a taste of Busan in his menus with Busan eomuk (fish cakes) and Milmyeon so he had something of home in the menu which was completely western. Of course, the hotel were happy to agree so they organised a menu specifically for your food tasting. 

First, it was the appetiser course of two options. The famous Busan fishcakes with a side of salad and some other bits and then shredded hoisin duck tortilla stack with cucumber and spring onion.

“How is that western?” Jimin muttered to you but happily tucked into the food either way. 

For the main course, there was the option of Milmyeon, roasted sirloin with green beans, mushrooms, sauce and optional potatoes or fries. As well as a chicken option or sea bass option as well. 

“This is hard,” you moaned as you cut into the steak and almost cried at how perfectly cooked it was. 

“It’s even harder when they give you these options,” Jimin laughed as he pointed in the direction of the chicken and sea bass that was waiting to be tested.

“I shouldn’t have had breakfast,” you realised when you cut into the chicken and happily popped it into your mouth.

And then for dessert, realising your cake probably wouldn’t cover 150 people, settled on two types of dessert: a cheesecake and desserts in miniature so people got three little ones to enjoy. 

“Shall we have it all?” Jimin questioned, spooning some of the cheesecake and feeding it to you. He then dug into the crumble which he hadn’t heard of before. 

“We’ve got plenty of people who are going to have different options,” you shrugged but were happy to go for all the choices suggested.

“Okay, let’s do it,” he made a note on the little bit of paper the waiters had given him to confirm his choices. 

TAEHYUNG

Though you had realised planning a wedding in another country was going to be hard, you didn’t realise how hard it was actually going to be. The venue dressing, provided by the hotel, was in Los Angeles as well as the cake lady, the photographer and everything else. You had a makeup team flying out with you and another photographer as well as a videographer, provided by HYBE, would be making the journey with you. 

Beverly Hills had been booked up the moment your invitations had gone out and surrounding hotels as well in what had been termed ‘the wedding of the century’ by the rest of BTS. Celebrities, fashion designers, music producers and god knows who else were making the trip to be there for Taehyung’s wedding. 

It was becoming a bit of a circus but he was so excited and devoted to the whole thing, that in the end it didn’t matter who was coming. You just wanted to marry the man. 

And at least your air travel miles were accumulating quickly with the amount of times you had to fly out to Los Angeles. This time it was to meet the cake lady as well as have your menu tasting - something you were eagerly awaiting as you had to mix it with Korean as well as western food. 

Of course, having a cake for 800 people was near impossible and it had been decided early on it would be limited to three real tiers, with the other three to be fake. No one would care anyway, especially with the amount of money you were putting into the food alone. And the wedding cake design had been simple yet extravagant - white fondant with vines of leaves and small flowers indented on each layer, with gold ribbon at the bottom of each tier and then red roses sandwiched in between each tier. 

They were given a menu exclusively designed by Wolfgang Puck, one of the most famous chefs out there, and a glass of champagne each. “We wouldn’t have gotten this in Korea,” Taehyung had muttered to you when you reached the VIP section of the restaurant. 

“They saw the cheque book,” you muttered back with a laugh. 

First was a king crab cocktail and a lamb rack with salad for entrees and then for the main course, you were given a large serving of bibimbap and Korean BBQ beef and a large serving of steak and Japanese kanpachi sashimi. 

“Definitely saw the cheque book,” you said around a mouthful of food and realised the two of you hadn’t spoken in the hour you had arrived at your table and served your food. 

“Well, it is delicious,” Taehyung said as he held up some of the sashimi and all but shoved it in his mouth. 

When you thought you were done, they came out with the dessert menu as well as wine menu. 

“I’m going to die,” you fake cried as you looked at the menu. “Oooh, they’ve got cheese platters. Should we have one for each table?”

Taehyung looked up from his wine menu and arched an eyebrow, “Now who's spending the money?”

“We’ve got a lot of celebrities to impress. So is that a yes?”

JUNGKOOK

With Jungkook being Jungkook, he already had a cake designed the moment you had talked about it. He had spent an agonising night on his ipad, drawing and redrawing, looking up inspiration and even turning to ARMY’s pictures to see if they had any inspiration to fulfil their fantasies. 

With nothing truly popping up, Jungkook had to simply turn to his imagination and wonder if it would work. And with the colour scheme you two had come up with, it was a little hard. 

“So, this is the design I’ve been working on,” Jungkook said to the cake designer who you had set up an appointment with over a week ago. 

The cake designer took the offered ipad and used his fingers to zoom in on the design, then back out. “It shouldn’t be a problem and it’s quite unique, it’s not something I’ve seen before. Let me draw my version with some ideas of cake layers and see what you two think.”

You eyed Jungkook suspiciously and wondered what he had cooked up.

“It represents all of us,” Jungkook explained as he patted your knee, taking the ipad back and shoving it into his ever present black backpack. 

With you travelling all the way to Busan to have this meeting as well as to sort out your food at the hotel, you hoped to have everything boxed up and done so you were putting a bit of faith in Jungkook and his cake. 

“So, I think for the bottom layer, we should do some kind of chocolate,” the cake designer explained as he turned his own ipad around to show the two of you. He had replicated what Jungkook had drawn but into something easier for a cake. 

The bottom layer had a marble effect with white base with a hint of black and purple in the marble effect. The second layer was pure purple with vanilla as its flavouring and then the top tier was pure white with strawberry champagne flavouring and white orchids dotted between the layers. 

“You included ARMY,” you whisper as you take the offered ipad and look at the intricate details in the marble that look like they were done on purpose. 

“Maybe it would be worth getting some kind of cake topper to represent that and you two,” the cake designer explained as he got up to get the suggested cake layers. 

It didn’t take Jungkook long to get his phone out and start looking.

[fromtraveldiaries]

Notes from the land of the rising sun

If you think the Paris subway is a marvel, wait until you step into Tokyo's intricate underground labyrinth. The Japanese subway system is an experience that best reflects the essence of Japanese culture and efficiency.

The first thing you notice when you step into a Tokyo subway station are the orderly queues - on the escalators, at ticket counters, at entry and exit gates, and while boarding trains. The Japanese have transformed queuing into a well-organized and methodical art form, much unlike the Indians for who queueing is a rather abstract and a largely inscrutable exercise. This queue discipline extends beyond transportation to restaurants, take-away counters, and billing counters, where you find patrons patiently waiting their turn for service.

Another striking feature of Tokyo's subways is the pervasive silence. Compared to the prattle on the Paris metro or the pandemonium on the Indian metros, the Japanese subway is a quiet sanctuary. The Japanese are a quiet people who keep to themselves during public transit, their animated conversations are reserved for meal times. Food, often accompanied by drinks, is a more communal experience that's filled with lively discussions and noisy chatter. On buses, trains, and the subway, one finds commuters reading novels, manga, news, diaries, or watching anime or otherwise engaged on their phones. This quietude carries onto the roads, streets, and other public places. There's no honking and people talk in whispers in most places, except of course in eateries. Most Japanese folks like to go out with their friends and colleagues or have social gatherings in eateries. They love to take their time during such meals, which are almost always accompanied by drinks. The conversations are loud, full of banter and laughter.

At every station, you also have a helpdesk that actually works. We used these at many stations and were very impressed by the service we got. While returning from Kanazawa to Tokyo, our Shinkansen (bullet train) developed a snag. We were informed on board about this by the railway staff. They dropped us off at Nagano, where more railway staff were waiting to assist us. They put us on a train to Matsumoto, where more staff were waiting to help. We were put on a train to Shiojiri, where another set of helpful staff put us on a slow Azusa train to Shinjuku. During the whole time, everyone was apologetic and insisted that we collect our refund for the Shinkansen from the Shinjuku station. We had booked our tickets through Klook, so weren't really sure if we were eligible for a refund and how and when (if at all), we would get any refund. To our surprise, the lady at the helpdesk counter gave us an almost complete refund in cash, no questions asked. She said that they had been informed of the Shinkansen glitch and were expecting passengers such as us to alight at Shinjuku. She also profusely apologized for the inconvenience. At how many Indian stations can you expect this service?

In contrast to India's metro stations, where photography is 'strictly prohibited', one is free to click away in Japanese subways. We didn't find a single place where photography wasn't allowed or one had to pay extra charges just to click.

Respect for individuals is on display everywhere and in everyone. Courteous gestures greet one at every turn and we were quite surprised to find people bowing to us even for trivial interactions. We also learnt to bow in return with gratitude. Starting from clearly designated 'foreign friendly taxis' to courteous strangers going out of their way to assist you, you feel truly welcomed in Japan. You also feel as if you are a celebrity when you step into an eatery, for as you step in, the staff, including the chefs and the kitchen staff, boisterously greet you with a loud shout. Google what this means and you'll see what I mean.

At restaurants, you are invariably served ice cold water with ice cubes in long tumblers. This is the way of life even in cold winters. You can, however, also order warm/hot sake that really fires you up on wintry nights. While Tokyo offers a plethora of culinary delights, vegetarians might feel the need to seek out specific eateries. The cuisine draws heavily on raw food, mostly seafood, with minimal oil and spices. This is where the super helpful convenience stores like 7-11 and Family Mart offer a variety of options, including liquor. Japanese convenience stores have more variety of liquor than one finds in the regular wine shops back home.

That the Japanese are punctual is well known, but their service levels are at a different level altogether. At Kanazawa, we requested for a taxi at the hotel reception which was on the first floor. The receptionist made a call to a local cab company and informed that a taxi would arrive in three minutes. True to their word, by the time we descended the stairs and reached the ground floor, the taxi was already waiting for us. In both Kyoto and Tokyo, we noticed many shops displaying merchandise outside their doors and well out of their sight. In several grocers' vegetables were left unattended with price boards. People leave their umbrellas outside when entering shops. We also observed most households leaving their stuff outside at night.

Despite the absence of dustbins, Tokyo remains remarkably clean. Littering is a rare sight, thanks to the civic sense instilled in its residents. Further, there's no expectation of a tip for any service that you hire. Taxis and restaurants return you the exact change and you are expected to pocket your change before leaving. In fact, tipping might be considered offensive in many places. Should you run out of coins, there are machines installed in most public places that take your notes and provide you with coins. To help you tender exact change, these machines are also installed in all buses. By the way, the Japanese bus drivers are smartly dressed, polite, and greet you when you pay and get off. Compare that with the Indian buses and our drivers.

An ubiquitous presence throughout Japan are the vending machines. The offer everything, from beverages to snacks, and refreshments to souvenirs. Game arcades are also quite popular, lined up in most tourist locations. We spent a fortune on the vending machines, collecting souvenirs that are quite cheap but of exquisite quality. Tokyo, Kyoto, and Kanazawa are filled with rows and rows of these vending machines stretching on for blocks altogether.

Tokyo is unbelievably busy at all times of the day and night. The trains are always filled and the stations are always crowded. Folks are either going to work or returning from work at all hours. Whether the well-groomed crowd of Ginza, the diverse crowd of Shibuya, the aloof funky of Shinjuku or the dignified crowd of Monzennakacho, the residents of each district have their own way to go about their lives. School kids, even when returning late, show impeccable discipline, immersed in their phones, reading manga, playing games, or watching anime. There were many places in the US and in France where we felt unsafe during our travels. The less said about India, the better. In comparison, we never felt unsafe throughout our visit in Japan, not even for a moment.

This trip to Japan has been a revealation to say the least. From the land of the rising sun, arigato gozaimas.

[mysticmonkiebusiness]

ISSUE 69 BLOCKS MAGAZINE PAGE 35 + 36

[ID 1: Two magazine pages. The first shows several pieces of digitally painted concept art of; MK, a roughed-up couch, a game controller, a polaroid of an early design of Mei, and another polaroid of Monkey King from the film “Havoc in Heaven”.  Below it is an image of a LEGO designer referencing a piece of concept art, one of MK flying on a hoverboard, to design MK’s minifigure, which is being drawn on his tablet. ] 

[ID 2: On the left, between the text, minifigures of MK, Mei, Sandy, Pigsy, and Monkey King descend vertically. On the right is an ink sketch of Monkey King, who wears a crescent fillet and has a large forehead. He sits atop his cloud, below him is an early version of MK, who has a skateboard, spiky black hair, and a shirt with a star on it. Next to this image is a digital painting of Monkey King, who closely resembles his minifigure but has a full cape and golden sleeves. Under this is a picture of Monkey King’s minifigure, who stands on a LEGO cloud and wields his staff.]

Transcript:

The Characters

MK Monkie Kid, the theme's titular character, Is chosen by the Monkey King to be his successor and defend against the Demon Bull. He's a brand new character in the story.

ΜΕΙ Mei is part of the Dragon Family, a descendant of the legendary White Dragon Horse, which the monk Tang Sanzang rode down the Silk Road on his epic pilgrimage to India and Central Asia.

SANDY Once a soldier, Sandy is now a relaxed, tea drinking nature lover. He's based on the character of Sha Wujing. the most kind-hearted, loyal and logical of Tang Sanzang's three disciples.

PIGSY Head Chef of Pigsy's Noodle Shop, the character takes a great deal of pride in his kitchen. He's based on Zhu Bajie, a part-human, part-pig monster who embodies the sins of sloth, gluttony and lust in the original story.

MONKEY KING After vanishing centuries earlier on a magical cloud, Monkey King is back to train the Monkie Kid. He's based on Sun Wukong, who like Sha Wujing and Zhu Bajie was forced to accompany Tang Sanzang on his quest by the goddess of mercy.

Developing Monkie Kid

It wasn't just name recognition that the Monkey King story enjoyed: it was also ripe for a LEGO adaptation. 'I knew something about the Monkey King and Journey to the West because key beats from that story have been reinterpreted in Hollywood so many times,' Simon says. 'When we were discussing retelling it, we were just listing out the big, iconic aspects.'

The biggest of all is of course the Monkey King himself. 'The Monkey King is such an amazing superhero because he can transform himself into so many different things. He can fly on a magic cloud, he's slightly cheeky, he slightly breaks the rules and he's not perfect. He's got that likable character; he's not the typical square-jawed hero that's just going to save the day.

'The team in China started saying, 'There's the Bull Demon and he has a wife that has this huge fan that creates tornadoes, and a son who can control fire, then all the other demons like the Spider Queen...' You just think wow, these demons are awesome and we can bring them to life in brand new ways.'

That early meeting set so much direction for the theme - not just for the villains, but also for the title. As with all great moments of invention, though, no one person can claim the credit. 'I wish I could remember who it was, but somebody said, 'It's the next generation of the Monkey King and he's just a boy,' and somebody said, 'The Monkie Kid.' That was the spark moment.'

Testing proved that children could identify with the Monkie Kid, or MK as he is also known, seeing the possibility that they could be the Chosen One.

Returning to Billund in September 2018, it was time to present the concept. 'We had a 'portfolio gate' as we call it at LEGO, which is where the senior team meets and we have to pitch what we have been working on, and get their approval to move forward. Everyone was like, 'Wow!' and the China team supported it 1000% - they gave us the green light to move forward and we went into the full development phase of sculpting new characters and building models.'

"HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE WE AREN'T JUST SPRINKLING A LITTLE BIT OF CULTURAL DUST ON TOP?"

[rabbitcruiser]

National Rice Pudding Day

All we can think of is a bowl of some good old rice pudding this National Rice Pudding Day taking place on August 9. For many of us, starting from our childhood to our adulthood, rice pudding has been a staple in our diets. Made with a base of rice cooked in milk and sweetened with sugar, syrup, or honey, rice pudding can be found in many cultures and cuisines all over the world. Of course, each region has its own unique take on the dish. Some add nuts and spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, or cardamom to it, while others throw in a dash of wine to give it that wow factor. For a more fragrant look and feel, many people in the Middle East also add pistachio slivers and rose petals before serving it. You can have it hot or cold, and as a breakfast dish or a dessert after dinner. So, how are you having your rice pudding on August 9?

History of National Rice Pudding Day

National Rice Pudding Day celebrates the ancient rice pudding dish in all its glory and greatness. While we may know the sweet version of the dish today, did you know that it actually started out as a savory treat? It is difficult to pinpoint the exact location and time of the creation of rice pudding, but many scholars believe it may have originated in either ancient China or in ancient India. Both these countries have a long history of including rice as well as sugar in their religious and cultural activities, so it only makes sense that the combination of the two may have been included in their cuisines as well. ‘Kheer,’ which is Hindi for rice pudding, was first recorded in ancient India in 6000 B.C., and it was included as a staple in a prescribed Ayurvedic diet regime. It is also interesting to note that the early versions of the Indian rice pudding did not actually include rice or sugar. In place of rice, Indians made use of the cereal grain known as sorghum.

Elsewhere in the world, rice pudding was being made with rice. The grain had reached Europe through exports delivered by water or the Silk Road in the 1300s. Because it was being exported from Asia and was not being grown in Europe, rice automatically became extremely expensive. Thus, rice pudding could only be enjoyed by the elite and royalty of European countries. Before the 1500s, rice pudding was savory in nature. It was made with rice being boiled in a broth with saffron and almond milk. Chefs started including sugar into the dish to make it sweet, and soon a sweetened rice pudding started gaining popularity. It was in the eighteenth century that rice pudding became more commonplace and less expensive, all thanks to globalization. The lowered rice prices meant the grain was in easier reach of the masses, and in today’s world, it is considered to be a cheap, but filling meal.

National Rice Pudding Day timeline

6000 B.C. Indian Rice Pudding for Healthy Living

Ancient India includes rice pudding in the Ayurvedic diet in order to ensure healthy living.

14th Century Forme of Cury in England

Rice pudding, known as Forme of Cury or rice pottage, is made with rice, almond milk, and saffron in English Royal kitchens.

17th Century Sweetened Rice Pudding Recipes

Some of the modern-age rice pudding recipes come from the Tudor time period, and are called ‘whitepot.’

18th – 19th Century Rice Becomes Cheaper

Rice grains become cheaper, allowing access to the public who can now enjoy rice pudding treats, unlike their predecessors.

How To Celebrate National Rice Pudding Day

Make rice pudding

Have a rice pudding contest

Try a new rice pudding recipe

Take a trip down memory lane and make your favorite rice pudding recipe. Because of its versatility, you can choose to have it hot or cold, and for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Rice pudding is one of the highest-rated comfort foods out there because of its gooey, yet grainy texture that leaves one filled with love and warmth.

Participating in a rice pudding competition is one of the best ways to celebrate the day. There are two ways you can go about doing this. You can either hold a rice pudding cooking competition or you can have an eating competition. Whether you choose one, two, or have both, it’s going to be a fun-filled day.

Going back to what is tried and tested can be comforting, but seeking out the new can reward you with invaluable experiences. Give new rice pudding recipes a try. It could be a sweet or a savory recipe, the choice is yours.

5 Facts About Rice That Will Blow Your Mind

Sticky rice for strong cement

White rice is brown rice

Rice is grown everywhere but Antarctica

The shelf-life is decades long

Good for health

The Great Wall of China is held together with sticky rice that has been mixed with calcium carbonate.

All white rice comes from brown rice, and this is because the white rice has the brown coating of bran removed.

Rice is grown everywhere except Antarctica because of the continent’s extremely cold temperatures.

Rice, when stored in a cool and dry environment, will be good to consume for the next 10 to 30 years.

Because rice contains several minerals and antioxidants, it is great for your health, particularly for your skin.

Why We Love National Rice Pudding Day

It’s a celebration of rice pudding

It’s a celebration of ancient times

It’s a celebration of a staple food item

Rice pudding has come a long way in terms of development. It has been enjoyed by millions for centuries. With easy-to-make recipes and simple yet enjoyable taste, rice pudding is loved by many all over the globe.

A look into ancient history will reveal a lot of information on how people led their lives in order to ensure healthy and peaceful living. One historical overview of rice pudding allows us just that benefit of looking into how human civilizations utilized a single rice pudding dish in their daily lives.

Rice is a staple food item for many countries in the world. In fact, 50% of the world’s population consumes rice on a daily basis. Apart from helping our skin stay smooth and supple, rice also aids in healthy hair, is good for our overall health, and keeps our tummies filled and happy.

Source

[kiarajoshi]

Culinary Arts Courses In India

Embark on a delectable journey to become the world's best chef with Culinary Arts Courses from APCA India. They provide a variety of Culinary courses for beginners and experienced cooks alike.

[anjalicookingschool]

Anjali Cooking School: Best Online Classes for Beginners

Explore Anjali Cooking School for the best in basic and online cooking classes. Join us this weekend for expert-led sessions! Enroll now.

[punjabigrillbali]

A Taste of Tradition: Punjabi Grill serves the finest Indian cuisine in Bali

Welcome to Punjabi Grill, where the flavors of India come alive amidst the scenic beauty of Bali. As one of the Famous Indian Restaurant in Bali , we are proud to offer an original culinary voyage that showcases the rich heritage, variant spices, and warmth of hospitality that India is well known for.

Be it traditionally Indian or just bold and thrilling flavors, Punjabi Grill will definitely be your gateway into an unforgettable dining experience.

What makes Punjabi Grill a Food Destination?

Food at Punjabi Grill is not a meal-it is a way to rejoice over culture, community, and company. We have drafted an exquisite menu that will depict the best of India and Bali. From timeless favorites like Butter Chicken to creamy Paneer Tikka to our signature Dal Makhani, all dishes come loaded with the choicest of ingredients, cooked as though ordered in Old Delhi's lane houses.

Each one of them is a standing ovation to the culinary artistry of India. Be it curries that simmer for hours or naans freshly baked in tandoors, every single bite speaks of tradition and passion. Our chefs blend aromatic spices with fresh produce into an amalgamation of flavors resonating with the heartbeat of India.

A Unique Dining Experience in Bali

Situated amidst the picturesque background of Bali, our restaurant artfully fuses some of the finest interior lines with the warmth and elegance of being welcome inside a house. We envision, too, that people dine more to make memories than simply because they must eat.

Everything at Punjabi Grill was crafted and painstakingly worked upon to gently relocate you in every form to the midst of India, letting you indulge in magic beyond your thoughts within Bali's midst.

From pure vegetarian to savories of tender meat, slow-cooked to tempt every palate, our menu caters to every taste bud. For those not so familiar with Indian Cuisine in Bali , our ever-helpful team is ready to guide you through the menu for a truly enriching experience that's sure to be as delicious as it is educational.

Why Punjabi Grill?

1. Authenticity You Can Taste

One of the most renowned Indian restaurants in Bali, we are proud to present to you nothing but the most genuine flavors. Our spices come directly from India, making sure every dish carries with it a signature taste from its birthplace.

2. Something for everyone

From comfort food found in street foods like Samosas and Chaat to lavish meals with Biryani and Tandoori Kebabs, our menu makes sure everyone has something worth savoring.

3. For Any Occasion

Whether it be a romantic dinner, a family time, or a corporate outing, Punjabi Grill provides the perfect setting. Enjoy every occasion in our vast dining area with attentive services.

Celebration of Indian Cuisine Diversity in Bali

The food in India is as varied as its culture. At Punjabi Grill, we try to bring that variance to your table-from the robust flavors of North India to the subtle, aromatic dishes of the South; our menu is a journey through the gastronomic regions of India.

Of course, no meal is complete without our selection of decadent desserts, such as the popular dessert Gulab Jamun, which gives you that pleasant sweet taste that brings things to an end. Kulfi also contributes its taste value to sweeten the relationship.

Visit Us Today

Try new items on the menu or make a table reservation; meanwhile, join the feast rival that marries food and culture at Punjabi Grill. Food is our life, a celebration indeed at Punjabi Grill-and it's incomplete without YOU.

[shut-up-rabert]

I want to shout this BAD.

Indian. Serials. Or Soap-Dramas. Are. Not. That. Bad.

I mean- I saw people arguing how being a Nagin makes no sense and I was like- so being turned into a shapeshifter vampire with bloody fangs makes sense? Hypocrisy smh.

I can name quite a few Indian shows (the Tv ones, Web series are already appreciated) that actually are amazing! They just fall short when creators choose quantity over quality.

Of course, classics like Sarabhai vs Sarabhai, Office Office, Byomkesh Bakshi, Malgudi days, Mahabharata and Ramayana get the praise they truly deserve! But here some relatively modern shows that get looked over due to same old Saas-Bahu genre.

Yeh unn dino ki baat hai (90s romantic drama), Har yug mein aayega ek arjun (my favourite criminal thriller), Adaalat (law-crime thriller), Beyhadh (the first season is one the best psychic-romance thrills ever), Ek Hasina thi (romantic thriller + also contains Vatshal Sheth from Tarzan the wonder car and is- chef's kiss).

Also can I say Naagin 1, no matter how much everyone bashes it today, was actually a dhasu show?

Honestly, I can add quite a few to the mix myself. Saraswatichandra? Best Romance I’ve seen till date. Ishqbaaz? Laughing out loud since episode 2. Qubool hai? The one time I like Karan Singh Grover. Laut Aao Trisha. Saubhagyavati Bhava. Bepanah. Starplus Mahabharat. Madhubala. On and on and on. Heck, even Anupama wouldn’t be so bad if it stuck to the plot and not for duniya bhar ka drama. But that’s exactly where the problem arises. All these serials start very VERY promising. They deliver well at the beginning aswell. The starting is what gets you hooked, you hope for something entertaining and they seem rather fit for that role. Sure, the overdramatism is there, but this is India, we can digest that much dhum tananananananana tere na tere na tin.

Things start going south when shows start pulling TRP. All the money hungry producers think that “hmmmm, this looks nice, I can milk it. What can possibly go wrong?” Hint: possibly everything can go wrong.

Lets look at Ishqbaaz for example. Three brother, three different perceptions of love, three distinct love stories. A shining new concept with four rather attractive leads to have the young adult population flocking, isn’t it?

It starts really great aswell. The first few episodes stick to the point very well, excessive delay like 3-4 days for like one person to turn around and shit aren’t there. It’s funny, it’s cute, it shows character arcs brilliantly. You’d expect the main leads to all fall in love, learn something and the show to end , right?

Wrong. It starts going off hinges really fast as soon as Starplus realises that the money making cow should stay. The main lead is suddenly super toxic. Shit like ghar ke bahu bete suddenly staging Agatha Christie level conspiracies and having the same intellect as Batman on shrooms becomes the norm. Drama like chhat se girkar yadaasht chale jaana, sautan ka plan samjhna, aur end m pta chlna ki bhencho sab kiya dhara heroine ki saas ka tha. Yep.

I stopped watching here but the thing is there was a look alike adla badli arc after this, so you can see how bad it went.

Next I watched, Saraswatichandra. I kid you not, it had the BEST setting one could ask for. A emotionally stinted guy coming all the way from Dubai to reject this girl, staying in her house. When everyone thinks they are getting married but they resent each other and secretly start falling in love, no? What more can one ask for? They admit their love and do actually get married while none in the families is wiser.

BUT, they had to add faltu ka natak, so add faltugiri they did. Bina baat ka action, stereotypical portrayal, heroine ki kahi aur shaadi, waha se uska talak, heroine ki sister falling in love with hero, whole family conspiring, kidnapping, yada yada yada, y’all get the jist.

The thing is, this wouldn’t be as bad if the characters still acted wisely in the bizzare situations. Or if the situations made sense. Who THE FUCK breaks their engagement a day before the wedding because they got disowned by their dad? Why did he immediately forget that he’s still entitled to his mother’s stuff? Akal kaha hai teri madarchod?

Producers butcher good storylines for paisa. People with no motivation are trying to kill bahu because they are bad. Police is not doing its job, not because its corrupt but because saas bahu ko khud detective khelna hai. Family drama mein randomly kahi se bhi chudail aa jaati hai even if the show not fantasy based. Vamp mast 16 khoon kar deti hai but still is legally allowed in the house. (Konsa law hai ye bc?) Why is everyone so out of character suddenly? WHY IS EVERYONE STUPID?

So, here’s the issue with indian serials: they don’t stick to the story, nor do they develope the story according to the characters, instead they alter the characters, premise and genre of the soap according to whatever story they think will fetch more views. This makes the whole thing bizzare.

Of course, some norms are always relaxed in dramas and a lot more in fantasy/supernatural dramas, but there’s a limit to how much there should be based on characters/ premise of what you offered in the first place.

Bhabhiji and Happu work as well as they do despite overlooking all the points I mentioned because they refresh their storyline every week and aren’t a continous saga, plus they never took themselves seriously as and always promised to be whacky. This is not true for Ganga, Saath nibhana saathiya, Sasural Simar ka, Kumkum bhagya etc., Prachi suffering by the hands of her stepsister cum co-wife even though she can easily turn the tables by making a police report for bigamy becomes frustrating to witness at one point.

Didi ye kya bakwaas likha hai, seedhey bolo na: Indian serials are indeed good and full of potential, but the producers and writers refuse to see that potential and make us flock to other dramas by diminishing our energies.

[puella-peanut]

Daniel sprains his ankle badly after a new karate move goes wrong, and is advised to keep off his foot for two months. Which, of course, is devastating for our spunky boy, but John?

Well, John doesn’t say a word (big surprise), but just picks him up bridal style every time he sees Daniel even attempt to move. Something which takes Daniel less than two days to be over. 

“I can walk—okay, John, maybe I can’t walk, but I can definitely limp around so you don’t have to—“

“No.”

“I have a crutch. Actually, waitaminute, I have two crutches, so I can, like. You know. Hobble around, and stop collecting dust, like—“

“Doctor’s orders.”

“Doctor’s orders don’t say anything about John Kreese carrying me around like I’m dying or something, not even in the small print which,  yeah, okay, I didn’t read, but I know for a fact that even if I did, I wouldn’t see your name there. And by the way, I’m not dying, my muscles just decided to revolt, so you can just—“

“You’re scrawny. Easy to carry.”

“…That’s so not the point, and besides, this is embarrassing!”

“Why.”

“Why? Whyyyy?? Why, because I’m a full grown adult—and totally not scrawny just fun sized—and I can take care of myself, and I don’t need you fussing over me like a mother hen—“

“You’re the one fussing, kid.”

Daniel sputters, but he can’t come up with anything to say to his bullheaded boyfriend, so he just fumes in John’s (admittedly very nice) arms after punching him a couple times right on the chest (which does absolutely nothing, except hurt his own hands since John’s practically made of concrete).

Meanwhile, John won’t ever admit, but seeing Daniel with his little foot all bandaged up, and wearing John’s old sports t-shirts (all dangerously oversized on him), and with his pouty, bratty expression perpetually on—John can’t get enough. He’s going to savor this as long as he can. Gonna milk these next two months for all their worth. Heh. 

(Meanwhile Terry probably inquires a thousand times if Daniel would like him to fly in a world-renowned specialist from Boston, Manhattan, West Germany, Czechoslovakia, India, Japan…oh, and would he like Terry’s personal chef to whip him up something good, or he can get Daniel’s mother to fly in from Jersey on his personal plane if he’d like some authentic home-cooked meals, and would you like some flowers, Danny-boy, to brighten this place up? Red roses perhaps, you look so ravishing in red after all sweeth—)

John just slams the door in his face. And disconnects the phone for good measure. And tells him to not contact Daniel for the next two months, or better yet, ever again. Sorry, Terry. 

Meanwhile, Daniel just groans and wonders where he went wrong in life. 

[dandelionterminal]

Invisible String Part 4 Chapter 1 - His Mate, Competent

link to next part

Chapter I - His Mate, Competent

“Master, it is time to wake up,” Sebastian said. Adelaide drew the curtains open and opened a window to let in some fresh air. She was clad in a gray dress and white, ruffly apron. Her dress had a crisp white collar and cuffed sleeves and neat buttons up the bodice.“For breakfast today we have a lightly poached salmon accompanied by a delicate mint salad. I can also offer toast, scones, or pain de campagne. Which dish would you care for this morning?” she asked. 

Ciel sat up groggily, his blue-black hair sticking up in places. His large, oversized white sleep shirt clung to him like a boy wearing his father’s clothes. He shielded his eyes from the light from the window with his hand. “A scone,” he responded. 

Adelaide served him the scone and a cup of tea while Sebastian went through the schedule for the day with Ciel. In the morning, Ciel will be meeting with a Mr. Hughes to discuss the Roman Empire. As he went through the schedule he dressed Ciel in a crisp white shirt. 

“This evening Mr. Damiano will be paying us a visit,” Sebastian rattled off. Adelaide bent to tie a ribbon around Ciel’s neck. When she finished she handed him his cup of tea. 

“Oh, is that the man I have in charge of stuffed animals at my factory in India?” Ciel asked. 

“Yes,” Sebastian said, putting the earl’s shoes on his feet. “I am told he is Italian. We will of course offer him the finest hospitality the estate can provide.” Ciel lifted the tea cup up to his face. “I know this smell,” he said. “Is this tea Earl Grey?” he asked. 

“Yes, my lord,” Adelaide said, hands behind her back. “From Jackson’s of Piccadilly.” The butler stood to his full height and bowed. 

“Adelaide and I shall await you in the dining hall,” he said. He led Adelaide to the door. As the two’s backs turned, the young earl grabbed a dart and threw it at Adelaide’s head. She ducked as Sebastian grabbed it between his fingers. 

“Nice try, my young lord, but let’s save the games for later,” he said coyly. 

—---------------that butler is an able man—--------his mate is quite competent—--------------

In the dining hall, Ciel threw the dart into his gardener’s head. The servants, including Luca, all gaped as blood spewed from the back of the young blond’s head. A hole was drilled into the gardener’s straw hat as he scampered over to his master. 

“Ow, ow, ow!” he shouted. “What was that for, master? What did I do?” he asked. Luca, dressed in a simple black suit and tie, busied himself tidying up dishes so as to not anger the young lord. 

“Nothing. I do not have to explain myself,” Ciel responded, sipping from his tea cup. 

Sebastian burst into the room, Adelaide flanking him and peeking under his arm. “There you are! Have you finished weeding the courtyard, Finny?” said the gardener floundered and stood at attention. “Mey-Rin, have you washed all the beddings?” the maid, blushing and love-struck, realized that she had not. “Baldroy, shouldn't you be preparing for tonight's dinner?” the chef grinned cheekily, a devious glint in his eye. “Luca, you should be preparing the drawing room for our guest and master.” Luca nodded. “Tanaka... well, I suppose you're all right as you are.” the old steward sipped from his teacup, content. “Now all of you, we have no time for thumb twiddling this morning. So get to work!” 

“Yes sir!” Mey-Rin shouted as the servants all clambered out. 

The butler sighed. “Simply hopeless,” he said. 

“What am I meant to be doing?” Adelaide asked, taking the master’s dishes away as he stood to go to his study. “I can handle my own tasks, you know. I don’t have to keep shadowing you.”

The butler grinned, not the plastic smile she had seen before. This one was more like a cat that was close to catching a canary. “I like you shadowing me, Ms. DuPont.” 

Adelaide glowered. “I am no longer a scared little girl. I can handle things on my own. I’m not weak.” 

“Ah and that is why you are so intriguing,” Sebastian said, bending at the waist to look at her in the face. His face was smug, clad with a grin and glint in his eye.

Adelaide slammed dishes down. “I am going to see the master,” she said and stomped out. 

As she left the room and headed up the stairs Sebastian chuckled. “How charming she is when she is angry.”

—----------------------------the silver is polished to a spotless shine---------------------------------

“I’m a bit hungry,” the young man told his governess. “I’d like something sweet to eat.”

“I must advise against it, my lord. You will spoil your appetite for your meal with the guest,” Adelaide responded. 

Ciel scowled. “Why should I care about that? Make me a parfait.”

“No.” 

Ciel sighed. “Fine. But about that portrait in the hallway…”

“The one of your parents?” Adelaide asked, tilting her head. 

“Take it down. I am Ciel Phantomhive, son of Vincent, and I am the head of this house now.” Ciel said, almost as if reciting a script he had been thinking about for a long time. 

Adelaide curtseyed, “Yes sir, I will see that it is done.” and she left to return to the servants’ area. As she entered she saw all the servants, including her brother, being scolded by Sebastian. 

“Now do tell me exactly how all of this happened?” Sebastian said, his eye twitching in irritation. 

Finnian was the first to fess up. The blond boy babbled on like a caught child, tears in his eyes. “I thought the garden would look nicer if I used extra strength weedkiller!”

Mey-Rin was next to confess her sins, a cracked lens in her glasses giving away part of her crimes. “I was trying to reach the tea set that is used for guests but I tripped and the cabinet fell!”

Baldroy looked to the side, scorch marks on his face and in his hair. “There was a lot of meat to be cooked and I thought it would go faster if I used me flamethrower…”

Luca, with paper cuts on his forehead, simply shrugged at the domineering presence and held up a book. Adelaide stepped in to translate for him. “I think… Luca was tidying the books in the drawing room when they fell on him.” Her brother nodded and ducked his head down. 

Mey-Rin and Finny bawled and blubbered out “We’re sorry! We didn’t mean to!”

Sebastian looked at the ground, fingers on his chin as he thought. Adelaide watched him, quizically. “We don’t have time to replace the tea set or meat, not to mention the garden. But might I offer a creative solution?” She stepped over to Tanaka, who was calm and collected against the wall, and gently took his teacup from his hands. “We can offer a Japanese-inspired evening for our master and his guest. Just follow my lead, if you do not mind that is.” 

—------------------------------------we might just save this evening yet—----------------------------

Before the sun had begun to set, a solid black carriage pulled by two brown horses arrived at the Phantomhive estate. A man with tanned skin and clay-colored hair steps out. His eyes widen as he takes in the scene of stones and sand before him. 

Rows of stone are surrounded by seas of neatly raked sand. Mossy islands with flowers and bamboo shishi-odoshi float amongst the sand as well. On a deck, the Phantomhive servants stand in their best dress. Finnian is dressed in a yellow vest, and Adelaide is clad in a neat and clean blue dress that matched Mey-Rin’s, Tanaka, Baldroy, and Sebastian are dressed the same. The servants all bow and welcome the guests to their homes. 

Sebastian steps forward and explains that the garden is inspired by the Japanese stone gardens from abroad. “The manor’s governess and footman has been to Japan and thought it would offer a tranquil atmosphere for the evening.” 

“Ah, prodigioso! Wonderful! Truly an elegant garden,” the man, Mr. Damiano, said while spreading his arms wide. 

“We thought it appropriate to serve dinner al fresco this evening. Allow me to escort you inside until the meal is ready,” Sebastian said, handing the guest off to Tanaka to escort him inside. While walking, Mr. Damiano commented on how intriguing and unique the Phantomhive home was. 

Once the guest was inside the servants breathed a sigh of relief. “Phew, We actually did it,” Baldroy commented. 

Finny gawked at the garden with shining eyes. “Who would've thought a dozen boxes of gravel could turn into an amazing garden?” he asked. 

Adelaide smiled at them. “There is still much to do for the evening,” she commented. 

Sebastian nodded in agreement, “Let's take care of it while the master is talking business with his guest. Look sharp now.”

—---------------------------we serve the Phantomhive family, after all—--------------------------

Inside the drawing room, Adelaide and Luca stood behind Ciel while he played a game with Mr. Damiano. Well, played a game is putting it kindly. In truth, Mr. Damiano participated in a one-sided conversation while Ciel tormented him in the game. 

“The progress we've been making with the East India Factory is quite astonishing. We already have the makings of a top-notch staff,” Damiano said. 

“Bewitched by the eyes of the dead. What terrible luck. It appears I lose a turn,” Ciel cut him off. Adelaide attempted to cover a snicker, her face contorting in a strange, puckered lips state. Luca looked at her from the side, confused. 

Damiano attempted to mask his irritation as he continued talking, making brief eye contact with the former noble lady. “Right now is the perfect time. We should begin expanding the company and building a strong labor force, it would–” 

Ciel cut him off again, leaning back in his seat with his eye shut, “Go on. It's your turn.” 

Damiano, humoring the child earl, “Oh, yes. I just spin this then,” he then spun a top with numbers on each side. “Okay there, five spaces,” he moves his piece across the board. “Now, what I wanted to ask you. Perhaps you could contribute another 12,000 pounds to support our expansion?” Ciel’s sapphire eye opened, annoyed. “I believe it will be quite a profitable venture for you, my lord, and I would consider it an honor to help expand the Funtom Company-”

“Lose a leg in the enchanted forest. And it's your turn again. I lost a turn, remember?” Ciel cut him off yet again. Damiano’s face washed over with shock. 

Ciel watches critically while Damiano spins the top again. “Oh, I see. Right, I move six,” he said. 

“You don’t. That’s three,” Ciel said. 

Damiano’s eyes widened. “What? But…”

“You lost a leg,” Adelaide provided from behind her master, an evil glint in her eye. “You can now only move half the number of spaces.”

“Oh my, ha ha ha ha. This is a gruesome-a board game, isn't it? Is there-a no way for me to restore my leg, then?” Damiano laughed, light-heartedly. He held his piece to move it through the game board. 

Ciel looked at the board intensely as he spoke, “I’m afraid once something is truly lost, sir, that one can never get it back again,” he snatched Damiano’s game piece, still staring at the game board. He placed the piece down, making brief eye contact with Damiano as he said “your body is burnt by raging flames.”

—-----------------------------intermission—------------------------------

Adelaide stepped into the kitchen area of the manor. “How is everything going in here?” she asked the three gentlemen cutting meat. 

“We’re doing it just like you said,” Baldroy smiles. He holds the meat up to show her. “Is this really what you want?” 

Adelaide smiles. “Yes, that is perfect.” 

From the hall, the maroon-haired maid named Mey-Rin came barrelling in. “Sebastian! I found ‘em!” She was carrying some boxes. She tripped over her shoelaces and went flying down the hall, the boxes rushing forward. Adelaide rushes forward to catch Mey-Rin and the boxes. The force flung her backward, where Sebastian caught her and Mey-Rin. 

“Honestly, you must be more careful, Adelaide,” he said, holding her around the shoulders, her back against his chest. She could feel the rumbling of his voice against her. She looked over her shoulder at him, brows knitted together in annoyance. He wasn’t looking at her though, her was looking at Mey-Rin. “I’ve told you to not run in the manor, Mey-Rin.”

Mey-Rin scrambled backward, flushed and embarrassed, “I’m sorry, sir! My glasses are cracked and I can’t see a thing! Are you alright, Ms. Adelaide?”

Adelaide tried to pull away from Sebastian but was met with resistance from the demonic man. He had her shoulders in a gentle but firm grip. “Yes, are you alright?” he asked. Luca glared at the butler from his spot at the counter, trimming meat. He slammed the knife down firmly against the counter. Baldroy looked at the mute boy and whistled. 

He whispered to the boy, “Easy, tiger.”

Adelaide sighed. “I am fine, I assure you, monsieur.” She stood away from the butler and handed him the boxes. “These are the last items needed for tonight’s dinner. I believe you can handle the rest?” She asked. 

“Yes,” Sebastian answered. “You all can rest, leave the rest to me.” He smiled at Adelaide. 

—-------------------------you need to do very well during tonight’s dinner—-----------------------

Back in the drawing room, Mr. Damiano and Ciel were still seated in their respective chairs. A knock sounded at the door, “Pardon the interruption,” Adelaide’s voice came from the door, “but dinner is served.” 

“Oh, dining out in that exquisite stone garden? Shall we go, my lord?” Damiano asked, already in the process of standing up. 

From his still seated position Ciel said “Very well, we will finish the game after dinner.” This caused Damiano to pause. 

“Oh, is there any real need to finish it? It's obvious I'm going to lose,” he said, clearly trying to get out of the game. 

Ciel stood, smiling with his eye shut. “I'm not in the habit of abandoning games halfway through.” Ciel took his leave and headed for the door. Before he was out of earshot, though, Damiano whispered under his breath with a tsk. 

“How childish,” he muttered. This caused Ciel and Adelaide to pause and Ciel glared at the man. Seeing that he was caught, Damiano attempted to cover up his blunder “Oh I, I mean that sometimes it takes a child's eyes to see what's really important. It's a true gift. Maybe that's what's made the Phantomhives the nation's foremost toy makers. It certainly impresses me!” As they walked to the garden, Adelaide narrowed her eyes on the man. 

“It truly is a gift, I agree,” she said, holding her head high. “You should not discount the ways of children easily.” 

The garden was lit dimly with paper lanterns. A large white table was spread before them. Sebastian, with Mey-Rin by his side, introduced the evening’s meal. Damiano looked down at it with disgust on his face. 

“A pile of raw beef… and this is dinner?” he questioned. 

This prompted Sebastian to go on a spiel about the importance and significance of donburi that stunned Damiano into silence. 

From the sidelines, the servants watched with pride. “That’s our Sebastian,” Finny said. 

“He saved the day,” Baldroy said. Adelaide smiled faintly. 

“Yes… he did, didn’t he?” she said with a hush in her tone. 

-

Once dinner was over, the master and his guest returned to the drawing room. Damiano, wanting to cement the deal, attempted to rush into discussion. Ciel, however, was not permitting it. 

“Before we discuss that, we must finish the game,” he said, sat in his large arm chair. 

“Ah of course,” Damiano said. “I do have a pressing appointment. Perhaps another time-”

“Children can be very demanding about their games,” Ciel said with an evil smirk. “Surely you wouldn’t want me to get upset?” 

At that, Damiano stepped out to make a phone call. Down in the phone room, Adelaide waited around the corner and listened into his conversation. 

“...Yes, I’ve already sold off the factory. Now all that’s left is to pocket the extra cash,” he said. Adelaide sighed from her position.

“He truly is deplorable,” she thought. “He deserves all that is coming to him, right?”

From the shadows outside the door, a demonic face appeared and spooked Damiano. Adelaide grinned to herself, knowing who was behind it and returned to her duties. 

Damiano finished up his conversation and began to return to the drawing room. He passed by the portrait of the late earl and lady Phantomhive, that same haunting face following him up the stairs, hiding in the portrait. Ciel’s earlier words, “bewitched by the eyes of the dead”, rung in his ears as he climbed the steps. The man walked around the manor, lost and confused, the haunting face following him down the dark corridors. He scrambled away, petrified, as servants carried the portrait away. 

Down the stairs, Mey-Rin was busy mopping the floors. Adelaide was accompanying her, listening to her blather on about how shameful it was to be that near Sebastian. As she flailed, her pail broke and clambered to the floor. “Honestly, it’s not shameful,” Adelaide said with a laugh. “Don’t take out your embarrassment on our tools, though.” 

Damanio continued to run through the manor, Ciel’s words echoing in his head, as he tripped over the bucket on the stairs. Mey-Rin, shocked, approached him and backed away. 

“Sir, are you alright?” she gasped. “His right leg! It’s twisted ‘round! What ‘appened to it?” 

“Mr. Damiano?” Adelaide asked, much calmer than Mey-Rin. “Do you need help? Should I fetch a doctor?” 

The two carrying the portrait walked by, still holding the painting of the dead heads of house. “What’s happened?” Baldroy asked.

Mey-Rin shouted about something being wrong with the guest. Damiano glanced over at the painting and Adelaide bent down to whisper in his ear, “you lose one leg in the enchanted forest”. He whimpered and crawled away in agony. 

“I’ll follow him,” Adelaide assured the other servants. She followed behind Damiano, a few steps behind. When he reached Sebastian in the servant’s quarters she joined him at his side. 

“Surely you aren’t leaving the manor yet, sir,” Sebastian said. Damiano clambored backwards. “We haven’t given you the full Phantomhive treatment yet. We still have to serve dessert.” Damiano attempted to crawl away, but he was slow and in pain. 

“You’ve lost a leg remember?” Sebastian continued, following behind him. “Now you can only move half the number of spaces, so why don’t you relax a bit and make yourself at home?” 

Damiano made his way into a room and shut the door behind him, panting in exhaustion and anxiety. Sebastian’s footsteps approached him in the pitch black, causing him to retreat into a cupboard-like space. 

As Sebastian entered he lit the oven. “My what an impatient guest we have,” he said. “Couldn’t even restrain yourself until dessert was out of the oven.” 

Damiano panicked, banging on the oven door and shouting. 

“Hmm perhaps the Italians aren’t familiar with British customs,” Sebastian continued. “Plum pudding, mincemeat pie, there are many traditional English desserts that utilize meat. I find them all quite tasty.” He shut the oven window as Ciel’s voice once again echoed in Damiano’s mind. 

-

“Was all that truly necessary?” Adelaide asked Sebastian once Damiano was set free, burnt to a crisp but free. They were in the servant’s quarters. Adelaide was preparing for bed, brushing her hair in a small mirror. Sebastian lingered behind her, still dressed in his uniform. 

“If our master commands it, we must follow through,” Sebastian said. 

“Sure, but why do you follow his commands?” Adelaide asked. “When you visited me as a child you never followed my orders.”

Sebastian hummed and smirked at her. “Would you like me to follow your orders?” he asked. Adelaide glared at him over her shoulder, causing him to chuckle. “You and I do not share a contract,” he explained. He took off his glove and showed her the contract mark on his hand. “While you and I share a bond, it is not the bond of master and servant. I serve Ciel Phantomhive until his wish is fulfilled and I receive his soul in exchange.”

Adelaide examined the mark, leaning forward to view it in the candlelight. “And what sort of bond do we share?” she asked. 

Sebastian chuckled. “All in due time,” he said. “I do not much feel like sharing that with you at present. Just know I will be at your side whenever you call.”

Adelaide sighed dramatically. “You always say things like that. It is annoying.”

“Maybe so,” he said. “However, it is true. Good night, Lady Adelaide DuPont."

[beautifulindianculture]

Embracing the Rich Tapestry of Beautiful Indian Culture

In the vibrant mosaic of world cultures, few can rival the sheer diversity and beauty encapsulated by the Beautiful Indian culture. Spanning thousands of years and encompassing a multitude of traditions, languages, cuisines, and art forms, India stands as a testament to the richness of human heritage. Let's embark on a journey through the kaleidoscope of Beautiful Indian culture, exploring its myriad hues and timeless splendor.

From the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas to the sun-kissed shores of Kerala, Beautiful Indian culture manifests in myriad forms, each region boasting its own unique customs and traditions. Whether it's the exuberant dance forms of Bollywood or the serene chants of ancient Vedic hymns, there's a profound sense of beauty and harmony that permeates every aspect of Indian life. This cultural kaleidoscope serves as a testament to the country's enduring spirit and its ability to celebrate diversity in all its glory.

One cannot delve into the essence of Beautiful Indian culture without acknowledging its deep-rooted spirituality. With a history steeped in ancient wisdom and philosophical insights, India has given birth to some of the world's most profound spiritual traditions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. The sacred rivers, majestic temples, and bustling bazaars all bear witness to the spiritual fervor that courses through the veins of Indian society, uniting people in a shared quest for enlightenment and inner peace.

A hallmark of Beautiful Indian culture is its reverence for tradition and heritage, which finds expression in a myriad of rituals and festivities. Whether it's the colourful revelry of Holi, the solemnity of Diwali, or the joyous festivities of Eid, Indians take great pride in preserving their cultural legacy and passing it down through generations. These celebrations serve not only as occasions for merriment but also as reminders of the values and beliefs that bind communities together in a tapestry of shared history and collective identity.

At the heart of Beautiful Indian culture lies a deep appreciation for the arts, which find expression in a dazzling array of forms, from intricate classical dance forms like Bharatanatyam and Kathak to the melodious strains of Hindustani and Carnatic music. Artisans and craftsmen across the country continue to keep age-old traditions alive, weaving intricate patterns into textiles, carving exquisite sculptures from stone, and painting vibrant scenes that capture the essence of Indian life. In a world where modernity often threatens to overshadow tradition, these artistic expressions serve as a poignant reminder of India's rich cultural heritage.

Beautiful Indian culture is also synonymous with culinary excellence, boasting a diverse array of flavours and spices that tantalise the taste buds and nourish the soul. From the fiery curries of the north to the aromatic biryanis of the south, Indian cuisine is a celebration of flavour and aroma, with each dish telling a story of tradition, innovation, and culinary mastery. Whether it's street food vendors dishing out spicy snacks or Michelin-starred chefs reinventing age-old recipes, the gastronomic landscape of India is as diverse and vibrant as the culture that inspires it.

In the midst of rapid urbanisation and globalisation, Beautiful Indian culture faces the challenge of preserving its traditional heritage while embracing the opportunities of the modern world. Yet, amidst this dynamic interplay of old and new, there remains an enduring sense of pride and resilience that continues to fuel India's cultural renaissance. From the bustling metropolises of Mumbai and Delhi to the tranquil villages of Rajasthan and Kerala, the spirit of Beautiful Indian culture shines bright, illuminating the path forward with its timeless beauty and boundless creativity.

In conclusion, Beautiful Indian culture stands as a testament to the indomitable spirit of a nation that celebrates diversity, embraces tradition, and cherishes the beauty of life in all its myriad forms. From the majestic monuments of its ancient past to the vibrant rhythms of its modern-day festivals, India's cultural tapestry is a testament to the enduring legacy of a civilisation that has thrived for millennia. As we continue to navigate the complexities of the modern world, may we always remember to pause and appreciate the timeless splendour of Beautiful Indian culture, a treasure trove of heritage and inspiration for generations to come.