#food garnishing options

[suchananewsblog]

5 Amazing Garnishing Ideas To Enhance The Flavour And Look Of A Dish

Have you ever caught yourself in a restaurant looking at other diners’ plates? Many of us would answer ‘yes’ since we want to know if the item they ordered looks appetising or not! It goes without saying that visually appealing foods catch our attention first, which is why meal presentation and garnishing are crucial aspects of cooking. Food is enhanced with garnishes as they provide colour,…

[kcrossvine-art]

haiiii dungeon delvers! This is a quick one, gratefully both the materials and the dish-type are very close to their real life inspiration :D

As we speak, my favorite catgirl bestfolk is getting introduced to the anime and you haven no idea how much self control its taken to not immediately jump forward to be in sync with her, but theres SO many good recipes before we get there!!!

We will be making a Mandrake and Basilisk Omelet today!

(As always you can find the cooking instructions and full ingredient list under the break-)

MY NAMES CROSS NOW LETS COOK LIKE ANIMALS

SO, “what goes into a Mandrake and Basilisk Omelet?” YOU MIGHT ASKIts made from the egg of a basilisk, which isnt a large chicken egg but instead a large snake egg. Oblong shape, soft leather texture, and no eggwhites just yolk.

A large daikon

½ lbs fatty bacon

Shallots

Garlic

Chicken eggs

Salt

Pepper

Arugula (for garnishing)

OPTIONAL; ketchup/hot sauce :)

You could try cooking this using actual snake eggs, but theyre hard to come by and reportedly quite bland compared to chicken eggs. I tried getting my hands on an ostrich egg for the pizzaz of it all. The zoo lady was kind in her dismissal.

AND, “what does a Mandrake and Basilisk Omelet taste like?” YOU MIGHT ASKOmelettes are standard fair but here we cook them like a french omelette and wrap it up like a burrito at the end.

Wetter eggs than im used to ( <- american)

Daikon and bacon r very tasty together

They end up having the same texture almost

Intensely savory. Heavy on the tummy

Chopped green onions would bring more levity to the filling

Ketchup pairs well

(but i prefer medium hot sauce)

Dark coffee pairs well

The acidity of the above 3 is what makes them work with this nutrient Dense dish

. In the show, decapitated mandrakes are more bitter than mandrakes left 'whole'. If you want that difference, using sweet/sour sauce on some of the daikon while it cooks will make the non-sauced daikon seem bitter by comparison. . Maybe ferment daikon too? . Adding a small amount of water with the bacon transfers the heat evenly, a small amount as to cook off before the fat/grease renders. Could also try cooking in the oven.

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

"Consisting of a fluffy Basilisk egg omelet filled with minced Basilisk bacon and mandrake.If the mandrake used was killed with its 'head' still attached, it will be less bitter and more mellow" This dish is important as it marks the beginning of Senshi and Marcilles bonding, and the lead-up gives us our first glance into the school Falin and Marcille met at. Objectively the recipe is basic but it was challenging to write out.

Omelette making is muscle-memory, so having to learn the french variation and slow down felt like trying to ride a bike side-saddled.

It took about an hour and a half from laying out the ingredients, to eating the finished thing. I had to take a break in the middle of cutting veggies as my wrists are flaring up, so you could probably go faster unimpeded.

What would you rate this recipe out of 10?(with 1 being food that makes one physically sick and 10 being food that gives one a lust for life again.) Did you love it, did you hate it? What're your thoughts on what I could do different, and what would you have done instead?

🐁 ORIGINAL RESIPPY TEXT BELOW 🐁

Ingredients:

1 large daikon, chopped

½ lbs fatty bacon, chopped

2 shallots

3 cloves of garlic

3 Eggs

Salt

Pepper

Some arugula (for garnishing)

OPTIONAL; ketchup/hot sauce :)

Method:

Chop your bacon into roughly ½ inch squares. Cut off the ends of your daikon and cube the rest. Thinly dice your shallots and crush your garlic cloves.

Bring a cast iron skillet to medium-high heat. Once at temp, carefully add your chopped bacon to the pan with a very small amount of water.

Add your chopped bacon and stir-fry until almost cooked.

Add your shallots and garlic. Cook for about a minute or until the shallots have softened.

Transfer the bacon, shallot, and garlic mix to a bowl. Set aside. Lower the cast iron skillet to medium heat.

Place your daikon cubes in the cast iron skillet, you should still have enough bacon grease. Add salt and cook until lightly browned on each side.

Add roughly 1 tablespoon of water. Lower heat and cover. Simmer for 2 minutes.

Once your daikon are softened, transfer to same bowl containing your bacon, shallots, and garlic.

Crack your eggs into a seperate bowl and whisk for 2 minutes until 'frothy' with no egg whites visible.

Bring the cast iron skillet back up to medium heat. There might not be enough bacon grease left, so feel free to add butter! If the butter browns you've gone too hot.

Pour your eggs into the skillet. Use a spatula to spread the eggs, scraping down the sides of the pan. Sprinkle salt and pepper in, to taste.

Once your eggs are mostly solid, pour the bacon, shallot, garlic, and daikon filling into the center. If it starts to separate- stop touching and let it rest. Gently fold the edges of the omelette overtop the filling.

Lay a few pieces of arugula on a plate, and flip your omelette onto it :) enjoy!

[milksuu]

❀. │GIRL DINNER (O2)│. ❀

❥ prompt: You're hungry. You want food. You want a snack. You just want SOMETHING. You send your HEARTSTEEL boyfriend(s) on a food-run adventure. Let's see what each boy brings back. ❥ content/warnings: sexually suggestive themes, fluff ❥ characters/pairings: v!Heartsteel (sett, yone, k'sante) / f!reader

SETT

foot-long sub and gatorade

When it comes to feeding you, Sett isn’t willing to compromise. He goes big, or he goes home. And he’s not going home empty handed. 

He Facetime’s you when he’s at the Deli counter of the local grocer, where the sub-meat selection is divine, options are abundant, and the portions are unbeatable. 

When you say you want double amounts of meat, you’re getting it. When you tell him you want more toppings, it’s done. Oh, you want your bread extra toasted and slathered in condiments? Baby, it’s yours. No problem—he’s got you.

When he comes home, you get a running head start, and jump into his arms without warning. The man has no trouble catching you, ever. 

As he greets your neck with a kiss, you lean and whisper into his soft ears about wanting to ‘share some’ with him. Since Sett has an uncontrollably tendency to go over-board with anything portion related, he’s more than willing to help you out. He understands you can't finish most things by yourself. Especially if he's the one serving you.

You huff with an embarrassed whine, shaking your head. You weren't talking about the food! 

Sett finally catches on by the squeezing of your legs around him, the flush of your cheeks, and the hot puffs you tow against his twitching ears. He hums a low and warm grumble at the insinuation. That large hand cradling your bottom squeezes in all the right places. It's enough to elicit a satisfied cry from your lips.

Sett really didn’t come home empty handed. In more ways than one.

YONE

home cooked meal and water

Yone was an expert and perfectionist—especially in the kitchen. Why would he buy you anything processed and unhealthy when he could make anything you desired? He wasn’t going to tolerate you poisoning yourself. Not on his watch. 

Insisting on cooking for you, you watched at how meticulous he was in the kitchen. His expertise with a knife was incomparable. You never realized chopping vegetables could be a discipline and an art form.

When he finished garnishing the plate, he served you. If you didn’t know any better, you would think the dish came straight from a Michelin five-star restaurant!

Not allowing it cool, you burned your tongue on your first bite. Yone chastised you (one of his ways of showing affection) before taking the next helping, and blowing away the steam. He raised the fork to your lips.

Yone was always cool, calm, and collected—but would then do things that were heart-pounding, sweet and seductive. You felt silly with embarrassment. You shook your head, declining his help.

Unacceptable. Yone took your chin without a word, pressed his lips against yours, and slipped a tongue to open your mouth. When you gasped a moan, he abandoned your mouth, and placed the food inside. He encouraged you to chew thoroughly, but all you wanted to do was collapse.

Yone was definitely an expert and perfectionist—at driving you absolutely mad about him.

K'SANTE

take-out and bottle of wine

K’Sante was never about the ‘Netflix and chill’ thing. More like the ‘Netflix and serve my Queen’ scene. And that’s exactly what he planned to do.

Knowing your favorite restaurant, he orders express delivery and pops the cork off of a pricey bottle of wine.

K’Sante has everything ready for the night. Lights dimmed, scented candles lit, and Netflix show ready to go at the press of a button. 

Like the Casanova he is, he serves you everything first. All the while showering you with compliments about how beautiful you are. K’Sante isn’t ashamed of expressing himself to what he likes—which is obviously you. 

After eating and having your fill of wine, you relax further into the couch with him. All the while, watching your shared guilty-pleasure reality TV-show; 'Too Hot To Handle'

The wine seems to get the better of you two. Spooning you from behind, you turn over a cheek expecting to see K’Sante watching the TV. Far from it—his lustrous gaze is on you. He graciously takes your mouth. Slow and passionate. And you can taste the spice of the wine. 

With eyes closed, you feel his trained hand slide across your waist, and slip between your thighs.

K’Sante wasn’t done serving his Queen. And that’s exactly what he planned to do.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

More Writing Notes: Cocktails

Traditionally, a cocktail (or a mixed drink) is a beverage that contains a mixture of alcoholic spirits combined with other ingredients, such as simple syrups, tonics, bitters, fruit juice, club soda, or other fizzy waters.

Today you can also find a variety of nonalcoholic spritz cocktails that combine alcohol-free spirits with mixer ingredients.

6 Mixology Tools

Bar spoon: long-handled spoon that makes it easy to stir drinks in tall glasses or pitchers.

Citrus juicer: extracts juice from citrus fruits and vegetables by shredding the flesh of the food item.

Cocktail glasses: there are several different shapes of cocktail glasses, and each corresponds to a different type of mixed drink.

Cocktail shaker: A shaker is a tall container (usually metal) that makes it easy for bartenders to shake crushed ice and cocktail ingredients together to quickly cool down the beverage.

Cocktail strainer: The strainer fits over the shaker and lets you pour the cocktail into the glass while leaving behind the ice and any other ingredients, like herbs, that you used to shake the cocktail.

Muddler: When a cocktail recipe includes directions to muddle ingredients, usually fruit or herbs, it means to smash them to release the essential oils and fruit pulp. A muddler is a small handheld rod that lets you easily muddle ingredients in a cocktail glass.

Some Popular Cocktails

Bloody Mary: This classic brunch cocktail contains vodka mixed with tomato juice, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and a combination of herbs and spices. Bartenders typically serve a Bloody Mary in a tall glass, such as a pint glass or highball glass, and garnish with a celery stick.

Daiquiri: One of the classic rum cocktails, a daiquiri contains rum (white rum or Cuban rum), lime juice, and simple syrup. Today’s drink menus typically contain a variety of daiquiris that range from classic cocktails like the Hemingway Daiquiri (which contains lime juice, grapefruit juice, and Italian maraschino liqueur) to fruity cocktails like a shaken strawberry daiquiri.

Gimlet: Contains three ingredients: vodka (or gin), fresh lime juice, a splash of simple syrup for added sweetness, and an optional lime wedge for garnish.

Manhattan: Containing whiskey (or sometimes cognac), sweet vermouth, and a few dashes of bitters, the Manhattan is a simple yet elegant cocktail. The classic cocktail, which was invented in New York, is stirred, not shaken, and garnished with a maraschino cherry.

Margarita: There are several variations of margarita recipes. The classic margarita is served over ice cubes and contains lime juice, tequila (or mezcal), orange liqueur (such as Cointreau or triple sec), and lime and salt for the garnish. Experiment with other flavors—use lemon juice instead of lime, add a dash of agave syrup to sweeten the drink, or add a hint of spice with the addition of a few slices of jalapeño. For those who prefer fruit flavors, try making a watermelon, pomegranate, or strawberry margarita.

Martini: The classic martini is a boozy cocktail. The original contained three parts gin to one part vermouth with an olive or onion to garnish. A vodka martini calls for vodka in place of gin. Other drinks—such as an espresso martini, fruity drinks, or vodka cocktails like a cosmopolitan (often called a Cosmo), pear, or apple martini (also called an appletini)—are not considered martinis. Instead, they get their name from the cocktail glass.

Mint julep: Famous as the refreshing cocktail served at the Kentucky Derby horse racing events, a mint julep contains bourbon, simple syrup, and a muddle of mint. It’s typically served over crushed ice with a sprig of mint leaves.

Mojito: A highball cocktail with origins in Cuba, the mojito is a popular cocktail across the globe. Mix up white rum, sugar, mint, lime, and club soda (or soda water), and then add ice. The mojito is often called a perfect summer cocktail.

Moscow mule: Contrary to its name, the Moscow mule cocktail likely originated in New York, not the Russian capital. To make the fizzy drink combine vodka, ginger beer, and lime juice, and garnish with lime slices and sprigs of mint. It’s usually served in a copper mug, though food experts note the copper does not impact the flavor of the drink.

Negroni: With its balance of sweet and bitter, a classic Negroni is an ideal apéritif. Combine equal parts gin, Campari (or Aperol), and sweet vermouth. Shake them with ice and serve the drink with an orange twist. Other varieties of Negronis add additional layers of flavors using ingredients such as orange bitters, Champagne or prosecco, and a lime or lemon twist.

Piña colada: This favorite summer cocktail, which reportedly originated in San Juan, Puerto Rico, is traditionally made with white rum, pineapple juice, cream of coconut, and a squeeze of lime juice, and served with fresh pineapple for garnish. Blend the ingredients with ice cubes to create a slushie drink.

Tequila Sunrise: With only three ingredients, fresh orange juice, tequila, and grenadine syrup, the Tequila Sunrise tastes best when you use high-quality ingredients. White tequila is recommended for a fresher taste and a more vibrant color. You can make a variation of the cocktail called the Coconut Sunrise, which uses coconut rum instead of tequila.

Source ⚜ More: Writing Notes & References ⚜ Cocktails ⚜ Food History

[najia-cooks]

[ID: A purplish-grey stew topped with olive oil and garnished with piles of pomegranate seeds. Plates of green peppers, bitter olives, olive oil, taboon bread, green onions, radishes, and za'tar surround the dish. The second image is a close-up of the same stew. End ID]

رمانية / Rummāniyya (Palestinian pomegranate stew)

Rummaniyya (رُمَّانِيَّة; also transliterated "rumaniyya," "rummaniya," and "rummaniyeh") is a Palestinian stew or dip made from lentils, eggplant, and pomegranate seeds, flavored with nutty red tahina and a zesty, spicy دُقَّة (dugga) of dill seeds, garlic, and peppers. A طشة (ṭsha), or tempering, of olive oil and onion or garlic is sometimes added.

"Rummaniyya," roughly "pomegranate-y," comes from رُمَّان‎ ("rummān") "pomegranate," plus the abstract noun suffix ـِيَّة ("iyya"); the dish is also known as حبّة رُمَّانَة ("ḥabbat rommāna"), or "pomegranate seeds." It is a seasonal dish that is made at the end of summer and the beginning of fall, when pomegranates are still green, unripe, and sour.

This stew is considered to be one of the most iconic, historic, and beloved of Palestinian dishes by people from Gaza, Yaffa, and Al-Ludd. Pomegranates—their seeds, their juice, and a thick syrup made from reducing the juice down—are integral to Palestinian cuisine and heritage, and images of them abound on ceramics and textiles. Pomegranates and their juice are sold from street carts and cafes in the West Bank and Gaza.

Today, tens of thousands of tons of pomegranates are grown and harvested by Israeli farmers on stolen Palestinian farmland; about half of the crop is exported, mainly to Europe. Meanwhile, Palestinians have a far easier time gaining permits to work on Israeli-owned farms than getting permission from the military to work land that is ostensibly theirs. These restrictions apply within several kilometers of Israel's claimed borders with Gaza and the West Bank, some of the most fertile land in the area; Palestinian farmers working in this zone risk being injured or killed by military fire.

Israel further restricts Palestinians' ability to work their farms and export crops by imposing tariffs, unexpectedly closing borders, shutting down and contaminating water supplies, spraying Palestinian crops with pesticides, bulldozing crops (including eggplant) when they are ready to be harvested, and bombing Palestinian farmland and generators. Though Palestinian goods have local markets, the sale of Palestinian crops to Israel was forbidden from 2007 to 2014 (when Israel accepted shipments of goods including tomato and eggplant).

Gazans have resisted these methods by disregarding orders to avoid the arable land near Israel's claimed borders, continuing to forage native plants, growing new spices and herbs for export, planting hydroponic rooftop gardens, crushing chalk and dried eggplants to produce calcium for plants, using fish excrement as fertilizer, creating water purification systems, and growing plants in saltwater. Resisting Israeli targeting of Palestinian food self-sufficiency has been necessary for practical and economic reasons, but also symbolizes the endurance of Palestinian culture, history, and identity.

Support Palestinian resistance by calling Elbit System's (Israel's primary weapons manufacturer) landlord; donating to Palestine Action's bail fund; and buying an e-Sim for distribution in Gaza.

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients:

For the stew:

1 medium eggplant (370g)

1 cup brown lentils (عدس اسود)

600g pomegranate seeds (to make 3 cups juice)

3 Tbsp all-purpose flour

1/4 cup red tahina

1/2 cup olive oil

Salt, to taste

Citric acid (ملح الليمون / حامِض ليمون) (optional)

Red tahina may be approximated with home cooking tools with the above-linked recipe; you may also toast white tahina in a skillet with a little olive oil, stirring often, until it becomes deeply golden brown.

For the دُقَّة (dugga / crushed condiment):

2 tsp cumin seeds, or ground cumin

1 1/2 Tbsp dill seeds ("locust eye" بذور الشبت / عين جرادة)

5 cloves garlic

1 green sweet pepper (فلفل بارد اخضر)

2 dried red chilis (فلفل شطة احمر)

People use red and green sweet and chili peppers in whatever combination they have on hand for this recipe; e.g. red and green chilis, just green chilis, just red chilis, or just green sweet peppers. Green sweet peppers and red chilis are the most common combination.

For the طشة (Tsha / tempering) (optional):

Olive oil

1 Tbsp minced garlic

Instructions:

1. Rinse and pick over lentils. In a large pot, simmer lentils, covered, in enough water to cover for about 8 minutes, or until half-tender.

2. Meanwhile, make the dugga by combining all ingredients in a mortar and pestle or food processor, and grinding until a coarse mixture forms.

Dugga and components.

3. Cube eggplant. A medium-sized eggplant may be cut in half lengthwise (through the root), each half cut into thirds lengthwise, then cubed widthwise.

Cubed eggplant, red tahina, and pomegranate seeds.

4. Add eggplant to simmering water (there is no need to stir).

5. While the eggplant cooks, blend pomegranate seeds in a blender very thoroughly. Strain to remove any gritty residue. Whisk flour into pomegranate juice.

Pomegranate juice being strained.

6. Taste your pomegranate juice. If it is not sour, add a pinch of citric acid or a splash of lemon juice and stir.

7. Add dagga to the pot with the lentils and eggplant and stir. Continue to simmer until the eggplant is very tender and falling apart.

8. Add pomegranate juice, tahina, and olive oil to the pot, and simmer for another 5 minutes, or until stew is very thick and homogenous.

Bright pink pomegranate juice in stockpot.

9. (Optional) In a small skillet, heat a little olive oil on medium. Fry minced garlic, stirring constantly, until golden brown. Add into the pot and stir.

10. (Optional) Mash the stew with the bowl of a ladle or a bean masher to produce a more homogenous texture.

Serve rummaniyya hot or cold in individual serving bowls. It may be served as an appetizer, or as a main dish alongside flatbread, olives, and fresh vegetables such as radishes, green peppers, green onions, carrots, and romaine lettuce. It may be eaten with a spoon, or by using كماج (kmāj), a flatbread with an internal pocket, to scoop up each bite.

[kaijuno]

🍰 Blackcurrant Velvet Cheesecake Recipe 🍰

Ingredients:

For the Blackcurrant Velvet Cake Base:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 tablespoons blackcurrant food coloring

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon white vinegar

For the Blackcurrant Cheesecake Filling:

16 oz cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup fresh blackcurrants, pureed

1 cup heavy whipping cream

For Topping:

Fresh blackcurrants

Whipped cream (optional)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Cake Base:

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder.

In another bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, buttermilk, eggs, blackcurrant food coloring, vanilla extract, and white vinegar.

Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.

2. Make the Cheesecake Filling:

In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy.

Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, and continue to beat until well combined.

Fold in the pureed blackcurrants until evenly distributed.

In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.

Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until fully incorporated.

3. Assemble the Cheesecake:

Once the cake base has cooled, spread the cheesecake filling evenly over the top.

Smooth the top with a spatula and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until the cheesecake is set.

4. Add the Toppings:

Before serving, garnish the cheesecake with fresh blackcurrants and a swirl of whipped cream if desired.

Enjoy your delicious Blackcurrant Velvet Cheesecake!

[orchidsangel]

dragging jason along with you to a popular brunch spot you've heard so much about on social media. he's resistant at first, insisting he could just make breakfast for you in the comfort of your own home, but you've already made the reservations knowing he wouldn't actually say no to you.

it's in the city so not too far from your apartment, but you still make a date out of it, and you dress in something cute that you wouldn't normally wear, while he opts for a t-shirt, jeans, and a leather jacket (in true jason fashion, you'd expect no different).

it's a small place but super crowded, with not a lot of sitting room and a 2+ hour wait for walk-ins. but you get seated fairly quickly because of the reservation you made.

the decor is cute, and the menu is cute, and your boyfriend sitting across from you is cute because he doesn't want to be here but he is for you and you can't help but smile when he rolls his eyes at you for taking a picture of him.

there's not a lot of options on the menu, he asks "why?" you say, "because it's curated." he says "that's dumb."

you stick with the classic french toast and he opts for a breakfast burger. the wait for the food is long but you barely notice the time passing as you ramble to jason about the rave reviews you've seen. he sits, listening intently even though you both know none of this information is of any use to him but he still inquires every few sentences to keep you talking. he likes the sound of your voice when you're happy.

the food comes and it's beautiful, perfectly golden brown and garnished with freshly cut fruit and powdered sugar. you snap pictures of both your french toast, and his burger which also looks amazing.

so, when you take your first bite and are met with almost zero flavor, you're a bit confused. you dig around taking chunks from various slices, and each one is more disappointing than the last.

"is yours good?"

"eh i've had worse. why? yours isn't?"

"tastes like wet cement."

he laughs, and you love his laugh, but in this moment the unsatisfied hunger in your stomach overpowers your usual love for him and all you can do is scowl.

"told you not to trust tiktok."

"they said it was good."

"of course they would, they're probably on payroll."

"don't be a smart ass."

he finishes up, pays your check, and the two of you walk out, leaving your half-eaten plate of disappointment behind. he wraps an arm around you as you stroll aimlessly around the city. it’s a nice day but it would be even nicer if you’d had an adequate meal. all you can do is wallow in your sadness.

"you're really upset about this huh?"

you don't answer, instead leaning in closer to him and he looks down at you buried in his side, and smiles to himself.

"alright. let's get you some good french toast."

a little self indulgent (i love french toast) bf!jason blurb while i work on expanding my friends to lovers universe. not my best work but sit tight :')

[rahuratna]

Get that Bread, Sir

Written for the Foodies and Goodies challenge, created by the amazing @tsukimefuku !

Ijichi hummed tunelessly, his fingers tapping out a rhythm on the steering wheel. Today was going to be a relatively stress-free day, a rarity in his line of work. And it was a Monday too. A stress-free Monday … practically unheard of! He owed it all to his overly diligent handling of the paperwork from the missions last week. He’d put in some overtime and managed to complete all outstanding tasks before the end of the day on Friday.

Friday afternoon had seen him exhausted, but happy and accomplished. He’d even managed to enjoy his weekend. And today … well. Nanami had requested his assistance on a mission in a quiet suburb, located an hour away from Shinjuku. The research had been run-of-the-mill and the file he’d compiled was handed over to Nanami with confidence that the information would guide him well.

Now, all he had to do was ensure that Nanami reached each location on time and make sure that the hard working first grade sorcerer had something to eat when he returned to the car. Speaking of which …

Ijichi checked his watch and nodded. It was almost lunch time. Nanami would probably complete his work at the marked location within the hour. It was time to go and buy him a meal.

Setting the car in gear, he pulled away from the kerb and drove slowly through the town centre, searching for any restaurants or seven-elevens that looked promising. Ijichi knew that Nanami preferred sandwiches, but was also partial to most food, provided that the ingredients were of good quality. He exclaimed softly as he spotted a small, but neatly kept deli on the corner, adjoining a bakery to the right. It looked like the perfect place to buy Nanami what he preferred.

Pulling up, he parked and hopped out, glancing up at the awning over the deli. It read “Sugimoto’s Slice of the Day”. The small board standing outside advertised that day’s specials: a pork cutlet sandwich, served with salad and a free coffee, and a baked cheese and corn with a pickled garnish and tea. Ijichi’s mouth watered at the thought of the cheese and corn on a cold day like this. He was also sure that Nanami would appreciate the sandwich.

Tugging slightly as his scarf, Ijichi pushed open the door of the deli, a small bell over the entryway tinkling musically as he made his way in. There were a few people in the shop, and he had obviously missed the lunchtime rush. He ordered his cheese and corn at the counter, turning to browse the shelves as he waited. He found some delicious looking croissants, along with a selection of freshly baked madeleines that he had always been partial to. Searching further, he breathed out a small sigh of relief when he saw that there was still one of the pork cutlet sandwiches left. As much as there were other options, this one looked particularly succulent.

As he reached for the sandwich, the bell over the door rang once again. Someone brushed brusquely past him and snatched the sandwich off the shelf, the same one he had been about to grasp. Ijichi turned, indignant, but the sudden hush that had descended over the store gave him pause. The person who had grabbed the sandwich was a stunning woman in a fitted maroon top and dark jeans, the sparkling diamond earrings she wore offset against her lush raven hair. She was obviously known in the area, because the quiet in the store was quickly broken by whispers and glances in her direction. The woman in question was looking at Ijichi as if he were a worm that had crawled out from under a rock.

“Problem?” she questioned, archly.

Now, Ijichi was normally a well-mannered, placid man who would not court trouble of any kind. Under other circumstances, he may have backed down and exited the store without comment, but there was something about this woman’s manner of speech and the way she looked at him, with that small, mocking smile, that rubbed him the wrong way. Not to mention, Ijichi had had to face down Gojo on a daily basis at work. Whoever this lady was, she certainly wasn’t in the league of the strongest sorcerer of modern times. This fact was what made Ijichi’s posture straighten, and his brows draw together.

“Yes, ma’am, there is a problem.”

She had been half turning away, but his words stopped her in place. Turning to him, one of her perfectly drawn eyebrows raised so high it almost disappeared into her hairline.

“And what, pray tell, may that be?”

“I was about to take that sandwich when you grabbed it. In a very ill-mannered way, might I add. I’d appreciate it if you put that sandwich down.”

She looked at him incredulously.

“Do you know who I am?”

The whispers around them were growing in volume. Ijichi’s mouth drew into a stubborn line.

“No, I’m afraid I don’t.”

The woman uttered a sharp bark of laughter. She didn’t bother responding to Ijichi, merely jerking her head at the burly man who seemed to be her companion. Ijichi noted that the man carried what looked like high-end filming equipment, an expensive video camera in his hand. ‘Muscles’, as Ijichi dubbed him in his mind, turned and shoved his bulk behind the woman, allowing her to progress to the counter unhindered.

Oh no. No, no. Not today.

Ijichi was not quite sure what came over him then. Perhaps it was the fact that they were in a small town which he was not likely to visit again. Perhaps it was the fact that none of the other sorcerers or any of his work colleagues were nearby. Maybe the miso soup he’d eaten for breakfast contained some special ingredient that gave him daring.

Grabbing one of Muscle’s elbows, Ijichi manoeuvred past him with ease, his sorcerer training coming in handy. In the same motion, he snatched the sandwich out of the woman’s hand, giving her no time to protest before he slapped some money down on the counter, grabbed his order of cheese and corn, and dashed out the door.

“Hey! You – “

“What the – “

“Get back here!”

“How dare you! Satou, get him!      

For all their posturing, Ijichi was a lot faster than Muscles, who he now knew as Satou. By the time people had been pushed out of the way and the bakery door slammed open, Ijichi was already behind the wheel, pulling away from the kerb, swinging the steering expertly. In his rearview mirror he saw the woman grab the video camera away from her companion as they clambered into a white van with some kind of mural on the side. He noted that she had lifted the camera, from where she sat in the passenger seat, and seemed to be filming his car.

Oh no, you don’t.

Accelerating away, Ijichi took one hand off the wheel, raising his index and middle finger in front of him.

“Emerge from the darkness, blacker than darkness … “

Of all the jujutsu techniques, summoning a veil was the one that Ijichi was most proficient at. Although not possessing a huge amount of cursed energy, control and manipulation of the little he had had always been his strength. He could manipulate cursed energy to the point that he could make smaller, condensed curtains over objects and people of his choice. He used that ability now to shroud his car, such that any identifying factors would be impossible to record on camera.

Eat that, lady.

The country roads were winding and empty, allowing Ijichi to use his far superior driving skills to navigate the tricky turns and sharp bends with ease. Although his pursuers would probably be far more familiar with the area, they were no match for a Jujutsu Tech assistant determined to leave them in the dust. Ijichi eventually lost them, pulling to a stop in slightly concealed cul-de-sac. He consulted his GPS, nodding in satisfaction when he realised that he was not far from Nanami’s pick up point.

Emerging slowly from the cul-de-sac, Ijichi drove to Nanami’s location. Standing tall and intimidating in his longer-length warm coat, blonde hair gleaming in the winter sun, Nanami cut a distinctive figure standing on the sidewalk. Ijichi hoped that nobody would connect their arrival in town with the … incident.

Seeing the car, Nanami raised a hand and approached, clambering into the back seat. He exhaled heavily and worked the tension out of his neck.

“Successful mission, Nanami?”

“Yes. No issues. All targets at the location have been exorcised.”

Succinct as always, Nanami relaxed into the cushioned seat with a sigh and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Having known the man for this long, Ijichi knew that there was only one thing that could fix that fatigue. He was one of the very few who was privy to the sight of Nanami surrounded by breads and snacks of various kinds, the chiselled, angular face bulging slightly at the cheeks like a hamster as the sorcerer helped himself to the things that made him most happy.  

Contrary to the stoic and cold demeanour Nanami showed most others, he was kind and generous with many things, including his food. He would often share with Ijichi and had even remembered all of Ijichi’s favourites. This was why Ijichi had gone through such lengths to procure that sandwich today. This man, of all sorcerers, was worth the effort. Reaching for the parcel in the passenger seat, he handed the wrapped sandwich to Nanami.  

“Here you go. It’s a pork cutlet sandwich, with salad. There’s also coffee in the cup holder and some croissants. Still warm!”

“Ah, thank you.”

It was extremely subtle, but Nanami perked up immediately and unwrapped the sandwich, taking a large bite followed by a quick, satisfied sip from the coffee cup. Ijichi smiled and put the car in gear once again, heading for the interchange that would lead them back to Tokyo.

“Have you eaten, Ijichi?”

“Err … not yet. I’m not that hungry. I’ve got something for myself though, so I’ll warm it up at the next stop.”

He couldn’t exactly let Nanami know his reasons for wanting to book it out of that town as soon as possible.

____________________________________________________

Of course, things never worked out that smoothly for him.

Somehow, the story reached even a few news sources in Tokyo. The strange tale of the well-known morning magazine show host, Maeda Yoshino, who had been robbed of her sandwich by a mysterious dark-suited man. What drew the audience in wasn’t so much the bread snatching, but the fact that on the recorded footage, the car had been obscured by a dark cloud that was shaped suspiciously like a raised middle finger.

Yoshino and her assistant had insisted that they hadn’t seen such a cloud surrounding the car during the chase, but had never closed the gap enough to take the registration number. Yoshino appeared on TV, indignantly describing how the man had grabbed the last speciality pork cutlet sandwich right out of her hand.  

Ijichi tried his best to avoid Nanami at work, knowing full well that the wily sorcerer would take no time at all to figure the situation out. It appeared that he had not been entirely successful there either. Coming in to work one morning, he paused as he noted a parcel on his desk. Opening it, he found a beautifully prepared pork cutlet sandwich with a note stuck to the packaging.

Next time, we’ll just go for yakiniku.

Nanami.

@strawberry1042 @darkfaerietails @Jay220a @fattybattysblog @suguru-nugget @senseifupa @aleigant @gigiculona

[forkfulofflavor]

Lasagna Soup Delight This Lasagna Soup Delight is a comforting twist on traditional lasagna, combining rich flavors and cheesy goodness in a warm soup form. Perfect for chilly evenings! Ingredients 1 lb ground beef (or a mix of beef and sausage) 1 medium onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce 4 cups beef broth (or vegetable broth for a lighter version) 1 tsp dried basil 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp dried thyme ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for a bit of heat) Salt and pepper, to taste 8 oz broken lasagna noodles (or any pasta, like rotini or shells) 1 cup ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese) 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese Fresh basil or parsley, chopped (for garnish) Instructions Cook the Ground Beef: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat a bit of olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it apart with a spoon as it cooks. Once browned, drain excess fat if needed. Sauté the Aromatics: Add the diced onion to the pot with the beef and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the Tomatoes and Broth: Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beef broth. Add the dried basil, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes (if using), and season with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook the Noodles: Once the soup is simmering, add the broken lasagna noodles (or preferred pasta). Stir to combine and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until the noodles are tender, stirring occasionally. Prepare the Cheese Mixture: While the soup is cooking, in a small bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, 1 cup of mozzarella, and grated Parmesan cheese. This will be added to the soup to give it that lasagna-like richness. Add the Cheese: Once the noodles are cooked, drop spoonfuls of the cheese mixture into the soup. Gently stir to incorporate, letting the cheese melt and create a creamy texture throughout the soup. Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the remaining shredded mozzarella cheese. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley for a burst of color and flavor. This Lasagna Soup Delight is the ultimate comfort food with all the cheesy goodness and tomato-rich flavor of lasagna, but served up as a warm and filling soup. Enjoy a cozy bowl of this hearty dish!

[feyburner]

chicken tikka masala recipe?? 👀👀

Sure. This is compiled from a bunch of different recipes, primarily Swasthi’s Recipes, Bon Appetit, and personal recipes from curry enthusiasts on a reddit post.

I use chicken breast bc I prefer the texture for curries, I don’t like non-crispy chicken fat (not a fan of chicken fat/meat fat in general, I know, it’s my toxic trait). Thighs are of course also great.

Spice measurements should be considered a baseline minimum. Add more to taste.

CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

1 head garlic, minced

2 Tbsp minced ginger

1 heaping Tbsp turmeric

1 heaping Tbsp garam masala

1 heaping Tbsp coriander

1 heaping Tbsp cumin

+

1.5 cups plain full fat yogurt

1 Tbsp kosher salt

1.5-2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast (or thighs), sliced in half lengthwise

+

3-4 Tbsp ghee or butter + oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

10-12 cardamom pods, crushed (or 2 tsp ground cardamom)

1 Tbsp red pepper flakes or chili powder

1 x 6 oz can tomato paste

1 x 28 oz can tomato puree

1.5 cups heavy cream (or less cream + make up remainder with water or coconut milk/cream)

1-2 Tbsp brown sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl, mix together garlic, ginger, turmeric, garam masala, coriander, cumin.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together yogurt and salt. Whisk in 1/2 spice mix; reserve the rest (covered and chilled). Pat chicken dry and add to yogurt marinade, coating fully. Cover and chill 4-24 hours.

3. Heat ghee in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add cardamom and red pepper flakes. Bloom until fragrant, 20 seconds. Add onions and tomato paste. Cook, stirring, 5 minutes until tomato paste has darkened and onions are softening. Add reserved spice mix and cook, stirring, another 4-5 minutes until darker brown. Add extra ghee if needed.

4. Add tomato puree. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring and scraping bits from the bottom. Simmer 8-10 minutes until slightly thickened.

5. Optional (but highly recommended): Carefully transfer sauce to a food processor. Pulse until smooth and blended. Transfer back to saucepan.

6. Add cream and brown sugar (and leftover yogurt marinade if desired; it’s a raw chicken marinade but you’re cooking long enough that it’s fine). Simmer, stirring often, 30-40 minutes.

7. Meanwhile, heat ghee or vegetable oil (not butter or olive oil) in a nonstick pan or well-seasoned cast iron on highest heat until smoking hot. Sear the chicken 2-3 pieces at a time, 3 minutes on each side, to char. Chicken will still be pink inside.

8. Cut chicken into bite-size cubes. Add to simmering tikka masala sauce and stir until cooked through, 10 minutes.

9. Garnish with fresh cilantro (coriander). Serve with rice and/or naan, paratha, etc.

[intrawebs]

A list of misc. Hermitcraft/Life Series fics from someone who loves AUs

There is no smut on this list

❤️ = Angst  💜 = Fluff 💛 = Fic I recently added

No Romance and Romance Optional

❤️Hermit Hybrids (In Progress Series) by Flickersprout - "Loosely connected fantasy AU with background dystopian elements. Mostly exploring the Hermits as a magic found family and all their different ways of being nonhuman." Can be read in any order! I'd suggest starting with The Colors of Friendship cause it's the earliest chronologically, ZombieCleo's great, and it's a good introduction to the world.

❤️the sanctity of the mundane (Completed Series) by crabbunch - “Snippets of life on the Double Life server; mundanity can reveal the most interesting things about people, after all.” This series makes me crazy. The only happy pairs are Boat Boys and Ranchers hell yeah

From the Archives (Completed Series) by Sixteenthdays and zeph - “A collection of statements from the archives of the Void Institute.” A Hermitcraft/Life Series Magnus Archives AU with Grian as the Head Archivist and Pearl, Mumbo, Scar, and Impulse as his assistants. Can be read with no knowledge of the Magnus Archives.

Interlude From Another Reality: Peacock's Eye by Sixteenthdays and zeph - “‘My assistant,’ announced Scar Goodtimes, newly-promoted Head Archivist of the Peacock's-Eye Institute, to nobody in particular except maybe the paused audio recording software on his laptop, or perhaps the small pile of tape recorders his predecessor'd left piled on a shelf in the corner, or arguably the little peacock-feather eye logo that dotted the office as haphazardly as it did the entire Institute, ‘is weird.’

(In which Scar is Grian's Archivist, and Grian is Scar's assistant.)” Sort of an AU of the Magnus Archives AU? Haha. But it’s completely divorced from the canon and can definitely be read stand alone.

❤️Shining and Polished (But Never to Plan) by SaltyServal - “A cough makes Grian freeze in his tracks, shakes him to his core. Despite all the signs, of all the things he was expecting to find in this cave, a truly sentient creature was not one of them. That’s what scares him the most.

He turns, grabbing his dagger and pointing it at the newcomer, who simply smiles at him, fangs and all.

‘Why hello there.’

tldr; Grian is an avian desperate to keep his wings, and he'll do whatever it takes to save himself. Even if it means stealing from a dragon.

(It turns out there's more to the dragon then he thought).” A fantasy AU with bird!Grian and dragon!Scar

oh captain (let's make a deal) by birrdie - “No one on these shores knew Scar’s name. Aside from Tango, of course. No one feared the humble, white-sailed ship docked on the south side of the port. This, like the tides, would eventually change with time. They would know his name soon enough. The greatest pirates all rose from humble beginnings like a phoenix from ashes. Scar was no different from them; that much he was sure of. And it would not take him long to prove it.

Or; Scar is a Captain of a humble pirate crew of one. That is, until a discovery on the shore shakes things up a bit.” A heaping helping of greedy pirate Scar and mysterious crewmate Grian, with evil Boat Boys and innocent Solidaritek as a garnish.

❤️starry eyes stare through me by whatcaniwriteinthis - "'You know,' he says. 'Gotta have a good show: high stakes, violence—' He nods at the room, at the 24 children learning how to use weapons, how to start a fire, how to find food that won’t kill them.

'An unlikely allyship,' Scar finishes, smiling a little. Grian smirks back.

–

Grian is this year's male tribute from District 9. Clearly, the odds are already not in his favor. But he has to get home to his sister and to do that he has to play the Games. Give them a show. Stay alive. Remember to step out of line is to threaten Pearl. Don't get too attached to the Career that agrees to be his ally, but not to put a damn shirt on." Angst without a happy ending. Made me cry

❤️Stained Glass Sunlight (In Progress Series) by Cosmic_Retribution - “The Watchers had seemed so nice, is the thing. So… disarmingly hospitable.

When they’d set out for the ruins, they’d gone in search of some magical beasts reportedly plaguing the area, according to the flyer they’d taken. What they’d found instead was an empty city and a group of mages and scholars studying… something. They’d been cagey about what. Certainly not the history of the place— the Watchers arrived long after the fall of Dogwarts, content to live and work inside the city’s corpse with no special reverence for the grave it lay ruined in. They had no stake in its fall, or its future, or the preservation of its once-hallowed legacy— but its bones, certainly, served as protection enough for their studies.

The beasts were the only thing troubling the Watchers’ work, or so they’d said. Strange, then, that Grian and his party never once saw a trace of them.

How long after, until his friends realized Grian was gone? That they weren’t safe?

—

Two decades ago, the city of Dogwarts met its demise. Today, a traveler meets god wearing the mask of a merchant, looking for a miracle.

These two things are not as unconnected as they appear.” Grian and Scar’s version of the lamplight AU(below). Featuring bored god Scar and oblivious paladin Grian.

Lamplight (In Progress Series) by skelew - “Welcome to Lamplight, a DnD/Fantasy Third/Last Life Renchanting AU. Ren is a god stuck in the form of living fire. Martyn is his sole follower. Martyn and Ren help free one another from imprisonment by the Watchers and are now traveling the world on a two-man adventure of fond companionship and occasional arson.” There’s angst but really just in the first fic. The main series has no shipping but skelew has written some treebark one shots that are also in the collection.

❤️dandelion wishing by skelew - “The white lily is known to symbolize purity, innocence. It is also a symbol of mourning, a popular choice to decorate the casket at a funeral. This is due to their beauty, yes, as well as the fact their smell can cover up the scent of a decaying body. Dandelions are best known for their magic, but no dandelion survives a wish.

The King of Dogwarts is not dead.” A Martyn and Ren centric fic about coming back from the dead.

❤️Wooden Mausoleum by skelew - “‘To take the life of one you love an agony Martyn understands far too well. It’s not something he’d wish on anyone—not on his worst enemy, and certainly not on his dearest friends.

Least of all would he wish it on Ren.’

Or, for the Red King, there are fates worse than death. How fortunate he is that his Hand will never let him meet them.” Dogwarts makes it to the end of 3rd Life but Martyn has a betrayal arc.

💜Performance Evaluations by glossyblue - “From The Desk Of His Majesty’s Most Private Of Areas: A True And Accurate Evaluation Of Growth Opportunities For The Knights Of The Square Table, The Loyal Court of Ren the King, As Suggested By The HR Department. (Note to self: when did we acquire an HR department? Ask Bdubs.)” Super cute and funny performance evaluations of the knights from the King Ren Hermitcraft arc.

The H.T.G.Y. Files by glossyblue - "Research scientist Cub didn't intend to make a person. He just came up with the plans. But when a competing team looking to make a supersoldier gets hold of the genome he invented, Cub is pulled in to stop them screwing up—and whatever he expected to find, it wasn't someone like Scar." This is part of a series called Lab Escape but the other fic has a ship that's not in this list so I can't put it in. But I really recommend the whole series!

💜The Government Institute for Ghost Supervision (G.I.G.S.) by glossyblue - “HIGHLY SENSITIVE: G.I.G.S CLASSIFIED. Audio logs for a team of supernatural agents investigating reports of a ghost at a local high school.GRIAN: Yeah, Skizz, why did you let Scar set something on fire? Pretty irresponsible.

SKIZZ: [noise of incoherent outrage] You try stopping him, buddy.” Goofy GIGS story

fixed and dilated by iamsolarflare - “Anything waterdwelling knows from bait.

---

Or: xBCrafted deals with the people around him, and a secret he's been keeping for one hell of a long time. Not the ‘old enemies hunting him down’ type, no - this should be fine, as long as nobody pries. It's the way you should deal with secrets like this, really, just don't let people know. No questions, no answers.

Hypno never got that memo, apparently.” An xB and Hypno fic where neither are human and neither wants to talk about it. Even if you don’t watch them I recommend it.

on the getaway mile by Odaigahara - “‘You want me to do what?’ the civilian asked disbelievingly, and Scar’s body language shifted to that of an impatient trainer, one whose fuse was running short. It was a precursor to bad things, like being tased or forced onto a treadmill for hours; Mumbo flinched even knowing it was an act, and the civilian cut off with a squeak, so Mumbo knew he felt the same way.

Or possibly that was the gun. Scar having a gun seemed more likely as an explanation, now that Mumbo thought of it.

Stealing the car would be better, but they had no idea where they were going, and neither of them was familiar with road laws. What if they hit a person while driving? What if there was some sort of kill switch in the car that the owner could flip to blow it up with them inside? Anti-villain tech had to be wild, from what the Foundation had on hand– and they were villains now for sure. Not just for defying the Foundation, but for this. Heroes didn’t take the actions he and Scar were taking.” Heroes Villains Scar and Mumbo take civilian Grian hostage for a road trip! It's not as bad as it sounds

counterclock by scarabies - “When it’s over, Impulse finds him in the throne room.

(or, Bdubs and Impulse chat after a rebellion ends. Can be read as either platonic or romantic.)”

💜Tangotek Evil Incorporated by onawhimsicot - “As the supervillain Dr. Blaze, Tango has a fondness for oddly named "ificators" and stylistic flair. He spends his days trying to take over the city, shaming superheroes for their basic costume designs, and then sending said heroes home with better equipment that actually matches their aesthetic because clearly, if he wants a cool fight scene to happen, he's got to do everything around here himself.

For some reason, not many people think he’s evil. On the bright side, the superhero Canary, does and has made it his personal mission to bring down Dr. Blaze! But when he suddenly goes missing, Canary's partner, Parrot, is convinced that Tango is at fault. Seeing as this is not true at all (kidnapping is so gauche), Tango is offended that someone is trying to steal his nemesis right from under his nose. If Tango wants to get his nemesis back, he'll have to work together with Parrot to find and rescue Canary from whatever danger he's got himself into this time.

Because, after all, what's a supervillain without a nemesis?” A very fun modified Phineas and Ferb AU with Tango as Doofenshmirtz and Jimmy as Perry the Platypus

Scarian

Through the Sky-Blue Cracks (In Progress Series) by Amethystfairy1 - “This is a compilation of all the pieces that take place within my Over-City/Under-City AU, which is also a Hot Guy/Cute Guy Superhero AU, though that's not the only thing that'll be going on!”

❤️coliseum by artanogon - "Grian is on a mission: kill the Red King of the Third Precinct. Unfortunately, when he travels to the capital where the king resides, he lands in a spot of trouble with a local merchant when he accidentally destroys the merchant’s shop. After he enters into a contract to help pay off the damages, he discovers that there might be another side to Scar under the silver-tongued salesman— and that he’s not the only one who wants the Red King dead." This one made me cry. Bittersweet ending and it gets worse before it gets better.

Picture Perfect, Trapped in Eternity by CloudySkyFlight - “Grian's an architecture major in college, minoring in art history, and when the largest, and supposedly most haunted, collection of royal portraits in the world is displayed in a museum only a few hours away from his dorm, he gets up early to go see it.

Scar's been dead for centuries, living in a royal portrait he cursed to hold his memories and soul, waiting for the moment his best friend would come back to him. Several centuries later, he wakes up to see a brunette that has the looks and soul of his friend, and Scar knows that he cannot let Grian leave without him.” Starts out with Scar sort of kidnapping Grian? But the mood quickly lifts from there

and everything is you by eastwards - “‘Oh my gosh. I’ve got paint on your face.’

Grian moved to wipe the paint off, but Scar shook his head, ‘No the other side, here let me-’

He held Grian’s head steady with one hand, the other carefully brushing across his jaw. With an affirming noise, Scar nodded and bid Grian farewell, as he wandered back to his station in the studio. Grian held his hand up to where he had touched him, feeling his head begin to warm. How troublesome.

–

artist au w/ scarian wooo”

somewhere between the surface and the seabed by LovesickPrince - "It's a classic tale of love: Grian, a mer from the depths of the sea, makes a deal with a sea witch to exchange his voice for a pair of legs and go visit the human whose life he had saved. Only in this case, Grian is more interested in the sea witch than the human.

(If only someone had bothered to tell Scar, the sea witch in question, about this divergence)."

💜Dead Heat by glossyblue - “Jimmy's having a meltdown, Ren and Martyn are flirting outrageously, Tango gets cruelly betrayed and Grian and Scar are being unrepentantly weird about each other in every shot. It's the nation's favourite no-holds-barred elimination game. It is, of course, the Great British Bake Off.”

A Certain Je Ne Sais What by glossyblue - “Literally any one of Grian’s friends would be a better soulmate than Scar, and Grian is going to prove this scientifically.

Grian’s already felt it, a pinprick in his thumb. He’s familiar—he’s so painfully, unforgettably familiar—with the way Scar sees something and is already reaching out to touch it before he’s asked questions like 'what is this' and 'is it bad news' and 'is it going to hurt me, Scar, and by extension the unwilling bystander my physical sensations are now linked to'. Scar just immediately reaches out.” Grian tries to convince himself that anyone else would be a better soulmate than Scar while proving that Scar is the best soulmate for him.

❤️wait the worst is yet to come by glossyblue - “‘Grian is smirking at him. ‘I know, Grian, I know,’ Scar says. ‘Trade by name and trade by nature–okay, Scar by name but still trade by nature–we are going to be in business, opening soon, special rates for favorite customers of course–’

‘But have you done it yet,’ says Grian.

‘No?’ Scar says. ‘We only just started.’

Grian bounces on the balls of his feet, delighted. ‘Okay. Okay, okay, so. You need to know how it works, then, don’t you? Kiss me.’” Scar centric Last Life AU where you transfer lives by making out. There’s a sex scene but it’s not smut. Angst without a happy ending.

heart under your sleeve by Anonymous - “Scar was easy to love, as mortifying as that was to think. Grian didn’t think he was in love with the artist, it was far too soon for that, but he knew it would be easy for anyone to love him.

In the back of his mind, he wondered if Scar had met his soulmate, then shook his head to dispel the thought before it could fully form.

“Look, we can’t bring in a live panda, but if you want, we can try and connect with a zoo in the area so that they can set up a live stream of their panda exhibits,” Grian compromised and Scar brightened again. He ignored the sweeping feeling of relief in his chest as he opened his laptop, typing in a quick search for nearby panda exhibits. “Maybe we can even get one of their handlers in to give a talk about pandas.”

“Perfect!” Scar agreed, putting on a bright grin. Grian smiled to himself in turn.

—

Soulmate AU: You are born with a birthmark, similar to a tattoo, that is shared by your soulmate. Grian is a curator for an art museum. Scar is an eccentric artist who is just as attractive as he is infuriating to work with. Everything goes sideways when Grian realizes they're soulmates.”

💜If you like it… by GoodTimesWithScar - “‘Hello,’ slurs Scar, ‘you wouldn’t happen to know where a man such as myself… would find… an eligible bachelor to spend a little bit of time with?’

Grian blinks. ‘Oh, you are plastered.’

or, the ‘you got so drunk you asked your husband if he was single’ trope, but with added mumbo being 100% done with this nonsense.”

💜Well It’s Not Quite Narnia, But- by Raichett - “It’s just past seven in the morning when Grian opens his built-in wardrobe door to find a man dressed in something close to a green and gold matador outfit standing inside.

---

my ever after / is holding you by LovesickPrince - “Grian has been many things.

Or: Grian is not giving up this dirt-cheap rent flat for anything, not even the strange (if fun) goings on around the place and the elven king coming in through his closet.”

💛Dispossessed by Raichett - “Grian's - kind of, sort of, maybe - a living doll, made of fabric and stuffing. Or, at least, that's what he is to the naked eye. Scar wants to know the truth of the matter. He's also maybe working through some feelings, but that's a whole other thing.

—

Or: Scar contemplates the enigma that is Grian, unknowing that sometimes when one watches, one invites being watched in turn.”

A servant of a respected noble family. A survivor, with bruises on his skin and hidden wings tied down to his back. A rebel, sneaking away for a night of wonder in the heart of the kingdom - and a curiosity, gawked at by all as the King himself swept him into his arms and spent hours by his side.

When Scar spent days tracking Grian down and helping him escape the cruel grasp of the Watchers, Grian thought his life couldn’t surprise him anymore. Pledging his life to serve Scar was all he could do to thank his King.

Of course, being the personal servant of the King comes with its' own risks - and now Grian could add ‘hostage’ to his list of titles.

i live in a hologram with you by remrose - “‘Anyone in there would be lucky to be graced with your company.’ Scar told him. His face was calm but at his sides, his hands tightened and knuckles went white.

Or; someone decides kidnapping King Scar’s beloved servant was a good idea. It really wasn’t.”

💛❤️Bread and Butterflies by Anonymous - “‘You do this thing,’ Mumbo began awkwardly. 'Where when you get worried, you start stalking people.’

‘I don’t stalk people,’ Grian denied immediately.

Or, after the events of 3rd life, Grian finds himself lingering outside Scar’s base.”

💛❤️a little victimless crime by definitelynotshouting - “On a technical level, the rite he’s performing is paltry compared to what he executed all those heady months back– chalk-powder in concentric circles, a matchbook, the potential for flame. Simple. Too simple; any of his old professors (Academy-trained, tried, and true) would have failed him for presenting such a stripped summoning spell. But half the magic lies in intent– with enough bull-headed, scrabbling belief, you can claw anything into a shape of your choosing.

Grian had taught him that.

One breath. Two. No room for doubt– no room for second chances. Scar strikes the match and, with a deft flick of his hand, tosses it into the chalk-powder.”

‘Stop trying to sweet talk me, I've already caught you fleeing.’ Grian stalked another pace forward, eyes alight with mischief and excitement. ‘Where are you going?’” Scar’s bad end in the treesekai AU (which you need to have read to understand).

Treebark

Through the Sky-Blue Cracks (In Progress Series) by Amethystfairy1 - “This is a compilation of all the pieces that take place within my Over-City/Under-City AU, which is also a Hot Guy/Cute Guy Superhero AU, though that's not the only thing that'll be going on!” The first treebark fic is quite a ways down (It’s called Dagger and Rose), but I believe in yalls ability to figure out the setting through context clues.

💜love goes toward love as schoolboys from their books (In Progress Series) by GoodTimesWithScar - “treebark theatre kids au, with ren as the male lead and martyn as the very distracted spotlight operator!”

wild things can't get comfortable by donnerstag - "Ren and Martyn steal what small moments of comfort they can get.

❤️Sgt. Pepper’s Broken Hearts Club Band by harpydora - “The sign next to the door just reads, ‘Support Group,’ which frankly doesn't leave a great impression for the gathering inside. Martyn double-checks the Facebook event on his phone, but he's unfortunately certain he's in the right place: a support group for people whose soulmates are no longer with them.” The double life broken hearts club in a modern AU.

Several loosely-connected scenes from Dogwarts as Ren struggles with his feelings towards the Hand of the King."

What will that something be? Well don’t look at me, I’m the one who wrote it. Look at yourself, and ask yourself: Why don’t I know?

Scribbling the lines (from you to me) by Siri_Spy - “Martyn and Cleo are soulmates… but what exactly does that mean for them? And with Martyn starting to fall for the over-the-top president of his RPG club, and Cleo starting to realize that they might be a little late to the ‘disgustingly in love’ phase… something needs to change.

Exactly. That’s what I’ve been wondering. Anyway, what are you still doing here? Go read!” A really sweet modern AU about Cleo and Martyn.

The Not Ghost of the Castle (he is a very dedicated cosplayer, thank you very much) takes a liking, and possibly some recognition, to Martyn, and while he spends the night terrorising Martyn's friends, the two of them build an unlikely bond and friendship.

not the ghost by csillagvizsgalo - “Martyn tags along with his friends on a ghost hunting trip (he has seen people who had weirder hobbies anyways) for fun in an old run-down castle museum that has definitely not been kept properly. It's all fun and games, and he definitely doesn't believe in the supernatural, so it's not scary at all, until he starts noticing things lying around in areas that nobody has been to in ages, that remind him of memories of events that he never experienced, hundreds of years ago. The voices aren't helping. Well, the one Voice.

The Red King just wants to rest, and so does Martyn. But not everything is as easy as it first seems.” Ren pulls out all the stops to try and intimidate Martyn but Martyn is a little rude to him and completely ruins it.

Wild Life: A Conservation Podcast by donnerstag - “Ren and Martyn, hosts of a popular little nature and conservation podcast, go camping together as part of a season finale special; discussions of the future, for both the show and themselves, ensue. Featuring: a campfire! innuendos! and even a little bit of kissy, perhaps?”

A Romance Route For The Doomed Villain?!? by skelew - “These days, Martyn doesn’t really have a lot going on. This is where the dating sim comes in.

💜Dead Heat by glossyblue - “Jimmy's having a meltdown, Ren and Martyn are flirting outrageously, Tango gets cruelly betrayed and Grian and Scar are being unrepentantly weird about each other in every shot. It's the nation's favourite no-holds-barred elimination game. It is, of course, the Great British Bake Off.”

Granted, if Martyn knew he was going to die so soon, he maybe would have tried a little harder at, like, holding down a job. Or maybe not. It's not like he has a lot of time to think about it.

Or, Treebark Isekai Romance Parody Which I Spent Far Too Much Time On.”

❤️I Think I’ve Seen This Film Before by GoodTimesWithScar - “In which Martyn fails to get the guy - but he doesn't let that stop him for long.” Set in the treesekai AU (the fic above), which you need to read to understand.

—

💜I should’ve known it would be you - water/woods by theorionsound - “Martyn sort of expected to fall in love with Ren eventually.

On their bi-annual hiking trip, Ren and Martyn get lost in thought. Mainly about eachother.”

'Sure.' There was something knife-bright in Martyn’s eyes. 'And I’m a good little Southlander now.'

❤️To Sit in Hell With You by dirtybinary - "Ren pulled Martyn close, breathing in the smell of soot and cinders still clinging to his clothes. 'You never kept secrets from me, back at Dogwarts.'

Martyn's playing every side in the death game. He's a loose cannon, he's a wild card, he's a selfish bastard who's going to betray everyone in the end, even Ren. Probably. Most likely. Any minute now."

Solidaritek

💜Red Bandit AU (In Progress Series) by scribblingdragon - “A Empires Season 2 AU with Jimmy as the Sheriff of Tumble Town, and Tango as a local bandit that is slowly, forcefully, being domesticated. Shenanigans ensue from there.”

❤️💜Hels To Pay AU (In Progress Series) by aquaquadrant and lunarcrown - “Angsty Tango-centric Hermitcraft/Double Life SMP AU”

❤️The Highwayman by EnvelopedByOblivion - “Fate walks many paths - but for each person, it only wears one face. Sheriff Jimmy Solidarity’s fate is a handsome red-eyed highwayman who saves Jimmy from a group of bandits. Despite being on opposite sides of the law, something keeps bringing them together, tangible as gravity and inevitable as death.

💜Let Me Show You Everything I Know by MassiveWaffle - "Jimmy Solidarity is an ordinary guy. He goes to his grad school classes during the day, works at the campus library in the evenings, and neglects his friendships a little too much. Then, engineering student Tango enters the library for some help, and Jimmy finds his friend group growing, and his life inexplicably changed."

Which will get to them first? What will win out – a growing relationship between them, or their obligations to the life they’ve chosen for themselves?”

💛💜Tangotek Evil Incorporated’s Masterful Schemes (for wooing the Canary) by Tiny_Minecraft_Rabbit - “Dr. Blaze, like all good supervillains, has a nemesis. One that he hates, of course. The Canary is always meddling in his plans to be evil after all! Supervillains don't like their nemeses. Except, for some reason, no one believes him that he despies the guy! Sure the Canary takes him seriously when no one else does and laughs at his jokes and has these bright brown eyes that light up when he figures out how to escape Tango's traps and... and Tango might, just maybe, like the Canary more than he thought.

Well, now he has a new problem: confessing those feelings.”

A Nestcommunication by YacintheMorning - “Tango just wants to make the ranch a home for both him and his avian soulmate. Unfortunately, he knows almost nothing about avians. But the least he can do is try, right?” In which Tango is accidentally way too forward.

💜A Lesson in Listening by YacintheMorning - "Grian's brother is moving to town and staying with him while he house hunts. While introducing him to his friend, however, Jimmy and Tango seem to make quite a connection. Determined not to suffer through the pining, Grian and Impulse attempt to play matchmaker."

Unfortunately, this panicked Jimmy at first.

💜He loves that horse by ThatTallQueerBassist - “Tango uses his horse training knowledge to get Oreo back in shape after all the drama of being stolen back and forth.

He quickly calms down once he finds Tango training Oreo just outside the walls of their ranch.

They chat, and everything is well in the world again.”

SmallEtho

❤️The Best Soulmate by BlocksRuinedMe - “‘But everyone else didn’t know that - it was possible even Bdubs didn’t know that - and yet he carried on like that, all the time. All about Joel’s soulmate. Bdubs didn’t respect Joel, and fuck that.

Fuck that.

Joel had been fantasizing about killing Bdubs for weeks.’

—

The Boat Boys have made it to the end of Double Life, standing with Impulse and Bdubs, watching the divorce quartet crumble. Joel has a plan to make Etho win Double Life, whether Etho likes it or not.” Joel being an unreliable narrator because rage clouds his thinking is really something I wish there was more of. You definitely want to read the tags before diving into this one btw.

Holy Father, judge my sins by giddyfenix - "Joel and Etho as the seven deadly sins. After all, what were they if not corrupted?" The lust chapter has a sexual scene, obvs, so skip that if you so wish.

A list of facts and problems by giddyfenix - “Joel had never realized it was possible to feel someone in your bones until Etho came along.”

Amores anacrónicos by giddyfenix - “Don’t be further than 10 blocks from Etho for 10 minutes. One attempt only.”

You held his hands, it felt like flying by Prudent_seer - “Etho doesn't believe in soulmates. Doesn't believe in fate, destiny or an invisible little string tying two people together indefinitely. It was ridiculous, maddening even to think of two people who were made for one another; made perfect for each other by the "universe's almighty will". With that being said, he had someone in mind that was pretty damn close. So when Grian threw them in a world where these soulbounds did in fact exist in a tangible form, where health and pain was shared with someone else, he sought out the person whom he thought was his match. Only to literally fall into the life of his actual soulbound.

It was Joel. And with that Etho cursed the universe for its twisted sense of humour.

//

Creative rewrite of double life through the eyes of Etho, who learns to love his soulmate.” There’s sex but it’s not smut, you know what I mean?

when everything burns, they burn together by TheYesterdayShow - “No one for Joel because he's always been a loner. For as long as he can remember he's been on his own in these games—in the first one he had his cottage on the hill (so long ago that he can barely remember what it looked like, he can only remember it burning and the flames licking up at him and melting his skin and the smell of his hair and he has to put it out—), and in the games since, he's been alone. Alliances that last little more than a week, here and there, and somehow he always ends up at Grian's side at the end of things, but he's never actually teamed up with anyone else.

He doesn't want a soulmate.”

etho has said parkour tag! by panch_owo - “Neither Cyan or Aqua make it to finals, which means the rest of the event is unimportant!

And instead of dwelling on their non-team, they go on another round of tag because it's them.” No smut but a lot of innuendo and tension

More Powerful Than Fear Itself Is The Will To Win by smoothlikebutter - "After a devastating crash ends Etho’s racing career with the McLaren Formula One team, he’s forced to take significant time off to recover. While his fans are eager to see him again soon, what they don’t know is that Etho’s crash was worse than reported; he had to re-learn how to walk and talk before he could even think about racing again. But the desire to get back in a racing car is a strong motivation, so Etho pushes himself to his limits… However, his team couldn’t wait forever. His replacement is talented and the endless competition of motorsports is ruthless. Now Etho has to prove to his old team— and to the whole world— that they were too quick to forget about him. And what better place than the 24 Hours of Le Mans?

ConCorp is eager to snap up a big name like Etho. They’re entering under the Garage 56 innovative category this year, and their CEOs aren’t interested in much more than publicity so the pressure is low. But they’ve also signed Joel, a ruthless pro endurance racer who isn’t about to settle for anything less than the top step of the podium and a champagne shower at the end of the race. And honestly? That’s exactly the kind of teammate that Etho needs." Had me dancing around my room with excitement. Etho's character arc is amazing.

We're a Couple of Freaks by smoothlikebutter - "Joel is a weapon. Etho is also a weapon. They're professional monster hunters, and they've got a job to do tonight: clear out a ton of undead from an abandoned old mansion. Simple, right? This could only possibly go wonderfully well.” Epic Smalletho Souleater AU

❤️Blurring The Lines by FountainPenguin - “Dad always goes overboard with presents. They're never something traditional that a kid would ask for, either. It's always something he had left over in the back of his truck after a project or something stupid he bought after sipping a few too many potions and regretted sober.

One year for Scar's birthday, when he and his cousin Grian were playing in the sandbox out back, Dad and his friends arrived unannounced with four oak saplings. Dad didn't grab his arm or anything (Dad basically never touched him except on rare occasion to brush sand from his hair before loading him in the car; he always said it would make Mom mad), but he used words and praise and empty promises to drag Scar away from his and Grian's game to plant them right away.

Maybe Dad gave so many gifts because he was never around in summer. As early as April, he spent every weekend out fishing with his cousin on his houseboat...

AKA - That Scar-centric standalone piece about the Clocker family in contemporary suburbia.”

And goodness you’re bleeding (What a wonderful feeling) by knightinshiningarmor - “When the relationship burns, Etho feels an intense burst of emotions that leads to a revelation.”

[boyslit]

HSR Cooking Headcanons!

found a big document of these i never finished but i think they're fun. doesn't include everyone but a vast majority of Belobog+Luofu characters

Trailblazer - not so great with a stove. Pom-Pom has PTSD flashbacks when they offer to help prepare meals and the Trailblazer is thusly shooed from the premises. they're used to foraging snacks and treasures in the trash anyway

March 7th - ADHD disaster. she can whip up desserts mostly but the kitchen looks like a tornado happened afterwards and she'll rope someone into helping

Dan Heng - this boy grew up in a prison and then spent his adult life on the run from his murderous ex, when did he have time to learn to cook? naw, if he's not on the Express it's takeout and fast food for this poor meow meow

Pom-Pom - the esteemed head chef of the Astral Express. they are the ruler of their kitchen and no recipe is beyond their grasp. you might wonder how they can reach the counters and grip utensils when they are so small and bunny-like but Pom-Pom is very good at what they do, so you don't have to worry at all!

Welt Yang - he's an ok cook, like many dads, but he's got a tendency to lean on parental shortcuts like frozen French fries or chicken nuggets (not that anyone ever complains about this)

Himeko - she's best left to her coffee brewing, let's just put it that way.

Kafka - also a disaster, but she has little interest in cooking for herself. this is also the reason the trailblazer can't cook - she wasn't able to teach them

Silver Wolf - no interest in cooking beyond TV meals or reheating leftovers. takeout, gamer supps and snackies take priority 

Blade - somewhere in his muddied floodwaters of memory there's the capability to cook, but it comes and goes and the pain in his hands make it difficult to grip utensils and other implements with the fine motor movements required to chop and whisk and flip. He used to cook for his husband occasionally despite Dan Feng having a personal chef as high elder

Gepard - he does his best… things like breakfast eggs, toast, sausage, noodles, these are easy to accomplish. anything too fancy is a step too far. he's really too busy to practice.

Serval - generally competent. she had to learn to feed herself after getting kicked out of the architects and staying on her own. she's adventurous, always trying new flavor combinations and changing recipes for fun

Lynx - a true outdoorswoman, knows how to forage and trap game and cooks a mean stew. it's unconventional fare, though, and not to everyone's sensibilities. 

Pela - a good cook. sticks to the recipes religiously, and very good at baking because of her precision

Natasha - "knows" how to cook but while she's great at the chemistry behind making medicines, food takes a backseat. grin and bear it if she asks you to try something she made, you don't want to make her sad. she tried really hard for you after all.

Hook - isn't allowed to cook without supervision but she makes an enthusiastic sous chef! helps Dad make dinner and sets a lovely table

Seele - abysmal but I can see her being interested in improving in order to cook something nice for Bronya. when asked why she's suddenly interested in learning, however, the lady doth protest too much. you don't question it further though because you don't want her to make you a knuckle sandwich.

Sampo - unfortunately my own biases cloud my judgement here because I love a man that can cook. but Sampo does seem like the sort of guy who operates on comedy law and that's something I am familiar with. option 1: he closes the door to the kitchen and refuses anyone's help. there's an unholy racket, a cloud of black smoke, some coughing, a Wilhelm scream, and then a few bars of whistling. when he emerges, it's with a pristine plate of gorgeously prepared braised meat and carmelized vegetables with delicate garnish. option 2: he puts on a bit of a show. it's like that cooking porn anime, and onlookers find they have to look away periodically or loosen a tie to keep themselves in check. finally, when he lifts the lid over the plate… the censorship committee has ordered it pixelated so it can still air in the same time slot. (both of these scenarios happen within the same week)

Bronya - she's too busy! she's always working or training or sleeping. luckily, Seele is hard at work learning to cook for her wife hard-working friend

Qingque - Maybe instant noodles, maybe the Xianzhou equivalent of box Mac and cheese. Otherwise she's patronizing the food spots in Aurum Alley and getting takeout ordered to her desk so she can be seen working through lunch (she's not actually working tho)

Fu Xuan - she makes a mean pot of tea but she's so busy she has no time to cook. She subscribes to box meals (like Hello Fresh, etc) so she can feel like she's not surviving on takeout and restaurant meals. She definitely has Girl Breakfast and Girl Lunch though (her favorite bubble tea and two cups of extra sugary tea for that afternoon pick-me-up, respectively) which is not great. Watch out for gastritis, sis.

Jing Yuan - he's got dad grilling vibes but I can't see this man seriously cooking. at best there'll be weaponized incompetence before he's shooed out of the kitchen, chuckling. since he's the general however I have to assume he has a personal chef. 

Yanqing - tried to cut vegetables with his swords once and was summarily banned from every kitchen

Jingliu - I'm not even sure she eats anymore. Doesn't she just feed off of ambient malice or something

Luka - Mr. Meat Boy knows his way around a grill and a campfire, but try to sully it with vegetables and you're getting the biggest glare he can muster. A boxer can't live on meat alone, and considering you're nihility path, do we think a vegetable may cause less despair?

Guinaifen - does this girl live somewhere? Like in an apartment or something? She seems to be always out and about, busy streaming or performing or meeting friends to do either of the previous. She probably eats like Qingque does, grabbing something from the Alley whenever her tummy grumbles, but otherwise we are on 👏 the 👏 go !

Topaz - this girl is BUSY busy, she's ordering Grubhubs and Doordashes and having her order from the caf delivered by drone bot while she works through lunch. likes big meetings in the conference rooms though, because there's usually pastries and coffee

Aventurine - much like the other hardworking folks, he ends up with a lot of Space Doordashed lunches and late-work dinners. He attempts recipes from internet videos sometimes, for fun and the love of the trend. He doesn't super know what he's doing but it always turns out marvellously.

Ratio - Few things are outside Dr. Veritas Ratio's wheelhouse, and because a healthy diet is required to maintain a healthy body and mind, he's well versed in cooking techniques and healthy eating. Occasionally will stoop to making something less healthy like french toast to spoil Aventurine with.

Ruan Mei - In my head she's got the 'tism that makes her dislike all but like 2 or 3 textures, and those textures are generally desserts she's learned to make for herself - smooth puddings and pastes, soft dough. I suppose the Lifeform Oven isn't technically cooking, however…

Mme.  Herta - [Automatic Reply] I'm busy. The cafeteria is open for this purpose. [This user cannot be replied to.]

Asta - there's a reason Arlan makes fried rice so well 🙃

[najia-cooks]

[ID: First image is a thin crèpe topped with ground 'meat,' herbs, and tomato, and garnished with lemon. Second image is a close-up of the same crèpe with a thick red sauce drizzledover it. End ID

𑐔𑐟𑐵𑑄𑐩𑐬𑐶 / चतांमरि / Chatamari (Newari rice crèpe)

𑐔𑐟𑐵𑑄𑐩𑐬𑐶 / चतांमरि (chatā̃mari), sometimes called "Newari pizza," are rice crèpes made plain or with a savory topping. Chatamari are a popular festival food among the indigenous 𑐣𑐾𑐰𑐵𑑅 / नेवा: (Naivāḥ / Newa) people, most of whom live in the 𑐣𑐾𑐥𑐵𑑅 𑐐𑐵𑑅 / नेपाः गाः (Naipāḥ gāḥ / Nepa Valley) in central Nepal. [1] They are regarded as a near-compulsory addition to the table for holidays including 𑐴𑑂𑐩𑐥𑐸𑐖𑐵 / म्ह पूजा (mha pūjā) and 𑐡𑐶𑐐𑐸 𑐥𑐹𑐖𑐵 / दिगु पूजा (digu pūjā), when they are served as snacks and appetizers.

A chatamari consists of a thin, fried crèpe, fluffy on the inside and crispy around the edges, and an optional juicy, well-spiced topping. Common toppings are vegetable (with black-eyed peas, potato, and/or soy chunks); meat (with minced chicken or buffalo and tomato); a cracked egg; or some combination thereof. Ginger, garlic, red onion, cumin, turmeric, and sometimes red chili powder and coriander add bite and aroma. To cook chatamari, a thin layer of batter is spread on a tawa, and the batter is topped; the whole is then covered with a clay conical lid and left to steam.

This recipe is for a 𑐎𑐷𑐩𑐵 / कीमा (kīmā; minced meat)​ chatamari with potato, but you can try replacing the meat substitute with cooked black-eyed peas, replacing the potato with more meat, or replacing the meat and potato with vegetables of your choice (try green peas, julienned carrots, and green onion)—the basic format of this dish is highly customizable.

The Nepali language is increasingly the language of broadcast, education, and even the home, to the detriment of other languages including the Newa language Nepal Bhasa (𑐣𑐾𑐰𑐵𑑅 𑐨𑐵𑐫𑑂‎ / नेवा: भाय्, nevāḥ bhāy). Scripts historically used to write Nepal Bhasa and Sanskrit have been almost entirely replaced with Devanagari. 𑐥𑑂𑐬𑐔𑐮𑐶𑐟 / प्रचलित (prachalit; lit. "common") was the script used by literate Newa until it began to decline at the turn of the 20th century; the 1960s governmental policy of सांस्कृतिक एकता (Nepali: sā̃skr̥tik ektā; cultural unity) further marginalized it.

Revival efforts have begun, which claim Prachalit (and the ornamental script Ranjana, also used to write Nepal Bhasa and Sanskrit) as parts of Newa identity, and seek to teach them at fairs and in workshops. A process of "ethnicity-building" and identity formation within Nepal, including pushes to use students' mother tongues as the language of instruction (with Devanagari as a "common" script) and to use minoritized languages in television and radio broadcast, have been ongoing since the 1990s.

[1] Terminology is given in Nepal Bhasa unless otherwise specified, in Prachalit followed by Devanagari script. "𑐔𑐟𑐵𑑄𑐩𑐬𑐶," "𑐡𑐶𑐐𑐸 𑐥𑐹𑐖𑐵," and "𑐎𑐷𑐩𑐵" are my transliterations from Devanagari into Prachalit. Latin transliteration is ISO 15919 standard except: "च" ([t͡ʃə]) is rendered "cha" and not "ca." Where two Latin phrases are given, the first is ISO from Devanagari, and the second is the typical English-language spelling or phrase.

Recipe under the cut!

Patreon | Paypal | Venmo

Ingredients

Makes 4 large.

For the topping:

3/4 cup (74g) textured vegetable protein + 1/2 cup (118mL) broth

Or 1 1/2 cup ground beef substitute of choice

1 russet potato (200g) (optional)

2 roma tomatoes, minced or thinly sliced

1 small red onion, minced or thinly sliced

1 green chili, diced or thinly sliced

1/2-inch chunk (5g) ginger, peeled and grated or pounded

2 cloves garlic, grated or pounded

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp red chili powder (substitute sweet paprika to reduce spice level)

1 tsp meat masala (optional)

2 Tbsp neutral oil (if not including 'egg')

Cilantro, to top

For the egg (optional):

2 Tbsp yellow mung flour or chickpea flour (besan)

1/4 cup coconut milk

1 tsp kala namak (black salt)

You may also use any other egg substitute. This one is inspired by Vietnamese bánh xèo. The coconut milk provides binding and fat; the final topping will not taste of coconut. You may replace it with any neutral oil.

For the batter:

1 1/2 cup (240g) white rice flour

About 1 1/2 cup (350 mL) cool water

Mustard oil, to fry

The chatamari in the photo is served with achar.

Instructions

For the batter:

1. Measure flour into a bowl. Pour in water slowly while whisking until a smooth, pourable batter (the consistency of crèpe batter) forms. Set aside to rest while making the filling.

For the filling:

1. Peel and cube potato, then boil until soft. Mash thoroughly with a bean masher or fork.

2. Hydrate TVP in broth or stock (I used water with 1/2 tsp vegetarian beef stock concentrate) for 10 minutes.

3. Mix potato, minced tomatoes and onion, ground 'meat', spices, and 'egg' together in a large mixing bowl until well-combined.

To assemble:

1. Heat a large tawa, comal, or nonstick skillet on medium. Fill a ladle with 100 mL (a bit less than 1/2 cup) of batter, and pour it into the center of the skillet; it should become round on its own. Thin it out a bit with the bottom of the ladle.

2. Cover the top of the batter with the topping, leaving a bit of space on the edge. Optionally, add about 2 tsp of oil around the edges of the chatamari to crisp.

3. Lower the heat to low and cover. Cook for 7 minutes. Remove chatamari onto a plate.

If the rice pancake cracks, your batter is too thin; try resting it, uncovered, for 5-10 minutes, then stirring it and trying again.

4. Raise heat to medium for a minute. Add another ladle of batter, top the chatamari, add oil, lower the heat and cover to cook as before. Repeat until batter or filling runs out.

[acocktailmoment]

This Sailor Is Smooth !

2 oz Faraday rum

1 oz fresh-squeezed lime juice

0.75 oz house-made almond orgeat* (recipe below)

0.75 oz basil vanilla light syrup** (recipe below)

1 egg white

Add all the ingredients to a shaker. Shake without ice for 30 seconds. Add ice, shake for an additional 30 seconds. Double strain into a large coupe. Garnish with a basil leaf (don't forget to slap it first!).

*Orgeat Recipe

3.5 cups almonds (or nut of your choice)

8 cups cold water, divided

3.5 cups sugar

2 tsp orange blossom water (optional, not used for this cocktail)

Cover almonds in 4 cups of water, let sit for 30 minutes, then drain. Break up almonds in a food processor until fully blitzed. Transfer back into soaking container, cover in remaining 4 cups of cold water, sit for one hour. Strain through a fine mesh strainer covered in cheese cloth. Let strain though for 15 minutes, squeeze out remaining liquid. Put liquid in saucepan over low heat. Slowly add sugar until fully dissolved, remove from heat. Add orange blossom water, if using. Put into your desired container (will keep for up to two weeks).

**Vanilla Basil Syrup

1 loose cup basil leaves

2.5 cups hot water

1.5 cups sugar

0.5 tsp vanilla bean

Put basil leaves into a Mason jar, pour hot water on top. Let sit for 10 minutes (no longer or it will turn acrid). Strain out basil, add sugar and vanilla, stir. Cover jar (will keep for up to two weeks).

Courtesy: Amber Stitt, bartender at Moxy

This article was not sponsored or supported by a third-party. A Cocktail Moment is not affiliated with any individuals or companies depicted here.

[astarab1aze]

➥ Booberry Cream Pie

What you will need:

➟ 1 1/2 cup Blueberries ➟ 1 cup Blackberries ➟ 2 cups Banana Cream OR Vanilla Pudding* ➟ 1 whole container Whipped Cream* ➟ Mint Sprig, or a few extra berries for garnish ➟ Food Dye (optional) ➟ 1 Pie Crust* (can be homemade or store bought)

What to do:

➟ Make your favored pudding or empty out a few premade servings into a bowl. ➟ Blend berries together - strain out some of the bigger chunks (unless you'd prefer to keep them in, up to you) - then slowly stir them into the pudding. ➟ Fold in 1/4 of the container of whipped cream, repeat this step until container is empty and mixture is thoroughly blended. ➟ Mix in 2-3 drops of blue food dye (or red; or none at all; i just like blue for this) - it should be a light-medium color. ➟ Pour into prepared crust. ➟ Garnish with mint and/or berries however you like.

*for this recipe, I used a half and half mix of the two *you can use any whipped cream, sugar free, dairy, free doesn't matter *i used a premade chocolate-walnut crust, but this is up to preference

This is how it turned out for me:

[foodshowxyz]

Almond and Orange Flourless Cake

Ingredients:

• 🍊 2 large oranges

• 🥚 6 large eggs

• 🌰 2 1/3 cups (250g) ground almonds (almond meal)

• 🥄 1 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar

• 🧁 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 🍬 Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

• 🌰 Sliced almonds, for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch (23cm) springform cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper for easy removal.

2. Prepare the oranges:

• Place the whole oranges (with skin) in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 1-2 hours, or until the oranges are very soft.

• Drain the oranges and let them cool. Once cool, cut the oranges into quarters, remove any seeds, and blend the entire oranges (peel and all) in a food processor or blender until smooth.

3. Combine dry ingredients:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground almonds, sugar, and baking powder. Mix well to combine.

4. Mix wet ingredients:

• In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until they are light and fluffy. Add the blended orange puree to the eggs and mix until well combined.

5. Combine and mix:

• Add the orange and egg mixture to the almond mixture. Stir until you have a smooth batter.

6. Pour and bake:

• Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Smooth the top with a spatula.

• Bake in the preheated oven for about 50-60 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top starts to brown too much, cover it with foil to prevent burning.

7. Cool:

• Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, remove the cake from the pan and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.

8. Decorate and serve:

• Once the cake is completely cool, dust the top with powdered sugar and garnish with sliced almonds, if desired.

Tips:

• This cake can be served on its own or with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

• For a more intense orange flavor, you can add a tablespoon of orange liqueur (such as Grand Marnier) to the batter.