#fried chicken food storage

[danielsbaillfsc]

Freeze-Dried Meat: A Convenient and Nutritious Option for Long-Term Storage!!

Freeze-dried meat has become a popular choice among outdoor enthusiasts, emergency preppers, and those seeking convenient meal solutions. This preservation method offers the ability to store meat for extended periods without the need for refrigeration, making it a versatile and reliable option for various situations. Freeze-dried meat retains its nutritional content, flavor, and texture, offering a high-quality protein source when fresh meat isn’t accessible. In this article, we will explore what freeze-dried meat is, how it is made, its benefits, and some practical uses.

1. What is Freeze-Dried Meat?

Freeze-drying is a preservation process that involves freezing the meat and then removing almost all of its moisture through a process called sublimation, where the ice transitions directly from a solid to a vapor. This process leaves the meat in a lightweight, dry form that can be stored for years without spoiling. Unlike traditional dehydration, which uses heat, freeze-drying retains more of the meat’s original texture and taste, resulting in a better-tasting product once rehydrated. Freeze-dried meat is typically packaged in airtight containers or vacuum-sealed bags to protect it from moisture and oxygen, further extending its shelf life. Find dried meat meal packages at Legacy food storage.

2. Benefits of Freeze-Dried Meat

Freeze-dried meat offers several advantages over fresh, canned, or traditionally dried meat, making it a practical choice for many different needs:

Long Shelf Life: One of the most significant benefits of freeze-dried meat is its extended shelf life. When stored properly in a cool, dark place, freeze-dried meat can last up to 25 years or more. This makes it ideal for emergency food supplies, camping, and backpacking trips, where fresh meat may not be available.

Lightweight and Portable: Because the moisture is removed, freeze-dried meat is significantly lighter than its fresh counterpart. This makes it an excellent option for those looking to pack light, such as hikers or campers. It can easily be carried in a backpack without adding much weight, making it a practical choice for outdoor adventures.

Nutrient Retention: Freeze-drying preserves most of the nutritional content of the meat, including protein, vitamins, and minerals. This makes it a great option for maintaining a balanced diet even when fresh food options are limited. The protein content remains high, providing a critical nutrient source for energy and muscle maintenance.

Convenience and Easy Preparation: Preparing freeze-dried meat is simple; it can be rehydrated by adding water or cooking directly into a recipe that includes liquid, such as soups or stews. This convenience makes it a suitable choice for quick meals, especially in situations where time or resources for cooking are limited.

3. Uses of Freeze-Dried Meat

Freeze-dried meat has a variety of applications, making it a versatile ingredient for many scenarios:

Emergency Preparedness: Stocking up on freeze-dried meat is a common strategy for building a long-term emergency food supply. In situations like natural disasters or power outages, it provides a reliable source of protein that doesn’t rely on refrigeration.

Outdoor Activities: For campers, hikers, and hunters, freeze-dried meat offers a lightweight and easy-to-prepare source of nourishment. It can be rehydrated with hot water while on the trail or added directly to camping recipes for a hearty meal.

Everyday Convenience: Some people use freeze-dried meat as a convenient option for quick meals at home. It can be added to pasta dishes, stir-fries, or salads without the hassle of defrosting and cooking raw meat. This makes it a great option for busy households or those seeking to save time in the kitchen.

Freeze-dried meat is a practical and versatile option for those seeking a long-lasting, nutritious, and easy-to-store protein source. With a shelf life that can extend for decades and the ability to retain much of its original flavor and nutritional value, it is an excellent choice for emergency preparedness, outdoor adventures, and everyday convenience. Whether you are building a food supply for unexpected situations or simply looking for a quick and easy meal solution, freeze-dried meat offers a reliable way to ensure you always have access to high-quality protein, no matter the circumstance.

[freezedriedmeat]

Freeze-Dried Meat: A Convenient and Nutritious Option for Long-Term Storage!!

Freeze-dried meat has become a popular choice among outdoor enthusiasts, emergency preppers, and those seeking convenient meal solutions. This preservation method offers the ability to store meat for extended periods without the need for refrigeration, making it a versatile and reliable option for various situations. Freeze-dried meat retains its nutritional content, flavor, and texture, offering a high-quality protein source when fresh meat isn’t accessible. In this article, we will explore what freeze-dried meat is, how it is made, its benefits, and some practical uses.

1. What is Freeze-Dried Meat?

Freeze-drying is a preservation process that involves freezing the meat and then removing almost all of its moisture through a process called sublimation, where the ice transitions directly from a solid to a vapor. This process leaves the meat in a lightweight, dry form that can be stored for years without spoiling. Unlike traditional dehydration, which uses heat, freeze-drying retains more of the meat’s original texture and taste, resulting in a better-tasting product once rehydrated. Freeze-dried meat is typically packaged in airtight containers or vacuum-sealed bags to protect it from moisture and oxygen, further extending its shelf life. Find dried meat meal packages at Legacy food storage.

2. Benefits of Freeze-Dried Meat

Freeze-dried meat offers several advantages over fresh, canned, or traditionally dried meat, making it a practical choice for many different needs:

Long Shelf Life: One of the most significant benefits of freeze-dried meat is its extended shelf life. When stored properly in a cool, dark place, freeze-dried meat can last up to 25 years or more. This makes it ideal for emergency food supplies, camping, and backpacking trips, where fresh meat may not be available.

Lightweight and Portable: Because the moisture is removed, freeze-dried meat is significantly lighter than its fresh counterpart. This makes it an excellent option for those looking to pack light, such as hikers or campers. It can easily be carried in a backpack without adding much weight, making it a practical choice for outdoor adventures.

Nutrient Retention: Freeze-drying preserves most of the nutritional content of the meat, including protein, vitamins, and minerals. This makes it a great option for maintaining a balanced diet even when fresh food options are limited. The protein content remains high, providing a critical nutrient source for energy and muscle maintenance.

Convenience and Easy Preparation: Preparing freeze-dried meat is simple; it can be rehydrated by adding water or cooking directly into a recipe that includes liquid, such as soups or stews. This convenience makes it a suitable choice for quick meals, especially in situations where time or resources for cooking are limited.

3. Uses of Freeze-Dried Meat

Freeze-dried meat has a variety of applications, making it a versatile ingredient for many scenarios:

Emergency Preparedness: Stocking up on freeze-dried meat is a common strategy for building a long-term emergency food supply. In situations like natural disasters or power outages, it provides a reliable source of protein that doesn’t rely on refrigeration.

Outdoor Activities: For campers, hikers, and hunters, freeze-dried meat offers a lightweight and easy-to-prepare source of nourishment. It can be rehydrated with hot water while on the trail or added directly to camping recipes for a hearty meal.

Everyday Convenience: Some people use freeze-dried meat as a convenient option for quick meals at home. It can be added to pasta dishes, stir-fries, or salads without the hassle of defrosting and cooking raw meat. This makes it a great option for busy households or those seeking to save time in the kitchen.

Freeze-dried meat is a practical and versatile option for those seeking a long-lasting, nutritious, and easy-to-store protein source. With a shelf life that can extend for decades and the ability to retain much of its original flavor and nutritional value, it is an excellent choice for emergency preparedness, outdoor adventures, and everyday convenience. Whether you are building a food supply for unexpected situations or simply looking for a quick and easy meal solution, freeze-dried meat offers a reliable way to ensure you always have access to high-quality protein, no matter the circumstance.

[bonesmarinated]

NCR trooper having Christmas meal back home in New Cali. The tiny mess room was decorated in style. A green wreath hung at one end as a Christmas tree. The tables were loaded with food, they have fried chicken (poultry raised under NCR 'Food for Defense' program) hardtacks, pea soup, mash potatoes, cream chipped gecko on toast. The hardtack were soggy and moldy usually because of bad storage and ones infested with maggots, and weevils, but they didn’t mind that. That one night officers and troopers had their mess together. It was rather close quarters. They had a crew of four officers and thirty-two troopers, it was no dress affair. No fish and soup as you call them. In short, there were many drawbacks, but good spirits were not one of them. In the tight, overcrowded little mess room they ate and talked. The meal was washed down with potato coffee mixed with rum, and they lost count of the number of toasts that were drunk.

[theother456-stories]

“Closing Shift”

Elliot stared at the clipboard his boss, Mr. Jenkins, had handed him. His eyes scanned the long list of items marked “overstocked.” Rows of bread loaves, crates of vegetables, stacks of meat patties, and mountains of cheese blocks—all crammed into the kitchen’s already packed walk-in fridge.

“I need you to take care of this tonight, Elliot,” Mr. Jenkins said, patting him on the back. “Can’t afford to let all this go to waste. Figure it out, and don’t forget to lock up.”

“Sure thing, boss,” Elliot replied, feeling a knot tighten in his stomach. He’d only been working at the diner for a month. It was supposed to be a simple job—a way to make some cash while finishing his degree. But now, staring at the overflowing fridge, he felt overwhelmed. How could one guy manage all this?

The restaurant closed at 10 PM. By then, the kitchen was empty, and the place had a lonely hum as the neon lights flickered above the counter. Elliot walked back to the kitchen, the overwhelming smell of fresh bread and sizzling meat still lingering. He opened the fridge, the cold air blasting his face, and sighed.

The stacks of food stared back at him, a reminder of the impossible task. His stomach growled. It was late, and he hadn’t had dinner. Maybe if he sampled a few things, it’d help clear his mind. The temptation was too strong to resist.

He grabbed a burger patty and tossed it on the grill, watching it sizzle as the aroma filled the air. Before he knew it, he had added a slice of cheese, a bun, and a mountain of fries. He bit into it, the flavors exploding in his mouth. One bite became two, then three, until the whole burger was gone.

“Okay, just one more,” he muttered to himself, trying to justify it. There was so much food, and no one would notice if he took a bit more.

As he ate, he wandered through the kitchen, trying to figure out how to tackle the stock problem. That’s when he noticed the scale in the corner—a large, industrial one they used for weighing bulk deliveries. It had been moved there temporarily because of a recent delivery mistake that overloaded their storage shelves. Elliot had used it earlier that day to verify weights on incoming shipments, making sure they matched the invoices.

The thought crossed his mind briefly: This is way more food than we can store, even after tonight’s shipment. Maybe I could… But he brushed it off, telling himself he’d focus on eating just enough to clear his head.

The second burger went down faster than the first. Then a third. Elliot felt an energy surge through him, like a rush he hadn’t expected. He wasn’t just eating—he was devouring. The smell, the taste, the way it filled the emptiness in his stomach—all of it was intoxicating.

Before he knew it, he was reaching for the mashed potatoes, pies, and fried chicken. He hadn’t planned to eat everything; it just happened, one plate after another. He’d move on to the next thing before he even realized he had finished the last. His hands moved on their own, and as the food disappeared, his belly began to expand.

His thin frame swelled, his uniform tightening as his belly pressed against the fabric. He didn’t notice the seams stretching as he dug into yet another tray of food. The clock ticked past midnight, but he was lost in the indulgence. Plates piled up around him, and his belly, once flat and lean, bulged outwards, wobbling as he reached for the next plate.

By 2 AM, he was leaning back against the counter, feeling the weight of his own body more than ever. He glanced down, seeing how his belly had pushed out far beyond what he thought possible. His shirt buttons had popped off one by one, and his pants split down the sides, leaving his swollen middle exposed.

He felt a brief moment of panic. What have I done? The thought barely settled in before he glanced at the scale. It was right there. He hesitated, his face flushed, then gave in to curiosity. He needed to know. Awkwardly, he rolled himself onto the platform, feeling the cold metal beneath his feet.

When he looked down, the digital screen flashed a number that made his eyes widen: 1,200 pounds.

Elliot stared, both fascinated and stunned at the sight of himself. His belly hung in front of him like a swollen beach ball, nearly touching the floor. His arms were thick and heavy, his thighs were wide enough to strain against his stretched-out pants, and his cheeks were puffed out, giving his face a round, jolly look.

The next morning, the jingling of keys echoed in the front of the diner. Mr. Jenkins walked in, his usual grumpy demeanor softened by the early hour. As he turned the corner into the kitchen, he stopped in his tracks.

Elliot, now a massive figure weighing in at over half a ton, sat slumped against the counter, his enormous belly sprawled across his lap and nearly touching the floor. The fabric of his uniform hung in tatters, and his cheeks were flushed with a mix of embarrassment and fullness.

“Elliot… what in the world happened here?” Mr. Jenkins asked, his eyes wide as he took in the sight.

Elliot gave a sheepish grin, rubbing the vast expanse of his bloated stomach. “Uh, well… I figured I’d take care of the stock the best way I knew how.”

Mr. Jenkins stared for a moment, then, surprisingly, laughed. “Well, you sure did that, kid. We’ll need to work on a new solution, though—one that doesn’t involve eating the entire kitchen.”

Elliot chuckled, feeling a strange sense of pride mixed with his embarrassment. “Guess I got carried away.”

Mr. Jenkins shook his head, still laughing. “Guess so. Now let’s see if we can find a forklift to get you out of here.”

[lord-amaranth-12]

(Almost) every food/drink etc. mentioned in obey me nightbringer and shall we date

Notes:

I'll update with links to the sources soon just bare with me. Also please tell if the link arent working

Update: ill stop linking stuff for now

Update: i alphabetized everything (using https://onlinetoolz.net/alphabetical-order) and removed the ingredients for potions cause i will be moving it to another list. I also edited the layout abit to make it more readable

Update: ill start linking stuff now, have to get all out of my storage and posted here before i get full storage again

A

• Abyss crimson bee honey

• Abyss crimson wasp honey

• Alla death cream

• Artic butterfly scales

• Ash fall chocolate brownies

• Assam

B

• Backstabbing sandwich

• Barely cooked black tapir steak

• Bat leaves

• Bavarian cream

• Bell peppers

• Black cloud chocolate gâteau

• Black coffee of melancholy

• Black shark flavored gummies

• Black tapir casserole

• Bloody marmalade

• Bloody rice omelets

• Bloody soda

• blood-red velvet cupcakes

• BLT devil sandwich

• Blue rose crystal pickles

• Blue rose petals candied in crystal syrup

• Bufo egg milk tea

• Bufo egg milk tea hell poison honey flavored

• Bufo toad

• Bufo toad sushi

• Bulbul bird eggs

• Butter pancakes

C

• Castella

• Cat cookies

• Colossal jumbo surprise parfait

• Comfort candy

• Crazy ghoul hamburger

• Crimson bonito flake

• Crimson bonito flake dressing

• Crimson dogwood

• Crimson tea

• Crispy chicken nugget LXXXIII

• Crushed millefeuille

D

• Dark star fruit sandwich

• Death maggot sauce

• Death mask bat chips

• Deaths door sauce

• Deep-fried devil zebra skewers

• Demi-glace sause

• Demon salmon

• Demonic Sausage

• demon silk moth-flavored gummies

• Demonkiller remora

• Demonkiller remora sauté

• Demonus-infused chocolate

• Demon-luring seaweed salt kalbi chips

• Devil cabbage

• Devil cacao bean

• Devil canelé

• Devil chocolate

• Devil chocolate canelé

• Devil duck confit

• Devil flower fruit trifle

• Devil ham

• Devil lohas milk tea

• Devil moray sushi

• Devil salmon meunière sandwiches

• Devil salmon rolled sushi

• Devil salmon terrine

• Devil zebra bacon

• Devil zebra meat sushi

• Devilbee popcorn

• Devildom gummy Horror house flavored

• Devildom-style boneless pararucu

• Devildom-style vampire bat sandwich

• Devils soft serve

• Dragons mark pie crust

• Dreamfeather cookies

• Dreamfeather meringue cookies

• Dried bufo egg

E

• Earl grey cookies

• Eternal night herbal tea

F

• Family pack sushi

• Fish meunière

• flaming hot mushrooms

• Flaming toad

• Fluffy egg pancakes

• Fluorescent rich yogurt

• fried devil chicken

• Fruit of wisdom jelly

G

• Galaxy burger

• Galaxy fries

• Garlic anchovy dip

• Giant shadow sea cucumber cream pasta

• Glazed Shadow chestnut

• gold demonus

• Gold hellfire newt syrup

• grilled vampire bat

H

• Hamburger gummies

• Hamburger stake

• Hamburger steak

• Haunted hamburgers

• Havoc devil

• Havoc devil ribs

• Hawthorn berry powder

• Hell demon salmon

• Hell pudding

• Hell velvet parfait

• Hellfire chocolate pie

• hellfire curry rice

• Hellfire mushroom rooled cigar

• Hellfire mushrooms

• Hellfire rose

• Hells kitchen hamburger combo

• Heros herbal tea

• Horror's horror cheesecake

• Hunter sandwich

I

• Instant noodles (hell-sauce flavor)

J

• Juicy shadow hog rice bowl

K

• King-sized fried devil chicken

• King-sized hellfire curry rice

• King-sized poison bleu cheese hamburger

• King-sized shadow hog ramen

L

• Laughingshroom powder

• Little devils white sauce

M

• Madam scream's super sweet scones

• Magma butter

• Magma butter pasta

• Magma butter scone

• Mandragora powder

• Marinated bufo toad

• Melted cheese

• Mimic latte

• Mint chocolate chip

• Mont blanc

N

• Nightshade cream

O

• Ocean of cloud cake-parfait

• Ocean of Clouds cake

• Ordeal orange fondae

P

• paradise blue

• Pasta alla death cream

• Pickled vampire bat

• poison bleu cheese hamburger

• Poison strawberry

• Poison veggie juice box

• Poison viper worm al ajiilo

• Poison worm sauce

• Poisonous cheese burgers

• Poisonous cheesecake

• Poisonous marsh pudding

• Princess poison apple

• Promised glory donut (?)

• Purgatory mustard

Q

• Quattro Hungry Pizza

• Quetzalcoatl brains

• Quetzalcoatl brains soup

R

• Rainbow paw print chocolate

• Red riding hood sandwich

• RedxRed apple pie

• Region exclusive Devildom gummy

• RIP burger

• Ruby chocolate éclair

S

• Sabbat salad

• Salted hell rose petals

• Salt-grilled black goat bat

• Scorpion syrup

• Shadow caramel

• Shadow chestnut

• Shadow chestnut paste

• Shadow chocolate

• Shadow chocolate brownies

• Shadow hof stir fry in demi-glance sauce

• Shadow hog

• Shadow hog buns

• Shadow hog dumplings

• shadow hog ramen

• Shadow hog soup

• Shadow hog steamed bun

• Shadow hog stir fry

• Shadow pork ragu pasta

• Shadow tuna sashimi

• Silver birch sap

• Simeons special BLT devil sandwiches

• Siren bench caviar

• Smoked cocktraice glizzard

• Smoky black loco moco

• Spicy rainbow pizza

• spiderweb powder

• Sponge cake

• Stardust soda

• Starry-sky waffle

• Stonefish Meunière

• Strawberry shortcake

• Super-sized limited-edition beef

• Sweet and salty canned kraken assortment

• Sweet milk tea

• Sweet tears donut

T

• thick-cut giant devildom slug sauté

• Thunder sparkle flavored gummies

• Toe bean stamp salad

• Troll coffee

U

• Ultra D

• Unhappy Mega Combo

V

• Vampire bat

• Venti brashberry frappuccino with double whipped cream and extra berry powder

W

• Whole roast shadow hog

• Wicked cupcake

X

Y

Z

Not in devildom

A

B

C

• Camping meal (Witch camp)

• Cursed goat cheese tartar sandwich (TSL)

D

E

• Ema datshi (human world)

F

G

• Ginger ale (human world)

H

• Hamburger (mama's cooking) (levis animes)

• Herbal tea (celestial realm)

• Huckleberry (human world)

• Hyper chili dog (human world)

I

J

• Japanese giant salamander (human world)

K

L

M

• Mapo tofu (human world)

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

• Tornado tomato (human world)

U

V

W

• White mochi balls in syrup (march comes in like a Panda)

X

Y

Z

Unnamed

A

B

• Barbatos's homemade cake

• Barbatos's homemade pudding

C

• Celestial tea

D

• Demon lords castle edition premium demonus

• Demonus with scorpion syrup and spiderweb powder

• Devilcats favorite food

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

• Leviathans homemade granola

• Lobster

M

• marshmallow

• Moryo Town's special demonus

• multi colored Jelly

N

O

P

• Popcorn Deaths door flavored

• Popcorn lava salt flavored

• Popcorn magma butter flavored

• Popcorn Tree sap caramel flavored

• Pudding from devilmart

Q

R

• Ramen infernal bahamit flavor

• Rare flower used in baking as a sweetener

• Really big chocolate bar

• Really big chocolate coin

S

• Salad from Sound Off, Symphony! Summer band camp storyline

• Sheep cake

• Star-shaped chocolate

• Sun and moon cookies by simeon

T

I

V

W

X

Y

Z

Characters

• "Little cake thingies"

???

• Chocolate mold

• Devildom miso

• Egg berry whole mil

• Marinated bufo toad

• Marzipan

• Meunièr

• Newt

• Surströmming

[bluejay-writes]

MysticTober Day 10: Seven/MC & Robot

You can read this over on Ao3 if you’d prefer.

Rating: E for Everyone <3

Prompt: Seven/MC && Robot

WordCount: 1507

Summary: MC is keeping a secret from 707, and it's tearing him apart. But is it as earth-shattering a secret as he thinks?

Seven looked around the bunker, even going so far as to check the locked storage room. No MC.  This wasn’t the first time they’d gone somewhere, of course, but lately it had started to grate on him a little bit that she wouldn’t tell him anything.

She knew that secrets nearly tore about the entire RFA.  She knew he had abandonment issues. He was working on them.  But just disappearing was no good.  Sure, she’d leave a note telling him she was heading out to “work on something” or “take a class” but never about what, on what, for what.  Sometimes she took Saeran with her, sometimes he was moping around because she was busy.  As if one twin moping around wasn’t bad enough.

He flopped backwards onto the couch, fighting back the tears that were threatening.

“You could just ask her.” Vanderwood said, and Seven shouted in surprise.

“Where the hell did you come from?”

“I’ve been here for the last twenty minutes, watching you pace around like an angry kitten.”

“Yeah, well MC’s gone.”

“Yep. Note says she’s working on something. Why are you so out of sorts?”

“She’s been ‘working on something’ or ‘taking a class’ or ‘out with school friends’ almost every day.”

“You’re supposed to be working too, you know.  So she’s doing something with her summer break, what of it?”

Seven sighed. “I know I’m overreacting. I just. I’m nervous. What if she.. what if she’s bored with me? What if I’m just too much and she needs a break? What if she only thought she loved me because there was a bomb and things were scary and she was trapped in a bad situation and now she realizes she has so much future ahead of her that being with a nerd like me is holding her back, and --”

“Zero Seven. You’re spiraling. MC Loves You.”

Seven huffed but didn’t say anything else, and Vanderwood stood and left the room.

Great, now I’m making everyone else hate me too. Soon I’ll be all alone. Poor little Zero Seven who can’t even keep the people around him who are paid to be there.

He sighed as his eyes started leaking.  He wasn’t crying, they were doing this all on their own without his input, just like everything else in his life.

Seconds or hours later, perhaps millennia, (but what was probably like three minutes), Vanderwood appeared with a glass of PhD Pepper on ice, and a bottle.

“You should take one of these, brat.” Vanderwood said quietly, shaking the pill bottle at him gently. “You’re stuck.”

Seven knew they were right, and took the pill with the soda, not even arguing when Vanderwood set the soda aside in order to pull Seven into a hug.

“Why do you care so much now?” Seven said, once words seemed like something he could make again.

“I always cared. It was just… forbidden.  But you freed me from those rules, so now you’re stuck with my feelings, kid.”

“You’re not even that much older than me.”

“Really? Could have fooled me.”

“No one can fool you, Vandy.”

“Don’t call me that.”

The telltale beeps and clicks of the door opening woke Seven from the unexpected nap he’d been taking on the couch. At some point Vanderwood had disappeared, but a coaster had appeared under the (still cold) glass of PhD Pepper, so not all was lost.

Seven looked up to see MC walking in with her arms full of fast food fried chicken.

“Hey sweetie, I’m back from class, did you have a good nap?”

Seven shook his head, and MC set the food on the counter before coming over to crouch next to him.

“What happened?”

“You were gone.” he croaked, and wrapped his arms around her. “And you’re leaving again after dinner.”

MC hummed softly, hugging him back. “Yeah, I’m working on a project.”

“Are you going to leave me? Am I too much?”  He sniffed, trying not to cry. He’d gotten this far without crying about it, surely just another minute more…

MC pushed him out to arms length so she could look him in the eye. “Saeyoung Choi. I love you. More than my projects. More than school. More than the stars in the sky. More than life. More than PhD Pepper.”

He sniffed. “Now I know you’re exaggerating. It’s not possible to love something more than PhD Pepper.”

“See, that’s where you’re wrong. Our love defies the laws of physics.” She leaned her forehead against his, and he shut his eyes. He may be weird, but that was probably the strangest view you could have of another person. “Listen, Sevenny.” She said, softly. “I love you. I’m trying to surprise you with something for your birthday, but I think the secrecy of it is too much. Not worth the stress I’m causing you. Do you want to come with me tonight?”

He gasped. “Wait… really?”  He pulled back from her, confused. “You want me to… come with?”

“I mean, I wanted to surprise you. But this surprise will be enough. I’d rather have you happy and confident every day than overjoyed on one specific day and stressed out and sad the rest.”

Seven’s chest felt tight. She really… “God, I love you MC.”

“I love you too, babe.” She chuckled, and kissed his cheek. He really did have the best girlfriend. “Come on now, I brought chicken and if it gets cold I think Jaehee would come beat me on principle.”

“Ooooh, she would.” Seven said, considering how that woman felt about proper nutrition and food safety combined. “Let’s not invoke her wrath.”

“What is this place?” Seven said, turning circles as he looked around the big, loud warehouse full of people working on various crafts.

“This is our local Maker Space.  It’s got all the tools I could possibly need, and classes so I can learn how to do things, and I can reserve space so I can work on projects like my lovely boyfriend’s birthday present without him spoiling himself by trying to help.” MC said with a pointed look. 

Seven blushed. He did like helping, was the thing. He was already itching to try and see what some of the people were doing so that he could hold a nail or put down some glue, or god forbid saw something.

“This is amazing.” He said, feeling very much like a Gisnep Princess. “But what are you working on?”

MC chuckled, and pulled him along over to a space along the wall where there were welding torches and other heavier metal-working tools set up.

“Stay right here and don’t touch anything and I’ll be right back.”

Seven was vibrating. This place was awesome.  So much better than just building his robots on the floor of his office. No wonder Vanderwood had been trying to get him to make a workshop… Now he didn’t have to. He could just come here with MC!

“Okay, close your eyes and hold out your hands, Seven.” MC said, and he did as he was told, until something solid was put in his hands.

“Can I look yet?”

“Not quiiiite…. okay, look!”

Seven opened his eyes and a small little Calico Cat sat in his hands.  She wasn’t complete, there was etching to mark out where all of her different colors would go, but her eyes lit up, and her ears twitched.  He’d never seen anything more adorable in his life, and he’d both met Elly and had a girlfriend. 

“Oh my god.”

“Yeah, like the Elly-bot you made me. but calico!” She looked chagrined. “She’s not done yet, and the personality chip is way harder to program than I thought it was, even taking a class on it.”

“I can help with that!”

“I know you can, babe, but that’s why I didn’t want to tell you. I didn’t want you to have to do all the work to make your own present. I wanted to do it for you.”

“Oh.”  She was right.  If he’d known she was working on this he would have made her a full step-by-step IKEA-level guide on how to do all of it, but then it would have been basically him doing it with her hands, and not her making it for him, and he’d even gone and spoiled the surprise by being a complete ball of garbage, and--

“But how about this… Now that you know, there’s no way I’m going to keep you from helping… what if we made her together? We can make one for Saeran too.”

Seven bounced on his toes. He loved doing things with MC. And making a gift for Saeran? That was ideal. “He wants a shark.” He said, thinking about his twin.

“A shark robot.” MC was dubious.

“Yes.”

“We can’t make it swim though.”

“No. But we can make it hover.” His glasses flashed.

“Oh god.”

“Say yes, MC. Tell me we’ll build robots together.”

“Yes, Saeyoung. Seven. My love. Of course. The answer was always yes.”

[neonponders]

Part 8 for @wrecked-fuse ‘s pocketverse 🌹🌹

~ Part 7 + ART!!! ~

~ on ao3 ~

• • •

Billy could not claim to have ever hung out at the Harrington residence. He had moved to Hawkins after Steve removed his crown and all interest in being Hawkins’ party king.

So the circumstances of walking into Steve’s house with two voices yell-singing out of a shoebox were not what Billy would have expected.

“Okay, little dudes. It’s food time,” Steve announced on his way to the kitchen.

Robin collapsed right onto the couch and turned the television on. Unsure what else to do with himself, Billy sat on the loveseat adjacent to the other couch. Then he asked, “Is it a good idea to have them in the kitchen?”

Robin answered, “They like having tasks. Little B, especially. Getting him to sit still is like a magic trick.”

Her gaze swept up with Billy standing to join Steve in the kitchen. “You antsy?”

He smiled venomously. “I think it’s rational to not trust anyone with a mini me.”

Her eyes rolled but her voice remained understanding. “If anyone’s capable of taking care of those little guys, it’s Steve. But by all means,” and she waved him away.

Billy navigated around the island counter to find his smaller self and the matching Steve standing on the pages of a cookbook. Larger Steve seemed to be trying and failing to sell them on mushrooms.

“It’s gway, Steve,” little Billy scolded over crossed arms. “Who wants gway food?”

“You don’t even notice it when it’s deep fried and covered in tomato sauce,” Steve reasoned, but the little ones moved out of his way to let him turn the page.

Large Billy leaned an elbow on the counter as they scrutinized the tomatoes stuffed with rice. “You’ll have better luck with that. Or Mexican food.”

Little Billy gazed up at him. “What’s Meckwican?”

“It’s colorful.”

“I like colwors.”

“I thought you might,” Billy confirmed with a smirk to Steve. “Who’s ordering?”

Steve took a deep breath and pushed off the counter to grab the collection of paper restaurant menus shoved between the refrigerator and the toaster. “Rob, what do you want?”

“Chicken sopes and a taco salad.”

“I’m not buying you two meals.”

“The salad is for tomorrow,” she reasoned.

“One bean burrito, coming right up,” Steve sassed, but his attention on the menu drifted up to little Steve and Billy climbing over the apples and pears in the fruit bowl like boulders. “Could you teach them how to swim?”

Big Billy’s eyes swung to him. “Excuse me?”

“I’ve got an old Barbie swimming pool - don’t look at me like that. Will you do it or not? It would save me the risk of a heart attack whenever they need a bath.”

Billy tipped his head to the side, not sparing Steve even a little bit. “What were you doing with Barbies, Steve?”

“This might not be relatable since you’re used to the ocean, but for a long time, I was the pool guy. The pool’s always been my ticket to making friends...or so I thought. Whatever. One summer, the only neighbor kids I had around me were girls. So I got a pool for their dolls. Are you a swimming instructor or not?”

Billy sighed and looked at his smaller self sitting on a pear like it were a horse and taking bites out of it. “I can get them started.”

Steve ordered their food and disappeared for a few minutes to get the small swimming pool out of storage. He cleaned it off in the sink, filled it with warm water, and Billy marveled, “You know, I would’ve said we could just use a casserole dish, but the slide and stairs are smart.”

Little Steve’s face lifted up to him, a blush making his cheeks go rosy as he smiled. “Smarwt Stevie.”

Big Steve waved some bathing suits in the air. “Are we skinny dipping or do you wanna change clothes?”

Billy’s eyes widened. “Where’d you get those? The sixties?”

Steve exhaled heavily. “We may or may not have a small doll collection, so what?”

“That’s such a rich people thing.”

“Yeah, well, they deserve a change of clothes and this is one less thing I have to explain to my mom when she looks at my card statements. Okay, B and Steve. Do you want the oranges or the flowers?”

He held up the swimming costumes for them to see and decide. All of a sudden, small Billy looked bashful as he tucked his chin and rolled his lips. Steve, meanwhile, hopped off the fruit bowl and pointed. “ ‘Wanges! Can I? Oh...Biwwy? Do you want the ‘wanges?”

He rubbed his tummy and admitted, “I want the fwowers.”

Large Billy’s brows pinched a little but he stayed quiet as big Steve encouraged, “You want the flowers one? That’s okay. It goes with your eyes.”

His lashes batted as he blinked up at him. “Weally?”

“Yeah,” Steve encouraged, “and they’re the same size. You can switch the next time you go swimming.”

Billy reached up for his swimsuit and they went to change in their shoebox. The larger Billy wondered aloud, “They have a sense of privacy?”

Steve shrugged. “There’s nothing wrong with wanting to see themselves first before us.”

When they emerged, Steve spooned water over the slide. The little ones climbed the ladder and went down it together as if they rode a sled instead of a slide. The pool was shallow enough for them to stand, providing big Steve the relief he needed to answer the door. Robin followed behind him to help carry the bags, and they set up their feast on the island counter.

Billy had to use his Rec Center ID card as a floating board, but it fit both of them length-wise as they practiced their kicks. “Good job, guys. How about another ride on the slide while I get my food.”

Steve only just got a dishtowel down so they didn’t slip on their way around the pool. Robin passed Billy his bag and he held a nacho chip out for the little ones to take a bite at the top of the slide.

Big Steve scolded, “Aren’t you supposed to wait thirty minutes between swimming and eating or something?”

“I think they’ll be okay,” Billy disregarded, crunching loudly on his chips. “Swimming 101 is just getting comfortable in the water. So...isn’t this supposed to be a movie night?”

“Movwie! Movwie! Movwie!” the little Steve and Billy chanted, thoroughly locked in chasing each other down the slide and back around.

Big Steve nodded over his burrito. “When they start to slow down...then the movie seals the deal.”

Billy snorted softly and kept providing a nacho station for them to run past. Eventually, the exercise and food did take their toll, and they collapsed on the dishtowel. Given their old school, linen swimsuits, they dried off pretty fast, but little Steve eventually sat up and started patting Billy’s hair. The larger Billy observed this as the smaller one whined a tired sound.

“Biwwy, don’t get sick.”

“I won’ get sick. That’s what Stevie’s always sayin’.”

However, big Steve seconded with a restaurant napkin in hand. “Gimme those ears.”

Little Billy sat up in a huff, but sat still for Steve to gently push the napkin against his ears to siphon the water out of them. Then he folded it to get into the nooks and crannies of his ears and jaw. “Thank you, B. Okay, you next.”

That rosy hue filled little Billy’s cheeks as he mumbled a weak, “You’rwe wewlcome.”

Little Steve, meanwhile, stood up tall, blissful in his pampering. “Stevie? Can we have the honey tea?”

“ ‘Course you can. Go with Billy to the coffee table. He and Rob will get the movie going.”

It was little Steve’s turn to blossom a pink hue as they climbed onto Billy’s palms. They planted their butts down and held onto each other as Billy magic carpeted them to the setup of plushies on the coffee table. Small Steve gingerly stepped off his hand with a bashful, “Thankwou, Biwwy.”

“You’re welcome,” he answered quietly - 

Only to glare at Robin, who sat on the couch behind him. “You’re allowed to like them. I won’t spill.”

Small Billy lingered on the hand as he exclaimed, “Spiww what?”

She segued smoothly, “Won’t spill that we got Indiana Jones to watch. That is, if it’s not too scary.”

Billy finally got off the hand with a scoff. “Scawy? We watched the wed buwll and that wasn’t scawy.”

Little Steve perked up from the fluff of an otter. “It was a wittle scawy.”

“We can fast forward through the scary parts,” Robin promised, and slotted the VHS into the player. But as soon as she turned back around, her eyes widened. “Uh oh.”

“I knew it!” cried Billy from the doll box that had been placed on the coffee table. Little Billy climbed out, grinning victoriously with the tiny whip in hand and the hat on his head. “I’m weady!”

Robin glanced up at Steve in the kitchen, too busy trying to mix a safe temperature of water and honey together. “Uh, B? Can I talk to you about that - No no nonono...”

“Hey! Wobin? What gives?” little Billy exclaimed when she pinched the whip to keep him from waving it around.

“B, I’m sorry, but Steve doesn’t want you to have that.”

“Well Stevie can kiss my ass!”

That got a rankled Steve to come out of his otter plush. “Biwwy. Be nice.”

Robin corralled, “Billy, these things are use to hurt people. They’re not toys. You’ll see that in the movie.”

The fire started to go out of those blue eyes. “Hurwt peopwle?”

She nodded gravely. “We know you won’t mean to, but the whip might hurt your Steve. Even worse, you’re more likely to hurt yourself. That’s just how whips are. Big Steve loves you too much to tell you.”

His little body deflated as the large Steve finally arrived with a shot glass of honey tea. Seeing the body language on the coffee table, he sent inquiring looks to Billy and Robin.

Little Billy replied sadly, “Does Indiana Jwones hurt himself?”

“No, but it’s a movie, sweet B. It’s not real. You’re real and your Steve’s real. That’s way cooler than Indiana Jones.”

Big Steve sank onto the couch next to Billy. “What’s going on?”

“What’s going on, is that I’m not sure I like being sweet talked by proxy.”

Finding that unhelpful, Steve leaned forward to intercept. “Hey? Little man? Are you okay?”

Little Billy was absolutely not okay, because his bottom lip pushed up, his eyes went big, and he dropped the whip in order to run into Steve’s hands. Steve glared at Robin and mouthed, What did you do?

I handled it, she replied, dropping the whip back into the box.

Little Steve dragged his otter across the table, or as much as he could with stuff in his way. “Stevie! Helwp!”

“Okay, okay, come here,” he soothed, picking up all three so small Billy and Steve could cuddle together against the soft fur while being held in big Steve’s arms. Little Billy bawled his eyes out during the opening of the movie, warranting big Steve to peek at the large Hargrove next to him. “It’s kind of wild how much their little bodies can hold onto. I thought you’d have stepped in by now.”

However, Billy’s mouth had been set in a hard line for a while now, and he shook his head. “I’m out of my element here, man.”

“No crying kids at your pool?”

“I put shit heads in line. Beyond that, it’s the parents who cause more issues.”

Robin leaned across her armrest to query, “Steve, I thought you were lifeguard certified? You really were the pool guy for years, after all.”

“Sure, but I think they like having Billy around.”

“I wike having big Biwwy awround.”

They looked down at little Steve, who was practically lying on top of small Billy, who blinked sometimes at the movie, but otherwise seemed too tired to really watch it.

“Biwwy does too. I know it. Biwwy wants to be stwong, like big Biwwy.”

But Billy shook his head. “I’m not the kind of guy to look up to, Harrington.”

Big Steve absorbed that in silence. For all of the Hawkins’ renowned lifeguard’s peacocking, Billy had never said anything like that before.

“Then wook down to us. My Biwwy’s smarwt, and nice,” little Steve smiled and finished, “Hawgwove.”

For a brief moment, Billy lost control of his face and his features crumpled, his eyes glossing over as his brows furrowed together. But he got a hand over his mouth, scrubbing his features clean. “Just watch the movie, short stack. He’ll feel better after he sleeps.”

[yandere-mha-blog]

Part 6

word count:2352

Keigo enters the scene yay!

You and your mom made plans to go out shopping for some school supplies

“Mom, aren't I a little old for this?” you asked “ I mean high school was one thing, but i'm going to college.”

“Nonsense, this brings me back.’ she said holding up to stationary sets “now Hello Kitty or My Melody?”

“I like the Cinnamoroll one behind you.” you pointed

“Perfect, let's get you this one.” she said and put it in the cart “Now your dad has already found a nice dorm for you, so we should go get some moving boxes soon.”

“I'm moving out already.” you said

“(name), me and your father will be thirty minutes away from you.” She explained “Do you want to stay home for college?”

“No..it's just I spent a while away from you guys, don't you want me at home for a bit.” you said, she smiled

“Of course we do, but I think having your own space, with no boyfriends, will do you some good.” She said, patting your shoulder “Unless you want to stay home.”

“Hmm…” you pondered “I think having my own palace would be nice, but are you sure you and dad are okay with it…after what happened.”

“Of course, I do want what's best for you, but I guess in the past I thought I knew what was best for you and did not consider what you wanted.” She said with a small smile “No matter how far away from home you are, you will always be my child , okay.”

You gave a small nod

“Great, now you will need some new clothes, I'm guessing your old clothes are still at his place.” He grimaced 

“Unfortunately, i didn't even really choose them he just kind of bought them for me.” you said, and you heard your moms hand crack from clenching it in a fist

“Is that so, well let's go to somewhere you want and we can get you some clothes, i mean you mostly wore your school uniform, and the rest were pajamas.”

“Thanks for reminding me.” you said, as she checked, and the two of you headed toward one of the clothing store, you grabbed a couple pair of pants, a couple shirt and a few skirts, and a hat that looked pretty cute

“Oh I didn't know this was your style.” Your mom said “you look so cute!”

“I'm not sure if it is my style, but I like it.” you said

“Great you can wear the outfit out then.” she said

And after a long day of shopping you two returned home, to see you dad springs  bunch of boxes

“Honey,what are you doing? Where did you get those?” your mom asked as you set the bags on the table

“What do you mean?” He asked, “we've had them in storage forever.”

“You mean to tell me, you kept the boxes from our move that was 16 years ago?” she said “Gross they are probably filled with mold!”

“They are not, i check them myself.” he said

“You expect our daughter to put her stuff in 16 year old moldy boxes!”

“They aren't moldy and even if they are old they still work!”

You pulled a bread bun from the cabinet and took a bite, glad to know your parents were the same as usual, eventually their yelling turned into laughter, whenever they argued it was not really anything serious.

“Mom, dad, can we have fried chicken tonight.” you asked

“Sure sure.” your mom replied, as you took a box up to your room 

“I'll start packing.” you said and went to your room, you didn't really have all that much, the only thing that would be a pain to take with you would be your furniture.

You reached into your bag and pulled out the necklace Dabi had gotten you, before throwing it in the trash

“Jerk.” you mumbled and confined to pack up, your mom knocked on the door a while later saying the food was here.

Had to be some of the best fried chicken you had in a while, it was nice to have some sense of normalcy, still there was  nagging voice in the back of your head that made you feel like you didn't deserve their kindness, after what you said to them that night you left, and that they just wanted you out of the house as past as possible, so they wouldn't have to deal with you.

“Earth to (name).”your dad said “You okay?”

“Something is bothering me.” You said “I don't know if I can be independent.”

“Oh I see, moving out jitters.” Your dad said “well let me tell you something, when i first moved out, the toilet flooded the first week i was there and i didnt have a toilet plunger, so i ran over to my next door neighbor to see if they had one, and lo and behold…they didn't have one either.”

“Dad, I really didn't need a story about how you clog toilets.” you said

“Hey that's not the point of the story, my point is that no one is ever really ready to be independent or move out, but if you have any questions, you can always give us a call.” He explained

“So I should get a plunger before I move out?” you asked

“Yes..but that's not the point.” he exasperated

Finally the last box was in your dorm room, you let out a long sigh  as your dad cracked his back

“Okay next time we are hiring the movers.” He said

“I tried to tell you.” Your mom said as she looked around  “Wel this palace sure is nice, and look you have such a nice view of the fountain.”

“Oh I do.” you said as you looked out your bedroom window, it beat looking at a brick wall

“Whelp.” your dad said and slapped his knees “this is the part where we let you go.”

“Don't frame it like that.” your mom said “But we should get going, you have a lot of unpacking to do.”

You three came together for a group hug

“You are going to do great.” your dad said 

“And if you have any trouble, we are only a phone call away.” your mother added, you three let go and they went on their way, you closed the door and looked at the boxes that scattered the area.

It felt weird to have a space all to yourself.

Putting everything together was straight forward, but now you were really hungry, you were sure you could get something delivered to your place, you placed the order and went back to unpacking stuff for your bathroom.

You sat on the floor eating from the to go box and looked out the window, the sun was going down, you looked over and made sure your door was locked. It was going to be weird sleeping in a new place all alone.

You spent the rest of the week putting stuff away, making sure it all had a new space, and cleaning lots of cleaning.

You tried the tub out and glad the water came out hot, eventually you got used to the space and could sleep with no problem. 

Overall your tiny space was nice and friendly, but you knew classes were the next day and even if you did grow comfortable here, the thought of going back to class made your skin crawl.

What if it's just a  repeat of what happened in highschool, what if all your classmates hated you, maybe dabi was right, maybe it would be the same thing over again.

No, that guy was full of shit, you would be fine.

But what if you weren't

It's going to be fine

Sure keep telling yourself that, you always find a way to mess up when it comes to relationships.

Needless to say, you were dead tired in the morning, you took a sip of your iced coffee as you headed into your classroom, a couple of people were they and chatting among themselves looking at the paper, should you go up and say hi, introduce yourself, your throat felt dry and you approached them, and eventually made way to the stairs and sat in the very back.

You took out the syllabus and read over it, your eyes pecked over the sea of people, you were thankful you didn't recognize anyone from your old school.

The teacher made his way in

“Hello everyone, i am glad to see you printed the syllabus out, now we will be starting this class going over the semester.” He said, you were about ten minutes into the boring lecture when the door opened, a man with blond hair that looked a it like a birds nest came through

“Hey teach, sorry i am late, what did I miss.” he said as she slung his bag over his shoulder bag that kept

“It's the first day so you get a warning.” The teacher explained as he looked as his papr “you better not make this a habit of yours mister-”

“Mister, please, i just go by Keigo.” He said waving him off “now where do i sit?”

“Have a seat anywhere.” the teacher explained

“Anywhere?” Keigo said

“Just take a seat.” The teacher quipped, Keigo looked around the classroom and his eyes fell to the back row, where only you sat, you prayed that the loud mouth wouldn't sit next to you.

God must of had his headphone in because he plopped down right next to you, you kept a straight face and looked at the papers, he leaned over and whispered

“Hey…what did I miss, I got a little lost.” He said, you looked at him, and wow those had to be the most golden yellow eyes you had ever seen, they almost reminded you of a bird you saw when you went to the zoo.

“Oh just a couple of dates when the tests are going to be held, there are 6 very important ones that are worth 10 of our grades each.” You examined as you pointed at the dates “the other 40 percent are going to be out homework and assignments.”

“Oh cool.” He said “thanks.”

He searched through his bag and pulled out a red pen and started circling the dates. You went back to listening to the teacher, a part of you wondered why you showed up, since you already read all of this.

“Hey.” he whispered again “I can't help but wonder, why are you the only one sitting in the back?”

You had to think of a dumb response quick, last thing you wanted to do was trauma dump that being around to many people makes you sick 

“The ac is better back here.” you responded and give yourself a mental facepalm, great now you are the weirdo

“Oh so that's why I feel a draft.” He said 

“Hey you two in the back.” The teacher said, and the class looked at you two “Stop talking and pay attention.”

“Yes sir.” Keigo said and gave him a salute, yup you wanted to crawl into a hole and die, now the teacher was going to hate you just like your last one, and the eyes of your classmates you could feel them.

Everyone went back to looking at the teacher and you really wanted to run to the bathroom, but if you did that what would the teacher think, that you were sassing him.

You are so thankful the class was done, you went out the door, before anyone could use a word to you, you felt like you wanted to throw up.

“Hey wait up!” you heard the loud blond guy say, you kept walking “hey girl was I was sitting next to!”

“Yup thats me…” your thoughts trailed on as you looked back and how the hell did he get next to you so fast.

“Oh good I found you, you dropped your bunny pen.” He said, holding out the blue pen.

“Oh, thank you.” You said “it's a dog though.”

Oh my god shut up, he is going to think you are annoying!

“A dog really?’ He said and gave a closer look. “I mean…maybe I could, actually I can't see it, designers did it intentionally to trick people huh.”

“Uhh…maybe?’ you said

“Haha rhetorical question.”  He said “Still you really saved my ass back there, why is the teacher so serious, I mean it's the first day you know.”

“I want to make an impression.” you said as you put the pen back in your bag.

“That's gotta be it.” Keigo said “also I never got your name.”

“...it's (name).” you said as you went to look for your next class when a guy on a skateboard road by almost hitting you, Keigo pulled you back

“Hey! Kaito watch it!” Keigo yelled

“Sorry hawks.” The guy said

“Don't apologize to me, apologize to the girl you almost ran over-and he is gone.” Keigo said

“Hawks?” you said out loud by accident

“Oh that's just a nickname.” Keigo said “a few people called me.”

“Why do they call you hawks?” You asked, wishing you didn't, you really shouldn't be getting involved with people, you knew what happened last time you did.

“Oh I'm sure a smart girl like you will be able to figure it our.” He said “but just call me Keigo, kay?”

“Alright.” you said as you adjusted your bag “i have to get to my next class now.”

“Oh right we have a second class to get to.” Keigo said ”well see you tomorrow (name).

He raised his hand for a high five and you flinched

“Sorry I have to go.” you said and rushed off, you felt like slapping yourself, seriously how awkward could you be.

Keigo stood there for a second, he pieced the puzzle together of why you flinched when he raised his hand, and why you seemed to jumpy at things, he sighed maybe he came on a bit too strong.

[mariacallous]

Come the warm, ripening days of summer and I imagine that I am closer to a more ancient, basic and healthful style of vegetable and grain eating than in my cold and meaty winters. I am seduced by my garden and neighboring farm stands vivid with color and flavor.

I avoid a lot of hot time in the kitchen. Much is eaten raw or almost: vegetable soups - gazpacho has many names and many recipes - vegetable sauces for rice or pasty and endless salads. I have corn on the cob and other vegetables in every form: grilled, roasted, steamed, stir-fried, puréed and combined in a variety of stews to be eaten hot, cold and at room temperature. Fresh herbs, garlic, onions and imagination sauce the dishes. The first beans from the pod or dried beans, fruit, cheese, bread and wine complete my menus.

There is almost no meat and little chicken or fish - an occasional grilling, a stew more vegetable than meat, a slice of cold meat or charcuterie, a boiled egg, a little tuna from the can.

I eat this way for pleasure as well as in a modern quest for a more healthful diet. Those came before us ate this way to take advantage of what they had - often limited. While we tend to see a cornucopia-vision of the past, rich in more seasonal, more natural foods, it is only partly true.

Winter in most climates was short of fresh vegetables, and the world relied on salting, pickling, drying and cold storage for any vegetables at all. The animal protein we are fending off today was in short, expensive supply.

With the best will in the world and without an evil intention, food writers and the natural inclination of all of us to glamorize the past and the far away have been guilty of distorting our view of the way the world eats. By selecting the best, the most festive food of other places or times, we have come to see them as halcyon visions of plenty, filled with meat and seafood, sugar and cream.

It is not sugarplum fairies, but roasts and fries, sausages and sautés, stews and cassoulets that frolic in our Rabelaisian dreams. Southern picnics are enriched with baked hams and fried chicken. Clambakes clutter the shores of a mythical New England. In that world of the imagination, native Africans are awash in chicken and ground-nut stew, native Americans feast on venison and buffalo, Greeks expand over countless dishes of succulent lamb, the Chinese are exquisite in damask while dining on unimaginably choice viands.

The English eat hearty roasts, silken salmon, and mountains of oysters. The French of the mind are various, either robust peasants glorying in rich stews or jeweled aristocrats whose famous chefs set forth succulent sauces. Our Italians live in a world of perpetual holidays, their risotti topped with pungent white truffles.

While not totally untrue - these foods did exist in each of these countries and were eaten by the natives at least upon occasion - such visions falsify the totality of real experience and may contribute to the glut of fat and cholesterol in our lives. We equate these festive foods with good living and think that ,if we can, we should eat this way all the time.

Our ancestors and many peoples all over the world today eat very differently from this skewed perception. Carbohydrate, or stodge, was what really fed and filled up most people. With bread as the staff of life in Europe, scarcity led to bread riots for centuries. Even in the recent past, when the government-fixed price of bread was raised in France, the announcement was carefully scheduled for August when almost all Frenchmen are on vacation.

Certainly, the staple food of the vast majority of the world is still rice, followed by bread and potatoes along with noodles - pasta among them - soy foods, yams, taro, yucca, corn, beans, pulses such as lentils, myriad grains and other starchy foods with names foreign to me. In the past and in much of the present, animal protein, when available, has been primarily a flavoring.

Beasts were not killed promiscuously. They were the cash crops and the providers of the milk and eggs. If a pig was slaughtered in the fall, that was a major event, and a family would hoard the preserved hams for Christmas and Easter, or sliver small amounts for a taste at many meals. A prosciutto bone or other ham bone was an asset to be used and reused in soups until flavorless. Fresh meats were rare; only the overage animal or the single, religiously festive springling was sacrificed.

To envisage a chicken in every pot was to dream of luxury indeed - the most luxurious of Sunday dinners.

if other meats were salted and smoked like bacon, or pickled like corned beef, air-dried like grisson or jerky, or preserved in fat like confit, it was to keep them over the winter and dispense them parsimoniously as special treats.

So when we read recipes for peasant dishes crammed with meat, we should remember we are reading about rare treats, not daily fare. Even fishing nations could have uncertain catches, rough seas and months when it was impossible to put out upon the water. Even plenty might need to be sold. A home-cooked paella was mainly rice, seasonings, oil and vegetables.

The great go-along-withs have been vegetables and fruits, fresh when in season, pickled or preserved for inclement times. A little fat would have come from the possibilities of each region - olive oil, butter and lard. Food was about survival and pleasure when possible. No one got more than nutritionally sound share of meat and fat over the course of a year. It is these daily recipes that are by and large missing or recorded primarily as accompanying dishes in our cookbooks and kitchens.

It is up to us to re-create out of our plenty the sane eating and pleasures that scarcity and invention, herb patch and garden, bestowed on our forebears.

"The Real Past", from The Opinionated Palate: Passions and Peeves on Eating and Food by Barbara Kafka

[misplacedmidlanders]

Saturday, 25th May 2024. Auckland.

Well, we're finally here: back in Auckland where it all started and where it's all now ending. Whilst I'm excited to see the family cat again and sleep on an actual bed, but it will be very strange and even a little sad to leave New Zealand behind after almost a month here. In case the blog didn't make this abundantly clear, New Zealand is a strong recommendation for anyone who is fortunate enough to be able to visit (or anyone who is just bored and wealthy, in which case let me know and I'll send you my bank details).

We dropped off the campervan first thing this morning, put our suitcases in storage at the airport then headed straight into central Auckland so that Jake could make it in time for his Weta Workshop Unleashed tour (a different Weta tour than the one we did on the trip, but not one I fancied). We were both carrying the remainder of our food from the campervan, with Jake clutching half a bag of oats all morning and myself a cumbersome box of salad, and like an actual psychopath I had to eat this salad with my bare hands on a public bench before I could properly start my day at Auckland.

For lunch I went to my grandad's favourite restaurant, the Good Ol' Days Kitchen, and devoured some dumplings before setting off for the Auckland Art Gallery down the road which had a great collection of Māouri, modernist, surrealist and video art (I tried not to be too much of tourist by taking lots of pictures of the pictures) before heading to Albert Park for an hour to enjoy the sunshine whilst sitting firmly in the shade.

After wandering around the Viaduct Harbour (and seeing virtually nothing due to the fencing surrounding it all) I reunited with Jake for dinner at the Gorilla Kitchen, an all vegan restaurant where we could enjoy some greens before our inevitable carbohydrate-filled flight home. I had some Fire Fries and a Seize Her Salad (not a typo) whilst Jake had mushrooms and fake chicken wings, and it was the closest we've both come to something that could pass as actual chicken (I just feel bad for all the vegan chickens that are being killed instead though).

Finally, we took a trip back to the airport and now we begin our long, oh so long, journey home which will take virtually all weekend. I'll post a mini-update when we've landed, but in the meantime a huge thank you to anyone who supported our trip, read any of our blog entries (and hopefully got some enjoyment out of them) and shared the journey with us. Much love to you all ❤️ Poroporoaki.

[danielsbaillfsc]

The Convenience and Versatility of Dry Food Products: A Pantry Essential

Dry food products serve as the backbone of many kitchens, offering convenience, versatility, and long-lasting shelf life. From grains and legumes to spices and baking essentials, these pantry staples play a crucial role in countless recipes and meal preparations. Let's explore why dry food products are a must-have for every home cook.

One of the primary benefits of dry food products is their extended shelf life. Unlike perishable items such as fresh produce or dairy products, dry foods can be stored for months or even years without spoiling, making them ideal for stocking up and minimizing food waste.

Dry food products are convenient to store, handle, and use in various recipes. Whether you're whipping up a quick weeknight dinner or preparing for a culinary adventure, having a well-stocked pantry of dry goods ensures that you always have essential ingredients on hand.

Dry food products are incredibly versatile and can be incorporated into a wide range of dishes. Grains like rice, quinoa, and pasta form the foundation of many meals, while legumes such as beans and lentils add protein and texture to soups, stews, and salads. Spices, herbs, and seasonings enhance the flavor of dishes, allowing you to customize and experiment with different flavor profiles.

Dry food products are often more budget-friendly than their fresh counterparts, offering value for money without compromising on quality or taste. Buying in bulk can further reduce costs and ensure that you always have ample supplies on hand for your culinary endeavors. Buy the best dry foods at Legacy Food Storage.

Many dry food products are rich in essential nutrients such as fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals, making them a valuable addition to a balanced diet. Whole grains, in particular, provide sustained energy and promote digestive health, while legumes offer plant-based protein and fiber to support overall well-being.

Emergency Preparedness: Dry food products are an essential component of emergency preparedness kits, providing sustenance during natural disasters, power outages, or other unforeseen circumstances. Their long shelf life and non-perishable nature make them a reliable source of nourishment when access to fresh food may be limited.

Dry food products are the unsung heroes of the kitchen, offering convenience, versatility, and nutritional benefits that make them indispensable for home cooks and food enthusiasts alike. Whether you're stocking your pantry, planning meals, or preparing for emergencies, these versatile staples provide the foundation for delicious and satisfying dishes that nourish body and soul.

[aching-tummies]

Oil and Milkshake

Happy (belated) Easter ^^

Life's been pretty hectic for me in the last week or so and I haven't had time to write about it until now.

Anyway...I think stuff started around Tuesday, April 4? Things at work were getting hectic because some coworkers were demanding to trade/pawn shifts off (to me) last-minute because they decided then and there that they wanted to attend Easter events. So...schedule is thrown out of whack and I'm picking up hours here and there as well as being told that boss is cutting my regular hours because he doesn't expect the weekend to be busy (I ended up with net-gains due to picking up all the shifts everyone else was dropping, so not too salty about the cuts). Welp, I was already dealing with the beginnings of a stressy belly around that day. I was looking forward to getting my errands done and using my one day off to rest up at home. Relatives pulled a fast one on us again, telling us with about 6 hours notice that they were coming into town and expected to stay the weekend at our place etc. 6 hours notice. At least 4 of which I had initially planned to sleep my stress and exhaustion away. So...yeah...got up bright and early to start whipping the house and guest-areas into shape for their stay (the guest area is usually a storage/laundry-folding area for those of us that live here when there are no guests).

With the relatives staying over, our usual diet got thrown for a loop. These relatives insist on take-out and always end up getting copious amounts of breaded/fried foods. So...yeah...that's all that was on offer at the house and in our fridge for 3 days. Fried chicken, fried squid, reheated fried something-that-may-have-started-life-as-a-potato. Honestly...the only greens I saw all weekend were the lettuce leaves fast-food joints use in their TV advertising. Yeah...needless to say that my stressy-belly turned into an upset one really quickly over Easter. To top it all off, Easter chocolate was going on sale and anyone that knows me knows that I never miss an opportunity to score some cheap chocolate. So...all weekend my poor belly became a vat of fried, oily food, and chocolate.

Come Monday morning, the relatives were gone and so was the fried hell that had taken up residence in our fridge all weekend. At this point my belly was just a constant ball of upset and I knew I'd have to work with the churning orb going at it for a couple of days...so I decided to try and salvage what I could of a healthier diet. I ate instant oatmeal and have been doing my best to ensure every meal I take in has at least 2 kinds of vegetables in it.

Anyway...my days off are coming up, and because I intend to rest and relax during them, I decided to run my errands immediately after work. I had some things to print off (graphic organizers...some for work 'cuz I'm in charge of training new hires so I create graphic organizers/charts to help trainees quickly find information rather than having to look all over the place or ask someone every 3 seconds). So...I went to go get those printed off and decided that I would treat myself seeing as it's the end of my work-week.

I went to a nearby food-court and tried out a new-to-me place, got a donair wrap with some roasted potatos to go with it. There were onions, tomato, and actual leafy lettuce on it...three whole chunks of lettuce, which is more than my tummy has seen in a week. I walked around the mall for a little while, hoping to settle my stomach 'cuz it was still pretty upset from the weekend and I wasn't sure if the new-to-me food would play nice. The potatoes were actually extremely oily. There was a noticeable pool of orange-y oil left on the plate after I finished the potatoes. As if I needed any more oil in my poor tummy.

To *really* treat myself, I splurged and bought myself a milkshake from an ice-cream place.

I don't know if it's the oily potatoes or the milkshake, or the combination of both...but my stomach's been more upset in the last 2 hours than it has been all week.

I got through 1/5th of the milkshake while waiting for my bus to come home. After getting off the bus, I still had half a hill to climb before I'd arrive at home and my belly was so uncomfortable. It wasn't aching...but there was a sickly, sticky feeling in it. It felt like my throat and esophagus was squeezing tightly together, preventing something from coming up. I felt a constant urge to burp, but every time I tried, I got nothing, despite feeling a pressure in my throat and in my diaphragm. Halfway home, I tasted something sour at the back of my throat.

I got home and made a beeline for my room. I recently purchased a cheap stethoscope to indulge in my own stomach's noises. Unfortunately, it hasn't been very vocal since I bought the stethoscope. Anyway...I immediately set it up on my stomach, prodding it into various areas of my stomach.

There weren't any loud noises, even with the stethoscope, but I could hear a constant burbling...like something was perpetually foaming within my guts.

Even as I type this, I still feel that nagging pressure telling me something needs to come up and having nothing actually coming up when I try.

Honestly...if I had a partner into this kind of stuff, I actually think I would welcome them being rough with my belly--anything to make this nagging "gonna come up" feeling disappear. I don't puke easily and can count on my fingers the number of times I've ever actually thrown up...maybe some manual encouragement would help? ;) In either case, feel free to take this as an invite/jumping off point for RP-Asks/Starter/Lite.

[dominimoonbeam]

Don’t Run - 4

you can find the series from the start over on patreon. 

tags for the series: mobsters, dark themes, bad childhood, arranged marriage, reference to past violence, reference to past murder

DON’T RUN - CHAPTER FOUR.

When Adi walked into the café, Ezra was already sitting in a booth with their food while Molly was across the crowded room in line at the counter. He slid in across from him, scooting down. Ezra pushed his order in front of him, the grilled chicken wrap with a side of fries—his usual at Connie’s.

“Adi, where did Molly come from?” Ezra asked almost sweetly. Whenever he asked things sweetly, Adi knew he was up to no good.

He raised an eyebrow, his knees bumping Ezra’s under the table. Ezra didn’t pull his back, one leg sliding out to hook around the back of Adi’s shoe. “Did Freya ask about Molly?”

Ezra laughed and the sound eased something Adi hadn’t realized was tense in his chest. “No. She did ask about storage units though.” He winked and Adi wasn’t sure if he was joking or not. His gaze flicked to the side again, to where Molly was standing at the counter, flirting with the barista. “Seeing your mob wife being all fish out of water in Everton just got me wondering how Molly ended here... I heard somewhere that she kidnapped Grayson and he talked her into coming home with him.”

Adi smiled, taking a bite of his wrap. He had heard that story too. He was pretty sure his sisters, Victoria, had started it. She had been trying to cast shadows on Molly’s reputation but unintentionally bolstering Grayson’s legend instead. Like he could charm his abductor into being his best friend. “He brought her home,” he confirmed. He had never really been sure what happened or where she came from. Molly was definitely a thug before she showed up in Everton. She seemed to have her own money too—despite all of Grayson’s mother’s claims that she was mooching off her son.

Adi watched the barista blush at something Molly said before handing over her drink.

Molly crossed the café to them, her dark eyes flicking around the room and her smile cold, hollowing out with every step until she slid into the booth beside Ezra. She was waiting for Grayson. Adi felt like he only ever saw her when she was either with his brother, or waiting for his brother. What did the bruiser do on her own time? Ezra saw her at his gym, beating on punching bags or running on the treadmill in her boots like her life depended on it.

Everyone in the family had been suspicious of her when she arrived…many still were. Adi had gotten over his worries. Molly wasn’t playing some long con on his family. In fact, he was pretty sure she didn’t give a shit about his family. She loved Grayson, in her own sort of way, and Grayson loved her in his. They were odd, but who was Adi to judge?

“Ezra wants to know what brought you to Everton,” Adi tossed out.

Ezra grinned, turning a little to the side to look at Molly, waiting for an answer.

She pushed some of her curls out of her face and behind an ear. That ear was mangled, a chunk missing and the scar twisted. “A boat,” she answered and then sipped her drink.

Adi smiled.

Ezra laughed.

Molly took another drink, and he thought it was to hide her own smile. “How’s married life?” she asked.

Adi shrugged. “Still alive.” He snagged a baby tomato off of Ezra’s plate. It had happened once, years ago, that Ezra got Adi’s side salad and Adi got Ezra’s fries. They’d been ordering it backwards like that and picking off each other’s plates ever since. “That reminds me,” he played casual, looking his best friend in the eye when he said, “I want you to seduce my wife.”

Molly froze, coffee in hand between her mouth and the table. Her gaze cut between the two of them as if confirming that she wasn’t the one being asked. As soon as she confirmed she wasn’t, she laughed.

Ezra on the other hand, stared straight back at him. “Are you high?”

“We’ve been friends since we were kids. You can’t do me this one favor?”

“Friends? Is that what you think we are?” Ezra grinned, his knee bumping between Adi’s under the table and amusement gleaming in his eyes.

Adi waved a hand in the air, as if semantics could be brushed aside. “You’re already friends with her, aren’t you? Just keep that up and find out when she’s going to kill me.”

“What makes you think I’d want to stop her?”

Adi stabbed more salad off Ezra’s plate.

Molly leaned back into her seat, getting comfortable. “It’s a stupid plan,” she said, clearly only vaguely invested in the situation.

Ezra nodded, taking a couple fries off Adi’s plate. “She’s right. You’re missing the obvious risk…”

“What risk?” Adi demanded.

“What if we fall in love?”

Adi raised an eyebrow, undaunted. Ezra didn’t fall in love. If he did, he would be in love with Adi. Obviously. “You would betray me?”

“For love?” Ezra was using his shit-stirring tone, it came with a smirk secured in one corner of his mouth. Fuck, Adi liked that smirk.

Adi leaned back into his seat, staring across the table at the other man. He regretted sitting across from him instead of beside him. He wanted to kiss that smirk.

“She’d suspect your plan, wouldn’t she?” Ezra asked. Did that mean he was he considering it?

“That’s what makes it brilliant. She’s trying to weasel into my life, right? What better way to get dirt on me than to fuck my boyfriend.”

“Oh,” Ezra practically sang. “I see I’ve been promoted from friend!”

Adi hated the heat that rushed his face. He thumped his knee to Ezra’s under the table.

“You still haven’t realized the risk, Adi…” Ezra teased.

“The bit about love?”

Ezra laughed. “That was bullshit. The real problem will be if she isn’t plotting against you. Then what? You had your best-friend-slash-boyfriend seduce her to spy on her? What kind of precedent will that set for your marriage?”

Adi swore. “It’s not a real marriage. Assuming we both survive the first year, we’ll get divorced and go back to being enemies. She’ll go return to the mountain, and I’ll get my apartment back.”

“It’s legal. I’d say that’s real.”

“She lives in your house,” Molly added, as helpful as a bullet.

“She might not even be interested in men,” Ezra said thoughtfully before pointedly looking Adi over. His skin always felt warmer when Ezra did that, but he pretended not to notice. “Have you two…consummated things?”

Adi snorted, he knew they hadn’t. “No.” It wasn’t that he couldn’t sleep with Freya. He’d slept with plenty of women and plenty of them strangers. But he barely trusted her at his table let alone in his bed. He hadn’t been in a room with her without having at least a knife on his person. She was a Morgan and the last time their two families had a blood feud wasn’t nearly far back enough to be forgotten.

“Huh. Maybe it isn’t legal then,” Molly said.

Adi shot her a warning glare. The last thing he needed was his parents telling him to fuck someone. He shuddered at the thought. Molly looked away, catching the gaze of the barista again and flashing a smile. Like him and Ezra, Molly swung both ways. “But if my wife isn’t into men, maybe…”

Molly’s eyes snapped back to him, just as cold and closed off to him as ever. Whatever smile had been available to the barista was certainly not for him. “I don’t work for you,” she reminded.

Ezra turned sideways to look at her, his arm stretching along the back of the booth behind her shoulders. One of his eyebrows pitched in a “oh really?” gesture. “What an odd way of declining a man asking you to prostitute for him,” he mused.

Adi scowled, not appreciating how he was wording that.

“Would you do it if Grayson asked?” Ezra continued. Adi knew it was just out of curiosity but there was something dangerous about this line of questioning—something that hedged all the questions about who Molly Hallow really was and where she had come from.

“He wouldn’t ask.”

“What if he did?” Ezra pressed, unrelenting.

Molly took another drink of her coffee, seeming to think about it or maybe just considering leaving. Even after all those years, Adi wasn’t sure she was actually a friend of theirs rather than obligated to them through his brother. Even if they were half-brothers, Adi had never doubted that Grayson loved him. Grayson loved the whole family.

Despite all of the shit some of them had pulled on Molly over the years, and all the nasty things they had said to try to get a rise out of her or push her out, Molly had never reacted. She had never laid a hand on any of them. Not even that time Victoria tried to slap her. When Molly dodged the swing easily, Vic had thrown her drink instead, channeling her inner soap-opera goddess. Molly had actually smiled and finished her meal.

Their old man said she was well-trained. Of course, he hadn’t said that when Grayson was around. Gray would have taken offense. Adi understood why. It made her sound like a dog, like something less than human. Most people, even their dad, either thought she was really dedicated to her role, or a very good goon. But Adi thought he’d figured out the truth. He’d seen her lose her shit on strangers that started fights with her in clubs. He’d seen her mean grin and the way she could cut at people with her words. And in all those years, Adi had noticed that the only people truly safe from her were the people Grayson loved. She wasn’t his brother’s dog; she was his fucking friend, and they were all so warped that they couldn’t see it.

Suddenly Adi wasn’t sure he wanted her to answer the question because as far as he could tell, there was nothing Molly Hallow wouldn’t do for Grayson Ellis. So, what would happen if he asked her to seduce someone? She would do it. She would do much worse for him.

“He wouldn’t ask,” Adi found himself saying and then shrugging like it was boring to even question her. Maybe it was. Because his brother really wouldn’t ask that of her. And yet, Adi would ask Ezra? Probably because he knew Ezra would tell him to fuck off. Hopefully that was why it was okay for him to ask. “Forget it, Ezra, it was a dick idea,” he conceded, scrubbing a hand over his face.

“Oh, don’t be dramatic,” Ezra chided, sipping his drink. “I’ll see what I can do. She really did ask about storage units…”

Molly’s interest perked up then. “What kind of units?”

Ezra shrugged. “Didn’t give me dimensions, just asked while I was giving her the tour of the neighborhood.”

“You pointed out the orange ones? Safe Storage?”

Ezra nodded, finishing his sandwich.

“Shouldn’t be hard to find out if she gets a unit there,” Molly said, uninterested again.

“What do you think she’s going to do?” Adi asked her.

Molly shrugged. “Probably just feed her family information about yours…until something goes wrong with whatever negotiations Sybil has with your old man. Then she’ll probably help them kidnap one of your younger siblings or, hopefully, just intercept a shipment—something to get them leverage. I guess if Sybil decides to go full salted earth, she might get her to kill you while they kill your dad.”

Adi stared at her, not sure if he loved or hated the completely detached, bored tone of her voice as she reported the possibilities.

Ezra burst, laughing hard. “Christ, Mol! Like it’s a weather report!”

Molly took another drink of her coffee.

Adi just stared straight at her, annoyed by how easily she had said that last bit. “You really think Freya can kill me?” he asked, voice low and offense settling into his chest.

Molly put her cup down and stared back at him. “I think that barista could kill you.”

Adi forgot his food and Ezra stopped laughing. He could feel his friend looking at him, his legs under the table squeezing one of Adi’s as if to anchor him—to bring him back from that slow rising rage. “What the fuck does that mean?” Adi demanded instead.

Molly sighed like she was tired of him. Like this was her city and not his. This was the infuriating part of her. She didn’t even tense. She wasn’t afraid of him or his anger. Not even a little bit. “I mean anyone can kill anyone.”

Adi tried to accept that. It wasn’t about him and any shortcomings on his part. It was some bleak world view. “So, the barista could kill you?”

Molly smiled a little and picked up her cup, holding it toward him as if to say “yes, see?” and then taking another big swallow. She put it down and sighed.

Adi rolled his eyes and looked away, rolling his shoulders to ease the tension in them. Great, now he had to worry about being poisoned.

Grayson walked in and up to their table. He took one look around at them before cracking a smile. “Well, this seems fun…” His gaze landed on Ezra and he nodded hello. “Are they fighting?”

Ezra shook his head, eating more fries. “Adi wants me to fuck his wife.”

Adi snorted. “Not exactly what I said…”

Grayson picked up Molly’s coffee and took a drink, sliding into the booth beside Adi. “Where is she now?”

Adi shrugged. “Probably the apartment.”

Ezra shook his head. “She’s at the park.”

Everyone stared at him, not just Adi.

Ezra blinked and then smiled, lifting and waving his phone at them. “We’ve been texting.”

Grayson bit back a smile and leaned into Adi’s side. “You really weren’t joking… This is your plan? Well…You always did like a bad plan.”

[amberfaber40]

The Best Meals in a Jar Recipes

The Best Meals in a Jar Recipes

DIY Instant Rice

48 Ultralight Backpacking Recipe Ideas for Your Next Adventure | Backcountry Foodie

It's crunch time for the Foodie! T-minus 37 days until go time. In this post, I share quick tips for speeding up the meal prep process.

17 Simple Backpacking Meal Recipes with 4 Ingredients or Less

A full list of 17 simple backpacking meal recipes. Fast and easy meals requiring only 4 ingredients or less. Some non-cook meals, others just need to add hot water. You can find most ingredients at your average grocery store on the Appalachian Trail. Feel free to mix and match any ingredients and flavors as well.

What to eat when on a thru hike!

Backpacking Sweet Potato and Peanut Stew

This dehydrated sweet potato peanut stew is loaded with a hearty mix of sweet potato, chickpeas, and kale.

Backpacking Food Ideas | Tasty, easy, and lightweight!

Planning your backpacking menu? Here are the best lightweight backpacking food ideas to help you enjoy simple and tasty backpacking meals on the trail!

Backpacking Food For 8 Days on the Pacific Crest Trail

Here's a complete list of all the backpacking food I brought with me for 8 days while section hiking the Pacific Crest Trail.

A Week of Lightweight, Nutritious Backpacking Food

8.5 lb Ultralight Backpacking Gear List for Thru-Hiking

An ultralight backpacking gear list and FAQs for the gram counters. 5 pound full comfort base weight and a 9.5 pound consumables for thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail. Regular backpacking, lightweight backpacking, ultralight backpacking, hyperlight backpacking compared.

Backpacking Food Ideas: The Complete Guide on How to Plan Hiking Meals

What should I eat when hiking? This is one of the most common questions that rookie backpackers have. And it's warranted. Hiking is an energy intensive activity that requires you to be properly nourished. You don’t want to run out of food, neither do you want to carry too much. Hence this article. In this article we provide answers to the question of what to eat during a backpacking trip.

25 Best Backpacking Meals

Meal planning can make or break a backpacking trip. Here are the best backpacking meals, broken down by stove type, to ensure you eat well.

Beginner's Guide to Homemade Backpacking Meals

We’ve all been there, wandering through the dehydrated meal aisle in an outdoors store searching for something we’d actually want to eat on the trail. Why not try dehydrating your own backpacking meals? It might

33 DIY Backpacking Recipes

Learn how to make your own backpacking meals with these great recipes!

Alabama Style BBQ Spaghetti – Backpacking Meal or Tonight's Dinner

I'm getting ready guys. I'm just waiting for the weather to ease up a bit (it was 92 here yesterday and hot as the devil's balls), so I can head out in the woods for a week. While I'm waiting, I'm getting my food situation together. Nothing against store bought dehydrated meals. I'm a big fan of Heather's Choice for her delicious, nutritious meals. I love PackitGourmet - the chicken and dumplings and gumbo are seriously delicious. I'll even throw in a Mountain House meal every now and then. But it gets old. And unless it's Heather's Choice, after a few

Backpacking Fried Rice

Craving takeout on the trail? This easy Backpacking Fried Rice should do the trick!

How to Dehydrate Your Own Backpacking Food [Step-by-Step Guide] - Amanda Outside

Learn how to make your own backpacking food at home with a dehydrator! This is the complete guide to diy backpacking meals that are low cost, delicious, and fun to make.

11 One Pot Backpacking Meals to Make Trailside Cooking Easy

Planning your next backpacking trip? You need these EASY and delicious one pot backpacking meals ideas! These recipes are easy to prep and clean up.

Meals in Jar recipes are the perfect way to use your dehydrated foods, along with pantry staples, to create long-term food storage meals for your family. They also make great kits for easy meals for those weeknights when you don't have time to prep.Those nights when you are on a tight schedule from kids' school activities or you've had a really rough day are the nights when you tend to reach for the phone for take-out pizza or a drive-thru.Like creating freezer meals, meals in a jar are handy prepared meals you have in your pantry that can be thrown into a pot of water to cook, and save you a ton of time from meal prep.Benefits of Meals in a JarQuick easy meals that are ready for camping or busy weeknight meals. Easy way to store meals for long-term food storage without the need to constantly prep a meal. Create 'instant' meals to your tastes and nutritional levels and philosophies. Many of the instant meals from long-term food storage companies are high in salt and carbs - you can adjust any of these to meet your needs. Make use of your long-term food storage. Whether you've invested in freeze-dried products, or dehydrate your own, or stock dry goods, you can put them to use in ready-made meals. Perfect for emergencies. Whether natural disasters, power outages, earthquakes, or personal situations where health situations prohibit you from meal prep, these meals require less water and energy to prepare as opposed to many traditional recipes. Help friends and family. Give the gift of food storage to those who may be in need. Elderly friends and relatives who can't prep foods, those suffering from illnesses, neighbors in need, new and expectant parents, and families suffering loss are all prime examples of those who may need quick meals that need little prepping for comfort and nutrition. If you would like an ad-free, e-version of this post to keep on your desktop, phone, tablet, etc., you can purchase it in my shop.Best Meals in a Jar RecipesFor these recipes, we're going to be sticking to meals in a jar and side accompaniments that are primarily self-contained. There will be a few that need a couple of extra ingredients to finish.We will be staying away from meals in a jar that require a ton of dairy or other fresh ingredients that cannot be replicated with freeze-dried or dehydrated alternatives. We'll also stay away from dessert or salad in a jar things that should stay fresh.We also want to keep these mixes shelf-stable for long-term as much as possible, so things like granola won't be included.My hope is to give you viable, good, shelf-stable options for meals in a jar recipes at every one of these vetted links to help you build your pantry with long-term pantry storage.TIPS FOR SUBSTITUTION:Many of these recipes may contain products that are from a specific freeze-dried company. You do not have to use that ingredient from that company. You can use your own dehydrated foods, or a freeze-dried company of your choice. Quantities are equal, but some dehydrated foods take up more volume or space. But quantities aren't written in stone. You can change the mixes up easily to your preference. Give yourself a little extra time in rehydrating/cooking when using dehydrated vs freeze dried. It may take a little longer. Use a thermos to rehydrate/cook in if you are on the go If you need a truly instant-meal, precook all of your ingredients before dehydrating. LEARN MORE: 200+ Dehydrating RecipesWhile I do promote both Augason Farms and Thrive Life Foods, there are quite a few other companies that do sell freeze-dried foods that you can use if you don't want to use your own dehydrated or freeze-dried foods you make.Also, some of these jars will make enough to fill a quart sized mason jar. Some will be enough to fill a pint or pint and a half-sized jar. The latter can be doubled or tripled to go into a larger jar if desired. The smaller recipes are great for backpacking or individual meal sizes.For some of the recipes, you may have to scroll down the page to get to it.Breakfast Meals in a JarBreakfast OmeletCamper's Eggy DelightCaryn's Cheesy Sausage FritattaCherry Chocolate PancakesCinnamon PancakesCranberry Buttermilk Pancake MixHashbrowns and EggsHearty Pancake MixOatmealSweet and Savory CrepesMain Course Meals in a JarABC Sloppy JoesBaked ZitiBeans and Rice CasseroleBeefy Philly CheesesteakBeefy Spanish RiceBurrito Bowl Meal in a JarCheesy Sloppy Joe HotdishChicken AlfredoChicken and RiceChicken Broccoli CheeseChicken Broccoli Stir FryChicken ChiliChicken Noodle Skillet MealChicken Salad in a JarChiliChili MacCous Cous with Chicken and Vegetables (serves 1 - pint jar)Creamy Chicken Veggie CasseroleCreamy Tomato Pasta PrimaveraCurry Rice with Chicken and Cashews (for long-term storage, omit cashews or add at the last minute since nuts are best stored in the freezer for long-term) (serves 1 - pint jar)Double Cheeseburger Sauce MixFiesta Rice with Corn (serves 1 - pint jar)Francesca's Unstuffed PeppersHamburger StewHawaiin Style Teriyaki BeefHearty Beef and Bean ChiliHearty ChiliInstant Chicken SaladJambalayaKansas City Chicken BBQKicked Up Mac n CheeseMac and CheesePotato Cheese Sausage CasseroleQuicheRosemary Chicken and RiceSausage FrittataSausage LasagnaSloppy JoesSpaghetti Sauce with MeatStroganoff SkilletStuffed Chicken and GravyTaco Beef and Cheese Thai Chicken in Spicy Peanut SauceThree Bean ChiliTurkey Noodle CasseroleSoup Meals in a JarAsparagus SoupBean SoupBeef Barley SoupBeefy Bean SoupBeef StewBeef and Bean StewBeef and Zucchini QuicheBuffalo Chicken and RiceCaryn's Chicken Noodle SoupChicken and Rice SoupChicken Noodle Soup in a Jar (add freeze-dried chicken to make a complete shelf-stable meal)Chipotle Corn ChowderCream Soup MixCreamy Tomato SoupCreamy Wild Rice Mushroom SoupCurried Lentil SoupFriendship SoupGood Luck SoupHam Sausage and Bean SoupInstant Cheese Soup Instant Creamy Asparagus SoupItalian Wedding SoupLentil and Rice SoupLoaded Baked Potato Soup (recipe is in the description box of the video)Love SoupMinestrone Soup Nancy's Chicken Noodle SoupNoodle Soup in a JarPainted Desert Chili in a JarPalouse SoupPotato Sausage SoupPotato SoupPrairie Garden Vegetable SoupSoup StartersSplit Pea SoupTaco Soup Texas Two-Step SoupTortilla SoupTurkey and StuffingVegetable Quinoa Soup with LentilsZombie Soup MixThe following recipe for Sauce or Soup mix is used with permission from the Utah State University Extension List. Typically it is against copyright laws to take someone else's recipe and share it in full like this, but they have given permission to publish widely. To see more uses for this recipe, alternatives, etc., you can find the information in this handy guide.Anything Cream Soup Mix:Ingredients2 cups powdered non-fat dry milk ¾ cup cornstarch (I prefer to use arrowroot powder) ¼ cup instant chicken bouillon (regular or low sodium) 2 tablespoon dried onion flakes 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning (optional) DirectionsCombine all ingredients, mixing well. Store in an airtight container for a year+ YieldEqual to 9 (10.5 oz) cans of cream soup.To substitute for 1 can of cream soupCombine ⅓ cup of dry mix with 1 ¼ cups of cold water. Whisk untilwell blended. Cook and stir on stove top or in microwave until thickened. Add thickened mixture to casseroles as you would a can of soup. (This is used with permission from the USU Extension office) Sides in a JarCurried Rice MixCranberry Orange RiceCreamy Herbed Rice MixHerbed Rice MixLemon Dill RiceMac and Cheese (add a little freeze-dried beef or sausage and taco seasoning, and you've got a cheesy chili mac)Pot Roast Gravy over Mashed PotatoesRefried Beans (this is basically just dehydrated refried beans, but when all you have to do is add water, it makes a quick and easy side or protein replacement!)Chicken Flavored Rice MixScalloped Potatoes Spanish RiceYellow Rice MixMeals in a Jar Recipe BooksThere are so many free meals in a jar recipes all over the internet apart from the ones listed above. But I know it's so convenient to have something handy to have that isn't attached to your computer or tablet!So here are some recommended recipe books for making your own meals in a jar for your long-term storage.Meals in a Jar: Quick and easy, Just-Add-Water, Homemade Recipes by Julie Languille The Meals in a Jar Handbook: Gourmet Food Storage Made Easy by Stephanie Petersen Dinner is in the Jar: Quick and Easy Dinner Mixes in Mason Jars or Mylar Bags by Kathy Clark Quick and Easy Dehydrated Meals in a Bag by Tammy Gangloff (of The Ultimate Dehydrator Cookbook fame, which also has some meals in a bag options.) Ultimate Dehydrator Cookbook by Tammy Gangloff Not only is this a great technique book on how to dehdyrate those products that can build your meals in a jar, she includes a lot of "just add water" meals, too! Do It Yourself Prep N Store by Janice Paveglio Gunther (I have not read this one or cooked from it, but I looked through the beginning information that was available and it looked like she had solid information) Look to Backpacking Recipe books for other meals that you can also put into your storage. They may not be 'in the jar' and are usually geared more towards single or double serving meals in a bag, but they can be used easily translated to your family serving size.A caveat to these kinds of recipes is that they may often use oils/fats while cooking and meats. For long-term storage, omit the oils and fats (they aren't usually needed), and look to freeze-dried meats for more optimal storage.The Dehydrator Cookbook for Outdoor Adventurers: Healthy, Delicious Recipes for Backpacking and Beyond by Julie Mosier Recipes for Adventure: Healthy, Hearty and Homemade Backpacking Recipes by Chef Glenn McAllister Cooking a Meal in a Jar in a Solar Oven Cook your "Meal in a Thermos" while you hike How to Store Meals in a JarYou can store meals in a jar mixes in variety of ways:Canning jars (also known as mason jars) Any airtight container - spaghetti jars, queso jars, or other glass containers that are airtight. Hard sided plastic containers (not the more pliable) will also work Mylar bags - these are reusable and great for camping and can be sealed with a simple heat seal with an iron or vacuum sealer, or vacuum sealed with an O2 absorber Vacuum-sealed plastic storage bags as is used with many vacuum sealers Zip-top bags for short-term storage (less than a week). LEARN MORE: Quick Guide to Vacuum SealingMeals in a jar recipes will last easily last a year or two, and you may get even longer - 5+ years, but the quality and texture may begin to decline at that point.Certain foods like tomatoes don't have as long of a shelf-life as other foods, and meats are better used freeze-dried than dehydrated for longer shelf-life goals.Proper storage is also necessary. Cool, dark, dry places are best for storage. If you have proteins, storing them in the freezer is optimal, and they can be pulled out at any time for a backpacking/hiking trip with no issues.Using Oxygen AbsorbersThese can be used in your jars to help control the shelf life of your meal in a jar recipe. They are not necessary but can be helpful. You can learn all about how they work and if you really need them (you really don't) with this handy guide on storing dehydrated foodsHelpful Tips for Creating Meals in a JarUse Instant Rice or Instant Beans. For those ingredients that take longer to prepare, using dehydrated rice or dehydrated beans can cut your time down. Mark your packages: Mark your bags or attach a recipe sheet to your jars. Having the correct directions on how to prepare or what more needs to be added. Mylar can be written on with sharpie markers. You can write on the lid of a jar, tape a recipe card to the outside, etc. Never assume you'll remember! Interchange recipes. You'll often find recipes online that are built from freeze-dried foods only. While a little adjustment in the time to rehydrate may be different, you can easily replace freeze-dried with dehydrated foods. Using dehydrated foods - consider cooking your vegetables fully then dehydrating to make the end product a little quicker to reconstitute. Preparing Meals in a Jar RecipesUsually simmering in enough water to replace the original water is enough, though I suggest a little extra to make up for loss in simmering and the extra sometimes needed to rehydrate. But follow the above recipe suggestions for best results as all will vary.Tools for rehydrating meals in a jarSaucepans Fondue pots -surprisingly, these are excellent in emergency situations as they require nothing but a candle or other fuel source that is easy to store, and can be used to simmer smaller meal portions during power outages. Look for older non-electric fondue pots in thrift stores for less expensive options. Thermoses Other Helpful Resources for Meals in a Jar RecipesRainy Day Food StorageTips to convert recipes:Many recipes you already cooked can be made into a meal in a jar recipe. Some helpful tips to covert recipes you already love are:Stock: Replace 1 quart of stock with 1 ½ tablespoons bouillion. Then use 1 quart water to make soup Vegetables: Use ⅓ cup of dehydrated or freeze dried vegetables to replace 1 cup of fresh. Remember that dehydrated vegetables may need a little extra time to rehydrate and cook, so meals that allow simmering work best. Milk: Use ⅓ cup milk powder to replace 1 cup milk (and ⅔ cup water) Ground Beef: 2 Cups freeze-dried ground beef for 1 pound of beef Chicken: 2 ½ Cups freeze-dried chicken for 1 pound of beef Meals in a Jar Frequently Asked Questions:How long do meals in a jar last?Typically, most meals in a jar will last a year to three years by the safest standards of the National Center for Home Food Preservation.However, using the proper storage standards listed above, you may get 5 or more years out of them. Just remember, things like tomatoes have a shorter long-term life and may begin to degrade a little faster than the rest of your dehydrated goods, so be sure to rotate often!Meats should also be freeze-dried as opposed to dehydrated for best storage results.Can I use freeze-dried foods?Yes! In fact, I recommend using freeze-dried meats for all of my long-term storage of dried foods. They are prepared in a different way than dehydrating and can be shelf-stable for up to 25 years (unopened) and then longer than typical dehydrated meats on the shelf opened.My favorite places to purchase freeze-dried foods are Thrive Life and Augason Farms, depending on who is running the better sale.However, if you are concerned about storing meats long-term from a dehydrated or already opened, freeze-dried state, you can always keep your meat in the freezer and just add it as you put the meal on the stovetop to cook.Can I replace freeze-dried with dehydrated food?Yes, they are usually interchangeable in any meal. Just remember dehydrated foods may take a little longer to reconstitute. And if they were not dehydrated from a fully cooked state, they will also need time to cook.Can I store salads in a jar on the shelf?Unfortunately, salads in a jar type recipes are still meant for safe refrigerated storage but can help extend the life of your greens when vacuum sealed. They are not safe for shelf-stable storage, which is why they are not included in this list.Do I have to use a mason jar to store meals in a jar recipes?Use mylar bags with or without oxygen absorbers, food storage bags, airtight containers, and commercial glass jars with airtight seals. Zip top bags are to be used for very short-term storage only (think a week or so).Can I do any meal and put into a jar?Unfortunately, just any meal doesn't dry and qualify for shelf-stable meal in a jar storage. Many foods are high in fats/oils, or aren't considered shelf-stable.So while you can do a bulk load of spaghetti sauce and noodles with meat, drying it once cooked is easy, but the meat may not be shelf-stable because of the fat content, and any oil used in the sauce can also create an issue.This is why freeze-dried proteins and non-fat dairy are suggested for storage.However, these meals would be fine for short-term backcountry/hiking meals, or can be stored in the freezer until needed.Do items need to be kept separate?With some mixes, the soups need different cooking times. A vegetable quinoa soup might need the quinoa cooked separately. Or in the case of a mac and cheese meal, the sauce components are bagged separately, then inserted into the top of the jar. Each recipe should notate if this might be necessary.Can I make my own freeze-dried foods?Yes! You can freeze-dry single ingredients or whole meals using a freeze-dryer. They usually have a longer shelf-life than dehydrated foods making your meals in a jar last much longer.The Harvest Right Freeze Dryer is the premiere home freeze-dryer on the market (much like Excalibur was 15 years ago). It is an investment, but for those serious about long-term food storage and control of your own food, it might be an investment worth making rather than purchasing from various companies.Conclusion:There are so many resources for meals in a jar on the internet. Some are great for long-term storage, and some are made more for the effect of storing in a jar but might be better used for short-term gift giving.Either way - play, explore, make up your own recipes! You'll love the benefit of having shelf-stable meals ready for your family for easy meals, emergency meals, and opportunities to serve other people who may be in need of a hot meal that you can help them store.Do you have a favorite you'd love to share with us?▢ 2 ½ cups quick cook elbow macaroni ▢ ½ cup freeze dried protein (beef crumbles, sausage or diced chicken) ▢ ⅔ cup cheese powder ▢ 3 tablespoons instant non-fat dry milk ▢ ¼ cup taco seasoning mix ▢ 1.5 tablespoons butter powder ▢ ½ teaspoon salt ▢ ¼ teaspoon white pepper ▢ ½ cup vegetable powder (optional) ▢ 2 ½ cups water Use only 2 cups if omitting vegetable powder ▢ 3 cups water Store Place pasta and protein into the bottom of a quart jar or mylar bag Place dry ingredients into a zip top bag and place on top of pasta mix Close the jar or bag as desired (vacuum seal, use an O2 absorber or simply close) Store for 2 years easily, up to 5 years in most cases Vacuum seal or use an O2 absorber for best results See Notes To Prepare Heat 3 cups of water to rehydrate the pasta and protein. Allow pasta to soak while preparing the sauce Add 2.5 cups of water to dry ingredients Mix thoroughly and allow to sit an rehydrate while pasta rehydrates Mix with pasta and serve. Notes: If using regular pasta, cook it first (you can rehydrate the protein in the same water), drain, then go into the next steps. You can use some of that pasta water to mix the dry ingredients to form your sauce. For ease, you can cook all the ingredients together. The sauce may clump and it may take more time to mix together, but given time, the ingredients will mix properly. Storage: Store in an airtight container for up to two years in a dark, cool, dry place.Calories: 373kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 1034mg | Potassium: 433mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 1802IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 2mgNutritional information is an estimation only. Nutrient information for dehydrated foods is based on fresh. Use ¼ of the servicing size for the same nutrient information. Thus 1 Cup of fresh fruit has the same sugars as ¼ dried. Tried this recipe?Mention @thepurposefulpantry or tag #thepurposefulpantry!©ThePurposefulPantry. Photographs and content are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe's link is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

[imtheinvisiblequeen]

heyyya

marigold, tigerlily, cherry blossom, violet <3

Thanks for the ask, my lovely Rao! I've missed you so much and i hope that things have been going well for you. Sending lots of virtual hugs and love your way!💕

violet— do you like to cook or bake? if so, what is it that you like to make?

I love to cook! It is one of my absolute favorite thing to do and i love doing it for myself and for those i love. Consider it a subsection of my acts of service love language. I cook mainly Mexican food but i do love trying other cuisines too. I do bake but not as often as i want to - mainly because I'd have to clear out the inside of the oven because we use it for extra storage. I am also gluten and lactose intolerant so i will only bake when i am really craving a baked good. Tacos are my absolute favorite food to eat and make. I have this chicken taco recipe that i cook that is pretty much a chicken al pastor taco. they must be good if everyone who has tried them has asked me for the recipe.

marigold— do you wear any kind of jewelry on a regular basis? if so, what kind? poppy— out of the four seasons, which season of the year is your favorite and why?

I really don't wear much jewelry despite owning a few pieces. It's okay and i will wear it when an occasion calls for it but not for my regular day to day. Plus I also spent a lot of time in science labs during my academic time and it was not allowed for lab safety. But you know what I do want? I would love to have a few rings so that I can use them to stim.

tigerlily— do you have any favorite quotes from any movies, tv shows, books, or poetry? (or from people in real life)

I have so many favorites but here are three of the top of my head:

"Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should." — Ian Malcolm, Jurassic Park

"Obviously I'm going to buy you all the milkshakes and animal-style fries you want. Bankrupt me, bitch." - @inthedayswhenlandswerefew, Eccentricity fic

"We are notes in this beautiful concert of existence. If we don't play ourselves, nobody will." - Rodrigo de Souza, Mozart in the Jungle

*there is this quote from Simu Liu's book We Were Dreamers where i was like i need to highlight this because it was so relevant and i totally forgot about and i wish i had because it was perfect for this.

cherry blossom— how do you feel about perfume or cologne? do you personally wear it or do you prefer not to?

I am all here for it and love when people find their scent. I am a Sì Passione by Armani bitch and I wear it to school, work, or occasions where needed. But if i am home or just going out to run errands and what not, i will just use sprays from Bath and Body Works.

[adeebasaifisblog]

King Oyster Mushrooms: A Culinary and Nutritional Marvel

King oyster mushrooms, also known as *Pleurotus eryngii*, are a type of gourmet mushroom that have gained popularity for their unique texture, rich umami flavor, and versatile culinary uses. Native to Mediterranean regions, these mushrooms are now cultivated worldwide and have become a favorite ingredient for home cooks and professional chefs alike.

What Makes King Oyster Mushrooms Special?

1. Unique Appearance

King oyster mushrooms are easily identifiable by their thick, meaty stems and small, flat caps. Their ivory color and sturdy structure make them stand out among other mushroom varieties.

2. Meaty Texture

The dense and chewy texture of king oyster mushrooms makes them an excellent plant-based substitute for meat. When cooked, they develop a tender yet firm consistency, often compared to scallops or chicken.

3. Rich Flavor

These mushrooms have a mild, earthy flavor with a hint of nuttiness. Their taste intensifies when cooked, absorbing and complementing the flavors of sauces, marinades, and spices.

Health Benefits of King Oyster Mushrooms

1. Rich in Nutrients

King oyster mushrooms are low in calories but high in essential nutrients like protein, dietary fiber, B vitamins, and minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, and iron.

2. Antioxidant Properties

These mushrooms are a good source of antioxidants, which help protect the body against oxidative stress and support overall health.

3. Boosts Heart Health

They contain compounds that may help reduce cholesterol levels and improve cardiovascular health.

4. Supports Immune Function

Like many mushrooms, king oyster mushrooms are rich in polysaccharides, which can enhance the immune system's ability to fight infections.

Culinary Uses of King Oyster Mushrooms

The versatility of king oyster mushrooms is one of their greatest strengths. Here are some ways to enjoy them:

1. Grilled or Pan-Seared

Slice the stems into rounds and sear them in a hot pan with olive oil, garlic, and herbs. This method highlights their meaty texture and rich flavor.

2. In Soups and Stews

Add sliced king oyster mushrooms to broths, soups, or stews for a hearty, umami-packed addition.

3. As a Vegan Scallop Alternative

Cut the stems into thick pieces, marinate them, and cook them as a substitute for scallops. This dish is a favorite among vegan and vegetarian diners.

4. Stir-Fried

Toss them into stir-fries with soy sauce, ginger, and vegetables for a quick and delicious meal.

5. Smoked or Roasted

Smoke or roast the mushrooms for a unique depth of flavor. They can be used as a topping for pizzas, salads, or even burgers.

Tips for Cooking with King Oyster Mushrooms

Preparation: Clean them gently with a damp cloth or rinse quickly under running water. Avoid soaking, as mushrooms absorb water.

Cooking: Cook on high heat to bring out their natural flavors and achieve a crispy exterior.

Pairings: They pair well with garlic, soy sauce, thyme, rosemary, butter, and citrus.

Where to Buy and How to Store

Where to Buy: King oyster mushrooms are available in most grocery stores, specialty food shops, and farmers’ markets. Look for firm mushrooms with no signs of discoloration or sliminess.

Storage: Keep them in a paper bag or a breathable container in the refrigerator. They can last up to a week when stored properly.

King oyster mushrooms are a delightful ingredient that offers incredible versatility, health benefits, and gourmet appeal. Whether you're a seasoned chef or a home cook exploring new flavors, these mushrooms are a fantastic addition to your culinary repertoire. Try them today and experience their meaty texture and rich taste that have won over food lovers around the world!

Have you cooked with king oyster mushrooms? Share your favorite recipes or tips in the comments below!**