#honestly i have no limits on how much seafood or ice cream can i eat!!! they are my fav foods ever!!!!!

[sukipi]

some of my fav eats from recently!!!

[72stars]

Golden Deer Food & Wine Festival (aka idle thoughts on characters' favorite foods and teas)

in which I try to organize information and my thoughts on a topic and then go ahead and post it because "eh, someone else might be interested". includes Fire Emblem: Three Houses spoilers, but mostly about Claude's heritage which is basically an open secret in this fandom in general by now anyway? (honestly if you're paying attention you can figure it out in part one pretty easily - he may have promised his parents not to say where he's from but he really pushes the boundaries on that promise.) anyway fair warning!

post includes: the Golden Deer and the (non-Wolf) students I've recruited in my current playthrough (Sylvain, Caspar, Linhardt, Dorothea, Ferdinand, Mercedes, + Cyril & Flayn) because, well, those are the characters on my mind atm and this is already going to be super long, so I'll leave it there (for now?)...

Byleth

no canonical information. a blank slate that eats a lot, for you to headcanon preferences onto as you wish. iirc there's one or two early game questions other characters ask re: whether Byleth likes sweet or spicy food (as if these are somehow mutually exclusive), but these effect nothing but affection points.

(headcanon: actually really likes both sweet and spicy foods, but main preference is just for convenient foods - sweet bun trio, sandwiches, skewers, etc. something they can shove in their face as they move on to whatever they're doing next. also likes sweet teas. likes putting more sugar in their sweet teas. sometimes has to be actively stopped from turning their tea into a lightly tea-flavored pile of wet sugar. why are you like this, Teach? (the answer: not used to sweets and now has regular access to them and cannot and will not be stopped))

Claude

favorite teas: Almyran Pine Needles, Chamomile

liked foods: Pheasant Roast with Berry Sauce, Beast Meat Teppanyaki, Pickled Rabbit Skewers, Daphnel Stew, Gronder Meat Skewers, Derdriu-Style Fried Pheasant, Onion Gratin Soup, Country-Style Red Turnip Plate, Vegetable Stir-Fry, Bourgeois Pike, Sauteed Jerky, Garreg Mach Meat Pie, Cheesy Verona Stew, Gautier Cheese Gratin, Cabbage and Herring Stew

disliked foods: Saghert and Cream, Sweet Bun Trio, Fried Crayfish

cooking ability: okay (mentions in different places that he can cook, but maybe it's just wrt to Almyran dishes. though given his cooking dialogue shows him being adventurous with ingredients/ingredient combinations, it might also just be that he cooks things that he really likes, but everyone else is just kind of "eh, it's okay" on because of how much he tailored it to his preferences...) (thinking about it, given his knowledge of poisons and the fact that he's survived multiple assassination attempts, I wonder if his cooking style (and also maybe his fondness for wild game) came about because he had to learn to cook for himself with whatever he could get his hands on to limit opportunities to kill him...)

thoughts:

fandom: haha Dimitri likes cheese :)

Claude: YEAH, look at that wacky guy Dimitri, liking all the cheese dishes. so silly, liking cheese so much, haha... ha... *quietly shoves more cheese in his mouth when no one's looking*

...yeah but no seriously it's just funny to me that you see a lot of fanart with Claude playing the straight man to Dimitri's cheese fixation and oh, would you look at that, guess who likes every cheese dish on the menu. Dimitri, yes, but also Claude. (doesn't like the Blue Cheese gift item, though. guess he prefers his cheese with less mold in it, idk) (and okay, with the cooking ability section in mind: how much cheese do you think he puts in his cooking. maybe Dimitri'd like his cooking...)

okay, call-out post about Claude's love of cheese aside, main things of note: doesn't like sweets (though apparently is neutral on it if it's ice cream, maybe because of the novelty? will also accept sweet sauce on pheasant), really likes cheese and pheasant and meat-heavy dishes in general. "eh" on fish, likes some vegetable dishes. likes a fair amount of convenient foods, like skewers, the meat pie, and the fried pheasant, which specifically mentions its sandwichability in its description. would probably love fast food, just burgers and 20 piece chicken nuggets everyday. likes almost every recipe in the "bitter" category, and everything in the "meat" category.

tea! likes the explicitly Almyran tea, because of course he does, and, interestingly, chamomile, which according to the description "calms nerves and heightens concentration", the latter of which fits with Claude, and the former of which fits with what chamomile's known for irl, and is interesting to me, in a "further justifies my headcanon of Claude having anxiety issues, he's just usually pretty adept at hiding it" kind of way. (being subjected to assassination attempts and harassment from an early age will do that to you, I'd imagine) oh, and apparently pine needle tea is actually a thing? and it's said to be good for eyesight, and high in vitamins A & C, so good for things like skin regeneration and your immune system...

Hilda

favorite teas: Albinean Berry Blend, Southern Fruit Blend, Rose Petal Blend, Mint Leaves

liked foods: Saghert and Cream, Sweet Bun Trio, Peach Sorbet, Derdriu-Style Fried Pheasant, Country-Style Red Turnip Plate, Fish and Bean Soup, Fisherman’s Bounty, Two-Fish Saute, Cheesy Verona Stew, Gautier Cheese Gratin

disliked foods: Garreg Mach Meat Pie, Pickled Seafood and Vegetables, Cabbage and Herring Stew

cooking ability: okay (and is very "haha it's probably going to be bad don't be upset if it is :) ( :( )" about it, oh no. does mention having fun, but also would rather not do it every day)

thoughts: a fan of sweets and cheese (though not as much of a fan as Claude on the latter, given she's missing a cheese dish). likes fish well enough, so long as it's not pickled or has fish guts in it (two of her liked fish dishes have white trout in them - favorite fish?). has a surprisingly wide variety of teas she likes. just kind of has a variety of likes in general, maybe cultivated by her social butterfly nature? just kind of picked up different dishes and teas she likes from trying foods her friends and people she's getting to know like. (thinking about it, the "oh, okay" varied aspect of her liked/disliked lists could also be due to her fear of disappointing people - she could possibly like or dislike more things but doesn't express that so as to avoid people being like "oh." at her. or maybe she just has varied tastes, eh. (either way though she still stares directly into Claude's eyes as she pushes two of his favorite dishes onto the floor like a disappointed and judgemental cat))

Lorenz

favorite teas: Bergamot, Rose Petal Blend, Seiros Tea

liked foods: Saghert and Cream, Daphnel Stew, Onion Gratin Soup, Fish and Bean Soup, Fruit and Herring Tart, Two-Fish Saute, Bourgeois Pike, Garreg Mach Meat Pie, Cabbage and Herring Stew

disliked foods: Beast Meat Teppanyaki, Pickled Rabbit Skewers, Gronder Meat Skewers, Fisherman’s Bounty, Spicy Fish and Turnip Stew, Sweet and Salty Whitefish Saute, Sauteed Pheasant and Eggs, Small Fish Skewers

cooking ability: okay (starts out confident despite admitted lack of experience then quickly goes "uhhhh what am I doing ;;")

thoughts: likes three expensive teas (though neither of the two most expensive), because of course he does, and one of them has rose petals, because of course it does. (interestingly, the Seiros tea is specifically mentioned as Almyran - "Seiros tea" is just its name in Fodlan. kind of quietly hinting at his potential for a friendly rivalry and later just friendship with Claude via one of his main interests? hm. or maybe it's just "gotta look religious because I'm a noble so I guess I'll drink the religiously named tea". it's also said to be "fairly basic" in its flavors, maybe good for adding whatever you'd like into it, which would appeal to a tea nerd? also fun fact: bergamot is used in the real-world Early Grey Tea, which is probably what 3H's Bergamot tea is meant to be. a tea associated with being "posh" or upper-class and associated with a real-world noble...) also likes the dish that literally has "bourgeois" in the name, because of course he does. has a lot of dislikes, and apparently a specific fish dislike of Teutates Loach, which features in all of his disliked fish dishes except for the fish skewers, which is also the only recipe with the Airmid Goby. not a fan of wild game dishes - is it specifically the wild game, or does he just not like non-fish or -poultry meat in general? hm

Marianne

favorite teas: Dagda Fruit Blend, Cinnamon Blend, Lavender Blend

liked foods: Saghert and Cream, Sweet Bun Trio, Peach Sorbet, Vegetable Pasta Salad, Onion Gratin Soup, Vegetable Stir-Fry, Fish and Bean Soup, Fruit and Herring Tart, Fisherman’s Bounty, Two-Fish Saute, Bourgeois Pike, Super-Spicy Fish Dango, Sauteed Pheasant and Eggs, Cheesy Verona Stew, Cabbage and Herring Stew

disliked foods: Beast Meat Teppanyaki, Pickled Rabbit Skewers, Gronder Meat Skewers, Gautier Cheese Gratin

cooking ability: okay (mother taught her when she was very young, but not good at complicated dishes. probably hasn't had the chance to cook much since her parents disappeared...)

thoughts: going through her liked foods I thought she was pescatarian, which makes sense, then all of a sudden pheasant dish. I guess she's mostly pescatarian but just really likes that one dish? a guilty pleasure sort of thing. (wait, actually, according to the description the vegetable stir-fry has eggs in it. maybe she likes eggs?) another fan of sweets, and likes two teas with "unique" flavors. also, lavender is said to be good for anxiety...

Lysithea

favorite teas: Sweet-Apple Blend, Southern Fruit Blend, Crescent-Moon Tea, Honeyed-Fruit Blend

liked foods: Saghert and Cream, Sweet Bun Trio, Pheasant Roast with Berry Sauce, Peach Sorbet, Pickled Rabbit Skewers, Derdriu-Style Fried Pheasant, Two-Fish Saute

disliked foods: Vegetable Pasta Salad, Onion Gratin Soup, Country-Style Red Turnip Plate, Vegetable Stir-Fry, Grilled Herring, Fish and Bean Soup, Fruit and Herring Tart, Fish Sandwich, Bourgeois Pike, Sauteed Jerky, Spicy Fish and Turnip Stew, Sweet and Salty Whitefish Saute, Super-Spicy Fish Dango, Sauteed Pheasant and Eggs, Garreg Mach Meat Pie, Cheesy Verona Stew, Pickled Seafood and Vegetables, Cabbage and Herring Stew, Small Fish Skewers, Fried Crayfish

cooking ability: okay (confident, steers away from using an unspecified vegetable because "it's not highly favored". not highly favored by who, hm? :V)

thoughts: oh. my. god, this fucking dislike list. I started laughing like halfway through it because it's ridiculous, she dislikes basically every vegetable dish and all but like two fish dishes (and the one fish dish she likes is the buttery one), but of course loves everything sweet. Lysithea. Lysithea. this is not how you get people to not view you as a child, Lysithea.

also it's kind of funny she specifically likes the wild game dish that involves rabbits, given she has roughly the coloration of an albino one, and even has lop ear-like chunks of hair. that's cannibalism, Lysithea.

Leonie

favorite teas: Four-Spice Blend, Angelica Tea

liked foods: Beast Meat Teppanyaki, Daphnel Stew, Gronder Meat Skewers, Derdriu-Style Fried Pheasant, Onion Gratin Soup, Vegetable Stir-Fry, Grilled Herring, Fish and Bean Soup, Fruit and Herring Tart, Fisherman’s Bounty, Fish Sandwich, Two-Fish Saute, Bourgeois Pike, Spicy Fish and Turnip Stew, Sweet and Salty Whitefish Saute, Super-Spicy Fish Dango, Cheesy Verona Stew, Pickled Seafood and Vegetables, Cabbage and Herring Stew

disliked foods: Saghert and Cream, Sweet Bun Trio, Peach Sorbet, Small Fish Skewers

cooking ability: okay (confident, "just do what feels right")

thoughts: in direct contrast to Lysithea, likes practically everything on the menu but the sweets, but particularly likes fish and vegetables. her favorite teas are a "cleansing herbal tea" and one "that requires a mature palate". she's the practical tomboy big sister of the group and she's not too fussy. also the only female character so far to not like sweets. oh, and did you know angelica is an actual plant? it has medicinal uses, but is also used in alcohol...

Ignatz

favorite teas: Dagda Fruit Blend, Seiros Tea, Lavender Blend

liked foods: Saghert and Cream, Sweet Bun Trio, Vegetable Pasta Salad, Vegetable Stir-Fry, Fish and Bean Soup, Fruit and Herring Tart, Fisherman’s Bounty, Two-Fish Saute, Bourgeois Pike, Super-Spicy Fish Dango, Sauteed Pheasant and Eggs, Garreg Mach Meat Pie, Cabbage and Herring Stew

disliked foods: Spicy Fish and Turnip Stew, Pickled Seafood and Vegetables, Gautier Cheese Gratin

cooking ability: okay (humble, gonna do his best, interested in aesthetics as much as taste)

thoughts: another almost-pescatarian character with a poultry dish (or two, in his case - three if you include that sneaky egg-having stir-fry dish) in the mix! also the first of the dudes in this post to like more than one sweet dish (he's also implied by Raph to have low blood sugar, so the penchant for sweets makes sense even besides as a simple taste thing? though eating meat or some kind of protein in general generally helps me out more, personally). has a broad range of liked teas - one "unique", one "basic", one "refreshing". note the lavender tea, though, and remember its use for anxiety.

Raphael

favorite teas: Almond Blend, Ginger Tea

liked foods: Pheasant Roast with Berry Sauce, Beast Meat Teppanyaki, Pickled Rabbit Skewers, Daphnel Stew, Gronder Meat Skewers, Derdriu-Style Fried Pheasant, Country-Style Red Turnip Plate, Fish and Bean Soup, Fisherman’s Bounty, Fish Sandwich, Sauteed Jerky, Sauteed Pheasant and Eggs, Garreg Mach Meat Pie, Cheesy Verona Stew, Pickled Seafood and Vegetables, Gautier Cheese Gratin

disliked foods: Vegetable Pasta Salad, Vegetable Stir-Fry, Fried Crayfish

cooking ability: a disaster (good at eating food, but not making it. "try throwing everything together and pouring in some salt. I'd eat that!" honey, no.)

thoughts: practically a carnivore - has exactly one dish he likes with no meat in it, and it's the "country-style" one. if it's not full of protein (or country-style) he's not interested. speaking of protein, one of his favorite teas literally has sliced nuts in it - a tea with protein and stuff you can chew on, sounds about right. the other one, meanwhile, is made with ginger, which is said to help with digestion, which I imagine would be handy for a big eater.

Sylvain

favorite teas: Bergamot, Seiros Tea

liked foods: Sweet Bun Trio, Pheasant Roast with Berry Sauce, Fish and Bean Soup, Fruit and Herring Tart, Fish Sandwich, Two-Fish Saute, Spicy Fish and Turnip Stew, Sweet and Salty Whitefish Saute, Super-Spicy Fish Dango, Sauteed Pheasant and Eggs, Garreg Mach Meat Pie, Cheesy Verona Stew

disliked foods: Beast Meat Teppanyaki, Fisherman’s Bounty, Small Fish Skewers, Fried Crayfish

cooking ability: okay (but not confident about it all)

thoughts: big fan of spicy food and fish, this guy. neutral on his region's signature dish on the menu. the one pure sweet he likes is the one he can share, which fits? fancy tea and a basic tea. also he likes two of the same teas as Lorenz. Bergamot and Seiros tea: the teas for skirt-chasers.

Caspar

favorite tea: Ginger Tea

liked foods: Sweet Bun Trio, Beast Meat Teppanyaki, Pickled Rabbit Skewers, Daphnel Stew, Gronder Meat Skewers, Derdriu-Style Fried Pheasant, Vegetable Pasta Salad, Country-Style Red Turnip Plate, Vegetable Stir-Fry, Sauteed Jerky, Sauteed Pheasant and Eggs, Garreg Mach Meat Pie

disliked foods: Onion Gratin Soup, Grilled Herring, Fish and Bean Soup, Fruit and Herring Tart, Fish Sandwich, Two-Fish Saute, Bourgeois Pike, Spicy Fish and Turnip Stew, Sweet and Salty Whitefish Saute, Super-Spicy Fish Dango, Cheesy Verona Stew, Pickled Seafood and Vegetables, Gautier Cheese Gratin, Cabbage and Herring Stew, Small Fish Skewers, Fried Crayfish

cooking ability: a disaster (very confident! has no right to be. (does mention "and try not to burn", at least.) ends up apologetically leaving everything to Byleth because he fucks up the ingredients "every time". Cas why)

thoughts: the one sweet thing he likes is the shareable one and it's a liked dish he shares with Linhardt and that's cute as hell. also boy howdy does this boy hate fish and cheese. he dislikes all but one fish dish, and dislikes every cheese dish. given you learn early on that he tends to just sort of inhale his food so he can move on and do something else, I wonder if he dislikes those because he tends to choke on them... (or maybe he has a fish allergy and is lactose intolerant, who knows? he even dislikes the one fishing-related gift, the fishing float...) does eat his veggies, though, so he's got that. like fellow big eater Raph, likes the ginger tea - it is, in fact, the only tea he likes (aside from the two most expensive ones, which are basically the Owl Feathers of the teas and don't count). though given he likes the two non-fish dishes in the "spicy" category and the ginger tea is described as spicy, it may just be a spice thing.

Linhardt

favorite teas: Almyran Pine Needles, Angelica Tea

liked foods: Saghert and Cream, Sweet Bun Trio, Pheasant Roast with Berry Sauce, Peach Sorbet, Daphnel Stew, Onion Gratin Soup, Fish and Bean Soup, Garreg Mach Meat Pie, Gautier Cheese Gratin

disliked foods: Beast Meat Teppanyaki, Pickled Rabbit Skewers, Gronder Meat Skewers, Vegetable Stir-Fry, Grilled Herring, Fisherman’s Bounty, Sauteed Jerky, Spicy Fish and Turnip Stew, Sweet and Salty Whitefish Saute, Sauteed Pheasant and Eggs, Small Fish Skewers, Fried Crayfish

cooking ability: okay ("most useful as a taste tester ;)", the rest is up to you! (he's kidding) recipe-only, "easy")

thoughts: well someone's a picky eater. likes sweets and cheese (opposite of his bff Caspar), and for a guy who likes to fish, only likes two fish dishes, both of which involve white trout. (has one of the other white trout dishes in his disliked list, though, so it's probably not that he's a fan of white trout.) also dislikes wild game, and has mixed feelings on poultry, which given his dislike of blood makes sense. also has no liked vegetable dishes, and dislikes one of the ones Caspar likes. I'm becoming concerned with how well he and Caspar manage to eat in their ending together... tea-wise, likes an earthy tea and an herbal tea. pine needles for eyesight, angelica for... digestive problems, including loss of appetite? maybe he's not just picky, and it's a stomach thing... (I went and looked at his dining hall quotes and he calls himself picky, though, so eh?)

Dorothea

favorite teas: Sweet-Apple Blend, Albinean Berry Blend

liked foods: Saghert and Cream, Peach Sorbet, Vegetable Pasta Salad, Onion Gratin Soup, Country-Style Red Turnip Plate, Vegetable Stir-Fry, Garreg Mach Meat Pie, Gautier Cheese Gratin

disliked foods: Grilled Herring, Fish and Bean Soup, Fruit and Herring Tart, Fisherman’s Bounty, Spicy Fish and Turnip Stew, Sweet and Salty Whitefish Saute, Small Fish Skewers, Fried Crayfish

cooking ability: okay (can cook, but "meh" on it. "all the same once it's in your stomach")

thoughts: like sweets, vegetables, and cheese well enough, and not a fan of fish in most contexts (any context other than "smothered with cheese and onions", specifically). tends to express a "meh"/"idk" attitude toward food in her cooking and dining hall dialogue, and pretty much carries through, except for the pronounced dislike of seafood. both of her teas are specifically mentioned as popular. actually, thinking about it, the phrasing of her dining hall dialogue is kind of odd - "I think I like this, but it's been a while, so I'm not sure", "I'm pretty sure I don't like this, but I'll be OK as long as it's edible". can she taste things? is she hedging around what she likes/dislikes? or due to her childhood has she just simply reached new levels "well so long as I'm not starving and so long as it's not fish, fuck it who cares"? ??? ???????????

Ferdinand

favorite teas: Almyran Pine Needles, Southern Fruit Blend, Seiros Tea

liked foods: Saghert and Cream, Sweet Bun Trio, Pheasant Roast with Berry Sauce, Daphnel Stew, Vegetable Pasta Salad, Onion Gratin Soup, Vegetable Stir-Fry, Grilled Herring, Fruit and Herring Tart, Fisherman’s Bounty, Fish Sandwich, Bourgeois Pike, Sauteed Pheasant and Eggs

disliked foods: Garreg Mach Meat Pie, Cheesy Verona Stew, Pickled Seafood and Vegetables, Gautier Cheese Gratin, Cabbage and Herring Stew

cooking ability: okay (knows how to cook, but inexperienced. ...immediately starts fucking up, but apparently not bad enough to be part of disaster squad)

thoughts: literally the only things he dislikes are all in the "bitter" category, and aside from being ambivalent toward the "meat" category he likes practically everything else from every other category. even his tea likes are a bit all over the place. honestly so long as it's not particularly bitter you can probably give him anything to eat and he'd just shove it in his mouth and probably enjoy it or at least be like "yeah, this is okay". (and even with this bitter category, in BE playthroughs where you build his supports with Hubie he learns to like coffee, and could potentially get to like other bitter things as well?) he'd be right at home in SoV, eating flour. :V Dorothea compares him to a bee, but he's a lot like a dog in some ways. a big, friendly dog that will eat almost anything...

Mercedes

favorite teas: Albinean Berry Blend, Southern Fruit Blend, Crescent-Moon Tea

liked foods: Saghert and Cream, Sweet Bun Trio, Pheasant Roast with Berry Sauce, Peach Sorbet, Vegetable Pasta Salad, Onion Gratin Soup, Grilled Herring, Fish and Bean Soup, Fruit and Herring Tart, Two-Fish Saute

disliked foods: Beast Meat Teppanyaki, Pickled Rabbit Skewers, Daphnel Stew, Gronder Meat Skewers, Fish Sandwich, Sauteed Jerky, Spicy Fish and Turnip Stew, Sweet and Salty Whitefish Saute, Super-Spicy Fish Dango, Sauteed Pheasant and Eggs, Garreg Mach Meat Pie, Gautier Cheese Gratin

cooking ability: great! (enjoys baking sweets, "not sure about cooking other kinds of food". likes cooking more than studying or training)

thoughts: here for the sweets and some fish, dislikes all but one "meat" recipe, dislikes the entire "spicy" category, and both poultry options in the "bitter" category. I thought her not being sure about cooking non-baked goods was just her being humble, but maybe it's also because she dislikes so much stuff she's worried it'll affect her cooking...

Cyril

favorite teas: Almyran Pine Needles

liked foods: Pheasant Roast with Berry Sauce, Beast Meat Teppanyaki, Pickled Rabbit Skewers, Daphnel Stew, Gronder Meat Skewers, Derdriu-Style Fried Pheasant, Vegetable Pasta Salad, Vegetable Stir-Fry, Fish and Bean Soup, Two-Fish Saute, Sauteed Jerky, Sauteed Pheasant and Eggs

disliked foods: Onion Gratin Soup, Cheesy Verona Stew, Pickled Seafood and Vegetables, Cabbage and Herring Stew, Small Fish Skewers, Fried Crayfish

cooking ability: okay (doesn't know how to cook, but willing to help. has done other work around the kitchen, but not cooked)

thoughts: likes meats, not a big fan of cheese or couple of items from the "bitter" category (and as you might've noticed, most characters are ambivalent at best toward the fish skewers and crayfish but I mean who fries their crawfish anyway, boil it in spices or put it in an etoufee or something), but otherwise? honestly probably just happy to be eating regular meals. his lone liked tea is the primary Almyran one, which again benefits eyesight, befitting an archer (and thinking about it, also handy for axe-wielders, given axes' lower hit rates)

Flayn

favorite teas: Sweet-Apple Blend, Crescent-Moon Tea, Almond Blend

liked foods: Saghert and Cream, Sweet Bun Trio, Pheasant Roast with Berry Sauce, Peach Sorbet, Onion Gratin Soup, Country-Style Red Turnip Plate, Grilled Herring, Fish and Bean Soup, Fruit and Herring Tart, Fisherman’s Bounty, Fish Sandwich, Two-Fish Saute, Bourgeois Pike, Cheesy Verona Stew, Pickled Seafood and Vegetables, Cabbage and Herring Stew

disliked foods: Vegetable Stir-Fry, Sauteed Jerky, Super-Spicy Fish Dango, Sauteed Pheasant and Eggs, Garreg Mach Meat Pie, Gautier Cheese Gratin

cooking ability: a disaster (mother was an excellent cook. her? not so much. "a bit of this, a bit of that! This will make it all the tastier", apparently not)

thoughts: tfw when you're so used to jokes exaggerating how much Flayn likes fish that when you compile a list of her liked dishes she feels like a parody of herself. also likes sweets, apparently only likes pheasant with a sweet sauce, and does not like eggs or spicy food, but only dislikes a fish dish if it's super-spicy. teas are all on the refined/subtle/elegant side of things. I wonder if she and Raph have tea together after their training sessions...

final thoughts

Cyril has never cooked and is better than Raph, Caspar, and Flayn. what are you even doing, guys...?

at some point this post became Cheesewatch 2020, carefully monitoring who does and does not like cheese amongst the Deer.

it's after 3 am and I think at one point I had a better idea of how to end this post, but...

[i-am-just-a-kiddo]

Thank you @vishcount for tagging me once again, you busy bee 💞

This took ages but was fun

1. What is the color of your hairbrush?  black

2. Name a food you never eat. hard cheese? like cheese that is not melted, the only exception is mozarella and feta 

3. Are you typically too warm or too cold? both, my system is all over the place so it keeps varying between extremes. but i loathe heat so i am not a good summer person, i whine so much 

4. What were you doing 45 minutes ago? i watched this girl on youtube dragging onision’s book lol

5. What’s your favorite candy bar? hmmm i feel like i haven’t eaten one in ages but the one i remembered now is kaštan - the chocolate is so smooth, but i don’t have it often

6. Have you ever been to a professional sports game? i don’t think so? unless you count the gymnastics competions i went to when i was a child and still doing gymnastics

7. What is the last thing you said out loud? “enjoy your food” to my flatmate cooking in the kitchen 

8. What is your favourite ice cream? chocolate and lemon sorbet (or just any sorbet tbh) 

9. What was the last thing you had to drink? water

10. Do you like your wallet? yeah it’s cute, my dad bought it for me when i went through my kuroshitsuji phase - it’s fake-leather with the demonic sigil on one side and the japanese name on the other (also it’s hella battered rip)

11. What is the last thing you ate? pasta with spinach and feta (why is it with these i always eat pasta)

12. Did you buy any new clothes last weekend? nope

13. What’s the last sporting event you watched? am just gonna count street dance china here

14. What is your favorite flavor of popcorn? just normal salty ones

15. Who is the last person you sent a text message to? @vishcount as well, because i love them and i enjoy their screaming as well as screaming back at them 💞

16. Ever been camping? yes, my family and i used to go camping in italy all the time, it was so lovely. i miss those times sometimes. i’ve also been camping during festivals and the last time i went was denmark in summer 2019

17. Do you take vitamins? i take vitamin d’s during winter, and also eat oranges and lemons very responsibly

18. Do you regularly attend a place of worship? i do not, i only like looking at churches/mosques when they are empty so i guess i do that often 

19. Do you have a tan? no, and my mum keeps scolding me for my paleness

20. Do you prefer chinese or pizza? please don’t make me choose sob. i wanna say both, but i think pizza wins by slight margin

21. Do you drink your soda through a straw? not really, unless am at mcdonalds or somewhere else

22. What color socks do you usually wear? very colourful ones with patters!! since my entire outfit is black usually i love having cute/colourful/patterned socks (my recent treasure was provided by vishie and i sobbed)

23. Do you ever drive above the speed limit? i can’t drive

24. What terrifies you? the future

25. Look to your left, what do you see? my water glass, my crocheting, a pile of writing material

26. What chore do you hate most? emptying the dishwasher - it’s too noisy

27. What do you think of when you hear an Australian accent? steve irwin, i loved watching his show when i was little

28. What’s your favorite soda? coke or sprite 

29. Do you go in a fast food place or just hit the drive thru? i can’t drive, so any other option

30. What’s your favorite number? i think eight but i don’t have strong feelings

31. Who’s the last person you talked to? my flatmate

32. Favorite meat? hmm fish and seafood (am 80% vegetarian so yeah) 

33. Last song you listened to? dragon tongue squad - chinese cooking (this song is so feel good and i love it okay) 

34. Last book you read? phew let me thing for a second. 

okay so i couldn’t remember the last book i read but i can name a longer dissertation called transformation and tradition: cataloguing chinese art in the middle and late imperial eras in by cheng yen-wen; and am working my way through an actual book called bronze and stone: the cult of antiquity in song dynasty china by sena yunchiahn c. (i feel like i don’t read anything else apart from uni lately - and honestly i am fine with that cause it’s fun) 

35. Favorite day of the week? friday maybe? 

36. Can you say the alphabet backwards? nope, we gotta sit here til tomorrow 

37. How do you like your coffee? black, in summer iced

38. Favorite pair of shoes? all my pairs of docs boots

39. Time you normally get up? hmm recently i have woken up somewhere between 9-10 but usually i take ages to get up so 11ish is a good time

40. What do you prefer, sunrise or sunsets? i loooooove sunsets in every form but i experience sunrises so rarely that it always feels very special and magical

41. How many blankets on your bed? one, and one for emergency

42. Describe your kitchen plates. bold of you to assume i have one set of kitchen plates and not just a jumbled mess of second hand plates and plates ppl have left in this flat ages ago. and honestly i wouldn’t want it any other way. (but i bought myself a pair of pastel pink and black plates from ikea)

43. Describe your kitchen at the moment. moderately tidy, for once it is not crowded and there are only some pots piling by the sink for drying

44. Do you have a favorite alcoholic drink? sparkling wine/prosecco, wine, beer, gin tonic

45. Do you play cards? no, only uno and maumau cause i suck at cards

46. What color is your car? invisible cause nonexistent

47. Can you change a tire? nope!!

48. Your favorite state or province? uhm. huh. i think where i live right now is good, the capital is its own province so that is nice

49. Favorite job you’ve had? i have only worked at one factory that produces measurement equipment and spirit levels for 5,5 months in total and i gotta say, it was surprisingly okay? i mean it was hell, because everyone is treated like machines, but i guess i enjoyed doing physical labour on my own without having to interact with ppl a lot; and with those i interacted they were really nice and you sort of connect through this atmosphere of being stuck there (though i guess i was most privileged cause i knew i would go to uni and wouldn’t be stuck here for the next 30 years like many others that worked there. i am angry about this, why is capitalism like this)

i am tagging @sassyassassy , @intyalote , @the-cloud-whisperer , @isabellaofparma (two in one day - i am sorry, my friend vishie is busy tagging me in all these so am just continuing this love train). no pressure though, as always

[jinxviolets]

i was tagged by @benoitblanc​ to answer 50 questions! thank you!! love a good distraction lol

what is the color of your hairbrush? turquoise!

name a food you never eat. seafood! i am VERY picky with seafood. i pretty much only eat salmon when i eat fish.

are you typically too warm or too cold? usually too warm. it’s rough.

what were you doing 45 minutes ago? sitting in a zoom meeting (i’m still in it lmao)

what’s your favorite candy bar? i think three muskateers! although i feel like there’s another one and suddenly i can’t think of it omg

have you ever been to a professional sports game? i have! i went to one of the last NFL games when the chargers were still in san diego

what is the last thing you said out loud? “honestly, yeah”

what is your favorite ice cream? cake batter! i am a child

what was the last thing you had to drink? dirty chai

do you like your wallet? like it, yeah, but i don’t love it. i bought it to fit in a fanny pack and never got a better one lol

what is the last thing you ate? raspberry fig bars

did you buy any new clothes last weekend? i ordered some stuff from the Coop for RTX @ home so actually yeah

what’s the last sporting event you watched? oh god. i have NO idea. i don’t watch any sports. my mom watches football though so i guess you could say i’ve “watched” 3 minutes of a football game

what is your favorite flavor of popcorn? kettle corn

who is the last person you sent a text message to? one of my best friends

ever been camping? i have done a lot of camping actually! i was a girl scout for like 12 years so there were plenty of camping trips during that

do you take vitamins? nada. although every so often i eat a vitamin c gummy lol

do you regularly attend a place of worship? nope

do you have a tan? i don’t actually really tan - usually i just burn and freckle. but i sort of do, if you count the sad tan lines i have from the times i’ve been sunburned lately

do you prefer Chinese or pizza? ooooh... i actually don’t think i have a preference here, i don’t love either

do you drink your soda through a straw? not usually

what color socks do you usually wear? i have a lot of themed socks. game of thrones, marvel, disney... and wild colors... and some white ones. so there’s no real “usual” color 

do you ever drive above the speed limit? oh always oop, i’m a bit of a speed demon (but never more than 15 miles over on the freeway)

what terrifies you? heights, death, lizards

look to your left, what do you see? my recording setup, my other desk, my internet setup

what chore do you hate most? cleaning out the litter box

what do you think of when you hear an Australian accent? my first instinct was chris hemsworth but honestly it’s probably the show h2o: just add water, which was a staple in my childhood

what’s your favorite soda? dr. pepper

do you go in a fast food place or just hit the drive thru? i always try to avoid going in when i can whoops

what’s your favorite number? 7, i am basic. love a good 9 too though

who’s the last person you talked to? my coworkers

favorite meat? steak? i think? love me some ribs though

last song you listened to? funny breathe carolina remix by zedd & jasmine thompson

last book you read? i last finished the adventure zone: petals to the metal graphic novel, but book book was fleabag: the scriptures.

favorite day of the week? saturday

can you say the alphabet backwards? i’m actually not sure lol

how do you like your coffee? cream & flavor syrup rather than sugar

favorite pair of shoes? i... don’t know that i have one

time you normally get up? THIS IS REAL EMBARRASSING because my sleep schedule is SO messed up. i tend to go to bed at 4 and get up at like 12:30. but lately i’ve been trying to adjust and sleep earlier and slowly transition to waking up at like 10

what do you prefer, sunrise or sunsets? sunsets

how many blankets on your bed? four

describe your kitchen plates. we have 2 sets - white with ivy along the outside (which is ridged), and white with various shades of blue dots ringing around the outside

describe your kitchen at the moment. regular brown cabinets, black appliances, brown/black granite(?) countertops

do you have a favorite alcoholic drink? love me a good mimosa, but also peach bellini is my jam

do you play cards? a little! my grandma comes over to play every week. we play golf or hand & foot.

what color is your car? gold/champagne

can you change a tire? i should be able to but probably not lmao

your favorite state or province? new york. it’s my absolute favorite place i’ve ever been.

favorite job you’ve had? beta reading my coworker’s novel

tagging? @stevebucks @danieljradcliffe @anakinskyiwalker @jonswon @florencerpughs 

feel free to ignore if you don’t want to or have already answered! ♥

[sukikorra]

tagged by: @louvegoods thank you so much hahah i love these tag games so muchhhhh 💘💘💘

questions n answers under the cut!

what is the color of your hairbrush? purple

name a food you never eat: seafood

are you typically too warm or too cold? always too warm

what were you doing 45 minutes ago? watching friends and eating dinner

what’s your favorite candy bar? butterfingers or reeses

have you ever been to a professional sports game? yes! orlando city soccer and usmnt 

what’s the last thing you said out loud? “can you get me some ice cream?”

what’s your favorite ice cream? anything with peanut butter and chocolate

what was the last thing you had to drink? blueberry green tea

do you like your wallet? yes! it’s attached to my lanyard with a bunch of keychains (including pepper spray bc ah. womanhood) and its very cute and colorful

what’s the last thing you ate? cheezits 

did you buy any new clothes last weekend? hahah nope

what’s the last sporting event you watched? bundesliga soccer, can’t remember who was playing though 

what is your favorite flavor of popcorn? white cheddar 

who’s the last person you sent a text message to? my boyfriend

ever go camping? yes but at fort wilderness so not really lmao

do you take vitamins? yep!

do you go to church every sunday? lmao nah

do you have a tan? yes! thank god for summertime

do you prefer chinese or pizza? probably pizza but chinese is a very very close second

do you drink soda through a straw? i don’t really drink soda, but i guess when i do its through a straw 

what color socks do you usually wear? all different kinds, my favs have lil blue pufferfish on them!

do you ever drive above the speed limit? only if i have to and it drives my bf crazy that i don’t speed lmao

what terrifies you? being kidnapped....once again, ah, womanhood

look to your left, what do you see? my backyard

what chore do you hate most? doing the dishes

what do you think of when you hear an australian accent? steve irwin and also 5sos

what’s your favorite soda? a gas station by my house has peach mello yello that’s pretty good so probably that

do you go in fast food places or just hit the drive through? drive thru

what’s your favorite number? 24 or 11

who’s the last person you talked to? my brother

favorite cut of beef? i guess ground beef hahah

last song you listened to? wildflower by five seconds of summer

last book you read? house of earth and blood by sarah j maas (it was so mf good)

favorite day of the week? typically, saturdays but at this point everyday feels the same

can you say the alphabet backwards? absolutely not hahah

how do you like your coffee? i kinda like it every way? but cold brews/espresso tend to be my go to 

favorite pair of shoes? my rain boots, they’re blue and grey and so adorable

time you normally get up? noon bc who even has a sleep schedule anymore

sunrise or sunsets? sunset

how many blankets on your bed? just the one

describe your kitchen plates? they’re just plain white ikea ones

describe your kitchen at the moment? somewhat clean

do you have a favorite alcoholic drink? my cousin makes this mixed drink with tequila, champagne, and a few different fruit juices (i think grapefruit and strawberry lemonade but i cant remember) and its the best thing ever

do you play cards? if the occasion presents itself but i’m ass at it

what color is your car? technically maroon but it honestly looks dark purple and i love it

can you change a tire? yep!

your favorite state/province/county etc? uhhh i don’t really have one so i guess florida since its my home state hahah

favorite job you’ve had? working at the pet rescue was the best and most therapeutic experience

how did you get your biggest scar? lmao i have a busted knee and i was icing it and fell asleep w the ice pack on it and woke up to a MASSIVE freezer burn, very unfortunate

tagging: @ahsokaanakins @cosmicholland @calmholland @hollandsamor @starkissedholland @ahsokafano @tonkystarky @acotars @stealth-spiderr and anyone else who wants to !!!! 

[besidemethewholedamntime]

Tagged by the lovely @springmagpies - thank you so much!!

1. What is the color of your hairbrush? Black

2. Name a food you never eat. Fish/Seafood. It just gives me the heebie jeebies

3. Are you typically too cold or too warm? Too warm. I really don’t mind/can deal with being cold but I can’t deal with being too warm at all. And I get too warm so easily

4. What were you doing 45 minutes ago? Studying the anterior triangle of the neck, which is definitely not as exciting as other things I’ve studied in this module

5. What is your favorite candy bar? Oooh a Galaxy Cookie Crumble is very very good. Either that or maltesers, but do they count because they’re not really a bar?

6. Have you ever been to a professional sports event? Yah! I’ve been to see Scotland Rugby matches a couple of times now, but just the Autumn Tests. I’ve never been to a Six Nations game or World Cup.

7. What is the last thing you said out loud? ‘I can’t believe Alfie ate an entire cake’. Because the dog has just jumped up onto the kitchen counter and eaten cupcakes we made earlier. Paper and all

8. What is your favorite ice cream? Chocolate fudge brownie!! It’s the best!

9. What was the last thing you had to drink? Water. I’m trying to drink at least two litres a day (I’m famously bad for drinking enough) but it means I need to pee all the time 

10. Do you like your wallet? Yes? I don’t have strong thoughts on it

11. What was the last thing you ate? Ice cream with a flake in it

12. Did you buy any new clothes last weekend? Nope

13. The last sporting event you watched? I think it was England vs Ireland in the Six Nations because my study group and I were at the library, then we went to the pub to watch it, and then we went back to the library afterwards 

14. What is your favorite flavor of popcorn? I do enjoy sweet popcorn!

15. Who is last person you sent a text message to? My friend, because she’s got a sewing needle stuck in her finger and I wanted to know if the hospital had phoned her back yet

16. Ever go camping? Yup. I did DofE and then cadets and there was lots of camping

17. Do you take vitamins? I have multivitamins in my drawer but I always forget to take them. I only got them for exams in December so I wouldn’t get ill when I was studying

18. Do you go to church every Sunday? Nope. And I live in a street that has a church at either end and I do feel a bit guilty about not going but the minister of one refused to marry my parents because I was already born so you know... 

19. Do you have a tan? I’m afraid not. I can’t tan. I get an allergic reaction to the sun

20. Do you prefer Chinese food or pizza? I cannot choose. It’s too hard

21. Do you drink soda with a straw? I’m guessing this means fizzy juice? I have a reusable straw for when I do, but if I forget it then I just go without

22. What color socks do you usually wear? White

23. Do you ever drive above the speed limit? Occasionally I accidentally go at 32 in a 30 but I don’t mean to. My family always make fun of me for driving at the exact speed limit but I’m such a cautious driver I’m too scared otherwise 

24. What terrifies you? Spiders. Drowning. Phone calls

25. Look to your left, what do you see? My anatomy poster of all the bones in the human body

26. What chore do you hate? Hanging up clothes. It’s my least favourite thing

27. What do you think of when you hear an Australian accent? The TV shows Neighbours or Home and Away. My sister is obsessed with both

28. What’s your favorite soda? Irn Bru. I’m just that stereotypical 

29. Do you go into a fast food place or just hit the drive-thru? Drive-Thru

30. Who’s the last person you talked to? My mum when I said goodnight 

31. Favorite cut of beef? Honestly no idea? 

32. Last song you listened to? ‘Change of Time’ by Josh Ritter

33. Last book you read? I’m in the middle of Pride and Prejudice!

34. Favorite day of the week? I quite like Tuesdays or Wednesdays. I hate Thursdays 

35. Can you say the alphabet backwards? I’ve never tried it but possibly

36. How do you like your coffee? I really don’t like coffee, sorry!

37. Favorite pair of shoes? I have a pair of yellow trainers that I got for Christmas and I absolutely adore them, but I left them in my uni flat when I had to move out really quickly before lockdown so who knows when I’ll be able to go back and get them

38. The time you normally go to sleep? 12:30-1-ish at the moment 

39. The time you normally get up? 8:30, but 7:30 on exam days 

40. What do you prefer, sunrise or sunsets? Both! But sunsets are absolutely gorgeous and when you get to see them from the mountains it’s even better

41. How many blankets on your bed? Just my duvet 

42. Describe your kitchen plates. They’re my mum’s so they’re round and white with black flowers on them. My own ones in my flat are white and blue and I’m proud that I’ve managed to keep them since first year without breaking a single one

43. Do you have a favorite alcoholic beverage? I don’t really drink all that much (I’m too much of a lightweight) but cider is sometimes nice

44. Do you play cards? My dad occasionally teaches us but I’m not good. My face shows everything I’m thinking and I can’t control it so I’m useless

45. What color is your car? Black 

46. Can you change a tire? Probably not but I might actually try to learn after my exams finish on Tuesday (Can you tell I’m really exhausted and just want exams to be over?)

47. Your favorite province? I’m not entirely sure what this means? 

48. Favorite job you’ve ever had? I’ve only ever had two and I did not enjoy McDonald’s but I love where I work now!

49. How did you get your biggest scar? I only have one and it’s really teeny and my sister gave it to me while we were playing monopoly

50. What did you do today that made someone else happy? I baked with my mum and taught her how to make scones and she was happy that she managed it (the last time she made scones was 10 years ago and they Did Not work so she was relieved they did this time)

Thank you so much for tagging me!! This was fun! Feel free to ignore this is if you like, but I tag: 

@larariannons @2minutes2midnight @agentmmayy @justanalto @rathxritter @libbyweasley  and anybody else who wishes to do it!

[pixienoms]

When I travel, I do my absolute best to eat what is offered regionally and what the areas are known for – this is especially true when I travel internationally. I just returned from Scotland, where I tried my absolute best to eat more than my stomach could ever hold. I’ve eaten things I never thought I would’ve eaten, I’ve changed my mind about certain foods, and I had the chance to taste something I’ve been dreaming about eating for years. So, here’s some of the highlights of what I’ve consumed while in Scotland!

First, I have to talk about the Arbroath smokie. This is a smoked haddock that is salted and dried overnight before being smoked in a semi-sealed barrel over a hot fire. It’s a specialty that the town of Arbroath is known for and the methods used to create this date back to the 1800s. I have always wanted to try this since I first saw it on a video that was showcasing various foods from around the world. I love seafood and fish, so this sounded like something I would really enjoy…and I was not disappointed.

Arbroath is a beautiful town on the coast and there are a lot of shops or smokeries that sell the smokie. My friend, Kate, and I were able to buy some and have them for dinner that night. They are delicious without a heavy smoke flavor, they’re not too salty, they’re not super dry, and everything about them is perfect. Just watch out for the little bones since this is served mostly whole with the bones still in it. My only regret is that I wasn’t able to bring any of them home due to a blunder of improper storage while we were traveling around. PS – the smoked salmon we got along with the smokie was absolute perfection.

The next food that I fell in love with was cullen skink. When I first saw this, it was an offering at a pub and inn built in 1739 along Findhorn Bay. The menu didn’t say much aside from it was a soup and the name gives no hints to what it might be, but I wanted to try it – especially after having spent a few hours in some cold rain while beach combing for treasures. I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect.

Turns out, it’s a soup with smoked haddock, onions, and potatoes as well as some herbs and seasoning, but very lightly so as not to overshadow the other ingredients.  It’s also thickened with mashed potatoes that are stirred in. It’s simple and something that might seem like outdated home cooking, but it was perfection. Filling, delicious, tasty, comforting, and warming – I’m officially obsessed with cullen skink and am currently trying to find smoked haddock where I live so I can make this as soon as possible.

I had cullen skink days later at a restaurant and the broth was thickened with cream instead of mashed potatoes. It wasn’t as delicious as it was compared to the first place I had it, but still tasty.

It’s time to talk about haggis. I will freely admit that the idea of what haggis is and how it’s portrayed in America really does this food a disservice. I was so completely put off by the idea of it that I didn’t want to try it. My friend Kate convinced me to give it a try and it turns out I love it.

We had haggis in a variety of different ways – fried into bon bons for appetizers, as a topping for nachos, I had it traditionally served with neeps and tatties (turnips and potatoes) and gravy all over in a pub that was built in 1705, and my friend even had a massive slice on it served on a burger in that same pub.

I’ve heard about Nando’s (Peri Peri Chicken) being talked about a ton on social media. So while I was in the UK, I had to try it. They have a nearly overwhelming amount of ways to have their chicken served up as well as numerous sauces in various degrees of spice to pick from and taste. I did my best to try them all and had a few favorites.

In my opinion, it was delicious food and the chicken was tasty as was their variety of sauces…but I think I’m missing what the obsession is about. I don’t think it’s something I’d go out of my way to eat – especially since there are a vast variety of other places to pick from and limited time for me while on vacation there.

Another thing that was hit or miss for me was gammon steak. It’s a dry salted or brined piece of ham that’s usually served with eggs, chips (fries), and other bits for a meal. I had it at a restaurant and it was too salty to eat – so overly salty that nothing helped to tame down the assault on my tongue. I had it again later on and loved it since it wasn’t overly salty. Would I give it a try again? It depends on the situation. If I’m at a restaurant, I would more likely choose something else from the menu. If someone makes it for me at their home, I’d happily eat it.

One of the few baked treats that I purchased and enjoyed was an empire biscuit. I never had or heard about these before! It’s basically two shortbread cookies with cherry or some other berry/fruit jam sandwiched between them, topped with an icing and a glac�� cherry on top. It was tender, crumbly, not overly sweet, and delicious with hot coffee.

During my trip, I had Scottish smoked or cured salmon in a variety of ways – in sandwiches, topping salads, as it’s own dish served with rye crackers, and so much more. I love salmon and it’s one of my favorite fishes to eat, so to have it so fresh and done in various ways that different restaurants serve it was delightful to me.

It’s no surprise that people in the UK love their chips…So much so that Chinese restaurants offer up salt and pepper chips! I was surprised to see this as it’s not something I’ve ever seen offered anywhere else, but it’s delicious! Just like salt and pepper prawns/shrimp or chicken, it’s fried chips that’s then tossed with salt and sliced hot peppers. Chips was also served with lasagna – something else that I’ve never seen before, but Kate made sure to inform me that if there was no chips with lasagna, there would be riots and the restaurant would be put out of business.

Of course, I had fish and chips! The restaurant that I chose to eat this ate served up fish the size of my forearm from elbow to wrist. I tried my best to eat it all, and couldn’t. But it was still delicious and everything you thought it would be with a light, crispy batter that held the malt vinegar in a way that didn’t make it super soggy.

To end this on a sweet note…I had a soft-served ice cream cone with a flake bar. It’s a personal favorite of mine and always a must when I travel to Europe.

For the sake of length, I didn’t get into all the packaged snacks, sweets, and beverages that I had on this trip. Maybe that can be a different write up if anyone is interested in knowing my opinions on what I did have.

To sum this all up, very delicious food was had. Some meh food was had. I have new food obsessions. I have many food recipes I want to try and make to fit the ingredients available to me locally. But mainly everyone should give something a try…even if they think they don’t like it. Especially if it’s a regional specialty because you’ll be surprised that when food is done traditionally, it’s something completely different compared to when it’s made elsewhere in the world. Also an idea of something is not actually representative to how it tastes. I’m sorry for ever being repulsed by you, Haggis!

Culinary Adventures: Eating Around Scotland. When I travel, I do my absolute best to eat what is offered regionally and what the areas are known for - this is especially true when I travel internationally.

[missguomeiyun]

hot pot @ Chinese Hot Pot Buffet

You did not read incorrectly & I did not type incorrectly - I really did have hot pot at Chinese Hot Pot Buffet! 

I think many of you are just as confused as I was when I 1st heard the name of the “restaurant” haha sometime last year, I had heard of it through a coworker & I was like, “what’s the restaurant place called?” It’s not a common name/type of name for any restaurant, really, but it is what it is - it’s AYCE Chinese hot pot buffet :P 

It currently occupies the old location of Bonanza, which is now closed. That was a buffet restaurant that I had been to once. Tbh, it was forgettable & I rarely go for buffets. Last night, I went to Chinese Hot Pot Buffet for a birthday party~

Arrived @ 7:30pm, the time that the reservation for 10 was for, & guess what! There was a huge crowd at the door. From eavesdropping, there were regular “walk-in” diners, there were other “7:30″ reserved diners. .. & some have been waiting since 7pm o_O! Honestly, it felt like a big mess at the door. To say it was a small waiting area is not entirely correct; I thought it was a decent size... but there were just soo SO many ppl! 

Once you walk in, there’s the “waiting area”, & then the restaurant is kind of divided in half. A large seating area on the left & right side of the entrance. 

After 10mins, we got seated at a circular table that was in a separate divided section in the restaurant. It was very loud, & it felt like I was in Asia lol. Anyway, ignore the heating element in the center of the table; I don’t think it’s actually use-able.

*Someone else had the table order form & I didn’t even look at it lol however, it had the broth options, drinks options, & various meats (including dumplings/wontons). The meats come out from the kitchen all plated, which you’ll see later. 

The rest of the food is buffet style. The bowls & plates are on the bottom shelf, & then you just go for the things you wanna eat! Note that there’s only 1 “station” set up in the entire restaurant; therefore it’s crowded here like all the time! & there’s no real “order” or anything; you just gotta try your best & wait for your turn, I guess. 

[The photo shows items that are mainly found in cans or packages in grocery stores, as well as “root” veggies. For example, baby corn, lotus root, daikon, konnyaku, bean curd, etc...]

On the website, they stated they have over 150 items. In the picture above, there’s already 20. Like I was saying, space is not abundant so I didn’t get a chance to take photos of the buffet area in full; however, I did not think they have over 150 items to choose from.. . at least not the food alone. I mean, the sauce counter had like 20 sauces + aromatics (like garlic, chili peppers, cilantro & green onions) available for you, so including that, there was over 150. 

Below are some of the things that I did take photos of.

Cooked appetizers (the chilled kinds). ..there was about 10 available. 

Cooked appetizers (the warm kinds), which is mainly all fried items, like dry ribs, spring rolls, & a handful of typical dimsum items.

The “partially” cooked items, majority was thawed fish balls that you can find at Asian grocery markets. 

“Adventurous” proteins - think topping options for pho: tendon, tripe. .. & then there’s Spam in the bottom left corner haha to the right of this was the noodles section, which wasn’t really a section but rather they are kept in Rubbermaid containers (instant noodles, udon, vermicelli). 

To the left of this was veggies. I really liked the variety & selection! 

Adjacent to the veggies was seafood: oysters, shrimp, mussels, surf clams, squid, cuttlefish, basa. ..yeah that was pretty much it. I love oysters!! 

Desserts. There’s only coffee cake & Chinese osmanthus + goji berry jelly, but there was also 3 ice cream options, mango pudding/jelly, coconut jelly, & classic coconut + tapioca dessert soup. Last but not least, the fried buns with condensed milk. Oh! & if you’re too full for actual desserts, there’s some fruits as well. 

Okay, my sauce: garlic, green onion, sesame seeds, sesame paste, XO sauce, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, chili oil, chili flakes, & satay sauce. 

I just got the regular chicken broth, which is “free”. Any of their special broth is an extra $2, however, the refill is just regular chicken broth. 

Our meats came! Well, here’s round 1 of many. This was all gone after 1 rotation of the lazy susan.. . so we ordered more. However, magically, no matter what we told the server, the same plate containing the same amount of meats came. I’m not sure how the portion/serving sizes work but we ordered so many times & eventually lost track. 

PS: I didn’t take photos as we ate bcos I was too busy chatting & eating haha but I had a great time! 

Ahh the beef was my fav <3

YESSSS!!! 

& then 4 desserts for myself :D

I really liked the selection & freshness of the food. The meats ordering thing was a little weird but you can always order more so it wasn’t a big deal. The place was pretty much “printing money” the entire time; after 9pm, they have the “after hour” special, which is cheaper but you only get 5 items so we noticed that ~9:30pm, there was like another HUGE rush of customers coming in. The restaurant’s website is very informative & accurate, & so I’d recommend checking that out (hrs, pricing, “specials”). They do have an unofficial time limit of 2hrs, which is dependent on how many ppl are waiting (you know how it is), esp if your party is occupying a large circular table for 10 ppl (these tables are rare), thus, don’t be alarmed if they sorta rush you out after you finish paying (the waitress was like “ok thank you, see you next time.”); it was SO busy last night! Overall, I had a good experience~ 

* * * epilogue * * *

I was here for Kevin’s bday, & basically the OG crew from junior high was here haha they all hang out regularly but I haven’t seen some of them for over a decade. It felt really “old school” & the atmosphere was so awesome. No awkwardness or unfamiliarity at all & I’m super happy I was able to come. Thank you all for a wonderful Saturday evening!

[renegadeslut]

all of them

woooooaaaaah thats a lot but thanks thatll keep me busy for a while!!

1) What images do you have set for your desktop/cell phone wallpapers?            

me and my bf

2) Have you ever had a crush on a teacher?        

nah      

3) What was your last text message?  

“nice :D thats my boy haha”            

4) What do you see yourself doing in 10 years?  

oh god i really dont wanna think about it i mean ill be 30 then meaning ill be an old ugly hag with nothing to live for :/            

5) If you could be anywhere else right now, where would you be?

somewhere warm where ive never been before or with someone i love              

6) What was your coolest Halloween costume?      

i went as magenta from the rocky horror picture show last year that was really cool        

7) What was your favorite 90s show?   

i didnt watch tv in the 90s yet, the only things i know are some 90s anime but i do really like those generally           

8) Who was your last kiss? 

my boyfriend            

9) Have you ever been stood up? 

nah             

10) Favorite ice cream flavor?   

uhh i like nut flavours and mango           

11) Have you been to Las Vegas? 

nah               12) Your favorite pair of shoes?  

brown brogues with thick lighter soles i love them i cant wait for it to be warm enough to wear them again              13) Honestly, have you ever cheated on your significant other?  

no              14) What is your favorite fruit?               

figs!!! i also rlly like mangoes and peaches

15) Have you talked to anyone on tumblr that you could see yourself dating/having sex with? If possible?   

nah          

16) Are you into hookups? Short or long term relationships?  

still havent figured up how exactly a hookup is defined, generally both can be p nice i guess but i gotta really really REALLY like a person to even consider a relationship             

17) Do you smoke? If so, what?       

yeah tobacco and a fun stick every now and then       

18) What do you do to get over your anger?   

nothing i should probably figure out some method for that sooner or later haha           

19) Do you believe in God?    

nah          

20) Does the person you’re in love with know it?    

yes          

21) Favorite position?            

as in sex position? spooning and that  legs on shoulders thing    22) What’s your horoscope sign? 

cancer :/             

23) Your fears?

MAKING A WRONG DECISION!!!!, aging, missing out on stuff               

24) How many pets do you have? What kind?

2 cats                25) What never fails to turn you on?    

woah idk man          

26) Your idea of a perfect first date? 

im not really into that whole dating concept but lets say dinner and drinks             

27) What is something most people don’t know about you?

dont think there is anything tbh              

28) What makes you feel the happiest?

the people i love and the beauty in the world              

29) What store do you shop at most often? 

grocery store probably haha             

30) How do you feel about oral? Giving and/or receiving?  

its nice but neither is really like my fav thing ever you feel me?              31) Do you believe in karma?       

nah       

32) Are you single?        

no      

33) Do you think flowers or candy are a better way to apologize?      

depends on what the person in question likes better        

34) Are you a good swimmer?               

i guess? i used to swim a lot as a kid

35) Coffee or Tea?       

while tea has more to offer taste-wise i need coffee to function so if i had to decide on one for the rest of my life im gonna have to go with coffee       

36) Online shopping or shopping in person? 

shopping in person             

37) Would you rather be older or younger than your current age?       

younger       

38) Cats or Dogs?               

cats

39) Are you a competitive person?     

oh i can be         

40) Do you believe in aliens?        

yeah duh      

41) Do you like dancing?    

kinda but i have zero sense of rhythm :/          

42) What kind of music to you listen to?     

thats a broad field lmao i esp like classic rock but it ranges from anime music to opera so idk        

43) What is your favorite cartoon character?        

homer simpson? haha      

44) Where are you from?    

the glorious danube monarchy          

45) Eat at home or eat out?   

eat out when im with others and at home when alone           

46) How much more social are you when you’re drunk?     

like 5 more social         

47) What was the last thing you bought for yourself?      

i gotta be really stingy rn but it was energy drinks           48) Why do you think your followers follow you?  

i have no fuckin clue            

49) How many hours do you sleep at night?    

8+          

50) What worries you most about the future? 

everything hahaha             

51) If you had a friend that spoke to you the same way you speak to yourself, how long would you be friends?            

we wouldnt i guess lmao  

52) Are you happy with yourself? 

no             

53) What do you wish you didn’t know?   

there is nothing i think           

54) What big lesson could people learn from your life?    

dont drink on an empty stomach and dont try to be yourself ever          

55) If you could live in any home on a television series, what would it be?  

oooh  thats tough

56) What’s your favorite Website?    

no clue youtube??          

57) What’s the habit you’re proudest of breaking? 

i have never broken a single habit in my entire life             

58) What was your most recent trip of more than 50 miles?  

woah no clue whas that teneriffa a year ago?? woah its been long apparently            

59) What’s the best bargain you’ve ever found at a garage sale or thrift store?  

once at an anime convention i got a limited edition manga (only 500!!) for like 2 euros

60) What do you order when you eat Chinese food?

i always try to order something different but im usually into stuff involving noodles beef or seafood              

61) If you had to be named after one of the 50 states, which would it be?   

i dont know all the states

62) If you had to teach a subject to a class, what would it be?    

german as a first language          

63) Favorite kind of chips?   

not so fond of chips tbh           

64) Favorite kind of sandwich?      

avocado toast? salmon? tuna? caprese? idk        

65) Which do you use more often, the dictionary or the thesaurus? 

no idea             

66) Have you ever been stung by a bee?        

no       

67) What’s your favorite form of exercise?  

strength training i fuckin hate cardio            

68) Are you afraid of heights?    

not particularly          

69) What’s the most memorable class you’ve ever taken?  

no idea            

70) What’s your favorite breakfast?             

just an apple or something  

71) Do you like guacamole? 

they call me avocado girl             

72) Have you ever been in a physical fight?        

yeah as a kid      

73) What/who are you thinking about right now?  

my bf            

74) Do you like cuddling? 

yeah!!             

75) Are you holding onto something you need to let go of?

dont think so              

76) Have you ever experienced one of your biggest fears?        

i am in fact aging as we speak      

77) Favorite city you’ve been to? 

prague, vienna, lisbon and berlin are the first to come to mind             

78) Would you break the law to save a family member?      

yeah i guess        

79) Talk about an embarrassing moment? 

once i puked into my crushes garden on his birthday it was very funny             

80) Are there any causes you strongly believe in?   

nah           

81) What’s the worst injury you’ve ever had? 

had to get stitches on my lip once bc i fell on the playground :/             

82) Favorite day of the week?   

friday!           

83) Do you consider yourself sexually open minded?

sorta yeah              

84) How do you feel about porn?         

not my cup of tea     

85) Which living celebrity would you like to know?   

bob dylan maybe??           

86) Who was your hottest ex?              

only have 1

87) Do you want/have kids?  

please no            

88) Has anyone ever told you that they wanted to marry you?  

nah            

89) Do you get easily distracted?    

oh yeah and how          

90) Ass or titties?               

lmao

91) What is your favorite word?  

i have several but most of them are in german             

92) How do you feel about tattoos?   

i really like them and i do wanna get one but not anytime soon bc i dont have any concrete plans yet and absolutely no cash           

93) Do you have any pets?       

yeah       

94) How tall are you?

160 cm :(              

95) How old are you? 

20 :(             

96) 3 physical features you get complimented on a lot?   

eyes, figure, breasts           

97) Is there anything you’re really passionate about?    

love and beauty??          

98) Do you have trust issues?               

i dont think so

99) Do you believe in love at first sight?  

nah            

100) What are some words that you live by? Why?   

do everything as much as possible but also dont make a wrong decision ever

it makes everything very complicated and quite a mess           

[trendingnewsb]

Couple Order $300-Per-Person Dinner At #7 Restaurant In The World, And Here’s What They Get

Everyone has their dirty pleasures, and this couple has just paid 600 dollars to enjoy a very particular one. A 25-course meal at Gaggan restaurant in Bangkok that’s described as “a journey through modern Indian cuisine in 25 emojis.” I assume that most of us won’t be tasting it soon, so let’s at least have a look at what the number 7 restaurant in the world has to offer, shall we?

According to The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, “Chef Gaggan Anand has consistently transformed his tasting menu, developing conversation-starting dishes like the spherified Yoghurt Explosion and creating a dining experience that reflects the warmth of Thai hospitality in Bangkok.” The innovative establishment has been named No.1 in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants for three consecutive years!

Scroll down to check out what the couple had, and hurry up if you want to visit the place yourself! Anand plans to close Gaggan in 2020 to open a small restaurant in Fukuoka, Japan, with fellow cook and friend Takeshi ‘Goh’ Fukuyama.

“My wife and I first went to this restaurant on our honeymoon in 2013. It wasn’t very well known then, the concierge at our hotel couldn’t even give us directions (and he was sporting a clef d’ors badge!)

Back then, they had 2 set menus and an a la carte option. We went the first time and had a set menu for about $70 for two and enjoyed it so much we went back a couple of nights later for the à la carte.

For our fourth anniversary, we made the trip back to Bangkok and before we had even booked flights, I had booked us in at this restaurant we had raved about ever since our honeymoon.

When we arrived, the maître d’ told us that we were invited to the chef’s table and did we accept (of course!)

The restaurant has changed a bit in the last four years, renovations etc. and the chef’s table was in the extension to the main restaurant and upstairs. We went upstairs with the 10 other guests and these were the menus placed before us — oh boy!”

“I’ve included another photo which is a bit clearer. The pen marks are where the new wine was to be poured — we couldn’t NOT have the matching wine — and what a fantastic decision that was too. So here it is: 25 (twenty five) courses!”

“Some prep work going on while we waited.”

“Here we have the first course: paan.

Paan is a traditional Indian street food made with betel leaf, a variety of fruits, spices, seeds, and occasionally tobacco.

This paan had a small betel leaf prepared in a light tempura batter and some chilli dabbed on top — a far cry from the paan I had first tasted at about 1am on the streets of Delhi!”

“Ah yes, as Chef Gaggan called it, “the dish that made him famous”.

In 2013, this dish was on his menu, and he says it will be on his last ever menu too.

Simple, although probably not. It is yoghurt (think raita) but spherified. The spherification (and reverse spherification) process is about the combination of a preparation including sodium alginate, and a preparation high in calcium. The sodium alginate and calcium solution react to form a thin skin around your solution and as you put it in your mouth, the yoghurt explodes and you drink it.”

“Here he is, the man himself, Chef Gaggan Anand.

All around nice guy, and just super passionate about making good food using different techniques.

We first met him when we just finished eating at his restaurant the second time and it was raining, so we were waiting out front for a taxi; there was this chef there and he asked us how we enjoyed our meal (it was amazing!) and then we started to discuss politics as the riots had just started. He wished us a good night as we hopped in the taxi and we saw him walk across the road and unlock a BMW — ah, might have been Gaggan that we just spoke to!

Rumour has it that he was a big drive for the Michelin Guide to finally come to Bangkok last year. In a city full of stand out restaurants, he’s been a consistently strong performer and really helped put it on the culinary map, so I can believe those rumours. How many Michelin stars did he get first time around? Just a casual two!”

“So the next course was prawn heads with goo…only kidding!

You know tom yum soup? This is freeze dried prawn head with a concoction in an edible film wrapper which tasted like the most amazing tom yum soup!”

“Three courses down and I’m starving! Oh good, little biscuits then!

These are eggplant wafers. I cannot even begin to describe how painful the process of making these sounds, but I’ll give it a go:

1) roast the eggplants until they’re burned on the outside and cooked inside

2) blast freeze to -40*C

3) freeze dry to remove all moisture (about 4 days)

4) pound into powder, mix with spices and oil to make a dough and cut with cookie cutter

5) put onion chutney in the inside like an oreo

Congratulate the 8-9 chefs who worked on it for 5-6 days before serving to your guests to devour in one bite!”

“Shake your bon bon! Chilli bon bons!

As with everything so far, not too spicy, a very delicate balance of flavours and textures — a beautifully firm but delicate shell with a creamy, slightly spicy inside.”

“This one got me a little. One of my favourite on the menu for sure.

A heartier serve than other portions prior, a meaty dish that really had some great flavours going on.

Apparently it was goat. Brains. What? I’ve eaten brains before and there’s quite a soft texture to them, I remember it being almost creamy which I didn’t think this dish had. On reflection though, I suppose it wasn’t a really meaty texture, just a hint of meaty flavour and a smoothness to the bite after breaking the shell around it.”

“Anyone here au fait with subcontinental cuisine? Does idli sambar sound familiar?

Idli are a type of rice cake and sambar is a lentil-based dish cooked in a tamarind broth giving it a hint of sweetness.

In this instance, the idli were more like rice puffs, soft and very light, while the sambar was a foam which brought the subtle sweetness of the tamarind through with the more noticeable savouriness of the lentil soup.”

“What a dude.

Forget the formality of chef’s whites, Gaggan is a rock star and would prefer to make great food and give guests a good time than try to “look the part”.

Let the food do the talking.”

“Did you notice the jug and bowl in the previous picture? That’s right — liquid nitrogen!

These bad boys are chicken liver and coconut. If I’m being honest, I’ve kinda forgotten the flavours of this dish so I’m terribly sorry.”

“Burgers? Yes please!

I remember one of the sommeliers asking me what my favourite dish was and I didn’t want to say this dish because everyone else had said it, but it was a fantastic little burger. It was probably the surprise factor to an extent — just unassuming and then bam! Really terrific flavours and yet so simple.”

“Fish tacos. Hands down my favourite variety of taco — a nice soft tortilla with perhaps a fresh mango salsa and some beautiful, fresh fish et voilà!

Despite my least favourite taco shell (being a hard one), this was a chance to showcase the quality seafood that you can get in Bangkok. It was a joy to eat.”

“Any guesses?

How about yuzu marshmallow and foie gras?

This marshmallow was really well made (like, REALLY!) it was a little chewy, but only insofar as to offer the slightest resistance as you bit through it and took a small pillow of citrus with your foie gras and wafer. Incredible.”

“At this point, Gaggan walked around asking everyone the same thing: is this cheesecake, or is this fish?

Who has two thumbs, speaks limited French and only said cheesecake because everyone else said fish? This moi.

It was fish. Of course it was fish. It was OBVIOUS it was fish. I just thought that maybe, MAYBE, the obvious answer wasn’t the right answer. What a dweeb.

Well, it was a cheesecake texture, and an interesting take on the fish cake!”

“Uni = sea urchin.

Honestly, not my favourite. People love it, and that’s cool. I’m just not one of them and that’s okay too.

Those little balls on top? Oh hey, welcome back spherification! Those are gin and tonic balls.

Aside from the fact that uni isn’t something I enjoy, I got this dish. It was serving some crisp flavours with the gin and tonic balls (and a bit of sorbet below the uni) to cut through the seafood-y flavour of the sea urchin all served in an easy-to-hold seaweed wrapper.”

“Fresh (I mean prepared right in front of us) medium fatty tuna sushi.

I can’t tell you how good this was — you just have that feeling when you take a bit of something and know that everything is right in this world.”

“14 dishes down. Now for a matcha tea ceremony. I had a video but couldn’t upload it — it’s no problem.

Everyone knows matcha tea, it’s made with…matcha? Well, this was a cold preparation made with asparagus, celery, and some other vegetables and herbs WHICH PERFECTLY REPLICATED THE TASTE OF MATCHA!! This is witchcraft. I honestly couldn’t tell you how surprised I was that he told us we basically just had vegetable soup.”

“You like pork? You like curry with a kick? How about a mouthful-sized serving of pork vindaloo served in a coating of panko breadcrumbs? Yum.”

“Guess who’s wife doesn’t eat scallops so they got to eat the whole dang thing? THIS GUY!

An uncooked curry: yes it was served temperate, yes those scallops were to die for, and yes, that is a quenelle of coconut ice cream which combined with a slightly spicy green chutney to just remind you that this was a curry you were eating.”

“Caged chicken.”

“Oh, actually, it’s quail! I might have tried to convince my wife to let me have her portion of this one too…

Chettinad is a typically spicy curry from southern India, in this instance, that fire was reduced to a marinade before cooking, and then a small dollop of just-spicy-enough goodness beneath the quail breasts.”

“Cooking, it is said, allowed humans’ brains to develop to a higher level than other animals. Gaggan gave a very impassioned talk about cooking food and the impact of cooked food on human development; the thing is that I heard a similar speech earlier in 2017 at the best restaurants in the world presentation when Heston Blumenthal was presented with a lifetime achievement award. His speech was so arduous that I thought he might have been under the influence and my opinion of him certainly dropped several rungs that night.

Anyway, it was a nice talk that Gaggan gave, and certainly an “oooo” moment as he grabbed his crème brûlée torch and lit these bad boys up.”

“So this is Paturi. Paturi is one of those universal dishes which seems to have been simultaneously invented by every civilisation around the world.

Simply, it is cooking something in a banana leaf. This particular specimen was cooked sandwiched between cedar wood, with some rice and fish wrapped in the banana leaf.”

“More fire!

Unfortunately I failed to hear the exact method behind this dish. Essentially, it was this very crisp exterior which mimicked charcoal in texture, with some of this in powdered form on top. What was inside was this creamy asparagus, although not overwhelmingly asparagus flavoured. A really, really interesting dish from a texture perspective.”

“Actually, forget what I said before about my favourite dish. THIS was my favourite dish.

Lobster in a delicately spiced sauce, on top of a dosa (an Indian pancake of sorts). You know how I said I like fish tacos except in the soft tortilla? Yeah, swap the fish and mango salsa for lobster in a curry-style sauce and that’s more like it. I tried stealing the wife’s portion again but almost got my hand bitten off.”

“We got served this box next, wonder what’s inside?”

“Ca-uutteee.

Roses. Hand-made. Out of…beetroot? Well, I couldn’t tell it was beetroot. A shame to destroy someone’s handiwork, but heck, I already ate the eggplant cookie so I didn’t feel that bad.”

“Wait, so curry mango and chocolate?

Not the most outrageous thing I’ve eaten tonight, I’ll try it…of course it’s amazing. It’s exactly what you think will happen when a team of passionate, top-notch chefs put their mind to creating a fusion of something we think of as earthy and spicy, with the sweetness of mango and then have the chocolate sandwich it together.”

“Twist on the Black Forest cake anyone? I forget how the cherries were prepared, but they had that nice tang to them that cherries sometimes get, while the powder melted in your saliva to give a wonderful creamy texture to a classic dessert.”

“Oh hey! Another box!”

“Oh boy! More mango! For someone who loves mangoes, this was a treat.

Ghewar, or ghevar, is a sweet biscuity-cake snack from northern India. In this case, combine this ghewar, which isn’t overly sweet, with a slice of mango to give it a little sweetness kick, results in a divine dessert to close off this epic culinary journey.”

“Overall, it was about a five out of seven (maybe even a 13/10). Would definitely eat there a fourth time to see what Gaggan and his team have devised next.”

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