#kibbe salt

[moodooivy]

I have been wanting to draw Pokemon for awhile, and I finally did it. Kind of. I drew some Sans AUs and Salt AUs as Eeveelutions! Yay!

Blue and Beryl are Eevees. (Before anyone asks "Why are they so small?" It's because Eevee is a single foot tall and Jolteon and Glaceon, who are the next smallest are 2' 7'') Horror and Horary are Flareons. Cross and Crucifix are Vaporeons. Error and Erratum are Jolteons. Nightmare and Nightshade are Umbreons. Dream and Dawn are Espeons. Killer and Kibbe are Leafeons. Dust and Dusk are Glaceons. Ink and Ivy are Sylveons.

I made two different versions because I'm not sure which color palette I prefer. I'm working on drawing them individually and I'll probably use the bottom colors/bone colors.

Pokemon: Game Freak/Nintendo Undertale: Toby Fox Blue: Popcornpr1nce Ink: Comyet Dream: Jokublog Nightmare: Jokublog Error: Crayonqueen Horror: Sour-Apple-Studios Killer: Rahafwabas Dust: Ask-Dusttale Cross: Jakei95 Beryl, Ivy, Dawn, Nightshade, Erratum, Horary, Kibbe, Dusk, Crucifix: Me

[sunlitglycerin]

books of 2023

key:

🌔 reread

🪹 no thoughts no praise

🌊 i have to emotionally recover from this

💥 many thoughts not all praise

🌷 enjoyable

🫧 lovely

january

1. annihilation by jeff vandermeer 🌊

2. the uncoupling by meg wolitzer 🪹

3. the interestings by meg wolitzer 🌔

4. sorrow and bliss by meg mason 💥

5. the catcher in the rye by j.d. salinger  🌷

6. brown girl in the ring by nalo hopkinson 🌷

7. astrid parker doesn’t fail by ashley herring blake 🪹

february

8. little eyes by samanta schweblin 🌷

9. we have always lived in the castle by shirley jackson 🫧

10. fight club by chuck palahniuk 🫧

11. salt fish girl by larissa lai 🫧

12. a visit from the goon squad by jennifer egan 🌊

13. wintergirls by laurie halse anderson 🌊

14. oryx and crake by margaret atwood 🪹

15. severance by ling ma 🌊

march

16. olga dies dreaming by xóchitl gonzález 💥

17. the hating game by sally thorne 🌊

18. second first impressions by sally thorne 🌷

19. american royals by katherine mcgee 💥

20. the worst best man by mia sosa 🌷

21. my year of rest and relaxation by ottessa moshfegh 🌔

22. the change by kirsten miller 🫧

23. sealed with a diss by lisi harrison 🌔

24. fledgling by octavia butler 💥

25. the road by cormac mccarthy 🌊

26. intimacies by katie kitamura 🫧

27. le divorce by diane johnson 🌊

april

28. it happened one summer: a novel by tessa bailey 💥

29. fifty words for rain by asha lemmie💥

30. all my puny sorrows by miriam toews 🌔

31. speak by laurie halse anderson 🌔

32. the queen’s gambit by walter tevis 🫧

33. you will know me: a novel by megan abbot 🌷

34. the virgin suicides by jeffrey eugenides 🌔

35. the boy, the mole, the fox and the horse by charlie mackery 🌊

may

36. beautiful world, where are you: a novel by sally rooney 🌷

37. conversations with friends: a novel by sally rooney 🌊

38. a tree grows in brooklyn by betty smith 🫧

39. emergency contacts by mary h.k. choi 🌔

40. i’ll give you the sun by jandy nelson 🌔

41. if i never met you: a novel by mhairi mcfarlane 🌷

42. the girls by emma cline 🌊

43. confessions of a shopaholic: a novel by sophie kinsella 💥

44. second place: a novel by rachel cusk 🌊

45. convenience store woman by sayaka murata 🌔

june

46. the black presidency: barack obama and the politics of race in america by michael eric dyson 🫧

47. i’ll be you by janelle brown 🪹

48. the best american short stories (2020) 🌊

49. crazy rich asians by kevin kwan 🌔

50. the suitors: a novel by cécile david-weill 🌷

51. monster high by lisi harrison 🌔

52. elegance by kathleen tessaro 🌔

53. monster high: the ghoul next door by lisi harrison 🌔

54. monster high: where there’s a wolf, there’s a way by lisi harrison 🌔

july

55. monster high: back and deader than ever by lisi harrison 🌔

56. thin girls by diana clarke 🌊

57. eileen by ottessa moshfegh 🌷

58. china rich girlfriend by kevin kwan 🌔

59. composing a life by mary catherine bateson 🌷

60. in every mirror she’s black by lọlá ákínmádé åkerström 🌊

61. the invasion by k.a. applegate (animorphs) 🌔

62. less by andrew sean greer 🌊

63. the visitor by k.a. applegate (animorphs) 🌔

august

64. when katie met cassidy by camille perri 🌷

65. the message by k.a. applegate (animorphs) 🌔

66. the predator by k.a. applegate (animorphs) 🌔

67. the capture by k.a. applegate (animorphs) 🌔

68. the stranger by k.a. applegate (animorphs) 🌔

69. david kibbe's metamorphosis: discover your image identity and dazzle as only you can by david kibbe (who could have guessed) 🌷

70. the most fun we ever had by claire lombardo 🌔

71. earthlings by sayaka murata 🫧

72. pageboy: a memoir by elliot page 🫧

73. diary of an oxygen thief by anonymous 🌊

74. bridget jones’s diary by helen fielding 🌷

september

75. idol, burning by rin usami 🫧

76. cleopatra and frankenstein by coco mellors 🌷

77. kitchen by banana yoshimoto 🫧

78. addiction by design by natasha dow schüll 🌊

79. the fellowship of the ring by j.r.r. tolkein 💥

80. smashed: story of a drunken girlhood by koren zailckas 🌊

october

81. american psycho by bret easton ellis 🌊

82. all the lovers in the night by mieko kawakami 🫧

83. peace, love, and baby ducks by lauren myracle 🌖

84. if i had your face by frances cha 🌊

85. milk fed by melissa broder 🪹

86. legally blonde by amanda brown 💥

november

87. seven ways we lie by riley redgate 🌖

88. even the stars look lonesome by maya angelou 🫧

89. airhead by meg cabot 🌖

90. being nikki by meg cabot 🌖

91. runaway by meg cabot 🌖

92. wuthering heights by emily brontë 🌊

93. slouching towards bethlehem by joan didion 🫧

94. the heart principle by helen hoang 💥

95. in the shape of a human body i am visiting earth, edited by ilya kaminsky, dominic luxford, and jesse nathan 🌊

96. good for you by tammara webber 🌖

97. here without you by tammara webber 🪹

december

98. breasts and eggs by mieko kawakami 🌊

99. ender’s shadow by orson scott card 🌖

100. girlfriend in a coma by douglas coupland 🌊

101. altered states by anita brookner 🌊

102. i don’t know how she does it by allison pearson 💥

103. the hunger games by suzanne collins 🌖

104. catching fire by suzanne collins 🌖

105. mockingjay by suzanne collins 🌖

[mrlenesmck]

( florence pugh , 20 , 10 april , cisfemale ) ϟ  ━ woah , i think i just saw MARLENE MCKINNON ! there’s been so much happening lately that i totally forgot about the HALF BLOOD but i am glad to see HER still around . they always had wanted to be A HIT WITCH , i wonder how that’s going. the last i heard about them was that they might be involved with THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX , but i’m not sure how true that is. besides, they always seemed UNFLINCHING and COMPASSIONATE . although , now that i think about it they were also RECKLESS and SELF-DESTRUCTIVE . still the GRYFFINDOR alum always reminded me of EVERYTHING I WANTED by BILLIE EILISH and THE SEA BREEZE BATTERING DOWN YOUR WINDOWS , THE KIND OF WARMTH YOU FEEL IN YOUR BONES , CIGARETTE ASH ON YOUR TONGUE. i hope they haven’t changed too much !

I N T R O

full name ➵ Marlene Mórrígan McKinnon.

nicknames ➵ Marls; Kinno; Marley; Lena; Mick; Mickey.

pronouns ➵ she/her/hers.

birthdate / age ➵ 10 April, 1960, 3:07 am / 20 years old.

birthplace ➵ Blochairn, Glasgow, Scotland.

childhood home ➵ The House of Scar, Sanndaigh (Sanday), Orkney, Scotland.

current residence ➵ Diagon Alley, London, England.

sexual orientation  ➵ Bisexual, Biromantic.

blood status ➵ Halfblood.

occupation ➵ Hit Wizard.

affiliation  ➵ Order of the Phoenix.

P H Y S I C A L

height ➵ 5 feet, 3 inches.

body type ➵ slim figure; soft natural kibbe body type.

hair ➵ dirty blonde or dyed brown; soft and straight or wavy.

eye color ➵ green.

dominant hand ➵ right.

FC ➵ Florence Pugh.

voice ➵ Laura Fraser ( natural Scottish accent ).

special characteristics ➵

prominent freckles on shoulders;

birthmark shaped like a stone on her left thumb;

tattoo of arrows pointing down on her left forearm just below her inner elbow;

tattoo of a bee on her inner left wrist;

tattoo of a match stick on her inner left wrist;

tattoo of a doe for Lily.

smells of ➵

salt and seaweed;

apple shampoo;

dragonhide leather;

cocoa butter lotion;

coconut body wash.

E M O T I O N A L

zodiac ➵ aries sun; capricorn rising; virgo moon.

MBTI ➵ ENTJ (“The Commander”).

positive traits ➵ dauntless; compassionate; family-oriented; unflinching; adventurous; dedicated; observant; vibrant; benevolent; loyal.

negative traits ➵ self-destructive; reckless; overprotective; dogmatic; relentless; ruthless; restless; impatient; stubborn; blunt.

likes ➵ arguing; Firewhiskey; Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them (the book); dueling, family; cobblestones; buying records; bell bottom jeans; the Montrose Magpies; protecting her friends; Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans; apple crumble; Quidditch World Cup; Led Zeppelin; salted popcorn; coffee; red wine; going to rallies; parties; smoking (of any & all varieties); making her dad proud; her owl.

dislikes ➵ having to follow instructions when she knows she’s right; bigotry; Pepper-Up Potion; silver masks; the color orange; fake banana sweets (c’mon, really); any team other than the Scotland National Team (because Scotland is FAR superior, losers); losing; being asked why she supports the Magpies when her great great grandmother (maternal side) was a Parkin in blood (of the Wigtown Wanderers); mayonnaise; foods that are too spicy; strawberry jelly; disappointing people; funerals.

amortentia ➵

broom wax;

apple cider vinegar;

leather;

the sea;

water lilies;

shortbread.

M A G I C

blood status ➵ halfblood.

wand ➵ Aspen, White River Monster Spine core, 12 inches, unyielding.

Pottermore, Ollivander: Wand-quality aspen wood is white and fine-grained, and highly prized by all wand-makers for its stylish resemblance to ivory and its usually outstanding charmwork. The proper owner of the aspen wand is often an accomplished duellist, or destined to be so, for the aspen wand is one of those particularly suited to martial magic. An infamous and secretive eighteenth-century duelling club, which called itself The Silver Spears, was reputed to admit only those who owned aspen wands. In my experience, aspen wand owners are generally strong-minded and determined, more likely than most to be attracted by quests and new orders; this is a wand for revolutionaries.

Aspen  ➵ ‘yearning for justice’ comes out as them being executors; adaptability is core trait; least associated with death compared to poplar and black poplar; communication comes easy for them; highly aware of own mortality; elemental composition is primarily fire and ice based; talent for charmwork, dueling, martial magics, ancient rituals and magics; best subjects include charms, defense against the dark arts, history of magic, ancient runes and arithmancy; aspen wand owners work best in groups and are energised by the presence of other people.

Pottermore, Ollivander: American wandmaker Thiago Quintana’s harvesting of White River Monster spines initially raised concerns of over-fishing, but because he was the only one who knew how to lure the creatures, the ecological impact was not severe. They were no longer used as a wand core after Quintana’s death (in new wands), as he took the secret of luring the creature to his grave. This core produces spells of force and elegance.

White River Monster Spine  ➵ often choose masters who are steady, observant and passionate, who choose what is right over what is easy, are unafraid of hard work and enjoy challenges but also stubborn, stubborn enough to feel like they have to go it alone even when they don’t have to and have strong instincts that make it difficult to accept being told to stop when they believe they’re in the right, are self-sacrificing and far too willing to play martyr, good at adapting to tragedy and putting aside their own feelings, highly attached to certain places and people and will defend them to their utmost ability; masters are often sensitive to people’s and creature’s vibrations and are good at judging the intentions of others and their presence in general and if trained could be able to distinguish between vibrations of different creatures, at highest level this would bean differentiating individual being’s vibrations; elemental composition of this wand is water and plant based, with earth as secondary element; talent in magic with transformation, travel, protection, regeneration, agriculture and sensing; best areas of magic include transfiguration, herbology, defense, magical creatures and potions (divination may be too overwhelming for them); ivory, navy blue and black ripples are emitted during spellwork and magic smells of algae, water lilies and a tang of apple cider vinegar; possesses ability to self-heal after being injured; highly attuned to owner’s favorite places and can act as a compass, pointing their owner towards home.

Ellie, McKinnon lore: Aspen and White River Monster Spine is a very rare, if nigh on impossible to find, combination. Quintana took the secret of acquiring the spines to his grave, and no other attempts since his death in 1934 have ever been successful. Only 3% of his wands were ever created pairing the core with Aspen. Some years before his death, the then 74 year old Chalmers McKinnon purchased 6 of Quintana’s wands - one Aspen, one Poplar, one Lilac, one Sycamore, one Sea Buckthorn, & one Black Locust - at the request of his wife, noted Seer Ismene McKinnon, all of which were ended up locked away in the McKinnon family vault until the newest generation of McKinnon’s turned 11 and were able to attempt to find their match. Until Marlene came along, only two of the wands ever found their master - her father, and her aunt, Iola. The rest of the wands still remain unclaimed, and after her father and her aunts deaths, both wands were buried with them.

Combination  ➵ makes for an excellent and complementary combination; the owner is a passionate revolutionary who are never content with the state of things and are persistent and steadfast in their desire to change the world around them; reliable wixes who perform best under pressure, who are strong willed and refuse to back down from just about anything, which is especially true if they are defending or protecting something or someone; good at compartmentalizing and focusing on a mission to the point that people can believe they are cold and unfeeling but the opposite is much closer to the truth as they put their all into their beliefs, often stretching themselves thin, are horrid on relying on others and will work themselves to the bone if permitted; martyr complex is woven through their very being; observant, not much gets past them, and are excellent judges of character like a ‘human sneakoscope’; can be excellent leaders or followers if they are being led by someone they consider competent; don’t care much for material objects; excellent reflexes and above average pain tolerance; elemental composition of this wand is fire, ice, water and plant based; talent in magic with transformation, rituals, travel, protection, regeneration, agriculture, vibrations, dueling and charmwork; overall an excellent all-around wand; silver, black and periwinkle ripples are emitted from this wand during spellwork and its magic smells of snow, water lilies and cinders; works well in all temperatures and does not need special products for hot temps like other aspen wands; when grouped with other aspen wands they will communicate with one another and can perform group spells if required; core is territorial against other white river monster cores and the cores feed into each other during duels (the longest duel of such endured for 12 straight hours); has the ability to self-heal after being injured; wand can act as compass.

patronus ➵ Hippocampus.

animagus ( would-be ) ➵ Horse ( Thessaly breed; white with grey dopples ).

E D U C A T I O N

Hogwarts class ➵ Gryffindor, 1978.

extracurriculars ➵

Gryffindor Beater / September 1973 - June 1978.

Wizards’ Chess / October 1973 - June 1973.

Duelling Club / September 1974 - June 1978.

Remus Lupin Appreciation Club ( unofficial club ) / September 1975 - June 1978.

Duelling Club President ( unofficial position ) / September 1977 - June 1978.

courses & exams ➵

O.W.L.s

Ancient Runes - O

Arithmancy - O

Charms - O

Defence Against the Dark Arts - O

Herbology - O

History of Magic - O

Muggle Studies - E

Potions - O

Transfiguration - O

N.E.W.T.s

Ancient Runes - O

Arithmancy - O

Charms - O

Defence Against the Dark Arts - O

Herbology - O

History of Magic - O

Potions - O

Transfiguration - O

M I S C E L L A N E O U S

health ➵

suffers from an undiagnosed panic disorder.

pets ➵

Apostolos; the Eurasian eagle owl.

handwriting ➵ Signerica.

F A M I L Y

Chalmers McKinnon ➵ b. 1828, d. 1945; great, great - grandfather; Ravenclaw; deceased; pureblood

Ismene (née Dumont) McKinnon ➵ b. 1830, d. 1960; great, great - grandmother; Beauxbatons; Seer; deceased; pureblood

Kinloch McKinnon ➵ b. 1868, d. 1954; great grandfather; Hufflepuff; Mermish translator; deceased; pureblood

Astraea (née Greengrass) McKinnon ➵ b. 1869, d. 1979; great grandmother; Slytherin; stay at home mother & socialite; deceased; pureblood

Phillip McKinnon ➵ b. 1899, d. 1980; grandfather; Ravenclaw; Unspeakable; deceased; pureblood

Amaryllis (née Parkinson) McKinnon ➵ b. 1907, d. 1980; grandmother; Apothecary; Slytherin; deceased; pureblood

Sebastian McKinnon ➵ b. 1933, d. 1976; father; Gryffindor; Cursebreaker; deceased; pureblood

Clothilde (née Watkins) McKinnon ➵ b. 1935; mother; Ravenclaw; retired Healer; alive; muggleborn

Iona (née McKinnon) Moody ➵ b. 1942, d. 1979; aunt; Ravenclaw; Auror; deceased; pureblood

Alastor Moody  ➵ b. 1943; uncle; Ravenclaw; Auror; alive; pureblood

Marlene McKinnon ➵ b. 1960; herself; Gryffindor; Hit Wix; alive; halfblood

Alexander McKinnon ➵ b. 1962, m. 1980; younger brother; Ravenclaw; Unspeakable-in-Training; missing and presumed dead; halfblood

Ambrose McKinnon ➵ b. 1962; younger brother; Slytherin; Tattoo Artist; alive; halfblood

Iris McKinnon ➵ b. 1965; younger sister; Hufflepuff; student but also a Seer; alive; halfblood

T L ; D R 

Gryffindor 1978. Seeker (‘73-‘78), Wizards Chess (‘73), Duelling Club (‘74-‘78). Graduated (mostly) with O grades and despite a less than stellar detention record.

Eldest child of Sebastian & Clothilde, older sister to Alexander, Ambrose and Iris McKinnon. She was taught piano at a young age, though Iris had more musical talent than Marlene ever did, and Alexander used to pretend he knew how to play the bagpipes, when he did not. Alexander and Ambrose were a Ravenclaw and Slytherin respectively, and Iris was sorted into Hufflepuff. (She’s always been fiercely protective of Iris - she once punched someone who called her a duffer.)

Parents are Clothilde (Hilde) and Sebastian, Hilde being a former Healer (having retired after giving birth to Marlene) and Sebastian remaining a high profile Cursebreaker until April 1980 and his untimely death. Hilde often referred to Marlene as her ‘wilder’ child, though Alexander and Ambrose were both plenty wild in their own ways and often roped Marlene in on their games and vice versa. Sebastian was very proud of his children - he considered them the best of him, and he was open about it, to a fault.

She’s very proud of her family. She always has been. Being sorted into Gryffindor only bolstered it - she’s proud to take after her father, to be like him in so many ways that infuriated her mother almost to no end (and also endeared her to the same extent, too). It was there that she met her other family - the only family that she now has left. She didn’t like them all, not at first, but she loves them, deeply, down to her bones.

She came out when she was 15. She’d been caught behind the greenhouses with her hand down Florence’s blouse when they’d been caught by Sprout - which ended with her nearly knocking all of them out with the potted Mandrake she was holding and, also, two weeks detention for skipping class. She wasn’t scared, really, to tell her friends - she was more apprehensive about what her brothers would say. (Her first kiss with a boy was with a fellow Gryffindor.)

A couple of months after that incident, Marlene’s father died - the details she was given were sketchy, and she was the one who had to forced her way into being there when her siblings were brought out of class to be told about it. The only person she let see her cry the day they buried her father was her aunt Iona. Her mother needed her to be strong for the funeral, her siblings needed her to keep them together (especially poor Iris), and she refused to let them down.

She once made the girls - Mary, Lily and Dorcas - promise that they’d be friends forever. It’s gotten a little harder to keep that promise over the years, but she loves them - and the boys (men, now) - more fiercely than she loves almost anyone else in her life, even if it’s all so much more complicated now than it had been when they were at Hogwarts, when they were just children, not people forced to grow up too fast, to fight a war.

For Marlene, graduation couldn’t come soon enough, but then tragedy struck: her favourite aunt died after there was an attack on her and her husband’s home. The grief was too powerful for her to put into words. The anger and confusion she felt, the blame she felt was on not only Alastor but herself for being too slow to answer the call for help (despite not being law enforcement at the time). It was all devastating for her, and led to somewhat of a downward spiral for several months.

She applied in December 1978 to be a Hit Wizard under then Head Archwilt, having been a bartender for a few months in self-imposed exile (she refused to see her favourite uncle Alastor when all she could feel when she looked at him was that he was to blame) - when she was accepted, she, of course, got blackout drunk and woke up in Hogs Head. (She has since developed somewhat of a rapport with Aberforth.) (He would not entirely agree, but begrudgingly allows her to stick around on her days off. She enjoys the time with his goats.)

More recently, her younger-but-eldest brother, Alexander, just a month after graduating and being accepted to become an Unspeakable, disappeared without a trace. They searched and searched and searched - Marlene all but begging the Auror Office to keep the case open, but nothing, yet, has been found. Suffice to say, it’s a blow that Marlene doesn’t think she’ll ever fully recover from. The Order has been more than a safety net for Marlene: it’s the one place where she feels like her grief, her anger, her heartbreak, is even being heard anymore.

[drfroebindia]

Dumpling Making Machine in India

Dumpling Making Machine is designed to produce single-color-filled, double-color-filled, or unfilled products. It's highly demanded in various food processing industries.

Features of MiniFillMAK Encrusting Machine

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It allows you to make dough cookies, salted cookies, kibbe, yeasty products, dumplings, fruit bars, and similar pastries.

You can use products such as praline, marmalade, cocoa, cheese, potatoes, crushed olives, ground meat, and sausages. Technical Specifications of Encrusting Machine

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[zeedpantry]

Zeed Pantry - Lebanese Food Online

We are on a mission to supply American food pantries with Lebanon’s finest products. As a result, our work requires us to partner only with local processors and farms that adhere to the highest international quality standards. Even though Lebanon is one of the smallest countries in the world, it has a remarkable variety of microclimates, which contribute to the incredible variety in the local climate and soil composition, or terroir. These lands have been terraced, plowed, planted, and harvested for the best crops for centuries. The items sold by ZEED are a testament to the centuries of expertise and skill of Lebanese farmers and artisans.

In Lebanon, stews are quite common. The food is frequently hot and spicy. However, because of the warm weather, many vegetarian dishes are also light.” Meza” is a traditional meal. The popular beef dish known as “kibbeh” can be consumed raw, baked, or fried.

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Lebanon’s food culture is rooted in its long history. Are Lebanese recipes vegan or vegetarian? Traditional Lebanese foods reflect a rich heritage that has been shaped by thousands of years of living in the Levant, also known as the Eastern Mediterranean. Because people couldn’t afford to buy meat, many Lebanese food traditions call for meatless meals. They added flavor and protein to their recipes by adding additional ingredients.

Manakish, a simple dough in the shape of a circle that is filled with cheese, za’atar, meat, and kosher—fermented yogurt with tomato paste and sesame seeds — is the most common breakfast dish in Lebanon.

The dough is known as Saji or saj when it is rolled out thinly, which is a version that is more delicate and crisper. This is a cheese and honey spread that is typically spread on a flatbread, similar to a French crepe.

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These are dough-based, savory pastries from Lebanon that are frequently served on the street. They are filled with cheese, spinach, ground beef or lamb, tomato paste, and other savory fillings, much like a mini-pizza.

The food from Lebanon is well known. You can Shop for Lebanese Food anywhere.

[spiritguidead]

"I think you have it the wrong way round. Most people prefer casual clothing. You're just the exception." Lucy didn't think it was a bad thing, but she preferred her blue and black combo or the more casual skirt and leggings she usually paired with a jumper or a shirt in summers. Still it felt oddly nice to go out for the simple pleasure of fun.

They wouldn't need protection tonight, but Lucy felt more comfortable with the flares and salt bombs tucked away safely into the pouch on the leather strap she'd used as a decorative rapier belt that afternoon. She slipped into the bus before Lockwood, finding a seat by the window as the bus took off towards South Bank.

Lucy laughed. "Is there anything else you can think about aside from being mean to Kibbs?" She asked, leaning over. "How did that actually start. I mean he calls you Tony, which you hate, but implies he knows you a little better than just working jobs as rivals."

spiritguidead​:

“I mean. Penelope Fittes had us invited to her party so? Maybe she will make an appearance to night? Everything can be an opportunity, Lockwood. You taught me that… Or was is Flo when she dug up that ribcage a few weeks ago?” Luc followed the road down towards the bus station. There wasn’t a curfew today so at least the night cabs would drive once the bus services halted for the safety of their passengers.

“Fine, you will win best dressed, I’m sure you will be the only agent wearing a suit.” He usually was, but somehow Lucy doubted it tonight. It was better to be safe then sorry and with George ordering re-stocks on time for once they still had plenty left over. “I didn’t bring an iron chain. It seemed like over kill.”

He was right of course. It still frustrated her that they needed to share, because of the people they were sharing the commission with. It had happened more than once during her time working for and with Lockwood.

“I won’t. Not today at least.” Lucy looped her arm through his for a few heartbeats. “I got some pretty good company.” She offered Lockwood a smile. Then they reached the bus leading them towards the Carnival grounds.

Her hand went to the necklace, gently cupping the small stone between her fingers. “I will be careful with it. I knew it meant… .

“Perhaps.” Shrug of his shoulders, “I’d like credit but that feels more Flo territory and she’d probably give me hell over it.” Joking but he also just couldn’t imagine giving himself credit for teaching such an lesson. Having that strong an impact on Lucy? Or anybody. Shaking that whirlpool of thoughts off and focusing on heading to the station. “Most don’t opt to not wear casual clothes if they don’t have to.” Thinking about saying she would actually be the one more likely to win. It would be such an easy flirt to make. But the words failed to let themselves be uttered. Compliment or joke format both rendered stuck in his head only. “Overkill and far too heavy to be lugging around.” He’d take some over none of it; sometimes- quite often ended up just getting taken from underneath them. Frustrated him too of course. Especially when it was people who hardly lifted an finger about the actual hard work; only to show up last minute and get the paycheck. Lockwood couldn’t help feeling less gloomy internally at the response. Wouldn’t be left alone, for her to go get coffee. And as if his heart didn’t stutter enough sure didn’t help when her arm looped through his. “Great, also means I won’t ruin your plans by getting on his nerves as intended.” Offering for her to get on the bus first and trying to not let it being brought up- more stir anything up. Repression only worked so well sometimes. Slight rub of the back of his neck. “It’s no big deal, seriously.”

[rarebritney]

Sorry if you've answered this before, but do you have any tips on working with your natural body/skin tone/etc to build your wardrobe and makeup routine? I'm into the thought of looking more like myself, distilled haha. Thanks! x

I don’t think i have actually! im not an expert on these kinds of things by any means, but ive gained a lot of comfort from feeling like i understand what suits someone who looks like me, objectively.. of course this is kind of a ridiculous concept bc beauty is subjective by nature, but there are some aspects of color/shape/contrast that can play a role in beauty that is more “scientific”. this really appeals to me because i always hated how i looked growing up, and when I would attempt to change how i looked in specific ways I would be disappointed when they didn’t suit me: ie dying my hair black to make my blue eyes “pop” just made my skin appear ruddy and made my eyebrows disappear, making my face look rounder and without structure.

things like “seasons” and “beauty types” do tend to be outdated but I think they do actually have a lot to offer. it feels good if nothing else to have a basic grasp of what your features look like and what suits them. Aly Art on youtube has helpful videos about discerning your Kibbe type, which is a system of 13 types of beauty with overlapping categories developed by stylist David Kibbe. I find this system a bit confusing, but I like the way it addresses different types of beauty without ranking them: for example, dramatic beauty denotes a sharpness or definition of features, while soft beauty refers to features that are more rounded and traditionally feminine. you could think of a typical fashion model as having dramatic beauty-sharp cheekbones, strong jaw etc, and someone like marilyn monroe as having soft beauty (round cheeks, soft jaw, higher body fat percentage). both are beautiful, just different. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zt4Xd6pL9vE&list=PLjq1drkA_Cmn-bSUsQqAaLZcrIHQCN8vO&index=3&t=0s

If you’re interested in this method, Alyart has a whole series devoted to the types and what suits different types. I don’t follow her advice to the tee because I think what suits each type is much more subjective, but it is helpful to me to know what type i roughly fall into so I can look at models/celebrities/historical figures who supposedly share this type and see what I think looks good on them. I followed this series and while I’m still a bit confused by it, I did take some things away from it that are helpful. Even more helpful to me was her series on contrast, which really helped me to understand why I don’t look good with dark hair.

https://youtu.be/L_LGhSwk4Ug

In addition, you can take a quiz online to determine your “season” which then gives you recommendations on what colors suit you. Again, super outdated for the most part, and in general the system seems to exclude A LOT of skintones, but I personally found this one really helpful, so it may work for some people. Its pretty much the most rudimentary form of color theory but for me, knowing I’m a “light summer” did help me discover what shades of makeup best flatter my skin/hair color, while before I was just kind of flailing and buying things I’d never end up wearing bc they didnt suit me.

These are all resources that I’ve found helpful, but there’s really no substitute for pure experimentation. I think what is most helpful about these methods is the way they encourage you to “work with what you have” and don’t encourage you to drastically change the building blocks of your appearance. I think its really important to take any suggestions from systems like these with a huge grain of salt and prioritize your own aesthetic judgement!

[littlest-grimoire]

Best Meat Grinder

A meat processor (additionally called a "meat mincer" in the UK) is a kitchen apparatus for fine hacking ('mincing') as well as blending of crude or cooked meat, fish, vegetables or comparative food. It replaces apparatuses like the mincing blade, for instance, which is additionally used to create minced meat, filling, and so forth. The maker places the minced food into a channel, which is put on the head of the processor. From that point the material goes on a level screw transport. This screw transport, which can be fueled by a hand wheel or an electric engine, squashes and halfway blends the food. Toward the finish of the screw transport there is a blade introduced legitimately before the fixed opening plate. At this opening the minced meat comes out of the machine. The fineness of the meat relies upon the size of the gaps of the plate.

By changing the gap plate it is likewise conceivable to create breadcrumbs or fill frankfurter packaging. After the drop from the retainer[definition needed], it is conceivable to change the gap plate. By evacuating the fixing screw the processor can be dismantled totally for cleaning. Other than the residential physically or engine worked processors, there are additionally processors for butchery (table-or shop-processors for instance) and for the food business. Some enormous machines can deliver a few tons for each hour.

Substance

1 History

2 Mixer unit

3 Commercial and home use meat processors

4 See moreover

5 References

History

The main meat processor was concocted in the nineteenth century by Karl Drais. The soonest type of the meat processor was hand-wrenched and constrained meat into a metal plate that had a few little gaps, bringing about long, slender strands of meat. As time passed, the hand-wrenched machines got controlled by power.

The electric meat processors we currently realize today can process a few pounds of meat effectively and consistently. Flow models of electric meat processors have various connections to include usefulness, for example, frankfurter making, kibbe, and squeezing, which have extraordinarily widened the manner in which meat processors are utilized.

Blender unit

A case of wiener making with a meat processor

A fundamental discretionary element for bigger processors is the blender unit. With this unit can be blended various types of meat (for instance hamburger or pork) with one another homogeneously or potentially can be blended the meat in with added substances, similar to salt or flavors, before granulating it. Without such a blender unit, the added substances must be blended into the meat in the wake of granulating it, which antagonistically influences the taste and presence of most items.

Business and home use meat processors

Business meat processors are utilized to process a large number of pounds of meat every hour. Solidified meat processors can process solidified squares of meat, down to – 25 °C. The solidified squares can go from 90x50x15 cm to 90x50x20 cm, and the force applied from 8.000 kg to 12.000 kg.

There are 2 diverse drive structures utilized in mechanical meat processors, a solitary fire up drive, which is perfect to granulate solidified meat squares utilizing a solitary drill, and a two-fire up drive, which promotes the item through a cutting blade utilizing a drill and afterward however a punctured plate.

The solidified meat gets pushed by the drill into the star-formed cutting sharp edge. When it has been cut, it gets pushed during a time cutting surface, the plate. The plate will additionally diminish the size of the item and will evacuate/separate any fat stores. A case of a typical mechanical meat processor would be the Hobart 48/22 Meat Grinder.

[cocoscucina]

ISPANAKLI İÇLİ KÖFTE :

* 4 su bardağı ince bulgur

* 4 su bardağı sıcak su

* 3 su bardağı un

* 2 tatlı kaşığı kimyon

* 1 çay kaşığı karabiber

* 2 tatlı kaşığı tuz

İç malzemesi:

3 kg Ispanak (yıkanıp, ince doğranmış)
8 orca boy soğan (ince doğranmış)
¾ bardak zeytinyağı
1 limon suyu
Tuz, karabiber
1 su bardağı doğranmış ceviz

Sosu için:

* 3 yemek kaşığı zeytinyağı

* 5 prat boy domates, rendelenmiş

* 1 yemek kaşığı biber salçası

* 3 diş ezilmiş sarımsak

*1 limonun suyu

1) İç malzemeyi hazırlamak için; Ispanakları büyük bir tencereye koyun, kapagini kapatin ve orta ateşte 5 dk kadar suyunu birakincaya kadar pişirin. Soğumaya birakin ve fazla suyunu elinizde sıkın. Soğanları zeytinyağında pembeleşinceye kadar pişirin. Ispanakları, limon suyunu, tuz ve karabiberi ilave edin, ateşten alıp soğumaya bırakın. Cevizi ilave edin.

2) Bulguru yıkayıp 10 dakika 4 su bardağı sıcak suda bekletin. Suyunu süzün ve un ,kimyon, karabiberi ve tuzu ekleyin. Un ve bulgur birbirine yapışana kadar yoğurmaya başlayın. Gerekirse küçük miktarlarda daha fazla su ekleyin ve karışım bir araya gelene kadar yoğurun.

3) Karışımdan kabaca ceviz büyüklüğünde parçalara bölün ve avuçlarınızın arasında yuvarlayın. Elinizi suyla ıslatarakİşaret parmağınızla ortasına bastırın ve kenarlarını inceltin. İçine bir kaşık iç malzemenizden koyun ve uçlarını kapatın. Diğer köfteler için aynı işlami tekrarlayın. Köfteleri hafif unlanmış tepsiye dizin.

4) Büyük bir tencerede yaklaşık 2 litre suyu, tuz ve limon suyu ile kaynatın.

Köfteleri kaynar suya atın. Yüzeye çıktıklarında oluklu bir kaşıkla çıkarın ve çok derin olmayan geniş bir kaba koyun.

5)Domates sosunu hazırlamak için zeytinyağını bir tencerede ısıtın. Sarımsak ekleyin ve kokusu çıkana kadar pişirin. Rendelenmiş domates ve biber salçasını ekleyin. 5-10 dk kadar kısık ateşte pişirin. Karabiber ve limon suyunu ekleyin.

Not: Köftelere şekil verirken zaman zaman eller ıslanırsa köfteler daha kolay yuvarlanır ve kolay şekil verilir. Köfteler tencerede haşlanırken kaynayan suya bir miktar limon suyu ilave edilirse köftelerin dağılmasını önlemiş olursunuz.

Kibbeh with Spinach

* 4 cups fine bulgur wheat

* 4 cups hot water

* 3 cups flour

* 2 teaspoons cumin

* 1 teaspoon black pepper

* 2 teaspoons salt

For the filling:

3 kg Spinach (washed spinach, thinly)

8 medium onion (thinly sliced)

¾ cup olive oil

1 lemon juice

Salt, black pepper

1 cup chopped walnuts

For the sauce:

* 3 tablespoons olive oil

* 5 medium tomatoes, grated

* 1 tablespoon red pepper paste

* 3 cloves of crushed garlic

* juice of 1 lemon

1) For the filling; Put the spinach in a large saucepan, close the lid and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes until the it’s water comes out. Leave it to cool, and grab a handful, squeeze water out of cooked spinach using your hands. Cook the onions in olive oil until golden brown. Add the spinach, lemon juice, salt and pepper, remove from the fire and leave to cool. Add the walnuts.

2) Wash the bulgur and soak in 4 glasses of hot water for 10 minutes. Drain and add the flour, cumin, pepper and salt. Start kneading until the flour and bulgur stick together. Add more water in small amounts if nerededir and knead until the mixture can hold together.

3) Divide the kibbe dough to small walnuts size piece. Usinga damp hand create a hole in each ball with your index finger. Plase 1 tablespoon of filling inside and seal it.. Reapeat same for the other kibbehs. Place the meatballs on a lightly floured tray.

4)In a big pot, boil approximately 2 liters of water with salt and lemon juice.

Throw meatballs in boiling water. Take them out with a slotted spoon when they come up to surface and put them in a wide bowl that is not very deep.

5)To prepare the tomato sauce, heat the olive oil in a saucepan. Add garlic and stir until fragrant. Add grated tomato and pepper paste. Simmer on low about 5-10 minutes. Add the black pepper, and lemon juice.

Note: If you wet your hands while shaping the kibbeh’s, the kibbeh’s will roll more easily and shape easily. A little bit of lemon juice is added to the boiling water will prevent the kibbeh’s from falling apart.

[moodooivy]

Here are the Bad Salts! I am still working on the Star Salts's designs and size comparisons. Horary would be the tallest and Dusk would be the shortest to me.

Undertale: Toby Fox Nightmare: Jokublog Error: Crayonqueen Horror: Sour-Apple-Studios Killer: Rahafwabas Dust: Ask-Dusttale Cross: Jakei95 Nightshade, Erratum, Horary, Kibbe, Dusk, Crucifix: Me?

[sfarticles]

Nader brings Lebanese family favorites to the table

Hummus Bi Tahini: An appetizer which can serve as a light lunch or supper. It attracts the palate and the eye and teases the taste buds.Photo: Wendy Pernerewski / Akashic Books

Born in Winsted in 1934, he is a consumer advocate, lawyer, author, Princeton and Harvard graduate, began his career as a lawyer in Hartford in 1958, and lectured on history and government at the University of Hartford.

Ralph Nader is best known for his social critiques and his efforts to increase government and corporate accountability, but what I was surprised to learn was his lifelong commitment to healthful eating, plus his family’s involvement in the restaurant business.

Born to Lebanese parents, Nader’s appreciation for food began at an early age when his parents, Rose and Nathra, owned a restaurant and bakery, Highland Arms, on Main Street in Winsted. His restaurant experience and passion for good food might be why later in life he served in the Army as a cook.

His family frowned on processed foods and ate only a moderate amount of lean red meat. Today, the Mediterranean diet is considered one of the most healthful diets, but in the 1930s and ’40s of Nader’s youth it was considered strange. Nader’s mother served her family homemade, healthful dishes from her native Lebanon. Not only did she feed them well, but took the time to discuss and explain her approach to food; she used the family meals to connect her children to the traditions of their ancestors.

So what inspired this man of many talents to write, “The Ralph Nader and Family Cookbook: Classic Recipes from Lebanon and Beyond” (2020, Akashic Books, $24.95)? He says in the book’s introduction, “One reason goes back many years — people always asking me what I eat, prompted in part by my work on food safety laws. Another was the remarkable responses to the 1991 collection of recipes and wisdom — ‘food for thought’ — that my parents compiled in the volume ‘It Happened in the Kitchen,’ which was featured twice on Phil Donohue’s popular TV program. Their book was a major source for this one. Finally, the growing popularity of Arab cuisine, backed by scientific research into nutrition, has broadened the audience and market for what was once seen as an ‘exotic’ menu.”

The recipes are for the Lebanese dishes on which Nader grew up. Many are well-known such as hummus and baba ghanoush, as well as others that may be lesser known, such as kibbe, the versatile dish of Lebanon, and sheikh al-mahshi — “the king of stuffed foods.”

Nader’s anecdotes and chapter introductions made me feel I was a guest at the Nader family table enjoying a meal that would perhaps include these dishes.

                                        Hummus bi Tahini                                                                

The headnote says, “An appetizer which can serve as a light lunch or supper. It attracts the palate and the eye and teases the taste buds. To enhance its subtle flavor, serve at room temperature or slightly chilled. The hummus, cooked and blended smoothly, can be frozen and kept for future use. As with baba ghanoush, hummus bi tahini works well with warmed pita bread.”

1/2 pound dried, uncooked chickpeas or 3 cups of cooked chickpeas

6 cups cold water

4 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cumin to taste (optional)

Juice of 2-3 lemons

5 generous tablespoons tahini

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon paprika (optional)

4-5 sprigs parsley

For dried chickpeas: Soak the chickpeas overnight in cold water after removing any small stones or blemished chickpeas. The next day, wash the chickpeas well, rinsing them several times.

Put chickpeas in a pot with 6 cups of cold water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for roughly 1 hour. Tilt the cover of the pot so there is a way for the steam to escape, keeping the foam under control. The chickpeas are done when a pea can be mashed easily between two fingers.

For canned chickpeas: Drain and rinse.

Put garlic, salt, cumin, lemon juice, chickpeas and tahini in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Follow this procedure three or four times until all the ingredients have been finely blended. If more liquid is needed, add 2 tablespoons of cold water or more lemon juice, which will give the hummus a tangy taste.

Serve on a platter chilled or at room temperature. Drizzle olive oil over the top. If you wish, you can sprinkle paprika over the hummus for color. Garnish with sprigs of parsley. Serves 6.

To see more recipes, please visit

https://www.ctinsider.com/news/nhregister/article/Stephen-Fries-Nader-brings-Lebanese-family-15295205.php#photo-19457584

[peterwknox]

When the Salt Bae arrives, it is like death As we wait for the arrival of Salt Bae, marble topped wooden guerdons roll about the dining room, pushed by what appear to be freelance waiters. From the carts, one can order beef tartare and something called meat sushi. Meat sushi is raw meat which is cooked tableside using what looks like a flame thrower. Not only does this seem to emphatically not be sushi but it also seems like it could easily burn hair. We opt for the tartare. Our tartarist is a Turk named Arkhan who arrived in the United States from Istanbul eight months ago and lives in Bay Ridge. He places a teapot of herbs on the table into which he pours liquid nitrogen. “For the flavor,” he explains. Then he pulls from a hidden compartment a chunk of meat wrapped in saran wrap the size of a baby’s fist and begins the show. To me what makes a tartare so lovely are the chunks of meat therein. But Arkhan belongs to a different school altogether -- the kibbe school -- and as I look on with increasing anxiety, he cuts and recuts the meat until it resembles raspberry preserves. From a series of small bowls, Arkhan selects capers, mustard, onion, ketchup, and Worcester sauce. Into the meat jam it goes. He proudly places the tartare on the table, mini-saltbae-ing a smattering of potato chips atop it, and wheels away into the din. When the Salt Bae arrives it is like death. One knows one must die and yet the moment it comes is still surprising. Even though I had seen him earlier, on my way to the bathroom, the frisson of excitement at his appearance was jolting. His looks are just as striking in real life as they are on social media. His face, perfectly symmetrical, remains completely impassive. It was 11:30 P.M. when he arrived at our table and he was still wearing those sunglasses. Upon seeing Salt Bae, the first impulse one has is to reach for one’s phone. Salt Bae, knowing this, gamely waits a few moments in silence, for screens to be unlocked and cameras aimed before beginning his performance. Salt Bae does not talk. Salt Bae picks up your steak and twirls it half a rotation. Salt Bae squats slightly and, holding the steak at an angle, raises his large knife into the air. Salt Bae cuts with steak from the bone then the meat from the meat. He cuts with his whole body. With every slice he demi-pliés and his knife moves in graceful parabolas through the air when it is not cutting.. Salt Bae has done this many times. He will do this hundreds of times this night alone. The performance is both real and a reproduction. Salt Bae knows he is being held to the standard of his own 36-second video and its millions of views. He is a real-life meme, and he knows what we want. Finally the moment of the salting arrives.

A Night at the Church of Salt Bae, America's Newest Celebrity Chef | GQ

[drfroebindia]

Dumpling Making Machine in India

Dumpling Making Machine is designed to produce single-color-filled, double-color-filled, or unfilled products. It's highly demanded in various food processing industries. Features of MiniFillMAK Encrusting Machine

It has the capability to produce different shapes of fruit bars.

You can produce up to Bun, pastry, chocolate bomb-filled cookies, etc.

It allows you to make dough cookies, salted cookies, kibbe, yeasty products, dumplings, fruit bars, and similar pastries.

You can use products such as praline, marmalade, cocoa, cheese, potatoes, crushed olives, ground meat, and sausages. Technical Specifications of Encrusting Machine

Width: 39 cm

Length: 84 cm

Height: 78cm

Dough Bunker: 10 kg

Weight: 85 kg

Electricity: 220V/ 1 KW

Capacity (1 hour): 20-40 kg Want to know about the Dumpling making machine price in India, click on the given link and send an inquiry.

[jeffstreet-linkblog]

Float

From Kottke:

Float is a feature-length documentary film directed by Phil Kibbe about “the ultra-competitive sport of elite, stunningly-designed indoor model airplanes”. The main action of the film takes place at the F1D World Championships in Romania, where competitors from all over the world build delicately beautiful rubber-band-powered airplanes and compete to keep them afloat the longest.

From the film makers:

Imagine traveling halfway across the world, descending over 400 feet underground in a tiny elevator, and spending nearly a week in the vast, cathedral-like salt mines under Romania to compete in the most elite model airplane contest on the planet. Officially known as the “F1D World Championships”, pilots representing over 12 countries attempt to keep their plane flying as long as possible. After devoting years of time into construction and practice for no material reward, glory becomes their primary incentive. Like any competition, cheating and controversy are an integral part of the sport. Float follows the tumultuous journey of Brett Sanborn and Yuan Kang Lee, two American competitors as they prepare for and compete at the World Championships.

Looks like online release isn’t scheduled yet, just a few screenings in Cleveland.

https://floatdocumentary.com

[comidamagica-blog1]

Kibe

Ingredients:

500g of wheat to make kibbe 750 ml hot water 1 kg of ground beef twice 2 medium onions grated Salt and pepper to taste Lemon shavings Shoyu sauce or English to taste 2 meat seasoning inserts 2 whole eggs slightly beaten chopped mint leaves  chopped parsley leaves Eggs and breadcrumbs

Filling:

- Dry braised ground beef

Method of preparation:

Step 1 Put the wheat in a bowl, add the hot water and stir, then let it rest. Step 2 After it has cooled, add the ground beef and other ingredients. Step 3 Knead everything very well until the mixture is homogeneous and alloyed. Take small or large portions, you choose, fill and make in kibbe format. Step 4 Empane with eggs and flour, fry in hot fat and put to drain on absorbent paper towels

[dancemotionusa]

Culinary Gymnastics in the Caribbean

By Annie Wang, Reggie Wilson/Fist and Heel Performance Group Dancer

“They are in training, you know, and like everybody in strict training, they think about food.”

 — T.H. White

Dancers are constantly foraging. We are good at constructing meals from multiple sources that both nourish and satisfy. Buying cooked quinoa from the hotel cafe, a boiled egg from the nearby mall, and mixing in walnuts from your own supplies. Knowing that your room’s minibar is really just your personal refrigerator. Learning which of the hotel employees will let you simply use their microwave and which one will make you sign a waiver first. Finding hot water for tea. Making steady progress through a single, large bag of muesli for weeks before hitting pay dirt and finding that the current hotel serves hot milk along with the breakfast coffee—hot cereal as a decadent treat. And in the midst of these culinary gymnastics, we’ve enjoyed learning a little about each country through their food.

I was told that the Kreyol name for Haitian spicy peanut butter, mamba, came from the Congolese word for peanut: muamba. Thick and creamy, troweled onto crisp cassava wafers and paired with the perfect tang of a boiled tamarind, it is a totally different experience than American peanut butter. The staunch nationalism of the Dominican Republic during its combined celebration of both Carnival and Independence Day was on display in the many flags around Santo Domingo, the singing of the national anthem during a Friday night dance party, and in a popular dish called “la bandera”, which parallels the three colors of the flag with rice, beans, and beef.

I learned what mango trees, almond trees, and papaya trees look like. I learned that papaya actually 1. Tastes like something rather than nothing, 2. Contains peppery-flavored seeds, and 3. Is excellent for digestion. I learned that while plantains are universal in the Caribbean, they are “bananes pesées” in Kreyol (“weighted bananas”, I guess because they are pressed flat before cooking), while in Spanish their stage of ripeness is made more explicit: “tostones” when they’re green, “maduro” when they’re ripe. I also learned that chips can be made out of so many more things than just potatoes—far more common have been plantains, yuca (aka cassava), and sweet potato. The plentiful “chinos” in Panama City (which are the Chinese-run equivalents to New York’s bodegas) carried dozens of varieties of these delicious chips right alongside the standard salted plums and pickled eggs that you would find in any U.S. Chinatown grocery.

Speaking of which, everywhere we went there were far larger communities of both Chinese people and Middle Eastern people than I had expected. Not only in the presence of the chinos, but Chinese ingredients were also readily available in the Panamanian fruit market, and in Santiago we happily ate Chinese beef stew, fried rice, plantains, and fried chicken at a takeout place with cheap red lanterns hanging along its awning. Going off of the number of upscale Middle Eastern restaurants in all three countries, I read it as evidence of the generally higher social status of the Middle Eastern population, though I was very tickled to see skewers of Lebanese kibbe sitting next to empanadas in the food carts wheeled around Santo Domingo.

Seafood and starch was another common plate. It might be grilled lobster served next to the Jacmel beach on which it was caught, along with bananes pesées and a giant bowl of “pikliz,” a vinegary, spicy, tongue-numbing salad of shredded cabbage and peppers. In Panama it would be whole fried corvina with maduros or fresh-cut french fries. When we met with a group of the Embera indigenous people of Panama, they presented us with perfectly fried fish filets served on a huge green leaf with a dense stick of steamed white rice on the side. Dominican versions added yuca, fried or mashed into manju, to the standard options of plantains and fries.

And everywhere, everywhere, there were coconuts.

We first spotted coconuts in a Panamanian fruit market - a huge pile of them, brown and scraggly, already divested of their green outer shell. A machete lay at the side for customers to DIY-split their purchase open. We had our first taste of a fresh, still green, coconut on the beach near Jacmel, Haiti, while waiting for our seafood and starch. But in Santo Domingo, stopping by a coconut cart after our last workshop of the day became an unofficial ritual.

For the uninitiated, eating a coconut is a two-step process. At first, the shell around one end is chipped away to form a rough, tapered end whose point is hacked off, creating a mouth-sized opening from which you can drink the water. You then pass the emptied coconut back to the vendor and his machete, who makes a shallow cut into the remaining green shell to form a makeshift scoop before slicing the main body into two halves. You use the scoop to dig out the white flesh inside—if it’s tender enough, you can slurp it like an oyster on the half shell.

Photos: Annie Wang