#put it in stew!! add a little bit of meat to it!!! add a little soup to it!!!

[ame-x2]

112024

you know you've hit adulthood when what gets you excited is the prospect of having good vegetables 😭

[drenched-in-sunlight]

Can I just say how in love I am with the way you draw Marika? Like every art you post of her has my jaw dropping…you add such a beautiful layer of humanity to her with her dynamic expressions and poses—it’s so refreshing to see especially when so many fan arts of her needlessly sexualize her or dial her down to a one-dimensional stone-faced villain (which a villain she is—but she is still complex)

And I adore how you draw her partial nudity as something natural, meaning that you don’t draw her without a top for the sake of objectifying her,

Your art is overall so pleasant and colourful and fun to look at, and your takes of Marika’s character in your fanart is literally what made me more interested in who she is in-game.

Thank you for drawing her the way you do! (And for drawing Elden Ring fanart in general💕)

i've been letting this ask stewing in my inbox for a while because it makes me so emotional 🥲

if you look at how i drew Marika before anything in the DLC was announced, it did fall into the two categories you were talking about, because despite having a little more positive view on her than the rest of the fandom at the time, i still had no idea who she was as a person. and by that time i were more interested in Malenia, so even though i did try to envision how Marika was, it's a very distant and vague image. which is what i love about Elden Ring lore in general: we see Marika via how her children see her.

it was easy back then to conclude we'd never get her, and "mother" is a distant term that will always be overshadowed by "God", so i just went along with the general haha evil sexy girlboss thing that the fandom was doing. but then the DLC teaser dropped the another elusive (possibly firstborn) child of her, with a statue of her holding a baby in his boss room, she started to get more little quirks that's so human in my work (the small smile, the little lock of hair that curls gently) because for the first time, we see her through the eye of a son that evidently adores her, so she gets a bit more human, because someone views her with emotions that are not fear nor distance.

then the DLC drops, and it's not just through Messmer's eye (or the entirety of his being that carry so much of her love it weighs him down and twist into the most horrible curse in the end), it's through the eyes of her family that were no longer there at all. it's the jar innard enemy that huddled in a jar and clutched at a piece of raw meat, it's the Grandmother's gentle smile as she rest among a sea of flowers, it's the solitary minor erdtree that bathed the whole place in the kindness of gold, it's the Fire Knights and soldiers that clearly viewed her as Mother as much as she was God, it's Miquella throwing away his love and doubt because he didn't know how to deal with the revelation that his mother was once a fallible human just like the rest of them, it's Trina's entreaty that Godhood was just a cage that would kill him slowly, it's the final boss music with the female voice belting "Hail, Marika the Eternal" - in the place where she had to wade through a sea of flesh and blood, her family included, to ascend to Godhood. it's finally understanding that to her, Eternity is to live for all her loved ones that have fallen down.

and somehow, it all comes back to this portrait at the base game, right at the Roundtable Hold, of a woman with permanently lowered eyes.

yeah i know after the DLC i've put on such a Messmer-style protective glasses for her, it shows very clearly in my art. now she could cry, looks sad, small smile, big smile, looks silly, looks cute, looks serious, her hair is pulled up in twenty different ways, she jokes and talks to animals and goes back to be just a simple young girl rolling around in the grass, blah blah... im drawing all these with eyes wide open. and i have no intention of stopping lol.

sometimes, things that already come alive will never go back to be a cardboard cutout anymore. if ppl don't like it, block me or whatever, in my space, i'll do that makes me happy. and im very glad that other ppl could find their own happiness and solace with my work too :) thank you for such a thoughtful and kind messages!

[tetedurfarm]

i promised y'all recipes but i forgor

it's ok im fixing it now tho

anyway. hi. hello. i eat a lot of rabbit. i am also blessed by god to be one of the few, the chosen, the descended from the acadians who were blessed with the ability to cook food that doesn't suck. you can trust me. màmaw cécil's ici.

just a fair warning though these recipes kinda assume you have basic cooking skills, and things are measured with the heart as my ancestors intended.

onward to the recipes

the tried. the true. the rabbit gumbo

one whole rabbit

half an onion

one package of andouille sausage (or other spicy pork sausage)

a bell pepper if you like

some okra if you like

some garlic

a jar of dark roux (savoie's is my go-to)

tony chacherie's

tabasco

filé

a good long-grain rice

debone the rabbit and cut into chunks, or pressure cook until it falls off the bones. you can also cook the rabbit IN the gumbo but this method takes a long time and is a PITA, but you do get all the good rabbit grease in the gumbo.

fill a large stock pot about 3/4 the way up with water and set to boil. add salt until it's salty to the taste. add about five to seven heaping spoonfuls of roux and let it dissolve while the pot comes to a boil.

while you wait, chop the onion and bell pepper into a rough dice and add it to the pot. i'm sure someone's màmaw will tell you what to do with okra, but i don't like it so idk. i just know some people put it in their gumbo. not me tho. tbh i don't even like bell peppers but it's traditional. anyway you can put some garlic in too. and tony's. lots of tony's.

cut the sausage into about quarter inch rounds and throw 'em in too. if you did not precook your rabbit, add it now. if you did precook, you can add it once the vegetables and sausage are cooked. around this time is also when i put the rice on.

once all the meat is done cooking, taste for seasoning and adjust as desired. it should be salty and a little spicy (or a lot, if you aren't a coward.) now all you have to do is wait for the rice to finish.

when everything is done, scoop some rice into a deep bowl (a soup crock is ideal) and pour gumbo over, making sure you get a bit of everything. top with tabasco to taste, and a healthy dash of filé.

some variety of sausage

1 - 2lbs of ground rabbit

soy sauce

garlic rice wine vinegar (if you can't find it, normal RWV works just add more garlic)

rubbed sage

garlic powder

minced garlic (if not using garlic RWV) (or if you just want it)

brown sugar

drizzle a little oil (i like using sesame oil) in a saucepan and put in ground rabbit. as it cooks, cut it up into small chunks with your utensil. once it's cooked, throw in all the rest of the everything and season with salt and pepper and a little msg if you got it. measure with your heart and taste as you go. you are shooting for a sort of savoury-sweet thing going on. it should be closer to a breakfast sausage in taste.

this goes really good in a dumpling, fried into a patty, or turn it into a white gravy with some milk and flour and put it over rice with creamed corn for a nontraditional but still delicious rice and gravy.

german rabbit stew

this one is just a link because someone else made it up but it's real good: https://honest-food.net/german-rabbit-stew/

alfredo mushroom rabbit pasta

roughly one cup per person's worth of cooked, shredded rabbit

as many portobello mushrooms as your heart desires

minced garlic

a jar of alfredo (or make your own i ain't your mom)

your pasta of choice

pretty straightforward. put your pasta on to boil (we like penne.) chop up your mushrooms and sweat them out in a saucepan. when they're cooked enough, toss in the alfredo, the minced garlic, and your rabbit. season with salt/pepper/whatever else you like to taste. when the pasta is done, combine pasta and rabbit mixture and enjoy

just the filling part of pei wei's lettice wraps but on rice instead

1lb ground rabbit

half an onion

garlic

hoisin sauce

teriyaki sauce

hot chili oil

green onion (grunion)

sesame seeds

short-grain rice

set your rice to cook. when it's almost done, roughly dice onion and set it to cook in a little oil (i like seasme for this.) when it turns translucent, add ground rabbit and garlic. once the rabbit is cooked, throw all the other sauces in to taste. it should be hoisin-forward, a little sweet and savoury. add some cayenne and more chili oil, maybe some gochujang, whatever, if you want more spice. eat it with rice and top with sesame seeds and grunions, i like some shichimi togarashi too sometimes. maybe a lil fried egg if you're feeling sassy.

i made this up from a dupe recipe for a lettuce wrap i liked at a restaurant so you could put it in lettuce too if you wanted. i just don't ever buy a whole head of lettuce.

weird midwestern chili

1-2lbs of ground rabbit

half an onion

garlic

one large can or two small cans of petite diced tomatoes

1-2 habañero peppers (or none if you're yankee)

some sort of stock or broth, or water and a bouillon cube

chili powder

sometimes corn is nice in this if you have it

pasta of your choice

i use my instant pot for this, but you can do it without one in a normal stockpot, it'll just take longer.

brown the rabbit in a little bit of oil with the pot on sauté. while you wait, chop up the onion, garlic, and papper. when the rabbit is browned, throw everything else in the pot besides the pasta. pressure cook for about 15-20 minutes.

in the meantime, set a pot of pasta to boil. we like farfalle.

when the chili is done cooking, season further to taste with more chili powder, cayenne, tony's, whatever you like. serve on the pasta. i know, i know, it ain't chili to me either, but that's what my friend's minnesotan family calls it and whatever it is, it's damn good so i forgive them.

rice that is dirty AND ugly

1-2lbs ground rabbit

half an onion

garlic i guess

about four or five rabbit or chicken livers

long-grain rice

tony's

set the rice to cook. brown the livers in some oil until they are just barely not-raw. then blitz 'em up in a food processer until they are mush. while you do this, brown some ground rabbit and onion and garlic if you want it in a saucepan. when it's browned, add the livers and just. stir it all together. does it look horrible? you're doing it right. season to taste once it's cooked through. add in rice and mix. i promise to god it tastes better than it looks.

for bonus points, mush dirty rice into balls and dredge in egg and seasoned cornmeal and deep fry or air fry until golden brown. ta da, your very own boudin balls.

i guess you can also run the mixture into a sausage casing for 'normal' boudin too.

('but what about the gizzards cecil' i have tried for years and i can't make gizzards palatable. they just end up weird and tough and i don't like the texture in the dirty rice. you know how to make 'em work, you go for it.)

mexican meatloaf that is neither mexican nor meatloaf

1lb ground rabbit

half an onion

garlic

one can of petite diced tomatoes

one can of whole corn

one can of pork n beans

(optional can of kidney beans or other bean you like)

taco seasoning

shredded yellow cheese

sour creme

tabasco

fritos

chop onion into a rough dice and put in a saucepan with a little oil. when onion is translucent, throw in rabbit to brown. when meat is cooked, thrown in everything that comes in a can, and the taco seasoning. i use about half a packet, but you can do to taste. once it's cooked, spoon over fritos and top with shredded cheese and sour creme. i like a dash of tabasco too.

absoutely a 'hear me out recipe' but if you like frito pie you will probably like this. most importantly, though, it makes a TON of food and for very cheap. excellent end of the month meal. also idk why it's called mexican meatloaf that's just what my mom named it and i'm pretty sure she made it up herself lol

rabbit jambalaya that makes my ancestors cry

approximately one half a rabbit's worth of shredded rabbit

one can of petite diced tomatoes

andouille or other spicy pork sausage

half an onion

bell pepper if ya like it

celery if ya like it

rabbit or chicken stock/broth

tony's

long-grain rice

if you are starting with a whole rabbit, either debone, chop into chunks, and cook, or pressure cook the rabbit until it falls off of the bone. set your rice to cook.

chop veggies and toss em in a saucepan with a little bit of oil or butter. sauté until soft, then add your tomatoes, broth, andouille, and rabbit. when it's all warmed through, add the rice in and mix. season with tony's, crab boil, cayenne, whatever, to taste. put some tabasco on that bitch before you eat, and enjoy.

(my ancestors cry because i'm cajun and traditionally we don't put tomatoes in our jambalaya. mais c'est bon, escuse-moi les anciens.)

creme cheese rabbit joes or whatever

one whole rabbit

one block of creme cheese

one packet of ranch seasoning

jar of pickled jalapeños

shredded cheddar cheese

your favourite burger bun

we use an instant pot, i guess you could probably do it on a stove if you had to but keep an eye on the liquid levels. pressure cook rabbit with half of the ranch seasoning packet and as much jalapeño juice as you want (it should have a kick.) when meat is tender, remove bones and drain liquid into another container (it makes a great stock if you want something with a little pizzaz.)

turn the instant pot on saute, and then put meat, creme cheese, cheddar cheese, jalapeños to taste, the rest of the ranch powder if you want, and as much jalapeño juice or the stock you just made until it's the consistency you want. it should be pretty creamy and a little gloopy. toast your buns, slop the goop on, and enjoy.

well these are the ones i can remember off top my head/that i actually eat regularly. we also make burgers and stir fry and curry rice and shit too, but those are like...y'know. don't really need a recipe for burgers and stir fry.

go forth and eat your fuckin animals

[oh-koenig-my-koenig]

saying goodbye

(cw: age gap 25/41; mndi, slight nsfw; angst, brief discussion of loss and fear of death)

the part before: comforting him

I wanted to do something nice for König before he goes on his next mission, before he has to leave. Which is quite the challenge to make it a surprise from him when you’re living together. Well, staying together, but it doesn’t change the fact that we spend most of our time with each other.

Another reason, why this doesn't feel like dating anymore. It doesn't feel like just being exclusive. It doesn't feel like a living arrangement because he broke my bed. Also, he seems to be doing better again, after the little downward spiral that plagued him at the end of last week. At the same time… I can't shake the feeling that he's a bit more closed off than he was before.

I sigh. He’ll leave in only two days and we agreed that I would go home tomorrow because, well… it can’t be postponed any longer.

I already knew he has to sort out some stuff today before being deployed, driving into the city, getting a medical check-up and also arranging the details for my new bed to finally be delivered. But this gives me the chance to pack up most of my stuff and prepare what I wanted to surprise him with while he is away for a few hours.

I went grocery shopping after work, got everything that the recipe called for, and started as soon I was back at his place. I cut so many onions for this, I’m all cried out, but I still can’t help the little lump sitting in the back of my throat, closing it up, which has nothing to do with the cut vegetables

He comes back earlier than I anticipated, mumbling something about an incompetent doctor and how he doesn’t like to have his blood drawn. But I shoo him out of his own kitchen with a few comforting words, tell him to sit in the living room and read something. And not disturb me.

“Aye-aye, Ma’am.”, he says, an amused smirk on his face as he jokingly salutes. I roll my eyes and laugh a little, patting his butt, to make him hurry along.

I still need to prepare the sidedish and let the stew cook for a little longer to make sure the meat is tender and the sauce is thick enough. At least that’s what the recipe said. And I need to make sure I do everything right.

When it’s finally done, the kitchen looks like somebody threw around food, although I did my best to clean up as I go.

I fill one of the soup dishes with the stew, putting the Nockerl in there as well, the dough already soaking up some of the sauce. I compare the dish in front of me with the picture from the recipe and I’m actually content with how it came out.

I set the plate down on the island where the seats are and call for König while I get myself a smaller portion. I hear his steps before his huge stature appears in the doorframe.

“Uh, dinner is ready.”, I say wryly smiling at him, with my plate in my hands. I set it down next to his.

“I can see that and I already smelled the cooking in the living room, it smells deli-“ The words gets stuck in his throat as he comes closer, stopping in front of the plate. He drops onto the seat, the furniture aching under his weight. The smile he was still wearing when he came into the kitchen has dissipated, his mouth hanging open, when he looks up from his plate, his eyes finding mine. He looks almost in shock.

I sit down next to him, suddenly very unsure if this whole ordeal even was a good idea.

“You cooked Gulasch?”, he asks, his voice wavering.

I nod. “Yes, I remember how you said that you liked it, so uh, I tried to make it.”

“But you’re vegetarian.”, he adds.

“Yes, but you aren’t. And the original recipe calls for beef.”, I explain, putting the doughy pillows that the Austrians call Nockerl onto my fork, scooping up some of the sauce. I just want to try a bit of, tasting a part of his origins.

He’s still staring as I put the fork into my mouth, and well, he didn’t promise too much when he was talking about his favourite food because that’s really delicious. Though I’m unsure about how authentic it is.

His gaze moves from me to the plate in front of him, finally picking up the fork, and he digs in, taking the biggest bite. I wait to see what his reaction would be like. He shovels two, three forkfuls into his mouth, chewing, tasting. And then suddenly just stops. Goes completely still. And I don’t know what’s going on as his head drops forward, his hair hanging in front of his face.

A small silent sob shakes his chest and a stray tear falls from his face into the stew. My heart drops to my feet. Fuck.

“We don’t need to eat it, if it’s no good.”, I say lightly, trying not to let it affect me. When I go to grab his plate, his head whips in my direction, and I finally get a good look at his face.

“What, no?! I-“ He takes a deep breath, his hand wiping over his eyes quickly, like the tear was never there. “This is the nicest thing somebody has done for me in a long time.”, he finally says. “And it reminds me of my Oma.” A deep sigh shakes his tall frame. “So, thank you, okay? It’s delicious.” He takes my hands, softly pulling them towards him, pressing a kiss on each palm.

The sadness in his eyes isn’t completely gone when I look into them, and I didn’t anticipate that this simple gesture of cooking him his favourite meal would have him in shambles like that. But the smile that turns up the corners of his mouth is a warm one, thankful and happy.

“You’re welcome.”, I simply tell him. “I’m glad you like it.” I press my lips to his, reassuring the big giant that it was okay, without saying it out loud.

When I pull back, he lingers, his hand shooting up to the back of my head, stealing another kiss. Long, deep and oh so soft. Another “thank you”, without saying it out loud.

“What was your Oma like?”, I ask him, taking a forkful of my sauced-up Nockerl. He talked about her before, but it might keep me from tearing up as well.

The smile on his face gets wider and he starts to tell stories about her. Leaving the other people in his family out of it, for the most part.

How she always asked him to get the stuff from the upper shelves because he was already taller than her at age 12. How he sat in the kitchen doing his homework while she cooked. How she stopped pestering him about going to church on Sunday eventually, but still almost smacked him in his head when he turned the cross in the living room upside down as a joke. How she cried when he joined the military because that was the last thing she wished for him. How she still let him go and how he had to promise her to come back – or else. How he helped her in the garden every time he came home and kept doing that well into his 30s. And how he nearly missed her funeral because he almost couldn’t get permission to leave for a few days.

König takes seconds and even thirds, eating almost all of the Gulasch I cooked. I’m already done sitting over my empty plate, listening to him talk, getting us something to drink. When he is done as well, he grabs the plates to wash up, not letting me help in any way, because “Oh no, you already cooked and everything”. He tells me to pick out a movie I’d like to watch, the glint in his eyes telling me that it’s probably going to get cut short again, so I put on Pulp Fiction, a movie we both have watched countless times before.

He laughs as he comes into the living room with a beer in his hand and sees my choice on the flatscreen, taking a seat at the couch and I hop onto his lap when his ass barely touched the cushions. We’re entangled, as close as you can be. And it doesn’t take long for his hands to wander. Squeeze, caress, stroke over my body. Teasing me with soft kisses against my neck until a heavy sigh leaves my lips. He takes that as an invitation to finally take me to the bedroom where he lies me down on the mattress to eat me out, while he kneels on the floor. Messy, sloppy licks and nibbles, his fingers methodically filling me until I cum for him, my thighs pressing together around his head.

He crawls over me, pushing into me with his dick, after teasing my clit some more with his tip, the piercing deliciously pressing into the sensitive nub.

Slow and sweet doesn’t mean less intense, the soft stretch with every sensual roll of his hips sending sensations over my body, making me pant and throw my head back with pleasure.

His hand on my chin compelling me look at him while he is fucking me like this… until it doesn’t feel like just fucking anymore. When I come again, this time around his dick, it feels like a soft wave washing over me, his name on my lips, and he doesn’t stop pushing into me, prolonging my orgasm and chasing his own until he spills inside me.

He presses kisses to my cheek, pulling me into him, and we snuggle up against each other to fall asleep. My back is against his front, the heat of his body warming me, that I don’t even need a blanket. Feeling the comfort of his embrace a little more clearly than usual.

And the realisation hits me that he is going to leave. And I’m gonna go back home, to my apartment. No more König when I come home from work. No shared meals in the kitchen, no sitting in his lap on the couch. No laughing fits in the middle of the night when one of us says something so stupid that the other can’t comprehend. No filthy sex and tender kisses. No calling him “old man” to get a rise out of him. No dirty punishment for my bratty ass. No feeling him inside me, his brows turned up, his eyes rolling back in ecstatic expression as he comes. None of it, at least for some time.

I push those thoughts away, pulling his arms tighter around me as if I could keep him like this. I close my eyes, ignoring the one stray tear that rolls down my cheek, and drift off into sleep.

And with this the day I have been dreading the whole week is finally here. The day when I return to my own apartment after staying with him for weeks. I even took a day off of work for this.

I’m trying not to let it show too much, because it’s a bit stupid. This living arrangement always was meant to be temporary and I always knew he was on leave, needing to go back to his work at some point sooner or later. But now that it’s here… I kinda don’t want it to happen at all.

The coffee tastes a little bitter as I sip it, even though he added just as much milk as usual, with the typical joking disgust while diluting the tasty elixir, that always makes me chuckle and shake my head.

The sunlight streaming through the big windows in the living room blinds me as it reflects off the shiny couch upholstery when I go to collect Mimi from her spot, putting her in the cat carrier.

The book I finished reading on the weekend gets caught when I push it into its place on the shelf, some of the pages creasing. I curse, showing König and apologizing. He takes the book from my grasp, straightening out the crinkles, and puts it back. “Don’t worry, Liebes, it’s just a book.”, he says, his arm coming around me as he pulls me against his warm body and presses a kiss to the top of my head.

I get the rest of my stuff, seeing that one of my yarn balls has tangled into a net of knots, and I curse again. Of course, it did. I put my crochet bag into one of the boxes and carry it outside.

With a sigh I look back over my shoulder one last time and close the door behind me, placing my stuff in the trunk and climbing into the driver’s seat of my own car. Starting it and driving after him, and it’s weird not to sit right next to him in his car.

It’s weird being home again. Letting Mimi out of her carrier, the little kitty running around, brushing against his legs. And he picks her up, carrying her around, just like they always do. The small creature is purring against his chest as he shimmies her around, humming some tune I can't place.

It’s weird standing here in my apartment with him, waiting for the bed to be delivered. I can feel my bubbly yapping coming back, not being able to shut up, and König is listening like he always does. Short, one-worded answers while his hand is petting Mimi, scratching between her ears and under her chin.

The doorbell ringing tears us from our conversation. The delivery guys are handing the packages over, asking if they should help bring them in, but König declines, giving them a tip and sending them their way.

I’m not as easily deterred from trying to help with the packages, although König is carrying most of them, barely breaking a sweat, while I struggle with the smallest one.

Sitting on the bedroom floor, his tall figure still reaching up to my hips before I get down next to him. He’s glancing at the instructions, squeezing his eyes together, but I can tell he’s having a hard time seeing the illustrations of the steps correctly.

And of course he is too stubborn to ask for help. I grin to myself and shake my head. “Forgot your glasses?”, I ask him, already knowing the answer.

“Yeah.”, he says wryly, and I extend my hand, suggesting silently he’ll hand over the instructions and he does, with a sigh and a little smile.

While I’m still studying the instructions, he’s laying out the pieces and already putting the first parts together. Of course, he is choosing the hands-on approach, even with stuff like that, figuring it out as he moves along, and I chime in with a few comments here and there, guiding the construction.

His long hair is getting in the way and I lend him a hair tie, and I don’t think I’ll ever manage to get over how meticulous he puts his hair in a ponytail. I mean, he probably has done that same move for years, his hands collecting all the stray strands, the band snapping around them with two quick motions and then it just sits perfectly at the back of his head.

We spent so much time together and I realise that I’ve never seen him do that. The whole time he was always wearing his hair down, some strands hanging in front of his face. Sometimes he put them into a lose bun when he was working out, but never like this.

“What?”, he asks me, a hint of uncertainty on his face.

I shake my head. “Nothing, your hair looks good like that.”, I say, clearing my voice when it dares to break off, but I save it with a smile which gets mirrored by his, and I can’t help but put a kiss onto it while a pang of something spreads in my chest. I feel like I know him so well, and yet I keep learning parts of him I’ve never seen before.

“Come on, Hexe.”, he says when I linger, prolonging the kiss, caught in my thoughts, his hand patting my hip which makes me giggle a bit, but I can't shake the feeling that's settling in my stomach. Fuck, he's gonna leave.

Pretty quickly we construct the bed, it’s easy enough, especially when you’re following the instructions – a sentiment I say out loud after he managed to stick two pieces together who fit, but actually belong like that. He just grins and pulls them apart easily, his muscles flexing for just a moment.

“Show-off.”, I say, sticking my tongue out at him.

Finally, the frame is done, the slats already fitted into it and last but not least, we hoist the mattress onto them.

“You didn’t need to buy me a new one, you know.”

He shoots me a look. A knowing one.

“Really, it was fine. The old one would have sufficed.”

“I have slept on that mattress. You needed a new one.”

“Oh, that's just your old bones.”, I quip, and I know how ridiculous I must sound telling that to a soldier who can probably sleep anytime anywhere.

He pinches my nose. “You're not getting younger yourself, Missy.”, he answers. "Your back will be thankful."

“Yeah, yeah.”, I say grinning and bump my hip against his, rather hitting the burly thigh, before getting some bedsheets.

The fresh sheets match the nice dark wood of the bedframe, the bed now looking so much nicer than the rest of my furniture pieces.

“Thanks. For the new bed.”, I tell him, smiling up at him, getting on my tiptoes.

“No need to thank me, Liebes.”, he answers, leaning down and meeting me halfway for a kiss. “It was my fault you needed a new one in the first place.”, a wry grin accompanying his words.

“Well, this looks much sturdier like the one I had before.” I tap the wooden frame, a hollow knock resounding.

“Well, I needed to make sure that it wouldn’t break that easily again.”, he says, smiling down at me, a twinkle in his eyes. A reminder of how we broke it in the first place.

“Care to test that theory?”, I ask him cheekily, although I’m not really in the mood right now. My heart is way too heavy.

Before I can say anything else, he grabs me by the waist and lifts me up on the bed, the mattress dipping down under my weight. His hands are steadying me when I start to jump up and down, bouncing on it. Damn, it’s really nice. And I don't dare to ask how much he spent on it.

“Sturdy enough, you think?”, he asks me.

I nod. “You wanna come up here too?”, I tease him.

He shakes his head, just grinning, following my movements up and down with his eyes.

“Oh come on!”, I exclaim, not ready to stop this sillyness.

He pulls up his eyebrows. “I don’t think that would be wise, we don’t need to push it.”, he grins, when all of a sudden, there’s a faint cracking sound, and I stop, almost toppling over trying to hold my balance on the wobbling mattress.

“Point and case.”, he remarks as his arms coming around my waist as he lifts me off the bed.

“Okay, okay…”

I hold onto him like a little spider monkey, my legs closing around him, my cheek pressing against his shoulder as I nuzzle my face into the crook of his neck. Like I could keep him here like that. Or he’ll just take me with him when I stick to him like a limpet. Maybe I’m small enough to fit into his pocket.

My fingers get caught in his hair as I try to run them through it like I always do, and he pulls the hair tie from them, putting it away, letting me play with the long strands, as he goes to sit down.

The couch in my apartment is way smaller than his, his frame fills the cushions easily, so I have nowhere else to sit but his lap. Like I would have sat anywhere else. Trying to be as close to him as possible.

We’re not saying anything, just sitting here. My head rests against his shoulder, his scent all around me. I can hear his heart beat, feel it beneath my fingertips resting on his chest. Steady and strong, but a little too fast.

His hands are gently caressing my thighs and back, and even though I feel the sadness seep into me, the soft touches ground me.

We sit in silence for what seems eternity while at the same time lasting barely more than the blink of an eye. And I wish we could remain in this moment, frozen in time, but well.

He sighs softly, the deep sound pulling me from my thoughts, and I lift my head, to look at him.

“We need to say goodbye.” He slumps back, his shoulders hitting the backrest. “I wish I didn’t need to go.”, he exhales. Saying what I was thinking.

"Don't worry, I'll still be here when you're on leave again.", I tell him, softly kissing his cheek. He turns to me, the expression on his face serious and... a bit sad.

"But you shouldn't be.", he says, calm and steady.

"But-", I want to protest.

He shakes his head. "No, you should be with somebody your age, someone who can give you stability." He sighs. "Someone who can guarantee you that they'll come back to you. Every time they leave."

And the realisation hits me. He isn't saying goodbye for now. He's saying goodbye for good.

“I see.”, is all I manage because my feelings come crashing down over me with a vicious fervor. I thought I was going to have to deal with him leaving for weeks or months. With him being gone for a while. Not with a breakup.

“I’m sorry.”, he apologizes and starts to explain. “I never meant for this to go this far or… this deep.” The admission in his words makes my stomach flip upside down. I actually feel a little nauseous as my hands grip my own thighs, trying to hold onto something. “And I should’ve maybe said something earlier.” He swallows hard.

“The truth is that I had the best time this leave, and that was solely because of you.” He finally looks at me again, the raw emotions in his eyes almost scaring me. But the resolve in them is clear as well. “I couldn’t get myself to break it off. But I can’t make you wait for me either. Because I can’t even promise you that I will return.” His voice is shaking now and seeing him like this makes my lower lip tremble as I just try to breathe.

“And I can’t do that to you. The thought of you waiting for me at home and only a casket coming back… has been killing me inside these past few days.” The words come out choked and I can’t look at him anymore, my head snapping to the side as that image fills my mind. “Fuck, I’m really sorry, okay?”

We sit here like this for a moment longer. His hands stopped caressing my thighs and back, and I want to scream. The cold feeling of loss grips my heart, a viciously clawed hand leaving gaping wounds as it was making its way up my chest. He’s still sitting underneath me, but I feel like he’s already gone.

“I get it.”, I finally say, my voice trembling and hoarse. Still not able to look at him because I wouldn’t have been able to hold back my tears.

“I knew you would.”, he says, the words breaking up as he speaks. And I think back to when he told me that he couldn’t have a partner or family because his job won’t allow it. And I finally get why he thinks like that. At least I guess so. The big house devoid of any life but him, his own little safe haven, and I only now understand how temporary this whole arrangement really had been. I just didn’t see it. Maybe because I didn’t want to.

While I still try to process everything, he lifts me up and sets me down on the cushions of the couch. Like he did countless times the last few weeks. In his living room. And a sob tears from my chest because the gesture reminds me of so many tender and filthy moments at the same time. I hug my knees, pulling them close to me, already missing the warmth of his body. But that’s the way it is now, I guess.

He crouches down, coming face to face with me, and it just hurts to look at him. The bandshirt he bought for the concert we went to together. The tattoos on his knuckles, straining from the tension in his balled-up fists. The long dark hair, pushed to the side, falling back down his shoulder. I don’t need to touch it, to know how soft it feels. The mouth that smiled at me so often. The lips I have kissed countless times and that have kissed every inch of my body. The furrowed brows. The slack expression on his face concealing the laughlines. And for the first time since I’ve known him looking into his eyes doesn’t give me comfort.

He carefully takes my chin, the pads of his fingertips rough against the skin, softly digging into my jaw, like he likes – liked to do. He leans forward pressing a kiss to my lips which almost makes the tears drop from my eyes. A kiss to say goodbye, gentle and bittersweet.

"Stay safe, okay?", he whispers, his eyes looking intently into mine, but I can only nod. My throat is closed up because I know he won't be safe. Not saying anything because I don't want to cry in front of him. Because that will only make it harder, on both of us.

He straightens back up and leaves. The door falls shut behind him.

And I finally let the waterworks flow, sobs shaking my chest as I throw myself into the couch where he sat just a few moments ago.

Mimi’s meow pulls me from my crying fit when she jumps up onto the couch, her little head bumping into me, and I pull her against my chest, the tears rolling down my cheeks. And the odd thought crosses my mind if the crinkles in the book on his shelf are the only remainders of me in his house. While I have this new bed.

How did we get here? Masterlist or the next part

a/n: i have been working on this chapter for months and i knew what was coming and now that it's finished, i can't help but still feel the sadness hitting me 🥲 - and no, this is not the last chapter (in case you were fearing that rn) take this recipe for authentic austrian beef gulasch as a token of my apology

[aesethewitch]

Beef Stew Recipe - Potion of Fortitude

Whether it's been an exhausting week, a frigid winter's day, or just a stressful time, few things are more comforting than a hearty bowl of stew. I make this beef stew for myself whenever I need a true pick-me-up or when I'm preparing for an in-depth magical working. It provides lasting energy, warmth, and strength.

Plus, this recipe is scalable - make a ton and freeze it to enjoy for weeks or just make a little bit for one meal. The measurements below are approximate; measure with your heart.

Ingredients:

Chuck roast, cut to half-inch cubes (you can get pre-chunked stew meat, which is what I typically get)

Flour, enough to coat the beef

Salt and Pepper (about 1 tsp salt & 1/2 tsp pepper), for seasoning the beef coating

2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter

1 Onion, diced

2 Large Potatoes, peeled and cut into half-inch to one-inch cubes

2 Carrots, peeled and cut into rounds

5-6 Cloves of Garlic, finely diced

4 cups Beef Broth

Herbs of your choice, such as: Sage, Thyme, Marjoram, Celery Seed, Bay, Chili Flakes

Additional veggies of your choice, such as: Parsnips, Turnips, Bok Choy

Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:

Mix together your flour, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Toss the beef chunks in the mixture to coat. This will create a nice brown crispiness on the outside.

In your stew pot, sauté your flour-coated beef until browned on all sides. Remove from the pot and set aside.

Add more oil to your pot and cook your onion until translucent. If you don't mind soft carrots in your stew, add them now and cook until just starting to soften and brown. (Note: I often leave the carrots until after the potatoes are nearly cooked through because I don't like the texture of fully-cooked carrots.)

Once your onions are translucent and your carrots have started to soften/brown, toss in your butter and scrape the bottom of the pot. You want to get all those beautiful, delicious brown bits back into the mixture. You can add a little water if you need help loosening the bits.

Add your garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Put your beef back into the pot (along with any drippings from the plate/bowl you placed it in). Pour your broth over everything and give it all a good stir.

Toss your potatoes into the pot. Bring it all to a boil and reduce your heat to let it simmer.

Add your herbs and spices. I recommend salt, pepper, sage, thyme, celery seed (or salt), and bay. If you like it spicy, you can throw in a bit of chili powder or flakes.

Simmer for at least one hour or until your potatoes are soft and your beef becomes tender, stirring occasionally.

If your stew isn't thick enough by the time your potatoes are done, you can make a cornstarch slurry by combining one tablespoon of cornstarch with two tablespoons of water. Pour the slurry into the stew and let it cook until thickened to your desired consistency.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with crusty bread, veggie side dishes, or whatever else you like.

Optional magic you can include:

As mentioned above, I often use this recipe to bolster or replenish my energy before or after an intense magical working. It also works for physical exertions - I made this for a group of my partner's friends while they were moving heavy furniture to a new apartment, and it gave them all the energy to move everything in one night!

This stew has an intense comforting effect. If someone I know has been working hard, stressing out, or hasn't been feeding themselves properly, I'll make this for them to help them remember to take care of themselves. It's rejuvenating, hearty, and full of love.

Depending on the herbs you choose to include, this could also be a powerful protection spell. Especially in the cold months, I use this as a protective ward against the cold exhaustion that pulls at the body and mind.

Pop a bit of chili in this spell to both speed up its effects and cast out negativity! Nothing clears the sinuses like a nose full of spice, and nothing clears the body of bad vibes like a good dose of chili flake.

Like many of my spell recipes, this one is most effective when it's shared. Give a bowl to your friends, your family, your neighbors, whoever. It makes a wonderful offering to house spirits or ancestors.

If you make this recipe, please let me know your thoughts! And if you enjoy this or my other posts, please consider dropping a couple dollars in my Ko-Fi tip jar!

Happy cooking, witches! 🍲

[hinotorihime]

anyway the way you make stew is you take cubes of beef and put them in the bottom of the pot with a little bit of oil and sprinkle them with balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper and thyme and then you put chopped onion in the oil and saute it until the onion's clear and each side of the meat cubes is brown and also has been imbued with cooked-onion flavor and then you add a handful of flour and stir it up until the onion's coated with flour but there's no lumps and then you pour in chicken broth (not beef broth, trust me on this) and a bit more of the vinegar and salt and pepper and thyme and let the broth start to simmer and then you add chopped potatoes and chopped carrots and then just let that simmer on the stove until the potatoes are soft and starting to fall apart and the carrots are tender and the meat is tender and the whole kitchen smells fucking delicious and then you pour in half a bag of frozen peas and stir it up and wait like two minutes for the peas to heat up and then you take that shit over to the table and you eat it. with BREAD

[feyburner]

Do you have a specific recipe for the curry or was it a make up as you go along type of meal? looks delish

A bit of both. I had the name of the restaurant dish (adobong baka sa gata) and the description (smoked chuck roast stewed in coconut cream, vinegar, chili, fish sauce). So I looked up recipes for the dish and combined a couple different ones together.

The recipes I referenced were: here, here, here. I also referenced I AM A FILIPINO: AND THIS IS HOW WE COOK which is a fabulous cookbook.

However, I wasn't just trying to make the dish, I was trying to make this one restaurant's version of it. In the recipes I linked, the 3rd one is the closest in color to the restaurant curry, but the restaurant curry had very small, incredibly tender bits of beef, not big chunks. It was pale brown from the coconut cream and the primary taste was rich, nutty, slightly sweet coconut, with very little vinegar or spice taste.

The usual way of preparing this dish has you make beef adobo (stewing beef in vinegar and aromatics) and then add coconut cream to that mixture. But what the restaurant did is smoke the beef for 18 hours, then stew it in coconut cream with a little added vinegar and spice but not a lot.

So that is what I wanted to do.

What I ended up with was very close, but not perfect. Mine was more vinegary and spicy than the restaurant's. It was delicious but not exactly what I wanted.

Next time, I will 1. Use coconut cream instead of coconut milk, and 2. Not add any braise liquid to the curry unless I taste it and think it needs some. The meat was dripping in braise liquid so that probably would have been sufficient.

Anyway here's the recipe.

First, I made braised beef adobo like this:

INGREDIENTS

4-5 lbs chuck roast (doesn't have to be this much)

2 heads garlic, peeled

1 Tbsp black peppercorns

1 Tbsp bird's eye chili spice (didn't have fresh bird's eye chilis)

1 splash red wine (optional)

4 cups beef broth (I used beef bouillon)

3/4 cup white vinegar

1/3 cup fish sauce (I originally said 1/2 cup but it was probably less)

1/4 cup ish soy sauce

2-3 spoonfuls brown sugar

2 bay leaves

juice + zest 1 lime (optional, I just needed to use it up)

TO BRAISE

Pat dry chuck roast. Rub in kosher salt and dry-brine 1+ hours.

Sear chuck roast in oiled hot hot pan, 3 min on each side to brown. Set aside. (Not necessary but recommended).

Preheat oven to 300° F.

In a dutch oven, heat oil to shimmering. Add garlic cloves and fry 1 min until fragrant. Add black peppercorns and chili spice (careful don't breathe in, the chili spice fumes will get you lol). Stir fry 2-3 min until very fragrant.

Deglaze with a splash of red wine. Add beef broth, white vinegar, fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, bay leaves, lime juice and zest.

Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Carefully add meat. Make sure meat is almost entirely covered with braise liquid (if it's not totally covered that's fine, it will cook down and fit better).

Put lid on dutch oven. Carefully transfer to oven. Braise 4-6 hours until fork tender.

TO MAKE CURRY

2 x 12 oz can coconut milk or cream (recommend cream)

reserved braise liquid, to taste

fish sauce, to taste

Once beef is done braising, remove from dutch oven. Reserve braise liquid.

Cut beef into tiny bits. Set aside.

In a wok or deep-bottomed pan, add coconut milk. Heat just until steaming. DO NOT let coconut milk rise above a simmer. The oils will separate. Do not let it boil.

Add beef. Cook, stirring occasionally, 30+ minutes until coconut curry sauce is slightly thickened.

Taste. If you want more vinegar-spice flavor, add some strained braise liquid and/or fish sauce (start low, like 1-2 Tbsp at a time). (The beef will be dripping in braise liquid and impart plenty on its own, so don't add until you have tasted).

Serve over rice.

[diddlesanddoodles]

"The Uphill River"

A small little blurb from chapter ten of the rewrite. Yes I am still writing it.

The next task she was put to was pulling stems of apples for Quinn and Kol as they worked on the list of the Queen’s pastries. Yale assisted in gathering whatever ingredients needed for their work, dashing to and from cold storage to fetch various dried and fresh fruits and herbs. And a crock of butter almost as tall as Nenani. She walked around it, eyes wide in wonder, battling the very real urge to stick her finger into it. Without even looking away from the list in his hands, Yale reached over to lay his fingers on her shoulders and gently turned her away from the butter. He pointed to a spot closer to him in a wordless command and another bowl of apples needing their stems plucked for the Ibronian pastries they were making.   

Nenani knew a little of Ibronian cooking, only due to having lived in fair proximity to the Ibronain sailors and dock workers littering the port. They liked their wine sweet and liberally applied anywhere there was room. The apples Nenani prepared were lightly crushed, only to break them open, and put aside to macerate in wine as the dough came together.   

“Are ye sure it doesn’t say anything about butter in this recipe? Even at the end?” Kol asked as he pressed the shaggy dough into a pile and drive the ball of his fist into the center.

“I’m sure,” Quin replied, reading over the recipe one more time. “No butter. The next recipe looks like it uses a good bit, but not for this one.”

“Don’t seem right not to have butter in the dough. It’ll be flavorless.”

Quinn flicked Kol’s ear as he passed him with the bowl of apples and wine. “If you add butter and we get torn into because ye broke some sacred Ibrinaian pastry law, I’m shaving yer head after we’re released from the stockades.”  

“Fine, I won’t add any butter,” Kol replied with a petulant frown. “Just don’t see how it’ll taste very good. Would make a nicer crumb.”

They stopped their work briefly to eat a small meal. Bowls from one the large cauldrons that Yale called “the perpetual brew” were doled out to everyone. It was a dark colored stew not unlike forever pottage, but instead of a thick soup of grains and barely, there were root vegetables, various bits of meat, and several types of beans.

As Nenani ate her portion, she fished something odd from the bottom of her bowl. It was as long as her finger and looked very much like a stick. She tried to bite into it and grimaced. It was a stick. When she showed Yale, he and the bakers all burst into laughter.

“Must be a bit of sweet pine,” Quinn said.   

“I forget sometimes Humans don’t really eat trees, eh? Supposed yer teeth are too soft for it,” said Yale.

“What? You eat trees?” Nenani asked.

“Sometimes,” Yale explained. “It’s more common to eat them in winter when stores run low. Ye cut down a few in spring when they’re sweetest and store them in the cellar for winter. Grind it up for bread. It’s not as nice as wheat, but it’s food. Mostly folks pop a few branches into soup for the flavor. Like ye were saying about the bay laurel.”

“And if ye can’t afford sugar or honey, lots of folks use a spoon carved from sweet pine and use it to stir tea and it’ll sweeten it a bit,” Kol added in. “Not as much as sugar or honey, but it works well enough.”    

Nenani observed the stick held between her fingers with equal measures of curiosity and revulsion. It had softened somewhat from its time spent boiling in the stew. But it was still unmistakenly a stick. She could not decide if they were trying to trick her or not. Looking between the three of them, they seemed sincere enough. She put it back into her mouth and chewed on it. The fibers broke apart and she could taste a faint sweetness. “It’s a little sweet.”

“Told ye,” said Yale.

She removed it from her mouth. “But it’s still a stick.”

“Ah, yer teeth are just too soft to fully appreciate sweet pine,” Yale replied. He fished a piece of sweet pine from his own bowl and ate it, chewing happily as Nenani made a face at him.   

  Quinn laughed and added, “Don’t tell her about pinecone jam.” 

[bluetraverser]

FL chapter 58 is ALSO here!

Elliott sat down in the armchair and wrapped the blanket around himself again.

He was scared.

Her temperature was high but not high enough to call Harvey again. He had given her medicine. So far she hadn’t spit up the latest bottle yet. Of what little she had been willing to drink. She would probably be okay. But it was so hard to deal with this. It was bad enough when Robert was sick but Ayleen! Ayleen! His sweet baby girl…

He felt so helpless…

He curled back up and tried to will himself to be okay. Whatever his girl needed, he would be here. She would be okay. She would definitely be. Okay.

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

Robert woke up too early. The clock told him it wasn’t even 5 am yet.

He sighed and got up, too antsy to keep lying here. Elliott had insisted he go to sleep, given he couldn’t really take breaks from keeping the farm running. But he’d felt guilty and worried and finding sleep had been no easy errand. He had startled anytime Ayleen had made noises, worried if she was okay. He knew Elliott was with her and would do anything he could for her. But he felt like his heart physically tried to drag him to her anytime he heard her cry out.

He got dressed quickly and went downstairs to check on them.

Ayleen was breathing okay. He couldn’t see her face well in the dark, but her breathing sounded stable and she was still lying on her back. Good! He wanted to touch her, but he worried she would wake up if he did. He tiptoed over to his husband who immediately startled awake, despite his efforts to be quiet.

“Hey. Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you.” He tried to whisper as quietly as possibly.

Elliott relaxed again, sighing. “’S okay.”

Robert pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Need anything?”

“mh-mh.” He indicated negative.

“Okay.” He squeezed his hand, then tip toed away again.

Robert shredded the chicken meat and put it aside, then checked how the broth was doing. He sipped a little bit of it, added more lemongrass and decided it needed to stew a little bit longer before he would add the chicken to it.

He cut up some fresh herbs to go with it, then started preparing a tray…

“Guh…”

Robert turned and went over to his child a moment. “Hey you. Woke up again, huh?” He gently took her hand for a moment, and smiled at her little pink face, then let go again. Much to their relief, after two weeks of back-and-forth her fever had finally gone down again in the past few days. She was still cranky and not very hungry but her color and general well-being had improved so much…

Robert tried the broth again, then added in the chicken and some herbs, putting a lid back on to let it simmer another two minutes.

Elliott lumbered into the kitchen. “It smells tasty.”

Robert smiled, turning back to him. “Hey. I was going to bring you some when it’s ready.”

Elliott briefly hugged him, then sat down. “’S okay. I’m good to eat here.”

“Guess this means your appetite is returning. I’m glad.”

“Mhmh. My temperature is almost normal again.”

Robert sighed in relief. He usually dealt with sickness around him okay, but the way Elliott had continuously cared for their daughter the first week, staying up almost every night with her before falling sick himself, had made him feel guilty and gnawed on him. It had made it harder to be okay.

“Well. That is a relief. I hope the soup will do you good.” He cut up a lime and drizzled it into the stew, then turned off the heat and put the pot on the table.

“It does smell delicious, darling.”

Robert smiled and was just about to ladle out soup for both of them when the phone rang. He groaned. “Eat. I’ll get it.”

“Llyr farm, who’s disturbing my lunch break?”

“Oh Robert, that is really no way to answer the phone.”

“Yes, it is. Hi Mum. The greeting makes clear that whoever is calling has gotten a hold of me but is, in fact, disturbing me, and should maybe call me back at a later time.”

“Now that is just impolite. I wanted to ask about Christmas this year.”

“Uhm… I…” He thought about Christmas. Did he want to go to the city with an 8-month-old, be annoyed and stressed and mostly miserable? Or did he want to stay home and maybe actually set up a tree with Elliott and be comfortable and…

“I don’t think we’re going to make it. Sorry.”

“But Robert, that is the second year in a row. Really, I barely see you and you barely call!”

He sighed. “Mum. I am sorry. But we live far away, I have a very busy job and honestly, coming to the city is really stressful. And the last time I called you, you didn’t have time.”

“Well, that is no excuse! Your cousin Judith also has quite a way to come here and she comes by regularly.”

He felt the anger boil up in him again. He had a sick child and husband around and she had called him during lunch break and-

He took a deep breath. The whole thing was annoying as hell but he should really finally tell her-

“Ooh, I have someone at the door, hold on, deary!”

Robert stared at the phone, dumbfounded. He had just made up his mind about finally telling her and now-

“It’s Kathleen from across the hall, she needs my help at the bake sale after all so I have to go!”

“Uh. Okay, but mum I-”

“Bye!”

He put down the phone and let out a long groan. He had just. Tried. To tell her. And YET.

He harrumphed and went back to the kitchen where his husband was sleepily staring at him. “Mmmh? Couldn’t get a word in?”

“No.” He sighed and sat down. “You should have eaten. It’s best when it’s hot.”

“You weren’t gone long; it should still be hot.”

Robert smiled, then put out soup for both of them. He was about to put out rice when Elliott took his bowl in hands and sipped a little bit of the broth. He let out a long, warm sigh, then sipped more of it. “...mmmmh...yes.”

Robert smiled. “Don’t you want rice with it?”

“In a moment… but the ginger...the broth...I can feel it just… being good for me.”

Robert felt lighter again, hearing it. “I’m so glad.”

Full chapter at: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28793223/chapters/152092765#workskin

[niennawept]

Moon Dumplings: A Pan-Elven Cultural Debate in Three Documents (Part 2)

Warning(s): None Rating: Gen Summary: The origins of moon dumplings, shared amongst all branches of elven kindred, are a source of frequent arguments, both culinary and scholarly. Part 1 is here.

Selected Interviews from Díril’s research into moon dumpling origins, transcribed in her own hand

Q: When did you first hear of moon dumplings?

A: They were with us even at Cuiviénen. Had them often when the nights got very cold. They are warming, you know. Good for putting some meat on your bones. You are too skinny, young lady. Respondent 1: a Sindarin elleth of unknown age, asked to estimate she shrugged and said “we did not count years back then”

A: Not until we were nearing the Anduin on the Great Journey. We made lembas out of Valarin corn, but it was not until we halted to wait for better conditions for crossing that those with minds for cooking learned to make the dough. Respondent 2: a Nandorin ellon, born approximately ninety winters before the Journey at Cuiviénen

A: They were invented during the hottest days, of course. Stews and porridges are hearty and delicious, but they leave something to be desired when it gets too warm out. The calming influence of the stars will set that right. [interviewer prompts “can you estimate the year?”] Oh! Right after Oromë gave the Noldor the right type of flour. We kept them secret, you know, from the other kindred. Respondent 3: an Exilic Noldorin elleth, who was born on the Great Journey

A: I do not remember. When I was still a small child. Respondent 4: an Avari ellon, who remembered choosing to stay rather than joining the Great Journey

Q: Why are they called moon dumplings?

A: They were not originally called that. It was only after the moon and his phases that folk changed their name. They used to be called “starbeads.” Respondent 1

Respondent 2 declined to answer.

A: Because they are cured under moonlight these days. What do they teach you in Lindon, girl? Respondent 3

A: We do not call them that. We call them “starbeads.” [respondent says something mostly inaudible, but a portion of it contained the phrase “new names for old things”] Respondent 4

Q: Who invented them?

A: The Noldor. I already told you that. Respondant 3

All other respondents declined to answer.

Q: Are the fillings of this dumpling sweet or savory?

A: Either, whatever is available. Respondent 1

A: Sweet, always. Respondent 2

A: Savory, always. Respondent 3

A: Both, sometimes. Respondent 4

Q: What is the traditional filling for these dumplings?

A: Oh, all sorts. Anything that will not tear the skin while cooking. No one wants to be picking out little bits of burned vegetables from a steam basket. It is important that the filling is soft either by nature or by cooking first. [interviewer asks “which were the most common?”] Mushrooms, wild plants, sometimes fish or fowl. Respondent 1

A: We begin by collecting sap from maple trees, which is boiled to remove impurities and concentrate the flavor. We filter it and add dried fruits and minced nuts. When it has cooked down and become rather sticky, we fill the dumplings. Respondent 2

A: Meat, obviously. [interviewer prompts “what kind of meat?”] Whatever can be gotten with relative ease. Respondent 3

A: Minced nuts are most usual. Respondent 4

Q: Are there alternate fillings that are acceptable?

A: I have already answered that question. Respondent 1

A: Absolutely not. Respondent 2

A: Have you taken leave of your senses? No. Respondent 3

A: Fruit is also common. Respondent 4

Q: What texture should the dumpling wrapping be?

A: They should have a texture that requires a bit of chewing. The flavor improves with more moonlight. Respondant 2

All other respondents answered with a variation of “not tough [like the Nandorin variety.]”

For @silmarillionepistolary week

[sliptohk]

Prompt #1: Steer

The Tarnished Copper served its purpose in Ul'dah. Edible food and potable ale in portions large enough to satisfy the mercenary crews that found their way into the dimly lit tavern. Drab decorations and posturing patrons not nearly so off-putting to well-heeled clientele in search of a contract. A fine enough arrangement for those not yet willing to add their names to the Adventurer's Guild roster, as well as a less scrupulous element eager for work of a more unsavory nature.

A few familiar faces lounged about in that dimly lit interior, offering a faint smirk or nod when gazes met. Most remained unknown youths. They emulated the poise and mannerisms of the veteran crews setting up court at the less scarred tables. The Hounds of Drybone. Rhaelgr's Promise. Fulfilling their role as examples to aspire to.

Winds of the Broken Mountain had a long reputation, but their present roster was decidedly less storied than their retired predecessors. Not that it prevented them from leaping at the chance of a lucrative job.

With an elbow firmly planted on the tabletop, Ellory leaned forward. A wide grin on her face as she took in the faces huddling close to their own plates, "You hear what Isugu was on about?"

"Noble competition. Shite job. Makes for bad blood." Arlette gnawed at a bone, either an excuse not to speak more eloquently, or a firm commitment to claiming every scrap of meat on it.

"I concur." The Highlander woman looked pleased at Oliver's support as the dour conjuror spoke. "We win, somebody else takes umbrage. We lose, the purse fails to cover the expenses for the venture."

The Hellsguard on either side of Ellory gave deep grunts of agreement, though Frozen Crater seemed to be feeling particularly verbose in comparison to his brother, "Easier work out there, Cheerful. Heard a lot of crews been shipping out to Tural."

Unanimous disagreement did little to dampen the hyurgadyn's enthusiasm, her palm smacking the surface in emphasis of each word!

"Traveling! Is! Not! Working!" She plucked up her mug to take a swig before continuing, "There may be work in Tural! But all I see are a lot of bodies shuffling onto boats and no word on just how fat their purses are! And you know what more crews shipping out means?"

Molten River's brow furrowed, following the line of thought easily enough, "Less competition here."

"Exactly! So what? We end up racing some tenderfeet? Purse ain't fat enough to entice the top crews! Especially if they may end up not seein' one bloody gil!"

"It pains me to think we are not considered a premier troupe." Oliver's tone made it clear that was hardly a thought he was losing any sleep over.

"Not in rep, but would pit us against any of 'em in terms of capability!"

Arlette chewed on one of her braids, worrying at the brown hair like a rodent. The obvious tell already informing Ellory of her success before they spat it out to clear their mouth. "Suppose it wouldn't hurt to get a look. Get a feel for it."

"Long as we stay careful. Don't wanna ruffle any feathers." The rumbling bass of Crater's finished the thought.

"Right, right, we'll be charming as can be!"

Buoyed up by that apparent triumph, Ellory was poised to tuck into her own meal more enthusiastically. Only for Oliver to speak up once more. His gaze a bit too exaggeratedly guileless to be anything but focused as a hawk. The man could certainly be sharp, even if he lacked the effortless inscrutability of a natural liar.

"Why, may I ask, do you consider this payment sufficient to take on these risks? As you argued, the purse is hardly tempting enough to lure in veteran hands."

Three more sets of eyes turned as well, keenly interested in just what that reason may be.

The sellsword took her time, enjoying a few bites of her stew while it was still hot and a deep pull from her mug. Just enough time for Arlette to really start scowling in earnest before finally speaking up. If they had to hear the highlander curse and rage about the prolonged silence it would only make her far less amenable to the entire idea.

"Patronage!" Stealing another few bites, she at least swallowed before adding, "Five turns back there was another competition. Remember Weeping Skies? Her crew wins that race across the sands and what's she doing now? Choice work for that merchant princess they tied themselves to! Whaddaya think that means if her boss ever gets a seat on the syndicate?"

The look in their eyes made it clear victory was truly hers. There was no missing the fine arms and attire the roegadyn woman and her crew dressed themselves in whenever they made rounds about the city. A lucrative arrangement by any stretch of the word, and what sort of mercenary would ever turn their nose up at the promise of easy, constant work?

"Like ya said! We just take a look at least! See something that looks bad? We move on!" She flashed a dazzling smile, before cursing the whole endeavor, "Easiest purse we'll ever pull"

[darkdemeter]

Child Reader Genesis fluff platonic! So, Strife and War are teaching S/O how to defend herself using one of Strife’s daggers. War tells her to attack him like he’s an enemy, but instead, S/O runs over and hugs his leg. When asked why, S/O innocently says she doesn’t think War is an enemy. A bit jealous of the hug, Strife asks for a hug. The horses want a hug too. Later, S/O gives Vulgrim a hug, then Dis, and tries to give one to Samael but the Horsemen carry her away quickly. Cute! Fluff! 🥰🥰🥰

GUIDE HER WAY HOME VI

◤✘DARKSIDERS REQUESTS | CATALOGUE (Platonic!) Strife and War x Female Child!Reader

NOTES ↳ When I first wrote this, this was the last request sent through for this series and I got upset about it. Cause there was no more and I'm not prepared to let this series go, I'm committed to its main story, its AUs, player!hcs and side plots/adventures! WARNINGS❕ ↳ fluffy content! (but it also gets a little sad like the kind where you're nearing the end of a book and you don't wanna say goodbye?) — I think that's it

✎ 3.2k ────────────────────────

Days and nights have passed since Strife and War took you under their charge. An abundance of moments you treasure. From the perilous travels to the wonderful landscapes where you were given permission to run through the meadows, Ruin and Mayhem not too far behind in galloping after you; chasing you in a playful game to staring up at the night sky much like tonight. Seated on a log, your hands absently play with the crystal ball in your hands. Your eyes scour the million blinking lights above, the sky a black and clear canvas for your thoughtful imagination to wander freely. 

Your head dips down and you look at the ball in your hands, shaking it to startle the tiny flakes of white that dance within it, humming with a fond smile to see the flurry burst twirl around and around. 

Samael had encouraged you to keep it as a gift, his token of friendship he had called it, much to the ire of the Horsemen who all but saw the twisted, sly grin on his face after they had returned. 

Both War and Strife were left unsettled by the knowledge that the demon prince had spoken with you, all too knowing that his intentions were not of the hearted kind sort; not like them. 

He wanted something from you. Information from you. They wouldn’t put it past Samael to use your kindness and good-hearted nature, the naivety of your innocent soul to his advantage over them. 

And how close they were to gutting Vulgrim right there and then… oh, how close they were. 

“Here you go,” Strife says from behind you and you quickly turn your head, eyes big and blinking, broken out of your trance to see him nurse a makeshift bowl in his hand. He gives it to you in trade of the ball when it almost slipped down from your lap. 

He sees that glimmer in your eyes that ask him that question. “It’s okay, we’ve already eaten.” 

A small lie to ease the worry you have. The last thing either of them want to see is you go without all because they themselves haven’t eaten. Nephilim can go weeks or even months before they feel a single pang of hunger. 

Both your hands hold the bowl and you sip at the stew inside, sighing with a smack of your lips. Your hand combs and plucks out the chopped variants of meat and collected plants to stuff them into your mouth, chewing with a satisfied hum. 

“Hungry, aren’t you?” he asked beneath a chuckle and you nod. “Probably not as good as your uh… mother’s, right?”

He sounds sheepish to say it, scratching the back of his head with his other hand. But you regard him with a kind and genuine smile after you lower the bowl into your lap. “It’s very good!” you quickly say, “It’s yummy. It reminds me of my mama and- and her swoup. She adds, erm… yummy plants so- so it tastes good.”

“Wow. That does sound delicious,” Strife muses, shoulders dropping down with an amused huff. “Maybe she can make some for all of us when we take you home.”

“Yes!” You gasp, almost dropping your bowl entirely with a bright grin. “You and Wawr can stay with us!”

Strife’s body stiffens the moment the notion is knocked into his brain. He can feel War also shift in his place by the fire, overhearing the suggestion. It was a kind idea, one made purely because of your growing attachment to the Horsemen. 

But the thought of having a home, having a place to belong, reminds them of a time where their bloody campaign began and ended. The desperate want for a home all their own and in the end destroyed what was meant to be yours. 

They are ridden by their guilt of it all. They could not stay, even if they could and wanted to. They were the cursed union of angels and demons; abominations. They had no right to rob Humanity of their home a second time. To rob you of a home you love so much.

Strife awakens from his stupor with a light breeze of laughter when he noticed you finished talking about how your mother could make you all soup every night, how they can help and aid the village, and that you could all sit in the fields together to watch the stars and pretty curtain of lights. 

“That sounds really nice. Thanks.”

It’s all he could say to conceal the way his throat tightens and his words strain in tandem with his racing thoughts. While you finish off your dinner, Strife’s eyes lower to the crystal ball in his hand. He rolls it between his fingers, his clawed grasp could easily shatter it… everything that it reflects, it’s trickery a means to deceive you. 

Strife wanted to. Deep down he wanted nothing more than to let that version of himself come out and break it. But he couldn’t. War had one night asked Strife if they should destroy the treacherous globe as you slept but he shook his head, saddened by the aftermath that would ensue. They were not those monsters anymore. Those senseless, mindless and bloodthirsty killers.

Not when he saw how much your eyes lit up, how seemingly you appeared to glow whenever you played with the ball, rolling it between your palms and the way it would calm you when you grew weary with fretful tears, missing home. Those moments became lesser the more time you spent with War and Strife and they were growing used to your company. Perhaps a bit too much… 

But the crystal orb resembles something you too yearn for. A vessel of childish innocence and wonderment gifted by intent meant secretly to betray you, but for now you hold it dear to you. 

And so War and Strife do not touch it. They dare not shatter it in the fear that it will in turn shatter you. Your hopes, your adoring smile and eyes that shine with something they have grown too fond of seeing. It’s selfish of them to want to keep it for themselves: the way you run to them when you wander a little too far and become lost in the thicket, only to be found again. To become confined to the tether of their vigilant watch. To be assured that they will protect you. The way they cradle you close as night comes and you fall into a peaceful slumber. 

All good things must come to an end, unfortunately. It is the way of things but for you, they will do all they can to keep that end at bay if only to have you smile that bit longer, have you searching the long grass just for a moment more as you tire your curiosity. 

For a little while longer, they will allow you to cling to that falsehood. 

When you finish with your stew, Strife takes the bowl from you but before you can reach for the ball, he suggests, “How would you like to learn some fighting skills?”

It was a topic War had brought to attention one night as you slept. Most of their conversations revolved around those times as of late. And it was one that Strife agreed with, aware that you likely had no means to protect yourself and so, it was a matter of getting you on board with the idea.

Your head tilts sideways with a curious hum, a small brow raised slightly higher than the other but then you nod, the action eagerly enthusiastic. 

“Come on, then.”

You grunt as you try again to lift up one of the daggers Strife had given you, the comparison of its weight far different for him from the way you struggle to hold it for a minute before letting the blade drop down. 

“It is a matter of building your strength, little one,” War assures when he sees a flicker of frustration cross your features, cheeks puffed and brows firmly scrunched together. “It takes time.”

“Let’s try it again,” Strife says and motions for you to continue. With a nod, you take a deep breath in and pull up, arching back a little and squaring your feet out that little bit more to support the weight of the blade with a small groan. 

Strife stands by your side, crouched down low and tense, ready to support you if you lose your balance with the dagger. There were a few close calls and though Strife would glance to War with silent reconsideration, War only nodded with confidence. You needed to learn. 

War offers praise with a tempered lull to his usually baritone voice. “Good, little one. Now, think of me as an enemy about to attack you. I want you to approach me and swing your blade at me.”

Like he’s an enemy? Your eyes grow a little wider, doing your best to hide your worry — your hesitation. You can’t bring yourself to hurt War. “Come, attack and defend yourself!” 

The weight of the dagger almost drags you forward into the dirt as you take your first steps to run at him, face set in your concentration but it falls midway. You drop the dagger and it thumps to the ground with a metallic shlink. Your feet carry you towards War who’s own face portrays his surprise, brows shot high and lips parted in his silent protest. 

Your arms open wide and you envelop his closest leg in a tight hug with a content smile. “Uh— little one,” War swallows. “Why did you not attack me?”

“I don’t think you an enemy.”

You don’t relent, you don’t pull away from War. He’s glued to the spot as his eyes flicker between you and Strife, then back to you. Far too kind-hearted for your own good. That need to protect you consumes him like fire, a power unrivalled to see armies fall to his blade if you were so much as scratched or bruised. Even when War shifts, hand lowering to gently encourage you to let go of him, you only squeeze your arms around his leg tighter. When you finally turn your gaze upward, the stars reflecting in the darkened pools of your pupils draws War to a calmed standstill. 

“I don’t want to hurt my frwiend. You are good.”

Is it enough for a child to redeem him of his sins? Do you actually possess a power so absolute to save a condemned soul like his own? War would like to hope so. He almost finds himself clinging to it. 

Strife whines from behind and he wanders on closer, kneeling down. “Hey, what about me? Do I get a hug too?” His arms already widen to welcome you, his voice light and hopeful. 

“Okay!” your mousey voice coos. You let go of War’s leg and the behemoth takes a small step back, already missing the way you embrace him without fear or shame, no regard for him as a monster. You see him as a friend. 

Strife chuckles when you throw yourself at him, dare he even admit that he feels gravity shift to push him on his back from the force you use to hug him. His arms encircle around you and he picks you up, a hand ruffling through your hair gently. 

“You are a good friend too, little one.” War is sincere in the way his voice nearly wavers, broken in by the kindness of your soul. It saddens him that when their quest is done, so too will come the end of your time together. They will have to take you home. 

The commotion of whickering and whinnies erupts from the camp’s edge. Both riders turn to see Mayhem and Ruin pawing the dirt mercilessly until it becomes loose soil and heads tossing back aggressively in demand of attention.

“The horsies want hugs too!” you gasp, pointing in their direction and the Horsemen oblige. The moment they trot forward with the beckoned permission of their riders, you run up to them and their heads bow down. Horse breath tousles your hair in large sweeps as you curl your arms around their snouts, laughing aloud when they give you kisses and carefully nudge you with their enormous heads. “Rwuin and Mayhyem are my frwiends too.”

“Vulgrim we have your– ugh, I don’t even want to know what this is exactly or what you plan on doing with it.” 

Strife feels a sickly bile churning in his stomach and nearly climbing up his throat. He hands off the so-called ‘artefact’ that Vulgrim held so much interest for. Strife places it right up on the scale of disgusting with the vomit gem Belial traded them for his pathetic life. 

While Vulgrim froths at the lipless skin of his mouth with coveting marvel for his acquired prize, you skip around the upper platform. Samael watches you with a keen observance. With a twist of his features, Samael offers you a smile. “Hello, my child. Are you enjoying my gift?”

you nod with a cute hum, nodding your head and his lips pull further into a fanged grin. 

“I’m glad to hear it.” He chuckles.

War’s eyes narrow pointedly towards Samael with a pressing threat to not intervene with you, his hand itching to unleash Chaoseater from its place on his back. Strife doesn’t make his own glare evident like War does, but the golden flare of his eyes thin like sizzling embers.

“Now, Horsemen I have another— tsk! What is she doing?!” Vulgrim seethes like a feral beast dunked in water, recoiling when you approach him. 

War and Strife don’t stop you. They both watch, smug as ever knowing that Vulgrim wouldn’t harm you in any way unless he wanted to forfeit his life and soul trading career early. 

A giggle bubbles in your throat and echoes through the void like a shuddering chord, the light emanating from you as Vulgrim sees is just as bright as ever. Whatever influences there are at play, it’s making you glow far more vibrantly; just as he had seen the first time he saw you. 

You climb up the skirted fabric of his tunic and fearing the Horsemen’s wrath, his arms ensure that you wouldn’t fall. “What are you— childling, stop this at once,” he sneers, “I said stop it.”

In line with his scowling vision you only grin in return and your arms reach out and hug him. His viper tone ceases with a short, hollow breath. “Why is she…”

“We don’t know,” War answers shortly with a burly shrug. “She’s just…”

“Glowing,” Vulgrim interjects. His scrawny rib cage rattles with a deafening quietness. The cogs in his head are turning and he coaxes you to release him, looking you over with an acute study. “She is glowing, Horsemen.”

“And what does that mean?” 

“The raw energy that surrounds her is the aether flow of her very living essence. When she emits that energy, it not only reflects the powerful aura of her soul… but it’s also imprinting upon us as we speak. On you, Horsemen.”

War and Strife sputter in unison, “Imprinting?” 

“Yes.” Vulgrim nods, nursing you in the crook of his arm. “It first happened when you assumed charge over her, and it continues to do so now. The process is slow but will reach full capacity soon the longer you take to deliver her back.”

Dis’ approach is expected and immediately she holds her arms out for Vulgrim to hand you over. “Oh, stop hogging her, Vulgrim. C’mon here, little honey, come to Mama Dis.” 

Rolling his eyes, Vulgrim lets you slip into Dis’ arms and envelop her in a tight and warm hug that she reciprocates with a haughty chuckle in her throat. 

“Tell us, Vulgrim, what does any of this mean?” War questions sharply, gaze pulled to Samael when he answers. 

“It means that the bond you’ve formed with her will become harder to detach from. Her memory of you both will persist long after.”

To exactly articulate what it was Samael spoke of, Dis motions with a hand. Their departure after they bring you home. 

The inevitable goodbye. 

Vulgrim’s maw pries open to speak, hands curled together in front of him only to be cut off by Dis. “And for her, let’s just say that the imprinting process can only expand so far with a soul so young. She’s only able to imprint on those who are constantly in her spiritual orbit. Meaning—”

Strife sighs, golden gaze falling to his boots, his hands curl tensely against his hips. “That she will become bonded to us. And she’ll… forget her real parents.”

Vulgrim gruffly affirms with a nod. “Correct.”

When Dis finally — albeit reluctantly — gives you back to Strife and War, the three of them exchanging glares with one another, War practically pulls you to his chest and they turn to leave. But they are stopped when a throaty rumble echoes throughout the void, seeming to shake the very stone foundation of the platform. 

They turn back to see Samael with a smirk pulled tightly across his face and with an expectancy of a master to his obedient dogs, he holds his hands out to take you. After all, you were in a very cuddly mood and he thought it best to unload some of that burden from Strife and War. Especially if they didn’t want this imprinting business to go wrong for them… 

You let out a small giggle and your arms move out towards Samael, fingers circling in and from your palms, happy to also give him a hug as well.

“May I?” he asks, though it sounds more of a demand. 

“Hell no.”

“We’re leaving.”

Vulgrim’s insistent sputtering is ignored by the riders in their retreat. They needed time to process all of this. 

Out in the rolling fields adorned by the caressing fade of a pink and purple sunset that dives below the distant hills, you happily play in the grassy meadow. The crystal ball rolls through the dirt before you pick it up and do it all over again. Up on the nearby and slightly risen hilltop, War and Strife stand, vigilant and watchful as you play without a worry in the world. 

You chase after small critters you come across, splash about in a shallow stream puddles and run through the cluster of flowers and tall grass with only laughter to pinpoint your location. 

“So what now?” Strife’s question hangs in the air for a moment, body leaning forward with a foot propped against a large boulder. The passing breeze bellows the curtained limbs of his scarf to flow behind him.

“I do not know, Brother,” answers War with a sigh. “All I do know is that we are running out of time. We need to take her home before it’s too late.”

“For her… or for us?” Strife’s helmed expression, void of anything readable besides his eyes, turns to War. The two look at one another. They don’t need to say it, they each know what the other is thinking. 

They know what must be done. But it doesn’t make it any easier to think that they will soon have to say goodbye. 

“We should speak with Vulgrim. He may have a new lead for us to follow.”

“Right.” Strife sighs. His shoulders fall heavy, burdened by this whirling feeling inside that internally cries. Another loss to mourn for. Another loss he is not ready to grieve for so soon. A fit of laughter flutters over the rolling field, it resounds off into the distance as a sound that they commit to memory. 

“But let’s enjoy this for a little while longer.”

[umihoshi]

some tips for people who just started living on their own

It's been 4 years now, and I'm not regretting a single day that I moved out. No more adapting to what my parents want, no more reporting where I'm going or who I'm bringing over, I can create my save haven the way I like it. For me, it was really the start of becoming myself.

But, there's a bunch of stuff here and there that would've been nice if I had known it from the get-go. And I thought: let's share them!

1 what appliances to invest in?

one thing that is going to come back every single day is cooking. and food is expensive AF if you're not careful. I found 2 great ways to save a bunch of money and they both rely on one thing: Invest in a good freezer! Many grocery stores have systems where they price down things that are close to the shelf life date. One of our local grocery stores can go up to 70% discount! But the problem with those is, you need to eat it right away.... OR DO YOU??? Freezing things close to expiring will let them last for a full freaking month extra. and vegetables go even longer. Plenty of time to use it when you need it (just don't forget to thaw) Be careful though: once you thawed it, you can't freeze it again.

Items are usually also WAY cheaper if you buy them in bulk. Chop them up and in the freezer they go! This one's also great if you don't always have the energy or drive to cook: cook up a large pot of whatever you like, put it in containers and freeze them. I always like doing so with pasta sauce and then cook the pasta fresh~ But it also works great with stews, curry and other types of sauces. stores like IKEA have containers that are just the right size for one meal.

For some of you, the next one may be a no-brainer, but.... My mom was really proud of how fast she was with doing the dishes. She was always like 'why get a dishwasher, I'm faster if I do it myself'. And I have lived up to that same idea up until half a year ago. My kitchen was always a mess, I didn't feel like cooking, inviting people over was embarrassing. I exhausted myself every time visitors would come and I had to fight that monster pile. Please, if you recognize these problems: invest in a dishwasher. Life became SO MUCH easier. My house is clean, my mind is more at ease, social contact increased cuz it's not as big a hassle to clean before guests show up. I really wish I wouldn't have wasted those 3 years fighting a monster that was this easy to tackle in the end...

2 easy cooking

Though it's also a bit of an investment: cooking becomes fucking easy with an airfryer. No oil is added, so it's a bunch healthier. you just put the temperature and timer and it's done. and a lot of things can just fry simultaneously. chuck in some meat and potato's at 400F (200C) for 20 minutes and all you'll have to worry about is adding some vegies with it. springrolls, pizza, potato's, meat. it all gets nice and crunchy too. (prepare vegies in a rice cooker for the same don't-have-to-keep-an-eye-on-it experience. you can cook them simultaneously with rice too!)

Something that became one of my fave dishes of the late is 'stir fried whatever'. it goes like this: Bake whatever meat you fancy, great with egg or tofu too. add whatever vegies (straight out of the freezer is fine). add stir fry sauce in whatever amount seems nice (little for coating, more if you want it to be saucy). make some carbs and you're fucking DONE! no measuring, no thinking what spices to use, it goes with anything and everything. and your local grocery has probably like 5 different flavors. (or at least, it does here. dunno if that's true for America...) like it creamy? add half a cup of soya milk. it takes like 10 minutes tops (not counting the cooking of rice/pasta/potato/bread)

3 think in money or think in space

With tricks like a good freezer, saving money with discount products becomes a whole lot easier. But there are also different discount products that can save you a lot of money. my mom always used to buy like.... packs of 4 toilet rolls. and if you calculate it, buying 3x4 rolls is so much more expensive than buying a 12 pack. But what you'll need for that is space. Try keeping account of a spot like that in your house. cupboard underneath the sink, the spot where they installed the boiler, top shelves you don't often use cuz it's high up, on top of the fridge, garage. I live in an apartment and have a small storage space for my bicycle. Perfect spot for non-consumables. (be careful to keep them out of reach for mice) think toilet paper, tissues, cat litter, soap, shampoo, toothpaste. they'll be good in 2 years too, and you'll still be needing them all the same. I once found this 6 pack of toothpaste for like 3,-! aint no one selling 1 tube for 0,50 when I buy it once I need it.

dunno if this is of any use to someone, but I hope this can help out anyone to safe some money, time or energy! Because it sure did for me.

[breelandwalker]

Xanodrian Beef Stew

This stew recipe was passed down to me by the Kitchen Goddess of Xanodria. (Glory be to the Provider of Nourishment, Wielder of the Wooden Spoon, She Who Wears The +5 Apron of Seasoning. Blessed are the fruits of her stove and blessed are we who sit at her table. In the name of the pasta, the stew, and the holy breakfast casserole, amen.)

And since it's a LARP kitchen, the process of bequeathing basically consisted of Dianne pausing in mid-stir to say, "I dunno, I just throw these six or seven things in a pot, add seasoning, and leave it alone until it's done. Go nuts."

Such simple words to describe the best beef stew you will ever eat.

Ingredients:

1 lb cubed stew beef (general rule: 1/4 lb per dinner guest)

1/2 lb bistec (optional, but it does make the texture more varied)

2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed (yellow or white)

1/2 large onion, minced (yellow or white)

10 oz bag frozen peas and carrots

10 oz bag frozen green beans

Several tsp minced garlic (at least 3)

Worchestershire sauce

Red wine (or beef stock)

Water

Beef bouillon cube

2 tbsp butter (if desired)

Seasonings - garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, paprika, basil (or to taste)

In a dutch oven or medium stew pot, brown the beef until no pink is showing (about 2-3min), but do not cook the cubes all the way through. Remove the meat to a dish with a spoon, leaving the juices and fat in the pot. Sauté the minced onion and 2tsp of minced garlic in the drippings until the garlic is fragrant and the onions are slightly translucent. (If you like, you can throw in a tbsp of butter each for the browning and sauteing.) Deglaze with a generous cup of red wine (or beef stock), stirring to get all the brown bits off the bottom and sides.

Add in the frozen vegetables, cubed potatoes, and cooked beef, followed by 2 cups of water and a beef bouillon cube, stirring to combine. Add several dashes of Worchestershire sauce (and another splash of wine, if desired). Season to taste with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, basil, and another spoonful or two of minced garlic. (Or your seasoning blend of choice for beef and veggies.)

Stir until well-combined and let it come to a healthy bubble for about a minute. Then lower the heat to a simmer, put on a lid slightly off-kilter to vent a small amount of steam, and LEAVE IT. Allow to simmer, stirring very occasionally, for no less than two hours. Taste when stirring and adjust seasoning if needed. The stew is done when the potatoes are easily mashed, the beef falls apart when pressed with a wooden spoon, and your whole home smells like deliciousness.

Best served in bread bowls or over a slice of bread. Serves 4 people, or 2 with leftovers. Can be stretched with more vegetables or by serving over buttered noodles.

This is a super-simple recipe with very few components and very little skill required. If you can brown beef, put things in a pot, and add seasoning, and leave it alone, you can probably make this.

Enjoy! 😊🍲

[timetraveltasting]

TUH'U (c. 1740 BCE)

The next Tasting History dish I had to try was Babylonian Tuh'u, a beet and lamb stew. The recipe for this dish is from the Yale Tablets, ancient Mesopotamian cuneiform tablets from 1740 BCE held at Yale University. According to these tablets, Babylonians loved eating stew - this stew recipe was just one of many stamped into these tablets. Max really liked Tuh'u when he made it, and even said it wouldn't be out of place on a modern menu. It's very impressive to see the Babylonians making meals with complex flavour combinations that can even please the palatte of people thousands of years in the future. See Max’s video on how to make it here or see the ingredients and process at the end of this post, sourced from the Youtube description of the video.

My experience making it:

I made a simple change or two from the modern recipe below. I used beef instead of lamb, mainly because the butcher I usually source lamb from was closed this week (and it's otherwise hard to find where I live). Further, I didn't end up using any of the water that Max lists in the ingredients. In terms of beer, I used Erdinger Weißbier, since it is very easy to find where I live. Unfortunately, sour beer is much harder to find, so I didn't consider using it.

In terms of preparation, this recipe requires lots of chopping (meat, onion, leek, shallot, arugula, cilantro...) and a little bit of grinding in the mortar & pestle (cumin seeds and garlic). I was very excited to use my new mortar & pestle, I love it already! The cumin seeds smelled divine while I was crushing them. Due to the long simmer time, the recipe took me about 1 hour and 30 minutes to make. The broth doesn't really thicken like a normal stew, so I decided to leave a little liquid and not boil all of it away, as the broth usually retains lots of the flavour. Due to the beautiful colour of the beets and the pops of fresh green from the cilantro, this dish was visually pretty to look at once it was served. The result was, like Max said, a dish I could definitely see being served in a restaurant today. The Babylonians had good taste!

My experience tasting it:

I tried this one on my own since my husband got home from work pretty late. The first bites were full of flavour - particularly the cilantro's. The texture and pop of flavour from the dried coriander seeds were also present, as well as the cumin, onion, and beet flavour. The beef didn't add much flavour, but definitely soaked up the flavour of the dish like a sponge. I enjoyed every bite of this one, and even saved some for leftovers to have at work. I had a feeling I would like this dish, because I like all the ingredients, and especially beets. I wasn't so sure if my husband would like it, but when he got home, he enthusiastically finished his bowl at record speed, exclaiming at how good it was in between spoonfuls. We both agreed it is the best historical dish I've made yet, and the best dish I've made in a while otherwise. I would actually consider sharing this recipe with friends, especially since the ingredients are fairly easy to find, and the process is fairly simple. Not to mention, the outcome was delicious! If you end up making it, if you liked it, or if you changed anything from the original recipe, do let me know!

Links to harder-to-find ingredients:

Cumin Seed

Coriander Seed

Tuh'u original recipe (c. 1740 BCE)

Sourced from the Yale Babylonian Tablets

Tuh’u sirum saqum izzaz me tukan lipia tanaddi tusammat tabatum sikara susikillum egegerum kisibirrum smidu kamunum alutum tukammas-ma karsum hazannum teterri kisibirrum ina muhhi sipki tusappah suhutinnu kisibirrum isarutu tanaddi. Tuh’u. Lamb leg meat is used. Prepare water. Add fat. Sear. Add in salt, beer, onion, arugula, cilantro, samidu, cumin, and beets. Put the ingredients in the cooking vessel and add crushed leek and garlic. Sprinkle the cooked mixture with coriander on top. Add suhutinnu and fresh cilantro.

Modern Recipe

Based on the Yale Babylonian Tablets and Max Miller’s version in his Tasting History video.

Ingredients:

1 lb (450g) leg of lamb (or other meat), chopped in bite size pieces

3-4 tbsp oil or rendered fat

1 ½ tsp salt

2 cups (475ml) water (only to add if needed)

12 oz (350ml) beer (sour beer and German Weissbier preferred)

1 large onion, chopped

2 cups arugula, chopped

3/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

2 tsp cumin seeds, crushed in a mortar & pestle

2 large beets (approx. 4 cups), diced

1 large leek, minced

3 cloves garlic

1 tbsp dry coriander seeds

additional chopped cilantro for garnish

Samidu* (1 Persian shallot)

Suhutinnu* (Egyptian leek for garnish)

*These ingredients have no definite translation; the shallot and leek are the best guesses of scholars at Yale and Harvard Universities)

Method:

Add the oil/fat to a large pot and set over high heat.

Sear the lamb for several minutes in the oil until lightly browned.

Add the onions and let cook for 5 minutes.

Add the beets and let cook for 5 minutes.

Add the salt, beer, arugula, cilantro, samidu (shallot), and cumin and bring to a boil.

Mash the garlic into a paste and mix with the leek, then add to the pot.

Lower heat to medium and let simmer for approximately 1 hour, or until the beets and meat are cooked to your liking. Add water if you prefer.

Once cooked, dish it into a bowl and sprinkle with coriander seeds. Garnish with fresh cilantro and suhutinnu (leek).

[aggressiveviking]

cabbage stew the way i make it

If you ask me why am making this a huge post with pictures, i don't have an answer 😂 just want to share it with a friend

So we start off with the cabbage, obviously. For this I can use fresh or fermented/pickled cabbage. in this picture im using fermented cabbage. Cut it up any way you like it (also I remove the middle stem but it's edible even if u leave it in). This is how I do it.

You get your pot. I usually fill half of it with cabbage, or a lil bit over half cause u don't want it to overflow when it starts to cook. Like so.

If your cabbage is fresh then this amount would shrink up to at least half. As this one is fermented its already shriveled up and it's as much as it would be by the end.

Then you can put some pork, chopped in pieces. You can choose how much or even if you want meat in it. Its still nice even without meat.

It nicer to put in fattier meat because cabbage cause more flavor. I make like 1 layer of it over the cabbage - that's for measurement more than being important for the cooking process.

This is how a chop it and how much I put in.

After that is the onion and the garlic. One big onion would be enough, but if u don't have that size mix and match a few depending on how big they are. I did one medium and one small for this batch, cause it looked right to me 😂 For the garlic 3 or 4 cloves, depending on how big they are. slice them. for some reason i feel like its better than leaving them whole, have flavor everywhere,

chop them up like this and i spread them over the meat, because for some reason i believe onion on top of the meat would make the meat softer.

For tomato I usually use tomato paste. when its this concentrated kind i used like 2 spoonfuls, this much. Prefer to mix that with a little water, like so and i pour it over everything.

Sprinkle some sweet red pepper, enough to cover the whole thing on top but not too much cause its gonna taste powdery 😂 and a few shakes of black pepper, just to have it in there.

Add some vegetable oil. I use sunflower oil but any regular oil would do as long as it doesn't have a strong taste. I usually add around maybe 4 or 5 big spoons. Don't really measure it. Cabbage can take a lot of oil anyway, but too much gets too heavy in my opinion.

and lastly add some bay leaf. very important, wouldn't taste the same without it. I put around 3 average sized bay leaves. 4 if they're really small. 2 if they're big. again just go with what feels right.

i then cook this in a multi-cooker (rice cooker) on STEW setting for 40 minutes, but you can do the same on a stove top. I think 40 min would be enough as well. I mean it's cabbage. you just cook it until its soft.

You don't need to add water to it cause the cabbage has a lot of water in it and it's gonna come out when u cook it on its own. If u start to see it burning in the bottom tho u can add a lil water

When it's done just stir it all up.

Either eat it as is, like a stew or lay it out on a pan/tray and bake it some in the oven.

It's like the best winter meal, especially when u put a lil chili in. I actually ate it today with sambal. Usually just use chili flakes or a chili pepper on the side that u just bite into. Mixed half a spoonful of sambal with my plate and it was so nice.