#seriously can of corn in your potato soup

[bornunderabluemoonbaby]

i cannot say enough about steamed broccoli, rubbed in butter/margarine, with preferred amount of Mrs. Dash and garlic salt, I used to HATE broccoli, now it's my favorite Fancy Dinner veggie- it's stupidly easy and it tastes so good, frozen or fresh, though obv fresh is better.

i mean this in the gentlest way possible: you need to eat vegetables. you need to become comfortable with doing so. i do not care if you are a picky eater because of autism (hi, i used to be this person!), you need to find at least some vegetables you can eat. find a different way to prepare them. chances are you would like a vegetable you hate if you prepared it in a stew or roasted it with seasoning or included it as an ingredient in a recipe. just. please start eating better. potatoes and corn are not sufficient vegetables for a healthy diet.

[saint-ambrosef]

newbie's guide to produce

for all my peers who were not taught how to shop for veggies and fruit on a budget and struggle to use them before they go bad:

(disclaimer: prices are approximate based on where i live in the Southern US. costs may be higher in your area, but the comparison of cost should still be valuable.)

cheap produce year-round:

roma tomatoes. if they look under-ripe you can leave them on the counter for a few days. keeps in fridge for about 2 weeks. $1/lb.

cucumbers. around here they're 50-60 cents each. go bad quickly though, about 1 week in fridge.

celery. two bucks for a head. starts to get sad after two weeks in fridge. only makes sense if you like to snack on celery or make soups often.

corn. whole ears are like 20cents each mid-summer, otherwise just get frozen. $1.50 for a lb.

peas. get these puppies frozen for $1.50/lb. good protein, too.

romaine lettuce. one head is good for several small salads, about $2 and lasts a week in fridge. the big boxes/multi-packs may seem like a better deal but not if it all goes bad before you can eat it.

onions. kind of a given but you can get regular yellow varietals for less than a buck per pound. will last for 1-2 months in pantry.

potatoes. you can get 5lb bags of russets for three bucks. sweet potatoes are a lil over $1/lb. last 2-3 months in pantry; if they grow sprouts, you can cut those off and still eat it.

bananas. dirt cheap. a small bunch (4-5) costs like a dollar. if they go over-ripe before you eat them all just get less or get a few green ones (p.s: you're allowed to break them off larger clumps).

radishes. $1.50 for a little bundle. greens get wilty after a week, roots will last 2 weeks (you can use both parts).

hot peppers. poblano, jalapeno, etc., are often quite cheap and you usually don't need very many anyways. few weeks fridge or counter.

cheap produce when in season:

summer squash. in summertime (duh), zucchini and yellow squash are like $1.25/lb. only last a week or so though in fridge.

winter squash. actually in season in fall, these are your butternuts and acorn squash. less than $1/lb then. lasts in pantry for months.

green beans. in warm months they can be on sale for $1.50/lb! last 1.5-2 weeks in fridge? (kinda depends on the shape they're in)

kale. it's a cool-season green that commonly is on sale in colder months. $1.60 for a big bunch, about 1.5 weeks in fridge before it gets seriously wilty. (can be eaten cooked or raw!)

apples. fall/winter, usually at least one variety on sale for $1.25/lb. last forever.

oranges. most citrus are winter fruits. $1/lb. will last forever in your fridge.

strawberries. spring. at their peak, i can find them for $2/lb. otherwise they are too expensive.

watermelon. $8 for big 10lb melons. they can take up a ton of space though and need to be refrigerated once cut/ripe.

cantaloupe. another summer star! $1.50 each on sale. they will slow ripen in the fridge but you do have to keep an eye on it.

pineapple. $1.50 in summer time. might be ripe even when still a bit green, ready when they smell noticeably ripe.

pears. fall season, sometimes into winter. $1.20/lb. last 1-2 weeks on the counter or forever in the fridge.

pomegranate. in winter time they can be found for $2 each. tricky to peel though.

peaches. and nectarines (which are just fuzzless peaches). $1.25/lb in summer and will last for weeks in your fridge.

eggplants. summertime veggie, you can get for $1.50 when they're on sale. otherwise a bit pricey. keep in fridge for 2 weeks.

mid-range produce:

cabbage. three bucks for a 2-lb head but you can get a lot out of it. will keep 3-4 weeks in the fridge but any exposed cut sides will start moldering after a week.

mushrooms. white button or baby bella. $1.50 for 8oz. keep in mind, mushrooms halve in size after cooking. ~2 weeks though.

avocados. if you live in the South like me, small hass varietals are 60-80 cents apiece in winter. ripe when it gives just a little to squeezing (you can't go off color alone).

broccoli. fresh is $1.70ish per head and lasts a week in fridge. frozen is $1.50/lb but might be kind of mushy.

most greens. spring mixes, spinach, arugula, etc can really vary in price but often fall into a few bucks at least per bundle/package. in a fridge's humidity drawer they last 1-2 weeks.

kiwis. i love them but they're a bit pricey for their size. 50 cents each. their keep depends on how ripe they are at purchase.

expensive produce:

asparagus. one of the most expensive veggies. sometimes in spring you can get it for $2/lb (a steal but still a bit much). lasts 1.5 weeks.

brussel sprouts. same as above.

red or yellow bell peppers. they are used sooo often in recipes and it annoys me. often $1.50-2.00 each. last a long time in fridge.

caluiflower. three bucks for a head. yikes!

green beans. when they're not in season, they are like $3/lb.

snap peas. same as above, except they never seem to be on sale.

raspberries. go bad in 3 days and cost an arm and a leg. sometimes when they're in season you can get them for like $2 per half-pint as a treat.

blueberries and blackberries. even when they're in season, they're still $2 per pint.

grapes. they can sorta be affordable in the fall season for $2/lb, but otherwise they're double that. and usually you have to commit to buying several pounds. last 2 weeks in fridge.

plums. i love them so so much but they're only in season for like 2 weeks of the year it seems and they're like $3/lb.

inexpensive accoutrements: (for garnishes, seasoning, etc)

limes. 25cents apiece. they'll start to dry out after 1 week on the counter so keep them in the fridge unless you will use it soon.

lemons. usually 50cents each for the small varietals. keep same as above.

green onions. less than a dollar for a bunch, and you can easily regrow a few times at home if you stick the white rooted end in water by a window.

cilantro. 50cents. will last WAY longer (1-2 weeks) if you keep it in a mug of water in the fridge.

parsley. 85cents. same as above.

obviously sticking just with popularly available produce across the country. it's not an exhaustive list but can give you a bit more perspective on what produce you should be focusing on if you're trying to work with a tight grocery budget. good luck!

[thedisneychef]

Corned Beef With Cabbage And Potatoes Recipes

Welcome to the next stop on Blogorail Teal! Today we are sharing our favorite St. Patrick’s Day recipes, and in our house, no St. Patrick’s Day would be complete without a good stew, some Scotch Eggs, and corned beef. This recipe calls for pre-brined corned beef and the added benefit to using pre-brined corned beef is that this is a super easy meal to make for even people who are kitchen beginners. Seriously, there’s no way that anybody can mess this up. Add the meat, add the water, add the spices, add the heat, come back 3 hours later and you have a gorgeous meal that feeds the whole family, that makes the house smell like heaven, and is perfect for celebrating the pride of the Irish with a bit of Disney flare! Conclusion Based on our observations, it can be concluded that the Corned Beef with Cabbage and Potatoes recipe is a delicious and hearty dish that is perfect for a comforting meal or for celebrating St. Patrick's Day. This classic dish features tender and flavorful corned beef, accompanied by cabbage and potatoes that are cooked to perfection. The corned beef is juicy and tender, with a rich and savory flavor that is complemented by the sweetness of the cabbage and the earthy taste of the potatoes. The recipe is relatively simple to prepare, making it a great option for beginner cooks or for anyone looking for a hassle-free meal. In addition to being delicious, this recipe is also quite nutritious. Corned beef is a good source of protein, while cabbage and potatoes are rich in vitamins and minerals. This makes the dish a healthy and satisfying option for anyone looking to maintain a balanced diet. Overall, the Corned Beef with Cabbage and Potatoes recipe is a great choice for anyone looking for a comforting and flavorful meal. Whether you're celebrating St. Patrick's Day or simply looking for a delicious and nutritious dinner option, this classic dish is sure to please. Thank you for joining me today. Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is Manda’s Disney Blog where she shares her delicious Guinness Cupcakes and Mickey Rainbow Fudge! 1st Stop – Sparks of Magic – Gluten-Free & Kid-Friendly St. Patrick’s Day Recipes! 2nd Stop – The Disney Point – Potato Soup & DASH Diet Potato Skins 3rd Stop – The Disney Chef – Corned Beef With Wilted Cabbage and Blue Cheese – Epcot International Food and Wine Wine Festival (Hey, you’re here now!) 4th Stop – Manda’s Disney Blog – Guinness Cupcakes and Mickey Rainbow Fudge! Final Stop – Disney Mamas – Celebrating our Heritage with an Irish Cream Pound Cake CORNED BEEF WITH WILTED CABBAGE AND BLUE CHEESE RECIPE Read the full article

[alsjeblieft-zeg]

241 of 2023

Here are possibly unpopular food opinions collected from random people; bold what you agree with.

I'm not familiar with some of these as an European, but let's try :D Cheddar is an overrated cheese. Oreos are overrated. Bananas taste boring. Sucralose makes coffee taste like battery acid. Peanutbutter is shit. Cold eggs are the worst thing ever. Most teas don’t taste good without milk. Spiced roasted veggies are actually good. A tomato is not a vegetable. Tomato sauce/paste is gross. Topping off your mashed potato with an extra knob of butter is excessive and unnecessary. Burgers are overrated. Salad dressing is gross. Bananas are not good; too sweet and weird texture. Pasta is overrated and tastes like nothing. Only the sauce adds flavour. Tacos > pizza. Pineapple belongs on pizza! People who worry about where the meat in cheap sausages comes from are missing the point; sausage’s a way of preventing food waste. Sweet potatoes aren’t good, a potato shouldn’t be sweet and it’s completely overrated. Sugar isn’t that bad for you (in moderation, and avoiding sugar sweetened beverages) Coke is horrible and tastes like sewage water. Monster is really not good at all. Oatcakes (the Scottish style ones) are the best crackers and should be available everywhere. Food is best dry (without sauce). Oatmeal/porridge made with water tastes disgusting. Fries are good w/ maple syrup. White monster is way too sweet. Cheese is overrated. Pasta isn’t actually that good. Standard pizza tastes like greesy cardboard. Courgette (zucchini) is one of the best veggies. Grapes are absolutely disgusting. All of them. Same with anything grape flavored. Turkish delight chocolate is actually really, really good. Cereal is best made with hot water. Nuts are a safe food, at least they become one when you realise that nearly every study correlates them with either weight loss or maintenance. BBQ sauce is trash. Vegan yoghurt tastes disgusting. Mustard is disgusting. Pineapple is better grilled than fresh. Rice cakes aren’t bad; they’re pretty good! Corn thins are better than rice cakes. Pecan pie is the best pie. Brined black olives are delicious. Beer doesn’t actually taste good at all. Neither does wine. I love konjac noodles. Unsalted rice cakes are actually good as long as they aren’t stale. Couscous is basically just the fluff that collects in your vacuum cleaner.   Popcorn is mega overrated. Fried sushi should not be allowed. People rave about salted caramel but it is at best 1% better than just caramel, and is massively overrated. Black forest is a seriously underrated chocolate and cake flavour. People who can’t handle spicy food are weaklings. Tuna tastes so bad. Almost all fruit is gross. Ice cream is overrated. Tabasco is not a good hot sauce. Astronaut ice cream is actually amazing. Thin crust pizza is the best crust. Ketchup is actually really good! It’s better to dip fries in ranch than in ketchup. (both are weird to me as a Belgian) Sugar in coffee/tea or any other drink is terrifying. Dark chocolate is delicious. Asking “but how can you not like [insert food]!??” is a stupid question. Not everyone likes the same things. Eating meat doesn’t automatically make you a bad person. Eating the fruit is better drinking the juice. Hard/slightly unripe fruit is nicer than soft fruit. There IS such a thing as too much garlic. Grits are disgusting. All seafood is bad. Coffee is an overrated beverage. Tinned soup is just as good as homemade. Drizzling syrup on pancakes is overrated- dipping is so much better. Onions taste better when cooked in oil. All colours of bell-peppers are delicious. Just because a food is vegan does not mean it is automatically healthier than other foods. Tomatoes? Great! Soup? Great! But tomato soup? Absolutely tf not. Soymilk is just as good as real milk for putting in tea or washing down biscuits and cakes, in fact for some things it’s better. Veggies > fruits. Vegetable pizza is the best pizza. Schools should teach basic food growing and preparing skills. Sometimes flowers taste really good. Black licorice is good. Eggs are way better tasting with the yolks and worth the calories. Bananas are far better eaten when the skin is still tinged green, rather than fully ripe. Chocolate should be nuttier. Like, peanut slabs should be the gold standard of how many nuts you put in chocolate. Apples are not filling. Short pasta like farfalle, penne and fusilli > spaghetti. Soggy fries are just as good as crispy fries. Broccoli is better than cauliflower. Red currants are tastier than black currants. White chocolate is best chocolate and others are trash. Nutella is overrated and overpriced. Mc Donalds fries aren’t good they’re soggy instead of crispy! Drenching your food in condiments is gross and takes away from all other flavours. Chikki is better than western style peanut brittle. Cilantro is meh. More things should be smoke flavoured. Especially chips. Kentucky fried chicken is kind of overrated. Caviar is overrated and there are far better delicacies. All pork products are icky. Mayonnaise is terrible. Square sausages are an abomination. Coffee is actually better black. The best ice cream flavours are mint chocolate chip or rum and raisin. Oranges don’t taste good. Bacon is overrated. Gummy candies suck, they get stuck in your teeth and they taste dusty and the flavours are always disappointing and weird. Energy drinks are overrated. Orangina is the most vile drink on the planet. All sandwiches should be toasted. Icing ruins baked goods. Walnuts aren’t as good as other nuts. Hersheys is some of the worst chocolate. White queso is vile, yellow is clearly superior. Marmalade is the best type of fruit preserve. Pistachio is the best nut. Bread that has been frozen tastes like shit. It ruins the texture. Milkshakes are gross. Soft/semi melted chocolate is not good. Thai curry isn’t that good. Hob nobs are better than digestives, and chocolate hob nobs are better than chocolate digestives. Veggie bacon is better than real bacon. McDonalds is not all that tasty at all. Zoodles will never be a good replacement for pasta. Soft bread is nicer than crusty bread. Peas do not belong in fried rice. Diet drinks don’t actually taste anything like their full sugar counterpart. Coke and pepsi are overrated. Biscuits (cookies) and tea is an underrated combination. Lipton tea is undrinkable. Oatmeal raisin cookie is better than choc chip. Meat pies are generally terrible. Chocolate ice cream isn’t that good. Tomato sauce is bland and boring. Strawberry flavoured foods are better than strawberries from the grocery. Glazed donuts are better than filled donuts. Bananas go great with hummus. American cheese is actually just fine. Sweet potato fries are far superior to regular fries. Waffles or pancakes ALWAYS need to have a topping. Scrambled eggs are better without additions like onions/cheese. Ramen tastes better when you just *dip* the block of noodles in the broth. Nestle chocolate isn’t that good. Coconut is an amazing snack to monch on. Mozzarella is overrated and tastes like nothing. Raw oysters is the best way to start any dinner. Spinach is better than lettuce. Fries are overrated and gross. Liquorice is disgusting. Raspberries are the worst popular berry. Black and rose pepper taste better than white pepper. Fruit based pies are all disgusting. Dried fruit is disgusting, especially raisins and apricots. Banana chips are better than real bananas. Salt n vinegar chips are amazing. Pumpkin pie is the best pie. Eating a thick slice of cheese by itself is absolutely disgusting. Spicy food is overrated. Pickles suck. Pop tarts taste like cardboard. Chocolate flavoured foods never taste good. Muffins are better than cupcakes. The leafy part of celery stems is actually kind of yummy BECAUSE it’s bitter. Italian food is overrated. These “fancy” doughnuts with a bajaillion toppings and flavours in one are actually kinda gross. Like, they’re always drowned in icing and glace. Sour cream is nasty. White sauce pasta dishes are nasty. There is no such thing as “too spicy”. Banana milk is amazing. Coconut is awful. Pickled beets are amazing. Green tea is overhyped. Pizza is better than pasta. Mayo > ranch. Fruits (eg cranberry/oranges/apples) don’t belong in salads. Salads are overrated with or without fruit. Hot cocoa doesn’t need to be sweetened. Bell peppers are disgusting. Milk chocolate is gross. Original greek yoghurt is disgusting. Sushi rice is the best rice. Meat or fish does absolutely not belong in salads. Plant based ice cream is so much better than “regular” ice cream. Ketchup goes well with rice. Kimchi is only good if super spicy. Adding an egg to packaged ramen makes it 10x better. Sweet foods are not a meal. Oysters are not about the taste because they barely have any; they’re all about showing off and being fancy schmancy. The crumbs at the bottom of cereal bags are actually good. Fries/ chips are great with tartar sauce. Cheesecake has a weird and unpleasant texture. Japanese peanut cream is actually good. Natto and konnyaku don’t actually smell bad. Tangerines/clementines taste better than oranges. Mars bars are kinda boring. Fries are better with melted cheese. Eggplant is disgusting. Celery is gross (both cooked and raw). Tartar sauce is an underrated condiment. Chicken is great with honey sauce. Fish and chips is the best diner food. Fry sauce is better than ketchup. (if you mean fritessaus, then yes) Sun dried tomatoes are an underrated pizza topping. Black olives > green olives. Cold tea is bad. Oyster sauce > soy sauce. Alcohol doesn’t belong in cooking/baking! Salty + sweet is a good combo. Blueberries are only good in muffins. Mint and chocolate combo is hella overrated. Unsweetened yoghurt is pretty shit. Spearmint is an awful, awful thing. Salsa is nasty. Most sponge cakes are too dry that they don’t have any flavour and they’re hard to eat because they crumble. Peas mixed with oatmeal are amazing. Chicken tenders/fingers/strips > chicken nuggets. Avocados are disgusting. M&Ms shouldn’t be an ice cream topping. Fish does not belong on pizza. Brownies > chocolate cake. Broth is much better than creamy soups. Oranges are the best food ever. Shirataki noodles can actually be pretty good, if you find out how to prepare them / which sort to buy. Chicken and waffles is better with gravy. McDonald’s are the worst fast food nugget. McFlurry is the best McDonald’s dessert. Canned green beans > fresh green beans. The best fruit to go with ice-cream is banana. Avocado sushi is the best sushi. Chicken does not belong on pizza. Asparagus is one of the absolute worst tasting and smelling vegetables. Goat cheese pizza is good. Tomato juice > fruit juices. Vanilla pudding > chocolate pudding. Parsley is gross. Macarons look better than they taste. Lemon pastries are the worst fruit pastries. Some meat substitutes actually taste better than meat. Strawberries are good but strawberry flavoured things aren’t good. Starfruit isn’t as good as it looks or sounds. Passionfruit is overrated because there’s barely anything to eat. Artificial coconut flavors are delicious but actual coconuts taste awful. Orange cream soda > regular orange soda. Butter on bread is unnecessary. Mayo is the best salad dressing. Horseradish is an overrated flavour. Cooked cabbage is nauseating. Sushi > steak. Sugar is fine. Brown spotty bananas > unripe bananas. Strawberry milkshake is the best milkshake. Cold pasta is good but cold pizza is gross. Biting icecream or a popsicle is not the right way to eat them. Apples are overrated. Brussels sprouts are delicious. Tomato-based pasta dishes are better than the creamy, cheesy ones. Thick, chewy oatmeal > thin, creamy oatmeal. The smell of cooking cauliflower is not that bad. Eggs with ketchup is good. Rice is amazing even on its own. Watermelon is disgusting. Cucumbers are not tasty at all. Pickled herring is god awful. Water actually has a taste and that taste is bland. Spaghetti pasta >>> shell pasta. Pumpkin tastes bad. 90% of apples are gross. Tea with milk > tea with sugar. Smooth/nutty/mellow cheese is better than “sharp” cheese and way better than stanky moldy cheese. Melons are nasty. Olives are too sour and salty and are really not good. Iced coffee is gross. Chocolate milk is the best liquid. Bolognese >>>> carbonara.

[internationalvegetarian]

Cheesy Potato Soup

Soup, soup, soup, who doesn't love youp? Ok so I'm not a poet, but seriously a good bowl of soup is much appreciated this time of year. My favorite soup in the winter is definitely my cheesy potato soup, which I make in a crockpot. You can make it on the stove, but it is just not as good. Most of the time when I make it, I prepare the ingredients the night before so that all I have to do in the morning is put everything in a pot - can you tell I'm not a morning person?

Click the "keep reading" button to see the recipe!

INGREDIENTS

3-4 large carrots, peeled

4 lb gold potatoes

1 poblano pepper

1 yellow onion, diced

3-4 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

6 cups of veggie broth

2 cups of frozen corn

1 cup of milk

3 cups of cheddar cheese*

green onion to garnish

*If you are able to do a blend of cheeses, it is better. I usually mix together cheddar cheese, smoked cheese, and some of my super sharp Vermont cheddar.

INSTRUCTIONSB

Chop up your carrots, potatoes, and onion into bite sized pieces. I usually leave the skin on my potatoes for extra nutrients, taste, and texture. Mince your garlic. Place the carrots, potatoes, onion, and garlic in the crockpot.**

Roast your poblano by turning the oven onto broil. Cut your poblano in half and remove the stem and seeds. Lightly coat your poblano with veggie oil or some other type of oil. Place your poblano in the oven for about 5-6 minutes then flip them over for another 2-3 minutes. The poblano should have a nice char on it when it is done.***

Carefully cut up your roasted poblano pepper into bite sized pieces and add to your crockpot.

Add your vegetable stock, garlic powder, salt, and pepper along with any additional spices you want to try. I have found that shallot powder is a really tasty addition if you can find it.

Mix everything together, place the lid on, and cook the soup on high for about 2-3 hours.

At the 2-3 hour mark, I will usually check on it, add some frozen corn, and adjust the temperature if needed, but you could add this at the beginning if you need to and skip this step. If you do so, cook the soup on high for about 4-6 hours.

The soup will be done cooking when the potatoes and carrots are easy to smush with a wooden spoon.

Smush the ingredients in the soup as best as you can with a wooden spoon. This makes everything meld together very nicely and you don't end up with big bites of anything.

When you are done with that, mix in the milk and 2 cups of cheese.

Serve in a bowl. Garnish with the shredded cheese and green onion.

**This can all be prepared ahead to save time.

*** You might hear the word pepper, assume spiciness, and decide to leave it out, but please don't. Most poblano peppers don't have much spice to them. By roasting them and adding them to your soup, you are adding a lot of flavor.

[millenniumfae]

Video Game Cooking: Sugars (Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice)

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a standalone historical fantasy made by the famous people who also created Dark Souls and Bloodborne. It became an instant hit, and garnered massive critical acclaim. You control the broody shinobi Wolf as he battles entire armies and legendary beasts.

One of the many consumables in-game are the Sugars; Gokan’s Sugar, Ako’s Sugar, Yashariku’s Sugar, Ungo’s Sugar, and Gachiin’s Sugar. These candies are named and colored differently, and each offer a different effect. One raises your attack power, another makes you more stealthy, and so on.

Today, we’re gonna be re-creating these Sugars with our own recipe. And true to my tradition when it comes to Video Game Recipes, we’re gonna be taking our ingredients accurate to the setting. Which in this case is Sengoku period Japan. This recipe meta draws especially true to my own heritage, as a Taiwanese person.

Sekiro Senpou Temple Sugars: Recipe (makes 10-20 individual candies, depending on the size)

Base candy recipe:

3 3/4 cups granulated raw cane sugar

1 1/2 cups golden syrup/brown rice syrup

1 cup water

Corn starch for mold making (optional)

Confectioner’s sugar for dusting

Flavorings:

Fresh ginger slices (Gokan’s Sugar)

Dried lotus seeds (Gokan’s Sugar)

Red cherries (Ako’s Sugar)

Dried Astragalus (Ako’s Sugar)

Ginseng (Ungo’s Sugar)

White peaches (Ungo’s Sugar)

Sake (Yashariku’s Sugar)

Dried Cocklebur fruit (Yashariku’s Sugar)

Dried Orange peel (Gachiin’s Sugar)

Dried Goji berries (Gachiin’s Sugar)

Food coloring

(Sekiro won the 2019 Game Of The Year award, the first FromSoftware game to do so.)

To make our Sugars, we’ll be infusing a traditional candy base with various ingredients, unique for each candy. Every ingredient is based off of TCM, which is an acronym standing for Traditional Chinese Medicine. For those unacquainted with TCM, it can be hard to explain its influence. There’s no true western equivalent because it’s more than just ‘old household remedies’, it’s almost a given that Asian citizens take various TCM practices seriously to a degree. Like westerners do with honey lemon tea, or chicken noodle soup.

It’s also accurate to the game. Sekiro takes its setting very seriously. Everything from weapons, to hairstyles, to interior decor, even down to the kanji on Emma’s note in the beginning of the game is true to the Sengoku period, and some levels even go backwards a bit to the Heinan period, to reflect an ancient atmosphere. You can reasonably minus the historical inaccuracies on your own volition; giant snake gods, lightning powers, and automatic prosthetic grappling hooks weren’t indigenous to Japan.

Except there’s in fact one tiny detail that you might be surprised to learn is actually anachronistic; disk-shaped hard candies. The Sugars.

Hard candies aren’t traditional East-Asian treats. Sugar was always readily available in the form of sugar cane, true, but sweets almost always took the form of fruit, and candy-coated/infused ingredients. This is true worldwide until refining sugar into its white form became common, but East-Asia in particular wasn’t munching on lozenges while Marie Antoinette already had cough drops.

The Sengoku period stretched from the early Renaissance to the Baroque period. While Wolf was parrying his way through the Ashina Outskirts, the first King James Bible was published. There was plate armor and court jesters, but also firearms and photographs. Japan didn’t get access to matchlock firearms until 1542, and since the Sunken Valley clan seems to define themselves by the expert use of these guns, it makes sense that the intro to the game itself dates Sekiro as specifically taking place in the latter years of the Sengoku period.

All throughout this stretch of two centuries, Japan has been under constant war and political strife, lending to the Sengoku period’s alternative name, the ‘Warring States Period’. Japan consisted of separate nations, all led under Daimyo and warlords and various nobles that demanded their armies scramble for more land and resources. Living under this kind of conflict for so long means that innovations and education are rare. There’s no opportunity to invent the telescope when you’re all constantly worried about your lives.

This means that the food of Sekiro would have very much been the same it’s been since centuries beforehand. Even though by this point, the Columbian Exchange has been well underway and Europe was experimenting with tomatoes in their food, Japan wasn’t enjoying this same golden period. Any developments would have been weaponry, not candy making methods.

This means that, for our recipe, we’re not using anything that a Senpou monk wouldn’t have access to. No potatoes, corn, vanilla, etc. No beet sugar, or fruits that aren’t native to Japan. Even the raw cane sugar we’re using is pushing the authenticity envelope, because the ‘raw’ granulated sugar you find in grocery stores aren’t completely raw, they’ve still been refined using lye and carbon to strip much of the molasses. True raw cane sugar, when boiled down from its juice form, makes a traditional Asian ingredient called black sugar, which is very dark in color and not suited for making the brightly-colored candy disks that the Sugars appear to be.

(Shinobi aren’t samurai, but Wolf’s relationship with Kuro is so clearly samurai-ish that we can assume Wolf was being paid buckets as a high-prestige warrior. He also would have access to better food, including white rice; which, while already genetically modified through breeding by the Sengoku period, wouldn’t have looked like modern rice. Or maybe Wolf wasn’t enjoying the high life, because he dresses in rags compared to Genichiro and apparently didn’t know rice was supposed to be cooked.)

Knowing all that history about the Sengoku period, it’s almost silly to see candy consumables in-game, looking like they came right out of a bag of Werther’s Originals. The developers of Sekiro made many lengths to ensure everything was authentic, so why are the candies so modern-looking when they could instead have been a traditional Sengoku period sweet like something mochi-based, or agar (seaweed) jellies?

The lore behind the Sugars are that the evil Senpou monks were mass-producing these candies, and selling them all across Ashina to fund their crooked child experiments. They’re not just (presumably) tasty, they offer benefits to your health. That’s definitely in line with TCM culture, and gives us some inspiration for how to pursue replicating them.

One important note; the Sugars are some of the lesser consumables Wolf can use. Almost all other consumables are better, offering more powerful effects for a longer duration. So what if these candies were true to TCM and were mere treats infused with medicinal ingredients, only capable of giving you a small boost? Especially in comparison to the Divine Child’s rice, which would be like an Epi-Pen in this analogy.

But there’s even more depth to the consumables than that. Kuro gifts Wolf a ‘sweet rice ball’ at some point, which is almost certainly an Ohagi bun; made out of glutinous rice, red beans, and sugar, and its a traditional offering for the Buddhist observance of seasonal equinox. Eating it is sometimes said to bring protection. In order for Kuro to make Wolf this rice ball, you gotta give him some of that special rice from the Divine Child. Wolf offhandedly mentions that her rice is “sweet when you bite into it”, and Kuro realizes that Wolf has been eating these rice grains raw all this time, like the feral 5′5 goblin he is. Kuro vows to give his loyal protector something nice to eat, for once, and makes him three Ohagi dumplings.

The food of Sekiro is symbolic. The Divine Child is able to make rice out of thin air, like a deity of fertility. Kuro takes this divine rice, and his sweet rice ball is more powerful than the magical blessed Sugars because it was made with compassion. And eating Kuro’s lovingly-made rice ball reminds Wolf of once being fed a rice ball when he was young and starving, given to him by his assfuck of a father who’s compassion is heavily in question.

The Sugars are described as giving the eater a ‘benediction’ of power, and who knows what the translators were thinking, but the word choice reminds us of communion, and the flesh and blood of Christ. It’s not a true comparison; communion is about replicating and worshiping the Last Supper, reminding Christians about Jesus willingly dying cause humans are sinful. Consuming the ‘flesh and blood’ of Jesus in the form of bread and wine is very different than eating a candy apparently blessed by an ancient Japanese warrior. It’s not like communion wafers are supposed to empower you, or protect you.

Looking at the in-game image of each Sugar, you can see the likeness of a person behind it, likely the very warrior the Sugar is named after. We don’t know if these people actually had a hand in these Sugars, somehow transplanting their power into each individual candy, or if the monks just named the candies after them. Either way, the process of receiving the benefits of the Sugars isn’t just about crunching it between your teeth, Wolf also takes a moment to strike a‘warrior stances’, which, according to the descriptions, is a required detail to properly absorb the candy’s effects. Each Sugar has their own corresponding ‘stance’ that Wolf performs. It’s a weird detail, and raises even more questions about the Sugars, the monks, and the warriors behind the candy.

(Observant players will note that the five Headless boss enemies drop ‘spiritfalls’, each of which share names with the five Sugars, and offer upgraded versions of their corresponding Sugar; Ako’s Spiritfall is basically a better version of Ako’s Sugar, and so on. We can assume that the Headless are, in fact, the very same legendary warriors that powered the Sugars, especially since the game itself states that the Headless are undead remains of powerful individuals.)

True to FromSoftware tradition, details are included with purpose. And also at the same time, some details are just meant to be taken at face value. The various centipede-themed enemies in Sekiro are associated with kegare - spiritual defilement, death - explaining visually their willing abandonment from Buddhism. But there’s likely no lore explaining why Wolf can automatically hoover up all nearby enemy loot like a vacuum with the press of a button.

The inexplicable details of FromSoftware games are almost certainly because of gameplay convenience. Many characters are 9-10 feet tall for no reason, towering over Wolf, who’s already short to begin with. Lore-wise, it doesn’t make sense for so many completely human characters to be so gratuitously large. Gameplay-wise, it’s a lot easier to observe an enemy’s telegraphed movesets if their model is scaled up. Helpful, in a game like Sekiro.

The ‘stances’ of the Sugars might fall into both these categories. They exist for both gameplay and story reasons. The developers wanted a lag between consuming these powerups and being free to fight, so the player is forced to time these powerups carefully. You need to avoid enemies taking a free hit while Wolf’s animations are occupied. Then they storified this gameplay-based lag into a lore-based reason. Wolf has to take a ‘stance’ when eating these candies to receive its powers. For some reason.

I wasn’t able to further research the ‘stances’ Wolf strikes. Maybe they’re based off of known martial arts. But the description also offers some additional insight; according to the game, these Sugars contain ‘excess karma’ that is apparently the source of their power. Now, Buddhist karma doesn’t run in ‘excess’, a better choice of word would be ‘transfiguration’. One person can experience another’s karma through a variety of means.

“Bite the candy and take the Yashariku stance to impart its inhuman benediction.” In accordance with Buddhist folklore, these warriors are dead and imitating them can impart their previous life’s karma unto you. Our recipe won’t have magical karma powers, but we can certainly infuse our candies with medicinal herbs. You can just imagine the Senpou monks stirring up a big pot of sugar solution, and throwing in handfuls of dried Goji berries.

(This isn’t the first FromSoftware game that draws heavily from Buddhism. Dark Souls’ stagnant world of undeath is a rejection of Buddhist rebirth, clinging onto your legacy in a bid for immortality. Bloodborne decided to further explore the ‘time and madness’ angle of the same concept, while Sekiro went in the opposite direction to expand the ‘death and karma’ side.)

To make our Sugars; begin by first boiling the 1 cup of water with the corresponding flavor ingredients. Essentially, we’re making a batch of 10-20 candies with one flavor at a time, to make things easier on us. Ako’s Sugar requires you boil sliced ginger and dried lotus seeds, and so on.

After the water has been properly infused with the medicinal ingredients, strain the water and add it to another pot with the rest of the candy base ingredients, then boiling it all down until it reaches 300f. It’ll take a while, and you’ll notice that there’s gonna be a point where it seems like the temperature isn’t rising again. But keep at it; all the water needs to be boiled away. But the flavor will remain.

Once it reaches 300f, add the food coloring, and then keep boiling again until it reaches 310f. Then immediately take it off the heat and pour it into molds. Disk-shaped candy molds do exist, but you can easily make your own by pouring a lot of corn starch into a pan, then pressing a disk-shaped object (like another candy) into the starch to make indents. When you pour the candy mixture into a corn starch mold, you can use a spoon to gently and accurately fill each hole without distorting the powder. After perhaps three hours, the candies should be completely set and cool, and you can tumble away the powder and store the candies. Any mold method is gonna give the candies a flat side, but a true disk candy requires factory-standard molds that we don’t have.

We’re not using natural food colorings, ‘cause I tried my best to research natural alternatives that could retain their dye after boilings. And it was super hard, especially blue. Take it from me that Sekiro’s Sugars shouldn’t have been so brightly colored; intensely colored food did exist, but it was with things like powdered dried beets and matcha and pepper powder. Boiling these ingredients (rather than mixing it with dough or jelly) will change the colors drastically, sometimes completely bleaching it, or changing red to purple and so on.

As for the various medicinal ingredients; I took a gander in my mom’s soup-making cabinet and took stock of the medicinal herbs we ourselves use in our lives. The ones included in this recipe are some of the more commonly used ingredients of modern TCM.

Gokan’s Sugar, as a posture-retaining consumable, is described as a popular choice amongst shinobi hunters, a job that requires “a body with an unshakable core”. Ginger and lotus seeds are great for restoring energy through chi, a person’s lifeforce.

Ako’s Sugar raises your attack power. This candy actually proved one of the hardest to find medicines for, since, you know, most medicine is about preserving your health. Astragalus root increases energy and resistance to stress, and red cherries are a warming food according to TCM; warming meaning that its a yang property that further enhances your energy levels. (Keep in mind that food warmness-coolness is more about keeping those two in balance for optical health.)

Ungo’s Sugar reduces the amount of health Wolf loses. Very protection-centric, so we’re using ginseng, for longevity, and white peach slices for their heavy association with divinity. Both of these ingredients have some of the most well-known history in Asian food culture.

Yashariku’s Sugar is a double-edged sword, since it reduces both your health and posture so Wolf can be super powerful for a little bit. So you’re gonna add sake to the candy mixture around the 300f mark, and the dried cocklebur fruit is an immunity-boosting medicine ... but the plant is mildly toxic and can cause diarrhea. You know, Wolf gets super powerful and aggressive when taking this candy cause he needs to shit his brains out. Don’t worry; we’ve got this in our own pantry, and it personally doesn’t make my mom’s stomach upset, but it does me so it must range from person to person.

Gachiin’s Sugar makes you more stealthy, which I took to translate into ‘quieting your thoughts and emotions’. Like when you hold a baby and it can feel your own inner turmoil and starts to cry? Orange peel and goji berries restore your chi, your vision, an irregular heart rate, and stress.

Enjoy your candies! Pop them before tough situations like speaking before a big crowd, or having to wait in line at the DMV, or when you have to fight the Headless Ape for the first time. Tell your friends to stay away from the Senpou brand, so you don’t support their unethical practices.

[docholligay]

Chinese Food in The American West

One of the things I frequently come across as a student of the American West* is that people get most of their information from movies and TV and then act like they know things. Wyatt Earp was not a Lawful Good champion who always did his level best even when it was hard to know. (You want Seth Bullock or Bass Reeves). Racism was far more complicated than white vs not white (I’ve talked about this EXTENSIVELY in Strange Empire, so I’m not going to bore you here**). 

And they didn’t just eat steak. In fact, they rarely ate steak. 

Steak as cowboy food isn’t INACCURATE, but it is MODERN. From about the early 1900s on, you had less and less drives and more and more ranchers who were staying put, with less and less hands needed, and so food was grabbed less “on the go.” Cows could be slaughtered and used to feed the family, allowing for more opportunities for things like steak, yes, but also things like chili, a play on sauerbraten, southern-style biscuits. The cattle drives were a real blend of culture and race, and a lot of what we have left as “Western food” owes a great deal to that. 

And if we leave the cattle drives and head into the towns of the American West, as we will today, we find things like oysters, pies, and various things like that. Far more well-heeled than the general expectation. 

I mean, here’s the menu from the Occidental Saloon circa the late 1880s:

Soups

Chicken Giblet and Consumme, with Egg

Fish

Columbia River Salmon, au Beurre Noir

Relieves

Filet a Boeuf, a la Financier

Leg of Lamb, Sauce, Oysters

Cold Meats

Loin of Beef, Loin of Ham, Loin of Pork, Westphalia Ham, Corned Beef, Imported Lunches

Boiled Meats

Leg of Mutton, Ribs of Beef, Corned Beef and Cabbage, Russian River Bacon

Entrees

Pinons a Poulett, aux Champignons

Cream Fricasse of Chicken, Asparagus Points

Lapine Domestique, a la Matire d'Hote

Casserole d'Ritz aux Oeufs, a la Chinoise

Ducks of Mutton, Braze, with Chipoluta Ragout

California Fresh Peach, a la Conde

Roasts

Loin of Beef, Loin of Mutton, Leg of Pork

Apple Sauce, Suckling Pig, with Jelly, Chicken Stuffed Veal

Pastry

Peach, Apple, Plum, and Custard Pies

English Plum Pudding, Hard Sauce, Lemon Flavor

This dinner will be served for 50 cents.

-I got this from the book “Saloons of the Old West” by Erdoes

But none of that is precisely why I’m here, I just can’t stop myself from talking about this, why I’m here is that one of the things I say that often surprises people, is that Chinese food was incredibly common for the, well, common man to eat. There’s very much a conception that we as a non-Chinese American  people did not start eating Chinese food until the 40s and 50s, and its truer that it took longer to catch on in the American East than the West simply as a matter of proximity and choice. 

Not MORE choice but LESS. Part of what made the West so unique, historically, is that the lack of choice and the basic scarcity caused people to work with and patronize people that their general prejudices would have kept them from using back east, because they had CHOICES. But out in the west, less so. There were few choices for a quick, cheap meal on the go. That dinner I just posted above is a lavish affair, and a great deal at approximately $20.00 in today’s money. (Which does not allow for the fact that cost of supplies has gone up and this dinner would most likely be offered for no less than 70 or so today.) 

People desperately wanted something that was cheap and quick, and the other options in the American West were few, far between, and not intensely pleasing. No one had really come up with the sandwich shop as of yet, and in any case, fresh meats and cheeses would have been too difficult for the low-cost supplier. 

ENTER THE CHINESE POPULATION.

If you have read my Strange Empire blogs, I hope you know that Chinese people were a huge presence in the American West, mostly working for the railroad and various mines, but also doing things like laundry, work that was extremely hard but took little in the way of English speaking. They existed in Chinatowns, for a combination of cultural and legal factors, but it’s a misconception that non-Chinese*** people never went to Chinatown. 

People are not new, and it was not unusual for non-Chinese people to use the laundries, tailoring, and other services of Chinatowns while suppressing the rights of Chinese people int he same breath. There were always individual Chinese people any given non-Chinese person liked and did business with. 

In time, they discovered the inherent wisdom of the noodle bowl. 

I don’t mean to suggest that all these early restaurants served was noodle bowls, but that was where it all started. Remember, Italian food had little prominence in America at the this time, as Italian immigration didn’t really get into full swing until the 1870s in America. While there are noodle traditions half of everywhere, and there is nothing new under the sun, what we today would consider a stir-fry bowl was wildly new to most of the non-Chinese folks in the West. That it could be offered up so cheaply, was so filling, and so delicious (more on this later) was a wild revelation. Everyone from simple cowboys (which, fun fact! Was a slur back then!) to mayors were swinging by Chinatowns to try the dishes. 

By the 1920s, chop suey, a fully Chinese American invention derived from the words for “various leftovers” was a hugely popular American food among all sorts. 

Doc, you may ask, was it just that these folks coming through to get medicines or laundry were SO adventurous? Not at all! Chinese restaurants back then actually, in a very short amount of time, realized that their non-Chinese townsfolk were an excellent way to make money as well, and began to adapt and change dishes to better fit the Western palate, leading what we call American Chinese Food today, which is a legitimate foodway I will defend to my death. Unfortunately, none of these menus survive today--the only ones we have are from places in San Francisco, places that were much more posh, and not the subject of this essay. 

There is a scene in Tombstone where Wyatt and his brothers are eating Chinese food, and it’s one of the things people often ask me about, assuming it’s anachronistic. Actually, it isn’t at all--the anachronism is that there’s broccoli in those noodle bowls, which had not yet hit our shores by the time of the OK Corral. Chinese food was a huge hit, Chinese restaurants were doing extremely well, and some Chinese restaurants were even beginning to attempt to print menus in English, with sit down areas, instead of serving simple fare from food carts. 

As the food from these “chow chow houses” grew in popularity, as we can infer from the advertisements of their competitors promising free potatoes with every meal, and other such niceties to entice, there was, as ever there must be, blowback. Anti-Chinese sentiment grew to a fever pitch, and with this came overt pressure for ‘Good Americans” to patronize ‘American restaurants’. The social pressure is actually where we get some of that old racist jargon about Chinese people serving dogs and cats, which people often think was spread by competitors to degrade the Chinese restaurants, which isn’t UNTRUE, but was just as often said sheepishly by someone who couldn’t stop themselves from going and grabbing a noodle bowl or even the American dishes they offered, such as roast chicken or pork chop sandwiches. 

(I won’t comment with anything but an eyeroll on the bullshit of people saying they’re ~allergic to MSG~ okay I’ll believe you when you stop eating processed food, meat, aged cheese) 

It actually kept this type of reputation as being slightly scandalous well into the early 1900s, as being something you ate after the bar, something to be had in the shadows, but it was all for naught, because Chinese food became an important part of American identity. But for all that, no one ever pictures the Lone Ranger chowing down (the American phrase ‘chow’ for food actually comes from these ‘chow chow houses’) on some chop suey, but there’s every reason to believe he would have. American Chinese food is just as American as the Germanically-influenced hamburger. 

(There’s a whole subtopic to go down about Jewish and Chinese communities and Kosher Chinese Food, two marginalized and othered communities coming together, but that’s a WHOLE other topic) 

(Also someone please buy me Chinese food. This shit always makes me so hungry.) 

*The American West is a specific time period, as far as the study of history goes. It covers the period between the end of the Civil War and the New Century, generally, and is, obviously, concerned with the western half of the country. It doesn’t cover stuff like Lewis and Clark (that’s Expansion) or even the Civil War itself, though you cannot possibly hope to study the American West in any level of seriousness without understanding the Civil War. Anyway! I know a lot about America between 1865 and 1900, and am just knowledgeable enough to be dangerous on everything else. Most History nerds are highly specified like this. We’re not as much help to your trivia team as you think.****

**I actually have had little chance to talk about ~European-style xenophobia~ as it played out in the west, because Strange Empire takes a more modern pass at it. But there was a hierarchy of “whiteness” as well, as still largely exists in Europe, land of intentionally clean ethnostates. 

***I use the term “non-Chinese” instead of white because believe it or not, non-white people were not magically free of racism against Chinese people. It was horrific and BASICALLY every non-Chinese person was guilty of it to some level, a wild-ass level of hatred that led to Chinese folks not being able to PURCHASE PROPERTY BY LAW in ENTIRE STATES. Being Chinese or Native in this place and time was your Worst Bet. 

****I actually was on a competitive trivia team, you DO want me.

[rosesloveletters]

Self-Shipping Reference.

I have been debating on creating a self-shipping reference for these two, but since I am certain of our dynamic at this point, I wanted to delve right in; I love Will and Jakob so very much and I wanted to create a little collection of our relationship like I’ve done before in the past. Most of all, this is for me so that I can have it as a reference, so there is absolutely no obligation to interact with this post. If you do, thank you for showing us so much love and care, I really appreciate it more than anything. This community is so welcoming of self-shipping and that means a lot to me<3.

last updated: June 17, 2021

please do not read if you are not interested in or comfortable with self-shipping.

word count: 2,908

Ship name?

Our collective ship name is Grimmrose, for obvious reasons (my poly heart can hardly take it😭✨💛) 

I do not feel I should need to say this (as it should already be implied), but since I do not want angry anons in my ask box about this, I will state: Will and Jakob are not romantically involved in our dynamic; the love they have for each other is familial only. They both share me, but that is as far as it goes. There is absolutely no incestuous aspects of our relationship. 

Date you got together?

Jakob: May 26, 2021. The open honesty and security within our vulnerabilities were what prompted Jakob and I to jump in headfirst. We knew how we felt almost immediately; Jakob believes in love at first sight and I value that sentiment. It was a mutual understanding that the two of us were meant to be together (even if I hadn’t already known, the darling would have convinced me - he is extremely persuasive and given to a dreamer’s mindset.) The two of us easily came to an agreement on beginning a relationship because of how similar we have found ourselves to be. It was not difficult to access what each other was thinking and how we chose to approach those thoughts and feelings. Jakob is driven by those, after all, and his bright spirit and general interest in the things that cannot be so easily explained drew me to him. 

Will: 

Platonic:  May 26, 2021.

 Romantic: June 14, 2021. 

Will was, to my surprise, not as difficult to access as I expected. He has a much different personality to Jakob’s; the two are near opposite ends of the spectrum. Will’s mission has been to protect Jakob, mostly from himself, but Jakob does not understand that the reason Will is so hard on him is because Will feels helpless around him. Jakob’s mind is so bright and open, while Will does not understand how to compete with that nor how to understand or fit into Jakob’s world of folklore and mythical, magical beings. He feels weak in comparison to Jakob’s spirit; Will values my ability to cross those lines and connect with both him and Jakob. Will has never known another to be so well-suited for his brother and he is respectful of how we interact, since until now he has been the only one who has been able to reach Jakob. We were platonic for several weeks out of respect for Jakob, but soon entered into a mutual agreement to share the love that we all have for each other; the brothers agreed to share me since they have both developed such strong feelings. 

Favorite personality trait?

Jakob: His sense of security within vulnerabilities. Jakob is more given to childlike excitement and the thrill of action whenever it is of a magical quality. He fidgets, has a distinct nervous energy/uncomfortable body language, a clear mind but one that fancies fiction over reality. Whenever he drinks, he’s giddy and excited; the only one who can get through to him in these moments are Will and I. The thing is, Jakob has never tried to be anybody but himself. He is aware that these qualities are not valued by the vast majority and are perhaps seen as weaknesses or even are simply frowned upon (much of this he experienced as a result of the way Will treated him over the years), but even all of that has never caused his personality to shift or made him close himself off. Jakob has always found security within who he is, regardless of whether those around like it or not.

Will: His protective commitment to those who he loves. Even though Will canonically admitted his frustrations over Jakob and how he “hates” his younger bother, stating how Jakob “drives him mad”, he is fiercely protective of him and committed to maintaining their relationship in spite of any disagreements or arguments. Will does not give up on those he loves. Even though it would have made sense for him to toss Jakob into the streets and leave him if he truly hates him, but Will does not. Despite his confession, he has never actually hated his brother; Jakob makes him feel weak, helpless and inferior because Jakob’s comprehension of things beyond Will’s understanding or compulsion to understand or look beyond what is right in front of him is too different and unusual to him. 

Favorite physical trait?

Jakob: His eyes. Jakob’s eyes are so expressive; they sparkle in the light and his irises twinkle. His soul appears as if it were made from stardust and every bit of him glows. His eyes reflect the innocence and playful mischief bound within him; he is a dreamer at heart and his eyes mirror that. 

Will: His smile. There is a scene when Jakob and Will first arrive at Marbaden and they are confronted by the townspeople with weapons, uncertain of who these two strangers are, and when Will tries to explain who they are his smile is simply dazzling. I believe that was the moment I found myself in love with him; I have not seen a smile so bright in a long time. Here’s a screenshot of his smile (Jakob’s expression in the background is so funny😂):

Couple song

We do not have a couple song yet; we have couple albums. 

Taylor Swift’s albums Folklore and Evermore are sister albums, so it only makes sense that they are representative of the two brothers respectively: Folklore for Jakob and Evermore for Will. 

Both albums are suited to the three of us; the feelings provoked from both establish the tone of our relationship. 

Pet peeves…

There is only one: their constant bickering/arguing and fights. It is natural for siblings to fight, but the longer I spend with these two, the more consistently they seem to fight in front of me. I do not believe the fighting affects their relationship as perhaps it did in the past; they seem very content, even after they’ve been fighting a while, and neither of them holds a grudge anymore. 

Favorite outfit on them?

I will share photos since it would take some time to explain in enough detail; I am a sucker for older/medieval clothing (perhaps this is why this movie spoke to me in such a way?)

These are my favorite outfits of theirs:

their armor is a close second, because it really makes me laugh:

Favorite meal?

Jakob: This bit is indicative of all of us and I was the one who introduced the brothers to this meal - vegetable soup; beef/broth, noodles, peas, carrots, tomatoes, corn, green beans, potatoes. The brothers are used to eating whatever is being served them at the pubs they visit and the inns at each town they stay and, needless to say, are not often prepared a meal especially one to their specific tastes. The first time I made this for them, they ate heartily and it has been their favorite since. 

Will: This is less of a specific meal and more of a eating habit of his, but Will is partial to sweet treats and desserts of all kind. His favorite treat is soft bread with a sticky, sugary glaze (wait until I tell him about glazed donuts😂) 

Early bird or night owl?

Neither of the Grimms are particularly one or the other. They both have been known to stay awake all hours of the night for one reason or another; Jakob stays up writing most nights when brand new ideas flood his mind and prevent sleep. He works whenever inspiration strikes and if that is the middle of the night, then Will or I will find him hunched over his desk, pen scratching away across the page as he squints to read what he has written under the low candlelight. 

Will stays awake late born out of a habit he has yet to change. He does not like to sleep very soundly until he knows that Jakob and I are either asleep or keeping each other company; Will takes responsibility of us quite seriously. Since we’ve begun a relationship, they do not go out as much as they once had and when we do, they are awake nearly the entire night and whenever they crash, they are both out cold. 

If I wake up throughout the night, Jakob sleeps so soundly that he would not know (he wears earplugs if we’re staying at an inn because the noise bothers him.) Will always wakes up whenever I do; the shifting around wakes him, but he does not usually open his eyes or speak to me until I come back to bed and he settles me back into my spot. 

Snorer or sleep talker?

Jakob: SLEEP TALKER! Jakob talks in his sleep nearly every night, most especially if he has had something to drink beforehand or if Will has gotten under his skin about something. Stress/anxiety also trigger it; I don’t hear him often, because he only does it in a deep sleep which is usually whenever I’ve already fallen asleep. 

Will: Will does not snore or talk in his sleep; he is unusually quiet, however, he will groan or mumble softly if he’s turning over or something like that. He does not move a lot when he’s sleeping either. 

Do you have any pets together?

No, our lifestyle is not suited to pets, unless horses used for transportation count. 

Pet names! (Both from them and yours for them)

Will’s for me: little one/little girl, peanut

Jakob’s for me: sweetheart, darling, lover

Mine for Jakob: Jakey, Beanstalk (turning Will’s mean comments into something sweet💕), Dreamer, Sweetie/Sweet One/Sweet Baby

Mine for Will: Blondie, Prince Charming (only in certain scenarios)

Ones Jakob and Will use collectively for me: Briar Rose, Rosebud, Unicorn, Beauty/Belle (a play off my favorite fairytale), Princess

Ones I use collectively for Jakob & Will: Grimmy

How often do you fight? What starts fights?

I have yet to have any fights with either of the brothers (though I have had mild disagreements with Will over the way he speaks to Jakob.)

Jakob and Will fight often and about everything, but more often than not, the source of the argument is their personality difference. Their interests clash significantly and they find it difficult to coexist at times because Will feels he must fill the role of Jakob’s caretaker, while Jakob simply wants Will to be his brother and believe in him. 

I usually do not get involved in their squabbles unless Will speaks out of turn. He can be somewhat hateful in the remarks he makes to his brother and I am not afraid to set the record straight. Jakob has gotten much better at standing up for himself; he is not afraid to get physical if things escalate to that point, though I have yet to see them lay a hand on each other. Jakob knows that one swift punch is all that he needs to deliver for Will to fall in line and understand that he is serious; he saves them for when he needs them and has only punched Will outright one time, that I am aware of. 

Who apologizes first?

This depends on who feels they are “wrong”. Will does not like to apologize, so usually it is Jakob who initiates the apology. Occasionally, neither will apologize and it is implied that they both have and things will continue on like normal as if nothing ever happened (this is best case scenario.) 

I have not known them to simply not apologize to each other for wrongdoing; Will has apologized to Jakob on a number of occasions where I have been present. If Will apologizes, it is usually for speaking too harshly to Jakob or bringing up the “magic beans” he has terrorized Jakob with for years. 

Big spoon or little spoon?

Jakob: Jakob adores being the little spoon. Even though he likes to hold onto me at night, nothing seems to compare to being held. Jakob has gone the majority of his life without being shown affection and tender love; he is so touch-starved that he asks to be held almost every night. 

Will: Will is the only F/O (aside from J) who I allow to be the big spoon on a regular basis. I trust him implicitly and know that he will keep me safe; he likes to hold onto me while we sleep so that he knows and can feel he isn’t alone. He does not like to sleep whenever it is too cold and he wants a warm body pressed against him. 

Dom or sub?

Jakob: Submissive.

Will: Dominant.

Will has had his misgivings over Jakob and I, both being submissives, entering into a relationship together, but it has not presented an issue so far. Most of the time, Jakob and I love all over each other so it doesn’t matter one way or another😂 It is rare for Jakob and I to be sexually intimate. 

Will takes on the more dominant role, since he has been so with Jakob over the years of their lives before they’d met me. Will is the nurturer and takes care of us both; he remains protective of us despite certain insecurities and fears. Will takes on more of the sexual responsibilities of their relationship with me because of his experience with women.

What are their kisses like?

Jakob: Jakob’s kisses begin as achingly shy, reverential ones that develop into slowly sensual, spontaneous or exploratory ones. Jakob likes to hold my hands when we kiss and I like the way his facial hair pleasantly scratches my face; he is always extremely gentle and never oversteps. I especially love when he kisses me with such eager impulsivity that our cheeks turn red and we laugh when it’s over. 

Will: Will’s kisses can either be covetous and greedy, fervent, and deeply passionate or chaste and flirtatious. He always cups my cheeks, chin or tangles his fingers in my hair at the back of my head while kissing me; his lips often taste sweet or sugary from how often he indulges on sweets. My favorite of Will’s kisses are the languid, open-mouthed ones when he uses his tongue. 

What do they smell like?

Jakob: Parchment, books and ink, candlewax, earth just after it has rained, sweet basil, a vaguely sweet musk, warm skin.

Will: Warm sugar, sweat/spicy musk, pine, flame. 

What are their hugs like?

Jakob: Bear-like, full-bodied, fiercely affectionate and warm. 

Will: Long, tight, unexpectedly powerful and almost needy. 

Who is more protective?

Will. 

Both brothers are fiercely protective of me and I know that, in spite of their differences, neither would ever let anything happen to me. As long as they are facing danger together, they would willingly take on any enemy (Jakob would never let Will face danger alone and vice versa.)

Interested in children?

No. Will says that Jakob and I are enough like children as it stands😂

Who needs the most TLC when sick?

Will AND Jakob. They are both huge babies whenever they are sick and all they want is to be taken care of. Surprisingly, they bicker a lot more whenever they’re sick; mainly, they fight over who gets to cuddle me first.

Whenever I am sick, I tend to react the same way and the brothers are more than obliged to take care of me in any way they are able. Will takes the more ‘hands-on’ work like fetching me a drink, food, blankets, etc. and helping me move about as I need. Jakob does not like to leave my side and he will not do so unless instructed by Will and he will fetch me whatever is needed and then return to cuddle with me. 

Who says ‘I love you’ first?

I was the first one to say ‘I love you’ to either of the brothers. I told Jakob first; we nearly admitted it at the same time. We knew how we both felt upon the first of our meetings. 

It took me a while to say ‘I love you’ to Will. Our relationship began platonically; I did not feel comfortable saying so to him until I spoke with Jakob about it first. Intuitive of human emotions is he and he was already well-aware of how we felt about each other and, with his blessing and consent, the brothers agreed to share the love and, well, me. 

Which of you is more accident prone?

I bet you’re thinking either me or Jakob. WRONG! It’s Will. Jakob and I are very steady on our feet because we are full of rambunctious energy; Will is more laid back than either of us and he gets more indignant whenever he does accidentally hurt himself. 

Bed hog?

Jakob is more of a bed hog than Will or I. He is consistently moving around in his sleep, talking, etc. There is one unspoken rule: Jakob sleeps on the left side of the mattress, I am in the middle and Will is on the right. Both use me as a barrier and do not cross to the other’s side of the bed at any point and they each take turns cuddling with me until we all fall asleep. 

Who loves the other the most?

As if it even needs to be said, we all love each other equally, but in different ways. Jakob’s and Will’s relationship and love for each other is strictly familial, while the brothers’ relationships with me are both romantic. 

Will understands and accepts that my relationship with Jakob takes priority, as we began ours first and I am unspokenly Jakob’s above all else. Any and all major decisions are made between Jakob and I; we of course always consider Will’s emotions, well-being, etc. but Jakob prefers to take the reins in terms of calling the shots, in spite of Will being the dominant and more protective one. He feels like Will owes him this and Will is happy to allow his brother this courtesy, considering this is Jakob’s first true relationship. 

[defensivescarecrows]

Tater Tot Casserole

Because we all deserve to eat, I am going to share a recipe for this casserole. It makes 6 large servings and is only approximately 470cal for one serving, depending on your ingredients. Seriously, it fills a bowl.

Here is the recipe for Tater Tot Casserole:

• 1/2 pound ground turkey (340cal)

• 1 can whole kernel corn (310cal)

• 1 can green beans (40cal)

• 1 can cream of potato soup (230cal)

• 1 can cheddar cheese soup (180cal)

• 1/3 can cream of chicken soup (optional) (120cal)

• 1cup shredded cheddar cheese (455cal)

• A bag of tater tots, your choice. (Varies, 1130cal for 1/3 bag of ore-ida tater tots)

Total - 2,805 cal for the whole pan

Divide by 6 = approx 470cal

Instructions:

• Cook the ground turkey (or replacement meat) on med-high heat in a skillet. Reduce to medium heat once cooked.

• Add in your can of corn and green beans AFTER draining the liquid. These veggies can be used together or are interchangeable.

• Add in your cans of soup. Mix well. Allow to warm up in skillet.

• Place contents in a 9x13” baking pan. Cover top with tater tots of your choice, sprinkle on cheddar cheese.

• Bake for whatever temperature and time the bag of tater tots says.

I hope this helps some of you get some food in you, even if it’s all you eat today. Take care of yourself 🖤

[a-bit-of-owlish-fun]

Quarantine Shopping and Meal Planning

So I asked about this over on @steve-rogers-new-york​ and there was a positive response, so here we go. Date: 15 March 2020

Before I start, let me be clear that I am not a professional, just someone who deals with stress by planning, and who has some experience with emergency preparedness having lived in New Zealand during the more recent large earthquakes. Feel free to correct me or make positive additions. For clarity, I am currently in Ontario Canada, and cooking for one person, but have made allowances to feed my unprepared housemate in a pinch.

Priorities with this Pandemic Planning

Unlike some other emergency preparedness priorities, power, water, and phone do not appear to be issues. So you have greater flexibility with what you can make and keep. Your priority should be having a comfortable amount of food on hand in case you cannot leave the house. Don’t go nuts, don’t overbuy, and don’t buy thoughtlessly.

Planning What to Get and Make

When thinking about what to buy and what to make, you want to consider a few things:

How many meals do you need to make? That is, how many people are you feeding and for how long? Calculate the number of meals you need in total and make sure you have enough meals planned to cover those. Obviously, if you can prepare for more than that is good, but don’t go too nuts.

How many portions can a recipe make? You don’t want to be making single-serve meals. It’s inefficient and short-sighted. So pick recipes that make large quantities, that can be portioned up in containers to be chilled or frozen.

Am I being efficient with my ingredients? Are the quantities listed in regularly used recipes the most practical for your current ingredient availability? For example, if you’re making a stew with beef, but beef is in short supply, half the amount the recipe asks for, and then bulk up on potatoes, carrots, zucchini, etc.

What ingredients will last best? Don’t JUST get non-perishables! That just sounds miserable. I’ve had no issue so far getting fruit and vegetables, and if you’re smart with your choices and storage fresh foods can be good choices. This when picking items how long they will hold in your fridge or if they’re freezable.

Don’t forget about breakfast and Lunch!

If money is tight and buying ahead is challenging. Think laterally. Make use of dollar stores like Dollarama, Dollar Tree, or whatever your local variant is. They will often have a great range of shelf-stable foods like pasta, rice, canned goods, and other ingredients at really low prices. And from my experience so far, they seem to have passed the attention of many shoppers and are still in good stock-levels. Start there first, hit multiple ones to get a good variety, then shop at supermarkets for whatever you cannot get there. The quality is good, sometimes brand-names, and they can be far superior than supermarket prices.

Do you have a large stockpot, fry pan, and deep baking dish to make these large meals? If not, see about getting them. Large lasagne pans and other kitchen items can be found cheap at many dollar stores.

Don’t have a car? Me neither. Grab a backpack and some good re-usable bags and make multiple trips for heavier items like cans. Also, consider grocery delivery services. They can be hit and miss right now, as it’s harder to adapt to products being unavailable. This being said, they can be a good way to get bulk, heavier items to your house. Also, consider asking friends or family to get you items when they go and drop them off to you.

What Foods Hold Well and Go Far

Non-Perishables that can extend meals

Pasta and Noodles — Pasta is a great item for entending a meal. Be it soups, stir-fry, oven-bake, or just able anything, you can either cook-in, mix-in, or have as a plain side. They bulk up a meal and make it go further.

Rice  — Same as above.

Lentils and Other Legumes — Lentils are great for bulking up and extending soups and stews. Also consider chickpeas, beans, and other legumes.

Potatoes — Potatoes are great! The can be a great base, addition, or side to many many meals. While these will not last indefinitely, if you keep them cool and dark then they will last quite some time.

Non-Perishable Ingredients and Flavouring

Canned Vegetables — Don’t be picky. Yes, get fresh veggies where you can, but also suck it up and get some canned goods as a back-up. Carrots, peas, beans, tomatoes, all that. They’re good, they taste fine, and go well in so many recipes.

Canned Fruit — Many fruits have a shorter shelf-life, so consider some canned alternatives.

Herbs and Spices — Make sure you have a nice spread of these. It’s easy to grab the base ingredients for food, but if you don’t have something to flavour those meals with, you’ll have a miserable time.

Sauces — Same as above.

Canned Tomatoes and Tomato Paste — Yes, I’m listing this separately because of their versatility. With canned tomatoes, you can make soups, spaghetti, lasagne, chilli, curry...so damn much. So grab a good stock of these.

Perishables

Eggs — Eggs are so damn versatile. Get eggs. When kept in the fridge they keep for a good long time.

Vegetables — Think smart. Get items you know last well in your fridge, and avoid items you usually have to throw-out or use-up within a week or two.

Fruit — Same.

Breads — Same. Also, consider freezing loaves if you have the space to do so. It tastes just as good as fresh, honest.

Frozen

If you have the capacity to get things frozen or to freeze them. Do it. Frozen peas, corn, stir-fry veggies, meats...they last well and taste good.

My Grocery List

This is what I have been buying myself. Not all at once but in multiple trips over the last couple of weeks.

Pantry

Top-up herbs and spices: ground cumin, garam masala, oregano, basil.

Spaghetti pasta

Spiral pasta

Lasagne pasta sheets

Large bag of rice

Flour

Canned tomatoes (4 large cans)

Tomato paste

Canned asparagus

Canned coconut milk (2 cans)

Lentils

Potatoes (6 large)

Onions

Fridge

Eggs (12pc)

Milk

Cheese

Zucchinis (3)

Carrots (large bag)

Lemons (2)

Limes (2)

Bag of spinach

Bell pepper (1)

Crescent Rolls

Freezer

Peas

1kg minced beef

750g stewing beef

Box stuffed chicken breasts (I love ham and cheese and a good addition to any meal)

500g lamb (for curries)

500g stir-fry beef

Household

ONE pack of toilet paper. Seriously. Just get what you personally need.

A couple of small packs of cheap toilet paper from the dollar store.

Pack paper towels

Any cooking materials like tin-foil, parchment paper, that I use regularly.

3-pack tissues (I have killer allergies so I’ll always need them)

Plastic containers for portioning meals in the fridge or freezer.

Meals I have Planned

These aren’t full recipes, but rather a list of ingredients and volumes for grocery references. I might write-up full recipes later if people are interested. 

Lasagne

This is my fav vegetarian lasagne that also have minced meat. It makes around 6-8 servings (depending on home much you eat and size of baking dish).

Lasagne sheets (dried) or just those baby lasagne pasta if you like them better. 4 cups Milk 250g Cheese Butter Flour Nutmeg Chicken stock 3 Large Carrots 3 Large Zucchini Large bag of fresh spinach leaves 400g Canned Tomatoes Fresh/Jarred Garlic 500g minced beef Light Herbs (oregano, basil, etc to taste, but not too much)

Vegetable Stew

Technically a soup, but I never blend it and just eat it as is. Makes 3-4 servings alone and 5-8 servings when served with cooked rice.

2 cups dried lentils (soaked overnight) 1 Large Can Tomatoes (not pre-herbed, just used plain) 2 cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock 2 Large Carrots cubed 2 Large Zucchinis (quartered then cubed) Fresh/Jarred Garlic 1 Tbsp Cumin 1 tsp Ground Coriander Fresh Coriander (lots) Fresh ground peppercorn

Beef Stew

500g Stewing Beef 3 Large Potatoes cubed 3 Large Carrots cubed 1-2 cups Frozen Peas Fresh/Jarred Garlic 2-3 Tbsp Flour Fresh ground peppercorn 1 Large Onion 3-4 cup Beef Stock 3 Tbsp Tomato Paste Rosemary 2 Tbsp Cornstarch

D.’s Curry

This is just and random mash-up curry I make. It can be cooked with or without lamb and both taste great. It is not spicy. Makes 2-3 servings

2 Large Onions (one minces with spaces, one sliced) Fresh/Jarred Garlic Fresh/Jarred Ginger Ground Cumin Ground Coriander Ground Cardamon Whole Cardamon Seeds Whole Cumin Seeds Garam Masala 300ml Uncooked Rice (then cook it, obviously)

Closing thoughts

Once you have these items, don’t use them. Carry on like normal and don't use these items unless you need them. Now I have my meals planned, I am back to making normal meals with what I can get. Always have that TWO WEEK buffer on hand at all times.

Purchase your groceries gradually. Don’t buy out in one go, be considerate. Take only what you need.

Visit multiple locations, sell-outs are not the same everywhere and while one supermarket may be sold out of something, another may still have a fresh stock.

More stocks WILL come. So if you cannot find something, make alternate plans, find a substitute, and return every now and then to check stocks. Supermarkets are constantly restocking as they can.

Be kind to customer service workers. They are just trying to get through this like you are. They are not paid well, have no control over their employers' stocks or decisions. They have the same stress you do and you being an asshole is just causing them MORE stress they do not deserve. Be. Kind. Be. Understanding.

Support others. Friends, family, neighbours, co-workers. We do this together.

DON’T STRESS OUT! Be prepared. Be aware. But don’t become overwhelmed, it will all be FINE. We just have to adapt and ride it out <3

I hope this was helpful. Have further suggestions or any corrections, please do let me know, I’m always happy to correct myself. If you have any questions feel free to comment and message me. And if you want those full recipes likewise let me know!

[abiteofnat]

AN ANXIETY-APPROVED GUIDE TO SOCIALLY-DISTANT  DINING IN THE NORTH SHORE

A headline I truly thought I would never write, because I used to be the type of person to leave work, jam myself into an L train packed with people, scroll through my phone while breathing in someone’s backpack, and then get to a busy restaurant to meet friends and dive into food without washing my hands. My entire immune system was chock-full of city scum, and eating indoors with dozens of other people who likely got off an equally full train? Not even a question of a doubt in my mind. Things took a quick and dire turn in May when suddenly I became afraid of everything and grossed out by anything, and after moving home with family I was certain I would never leave the house again. I miss being the fearless gutter rat I used to be, but times are different, and staying safe is key. 

Alas, while my family has been taking quarantine very seriously, we reached a point in August where we all felt “ok” with sitting at a restaurant once or twice a week to feel like we were still part of society and because we all mutually hate cooking. After not being at a restaurant once since March, we nervously ventured out to a local Italian restaurant, sat outside very far from others, and ate pasta that was still piping hot from the kitchen and that didn’t taste mediocre after sitting in a takeout container for an hour. It was refreshing as FUCK. Rose? In a real wine glass? Served chilled? What am I, a QUEEN? 

Ever since we have been carefully dining, only ever sitting outdoors, and carrying packs upon packs of antibacterial wipes and hand sanitizer like actual loons. But safe loons! Being home and enjoying the local restaurants through new eyes and new level of appreciation has made me love them 10x more, even if we’ve eaten somewhere a hundred times before. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to dine with these spots, eat favorite dishes & try new ones, and be out of the house for 1-2 hours on a Friday during these wild times. So, why not share some of my favorite spots?? Maybe you’re also living back in the good ole North Shore, and looking for any excitement at all in the quiet of the suburbs. Here you go. 

1. Mino’s Italian - Winnetka

This restaurant is newer to Winnetka, however it became an instant local favorite and is always, always full. They have a huge patio area with lighting, cozy wooden benches, tons of tables, heaters, and a menu packed with classic Italian dishes done so right. Their Calamari is unreal due to the seasoning and the roasted garlic aioli it comes with for dipping. Their Cacio e Pepe is magically light but still full of cheese and fresh cracked peppercorns, and the seasonal Risotto consists of warm mushroom richness. Their pizza is great to-go as well, and tastes like an NYC slice if you order the largest size. 

2. Pescadero - Wilmette 

Ok to be fair, Pescadero is not somewhere we’ve actually dined AT during the pandemic. We do pick it up quite often though, and it is some of the best carryout in Wilmette. The Fish & Chips is mouth-watering, with fresh fish covered in a seasoned batter that alone is delectable. Their chips (really more french fries) are thin, crispy, and topped with a parmesan and herb dust. DO NOT MISS OUT ON THE FRIES. The Mahi Mahi tacos are excellent and a lighter, fresher dish with broccoli apple slaw and avocado crema, and for fuck’s sake order a side of the Mac & Cheese just to stick a fork in. Pro Tip: You want as much extra tartar sauce as they will give you!!!

* Edit - since I wrote this post a few days ago, we ate on the Pescadero patio and it was delightful. Even though it was 55 degrees, the hot Clam Chowder and Fish & Chips warmed me up real quick. Clam Chowder served in a hot mug = a new fall dinner staple. Will only accept soup in a mug from now on. And, they do have heaters!

3. Depot Nuevo - Wilmette 

I have eaten here no fewer than 3,456 times in my life and every single time I feel like I’m on vacation because the vibes, the food, and the booze are immaculate. Located in an old train station turned restaurant, Depot Nuevo is warm and inviting no matter if you’re inside (pre pandemic) or on their gigantic patio that allows for spaced out and comfy seating. They’ve added heaters for the fall, so don’t worry about being chilly- and if you are, the Pomegranate Margarita will warm you right up. It’s strong, delicious, and comes in a very pleasing traditional margarita glass. I always order the Appetizer Trio as my entree, which has queso fundido (ordered without the chorizo!), guacamole, and ceviche composed of scallops, shrimp, and calamari with vegetables and lime. Usually this comes with tortilla chips as it’s meant to be shared, but I ask for corn tortillas instead and then pile a little of everything in there for the taco of my DREAMS. Do it. Order it. I dare you. 

The staff is exceptionally friendly and have taken COVID precautions seriously, so menus are disposable and everyone has gloves on. They will treat you like family, and they are family to us because we go there so often. See you on Friday, Depot! 

Other good things on the menu are the Fish Tacos, Shrimp Tacos, BBQ Salmon, Chipotle Mashed Potatoes, Cheese Quesadilla (smothered in their salsa verde of course). 

4. The Noodle - Wilmette

Can you tell downtown Wilmette is the place to be? It has truly popped off and the majority of restaurants aren’t serving up your typical “suburbs” food (you know- fried appetizers and burgers and weird salads and overpriced meat dishes) so I am always happy to be out in our little mini city. The Noodle is as classic Italian as you can get, with overflowing ceramic boats of buttery garlic bread, a salad OR soup included with your entree, and no bar- only wine (or beer) if you want a drinky drink. Incredible. I am partial to the house-made spinach linquine with Roasted Garlic and Sun-dried Tomatoes sauce, and the starter salad with house Creamy Garlic Parmesan dressing. Their Tomato Basil soup is also delicious, however I have some suspicion that that soup is the same as the Roasted Garlic and Sun-dried Tomatoes sauce... just served as soup... they refuse to confirm or deny whenever I ask. Either way, delicious. I tried a NEW DISH when we went last week to sit at one of the 6 large tables they have spaced out outside, and let me tell you that the bowtie pasta (not house-made) with Alfredo sauce is THE SHIT. It may be my new go-to when I just want to carbo-load the hecking out of my night. On your way out, get a Pot de Creme to go- it’s the richest, smoothest chocolate dessert on this side of town. 

5. Hometown Coffee & Juice - Glencoe 

Hometown deserves a round of applause for breathing life back into the stuffy grandmother of the North Shore - Glencoe. Between the gorgeous Writers Theatre and countless boutiques selling blouses and hand-blown glass jewelry, it used to only really serve a certain demographic, however Hometown said “let me give it a try” and changed weekends in Glencoe for good. This coffee shop, smoothie bar, bakery, & cafe hotspot is the perfect afternoon spot to grab a drink, enjoy avocado toast, and sit outside at one of the dozens of tables they’ve lined the corner and two streets with. They’ve moved their registers outside so you don’t even need to go inside to order, and the wait staff will bring you your order right to your table to make it as organized and safe as possible. The tables are spread out, the corner it’s located on is beautiful in the fall, and there are lots of good dogs out and about. 

I will say that while Hometown is doing a great job with COVID precautions, the people of Glencoe are a little high & mighty, and seem to think they’re exempt from wearing a mask to wait in line to get their smoothie. It’s irritating that they’re putting the staff at risk and just ignoring state mandates because they feel safe in their little North Shore bubble and because it’s entirely outside, but come on. Be respectful and understand the privilege of these places even being open to serve you, and just wear mask. I hate people. ANYWAY. Love you, Hometown. 

6. Coast Sushi - Evanston 

Ok, so this gem is not open for dining indoors OR outdoors, however they have their carryout system down and their sushi is so, SO fresh and good. I’ve picked up from here a few times and eat time I fall more in love with the flavors and how consistently tasty it is- and with sushi, it’s always a gamble if it’s going to be really good or kinda fishy and old. The Coast in South Loop was a favorite spot for a while, however it has shut down and I am so happy to be able to get my favorite rolls up in the burbs. My go-to order is a Spicy Tuna Maki, Spicy Scallop Maki, Spicy Miso Soup, a side of Spicy Mayo, and a side of Sushi Rice. This sounds odd, but hear me out- I like to mix the spicy mayo into the sushi rice and eat it just like that. It’s. So. Good. Am I gross? I might be gross. 

Anything you get from here is going to rock your socks off, so for your next night in (aka every night lol) treat yourself to some sushi, babbyyy! 

I sincerely hope that we can keep dining outside for at least a few more weeks, and I am absolutely ok with wearing Uggs and a full-on coat to be able to. Just a reminder to keep your mask on when talking to wait staff, be polite, be patient, and don’t be an asshole. You don’t NEED to dine out- it’s a treat- and you should treat it as such. Don’t be a Karen, or don’t leave your house. Those are literally the only two options.

I hope you try somewhere new, whether it’s carryout or dining out, and tell me if you have any favorite North Shore spots I missed! 

Until next time, Happy Eating!

- Natalie

[theatriscribe]

Guide to Getting Lost

I know I ignored this blog for a very long while, but uuuuuh have some Taz! I will hopefully write some more fic for this fandom in the next couple weeks, but I unfortunately can’t make any promises.

(Edit: Also on AO3!!)

Aubrey just wanted to have a nice picnic with her girlfriend. 2410 words. Aubrey/Dani.

Aubrey was making an actual plan for once, so you absolutely knew she was being serious.

That didn’t mean Duck sounded all that pleased when she called him at 11:30 at night, saying “So Duck, hypothetically, if someone wanted to take their partner out for a picnic-“

“They should hypothetically do that when it’s not the literal middle of the night, Aubrey,” Duck said.

“Technically it’s half an hour before midnight! But seriously Duck,” Aubrey said, “can you call me back tomorrow? I’m sorry I called so late, but I was worried I might forget it-”

“Say no more, say no more,” said Duck. “I get it, Aubrey, believe me. But can I call you back tomorrow? We’re doing Chosen Brunch with Indrid, and it’s like. you know how you feel when you bring your boyfriend back and all your cousins start making fun of him?”

“…Did that happen when you brought Indrid home?” Aubrey asked.

“Haven’t done that yet, but this is basically the same thing, so… I’d like that not to happen, and it’s probably more likely to happen if I show up sleep-deprived,” Duck said.

Aubrey tapped her fingers against the wall. “I know I’m guilty of this too, Duck, but… y’know that things won’t always turn out the way you worry they will, right?”

“ ‘Noted, Aubrey.” Duck yawned. “Pick this up around noon?”

“Sure!!” Aubrey said. Besides, this gave her more time to try and plan out what she wanted to make for the picnic. Only problem was, she hadn’t really been cooking for herself for a while. But she probably would be fine, and besides, Dani deserved better than microwavable veggie nuggets.

And on an unrelated note, why didn’t they have dinosaur-shaped veggie nuggets? There had to be a market for white moms giving the “healthier” option to their kids. And didn’t she, a vegetarian, deserve to have her food be dinosaur-shaped on occasion?

They probably sold dinosaur cookie cutters somewhere around. If she could figure out how to make veggie nuggets, she could very easily make some herself. Veggie nuggets had to be easier than the normal meat chicken nuggets. After all, it wasn’t like you had to process the meat yourself. They’d probably be made out of seitan or something.

And then it was 1:30 in the morning and Aubrey took a break from reading veggie chicken nugget recipes and recoiling from the nearly textual whiteness of the food bloggers to realize still hadn’t showered, so she went to go do that and halfway back to her room, whispered “shit” as she realized she hadn’t. actually… picked food to make for Dani.

Clearly the internet wasn’t helping. Okay, what did her parents usually bring on picnics when she was younger? She remembered a bucket of fried chicken at one point. That wouldn’t work now, obviously. Neither she nor Dani ate chicken… but there were vegetarian versions. There was hope.

Okay, entree settled. What else did people eat on picnics? Probably about the same things people brought to a barbecue. Potato salad, corn on the cob… corn on the cob was probably not too easy to pack in a picnic basket, but if she cut the corn off the cob and put it in a little Tupperware container, it might be easier. But was it worth it to bring a ton of barbecue food to a little secluded wooded alcove? Maybe she’d just have to have a barbecue date with Dani on another time. There was no way that Ned, Duck, and the other residents of Amnesty Lodge weren’t going to crash it immediately, but she wouldn’t have a barbecue date any other way to be perfectly honest.

But that still didn’t answer the question of what exactly she was supposed to pack for Dani. So at 2:30 AM she finally decided on the classics: grilled cheese, a thermos of tomato soup, and chocolate chip cookies.

At ten AM, she woke up and her fingers were halfway to dialing Duck’s number before remembering he was at chosen brunch probably, and immediately went back to scrolling through food blogs to find recipes for homemade tomato soup. She picked three that looked promising, and started the process of making one later around one o’clock when Duck finally called her back and told her various places he’d taken people when he was younger.

Aubrey tried the three different recipes for tomato soup through the next week, before finally deciding that they all tasted pretty good and choosing the first one she’d happened to click on. As a result, she didn’t have time to make any kind of chocolate chip cookie research beyond the lid of the oatmeal canister, but that was a project for another time.

“You’re excited,” Dani said, as Aubrey came practically bounding up to her.

“We’re going on a picnic!” Aubrey said, holding out the picnic basket.

Dani just smiled in response, a tiny flash of her fangs, and Aubrey was pretty proof-positive this was what happiness felt like.

Of course, they then proceeded into the forest and everything immediately fell apart.

Her first warning sign should’ve been that Duck had given her a hand-drawn map, rather than a trail map. He’d walked the path where they were supposed to go with her, too, but she hadn’t exactly been walking these trails for the past twenty years.

They’d ended up just following the trail they were on for a while.

Which was fine, for the time being. For not being the nature-y one of the relationship, Aubrey kept noticing cool things, like a little patch of soft moss on the side of a tree, or a dew-covered spiderweb. Of course, that meant she wasn’t paying a very large amount of attention to the map.

As they came to the third tree that looked suspiciously similar to the one they’d passed a while ago, Aubrey finally admitted, “I don’t know where we’re going.”

The two of them walked in silence for a minute. Aubrey noticed that a little fern was starting to crumple in on itself, and took a second to pluck off a dead leaf, and silently hoped it might get better.

Then Dani realized, “I think I might know the place you were thinking of,” and found the place in the next twenty minutes while Aubrey had been leading them in circles for the better part of an hour.

Aubrey, even though she could feel herself starting to sweat through her t-shirt, resolved to try not to be a jerk and just sit down and enjoy the picnic with Dani.

And then it started raining.

“Are you kidding me,” was the first thing out of Aubrey’s mouth as the few raindrops she felt fall on her head quickly turn to a torrential downpour.

“Sorry, Aubrey,” Dani said, smiling to her apologetically. “But at least we found it for next time,” she said, holding out her flannel in an attempt to shelter Aubrey from the rain.

Aubrey sighed. Her soggy hair was beginning to hang in her face. “I’m sorry,” she said, “I just… I wanted to enjoy a nice nature walk with you and be a cool girlfriend, and all I managed to do was fuck it up. Again,” she said. She wrapped an arm protectively over the picnic basket in the vain hope that maybe the sandwiches wouldn’t get soggy.

“Well,” Dani said, “one of the best ways to grow moss is in the rain. So we might still have a nature opportunity after all.”

As they wandered back down the path to duck under a little alcove they’d found between two big rocks, Aubrey sighed. “I know you’re not upset with me, and I appreciate it,” she said quietly. “And I’m not asking you to be upset with me, like… by any stretch of the imagination, but… I just wanted to do something nice for you. I just feel like you’re the one who plans most of our outings, you’re the one who asked me out, and… you’re so put together and I’m not,” Aubrey finished. “I wanted to be the responsible one for once, and all I gave you was a long, sweaty walk and soggy sandwiches, and-“

Aubrey looked away, not wanting to meet Dani’s eyes. As she looked out at the woods they’d just been wandering through, Aubrey noticed the fern they’d passed earlier was spreading out it’s leaves a little.

“That fern’s starting to perk up,” Aubrey said. She’d forgotten what point she’d been trying to make. The “almost about to cry” she’d been feeling ever since it started raining was no longer an “almost”.

She felt Dani’s hands on either side of her face.

“Aubrey, you know why I love you, right?” Dani asked.

Aubrey wanted to say something, but staring into Dani’s eyes, dark brown with flecks of gold, whatever thoughts she’d formed were quickly forgotten.

“I’m not sure you do,” Dani said, rubbing her thumb over Aubrey’s lips. “I love you, Aubrey, because you care so much. I love you because you notice little things, and because you want to do so much at every moment, and I’m not going to pretend it’s hard to follow you sometimes, because frankly it is. It feels like I’m running after a force of nature. But I love how you care so much about everything, and I don’t think that’s all part of your ADHD. But I know that’s what you’re scared about, right now. And I love you,” she said, pressing a kiss to Aubrey’s lips, “so much,” another kiss, “and I think that part of you is beautiful.”

Well, if Aubrey was having trouble forming words before, it was even harder with her brain short-circuited. Awfully rude of Dani, that, if she was being perfectly honest.

So Aubrey just responded by kissing Dani back, and feeling the sensation of Dani’s old flannel under her hands, even of both of them were drenched at this point, and god, she didn’t know why Dani thought Aubrey was somehow good enough for her but she was never going to stop trying to be everything Dani thought she was.

After a moment, Aubrey broke the kiss because she’d remembered to ask what kind of fern that was, to which Dani responded that she wasn’t certain but she’d look it up when she got home, and almost kissed Aubrey again before Aubrey thudded her ankle on the picnic basket and remembered it all of a sudden.

“We should probably at least eat the soup before it gets cold,” she said, and Dani pressed one last kiss to her cheekbone before nodding.

So then Aubrey opened the thermos (thankfully the soup was still warm), and poured the soup out into the cup, and smiled at Dani’s look of surprise at the steam coming off of it.

“It’s really warm,” she said, taking a sip and promptly sticking her (presumably burnt) tongue out.

“Now who’s the impatient one?” Aubrey said, tucking a strand of hair behind Dani’s ear. “Doesn’t Mama have a thermos?”

Dani looked lost in thought for a moment. “If I’m being honest, I assumed that was just another Earth thing where people act like something is warm and it really isn’t. Like radiators,” she mentioned.

“…Dani, radiators are warm. They literally produce heat,” Aubrey said.

“What? Nobody ever told me these things!” Dani said. “It doesn’t exactly come up when most of our appliances are powered by magic!”

Aubrey laughed as she started explaining how a thermos cup worked, at least from what she remembered her dad telling her when she was about fourteen and asked him. She paid attention to Dani’s smile the whole time she spoke.

As they talked, Aubrey got out the Tupperware she’d kept the sandwiches in. “I can’t believe I had a mental breakdown over soggy sandwiches for nothing,” she mentioned in between explaining thermoses. The two of them ate the sandwiches down to the crusts, then dipped the crusts in the now-cooling tomato soup.

Dani talked a little more about fire magic, how there were specific people to enchant things like ovens and most people only knew enough magic to just turn the oven on, and sometimes not even that. As Dani continued, they passed the remainder of the thermos between them. Aubrey knew it shouldn’t send sparks down her fingertips every time she remembered that drinking from the same cup as Dani was basically a kiss, given that she’d just been making out with Dani not an hour prior, but she just couldn’t help it.

As she picked up the basket and prepared to get up and head home, she noticed Dani was looking up. “The sun’s almost setting,” she said. “The stars will be out soon.”

“That’s true,” Aubrey said, taking Dani’s hand and squeezing it.

“We have a blanket,” Dani said, “and I don’t think it’s supposed to rain anymore. We could sleep out under the stars.

“What, no sleeping bags? No carefully planned snacks?” Aubrey asked.

Dani smiled back at Aubrey. “Well, someone inspired me to be more spontaneous,” she said.

Aubrey kissed her again. “You definitely still owe me trail mix, though,” she said.

Dani walked back over, and the two of them spread the blanket out and laid down on it, looking up at the sky and watching it fade from blue into black. Eventually, the stars began to come out and Dani rolled over to rest her head on Aubrey’s tummy. Aubrey ran her fingers through Dani’s hair and sighed. One of the rare few times she didn’t feel insecure about the width of her waist was when people were using her as a pillow.

“Do you have constellations in Sylvain?” Aubrey asked Dani, as her fingers caught a snarl in Dani’s hair.

“We have some, yeah,” Dani said. “Most of them were based off of creation myths, like the twins who fell into the heart of the quell, or the one about the wolf-woman.”

“I don’t think I’ve heard those before,” Aubrey said, and for the next hour or so, Dani told Aubrey about stories she’d heard growing up. In return, Aubrey told her as many Greek myths as she could remember, which wasn’t a huge amount, because it didn’t really matter, because a little while later, Dani was asleep.

As Aubrey folded the blanket over her and her girlfriend, she resolved that they would have to take a camping trip at some point.

[thedisneychef]

Corned Beef With Cabbage And Potatoes Recipes

Welcome to the next stop on Blogorail Teal! Today we are sharing our favorite St. Patrick’s Day recipes, and in our house, no St. Patrick’s Day would be complete without a good stew, some Scotch Eggs, and corned beef. This recipe calls for pre-brined corned beef and the added benefit to using pre-brined corned beef is that this is a super easy meal to make for even people who are kitchen beginners. Seriously, there’s no way that anybody can mess this up. Add the meat, add the water, add the spices, add the heat, come back 3 hours later and you have a gorgeous meal that feeds the whole family, that makes the house smell like heaven, and is perfect for celebrating the pride of the Irish with a bit of Disney flare! Thank you for joining me today. Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is Manda’s Disney Blog where she shares her delicious Guinness Cupcakes and Mickey Rainbow Fudge! 1st Stop – Sparks of Magic – Gluten-Free & Kid-Friendly St. Patrick’s Day Recipes! 2nd Stop – The Disney Point – Potato Soup & DASH Diet Potato Skins 3rd Stop – The Disney Chef – Corned Beef With Wilted Cabbage and Blue Cheese – Epcot International Food and Wine Wine Festival (Hey, you’re here now!) 4th Stop – Manda’s Disney Blog – Guinness Cupcakes and Mickey Rainbow Fudge! Final Stop – Disney Mamas – Celebrating our Heritage with an Irish Cream Pound Cake CORNED BEEF WITH WILTED CABBAGE AND BLUE CHEESE RECIPE Read the full article

[iamjjmmma]

Cheapest Foods at Walmart (AKA I Tell You My Full Childhood Diet)

For those of you who may be tight on your budget, especially for the people I know who live in Appalachia and frequently struggle with poverty and normally go to Walmart because it’s the only thing around, we know that searching for the cheapest food can be tricky if you’re shopping in basically a giant warehouse. We know the rules, yada yada yada. Buy Great Value, not the name brand. Sell your soul to coupons. Live on leftovers. Buy bulk if you can. Those help, but not as much as choosing cheap purchases in the first place. Right here, straight up, is the cheapest possible food you can buy at Walmart. Ramen Noodles. Hey, they don’t have a reputation without having a reason for it. Basically any type of pasta that strikes you as obviously cheap. A big box of bowtie pasta for 75 cents? GET IT. Birds Eye Veggies. Cheap cuts of meat… you know, the no-name brand, $1 a pound meat. Whole chickens. While it is on the more expensive side, going for $5-6, and it requires lots of prep, whole chickens can last you for a very, very long time. For a cheaper and easier (yet smaller) alternative, buy whole cornish hens. A package of generic hot dogs. Whatever milk you get, make sure you get the Great Value Whole Fat milk. While it’s not “healthy”, per se, being underweight isn’t healthy, either. An 18-pack of eggs. Great Value, of course. Peanut butter’s pretty cheap and a good source of protein. Nice if you can buy sandwich supplies too. Generic white bread. Generic white rice. Beans. Those are seriously cheap. And you can easily grow your own with a water bottle and a wet paper towel. Cooked rotisserie chickens. Those are relatively cheap and good if you’re in a situation to where your power is out due to a snowstorm or something. Fresh potatoes. They’re incredibly cheap and filling. Chili’s pretty cheap, too. A big bag of generic apples if you’re worried about fruit. Those huge Malt-O-Meal cereal bags. They’re about the same price all across, no matter what kind you get, so you can have a nice amount of choices when it comes to cereal. I LIVED on those as a kid in the morning. Dried, steel-cut oats. I remember eating these in front of the TV when I was a kid for HOURS, and my parents had no problem financially with fulfilling my dried oats addiction. Onions. Those are 30 cents each. Saute them and mix them with your ramen noodles and you’ve got yourself a meal under a dollar. A huge tub of plain yogurt. Seriously, it’s so HUGE that you’ll have trouble being able to fit it into your fridge. And for $3, that’s a heck of a lot of yogurt. It’ll taste disgusting, but it’ll give you lots of nutrients and probiotics, which is great for you if you’re sick. Carrots. Those are also cheap, although I hate them. Maybe it’s because I ate them so much as a kid. Lentils. This goes back to the beans idea, but whatever. Bananas are cheap if you’re not keen on apples as a fruit source. Ransack the soup aisle- soup in general is pretty cheap unless you’re going for the organic stuff. Great Value bottled water. I know, I know… not food. But you can buy 78 of these bad boys for $5. Compare that to 5 water bottles for $5 at McDonald’s. You can’t get away with that perfect “we’re cheap” reputation, Walmart. You just can’t. Cookies, like Oreos or Chips Ahoy, sell at a pretty reasonable price. That was our #1 dessert as a kid, and I still love them. A huge bag of Utz Potato Chips. Now, they have a big bag full of tons of little bags that are both cheap and perfect for your lunch box, and that was what I lived on when I went to school. Popcorn. Bagged is more expensive, but still pretty cheap at $2-ish a bag. Chickpeas are pretty underrated. 57 cents a can we’re talking about. That being said, go to the canned veggies aisle and see if you can find anything else obviously cheap there. Generic granola bars. If you’re allergic to nuts like me, you have to do some scouring on the back, but you can walk away with spending $2 on 16 of these. And they have a lot of energy. If you’re craving ice cream, freeze the plain yogurt you just bought. Canned tuna. It may be small, but it’s better than nothing when you only have a dollar on hand. Also an important source of protein. Spinach can come cheap, but make sure you don’t accidentally buy the organic one. Generic spinach is hard to come by in Walmart. Corn when it’s in season. 75 cents an ear is not bad at all.

[helloswiftie]

🌱anikah’s list of vegetarian/vegan plant-based recipes🌱

soups & stews:

vegetarian taco soup - (I mess around with this one sometimes. omit any ingredients you don’t like, add extra spice or even some rice to add a little more weight to it. also incredibly good as a filler for lettuce tacos. top with fritos. trust me.)

super simple potato curry - (if you like curry, this is your new favourite recipe. if you’ve never had curry, please try this one, it is INCREDIBLE. I like to put this atop basmati rice and eat with warm naan bread. I’m salivating right now.)

pasta and rice:

vegan avocado pasta - (this one I mostly only make for large groups as the leftovers tend to turn brown-ish as the sauce is made from avocados, but nonetheless, incredible. always add extra garlic.)

vegan pad thai - (to be completely honest, I don’t usually follow a recipe so I included a random, pretty straight-forward one. I prefer buying the sauce pre-made, i use this one.)

mexican rice - (again, I don’t typically use a recipe and alterations can be made based on preference. I like to add beans & lots of jalapeños. makes a great base for tacos, burrito bowls, or my personal fave, on top of a baked sweet potato!)

vegan poke bowl - (if you like sushi, this is a good one for you. super easy and delicious with endless opportunities. my fav toppings are tempura vegetables, avocado, cucumber, sliced peanuts, and spicy mayo.)

vegetarian chili mac - (omit or substitute cheese to make vegan. solid, warm, hearty meal for cold days.)

vegetarian mushroom stroganoff - (personally, I prefer to just use campbell’s soup for mine, as my mom has done my whole life.)

veggies n’ stuff:

oven (or grill) vegetable foil packets - (this is one my mom taught me for camping, so if you enjoy that kind of stuff, this is a great fire-top recipe as well. you can really play with the possibilities here. my personal faves are mini potatoes, cubed sweet potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, green beans, and this vegan sausage, seriously if you can find this stuff, TRY IT.)

vegetarian ratatouille - (omit cheese to make vegan)

vegetarian taco salad - (omit/sub cheese to make vegan. again, you can play around with toppings. sometimes I’ll add rice for more substance.)

junk food & snacks:

vegetarian pigs in a blanket - (classic, reminds me of my childhood)

loaded tater tots - (go wild with this one, mix it up to your discretion. as long as the base is the tots, it’ll be delicious. I like melted cheese, spicy mayo or ranch, and buffalo sauce.)

baked sweet potato fries - (if you know me, you know. you can also just buy them frozen from the store. 13/10 snack.)

avocado toast w/ egg - (obv eggs aren’t vegan. I know you probably don’t need a recipe for this, but I included one for photo purposes)

vegan cauliflower buffalo wings - (a favourite of mine)

pillsbury pizza rolls - (this recipe includes meat so omit, but you don’t really need a recipe anyway. throw some pizza sauce, cheese, and toppings of your choice inside the rolls and cook for 10-12 minutes)

baking:

vegan banana bread - (add chocolate, or vegan chocolate chips for good fortune)

banana mug brownie - (my favourite easy, low-cal dessert)

favourite meat substitutes & how I use them:

field roast italian sausages - (I crumble & use these in place of any recipe that calls for ground beef. I’ve done sloppy joes, meatball subs, spaghetti, taco meat, you name it! also good sliced and baked aside sweet potatoes in the oven, used in pastas that call for sausage, or just on a bun.)

field roast frankfurters hot dogs - (these are the bomb. batter them like a corn dog, slice and use in kraft dinner, or grill and eat in a bun, the opportunities are really endless here.)

beyond meat burger patties - (these are great if you’re looking for a true-to-flavour beef patty substitute.)

gardein black bean burger patties - (personally, I prefer these over the beyond ones as I’m obsessed with beans in any form. I use these as burgers topped with avocado, or chopped up in burritos/rice bowls. tons of flavour.)

[kazlifeadventures]

Trinidad & Tobago - Carribean dreams...

I am so ‘vex’ that I won't be ‘liming’ in this beautiful place any more. I have been one lucky person to have been able to come here and hang with a local for almost a week. Jasmine has shown me her Trinidad and for that I am truly grateful. I have eaten so many local foods and they have all been fantastic. I have impressed the locals no end with my love of pepper sauce. The food here is tasty, spicy, and pretty much specific to this island. ‘Nah boy’, I am so very much enamoured with this country! One of my friends asked me if I had posted photos of the food. Truth be told, I don’t have a lot of pics, its not the most photogenic, and I seriously just wanted to eat it! I have partaken in the local speciality of doubles, with ‘plenty’ I might add - for those unaware that is with extra hot sauce and/or the mango bone that is infused with more pepper. Doubles is made with 2 baras filled with a curry channa (chick peas), it originally started as a breakfast food, progressing to be an anytime of the day food. It’s nutritious, tasty, and sold at street side vendors everywhere. Apparently even pizza and KFC taste better over here. This I can now say I agree with. Not sure if the food tastes better, or if its adding the ketchup, mustard, and pepper sauce that assists with the taste upgrade.....

Jas took me to the home of street food a little town called St James, and made sure I got to have saheena, (seriously amazing spicy little deep fried spinachy deliciousness ) as well as alloo pie...amongst other things. The locals only really eat out at restaurants on special occasions so that meant Jas cooked for me a lot of the time, and wow, just wow. I loved the chicken curry (brown), smoked herring, baigan choka, salt fish, home made roti, the fabulous goat curry.... I could rave on, but google Trinidadian food and you’ll understand. Jas lives out in the ‘country’ to the South of Port of Spain, the capital. We spent one evening heading around to some of the local rum bars. Rum bars are everywhere here. Beer is cold and cheap (and made here - love the Stag and the Carib!). I got to meet a few of the locals. Over here they will buy you a drink even for something as simple as the fact that they had to order over you slightly. At the bar. They loved to meet the ‘white girl from Austalia’, as out here they dont see a lot like me... The good thing is none of it was them just trying it on with the foreigner. These are genuinely lovely, polite, caring people. I had a dance off with some girls from Venezuela, and ended up drinking way more drinks then I paid for, eating (they sell bar snacks and’cutters’ only at the rum shops) some tasty wontons at one place, and some really tasty fried chicken at another. We then got some free food from another lovely local who bought us a drink, and also then brought us across some Souse and Corn soup from his food stall (across the road from the rum shop). Anyway I can now say I have tried Souse, not sure I’d eat it again, it was flavourful, but pigs trotters in broth with onion and cucumber is not on my list of things to eat again! I think I have decided that I need to come back to Aus and start my own Trini food store, I think it’d be a huge hit. Love the local beers. Love the rum here. Jas made sure I tasted the Puncheon rum - 75 % and you never get a hangover or upset stomach... I wanted to bring some home, but alas no room in the suitcase! One of the biggest things, I was not aware that this is the home where Angostura bitters is bottled. It was first created in the town called Angostura in Venezuela by a German surgeon stationed in Venezuela, originally produced there between 1824 - 1830. In 1875, the plant was moved to Trinidad and that’s where it’s secret recipe is still produced today.

One of the main religions here is Hindu, they have a giant (85 feet - 26m) statue of Lord Hanuman Murti located in the grounds of Dattatreya Yoga. The statue is the second tallest in the world, and the tallest one in the western hemisphere. When we pulled up onsite there was one man looking after the bookstore who allowed us to enter the grounds and take photos. We weren't allowed to enter the temple/yoga centre as we weren't appropriately dressed. The gentleman then showed us the book explaining how the statue had been built and answered all my gazillion questions. It was like having our own private tour! Jas then took me down the road a little further to show me the temple in the sea. This temple was originally constructed by hand 1947 -52 by Sewdass Sadhu an immigrant from India. It has since been added to, and tidied up, but it's an amazing place, and a site of pilgrimage for Hindus. It's also one of the designated locations for Hindus to perform the funeral pyre. Hindu religion requires that the dead are burned near water and a holy place.

Brian Lara is still HUGE here. He is a home town Trini boy so I completely understand. Cricket is massive, and the new Brian Lara stadium is a huge landmark. They had a cricket game on when I was here (Trinidad vs Jamaica) but they had sold out the tickets otherwise we would have gone.

I spent a day at the beautiful Maracas beach, located on the northern part of Trini. On the way there we stopped at the lookout and had a quick look at the food stalls. I got to try some ‘Chow’, a garlicky spicy way of preserving such things as Pineapple, apple, mango, cucumber... its yummy and not too spicy and I really appreciated the stall holder giving me a taste ( and Jas’s friend Isabelle for buying some of the pineapple one). Maracas beach is a favourite with the locals and its a thing to do to have a ‘bake and shark’ when you go to the beach. Betcha cant guess what I had... Can I say amazing (again!!) You not only get your bake (which is a deep fried Roti) You get beautiful fresh deep fried shark fillet inside it, then you go to a buffet like area and add as many of the additions as you want . Yep, of course I added a bit of EVERYTHING . I had to taste it all. Seriously that thing was amazing. BTW I do taste everything first before adding pepper sauce... pepper sauce heightens the flavours. Jas’s friend Isabelle got her son in law to give us a shout out on the radio station he worked at ( they had it playing at the beach), so ‘Karen from Australia’ is now Trini Famous... love it!!

Jasmine took me out to the Pitch lake, in La Brea, and I’ll admit, I had no idea what it was ( I thought it was a lake!!) Anyway, some how we ended up with a colourful local as our personal guide, he was You tube famous and has apparently featured on David Attenboroughs visit to the lake. I have to sit and edit my ‘documentary’ when I’m back in Australia, it’ll be awesome.. I promise. Suffice to say the lake is the most amazing tar pit. Seriously amazing tar pit. The roads leading into the area are all like travelling over mini crazy hills due to the impact of the tar movements in the area. You have to use an authorised guide on the site, which is fair enough as a wrong step could see you disappear forever into the tar... literally... Trinidads pitch lake is the largest natural deposit of asphalt in the world (estimated to hold about 10 million tonnes) Its covers about 100 acres and is about 250 feet deep. There is a cool legend involving the origin of the lake the involves a hummingbird (I like the story), Historically Walter Raleigh re-discovered the lake on his expedition there in 1595. It has that charming rotten egg smell, and the mud and sulphur water apparently have healing properties. Locals were there immersing themselves in some of the pools while we were there. As we didnt have swim suits we had to settle with getting coated in the mud on our legs, and for me, also my face...lol!!! I didnt get a chance to put it on myself, out guide was very keen to smear it all over my face... (and shirt and hair.. etc...). Rinsing it, after it had set, was a whole other process involving splashing what looked Iike green water all over my face (and legs), all I wanted to do was rinse my face with some fresh water afterwards - and it took over an hour or so until I finally got somewhere to do it. Let’s not talk about how much scrubbing it required later that night to get the last bits of our skin! A great fun day though, made all the better for our colourful guide! I have had a crash course in some of the Trinidadian slang/words and between that and their accents I am sometimes lost in a conversation... (definitely accents particularly when you are trying to enter the country and the border control guy is talking to you and you have to continually say, sorry what??? ) I’m a lot better now!!

Jas couldn’t make it over to Tobago as she had work scheduled at her house that she needed to be around for. So I decided to head over for a night, hire a car, and see what I could see. Its literally a 20 min flight over (only costs about 50 US return) FYI 24 hrs isn’t really enough to see everything. I didnt get to the water fall or national park. I had headed down to Store bay beach when I first arrived with instructions to try the curry crab, conch and dumplings in Tobago (its their local specialty, amongst a few other things). Have to say I liked the conch, crab was over cooked and dry, and dumplings were kind of chewy. The ‘provisions’ that I got with it were really nice though - Plantain, Potato, green banana, avocado ..I would have liked to have tried another outlet to give a second opinion, but didnt have the time. I did get to the beautiful Pigeon Park, a natural reserve area, filled with some shops, water sports hire, beautiful beaches and glorious spot to watch the sunset. I also got out to the Fort of King George in Scarborough hiking up the giant hill to take in the glorious views. Hilariously there was a traffic hold up on my way there due to some goats being herded along the road. Island time boy. I would have to say, as much as its a part of the one country, Tobago island is completely different to Trinidad. Its a lot more touristy for a start, it has more servicible beaches. The roads are not as pot holed as Trinidad. The people are still lovely, but you get the tourist scouters who are looking to sell you on anything they can. Its a beautiful place and I’m so glad I got to go across and visit. As always, I can always go back!

My time in the Caribbean has come to a close. (9-16 Oct). What an adventure. I have had a fabulous time, and recommend to anyone to come here and see this place, taste the food and meet the people for themselves. The country has their own issues with government corruption which impacts the improvement of infrastructure like roads etc. And there are warnings around safety as there are elements involved in crime that impact locals and tourists alike. This just makes Trinidad Tobago, not unlike a lot of other countries that I have visited on my adventures. It just means the more prepared you are to be open to new things, different ways of doing things, different cultures. The more you are aware of your own safety, and that of your belongings , the more you can avoid crime. Crime can impact you anywhere in the world, countries like this dont have it any more or less than others, it just seems to be in the media more....