#small pinch of paprika

[luveline]

anything with roan and eddie pls 🙏🙏 whatever you want to write about them!! i miss them 🥺🥺

thanks for requesting!! fem

Baking tray, beef cuts laid out flat. Eddie works in silence, dressing the beef with garlic honey, sesame seeds, and a big pinch of salt. He’d like to add some ginger, some paprika, but Roan doesn’t like when things taste smoky. 

He saran wraps the tray and puts it in the fridge. He makes everyone’s veggies —you like different stuff to Eddie, who likes different stuff to Roan, so he makes a garden’s worth of greens and douses them in olive oil, flaky salt, and a little dash of lemon and pepper. He puts that atop the beef in the fridge and tries to think of a side. He was planning on making pasta tonight, before he realised the beef was gonna go bad soon. Maybe he’ll make a pan of crispy mac and cheese to go with it. 

Yeah. He smiles to himself. That looks good on his head, two roasted ribs, a fist of mac and cheese, and a half a plate of roasted veggies. 

He cuts a little cilantro ‘cos Roan loves it, adds some lemon juice to that too, and sets it aside in the fridge. He makes a quick mac and cheese on the stove and tips it into a baking tray, covers a third of it in bacon bits for the youngster, and puts that in the oven. 

Then he sits at the table and sighs. Scratches two hands through his hair, lets the tight achy small of his back decompress as he leans forward. 

When Eddie started working at the shop with Wayne, he figured it would get easier over time. Part time table-bussing wasn’t going to pay for a trailer or his brand new baby, and for months it’s not like he could work anyhow. He lived solely off of his Uncle Wayne as he learned to change diapers, and calm colic, and be a new dad. It was depressing and frustrating all of the time. He felt like shit because he’d just fucking landed Wayne with another mouth to feed and diapers were so, so expensive, and so was formula, and baby clothes, and the guilt worsened when he realised he loved her. Loved Roan. He loved her pretty much the moment he laid eyes on her, but he had no idea if he could be a father, just knew he couldn’t let his kid fall into the system. 

But loving her had been second to panic for weeks. Then one day he was washing her tummy in the bath and he swore blind that she smiled at him, whether babies her age could smile or not. He tumbled out of the bathroom with her in a towel poncho to brag, and that night at dinner, Wayne gave a frowny Eddie the option: start working alternate shifts at the shop. Wayne would have her in the evenings while Eddie worked, they’d sorted everything out, he could start next week. It wasn’t half as scary as being a new dad, so Eddie said yes. 

Anyways, he expected it to get easier. He knows more about parenting and cars than he ever imagined at twenty, but it’s still hard. He’s exhausted. 

Good thing he knows exactly why he does it. 

The door to the living room opens with a creak. Small feet pad around the stair bannister and down the hallway that leads to the kitchen. Roan stops walking when she notices him behind the table. She smiles. She looks like him, less as she gets older, but enough to have given an appreciation for his own features. What’s more beautiful than seeing your smile on someone else’s lips?

“Hey, daddy.” 

“Hi, munchkin.” 

Truthfully, Roan has been his best friend for years. There’s something intangibly close about a single parent and their only child, especially when they’d lived alone. Day after day together, seeing all the gross bits and all the love. It’s given her a vast depth of emotional intelligence. She’s smarter now as a kid than Eddie was at 18. 

“You okay?” she asks, holding her hands up. He picks her up, plonking her on the table in front of him. “You look tired, daddy. And you smell like pepper.” 

“I just finished making ribs, babe.” 

“Yum!” Her nose moves when she talks, “For dinner?” 

“Mm-hm.” He finds her hand. Holds it gently. “Mac and cheese and roasted broccoli, too.” 

Roan smiles again. “Dad, you’re a good chef.” 

“I know I am! But it took so much practice. When you were born, you know what I was eating for dinner every night? I was eating chicken pot pie you put in the microwave.” She wrinkles her nose. “I know. I didn’t care about being good to my body. I definitely didn’t listen to my tummy.”

He likes this part about being a dad. He’s never found it awkward. He just drops his voice into softness and talks to her on her level. 

“But you learned.” 

“I did learn. I wanted to make sure you were eating everything you need. That’s why we eat all that broccoli.” 

She pokes him in the torso with her socked foot. “Maybe less broccoli for my tummy.” 

“I got potatoes and stuff too, don’t worry.” Eddie reaches for her hair in its after school mess, raking it away from her face. “You know I love you, right?” 

“Well, duh.” 

“I know, but really. I love you more than anything.” 

“More than Y/N?” 

“No,” he says quickly, then laughs. “Yeah, but just a little bit. It’s a different kind of love, okay? I love you both like crazy, but you’re my baby. Even though you’re not a baby anymore.” 

“I could be a baby,” she whispers, grinning, “I can be small again, and you can carry me everywhere, and give me a bottle.” 

He laughs roughly. “Yeah? You want a bottle? You barely like milk.” 

“Well, you can still carry me.” 

“I do carry you. I’m surprised these feet work,” he says, squeezing her toes in both hands. 

“Dad, don’t!”

“Sorry, sorry,” he presses his thumb between her foot and her toes and then drops them altogether. “I remember when your foot was the size of my thumb.” 

“I don’t.” 

He laughs more loudly than he means to and scoops her up for a rough and tumble hug. “God, I love you. I really do, bubby.” He presses his nose to her head and blames how tired he is for what he says next. “You are everything to me, you know that? You’re my everything.” 

“You’re my everything.” 

He tips her back to see her. Beams at her, touches his nose to hers. “You and Y/N, you make my life perfect.” 

“I’m glad,” she says, which has him laughing all over again, a childish giggle. 

When you get home a half hour later, you find them in weird places. Eddie’s sitting on the kitchen floor watching the ribs cook in the oven, and Roan’s under the table building a marble run with his approval. “Here?” she asks. 

“And the orange piece. We need more pieces, it’s not long enough.” Eddie smiles at you as you enter, but leans back, opening the cupboard under the sink to grab a saucepan, the sieve, and plastic jug. “We can use these.” 

“What’s up, my Munsons?” you ask. 

Roan smacks her forehead against the edge of the table in her excitement. “Ouch!” she says, crawling from under it to crowd your legs. 

“Ouch!” you echo, face morphed with concern as your handbag slides down your arm. You drop it to the floor and take her cheeks into your hands. “Did that hurt? I’m sorry, I feel like that was all my fault.” 

She shakes her head, curls bouncing this way and that. “It was an accident.” 

“I know, I know, but I didn’t mean to startle you.” You brush her hair back gently and hover. “Can I kiss it better?” 

“Don’t kiss it, it stings!” Roan says, veering away from you with a frown. 

“Sorry!” 

Roan twists away from you to fall into Eddie’s lap. 

“Sorry,” Eddie mouths. 

You pout. It’s with extreme beautifulness —is that a word? Eddie’s pretty sure it’s a word— you slip out of your little heels and sit down on your knees, stockings dark and perfect on legs he adores. You don’t question why they’re on the floor. That’s how you all fit, his smart working girl and your shared grumpy daughter, because nobody asked Eddie why he sat down by the oven. 

“Sorry, baby,” you say softly.

Roan’s frown worsens, but she says, “No, I’m sorry. My head hurts. I missed you.”

“I missed you too, big girl.” 

“Big girl?” she asks. 

“You sounded very grown up, is all.” 

Eddie has to agree. “You’re just that smart.” 

You hold his ankle. “So, how was work? How was school? Fill me in.” 

“How was your day?” Eddie asks. 

“Super usual and boring. We had some people from the Brussels branch come to visit and Jess kept telling me to stop being so awkward, and I asked her what she meant and she said I was smiling like somebody was holding me hostage.” 

Eddie loves when you smile like that. When you’d first met, you used to smile that way all the time. He loves all your smiles, obviously, but your excited–scared combo isn’t one he sees much anymore. 

You shrug. “But work paid for lunch, and I had this amazing mango passionfruit cake roll, I snook you some.” 

“You did?” Roan asks eagerly.

“I did! It’s in my purse, but it has a price.” 

“What’s the price?” Roan asks. 

You put your head in your hand. “I wanna know what you guys have been up to today.” 

When Eddie plates dinner that evening, it’s with a distinct sense of pride and content mashed together. It’s a damn good-looking meal, dense with nutrition and flavour alike, and you and Roan both seem similarly awed. Eddie wanted ribs and he got them, but almost as pleasurable as eating them is the way you both tuck in. You compliment his roasted veggies, telling him you could eat them for every meal, and Roan’s face is plastered in sticky honey garlic in minutes, a macaroni elbow in her hair. 

“Know what dad told me earlier?” she asks you. 

You snort and rescue her hair. “What did he tell you, baby?” 

“That we make his life perfect.” 

Eddie chokes on his coke. “That was a secret,” he says, throat burning, “between you and me?” 

“You didn’t tell me that,” Roan says.  

“Don’t be embarrassed, Eds.” Your eyes turn to hearts, staring at him over the steaming tray of macaroni and cheese. “You guys make my life perfect, too. My babe and my personal chef.” 

He dodges your cheek pinch, grabbing your hand to hold instead. 

“Just wish somebody would make me dinner every once in a while,” he says.

“Whatever,” you say. 

“Dad, I can make you dinner.” 

“I don’t trust you ‘round the kitchen.” 

Roan guides a forkful of cheesy macaroni to her lips. “Okay, good. I can’t make pasta like you,” she says. Eddie won’t mind making dinner again tomorrow. 

[thedemises]

——— A BITE OF LOVE。 ★ jiaoqiu.

note; og idea — the idea of feeding your partner food & kissing them over the pots is so beautiful n intimate I wanna cry /j

“say, ‘aaah’ ,” a spoon was brought over to where your lips are, a red liquid emitting a spicy yet delicious scent into the air enters your nostrils. even while you're reading, jiaoqiu always has an excuse to make you his taste testee for his new dish.

“mhmm,”

your eyes still remain focused on your own business as you obediently open your lips for him to push the spoon into your mouth, the splash of hot flavor hits your tongue as you savour the tasty soup your partner had provided you to taste — of course, he made sure to blow on the spoon for you beforehand.

although it tasted as it was you expected from his excellent culinary skills, despite being a healer (“using food to treat my patients is my specialty, y'know,” is what you recall him saying a while ago), something was off; a missing element perhaps.

“well?” his large, furry tail sways behind him while jiaoqiu anticipated for your awaiting response, eyes shut with a smile and scheme in his heart, he knows how honest you can be with your feedback — which is why he deems you best when it comes to tasting his spices and whatnot, or anything in general; if you will.

even though your eyes were trained on something else at the moment, you still paused to make the effort to share your thoughts on jiaoqiu's soup.

“it just needs a pinch of salt, but it still tastes as exceptional as you are.” you remarked just as you slowly turned a page, your eyes flickering from the book to settle on jiaoqiu, unintentionally giving him a chance to lean in and press a chaste kiss on the lips.

it felt like a second too long but he pulled away just as quickly as it came, chuckling a bit at your taken aback expression.

“thank you,” and just like that, jiaoqiu swiftly leaves your area with a satisfactory look on his face. his tail swaying behind him while he makes his exit out of the room.

you stare dumbfounded from where he just left; the flavoring of pepper, paprika, chili powder, and other constituents still lingers on your tongue like an unforgettable, pungent aroma.

subsequently that same day, jiaoqiu had called you over to help him prepare rations for his patients. despite your initial confusion, you still agreed to help either way — to help others is something you like to do, occasionally.

“here, see if you like this,” jiaoqiu, yet again, calls you over as he motions for you to try something he’s eager for you to taste. of course you can't say no — although you're busy mixing something in one of the pots and the two of you are just a few feet apart in the kitchen — you faced your body towards him and moved forwards. you notice him offering something that seems to have filling of some sorts, it looks delicious too that you can't seem to resist... well, it's jiaoqiu; anything he makes is very appetizing.

with an eager bite, the treat yielded to your teeth, releasing a burst of flavor that spread across your tongue. the creamy filling mingled with the crisp outer layer, creating a harmonious blend that made you hum with delight. the contrasting textures and tastes melded together perfectly, creating a delicious explosion on your palate. you hum in delight, expressing your visible contentment.

“mm, that's good.”

you comment, gazing back at jiaoqiu with a smile and he smiles back; satisfied with your reaction as he settles the treat to the side on a plate.

“I think your food's trying to escape—it's on your face,” the foxian chuckles as he points out the small mess you had on the side of your mouth, where a smudge of filling lingers as you savor the last bites of the treat. you murmur a small ‘oh,’ and your hand reaches to wipe it off for yourself.

then, with a quick motion, jiaoqiu swipes the smudge of filling from your face onto his finger before you could. pausing for a moment, he brought it to his lips and licked it right off.

“mm...” he lets out a noise of consideration, a playful glint in his eyes as he savors the flavor. “... delicious.”

the peach foxian whispers and leans in, pressing a brief yet tender kiss to the corner of your mouth where the smudge had been, a fleeting act of affection that lingers longer in your heart than on your skin. without a word, he steps away, returning to whatever task had called him, as if the moment was as natural as breathing.

for a heartbeat, the world feels suspended, the gentle warmth of his gesture radiating through you. it’s only the soft bubbling of the soup in the pot that pulls you back to reality, your hand resuming its stirring almost instinctively. though your thoughts remain adrift, you can't help replaying the sweetness of the moment in your head.

© thedemises 2024. do not feed to ai, copy, steal, rewrite, or claim as your own. I will hunt you down for my sake.

[thebearer]

the milestone menu: roasted red pepper and tomato soup for sad days

prompt: the death of mikey's anniversary is near. you make a comfort meal for carmen.

contains: mentions of death. angty with a side of fluff (at the end). anxious!carmen (i mean ofc).

INGREDIENTS

3 red bell peppers. 4 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped. An onion, chopped. 2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 tsp thyme. 2 tsp paprika. A pinch of sugar. Salt & pepper. Cayenne

1/2 cup Chicken broth. 2 tbsp butter. 1 1/2 tbsp flour.

DIRECTIONS

Cover peppers in oil, broil until black, turn to get all sides. Put them in a paper bag to rest, the skin & seeds should come off easily. Chop. Heat oil on med heat in a large pot, cook garlic & onions until soft. Add tomatoes, peppers, thyme, paprika, and sugar. Cook on med-low, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 20 minutes. Stir in 6 cups of chicken stock, salt & pepper. Bring to boil & simmer for 20 mins, until the vegetables are tender. Strain soup. Use a food processor or blender, and blend solids to your desired consistency. In your large pot, melt butter & add flour. Add soup/purée and stir, simmer for a few minutes.

“Hey, baby,” Carmen’s voice came to you before he did. A heavy sigh, tired and heavy from the day, from the looming anniversary approaching. 

Mikey’s death date was creeping closer and closer, the days darker and colder as did Carmen’s demeanor. Longer days at work, distant even when he was home with you. You worried about him, though everyone told you not to. 

“He just… he gets like this when it gets closer to the date, you know?” Richie muttered when you’d confided in him at family dinner. “We all get kinda fucked up, but Carm… That’s just how he is, y’know? Just give’im some time.” 

Anchovy purred, rubbing against Carmen’s leg. It was almost like he knew. Carmen would swear he did, that he could sense his owner’s upset, that he was trying to make it better. He’s like you, Carmen would say, giving you a half grin that always had you swooning. 

Carmen frowned when he didn’t see you lingering about. Not in the doorway smiling at them, leaning in for a kiss, wrapping him in a hug. ���Babe?” Carmen called again, looking down the hall. The lights were on in the kitchen, a small clinking of bowls and silverware. 

Carmen found you in front of the stove, trying to keep quiet, stirring a pan on the burner gently. “Hey,” He frowned when you jumped, turning around with a wide eyed gaze, like you’d been caught. 

“Carm,” You chirped, body shimmying in front of the stove, too close to the flame in a too loose shirt. Carmen fought the urge to tell you to move or tuck your shirt in. 

“You’re-You weren’t supposed to be home early.” You turned to the clock blinking on the microwave. “I-I thought you weren’t going to be home for another hour.” 

“Richie told me to leave.” Carmen frowned, trying to peer around you. 

“Why?” You blocked his view with your body, a side step in front of him. 

“‘Cause he’s a fuckin’ jaggoff lately. What’re you doin’?” Carmen huffed lightly, grabbing your waist gently, holding you in place so he could see around you. A large pot on the stove, bubbling to life, steam clouding the clear lid that covered it. 

“I’m cooking.” You huffed, shoulders deflating lightly. “I-I was going to surprise you. I had this whole thing planned, and I got candles and I was going to change out of this.” You threw your hands down on your sweatshirt- Carmen’s sweatshirt. One from Copenhagen he’d picked up when it was especially cold. You’d stolen in, not that he minded, he liked you better in it anyways. 

“Was going to at least try to look a little nice.” You mutter, wiping off a small stain, a glob of tomato that had flung when the processor lid wouldn’t come off earlier. 

“You look beautiful, c’mon.” Carmen shook his head at you. “What’re you- Why’re you doin’ all this?” His heart skipped for a moment, looking at the calendar pinned on the fridge. “Did I- We didn’t have plans?” Fuck, he’d been so busy he’d forgotten. Head everywhere but where it needed to be. First he was fuckin’ up dishes left and right at work, and now he couldn’t even remember a fuckin’ date. 

“No,” You shook your head, stilling Carmen’s racing mind. “I just… I wanted to do something nice.” You looked up at him, hands grabbing him sweetly, holding them in your own. “For you.”

“For me?” Carmen whispered, swallowing around the tightness in his throat, in his chest. “What’re you talkin’ about for me? What-Why would you wanna-” 

“Because,” You shrugged lightly, hands swinging between the two of you gently. “I just wanted to do something nice for you.” 

Carmen saw the hesitation on your face, knew what was coming before you said it. He tensed in your hold. “I just… With everything-” 

“-Don’t.” Carmen shook his head, the burn in his throat strangling his voice. “You don’t have to, baby.” 

“I do.” Your eyes met his, rounding in his gaze. “I want to. I-I don’t really think it will help, but… I don’t know. Whenever I was sad my mom would make this for me.” You nod back towards the pot on the stove. “It always made me feel better.” 

Carmen thought he might cry. He willed himself, squeezing your hands, pulling you into his chest to hold you. He just needed to hold you, to feel you, pressing his nose to your scalp, inhaling your scent. 

All the emotions he’d repressed, swallowed down and tried to power through. Anytime he’d turn the corner, see Mikey’s smiling face on the fall and he’d feel like breaking down. Screaming, crying, punching the walls, pulling his hair out, ears ringing and heart hammering; instead, he’d go to the walk-in to breathe through collapsing lungs.

You felt Carmen’s shaky breath, rattle out of his chest and shake into yours. Your hand rubbed gently against his back, up his spine in a soothing way you hoped would calm him. 

“I’m sorry.” You whispered, cheeks pressed against his chest. His heart raced in your ear, a pounding thud that made your own heart squeeze. “I’m so sorry, Carm.” 

“It’s alright.” Carmen gritted, jaw clenching, willing his tears back. “It’s-it’s just a lot. I don’t even fuckin’ know why. Why-Why I even get like this when-when it’s been so long.” 

“Don’t do that.” You shook your head, frowning at him lightly. 

“No, no it’s true. I- fuck, I shouldn’t be-” 

“-Carmen,” You held his gaze firmly. His red rimmed blue eyes met yours, a little wary, vulnerable. You softened, fingers brushing through his hair. “It’s ok.” 

The finality in your voice, soft but certain, it made Carmen’s jaw shake, emotions bubbling over. He held you, rocking side by side in the kitchen, cries muffled into your shoulder. You held him back, just as tight, cooing shushes over the hums of the appliances, his tears wet on his sweatshirt- your sweatshirt. 

“Don’t expect a lot.” You gave a small, teasing smile over your shoulder. 

Carmen had settled into his usual seat at the small kitchen table. He’d sheepishly wiped his tears, letting you dote on him sweetly. Kiss his tears away, soft lips pressing to his wet cheeks, his nose, pulling him in so his lips were on yours, arms still tangled around the other. 

“It’s not, like, gourmet or anything.” You shook your head, ladling out the hot liquid into a bowl. “It is my Nana’s recipe though.” 

“Better than gourmet then?” Carmen’s voice was raspy with dried tears, though he smiled lightly. Bright enough to warm your heart, leave you smiling, plating the grilled cheese. 

“She’d love that you said that.” You grin, setting the steaming bowl and sandwich in front of him. You leaned over, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek, a hand running down the back of his neck lovingly. 

He burned at the simplicity, the sweetness of it all. So loving and affectionate freely, without any strings attached. Mikey would’ve loved you, Carmen was so sure of it. 

“This is good.” Carmen nodded, swallowing his spoonful. 

“Yeah?” You grinned proudly, positively beaming. 

Of course it was good, the best fuckin’ thing he’s ever had. It came from you, so it only made sense it was. Carmen didn’t say that. Instead, he smiled, reaching over for your hand, squeezing it across the table. “Yeah. Amazing. Just what I needed.” He swallowed another wave of tears, happier this time. “Thank you for, uh, for doin’ this.” 

“I’m glad you like it.” You propped your head in your free hand, a lopsided, lovey smile that warmed Carmen from the inside out. He knew his cheeks were blushing, tingling pink under your affectionate gaze. 

“It’s really good.” Carmen took another spoonful, the warmth spilling down his throat, soothing his chest. “Sorry I came home early and didn’t call. I just… I’ve been out of my mind, y’know? I’m sorry about that too, it’s-it’s not fair to you, and-” 

“-Carm,” You squeezed his hand lightly, fingers intertwining with his. “I’m glad you like it.” You smile sweetly. 

Carmen nodded, leg still shaking under the table. He didn’t let go of your hand, held it in an iron grip like a lifeline and you let him, thumb sweeping over his inked knuckles calmly. 

If Mikey could see him now, he’d be howling in laughter, cackling at Carmen at how “whipped” he was. Mercilessly tease him for being “soft” in a way that only a big brother could. But he knew Mikey would be so proud, so fuckin’ happy that Carmen found you- that Carmen had someone like you.

[knittingandscience]

Feed the bereaved. They're not dead yet.

This was not an unspoken rule in my community growing up; it was in fact spoken loudly and frequently.

Any time someone shared the news of a death in the family or even just a hospital visit, "don't forget to eat" would be found in the response.

At funerals, someone in the mourning family would always mention the casseroles, the chicken, the pastries waiting in their fridge. There would often be so much they'd ask funeralgoers to take some home for themselves.

This, of course, does not apply the same when family is far away, or when only one household is grieving. There is no overflowing fridge, no countertop full of grocery bags.

When it's my household in that situation, I make Grief Pasta Salad.

Large stock pot (10Qt or more)

Colander

Medium mixing bowl

Liquid measuring cup that will hold 2 cups

Pasta scoop

Fork

2 pounds rotini

3/4 cup finely diced ham (optional)

5 small tomatoes, diced

1 and a half large cucumbers, diced

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup either red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

2 teaspoons dried red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons dried basil

1 teaspoon dried onion

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons molasses

Pinch of salt

Black pepper to taste

Put the water on for pasta. Start preparing your tomato, cucumber, ham (if desired) and put them all in the mixing bowl. You might be able to get all that done before the water boils.

Cook the rotini to desired tenderness and drain.

If your chopping is done, mix the remaining ingredients together in your liquid measuring cup. You can adjust the seasonings as needed* and whisk them together with the fork if you don't want to have to wash a whisk later.

*Author's note: the paprika is non-negotiable.

Put all your solid ingredients into whichever receptacle has the most room. Most likely your stock pot. Pour your whisked vinaigrette over top and mix it through.

This is enough to feed two people for about a day or two. It tastes fine cold.

Eat. You're not dead yet.

[lowspoonsfood]

Shakshouka

Middle Eastern/ North African eggs in spicy tomato sauce. Very much a ‘dump whatever you have in a pan and wait 10 minutes’ kind of thing.

Eggs

Tomato product (Fresh, diced, paste, crushed, whatever)

Cumin, paprika and/or chili powder

Salt and sugar

(Optional) Onion and garlic

(Optional) Choice of vegetable(s), diced

(Optional) Choice of carb

The actual recipe is somewhat vague because it all depends on what you end up using, but 95% of the time it’s gonna turn out pretty good.

Add vegetables (I like frozen peas, spinach and bell pepper) and tomato product to a small saucepan or skillet. For an extra boost, throw in some beans or lentils.

Add water or cook down as needed to get a saucy, stew-like consistency. 

Season with salt, cumin, paprika and/or chili powder, and a pinch of sugar. 

Make a little well using the back of a spoon and crack in an egg or two. 

Cover and wait until egg is cooked to your liking. 

Eat plain or with your favorite carb. I like pita best, but any bread/rice/pasta/etc is gonna get you there.

TLDR; Throw whatever you have in the fridge into tomato sauce with cumin and paprika, crack an egg on top.

[i-am-a-living-god]

You know what, I just made the best soup of my LIFE, I wrote out the recipe so I won't forget it, and now I'm posting it here.

Soup!

Either 2 small onions or 1 big onion. Slice in half and than chop lengthwise, do not dice!

Pour olive oil into pot, add onions and cook on low heat while you prepare the other ingredients.

First chop three medium size potatoes into small cubes. Set aside.

Chop the garlic, you don't have to mince it, you can just slice it or even cut em in half. I used 5 cloves, but adjust to taste.

Once the onions are caramelized (important!) add in the potatoes, followed by the garlic.

Slice a small (idk like the size of from the tip of your finger to the first knuckle?) piece of ginger, add to the pot and stir.

Chop colliflower stems and broccoli. (Add whatever vegetables you want tbh these are just the ones I had, carrots are good! But I didn't have any)

Add to pot and stir. In a bowl add in about 1 and a half spoons of chicken stock powder, and about a tsp and a half of baharat, a half tbs of cumin, a tbsp of paprika, a half tsp of sugar, a large pinch of salt, and a half tbs of tumeric. (Adjust to taste, and I didn't actually measure, these are just estimates.)

Pour in some hot water, a decent amount, and mix. Pour into pot, mix, and add in one can of chickpeas, (Drained ofc.)

Boil more water and add it.

Let boil for about and hour and a half, and surve with couscous or egg noodles.

Enjoy!

[bagelbucket]

hey. don’t be sad. mix one cup pancake mix with 1/3 cup water, stir and let sit until foamy texture.

in another bowl, mix 1/4 cup thinly chopped red bell pepper with 1/2tsp curry powder, 1/8tsp cumin, 1/4tsp garlic powder, 1/4tsp paprika, and a pinch of turmeric powder. mix until evenly coated.

add half cup spinach and a small desired amount of crumbled mozzarella. pour into pancake batter and mix gently. put 1tbls butter or oil into a small frying pan on medium heat. (wait until butter has melted) then add the batter and turn heat to medium-low. cover with a lid and wait to flip your pancake when one side is golden brown or until you hear sizzling from the condensation.

serve with thinly sliced green onion, a dollop of sour cream, and an egg if desired. feel better now?

[foodshowxyz]

Chicken & Pea Pesto Orzo With Chilli Oil 🍗🌿 Ingredients

For the Chicken & Pea Pesto Orzo:

2 chicken breasts, diced

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup orzo pasta

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup basil pesto 🌿

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper, to taste

Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

For the Chilli Oil:

1/4 cup olive oil

1-2 tsp red pepper flakes 🌶️

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Salt, to taste

Instructions

Prepare the Chicken & Pea Pesto Orzo:

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.

Add the diced chicken breasts and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the chicken is golden and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.

In the same skillet, add the orzo pasta and toast for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.

Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 10-12 minutes.

Stir in the frozen peas and cooked chicken. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until the peas are heated through.

Remove from heat and stir in the basil pesto and grated Parmesan cheese. Mix until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Prepare the Chilli Oil:

In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil over low heat.

Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook gently for 2-3 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic.

Stir in the smoked paprika and a pinch of salt. Remove from heat and let the chilli oil infuse for a few minutes.

Serve:

Spoon the chicken and pea pesto orzo onto plates.

Drizzle with the chilli oil.

Garnish with fresh basil leaves.

Enjoy your delicious meal! 🍽️

Tips:

You can use store-bought pesto or make your own fresh basil pesto for a more vibrant flavor.

Adjust the amount of red pepper flakes in the chilli oil to suit your spice preference.

For a vegetarian version, omit the chicken and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

[hallow-witxh]

What is Red Salt?

Most witches already know what black salt is, but I feel like many witches (especially baby ones) don't quite think of other salts. For example: red salt. Red salt is an ingredient for a multitude of different magics and practices, including further powering a spell, manifestation, protection, libido magic, and passion magic. It's commonly used in spell jars or to replace regular salt, and occasionally in kitchen magic.

So, how does one make red salt? Well, there are many recipes, and the recipes vary from witch to witch, just like black salt. Here is my personal recipe for a small batch.

What you need

A cleansed jar with a lid

1 tbsp sea salt

1 tbsp cayenne

1 tbsp red chili flakes

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tbsp paprika

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tbsp black pepper

1 tbsp finely crushed bay leaves

Simply add all your ingredients into your jar, give it a shake, and use it as needed. I personally enjoy using red salt in spell jars relating to self-defense, personal power, and general protection. I also enjoy using it to anoint candles for spells and rituals to enhance the power behind them. I can also suggest adding a pinch or two (very small amount) to kitchen spell recipes to enhance its power as well, but be light with it because the flavors may not go along with what you've made.

As always, do your research, be safe, and blessed be!

Support your local witch on Ko-Fi or at my store, Hallow Grove!

[4narecipes]

Chana Masala (2 Servings) -

Ingredients -

1/4 tsp - vegetable oil (10)

1/2 medium - onion, chopped finely (20)

1/2 tsp - cumin seeds (4)

2 cloves - garlic, crushed (9)

1/2 tbsp - ginger, minced (5)

1-2 small - chillies (3)

1 - bay leaf (0.5)

1 - cardamom pod (0.5)

1/4 tsp - turmeric powder (2.5)

1 pinch - chilli powder (0)

1/2 tsp - paprika (3)

1/2 tsp cumin powder (4)

1 tsp - coriander powder (1)

1 medium - tomato, chopped finely/blended (22)

1/2 tbsp - tomato paste (6.5)

1 can - chickpeas (284)

1 pinch - baking powder (0)

1/2 tsp - garam masala (3)

salt to taste

lemon to taste

calories in brackets

total calories - 378

calories per serving - 189

Instructions -

Heat up the oil, onion and cumin seeds in a medium pan (make sure you can fit a lid on it). Sauté and add a little water.

After a few minutes (once the onions are golden), add the crushed garlic, minced ginger, bay and cardamom. Sauté this for several minutes.

Add a little water if the mixture gets dry then add all of the spice powders (except the garam masala). Stir to roast them, then add the tomatoes and the tomato paste.

Sauté for several minutes, then mix in the drained chickpeas with the baking powder (this helps them soften) and 1 cup of water.

Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to medium, cover, and let cook for 25-30 minutes or until the chickpeas are tender.

Uncover after 25 minutes and bring to the boil, and add the garam masala.

Use a wooden spoon to crush some of the chickpeas and then continue to cook until the desired consistency is there.

This will need to be salted, and tastes really good with lemon (add some to each serving, but I tend to shove some in the mix as well).

notes - (with the addition of lemon and with potentially overserving a half a serving I tend to call this a 200cal meal, this takes approximately 1hr 25mins to walk off)

[lumviis]

‧₊˚ 🍳 shakshuka

what you'll need: - olive oil - one large onion - one large bell pepper - four cloves of garlic - one tbsp of smoked paprika - two tsp of cumin - two tsp of chili powder (one if you have a bad spice tolerance) - one pinch of salt - one teaspoon black pepper - one can of peeled tomatoes (~400ml) - three eggs - any sort of bread (optional)

step one: prepare all of your vegetables. dice your onion and bell pepper into small pieces and mince your garlic. once your vegetables are prepped, add the olive oil to a pan on medium heat. when the oil is hot, add the diced onion and bell pepper. cook and stir occasionally for about ten minutes until the veggies are tender and lightly browned.

step two: add the minced garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, chilli powder, salt and pepper. stir constantly for about two minutes. after that, add the canned tomatoes to the pan and break the tomatoes into small bits with your spatula. bring that mixture to a boil, and once it's hot, reduce it to a simmer, and leave it for around twenty minutes, until your mixture is slightly reduced.

step three: after those twenty minutes, create a little divot that's a little larger than an egg. gently crack the egg into the small divot, and repeat that process with the rest of the eggs. cover the pan and cook until the egg whites are set! once it's done, serve it immediately with any bread you'd like.

ps: turns out making a man that’s not annoying is practically impossible. please give me some time to retreat so i can work out a perfect formula. 💕

some pictures . . .

[beansprean]

Queening the Pawn Act 3 Part 13

exposition reveal! poor the guide :(

Acts 1-2

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7 - Part 8 - Part 9 - Part 10 - Part 11 - Part 12 - Part 13 - Part 14

(ID in alt and under cut)

ID: 1a. Close up of an open book with ragged pages and handwritten script, Guillermo's hands holding it open on the table and finger tracing along the lines. Partially cut off by the panel, it reads: '...ouncil made the...what they most feared...wast troubled by this and...mine own concerns about gran...wretched, snarling beast of a slay...to execute the punishment mine own se...wot fate would'st befall the thing I saw...become of the Council after its escape. Blood wast blood, and mine own brother would'st... withal emulation an he knew I got to taste a van Helsing. I sank mine own fangs into its throat and drank deeply - the taste wost that o' paprika burning in mine own nostrils, but I carried on until the deed wast done and mine own blood wast down its throat. I wast congratulated and we retired for the day. I awoke to a stake at mine own heart and the creature's eyne glinting in the dark. I could hear its heartbeat thundering, strong and alive. The creature had somehow resisted the transformation! I did not have time to observe it for...it knapp'd, and mine own dear Bianca... if not for thy letters folded into mine o... The verbose nature of your love hath... at the hands o' the foul...' Dialogue from present Guillermo, back in the library doing the talking head, is overlaid: 'Turns out the Guide did remember something.' 1b. Close up of Guillermo hunched over the book, pages reflected in his glasses, eyes focused and intense as he presses his palm over his mouth in thought. His present dialogue continues: 'She says Van Helsings started drinking vampire blood more than 300 years ago. I guess they got the idea from the whole thing with smallpox - take the poison in small doses, only get a little sick, and eventually you don't get sick at all.' 1c. Zoom out, Guillermo sitting at the bar as the Guide comes up behind him, face drawn and worried. He turns with a start as she quickly pats him thrice on the shoulder. 1d. Close up on the Guide as she explains her experience, hand up in a pinching motion. Guillermo's voiceover continues: 'You get inoculated, or variolated, I guess. And seems like it was effective enough that, generations later...'

2a. Zoom out to see both standing in profile, the main area of the club beyond. The Van Helsing lore is spread out on the bartop, some books open, some closed, some with page markers sticking out. There are multiple yellow post-it notes scattered around, including some plastered over Abraham's jar to cover the view of his mummified specimen. Guillermo, now standing facing the Guide, leans back with the weight of this information, one hand braced on a barstool and the over covering his face. The Guide clasps her hands in front of her and ducks her head apologetically, looking up at him in concern. Guillermo's voiceover says 'I'm completely immune. I can't be turned.' 2b. Repeat. Guillermo starts to shake with emotion and holds up his free hand as if to shrug off any sympathy. The Guide darts forward worriedly, arms out. Guillermo's voiceover says 'It was hard to hear. Again.' 2c. Waist up of Guillermo and the Guide hugging, her arms around his back and pressing his head to her shoulder where he willingly buries his face, his own arms clutching to her back. Guillermo's voiceover continues: 'But I'm glad I know now, at least.' 2d. Close up on the Guide's eyes over Guillermo's head as they fly open suddenly, irises turned to slits ringed with red as she inhales. Her face is cast in sudden shadow and spatters of blood begin to pile up in the background.

3a. Zoom out, Waist up of the Guide over Guillermo's shoulder as they clutch at each other. Her eyes are wide and pained, lost in some forgotten memory as her arms begin to shake. Behind her, some vague humanoid shapes appear, one with long hair and long skirt, one in a hooded robe, and another kneeling at the robed one's feet. The memory speaks, 'My Guide, the Council has brought you a meal.' 3b. Repeat, blood spatters once again beginning to pop up in the background. The memory continues, responding 'Oh! That is very thoughtful, Mistress, thank you.' and 'Careful, he's a struggler.' The Guide shuts her eyes tightly, chin wobbling as a tear pools in her eye. She squeezes Guillermo even tighter, now beginning to ask for the comfort she had been offering. Guillermo lifts his head slightly and asks, '...Guide? Guide, are you okay?'

4a. Repeat, blood spatters increasing in size and volume. The Guide ducks her head to hide her face in Guillermo's shoulder, full body shaking. She stutters out, 'I don't know.' The voice in the memory comes in again, glitched out and repeating itself in fragments, asking, 'How does he taste?' 4b. A brown wooden background shutters in to bring us back to the present with Guillermo doing his talking head. He is smiling sadly, looking down as he recalls what he just avoided sharing to the cameras. He simply says, '...She's a good friend.' 4c. Repeat, the full background of the mantel and bookshelf fading back in as Guillermo turns toward the camera and shrugs with a self-depreciating smile. He says, 'So...that's it. That's all I have for you guys, sorry. Still kinda figuring out the next steps.' 4d. Zoom out, view of the fireplace straight-on with Guillermo on one side and Greg the camera guy on the other. The top of the sound tech's head and part of the boom is visible in the foreground as they pack up. Greg is a thin white man with long blonde hair and a long blonde beard, wearing cargo shorts, a cardigan, and a purple Teen Titans ball cap. He lowers his camera and asks Guillermo off the record: 'You think you might leave?' Guillermo sighs and tucks his hands into his pockets, answering, 'I don't know, Greg. I'm pretty deep into the sunk-cost fallacy at this point, haha. 4e. Waist up of Guillermo from Greg's POV as he walks toward the door to the hall, turning back slightly to raise one arm in a shrug and say 'But things with Nandor are obviously weird right now. I kinda wonder if he'd even notice.' / end ID

[angstyaches]

Augusnippets Day 20

Prompt: Homemade meal, requested by anon

OCs: Shayne and Charlie

Word Count: 379

CW: food insecurity, disordered eating (recovery), food, sensory issues (loss of taste).

___

“Well? How is it?” Charlie gently nudged Shayne’s stomach with his fingertips. “And be honest. I won’t take it as a comment on my cooking if you can’t... you know.” 

Shayne frowned while Charlie trailed off. He absently reached for Charlie’s hand to protect himself from further poking or tickling while he frantically tried to think of something to say. 

The guilt that sat at the back of his throat was far more potent than the spoonful of sauce he’d just swallowed. He licked his lips, as though he would somehow find an explosion of flavour there.  

“I... couldn’t really taste anything,” he admitted. 

“That’s fine!” Charlie was already turning back towards the stove, placing the small metal spoon on the countertop. His hand flicked out to grab the shaker of chili powder, which was already next to the stove from having just been used. 

“Charlie...” Shayne grimaced. “Don’t.” 

“I can handle it.” 

“Your tongue hurts when there’s too much paprika on your chicken.” 

“That was one time, and that was a lot of paprika.” Charlie turned his head and nodded enthusiastically before turning back to the saucepan with the pepper. “A lot, a lot. Someone in that restaurant woke up and chose violence that day.” 

Shayne rolled his eyes, not at the story, but at the generous additional sprinkling of spice that Charlie had added to the pot. 

“And anyway, lovely,” Charlie shrugged as he stirred. “I'd rather risk a sore tongue than know that you’re not enjoying the food you’re eating.” 

An apology – for the way he was, for the space Charlie had to make for him, for existing – rose to Shayne’s lips, but he silenced it. Rather than feeding the shame, he focused on the warm flutter he felt as Charlie added one last pinch of chili. For him. He crossed his arms and folded slightly into himself, feeling somewhat overwhelmed and comforted all at once. 

“Thank you,” he said quietly. 

A smile twitched across Charlie’s face as they locked eyes. Shayne took the opportunity to lean in for a kiss, but their lips only touched for a couple of seconds before the saucepan let out a laboured bubbling sound. 

“Mmm! Okay.” Charlie reached for the metal spoon again. “Are you ready for another taste test?”

___

@augusnippets

[najia-cooks]

[ID: A sandwich on a ciabatta roll; a plate of tomato sliced and a glass of mint lemonade are in the background. End ID]

Tofu sandwich with garlic-lemon sauce

A sweet, savory, and well-spiced glaze clinging to fried, crispy tofu. The zest and brightness of garlic-lemon mayonnaise complement the depth of the glaze. A great breakfast sandwich or weekend lunch option when eaten with your choice of bread and toppings.

Recipe under the cut!

Patreon | Tip jar

Ingredients:

For the sandwiches:

4 ciabatta rolls, or other bread

Bean sprouts or other greens

For the tofu:

1 block (350g) extra firm tofu

2-3 Tbsp potato starch, or cornstarch

Oil to fry

For the tofu slurry:

2 scallions, sliced (optional)

2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil, or olive oil

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp light soy sauce

1/2 Tbsp light brown sugar

1 tsp sriracha or chili garlic sauce

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp Sichuan pepper

Pinch ground fennel

Pinch ground sumac

Pinch ground cubeb pepper (Piper cubeba; kabab chini; كبابة صينى)

Pinch smoked paprika

1 Tbsp cornstarch

Cubeb berries may be found in the spice section of a south Asian grocery store, where they will be labelled "kabab chini." They are sometimes mistaken for allspice, but cubeb berries are smaller and more consistent in size, are darker in color, and have a slightly 'wrinkled' appearance. They have a pungent, camphorous, and sharp aroma. If you don't have any, you may replace them with equal parts black pepper and allspice; or a pinch of ground Indian black cardamom.

For the garlic mayo:

1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise

1 large clove garlic, grated

1 tsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp table salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Water, if necessary

Instructions:

For the garlic mayo:

1. Mix all ingredients except water in a small mixing bowl. Add water or lemon juice until desired consistency is achieved. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

For the marinade:

1. Pulverise scallion with salt in a mortar and pestle, and mix with other ingredients; or add all ingredients to a blender and combine.

For the tofu:

1. Drain tofu, wrap in a kitchen towel, and press under a flat, heavy object for 20-30 minutes.

2. If your block of tofu is particularly thick, slice it into two thinner slabs; then halve it widthwise to make four pieces. The tofu in the photo has only been halved widthwise to make two, thicker pieces.

3. Coat tofu in potato starch or cornstarch.

4. Heat 1/2" (1cm) of a neutral oil in a skillet on medium. Fry tofu slices, flipping once, until golden brown and crispy on both sides. Set aside.

5. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat (or remove the oil from the one you used earlier). Add tofu and marinade and cook, pushing the marinade onto the tofu slices and flipping occasionally, until marinade is clinging to the tofu.

To assemble:

1. Add cooked tofu to sandwiches along with greens, tomatoes, avocado, or sliced onion as desired. Top with garlic mayo.

[featherlesswings]

I just realized there are probably lots of you out there who don’t know how to cook, or struggle with “there’s nothing to eat” idling. And especially with finding enough food to eat for what little money you have, in these trying times.

Pending the expected price gouging from the new regime here in the US, here are some suggestions.

Cabbage! It’s cheap, for a LOT of food. Usually under $1 per pound where I live.

Eggs, depending what’s Going On Outside 🙃

Avocados are pretty inexpensive, and you can get 2 servings out of each one. They’re roughly $1 each here. If you have ramen, throw 1/4 to 1/4 an avocado on top of each serving, to make it more of a meal.

Rice is your best friend. You can add it to a lot of things to make more food. Honestly, a can of black beans, seasoning, and some rice, mashed together, makes great veggie burgers.

A small bag of flour, even if you don’t know how to bake. If you have grease left from cooking meat, you can make gravy. Broth or boullion + water, or milk is the only other thing you need.

If you don’t already drink tea, you can get a box of 20 tea bags of whatever flavor interests you, for not very much, and make a cup whenever you want something different to drink. Floral herbals are especially tasty even without sweetener. You can add ice, if you want something cold.

Tofu tends to be cheaper than meat, nowadays, at least where I live. There are lots of great recipes for flavoring and cooking it in ways that are yummy. You don’t have to be vegan to eat it, it’s just a nice, healthy protein in general. Throw some cheese on your tofu, I don’t care.

Check your local “International” section, because some things could be cheaper than the kind aimed at locals. For me, a lot of the stuff in the Hispanic food section is like half the price of the “white people kind.” I just recently learned how to make Sopa de Fideo, without knowing what it was until I saw the pasta cost $.50, and looked up recipes. It’s delicious and incredibly cheap for a LOT of food.

In a pinch, you can make soup out of almost whatever you have left in your space. My grocery money is a day late today, so I made “scrap soup” out of the last bit of cabbage, some minced carrots, leftover chili ramen seasoning, peanut butter, and the last handful cheap dried gnocchi I had left from last week.

Cheap Lazy Vegan and FitGreenMind on YouTube both have great inexpensive recipes. Also the podcast Eating While Broke, while not usually focused on the recipes, always has one or two “this is what I ate when I was poor” recipes, which they cook and then eat together. I’ve found some interesting ideas from that show!

Here are some recipes I’ve thrown together and liked lately:

*Fraggle snack*

Cucumber

Radishes

Mayonnaise

Worcestershire

Lime juice

Cilantro, chopped

Ramen flavor packet

Uncooked ramen, crushed

Use vegetable peeler or mandolin to slice cucumber & radishes. Mix together mayo, Worcestershire sauce, lime juice, & cilantro, and a teaspoon of ramen seasoning, toss with vegetables. Top with crushed ramen.

*Version 2* :

Packet tuna

Maybe a teaspoon of anchovy paste

1-2 Tablespoons mayo

Lime juice

Nutritional yeast

Half avocado

6-8 inch cucumber

2 radishes

A handful of walnuts

5-8 saltine crackers

Mix tuna, mayo, lime juice, anchovy paste, and a sprinkle of nutritional yeast to taste in a bowl. Use a vegetable peeler or mandolin to slice cucumber and radishes, add to tuna mix. Cut avocado into cubes, add to bowl, stir intil combined. Chop or crumble walnuts and crackers on top.

*Crab salad*

2-3 green onions, chopped

2-3 radishes, diced or slivered

1 carrot, shredded

Snack pack of imitation crab

Half an avocado, diced

1 tablespoon kewpie mayo

2 tablespoons chive & onion cream cheese

A dash or two of Worcestershire

Cooked white rice

*Faux Congee*

1/2 - 1 c day old cooked rice

2 c water

1 1/2 teaspoon chicken Better than Boullion

Pepper, paprika, onion powder, parsley, powdered ginger : to taste

2 T sweet onion, minced

2-3 T shredded leftover chicken

One egg

Half an avocado (topping)

Heat water to boiling in a small to medium pot. Stir in boullion until combined, then add rice and break up with spoon. Season to taste, add onions, and cook until onions are cooked and broth is thickened/rice have swelled and split. Add shredded chicken, return to boil, and crack in raw egg. Cover, wait until top of egg turns white, remove from heat. Serve with avocado on top.

Alternatively, you could toss in minced or shredded carrots at the same stage as the onion, or replace the chicken with protein of choice.

*Potato soup*

2 cups water per person (or broth)

1 cube boullion per cup water (omit if using broth)

1 large potato per person

1 large carrot per person

1/8 vidalia onion per person

1 T butter per person

1/4 c milk per person

1/4 c ham per person

1-2 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled, per person

1/4 c peas per person

2-3 bay leaves

Dried parsley

S&p to taste

Bring water to boil in an appropriate sized pot, add bouillon cubes, carrots, & onions. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, add potato, butter, & seasonings. Continue to simmer until potatoes & carrots are tender, add preferred meat, peas, & milk. Simmer 5 minutes more, serve.

[petermorwood]

Mushrooms in Cream Sauce...

...or Pilze in Sahnesoße.

This is for @killerblackberrypie, who went looking for the version on our "European Cusines" site and found the site gone.

@dduane had taken it down for maintenance, a new theme and to take some new photos, but while the site was down it web-provider went belly-up. These things happen.

"European Cuisines" Will Return - just not quite yet.

Our recipe was, ironically, one of the recipes slated for new pics, so while this text is from the site's offline backup (with a couple of tweaks from me, because why not?) photos are sourced from the web.

There are many, many other recipes online; they're mostly in German, but Google Translate handles Rezeptedeutch well enough. I've linked to a couple, which is only fair since I'm using their pix.

You'll also see the French word "champignons" in German recipes as often as German "Pilze"; I don't know whether this indicates a French origin for the recipe, or refers to a specific mushroom, or makes the dish sound more classy.

Here's one: Champignons in Sahnesauce mit Spätzle.

And here's ours...

*****

Pilze in Sahnesoße from European Cuisines.

Contrary to popular belief, Germany is not a vegetable-free zone.

In fact, unless you find yourself buried in some tiny backwater in the Black Forest or someplace similar, Germany is much kinder to both vegetable-lover and vegetarian than a lot of other places. It will be rare to find a menu that doesn't have at least a few vegetarian or at least mostly-vegetable options on it, often far more creative than you might expect.

But leaving aside for the moment the issue of vegetarianism per se, Germans really do like more vegetables than potatoes and cabbage, especially seasonal ones in their prime. Asparagus season, for instance, has its own name: Spargelzeit - "asparagus time".

And mushrooms (all right, not as true veggies, but at least as fungi) turn up as stars in many entreés, especially in dishes meant to be served in the autumn, "Pilzsaison", mushroom season, when the good little creatures are coming up all over in the woods and the supermarkets.

This recipe calls for the mushrooms to be sautéed with onions in bacon fat (the bacon is added later). The pan is then deglazed with white wine, and various spices are added, one of them being paprika, which instantly suggests that this recipe probably sneaked over the border from Austro-Hungary, possibly via the Czech Republic.

Finally the cream and bacon go in.

The result is substantial, surprisingly elegant, and yummy.

This is definitely a recipe for a high-end Hobbit menu: an entrée for anyone who doesn't want their mushrooms upstaged by overly large amounts of meat.

The bacon-fat and bacon CAN be left out completely, making the dish meat-free. Use more butter along with more mushrooms and a red pepper diced small, and add 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika.

*****

INGREDIENTS

NB, we work in metric so that's "correct"; Imperial is converted and "approximate", though it won't make much difference. Just don't combine them or your mushrooms might crash into Mars...

1 kg / 2 lb fresh mushrooms, domesticated or a mixture of wild types to taste

125g / 1/4 pound bacon, diced

60gr 1/4 cup butter or margarine

2 large onions, diced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

60ml / 1/4 cup (or more if needed to deglaze) white wine, preferably a medium or medium-dry one

A pinch of nutmeg

A pinch of mace

250ml / 1 cup heavy cream

The juice of half a medium-sized lemon, strained

2 sprigs of fresh parsley

METHOD

Clean the mushrooms with a soft brush or dry cloth. (Never wash mushrooms.) If they're big, cut them in half.

Fry the bacon in a wok or large pan until lightly browned. Remove the bacon from the pan and set it aside.

Add the butter to the pan drippings. Add the onions; sauté until lightly browned.

Add the mushrooms; cook them until they're tender, stirring often.

When they're tender, raise the heat slightly and stir in the wine, salt, pepper, paprika, nutmeg, and mace. Cover the pan and cook over low heat for 15 minutes.

Remove from the heat. Add the cooked bacon, cream and lemon juice. Reheat until just warm. Do NOT let this mixture boil!!!

Garnish with parsley and serve with noodles, dumplings, mashed potatoes, whole potatoes... And some crusty bread to chase the last of the sauce.

*****

Our original photo used Spätzle, as in the first pic. Ribbon tagliatelle works just fine as well, while here is Saure Pilz-Sahnesoße served alongside Bohemian Dumplings, a long bread dumpling boiled in water or stock then cut into thick slices.

From the same site, here's a simple potato treatment, Pilz-Sahnesoße mit Kartoffeln:

As far as we've been able to make out, the main difference between mushrooms in cream sauce as a main dish, and creamy mushroom sauce for use with something else, is the proportion of mushrooms to everything else, and often the size of pieces into which they're cut. Really small bits are one more ingredient, large generous chunks are much more front and centre.

Ours is definitely a main course, and though we haven't made it for a while, the memory of that last time still makes my Mind Palate go...

Soon. Soon...