#source; where i work there's a flavor with a bit of cinnamon taste.

[zed-the-buggy]

ok. yes, okay, yes. larry is a foodie & he doesn't just like plain milk ice cream and his favorite spice isn't salt. ice cream anon im sorry. our kismesistude cant work bc i do agree with you.

that said he absolutely gets home and has cup noodles for dinner because hes tired as shit and just wants to cease immediately. he does not cook well regularly at all. he likes food but 99% of the time unless it is for someone else he will not make it.

as well it is also just funnier to accuse him of loving boiled cauliflower. and plain rice. and mashed potatoes. if hes gonna call himself normal hes gotta deal with the burden of people thinking u eat like you're afraid of a dash of cinnamon or pepper.

as an athird, i think theres some goof potential with allegra chicken. i really do. but i am hoing tobed

[bluejayblueskies]

agape

n. selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional love; love that motivates action, often for the sake or care of others 

Words: 2.3k Relationship: Jonathan Sims/Martin Blackwood Tags: AU - Tea Shop/Bookstore, Fluff, Asexual Jonathan Sims Warnings: internalized acephobia/biphobia (minor,), fear of homo/ace/transphobia (brief, unfounded)

|| Ao3 ||

.

Martin remembers, with crystal clarity, the first time that he saw Jonathan Sims. Martin’s tea shop opens at seven in the morning to accommodate the morning commuter crowd, but they’re really busiest in the afternoon, which is when most people deign to take a break from whatever work they’ve got for the day.

 Jonathan Sims is not most people. At promptly seven, the jingle of the little bell that Tim had hung over the door once as a joke but that had lingered out of sheer practicality had cut through the gentle humming of the kettle, the small one that Martin preferred in the morning as it took no time at all to heat and the small volume of customers generally didn’t warrant the larger, stainless steel water heaters that sat along the back wall. Martin had had a box of loose-leaf English breakfast in his hand as he turned; he remembers the way the bitter smell of the leaves had mingled with the cool blast of winter air that swept through the door, carrying with it the scent of something acrid and ashy.

 Cigarette smoke, his mind helpfully supplied. Then, Martin’s eyes found the man who had entered the shop, his mouth forming the automatic greeting the bell always elicited from him, a well-trained habit that made him feel not dissimilar to Pavlov’s dog.

 “Welcome to Blackwood Blends! What can I get started for you?”

The man—and the likely source of the burnt smell still lingering in the air—startled slightly at the sound of Martin’s voice, like he hadn’t been expecting to be addressed directly. He was wrapped in a comically large scarf, knit from chunky yarn and laced with warm yellow and midnight black, and he looked like the kind of person who might blow away in the wind if he wasn’t careful. His hair, long and brown, was streaked through with grey and seemed to be fighting a losing battle with the hat that was currently struggling to keep it contained. There were at least two jumpers of startlingly different colors peeking out from underneath a heavy black pea coat that was missing a button near the bottom.

 He was also quite possibly the most beautiful person Martin had ever seen.

 He was there and gone before Martin quite knew what was happening, cradling a steaming travel mug of Ceylon close to his chest like it alone could drive away the January chill, and Martin found himself watching him through the café window as he crossed the street with barely more than a cursory glance in each direction, fumbled with something in his pockets for a moment, and finally vanished into the building across the street.

 Beholding Books & Antiquities, the sign above the door said in curling calligraphy, barely visible from this distance.

 Martin wondered, briefly, if they had poetry.

 Martin knows now that they do, but that the man—whose name, he’d learned on the man’s next visit to the tea shop, is Jon—wrinkles his nose when people purchase them like they’ve caused him some great offense. He knows that Jon never gets the same tea twice in a row, and though he’s cycled through every possible blend that Martin’s shop carries, he’s not a fan of herbals and finds himself returning to earthy greens and floral blacks. (Which, unfortunately, includes oolong, which may be the only kind of tea that Martin can’t stand.) He knows that the bookshop opens at ten in the morning (but that Jon never arrives later than eight) and that unlike the surge of afternoon customers Martin’s shop gets, the bookshop receives a steady trickle of local customers and curious tourists throughout the day.

 He knows that Jon smiles like it’s a secret he can’t quite decide if he wants to share and that Jon’s fingers are warm and soft when they brush against Martin’s as he hands Martin his new purchase and that he might be just a little bit in love with Jon.

 He spends quite a lot of time browsing for books nowadays, to Tim and Sasha’s eternal amusement. But he can’t bring himself to mind.

 Now, the nip of winter air is far behind them, and the lovely warmth of June seeps in through the cracks in the windows and in bursts as the door opens and closes. He always gets more business in winter, when the promised warmth of a cup of tea lures customers in from the cold, but it’s steady enough in the summer. And though Martin’s always been a lover of bulky jumpers and drinks that warm you from the inside out and breath that fogs in winter air, he can’t help but love the onset of summer, because it brings with it June and his favorite yearly tradition: Pride month tea blends.

 Martin finishes scrawling the various specialty drinks onto the chalkboard he keeps propped up on the counter, feeling a little burst of pride at the new tea blends he’s selected for this year. He creates them all himself, making little changes from year to year and brewing cup after cup for Tim and Sasha to try until he thinks they must be sick of tasting ten different versions of fruity Earl Greys. It just feels nice, to put a piece of himself into each cup he makes, and beyond that, the shyly excited looks some customers get when they order a certain blend fills him with a warmth that tingles in his veins for hours after.

 It feels nice, to take care of people this way. To let people find themselves in his tea and to share a bit of himself in kind.

 So when the bell jingles and Martin glances up from the blackboard to see Jon standing just inside the doorway, blinking as his eyes adjust to the dimness of the café, the thrum of affection that always overtakes him when he sees Jon is magnified tenfold, accompanied in equal part by a bite of nervousness. Because, he realizes, for all that he and Jon have talked about their jobs and favorites and hobbies and everything in between, they’ve never talked about this.

 Martin’s never been shy about it. His jacket is plastered with rainbow-striped patches, his bag adorned with enamel pins in purple-black-white-greys and in blue-pink-whites. He knows Jon’s seen them. Jon has to have seen them. He’s just… never mentioned it. And Martin gets the brief, terrifying, and completely unfounded worry that it’s because Jon is bothered by it.

 He shakes the thought off as quickly as it had come. No, he knows Jon. He knows that behind the prickly exterior, Jon is kind—so, so kind, and that he cares more about other people than he lets on. With a small, anxious laugh that Martin barely keeps contained beyond a brief exhalation, Martin realizes that he also knows that Jon is possibly also the most oblivious person Martin knows. It’s infinitely more likely that Jon hasn’t noticed—or has noticed and has decided not to say anything—than that Jon is somehow a completely different person than the one Martin’s gotten to know over the past five months.

 “Are you all right?”

 Martin startles so badly that he drops the chalk. It rolls dangerously close to the edge of the counter before a thin-fingered hand captures it mid-motion and holds it out toward Martin, the dusty white stark against his brown skin. Martin takes the chalk with a sheepish smile and says, “Ah, sorry—got a bit, er. Distracted.” Then, in a quasi-professional voice, because he is at work: “What can I get for you, Jon?”

 Jon doesn’t even glance at the menu; Martin’s almost certain that he has it memorized by now. He taps a finger on the counter, and as he thinks, his eyes wander downward, landing on the chalkboard that’s still laid flat against the counter, the bottom left corner slightly smudged. “Are these new blends?” Jon asks, eyes bright and curious. He tilts his head, trying to see the words better, and Martin quickly stands the chalkboard up on its wooden feet and returns it to its spot on the counter so that it’s easier to read.

 Well, no time like the present, I suppose.

 “They’re, ah, my seasonal blends!” Martin says with a smile he hopes doesn’t look as nervous as it feels. “I always do them in June.” He lets out a little, disarming laugh. “My own way of celebrating Pride month, you know?”

 Jon’s eyes are scanning the chalkboard with an intensity that makes Martin shift from one foot to the other at a pace far too quick to be casual, his hands finding the edge of the counter and gripping it like it’s the only thing keeping him grounded. He can’t read Jon’s face; there’s something there, just below the surface, but he can’t get a handle on it. It keeps slipping away like wet bar soap when he tries too hard to get a grip on it, and eventually, he just gives up, waiting for Jon to finish with his heartbeat sitting high in his throat.

 Finally, after a period of time that feels just shy of an eternity and certainly too long to have been simply considering the merits of one tea blend over another, Jon looks at Martin with an expression that feels strangely vulnerable. “I… I can’t decide,” he says quietly, like this decision carries the weight of the entire world. He points a thin finger at the middle of the board, where bisexual berry is scrawled in spiraling letters that constitute Martin’s attempt at calligraphy. It’s an herbal blend, with bits of freeze-dried blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries. “I like most of this blend,” he says, “but er. Not on its own?” His finger moves down, nearly smudging the words asexual almond as it comes to rest atop the ingredients below them—Assam tea, almond flavoring, cinnamon sticks, and little white blossoms that Martin includes purely for the visual effect. “Some people think that black tea wouldn’t go well with herbal,” Jon says, studying the board like it has the secret to life itself scrawled upon the dusty black, “but they’re really not that different at all. It’s all tea, and- and liking one kind of tea doesn’t preclude you from liking another kind, right? So asking me to- to decide between one kind of tea and another is—well, it’s just ridiculous. There’s tea that I like and tea that I don’t and I don’t have to pick just one.”

 Jon’s still staring at the blackboard, his forehead creased in what could be concentration but could also be irritation. It’s still early enough that the tea shop is empty save for them; Tim and Sasha don’t come in until after noon as usually, Martin can handle the morning crowds by himself. And Martin is really quite sure that this isn’t about his tea at all. So, in the gentlest tone he can muster, Martin says, “You can order more than one kind of tea, you know.”

 Jon jerks his hand back, almost like he’d forgotten Martin was there. “I—what?”

 Feeling significantly less nervous than before, Martin adjusts the sign so that he can see it better and says, “These are all just suggestions, Jon. Blends that I like and ones that I’ve found that other people like too, but they’re not set in stone—people have all kinds of preferences, and when it comes down to it, it- it’s all just tea.” Then, because apparently he’s feeling bold today: “I- I can make a new blend if you’d like? One that, er.” Just say it, Martin. “One that’s for you, specifically. Whatever you’d like.”

 Jon’s eyes are as wide as saucers as he stares up at Martin, and Martin can’t help but shift nervously under his gaze. Fuck, I shouldn’t have said that, that was weird, what a weird thing to say when someone’s coming out to you with bad tea metaphors, fuck fuck—

 “If- if you’d like,” Jon says quietly, slamming Martin’s thought spiral headfirst into a brick wall and nearly knocking him off his feet as he registers that Jon just said yes. “I’d like that. Though I- I do enjoy the flavors of berries and almonds together.” He smiles then, a wry thing that sends Martin’s pulse into the stratosphere and his stomach aflutter with butterflies whose wings gleam an iridescent rainbow against the backs of his eyes. (Not his best bit of poetic imagery, to be true, but he’s a little too busy being utterly in love with Jonathan Sims to think about much else.)

 Martin makes the tea, choosing the black over the herbal because elaborate metaphor or not, Jon really isn’t a fan of herbal teas. Blueberry is a strong enough taste to pair with the bitterness of the black tea and it couples well with almond and cinnamon, creating a flavor profile not unlike that of a blueberry muffin. And because Martin can’t help but think of Jon every time he smells it, he switches out the Assam for a Lapsang Souchong and Earl Grey blend—smoky and floral, smooth enough that it won’t overbalance the other flavors but robust enough to stand out.

 When Jon accepts the mug and takes his first hesitant sip, his face lights up in a way that Martin wants to see all day, every day for the rest of his life. And when Jon smiles at him, says, achingly soft, “Thank you, Martin. I love it,” and cautiously, gently places his hand over Martin’s where it sits on the counter, Martin thinks, for the first time, that maybe he can.

 Wouldn’t that be nice, he thinks. And the smile he gives Jon in return feels like a blank-paged book, waiting to be filled.

[rabbitcruiser]

National Cinnamon Day 

It's time to celebrate the hardest working spice of the holiday season with its own national holiday on November 1st – let's hear it for Cinnamon! While pumpkin spice has been getting all the glory this fall, cinnamon has been behind the scenes flavoring your favorite holiday classics like apple pie, snickerdoodle cookies, cinnamon rolls, mulled cider, sweet potato casserole, French toast, pumpkin pie and more.

"Cinnamon truly is one of America's favorite holiday spices; it's warm, sweet, and a bit spicy. It makes both sweet and savory foods delicious during the holiday season," said Jill Pratt, VP of North America Marketing Excellence at McCormick, the flavor leader in the US. "As our most sold holiday spice this time of year, we wanted to give cinnamon the attention it deserves, as well as honor people with this unique name.  We're declaring this #CinnamonSeason, and rallying lovers of this flavor everywhere to celebrate the spice rack's unsung hero."

To kick-off #CinnamonSeason, McCormick has teamed up with celebrated pastry chef and creator of the Cronut®, Dominique Ansel, to create an all-new exclusive cinnamon treat perfect for the start of the holiday season.  Chef Dominique's limited-edition, hand-decorated Cinnamon Brown Sugar Animal Crackers, served in a keepsake metal box with a bottle of ground cinnamon, will be available at the Dominique Ansel Bakery in New York City on Friday, November 1st only.  These one-of-a-kind cinnamon cookies will be offered on a first come, first serve basis while supplies last, starting at 8:00a.m EST.   The bakery is located at 189 Spring Street, NY, NY 10012.  

McCormick and Ansel's new Cinnamon Brown Sugar Animal Crackers recipe puts the warm, aromatic spice front and center.  "There's no better time to pick up baking than during the holidays, and I'm excited to share my recipe for homemade cinnamon-spiced animal crackers to kick off the season," says Dominique Ansel, chef and owner of Dominque Ansel Bakery. "Animal crackers always remind me of the holidays because I would string them together to make holiday ornaments and decorations. So we've created a fresh take on a nostalgic recipe for the first National Cinnamon Day."

Additionally, McCormick is on a mission to find and recognize the unique people named Cinnamon. Did you know that Cinnamon as a girl's name is #13,961 in popularity? It's time to shine a spotlight on these warm, one-of-a-kind people, just like the spice.  

McCormick is extending a special invitation to anyone with this unique name to join in the celebration on Friday, November 1st at the Dominque Ansel Bakery, where they will have a special place in line and be among the first to taste the limited-edition Cinnamon Brown Sugar Animal Crackers while supplies last.

Source

[emj-tolj]

              A Healthy Cup of Adventure Hunting Tea

More than often when I put my boots on and hit the ground for a day or weekend of adventure hunting, I will carry with me a small pouch, in which I carry tea bags. In some cases if I know where I am heading I will look for tea ingredients (herbs and flowers). Depending on the adventurous mind I am in, will depend the blend, which helps me take in the full experience of the adventure. While we all are effected and inspired by teas differently, here is my Adventure Hunting Tea influences:

Birch: An invoker of pretty much any adventure within autumn settings. I find it also invoke high desires for adventures that have some magickal element to them.

Mint Tea: Mint is my go to for many moods. Mostly fantasy and adventures dealing with  the air and wind. (Hilltops, windy days, canyons)

Black Tea: Pretty much all adventures but particularly when the adventure is home or office based like Gangsters and Noir settings. Very retro/vintage  Urban-ish feelings. 

Grapefruit: When I am looking to inspire adventures dealing with Magick, spells and other such themes, this is my go-to tea. Also any adventure that may take me into the wetlands and swamps.

Blueberry: Any adventure dealing with woodlands and forests

Raspberry: Any adventure in which I know there will be some sort of confrontation or battles

Elm: Elm tea takes me into wanting adventures into the winter season. Not sure why but it does.

Blackberry: Any adventure that takes me into a place like libraries or museums

Hawthorn: I have to be careful with this tea as it kicks in a lot of adventures with in the realms of love and passion. I mean HIGH love and passion adventures.

Rose petal/hips: Any adventure where love, passion and springtime take place

Linden Tea: This is my “go to” tea when I need to invoke summertime feelings and adventures. Its really powerful for me.

Chamomile: Any adventure that spans into times of rest and sleep. Often I will have Rose tea and Chamomile for a heightened experience

Lavender: Awesome tea for homebound adventures or adventures in farmers and gardens

Green Tea: Any adventure that takes place in fields. plains, meadows, gardens, valleys. Also I find most powerful when I am on summertime adventures.

Pumpkin Tea: Pretty much obvious, anything dealing with autumn as well as forest and farmlands.  

Beech: This tea I find is a leader to high action adventures in rustic places. So I am sure to be well geared for everything and everything, including battle.

Maple Syrup Tea: Another one of the teas that invoke high adventure in the theme of Fantasy and Westerns.

Oolong Tea: Any adventure that takes place or around a social gathering, such as a tavern scene, a dinner or hanging out at a campsite with friends 

Cherry: Any adventure that takes me into places like faires, carnivals, amusement parks and places of high wild entertainment

Chocolate Mint Tea: Any adventure dealing with the winter season and holidays.

Citrus Tea: (Orange/Peach/Apricot) This tea for me invoke pretty much any summer time adventures.

Lemon Tea:  Not only a Summer adventure invoker but specifically adventures  centered around places like boats, beaches, harbors, ports and other shorelines.

Cucumber Tea:  This tea REALLY invokes summer theme adventures but also places like rivers, gorges, brooks, lakes and other fresh water areas.

Willow: This tea I find is best for slow day adventures often leading to just picnics, fishing and lazy days. Defiantly a summer adventure invoker.

Oak Tea: Not a fave of mine taste wise but its does help me dive into adventures set in old urban areas, like old book shops, alleys, antique shops and so forth. 

Hibiscus:   This tea invoke adventures in me when there is a lot of trekking, walking and running. Areas like forest and woodland borderlines,  

Ginger Tea: A bit spicy for some but i takes me into adventures of Arabian and middle eastern delights. Deserts and exotic market places. (I lived 10 years in Two Suns Summerset so this tea was drunk a lot!)

Lemon Grass: Another tea which for me invokes a more “home-body” adventures. Specially farms, villages, orchards, gardens, villas and cottages.

Ash: This tea I find drives my adventures to one particular place and that is to open fields and meadows. A veru spring and summer time vibe I find comes with it.

Apples: Pretty much an go all tea for all sorts of adventures. Specially if your adventures border around these like pioneering and “westerns”

Pineapple: A great tea to help stimulate adventures in tropical places and summertime settings. 

Spearmint: (And Winter mint) Excellent to inspire and stimulate adventures set in the winter season. Spearmint I find is also a great inspirer of adventures dealing with wind (see MINT above)

Jasmine: Another tea for me that is bet taken to inspire adventures within the lines of love, passion and even just self love. I find when I by some new adventure gear, I will have a cup of Jasmine Tea to help me align my new clothes/gear to my “AH” self. 

Vanilla Tea: Hard to find but for me its an all around adventure invoker. It represents so much for me and invokes all sorts of adventures

Coconut Tea: Can be used to invoke and enhance tropical adventures as well as summertime and also adventures set in woodlands and forests, as it had a very earthy flavor

Walnut: This is one tea that for me I can not take without a weeks leave from work. Its powerful for me, invoking HIGH ADVENTURE feelings with lots of energy and want to go into battle. The smell alone gets my blood boiling to grab a sword or gun. The setting does not seen to matter; rustic or urban.

Cinnamon: (Spicy) Yeah, for me its invokes adventures in the autumn and winter seasons, but a very wild taste, so it will inspire adventures of power and action. 

Fig: A tea that, for me, inspires adventures in places like Italy, Greece, Egypt and other places along the Mediterranean, Earth and water feelings.

Pear: This is a rarity for me as I am not fond of tea BUT the tea invokes me to take off for areas like mountains, hills and cliffsides.

Corn Flowers: Another rarity for me but definitely invokes adventures within the realms of fields, farms and the old west.

Rosemary: For me, this tea is a “stay at home” tea or at the least inspires places and adventures in gardens, farms, fields and yards. I call it the “Wonderland” tea

Pine: Pretty much an all around rustic forest adventure invoker. However at times I tend to want to adventure in places like cafes, taverns, inns, B&Bs and other places or rustic and calm settings.

Black Cherry: This tea invoke adventures in pretty much all high urban places. I will have this tea before I hope the rail into the city.

Almond: This is another tea that sends me to adventure in the woods and forests. Other times it will inspire adventures in places like tavern, inns and campsites.

Honey: This is another one of those “Homebody” cottage teas but I find at times it will take me to exploring woods and the fields.

Alder: A tea I find induces adventures  leading me to places like rivers, springs and other fresh water sources.

Thyme: This tea is a killer and does me in. Not only does inspire high adventure but in dark places like basements, old houses, caverns, tunnels, swamps and wetlands. Or at the very least Rainy days. So for me I know I need to grab my sword or guns cause I know I will be dealing with some nasties.

Anyway that’s my list. Again these teas may inspire you differently and if you are an Adventure Hunter I encourage you to experiment. I would suggest NOT mixing and making blends at first but just let solo herbs spark and inspire. Start the day with a cup of tea and see where it takes you. Have a second cup for lunch or teatime to keep the inspiration going. I HIGHLY suggest you make a log of what sort of adventures the teas inspire in you. If you plan to carry teas with you on your adventure I highly suggest a air-tight baggy if you plan to be out in the rain or around water. 

[bookwyrminspiration]

hello hello its been a few days but i, the dream nonsie, am back! (also my name actually means "dream" irl 👀) personally, i think a silveny flavored popsicle would be cinnamon-y as u said, but also... sparkly? in a way? not- not like actual glitter, thats disgusting, but.. when u eat it it just *feels* magical. not sure if im making sense lol ^^ aww, glad my crazy dream made you happy! :D ask word limit is getting close so imma continue in another ask if thats okay with you! <3 1/?

hello!! welcome back--i gotta admit I was not expecting this, but it's so nice of you and I really appreciate it <33. I hope you don't mind me compiling this all into one post, that way it's just a little more organized. you're entirely welcome to send as many asks as you want, so don't worry about continuing in others! I don't mind at all!

1. oo that's a really cool name meaning!! I always think it's interesting to hear what other people's name mean, or they meanings they've chosen to associate with them (as some have more that one). Quil doesn't really have a meaning, so I love hearing others'!! The only thing I miss about my dead name is the meaning, tbh, because it was pretty !!

also, I can totally imagine the cinnamon/sparkly popsicle. when you say that I immediately think of sparkling water for some reason, like it's not a taste it's a feeling. you put it in your mouth and it's an experience. you're wild dream was probably the highlight of my day!! something about it just stood out and I kept coming back to think about it. long silveny popsicles can do that to you, i guess

2. oopsie! my bad! when someone says writing I usually just default to the wings au, because that's the writing most people know me for. but!! i'm glad you like all the analyses I've done! I don't think they'll be stopping anytime soon--it's like everytime I answer an ask I get two more, which means there will be a steady stream of them for the forseable future. I really enjoy doing them, so I love hearing that people enjoy reading them! they're mostly just me rambling until I find a pattern or connection to latch onto, and then I build from there. and depending on the ask I might grab a book from my shelf to reference something if needed

also: thank you! The wings au is a pretty big project I've wanted to take on for a while, so it's absolutely thrilling to see people interact with it and talk about it--even if they haven't read it. There's absolutely no pressure on you to read it, just so you know! Honestly sometimes baffles me that I've gotten fanart and so many asks and comments on it, enough so that people who haven't read it still know what it is. like?? my wings au?? silly little idea I had all because of one stray thought one day?

as for writing it while taking college classes: yes! that's what I've been doing! I think i've had a combined total of like three weeks of break since January (i don't get summer), but aside from that i've had four or five classes while writing the au. Actually was taking an A&P class (which are notoriously difficult, even more so on summer schedule) this summer while working on it, which was wild. But a lot of the excited comments and theories and general interaction helped motivate me to keep going.

3. it's not dissapointing at all! I don't expect for anyone to read it, it's not something you have to do in order to interact with me and the stuff on my blog. it's just something I happen to be doing so if you like it you're welcome to engage with it! I actually don't read fanfic very often either, which may be surprising as I write it. Occasionally I binge a bunch of fics in a certain ship when I'm in the mood, but that's only once every few months. Ships just don't hold huge appeal for me, so I don't find a lot of fic that interests me. Also wow! mine was one of the first you've heard of?? that's a huge accomplishment to me, thank you! Where did you hear about it? I honestly don't know where people find my au, so I'm curious.

speaking of reading fanfic, Nattie's (theunmappedstar) fic is one of the few I've read! I haven't talked to them in a while, but they're very accomplished and it's an honor to be considered alongside them in terms of writing!

as for committing to mine, feel free to take your time! no rush! it's always going to be there! although I will say it does just keep getting longer, so be prepared for that. I update every two weeks on sunday, so you've got time. if you do read it, I'd love to hear your thoughts. truly, comments and just hearing what people think are the best motivation. it also enriches the story! I never know what's going to stick out to people or what they'll remember, so hearing from people gives me ideas for scenes in the future! I have a general idea of where this au is heading, but a lot of the details have been impacted by theories and comments. You absolutely don't have to though, just if you'd like I'd love to hear

4. thank you so much <33. I'd love to get back more into traditional art, as i've been focusing on digital recently. I just love how watercolors look! I actually have a few art requests from an embarrasingly long time ago (April) that I'd like to do in a traditional style. I also just haven't posted as much art recently, so I'd love to get back into that. Coloring and lighting were mostly me just winging it, trying to imagine a few colors that would look nice next to each other and then just going for it. Also, i cant even count how many times I would accidentally switch up the light source in in the middle of a piece. I actually took an art class a few semesters ago, so I have leftover supplies from that I could use for some keeper pieces! I've had a few ideas, so hopefully your encouragement can help me get back into that <33

the writer and artist thing: thank you!! both writing and art are interests of mine, so it's so cool to get recognized for both!! I remember when I started posting art I was doing it as a "I'll do this for now until I get to the writing" thing and then i accidentally became fairly well-known as an fanartist and i was just there like wait a minute this wasn't supposed to happen. But I love it!! I love doing fanart and I'd love to do more. But I also love writing! i have some ideas for aus and other one shots I'd like to do when the wings au is done, not that I'm trying to hurry that along. I thoroughly enjoy working on the wings au, and i'm not in any rush to get through it.

and don't worry, you have nothing to apologize for!! i'm glad you feel comfortable talking to me! You don't need to be concise or anything, you're welcome to take up as much space and use as many words as you'd like. I think it'd be a little hypocritical if i didn't believe that, considering how long my responses to the asks i get are (partially why they sometimes take a bit to answer). it was very much so a fun read!! I really appreciate you and wasn't even sure how to respond to everything in a way that conveyed that. I absolutely blown away by how genuine and sweet you are

i really loved this ask, and I've reread it several times because it's just so kind. thank you so much <33

[lynnslight]

Names and Apple Dumplings

For @ladyramora to brighten her spirits.

A sweet autumn breeze made its way through the air, carrying with it hints of cinnamon and nutmeg. Whilst they hadn’t seen any villages around celebrating All Saint’s Wake, they certainly had seen plenty of preparation for Harvest Festivals.

Ramora and Lynn had been wandering the world with their two Drow for the changing of a season, and still they had yet to find a name. It had been discussed several times over the passing nights, spoken of over fires, some ideas from Lynn, and some from Ramora, though none quite stuck in a way that made the twins. It had become something of a routine, for the pair of lovebirds to think of a name each night to try.

Lynn purred as the smell carried over to where they group was walking through town. “Ramora!” She exclaimed with a noise of joy. “Do you smell that? Smells like Apple Dumplings.” A short little happy dance from the Dragoness before she darted forward, dragging the Duskwight along with her. 

The group follows Lynn as she searches for the source of the smell, her tail swishing behind excitedly. It was such a difference from how Lynn had been in Eorzea, the normally stoic and fierce warrior had given way to a woman who was overjoyed to experience simple pleasures without the weight of the world behind them both. 

The call of a salesman wasn’t far now. “Come get your apple dumplings, and fresh whipped cream! Perfect for the Harvest Festival! Freshly cooked over Rowan and Cassia wood, so you know our mix will be sweet!”

Ramora chuckled a little at the Dragoness, her excited mannerisms just made the Duskwight smile. No matter how Daemryss itched at the back of her mind, she wouldn’t let the Succubus ruin her day. 

“This is the Dragon that dominated us? How embarrassing. She is little more than a girl acting the way she is”. The Voidsent complained, a deep disgust for the current situation hanging in her soul. 

“Yes, and she’s happy this way, with me, as I am. You don’t seem to complain when she deigns to feed you. You don’t get to complain simply because it is the two of us enjoying life. You’re not in charge here, this adventure is for us, not for you.” 

After the Duskwight finished her small internal argument, she was presented with a dumpling, and a small wooden spoon to enjoy it with.

Lynn hands one each to the Drow as well, their ears perk up, as they have a sweet tooth, just as the pair of lovebirds did. The noise her lover makes at the first bite though, is much like the one Lynn did when first smelling the dumplings. The Duskwight’s ears wiggled slightly with happiness. The expression much easier to see with her more pronounced ears.“Lynn this is amazing! They weren’t kidding, they’re nice and tart, the sauce is sweet, the cream is perfect for this!”

The twins eagerly followed suit, digging into their dumplings, and many noises of content could be heard by the two as they took their time. Lynn, however, decided that her dumpling wasn’t quite sweet enough, and beckoned Ramora over, kissing her with the taste of cinnamon and apple still on her mouth.

 “There.” Lynn grinned, pulling away from their kiss. “That was the flavor I was looking for.” She seemed awfully pleased with herself, before turning to finish working on her dumpling. 

Ramora couldn’t help but grin just as much as her partner, enjoying the fire that burned in the woman’s heart. What did the salesman say? Rowan? Cassia? Those are strong names, and one for each of them. The Duskwight laughed softly to herself, certainly she’d defeat Lynn in their naming attempt this night. 

It had become something of a small contest between them, to find a name that the Drow would take as their own. The twins wanted names that felt right to them, and none so far had fit. ‘A name is a powerful thing.’ That’s what Lynn said, we need to find names that represent them well. 

Her succubus stirred inside, giving a rare comment that wasn’t sarcastic or hurtful. 

“To Name something is to make it Better, Stronger, to imbue it with a quality that was previously not there, or to empower a quality it already has. Names are more important than that still, to know the true name of something is to have a measure of power over it. As the person giving the Name, you’ll be bonding with them in a way you don’t quite understand. That’s why you’ll never know my true name.”

 She cackles at that last bit, trying to sour a genuine bit of advice. Of course, she can’t admit to being helpful, that would be too much.

Later that night as the group sat around their fire, finishing their meals before the start of this evening’s attempt at names. Lynn tried first. 

“How about…. Alice, and…. Alex?” The Dragoness had thought for a while on these names and was hoping at least one of them would stick. 

 The Drow paused, looked at each other thoughtfully for a short moment before shaking their heads. 

“No, neither of those is quite right. Better than last time though, your foreign names don’t quite suit us at all.” 

Ramora smiled, it seemed it was her turn, and she was full confident that the two would enjoy these. 

“How about Rowan, and Cassie? They’re strong trees, they burn warmly, and are quite sweet to smell.”

The twins pause again, a warm bit of magic exuding from them both, the sweet smell the Drow emit a little stronger for but a moment. 

“Well, well.” The Succubus spoke again in her head. “Seems you guessed their true names. How cute. Be careful with that knowledge.”

 After the short intermission from Daemryss, the twins grin at Ramora. 

“I think so. Rowan, and Cassie. Those are good names for us.”

"Rowan and Cassie, hmm?" The Dragoness says with a smile as she scoots closer to her lover, elbowing her with a playful tap. "Seems you found the perfect names, guess you get to be on top tonight." Lynn chuckles in reference to the promise of the defeated from their first duel. "I hope you don't mind, we will be in your hands."

[blackswaneuroparedux]

Martin Luther and Beer: the other reformation

Almost 500 years ago, an obscure Saxon monk launched a protest movement against the Catholic Church that would transform Europe. Martin Luther's Protestant Reformation changed not just the way Europeans lived, fought, worshiped, worked and created art but also how they ate and drank. For among the things it impacted was a drink beloved throughout the world and especially in Luther's native Germany: beer.

The change in beer production was wrought by the pale green conical flower of a wildly prolific plant — hops.

Every hip craft brewery today peddling expensive hoppy beers owes a debt of gratitude to Luther and his followers for promoting the use of hops as an act of rebellion against the Catholic Church. But why did Protestants decide to embrace this pretty flower, and what did it have to do with religious rebellion?

Therein foams a bitter pint of history.

In the 16th century, the Catholic Church had a stranglehold on beer production, since it held the monopoly on gruit — the mixture of herbs and botanicals (sweet gale, mug wort, yarrow, ground ivy, heather, rosemary, juniper berries, ginger, cinnamon) used to flavor and preserve beer. Hops, however, were not taxed. Considered undesirable weeds, they grew plentifully and vigorously — their invasive nature captured by their melodic Latin name, Humulus lupulus (which the music-loving Luther would have loved), which means "climbing wolf."

The church didn't like hops. One reason was that the 12th century German mystic and abbess Hildegard had pronounced that hops were not very good for you, because they 'make the soul of a man sad and weigh down his inner organs. So, if you were a Protestant brewer and wanted to thumb your nose at Catholicism, you used hops instead of herbs.

Even before the Reformation, German princes had been moving toward hops — in 1516, for instance, a Bavarian law mandated that beer could be made only with hops, water and barley. But Luther's revolt gave the weed a significant boost. The fact that hops were tax-free constituted only part of the draw. Hops had other qualities that appealed to the new movement; chiefly, their excellent preservative qualities.

All herbs and spices have preservative qualities, but with hops, beer could travel really well, so it became a unit of international trade that symbolized the growing business class, which was tangentially connected with the Protestant work ethic and capitalism.

Another virtue in hops' favor was their sedative properties. The mystic Hildegard was right in saying hops weighed down one's innards. "I sleep six or seven hours running, and afterwards two or three. I am sure it is owing to the beer," wrote Luther to his wife, Katharina, from the town of Torgau, renowned for its beer.

The soporific, mellowing effect of hops might seem like a drawback, but in fact it offered a welcome alternative to many of the spices and herbs used by the church that had hallucinogenic and aphrodisiacal properties. Fueled by these potent concoctions, church ales could be as boisterous as the Germanic drinking bouts church elders once frowned on. And so, to distance themselves further from papal excesses, when Protestants drank beer they preferred it hopped.

If the Catholic Church lost control over the printed word with the invention of the printing press — the technological weapon that ensured Luther's success — it lost control over beer with the rise of hops. The head went flat on monastic beer. Did Protestantism explicitly promote hops? Perhaps. But did it encourage the use of hops? More likely.

Luther would have relished his role in promoting hops. If anyone loved and appreciated good beer, it was this stout, sensual and gregarious monk. His letters often mentioned beer, whether it was the delicious Torgau beer that he extolled as finer than wine or the "nasty" Dessau beer that made him long for Katharina's homebrew. "I keep thinking what good wine and beer I have at home, as well as a beautiful wife," Martin Luther wrote. "You would do well to send me over my whole cellar of wine and a bottle of thy beer."

Days before he died, in February 1546, in one of his last letters to his wife, he praised Naumburg beer for its laxative properties. Luther suffered excruciating agonies from constipation, and it was therefore with immense satisfaction that he announced his "three bowel movements" that morning.

In an age where the water was unsafe, beer was drunk by everyone and was the nutritional and social fuel of Germany.  It was a really natural and very common part of every household pantry. It would be compared these days to a pot of coffee always simmering on your countertop. Back then it was a kettle of beer. Beer was brewed less for pure enjoyment than for medicinal reasons (it incorporated herbs and spices) and for pure sustenance. Beers then were richer and heartier than today. They were a source of calories for the lower classes who did not have access to rich foods.

Not surprisingly, beer pops up at pivotal moments in Luther's life. Most notably, after taking on the formidable might of the  Catholic Church, an unruffled Luther famously declared that God and the Word did everything, "while I drank beer with my [friends] Philipp and Amsdorf."

Luther's teachings were mocked as "sour beer," and one of his critics disparaged him as a heretic from the filthy market town of Wittenberg, populated by "a barbarous people who make their living from breweries and saloons." But as he gained fame and became a popular hero, a range of Lutheran merchandise was launched, including beer mugs featuring the pope as the Antichrist.

When the excommunicated Luther married the runaway nun Katharina von Bora, the town council gave the couple a barrel of excellent Einbeck beer. It was a fitting gift. Beer was soon to assume an even more central role in Luther's life, thanks to his wife.

The intelligent, talented and exceptionally competent Katharina not only bore six children and managed the Luthers' large household with its endless stream of guests but also planted a vegetable garden and fruit trees, raised cows and pigs, had a fish pond, drove a wagon, and — to her husband's undying delight — opened a brewery that produced thousands of pints of beer each year.

Her initial shaky attempts produced a thin, weak brew, but she soon got the hang of it and learned exactly how much malt to add to suit her husband's taste. Luther was ecstatic — “Lord Katie”, as he affectionately called her, had assured him a steady supply even when Wittenberg's breweries ran dry.

Luther's favourite spot to hold forth on theology, philosophy and life in general was not the tavern but the table. The long refectory table in the cavernous Luther home seated up to 50 people. "This was Luther's especial domain," writes Andrew Pettegree in his elegant biography Brand Luther: How an Unheralded Monk Turned History. "The day's labors past, he would sit with his friends and talk. Fueled by his wife's excellent beer, conversation would become general, discursive, and sometimes unbuttoned."

Unbuttoned is an understatement. Voluble, energetic and beery, Luther's conversation zigged and zagged between the sublime and the scatological, to the amazement of his students, who hung on his every word. The church was called a brothel and the pope the Antichrist. Former popes "farted like the devil" and were sodomites and transvestites. His students collected these jewels into a book called Table Talk. When it was published, it went viral.

But though he clearly loved his tankard, there is no record of Luther being a lush. In fact, he could be quite a scold when it came to drunken behaviour. He lamented the German addiction to beer, saying, "such an eternal thirst, I am afraid, will remain as Germany's plague until the Last Day." And he once declared, "I wish brewing had never been invented, for a great deal of grain is consumed to make it, and nothing good is brewed."

This was no doubt a spot of grandstanding. For all his protestations, Luther's beer stein was always full. He loved local beer, boasted of his wife's brewing skills, and launched a movement that helped promote hops. Does that make him a patron saint of the craft brewery?

Luther might blanch a bit as a good Protestant at being called a saint, and there's already a brewery saint called St. Arnold, who saved his congregation from the plague by making them drink beer. In the interests of Protestantism, he would never have called himself a saint, but he was certainly a beer enthusiast, and many a beer bar and brewery today has a picture of Martin Luther on their wall.

Cheers!

[superrobotmonkeyteamramblingsgo]

Things that Never Happened - Ally

You were once my closest ally

Summary - Otto makes his choice and sides with Mandarin. And so Mandarin achieves his goal of leading Shuggazoom and makes it the utopia he promised Otto is would be. But Otto is seeing that this peace come at a price, and it is becoming quite steep.

A/N - Remember those ‘5 things that never happened’ fic prompts? Yeah, this was suppose to be just one story out of five for that, but given how I’ve working on this one story for years, heaven’s knows if I’ll ever get the other four done. Figuring out he Mandarin-Otto dynamics in this was the main reason this took so long.

It was the smell that Otto first came aware of, even through the fog and haze that covered his mind as he woke up. It was rather delicious smell of cinnamon and nuts that made his stomach rumble.

The second thing he became aware of, even with his eyes closed, was the light. He groaned and made the mistake of opening them straight into the open window, causing him to shut them immediately again with a wince.

The third thing was that his workshop didn’t have a window. Actually, his workshop also didn’t have a seat as comfy as the one he was lying on. That caused him to sit straight up, eyes now wide awake as he took in the airy and clean room that was the antithesis of his dark and dirty workshop.

 Admittedly, it was a great way to wake up: on a soft bed in the morning light to a delicious smell in a room where he wouldn’t have to worry about tripping over any of his several projects. But the issue was that, last he remembered, he never left his workshop.

 He sighed and –reluctantly- got out of bed and opened the door of his room, intensifying the smell of baked goods. “Jinmay.”

His room opened out to the short hallway and then the kitchen where he saw her pulling out a tray of muffins from the oven. She giggled as she turned towards him. “Well good morning Otto! I hope you slept well! I just got done making muffins for breakfast!”

“Jinmay,” He repeated, trying to be as strict as possible in his voice (how did Mandarin always make it seem so easy?) as he walked into the kitchen.“What did we discuss about interrupting me while I’m down in my workshop?”

She frowned as she put the tray down on the counter. “I know, but you’ve been down there for days! You had me worried and I figured that you could at least use some time in an actual bed with a good meal.” She put the muffins on a platter and set them down on the table. “At least eat something before you head back.”

A quick check of his internal clock confirmed that it had been almost five days since he locked himself in his workshop, trying to figure out what was causing the weird readings from their surveillance satellites. The reading were far too similar to the ones they would get on the Super Robot’s scanners, in the days of before, but at least they weren’t originating from Shuggazoom. Their city was in peace, but the readings were enough of a concern to consume him for five days. Five whole days of sleeping on his hard work-bench and eating rations, and away from Jinmay.

He sighed. “Alright, but next time how about you wake me up before moving me?”

 “Only if you promise to actually come back with me, and not just say you will.” She placed one of the muffins on a small plate that she then handed to him with a smile. “And I mean it about not going back until you eat something substantial. Start with this and I’ll make you something else. Anything you’re craving?”

“Maybe bacon and eggs,” He took the plate as she returned to the kitchen and began pulling out more pans. But he noticed how she was also trying to keep the corner of her eye on him, actually stopping to watch intensely as he took his first bite, even though she was trying to be discreet about it.

That kind of intense anticipation only happened when she was waiting for his reaction to her newest recipe.

He chewed and had to admit the muffin was as good as it smelt: a nice blend of nuts and spices, with a hint of something that he couldn’t identify. He took another, bigger bite as he gave her a thumbs up. “It’s good!” He muffled through his mouth full of muffin.

Jinmay let out a high pitched screech that he might not have heard if it wasn’t for his cyber-ears. “Yes, yes, yes!” She jumped and clasped her hands. “Otto, do you know what flavor of muffin you just ate?”

He blinked at he looked down at the baked good in his hand. “Nuts?”

“Close,” She giggled. “It’s banana nut.”

Otto stopped mid-chew, looked between her and the muffin, and resumed chewing in a slow, thorough manner. “Huh”

Assessing the flavor again, he guessed that the taste he couldn’t identify might be banana, but it certainly didn’t taste as disgusting as they usually did. He begrudgingly gave his approval by taking another bite, half of the muffin now eaten.

Jinmay was practically vibrating in joy and mirth. “I told you I would find a way for you to eat bananas, didn’t I?”

Otto shook his head, though with a smile. When his last physical revealed several concerning vitamin and mineral deficits, Jinmay had taken upon herself to be his personal nutritionist and chef. Each deficiency had been easily remedied through careful meal planning, except for potassium. A supplement or any other food source could have been utilize to resolve his hypokalemia, but Jinmay had stubbornly decided that it would be bananas or bust once he mentioned how much he hated them. She was determined to find some recipe that would get him to eat his bananas.

And now she succeeded, Otto thought as he began wolfing down a second muffin. Jinmay was humming a victory song as she began frying up eggs and bacon for him.

It was actually a very nice and pleasant morning to wake up to, his plate of eggs and bacon (along with a fresh cup of coffee, pure black since he long ago stopped taking it with cream and sugar) just placed in front of him, when Mandrin had to barge in. If it wasn’t for the fact that the door was an automatic slider, he probably would have broken it down with how much rage was shaking in his fist.

“Otto! There you are! Do you have any idea how long I’ve been looking for you! You were supposed to be in your workshop going over our satellites! And why did you not respond to your communicator!”

The joy escaped from Jinmay as she stiffened into a curtsy, eyes remaining downcast. “That would be my fault, Lord Mandarin. The previous doctor’s report for Otto-”

 “Lord Otto” He corrected, venom in his voice as he glared daggers at her.

 Jinmay’s body grew even more rigid. “Lord Otto, yes, his previous physical brought up some issues regarding his sleep. Since he had been working the previous week at his workshop, I moved him to his room last night and disabled both alarms and communication to ensure he would get a full, uninterrupted night’s sleep.”

“You disabled communications? How dare you, you malfunctioning scrapheap-”

“Mandarin,” Otto grabbed the tray of muffins and placed himself between his best friend and companion. “Jinmay is just doing as the doctor said. She’s the reason why my health reports haven’t been as bad as they were before. Like these muffin, you ought to try one, it’s really good but also nutritious-”

Mandarin swatted the tray out of Otto’s hand, the ceramic shattering and mixing with the muffins along the floor. “We don’t have time for eating Otto! Not when we have disobedience in our mist.” He gave Jinmay a critical once-over. “What are you wearing, girl?”

Jinmay wore a light blue and white checked apron, lined with lacy frills, over a slightly darker blue sundress. “I’m...that is…”

 “Why are you not in uniform!” Shuggazoom City had a strict uniform policy for its civilian, and while it might differ based on the person’s actual job, the base color was always gray and orange.

 “Mandarin,” Otto said again, but firmer this time. “Jinmay’s allow to dress as she wishes with me. In fact, I was the one who got that outfit for her.”

Otto never had any interest in fashion, or clothes in general, before. Mandarin still wore his armor with a bit of added regalia to denote his position as leader, but Otto had rejected all of his friends attempt at dressing up and was the exception to the uniform rule.

Then Otto got Jinmay and discovered how much fun it was to dress her up. It was fun to look up different outfits and see all the options possible for her to wear. She decided that her favorite color was blue, and it was fun playing with the pink of her hair and green of her eyes. Before he would just order machinery parts and tools, but now his orders would include the occasional measurement and specifics for a new outfit for her. It was always a joy to see her eyes light up at each new gift and the impromptu fashion shows as she tried on each on.

“Of course,” Mandarin spat out. “It seems to be that you are giving her way too much freedom Otto. You are not to disable any more communications or alarms, girl, as well as resuming adherence to the uniform code if you want to be useful to your Lord. And get to cleaning up your mess.” He kicked one of the muffins. “Otto, you probably shouldn’t be eating such junk anyway.”

“It’s not junk!” Jinmay snapped. “I made sure that they are packed with the vitamins and minerals that Otto needed, and his health report actually noted he was losing weight so he needs to eat. And this is his house, so he sets the rules such as what I am allowed to wear and do, not you! What is yours is this mess, since you decided to intrude on our nice breakfast and...and…” The fire in her smothered as she saw Mandarin’s eyes narrowed dangerously, and she scooted closer to Otto in escape.

Mandarin turned his focus on Otto. “She talked back to me…no, she refused me.”

“Mandarin-”

“I want you to order her to change into a uniform.”

“Mandarin, I can’t.”

“Why not!” He yelled. “She’s under the Three Laws of Robotics, isn’t she?”

Otto didn’t say anything, as Jinmay wilted behind him.

“I thought so,” Mandarin went cold, his eyes and body steeled.

But Otto knew Mandarin, and what the coldness was precedent for. “Jinmay, can you please go get the broom?”

She nodded and tried to be as small as possible as she disappeared into the hallway. And just as he did, Mandarin exploded, his hand slamming into the wall and leaving an indent.

“Inconceivable! Have you gone mad Otto! I know that she had the three laws when I gave her to you! What possessed you to remove them?”

“You said I could use her as I wanted, and I wanted to see how her AI would develop without them.”

“I meant for you to decide if you wanted to use her as a maid or an assistant! So you removed the only means of complete and utter obedience from her? Otto, those laws exist for a reason and that reason is to protect not just us, but the order of our society!”

“I know that Mandarin!”

“Do you? Or have you let your affection for that-that robot cloud your thoughts? I never would have given her to you if I knew you would go soft in the head over her! But that is a mistake that can still be fixed.”

You are not taking her from me!” Otto yelled, in a move that surprised him as much as it did Mandarin, who actually stepped back.

Most of the time, Otto was fine with Mandarin taking the lead with Shuggazoom, much like how he took the lead with the Hyperforce. Most of the time he was fine with Mandarin being in charge and making decisions.

But Jinmay was his.

There were several seconds of silence after his outburst, during which the air seemed to grow colder.

“Or what Otto?” Mandarin said, in a controlled and distance tone. “Will you betray me like our brothers did before? Will you turn your back on the peace we brought to this city and all that I have taught you? Because haven’t I already taught you, no, haven’t I shown you the importance of complete obedience of our subordinates? Haven’t I show you the value of not giving them choices because that will only lead to conflict? These are the pillars we built our society, our peace, on so what does it say when you, my second, refuses to uphold them?”

“I didn’t say anything about that, Mandarin! I’m as much for this peace as you are!”

“Are you? Because our very civilization is being threatened and here you are having breakfast like it doesn’t matter!”

“If this is about the weird findings from our satellites, I’m just taking a break from them but I will get back to it-”

“I’m not talking about the satellites! I’m talking about the very control that makes our peace possible! I’m already dealing with a problem with that and don’t’ need you or your free-thinking robot to add to it!”

Mandarin’s words were like a splash of cold water in the heated atmosphere. Otto hesitated and then reached out and put a hand over Mandarin’s shoulder. Mandarin flinched at his touch, but he didn’t push the hand away as white pupils meet red. 

“Mandarin, you didn’t come over here to talk about the satellites. What else is wrong that you are worried about?” Otto could be kicking himself now. Didn’t he know Mandarin the best, wasn’t he the closest to him? He should have picked up sooner how upset Mandarin was and been more accommodating for his feelings. 

Mandarin took a deep breath as he shut his eyes. “I’ll show you at the capital.”

- - -

The down fall of the team, in the end, was forgetting just how smart Mandarin is. As leader, it was expected that he would be well-versed in battle formations and tactics, but Mandarin went beyond that. He would never specialize in mechanics and science the way Otto and Gibson did, but he occupied the step right behind them. Science, mechanics, piloting, fighting, and even the Power Primate...he may have been a master of none of them, but jack of all trades made him far better than a master of one. That was why his ideal utopia was already planned out and ready to be implemented when he presented it to Otto.

All Otto had to do was go over everything to ensure that it would work properly and that there wasn't any overlooked loose ends. That was why the rest of the team -the rest of the traitorous team, Mandarin always reminded him- was unable to resist the shutdown sequence and escape from their cells while they were transported to their observational prison. The two had plans for a world of peace and harmony, and Otto hoped some time in HOOP would allow their eyes to be open to the good they were doing.

That day hadn’t come yet, but Otto was sure it would come...eventually.

Mandarin's utopia rested on the implementation of control collars that would ensure harmony and order. No longer would they have to be reactive to the evil doings of the Shuggazoom citizens, but take an active role in ensuring that all crime was prevented.

Shuggazoom operated like a well-oiled machine and, as a mechanic, Otto took care of it. He left administrative and internal affairs to Mandarin and, once the system reached the point of being self-regulatory, he retired to a corner of the city where he kept to his own inventions. He was allotted a group of assistants, but had declined them. He probably would have stayed alone if Mandarin hadn’t presented him with Jinmay, an blank slate of an android he found for Otto to tinker with.

But even the most up-kept of machine occasionally malfunctioned and today was one of those times when Otto was called on site.

“This is the fourth time it happened with this one citizen.” Mandarin explained as Otto looked over the information on the tablet that had been shoved in his hands. They were in Mandarin’s private transporter -designed to look quite similar to the Torso Tank- and going to the capital in the center of the city. The capital was built in front of the Super Robot, which would forever overlook the citizens. There was no more war or battles for it to fight, no evil for it to stop, so there was no need to activate or disengage it for something as trivial as transport, as Mandarin had said.

Otto frowned as he read the citizen’s file. The brain was too complex of a system for the collar to be one-hundred percent perfect. Age was a big factor, especially when puberty happened and the brain began pruning neural pathways. It wasn’t uncommon for collars to fall out of sync and fail during that time at least once, even twice. 

The first and second de-sync was expected, and with this citizen just being twelve he was at the right age for his first adjustment. It wasn’t even unheard of for a third time to be needed, thought that was more often seen in older cases.

But four times? At at such a young age?That was unheard of.

“Mandarin, I’m sorry for arguing with you,” He repeated as he looked up from the tablet. “I should have picked up that you were upset over something like this.”

“You should have.” Mandarin waved off his apology. “But I will forgive you if you can fix this. And you can fix this, right?”

Otto frowned as his finger traced the latest printout of the citizen 91804’s brainwaves. “I have some ideas, but I’ll need to go over the data some more, and get a hands on look at the collar.”

“Well can you at least get him to stop until then? I can’t have him running around doing Shuggazoom-knows what!”

“Stop him? Like suppress all other brainwaves?”

“Well that would guarantee that he can’t go off on his own, does it?”

“Yes, but Mandarin, he would be little more than a vegetable-”

“But he would be a cooperative vegetable. The only thing I care about is that this doesn’t happen a fifth time. Do it!”

The transport stopped Mandarin didn’t even wait for the guard to open the door before he threw it opened and he was stomping into the building. Otto grabbed the tablet and gave a nod to the guard, who stayed stone still and didn’t even respond to him.

Mandarin was standing outside a cell, flanked by guards, when he caught up with him. “He’s in here.” The guard opened the door at Mandarin’s command. Otto handed the tablet to the guard and walked in.

In the beginning, Otto had to manually scan, analyze, and reprogram the collars in person. He hated the process, so he created the current system that allowed for automatic reprogramming and adjustments to the collars. His latest upgrade even allowed for prediction for when the reprogramming would be needed, allowing for greater security of their society.

It was a long time since Otto had been called to one of their holding cells to personally fix the command collar. They were the same as ever, four walls with a one-way screen at the front, and a restraint built into the wall at the back. And there was the citizen, strapped to it but struggling against his bonds.

Otto lost his breath as he looked at him. He was just a boy! Sure, his file had mentioned he was twelve, but Otto had been too out of touch with humans to remember just what such a number meant.

The boy looked to be Jinmay’s age, or at least the age she had been built to. And he had such clear blue eyes that widened at Otto when he stepped forward.

With each step Otto took, the boy’s eyes went from wide with worry to narrowing, trying so hard to look threatening. But it was more like Jinmay’s attempt, when she tried to look tough as she lectured him about his health.

To someone who had battled countless monsters and seen terrors from all sides of the galaxy, it didn’t elicit so much as a flinch. But the true impact wasn’t to inspire fear, but the others emotions it stirred up in Otto.

Right now the boy’s attempt was making him feel unsettled.

“It’s going to be alright,” Otto didn’t know why he spoke; before he would fix the collars without saying a single word. Mandarin always reminded him that he needed to be efficient and trying to talk to them was a waste of time, especially when a gag kept the prisoner from responding.

But the boy did seem to calm, his struggle stopping even as Otto’s fingers were messing with the inner mechanics of the very collar that controlled his life.

The collars could tap into the spinal nerve to completely suppress brainwaves. But the point of the collars was to have a peaceful society, and a society required somewhat cognitive and moving citizens. Hence why Otto made it so a manual override, done in person, was required to activate such a setting.

“Otto, hurry up!” Mandarin hissed over the intercom and Otto felt like he had been slapped awake. He had a job to do, a peace to keep, and work needed to be done.

This really would be for the best. The boy would basically be asleep while they worked on figuring out what was causing him to de-sync. It was for the best, for him and the peace of their society.

But still, Otto hesitated before he finished rebooting, he finger resting on the switch as meet the boy’s eyes, so full of emotions that Otto couldn’t even begin to decipher them all. 

And then there was a jolt or something that caused him to pull his hands back while the boy’s eyes seemed to…glow green?

Otto looked over the room, but didn’t see any broken wire or anything else out of place that could have caused the stray electrical shock. Actually, now that Otto thought about it, it didn’t feel like electricity.

But it felt achingly familiar…

The boy was looking at him, and his eyes were blue so maybe the glow had been the trick of the light or something?

(But if was a trick of the light, why did Otto feel like this? Why was he acutely aware of an emptiness inside his spirit?)

And then there was a flicker and the boy thrashed against the collar’s grip before his eyes were vacant and his body slummed lifelessly against his restraint.

“I don’t know what was taking so long,” Mandarin slammed the door open, and it took Otto another moment at looking at the boy’s body to realize that Mandarin had probably issued the collar reboot on his end.

Otto just kept looking at the body as Mandarin ordered the guards. “Release him and take him to the infirmary to hook up to a life support. I don’t want him dying until I can figure out why he is causing such trouble.”

When they were gone, it was just the two of them in the cell and Mandarin let out a deep breath. “Much better. Now that is one less things to worry about. I still want to keep this from happening again, but at least he’s back under control.”

“Yes Mandarin.”

 He frowned as he turn to Otto. “Are you still upset?”

Otto didn’t say anything, just kept looking at his feet with thoughts weighing his head down.

“Otto,” He looked up to Mandarin, who wasn’t mad but still had his ‘leader’ voice, like he did whenever he was giving criticism. “You know that I only get so angry because I worried. And that is why Jinmay had me so upset, because I am worried about your safety”

He wanted to argue that she would never hurt him, that he trusted her, but he was so drained from everything that he just nodded.

 “Good. Otto, you have been with me for every step of our utopia,” Mandarin smiled. “And it is because we are so close that I know you will make the right choice, like you always have.”

Otto nodded again and turned towards the door.

“A ride for you will be here-”

“No, it’s fine,” Otto’s voice was as rough and shaky as thoughts. “I want to walk home and get some air.”

“Well don’t dawdle because you still have the satellites to figure out. Our peace depends on it.”

Otto nodded again and left.

There wasn’t any more parks in Shuggazoom. Mandarin hadn’t seen any reason for them, since any time a citizen could be frolicking in the flowers was better dedicated to helping the city. There was always some task that needed to be accomplished and the land was better used for their ever expanding industrial field, he said.

Otto had pleaded for at least one park to be kept, but Mandarin had put his foot down. So the area had been paved and filled with buildings and factories.

That was why Otto had his workshop build on the outskirts, where there were still plenty of plants in the peace and quiet.

Otto walked down the road, the occasional citizen immediately stopping in their task to salute the great second of their civilization. But there was no smile, cheers, or even attempts at conversation. They simply got back to their work.

But that was how things were supposed to be, Mandarin said. They would protect the city and in return the citizens would keep it running.

It hadn’t been that way at first. The collars had been more lax and allowed more free thoughts. But that had brought more issues, more instants of them breaking free and starting rebellions. So Otto had adjusted the collars bit by bit, until they were as they were today.

Jinmay would smile or laugh or wave, or all three and it didn’t matter if he caught her in the middle of her chores or hobbies.

It hadn’t been that way with Jinmay at first. For being the most human looking  robot Otto had ever seen, she had been so robotic in everything else. She would not move or act unless he specifically commanded her to do so. Otherwise she would just stand there like a very elaborate piece of furniture instead of the companion she was meant to be. So Otto had adjusted her programing, bit by bit, until she because what she is today.

The citizens didn’t need free time for frivolously things, Mandarin said. They never risked their lives to protect the city, after all. By what right did they have for hobbies or pastimes or games?

Jinmay had hobbies. He still remembered her first attempt at baking, how she had tried to make a pot pie by literally putting the chicken and veggies in the batter to cook. It had been a mess, but he had loved how she kept trying new things. Sure, she could stick to a recipe when she wanted, but most of the time she wanted to experiment. And as she got better, so did her results. Case in point were her delicious muffins from the morning.

He had told her ‘no bananas’ but she didn’t take that as a command but a challenge. She kept trying again and again, because it was her personal challenge.

The citizens of the city would hear ‘no bananas’ and that would be it.

The more Otto walked, the more empty the city seemed even as citizens bustled around in their duties. The more he walked, the more eerily the quiet became, far from the calm that it usually brought him. The more he walked, the more he realized how far things have come from the utopia Mandarin sold him all those years ago.

The more he walked, the more the empty ache in his soul grew.

The sun was setting when Otto reached the outskirts where his house was, the corner of the world he had retired in his naive and ignorant desire for peace and quiet.

Well, there were certainly plenty of the latter.

Jinmay had probably finished cleaning up the mess from this morning and be busy making something extra filling and nutritious for dinner, no doubt trying to make up for the miss meal.

Otto didn’t go in through the front, but took the side door down to his basement workshop. His bench was like it had been when he fell asleep the night before, all of his tools in a mess on it.

He looked down at the satellite that he was currently dissembling and reassembling, meticulously going through each part to see if there was any flaw responsible for the readings they were getting. He was going through each one and wasn’t even half way through, and wondered what was the point. What was the point in figuring out if there was a threat outside of Shuggazoom? What was the point in fighting a battle when it was clear the war has been lost?

What was the point in protecting a peace that left the city a shadow of its former self?

He slammed his arm on the bench, jolting the mess of tools and parts before he shoved them onto the floor. He didn’t even care as some of the delicate parts shattered against the floor, because he had turned his eyes this long to how bad Shuggazoom had become, what was more broken pieces on top of it?

Then he rested his arms on the now bare space and put his face in his hands, but didn’t cry. He didn’t have the right to cry over mistakes he made.

That was how Jinmay found him who knows how long afterwards. He just heard the door open and the lights flickered on. “Otto? You’re back? When did you get back? I have dinner ready-”

Otto looked up to her and he must have looked horrible because Jinmay put her hands to her mouth as she gasped. “Otto, what’s wrong?”

Otto just took a moment to look at her, his Jinmay who was still wearing the outfit he got for her and looking at him more worry and care than he deserved.

His Jinmay, who was far more free than any other person on Shuggazoom.

“Jinmay, I-” He tried to speak, but his voice cracked as the tears finally broke through. “I made a mistake.”

“Oh Otto,” She put her arms around him and he buried his tears into the sleeves of her dress. He felt her rubbing his back as he cried. “Whatever it is, I’m here for you.”

Otto made a promise in that moment, when he was shown far more care and compassion than all of Shuggazoom has been given. He would cry and get all his tears out, but then he would pull himself together and get to work.

Jinmay could come if she wanted, but it would be wholly her decision, her choice. He was done taking that away from people.

It would be a lot of work, but Otto was determined. Shuggazoom may be a weak facsimile of what it once was, the Hyperforce locked up, and a threat lurking just out of orbit, but he’s a mechanic.

Fixing things that are broken is what he does. 

A/N: Otto and Jinmay were intended to have a parent-child or even sibling like relationship, but if you want to see it as romantic, go for it. I’m too exhaust from figuring out the Mandarin-Otto dynamics to squabble over theres.

[underdarkbaking]

The Best Pie of the Forgotten Realms

Let me tell you, this is probably the hardest I’ve ever worked to come up with a recipe, and the results are… well, you’ll see. Buckle up Wafflefam, it’s a long one. I can’t promise you it will be interesting, but I CAN promise you you’ll learn a lot about edible lichen.

The journey began with collecting what we canonically know about Jarlaxle’s pie: Chris called it a “Luskan fractal helix apple pie”, and its ingredients are common enough that you can find them already in Strix’s shop or in a Waterdhavian market, the two exceptions being Kara-Tur pears and a specific type of white, aquatic lichen that acts as a substitute to cinnamon. We also know that before getting the two secret ingredients, Strix was already working on the pie for about an hour or more; she then needed a performance check to successfully assemble it, and the pie baked “through the night”. Oh, and also, the pie is ultimately poisoned. More on that later.

The first thing I did was figuring out a “real world” counterpart to the secret ingredients, so that I could design the recipe around them rather than trying to cram them in a traditional apple pie.

The choice was easy for the Kara-Tur pears: Kara-Tur first appeared in the Oriental Adventures book for AD&D in 1985, and it doesn’t seem to have changed much since. As far as I can tell, the only mention of Kara-Tur in 5E is a brief paragraph in the Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide, where it says that “Far to the east […] lie the empires of Shou Lung, Kozakura, Wa, and the other lands of the vast continent of Kara-Tur”. It’s probably a safe bet to assume these are the equivalent of our real-world China, Japan and Korea. So at least that’s easy to search: we need an Asian pear that is not that common in the West. You don’t have to look far to find the ideal candidate, the nashi pear; also called Asian pear, it’s grown almost exclusively in Japan, Nepal and China, and nowhere commercially in Europe or the US, which makes it a rather difficult fruit to find in the West. I also discovered when researching it that it was called “apple-pear” in several languages, so if that’s not a sign that it belongs in the best apple pie of the Realms, I don’t know what is. Now actually getting the nashi pears was kind of a pain, and after visiting several markets and shops and finding a big fat nothing, I gave up and ordered some online. Which, as you can imagine, makes it by far the most expensive ingredients that goes into the pie. I think I paid more for two pears than for all the other ingredients combined, but anyway, I’ll just be happy it fits into the theme of the rare and hard-to-get ingredient.

Let’s get to the white underwater lichen, shall we? Now THIS was a far more complicated treasure chase. At first I thought I could get away with using some kind of algae or seaweed, since there are so many edible ones, but nooo, that’s not what lichen is, you silly goose: it’s an organism made of types of fungi living in symbiosis with bacteria that use photosynthesis (most commonly algae). In other words, lichen is a moss-mushroom. A mossroom. This led me on a many-hours search of what types of lichen were edible, hoping against hope that I could just go and scrap some off of the trees and rocks in the forest nearby (spoiler alert: I couldn’t). I finally settled on three potential candidates for “best cinnamon substitute in pastry”: Umbilicaria, kalpasi, and Iceland moss.

Umbilicaria (pictured above) is also called “rock tripe” in North America. It was a good candidate because, while not strictly aquatic, it does grow better on seaside cliffs and it is harvested in rainy weather. Its colours vary from black to light gray, so, that’s not white, but grayish could be close enough. I ultimately didn’t go with this one for another reason: it’s a delicacy in Japan, where it’s called “iwatake”, and that’s pretty much the only place where I could order some from. And it might seem petty, but I didn’t want the two secret ingredients to come from the same region of the world. There’s no fun in that.

Kalpasi (above) also seemed like a good choice: it’s an Indian spice composed of ground up greyish-brown lichen, used in meat dishes. I liked it because, unlike other types of lichen, this one is supposed to actually taste good, with earthy, almost truffle-like tones. And we all know truffles always make a dish 50% fancier. For those interested, you can sometimes find it in the West in specialized shops, under the names kalpasi or dagad phool.

Coming down to the last one, Iceland moss! Despite its name, it is indeed a lichen and not a moss. I eventually settled on this one, for three reasons:

1)      It’s not always white, but it can be.

2)      It has been used as an unusual ingredient by the inventive chef René Redzepi in his two-Michelin-star restaurant Noma, in Copenhagen, considered one of the best restaurants in the world. The meals are… interesting, to say the least. Anyway, if it’s good enough to warrant two Michelin stars, we might as well use it.

3)      As its name indicates, it grows in Iceland, more specifically on lava slopes. It’s not underwater, but I like the exoticism it brings to the table, in contrast to the other ingredients. Moreover, I don’t know how much of 4E has been retconned over the years, but I like the idea of Jarlaxle stumbling upon a rare type of white lichen on an ancient lava slope in Gauntlgrym just before he accidentally released Maegera (yes, the same one) and caused the eruption that destroyed Neverwinter. It gives a bit of flavor to the lichen, pun intended.

 Here’s a picture of the bag I bought. It’s not the whitest, but it’ll do.

And there we are, the first step is done, we have our secret ingredients. For the more mundane ones, I went as “high-end medieval fantasy cooking” as I could:

-          Waterdeep flour is most likely made in a traditional mill, probably water- or donkey-powered, so the flour I’ll be using comes from an abbey where it is made traditionally by monks who only sell it there. I’m not even joking. It’s an hour and a half away from where I live but I always make sure to pick up a few bags when I’m in the vicinity. It’s the finest flour I have ever seen, and I’m not exaggerating when I say it flows like water. The stuff is mesmerizing. Do you think they make flour in the Spires?

-          The butter is also locally sourced from a dairy just outside my hometown, it’s partly made with the milk of cows I can see from my window. I don’t think the taste is that different from generic/industrial butter, but it’s as fresh as I can get, and I think that’s closer to what would be available in Waterdeep.

-          Nothing much I can do about the powdered sugar, so it’s just store-bought. I could not find any mentions of sugar in official D&D sources, so I’m assuming they get the expensive one from Kara-Tur and they make the regular one from sugar beets, or that they use honey as a sweetener. We’ll just assume Strix gets hers from her Heward’s handy spice pouch, because we only need a small quantity of it.

-          The eggs, on the other hand, come straight up from my grandma’s chickens. There are just 4 of them but their pen is bigger than her house and they eat like kings because the entire extended family feed them all their leftovers. I figure Strix probably raises her chickens the same way, or at least with the same amount of love. Their yolk is a bright yellow that you can’t get from anywhere else, and it makes for a good-looking pastry.

-          Similarly, the apples come from my grandfather’s apple tree. It’s an exceptional tree that produces so much that 2 other varieties have been grafted on its trunk over the years; it now produces three different kinds of apple. We’re obviously a few months after the season though, so I’m using apples from Fall 2018 that were in my freezer. Not the freshest of ingredients, especially compared to the rest, but it’s the most “organic” apples I can get. I don’t think Waterdeep’s orchards use GMOs.

 Now we need to find a way to make all of this into the best apple pie possible. On a sidenote here, I realize I’m not going to come up with the best apple pie ever out of the blue and simply by adding a strange fruit and an even stranger spice. My goal is for the pie to be the best it can be, while making it interesting enough so that a pie critic from the Forgotten Realms would be delighted enough to kiss a trash-tiefling.

First we need to figure out what Strix is doing to get the pie ready while her companions are fighting wererats and fishing treasure chests. I decided to use my tried-and-true crust recipe, which I have already posted here. It’s a bit long to make, as you need to make the dough, let it cool down for at least 30 minutes, and bake it blind for 10 to 15 minutes; that could be what Strix is doing during the hour+ when the others are away. It’s also way more buttery than most pastry recipes, and it’s a bit unusual in its use of powdered sugar, which I feel makes it closer to what the game’s recipe could be, because, well, it’s non-traditional. Given his choice of ingredients, Jarlaxle is obviously more on the disruptive side of baking.

Next, the filling. In my baking experience, I have found that apple pie is always better when the bottom is lined with applesauce: it keeps the crust from overcooking and keeps the apple slices moist for far longer, allowing you to cook the pie for the few minutes more that will turn crunchy apple bits into soft bites of caramelized goodness. The question now was, do I turn the nashi into purée and use that instead of applesauce, or should I use it as a fruit topping like an apple?

At first, I thought my supply of nashi pears would be very limited, so I would have to make them count. But once they showed up at my house, I realized my mistake: one pear weighs 800g (1.76 lb). These are heckin’ chonkers. Here they are, surrounding a normal-sized apple that wasn’t asking for any trouble:

They’re as big as a grapefruit and four times as heavy. And the taste? Oh sweet Lathander, the taste. This is one of the juiciest fruit I’ve ever eaten. It feels like you’re eating a pear, but it tastes like a very sweet apple, with none of the tartness. It’s like a fruit for kids.

So, given that I had so much more fruit than I expected, I could try some experiments; I turned one half of a nashi into purée, and I baked a tray of mini-pies to try a few different combinations of fruit and sauce.

And here’s what I discovered –the nashi loses its taste when it’s cooked. There is absolutely no point in making an apple pie with nashi as a main fruit, because it’s like biting into a bland pear, which is a shame, given how delicious it is in its raw form. However, its juiciness makes it a pretty great ingredient for the purée. As I said, it loses its taste, so it doesn’t overpower the apples, but the texture of the “nashisauce” is everything you want in that kind of pie: it’s smooth, it’s moist, it ties everything together very well. So, I’ll count that as a win!

Now for the lichen. Chris/Jarlaxle said it was to be used as a substitute to cinnamon, so I had a few options: mix it in with the nashisauce, lightly coat the apple slices in it before assembling the pie, or dust the pie just out of the oven with grated lichen. At that point, you’re probably wondering what Iceland moss tastes like, and so was I. So I ate a bit of it. And regretted it immediately.

It is extremely bitter, and tastes like cheap tea. How do you turn that into an ingredient worthy of the best pie in Waterdeep? The first thing I tried was to let it steep in hot water, as if I was actually making tea. I made two cups: one to use the resulting water as a binding agent for the crust (which would imply reducing the amount of egg yolk, but you never know, it could be for the best), and one to see if I could “wash away” some of the bitterness off the lichen.

Well, again, no to both of those, it was just too bitter. But I discovered in the process that if you let the lichen steep in hot water long enough, it falls to the bottom of the cup and you can mush it into a kind of lumpy paste. Working from this, and after many tries, I finally came up with what I think is a good solution: I boiled the lichen in a lot of water with a few spoons of honey until it turned into mush, pressed that into a mold, baked it for half an hour, rolled the resulting paste into a ball with powdered sugar to reduce its stickiness, let it air dry overnight and well into the next day (I sped up the process by leaving it on top of my oven, which is often on in our home), and baked it once more at a very low temperature for almost two hours. The result was a very hard ball of cooked-but-unburnt lichen, honey and sugar, which I could grind into a sand-like powder.

Its only use in that state is to be scattered on top of the pie just out of the oven, which melts the sugar and frees the aroma of the lichen. Now here’s where it gets interesting: it’s sweet and the bitterness is still there, but it’s a good bitterness, like adding dark chocolate to curry or a red wine sauce. It’s not overpowering, it doesn’t overwhelm the apple taste, you don’t get it on every bite so you don’t get bored of it, and overall, it just tastes great. And that’s exactly what we want.

All right, everything seems to be figured out ingredients-wise, time to bake the first test pie! I was wondering what exactly would be the look of a “fractal helix pie”, so I just went with a pie-ception kind of concept and used once again my trusty mini-pie tray to make smaller pies on the main pie.

Also, I used an apple peeler and corer and only cut one side of the resulting product to turn the fruits into apple rings rather than the usual apple slices. I was hoping that it’d look more helix-y if I covered the pie in intertwined rings. Pop that in the oven for 50 minutes, and here we go!

So here are the results; it’s a good pie, all in all. The nashisauce certainly makes a difference for the best, albeit a small one –if you know it’s there, you can barely taste it, but if you don’t know it just feels like “hey, the applesauce did its job remarkably well today”. The lichen is also a welcomed addition on the bites where it is present, but you have to tell your guests that it’s there, otherwise their “Oh yeah, that’s pretty good in a dark chocolate-y kind of way” will turned into a shocked “What in the Nine Hells is that black stuff that tastes like a cursed grapefruit”.

Regarding the looks of the pie, it didn’t quite turn out as I’d hoped. Sure, it’s different, and the mini-pies-on-a-pie where a hit with the guests, but the apple rings had shrunk and broke off each other in several places, making it just a weirdly laid-out apple pie.

All in all, the first full-scale test was a bit disappointing, but not discouraging –the basics were there, and it was better than my usual apple pie. It just needed a little something to push it over the edge.

At this point, I’m thinking that the ingredients are pretty much the best we can realistically get, and I can’t imagine any cooking technique within my abilities that would improve the overall taste. So let’s add more ingredients and see if it does the trick. What can we add that doesn’t betray the lore of DCA and the setting of the Forgotten Realms?

Let’s dive back into the process: Strix has to bake her pies in a traditional bread oven, given that she worked in a bakery when she was a child. Which means her pies cook realistically in less than an hour in a very hot oven that stays around 250°C-275°C (480°F-530°F) all day. We’ve also seen in some episodes that the pies can be made and cooked in 10 minutes to half an hour, so she probably has a bunch of pre-cooked pastry case and keeps her oven above 300°C (570°F) , which is possible although quite insane.

But Chris said that the pie was let to bake overnight. How does that happen? Probably by baking the crust blind in the hot oven, which you typically don’t do for an apple pie, then take it out, let the temperature drop and the fire turn to embers, and finally putting the now assembled pie inside and closing the door so that the fruit slowly cooks and caramelizes. And what happens when you leave something in a semi-closed wood-fired oven for an extended period of time? It gets smoked. Literally. This is something I hadn’t thought of before, but every pastry made by Strix should have a very light woody, smoky aftertaste.

I don’t have access to a traditional baker’s oven (I’ve been planning on building one myself for years but never made the jump because I seriously doubt I could pull it off), but nowadays it’s easy to come by something called liquid smoke, which is exactly what it sounds like. So let’s get back to the mini-pie tray and bake some with different amount of liquid smoke, mixed into the applesauce or baked into the pastry.

And survey says: ooh boy you really don’t need much. If we extrapolate from the taste of the small pies, only about 5 drops should be added to the applesauce, and nothing to the pastry. It should give the pie that subtle smoky taste that hints toward campfire food. Any more and it tastes like the pie has been baked on an unwashed stove where you previously charred pounds of cheap, expired bacon.

Okay, we’re almost there… and then, as I was scraping my brain to find a new ingredient that would stay true to the pie, it hit me. It was staring at me right in the face from the very beginning.

It’s a LUSKAN pie. It’s from basically a pirate city! It needs rum to be complete! Again, there’s two way to go about this: either mix a big tablespoon of rum with the nashisauce, or pour it on the pie at the last moment to flambé it. But let’s be honest, flambé is just for show, and it will be much more flavorful if it bakes with the pie, so, let’s do that.

Also, I went back to Chris’s tweet announcing what the episode would be about, and he used this gif: 

Soooo… Yeah, that’s probably why he called it a “fractal helix” pie. I don’t think I can replicate an ever-moving infinite pastry in real life, but I can certainly try.

Okay, let’s bake a new pie for real! This should be the one. I’m doing everything in one go, as close to DCA as I can:

1-      Preparing the crust and baking it blind, undercooking it a lot, just enough so that there is no risk of the crust losing its integrity under the humidity of the nashisauce, while the rest of the Coven goes on a hunt for lichen and pears. Total time: 1 hour.

2-      Beginning to cook the nashi into purée with half a vanilla pod (in a bit of last-minute inspiration) while peeling half of the apples; I am letting those oxidize for a bit, so that I’ll have two different colors of apple to work with. Time: 5min.

3-      Boiling the Iceland moss with honeyed water and pressing the resulting paste into a mold: 15min.

4-      Thoroughly blending the cooked nashi purée and setting it to cool down on the windowsill while the lichen bakes in the oven: 15 min.

5-      Taking the lichen out of the oven and rolling it into a ball with powdered sugar: 5 min.

6-      Mixing the nashisauce with liquid smoke and rum, peeling the rest of the apples, and finally assembling the pie in a pattern that suggests movement: 45 min. Yeah I went back and forth a lot with the placement and shapes of the apple slices. I’m thinking this is where the performance check comes into action, and I do not have proficiency in that skill.

7-      And now, it has to cook overnight, while the ball of sweet lichen dries out on top of the oven. So what I’m doing is actually baking it at low temperature (175°C/350°F) for over an hour, and then, without ever opening the oven door to keep as much humidity inside as I can, turning it down to the smallest setting for another hour (that would be 100°C/210°F on my oven). Once this is done, I’m still not opening the oven door, and I turn the oven off, letting it cool down with the pie still inside overnight. Also I started it at 7PM, and now it’s a bit before midnight because I took my sweet time, so I’m going to sleep.

The next morning, I’m checking the ball of lichen: it’s not as hard as the first time, mostly because I didn’t let it dry long enough, but I should be able to grate enough of its surface to lightly dust it on the pie. Speaking of the pie, I’m finally opening the oven door, and… it looks perfect.

Or at least, it looks how I wanted it to look: the patterns are there, although some slices have shifted a little, and the two colors of apple give it a style that I absolutely love. I’m definitely using this trick from now on for my normal apple pies. And it’s still a bit warm. I’m taking the pie out and putting the lichen in on a very low setting to dry it out a bit more.

Four hours later, I am serving the pie; I popped it in the hot oven for a brief moment to slightly warm it up, grated a bit of lichen on top of it, and dug in with everyone.

Is it the perfect pie? Probably not. Is it unusual? I mean, kinda, there’s a lot of subtle flavors in there that you don’t necessarily expect. Is it good? Yes, yes it is. The ingredients blend very well together. But more importantly, DID MY MOTHER SAY SHE LOVED IT AND ASK FOR THE RECIPE? DAMN RIGHT SHE DID. And that’s all I need to call it a success.

So here we are folks, this is the end of our Luskan fractal helix pie journey. I had a lot of fun coming up with that one, and I’m looking forward to the next culinary endeavors of the Chicken Foot Coven.

I guess that, as a conclusion, I need to address the biggest question we’re all asking ourselves: is this pie worth making?

If you just want to eat a good apple pie, no, not really. Just make your favourite apple pie, and maybe take some inspiration from this recipe to spice it up a bit. But if you want to try and bake it in the spirit of “let’s make a DCA-inspired pie”, please do. It’s tremendous fun. I loved tracking down and using those exotic ingredients, and the process of turning lichen into sweet sand makes you feel like an alchemist. Plus, it’s an easy recipe, there’s not much that can go wrong. It’s still just an apple pie.

All right, that’s it, we’re done. If you read everything, thank you so much for keeping up with my rambling. Don’t hesitate to ask if you have some questions related to all of that. Otherwise, I’ll see you all next time there is something to bake!

PS: “But what if I want to taste what the critic ACTUALLY ate, poison and all?”

So I did some research, and it seems that most poisons have a bitter taste, which is already present in our pie thanks to the lichen. So, potentially, the pie wouldn’t taste much different. I’d also wager that the Drow poison is tasteless. However, some “classical” poisons are known to have a distinct taste: cyanide supposedly tastes like bitter almonds, and poison hemlock allegedly tastes like mild parsnip. Yes, parsnip, you read that right. I don’t think parsnip will be a good addition to our pie’s flavor profile, but I’m positive that almonds will make it even better. If you’re not allergic.

[whythehandbasket]

Of Tattoos and Flowers

This is my KuraRyou exchange gift for @alwaysdrowninginfeels 

I hope you like it!!! 

Ryousuke needs inspiration.

Can he find it in the green haired biker who owns the local flower shop? 

“Think, Ryou…,” Ryousuke murmured, tapping his pencil on the pad of paper in front of himself, the lack of well, anything, mocking him. Sighing, he closed his sketchbook and leaned on his elbow, chin on his hand as he looked out the window of his shop.

Second Base tattoo parlor was his baby, his income and his life. He’d built a reputation for quality, personalized tattoos that were guaranteed not to fade with time, each one carefully drawn and colored by himself. The actual tattooing part was just an afterthought for him, his real joy was the before—the art he composed and presented to the client, original and inked to their specifications. He didn’t do skulls or words in foreign languages that meant something much different than intended, he considered those things not worth his time and effort and made no attempts to hide it. His work was personalized and well executed, and his prices and reputation reflected that. This time, though, he was stuck.

Knowing he wasn’t going to get anything done until he found some inspiration, he flipped of his lights and left, locking the door behind himself, heading to somewhere he was sure to find amusement, even if the inspiration wasn’t forthcoming.

Pulling into the parking lot of the Battery Bakery and Coffee Shop, Ryousuke peered through the glass, verifying who was working behind the counter. Yep, there was Haruichi, his little brother, who was working part time while he was in college. Beside him was the resident smartass and coffee expert, Miyuki. Well. He knew he’d at least get a decent cup of coffee and maybe some advice. Climbing out of the car, he strolled through the door, inhaling the familiar smell of coffee and cinnamon.

“Welcome to the…” Haruichi started, cutting off when he looked at the door. “Hi, Aniki! I wasn’t expecting to see you this evening.”

Miyuki looked up from his clipboard when he heard Haruichi’s greeting. “Ahh, it’s the elder Kominato! What can I get for you this afternoon?” Leaning on the counter he spoke softly, motioning Ryousuke near. “I got a shipment of Kona beans in today, was just going to try them out. You in?”

Ryousuke nodded, stepping up to the counter. “I’d love a cup.” He was always happy to drink any of Miyuki’s varied coffee bean acquisitions, knowing how much attention he paid to the origin and roasting. He was a bit of a snob about them and Ryousuke was willing to take advantage of that whenever the opportunity arose.

“What else can we get you?” Haruichi asked as someone popped out of the back of the store.

“Onii-san!” Eijun, the ‘baker’ part of the Battery waved as he bounded forward. “I haven’t seen you in a while, how are you?”

“About to be so much better with this coffee,” Ryousuke said, greeting the enthusiastic man with a small smile.

“Ohhhh! I’ve got the perfect thing,” Eijun said. “Give me a second.” He ducked back into the kitchen, returning just as Miyuki set the freshly brewed coffee on the counter. “Here, my newest creation. It should go well with that coffee.”

“What are you even saying?” Miyuki glared at him. “Nobody wants to dilute the taste of good coffee with baked goods; you can’t appreciate the subtle flavors. Save it for the morning traffic who doctor it up with cream and sugar and don’t understand real flavor.”

“Miyuki Kazuya!” Eijun started, laying the plate he’d brought out onto the counter. Ryousuke was intrigued by the cupcake sitting on it. “This is a pineapple cupcake with coconut frosting, all things that are sourced from the same place that coffee is. They’ll go together because they grow together.”

“How does that even make sense?” Miyuki snarked, turning away from his seething boyfriend to take a sip of his coffee. “This is...I’ll have to remember this supplier, I’m impressed.”

“Won’t you even try it?” Eijun asked plaintively after Ryousuke saw Haruichi making a sad face, coaching him.

Miyuki looked at the sad eyes and pout and sighed, surrendering. “I guess I can try a bite. But if it doesn’t—” He stopped in mid-sentence when Eijun let out a whoop and grabbed a knife off the back bar to slice the cake into quarters.

“If this is good, I’m adding it to our regular rotation,” Eijun said, handing a quarter to each of the people there.

Miyuki looked at the cake warily before turning his attention back to his coffee. “I’m sorry,” he apologized, “I gotta keep the idiot happy.” He popped his cake into his mouth and chewed, swallowing.

“Now try your coffee,” Eijun said.

Miyuki sipped, eyes widening. “You’re...not wrong,” he admitted reluctantly. “That is a good pairing.”

“Toldja,” Eijun crowed. “It’s on the menu tomorrow.”

“That’s really good, Eijun-kun,” Haruichi said after eating his slice.

“Thank you, Harucchi!” Eijun beamed at him.

Ryousuke nodded his agreement. “Very good,” he said. “As is the coffee.”

“Thank you, Onii-san!” Eijun was practically quivering with happiness.

Miyuki poured more coffee in their cups. “I’m sure you didn’t come by just to be a guinea pig for Eijun’s baking experiments,” he said. “Is there anything we can help you with?”

“Actually, yes,” Ryousuke said. “I find myself in a bit of a quandary with a client of mine, who wants a very specific group of flowers as a tattoo.”

“I didn’t think you did flowers,” Eijun said with a frown.

“I don’t generally...I won’t do sakura or red roses or any of the other clichéd things,” Ryou agreed. “But these are unusual and I was...intrigued when she asked for them.”

“Can’t you just look them up online?” Haruichi asked.

“I’ve done that, but it’s hard to imagine them together,” Ryousuke said.

Eijun’s eyes widened. “Mochi!”

Ryousuke shook his head. “Are you getting another baking inspiration?”     

Miyuki laughed, elbowing Eijun. “No, no. We have a friend, Kuramochi, who owns a flower shop. What I think Eijun meant is that you should go there and get a bouquet, that way you can see how the flowers work together.”

Eijun nodded furiously.

“Buy a bouquet?” Ryousuke said, thinking. “That’s not a bad idea, I think that would work.” He smirked at Eijun. “Where would I find this Kuramochi?”

 Pulling up to the curb in front of the Shortstop flower shop, Ryousuke eyed the black Harley Davidson parked outside warily. He’d never heard of a biker gang hanging out in a flower shop, but there were stranger things in this world. He climbed out of his car and made his way through the front door. Haruichi seemed to know this Kuramochi person as well and all three of them vouched for him and his flowers.

Stepping through the door, he was assaulted by the smell of fresh flowers, the green of growing plants, and the undertone of decay that comes with anything that’s alive. He looked around curiously, noticing the neat plants in their rows, the buckets of brightly colored flowers in the coolers, a few pre-made bouquets waiting for those in a hurry or who don’t know quite what to choose. He wove his way to the back of the store where a man who was clearly the owner of the bike he’d seen outside was sitting behind a counter, reading the newspaper.

Green hair, black t-shirt and jeans, silver earrings...the last thing he’d expect to see in a flower shop. Maybe this was a biker’s hideout?

The man behind the counter looked up when he stopped, eyes widening in surprise when he sees Ryousuke, who smirked at him.

“With that hair, you’ve got to be Haruichi’s big brother,” the man—Kuramochi, Ryousuke thinks, Kuramochi Youichi—said.

“And if I am?”

“Nothing,” Kuramochi said, shaking his head. “Just finding your place in the world.”

“Kominato Ryousuke,” he introduced himself.

“Kuramochi Youichi,” the other replied. “How can I help you?”

“I need some flowers,” Ryousuke started.

“You came to the right place, then.”

“Good to know,” Ryousuke deadpanned. “I was worried I was in a biker’s hideout.”

“Wait, what?” Kuramochi looked confused, until he noticed Ryousuke staring pointedly at his leather jacket hanging on the wall with his helmet. “Oh! No, I just like to ride. Have you ever been on one?”

“I value my life too much.”

“You should try it, you may like it.”

“I may,” Ryousuke shrugged. “But for now, flowers?”

Kuramochi jumped to his feet, cheeks reddening. “Yes! Of course! What can I get for you?”

“I need orange lilies, yellow carnations and butterfly weed. A black rose if you have it,” Ryousuke recited, not noticing Kuramochi’s ever widening eyes.

“Wow, who pissed you off?”

“What? What do you mean?”

“Those flowers. Together, they basically say ‘Fuck You’,” Kuramochi explained.

Ryousuke laughed harder than he had in recent memory. “That’s perfect. But no, it’s not for me.” He slanted Kuramochi a smirk. “I’m a little more...straightforward in my dealings with those who upset me.”

Kuramochi chuckled as he stuck his head in a cooler, retrieving the flowers he needed. “That doesn’t surprise me one bit,” he said. “I’ve heard much about you from Haruichi and the idiot.”

“The idiot?” Ryousuke said. “You mean Eijun? That’s hardly fair, is it? He’s not the brightest thing, but what he does, what he cares about, he shines at.”

“You’re right,” Kuramochi agreed. “He does.” He shut the door of the cooler he was digging in and headed back to the counter. “So if you’re not pissed at someone, what do you need these for?”

“I have a customer who is apparently pissed at someone. Or the whole world, I don’t know which. Either way, she’s requested a tattoo with these flowers and I wanted to get some so I can draw them correctly.”

“That’s right!” Kuramochi said. “You own Second Base, right?”

“That’s my shop.”

“I’ve heard great things about it,” he said, wrapping the flowers in protective paper and adding a flower preservative packet to the bouquet. “I’ve been meaning to stop in; I just haven’t had the time. The shop keeps me jumping most of the time.”

“I’m sure,” Ryousuke said. “They have a habit of doing that.” He fished out his wallet and handed over a credit card to pay for the flowers. While Kuramochi ran the card, he wandered around a bit, looking at his various offerings.

“Here you go,” Kuramochi said, handing him back his card. “I hope to see you soon.”

“You just might,” Ryousuke said. “Have a good night, Kuramochi.”

“Good night, Kominato-san,” Kuramochi answered as Ryousuke walked out the door.

Looking at the counter, Kuramochi saw a lone white violet and picked it up, intending to put it back in its place when he noticed the paper wrapped around it.

Opening it, he saw a phone number.

On a white violet.

He smiled.

Let’s take a chance.

[vitabenedetta-blog]

Vita Benedetta’s Guide to Madison

MadTown. A city characterized by badger red, brats, burgers, and beer (at least that is what I used to think). Moving away from college made me realize just how much I love this city and inspired me to explore. Through downtown areas, Willy Street, and adjacent small towns I discovered an entirely new meaning to Madison. This is my guide to Madison to show you all of the grub goodness and hideaways in unfamiliar places. 

The Guide 

$: least expensive

$$$: most expensive 

Grub Goodness 

The reality today is that social settings revolve around food. Want to grab a coffee? Want to meet for drinks after work? This is practically inevitable. It is important not to settle for boring, overly pasteurized crap that will make you feel like a** in the morning. I mean really, who wants to feel gassy, post cheeseburger when on a first date? Not I. There are so many places in Madison deciding to serve up food that will make you feel bomb. This does not mean you will be eating lettuce and drinking water for a meal. Trust me. Oh and the aesthetics are totally worth the visit. 

Gotham Bagels $

Bae-goals let me tell you. Gotham bagels is located directly off the square downtown Madison and is serving up some banging bagels. The line is always out the door on weekends. You can put about anything in the galaxy on your bagel and customize it just how you like it. The atmosphere is very downtown Boston like. The owner adds a little spunk to the joint since he graduated with his PhD and decided he would rather just run a bagel joint. RAD. 

My go-to: YELLOW C.A.B. 

Cheddar, Bacon, Avocado, Lettuce, Tomato, Mayo Add Egg & Vegetable Cream Cheese On Egg Bagel 

Bowl of Heaven $$$ 

Bowl of Heaven is about as close to California as Madison can get. This quaint bar creates the most awe-worthy bowls and smoothies. The bowls are a bit pricy, but worth a try. It’s the only place in Madison where I have found a yummy açaí bowl. All of the ingredients are real and will make you feel good about your choice. 

My go-to: PEANUT BUTTER BOWL 

Organic Açaí, Bananas, Strawberries, Peanut Butter, Chocolate Almond Milk Topped with Organic Hemp Flax Seeds, Granola, Fresh Banana, and Honey 

Novanta Pizza $ 

Because you cannot forget about the ZAA. This stone fired pizza is something to brag about, with all ingredients sourced from Italy. You can build your own pizza, grab a wine and sit outside on the patio (during Madison’s 3 months of warmth). You will never see much of a wait at Novanta, which makes it great for grab and go because Novanta means 90 in Italian. All of their pizzas are ready in 90 seconds. The pizzas are personally sized so you won’t feel sluggish from overeating. 

My go-to: PESTO 

Mozzarella, Pesto, Cherry Tomatoes, Pecorino Romano 

Marigold Kitchen $$ 

What is better than a boozy brunch after a walk around the farmers market? Be prepared for about an hour wait. Mimosas, pancakes, breakfast sammies, oh my! Marigold Kitchen won “Best Breakfast” in Madison and your taste buds will tell you why. Even better, the customer service is phenomenal. I could not pick a favorite, so here are my best picks. 

CITRUS RICOTTA BUCKWHEAT PANCAKES 

Orange Almond Butter, Fresh Strawberries, Whipped Butter

MARIGOLD BREAKFAST SANDWICH 

Fried Egg, Cheddar Spiked Boursin, Bacon, Tomato, Green Onion, Toasted Ciabatta 

Miko Poke $ 

This spot is goals-AF. For someone who loves sushi as much as me, this place is a win. With the perfect location on Monroe Street you will leave wanting to come back. I am salivating just thinking about it. Poke is comprised of raw fish (tuna, salmon, scallops) on top of baby greens, topped with veggies, and all the good sauces! These bowls are truly Instagram worthy. 

My go-to: HAWAII STYLE 

Smashed Avocado, Cucumbers, Edamame, Poke Sauce, Spicy Aioli, Scallions, White Black Sesame Seeds

Bloom Bake Shop $$ 

You are what you eat, so be sweet. This cute little bakeshop is tucked away on Monroe Street. The focus is all about good food. All grub is made from locally sourced and organic ingredients. The price tag reflects this, but you are doing something good by sending dollars back into the community. Grab a coffee, some brunch, and hella baked goods and be sweet. 

My go-to: WISCONSIN SANDWICH

Classic Bacon, Egg, Cheese, Stoneground Mustard, Flakey Buttermilk Biscuit 

SWEET POTATO DONUT 

CINNAMON ROLL 

VANILLA CHAI TEA LATTE 

Ancora Coffee Roasters $$$

If you are looking for some coffee to keep you awake on these food adventures, look no further. Ancora has bomb lattes and even better outdoor seating. Their mission is to serve the best beans in the world. So you can drink that amazing cup knowing you can be proud of everything that went into it. 

My go-to: ICED HONEY ALMOND ZOMBIE 

White Espresso, Almond, Honey, Almond Milk

 Gloria’s Mexican $ 

Wasted away again in Margaritaville (literally). You cannot go wrong with any of Gloria’s margs! The restaurant is hella authentic; the only thing missing is sand underneath your toes. During happy hour, margs are only $2! DANGER. Just make sure you have an Uber ride home. My absolute favorite is their house margarita. ¡Olé! 

Saints Juice Co. $$$ 

Pressed juice in Madison is hard to come by. Actually, it was impossible before Saints Juice Co. opened this year. In my favorite neighborhood of Williamson Street, you can now grab a fresh pressed juice or mylk to go! The owners are always behind the counter and are extremely passionate about what they do. Feel free to ask questions about ingredients and the process, or just pick the prettiest color drink and go at it. 

My go-to: PROPHE-SEE 

Carrot, Apple, Lemon, Ginger

Tastes like a Capri Sun

Also tastes like you will never get sick again 

Bassett Street Brunch Club $$ 

Avocado toast will always text you back. Bassett Street Brunch Club is a Madison Favorite. Make sure to make a reservation!! They are known for their wild donut flavors and their famous boozy brunch. Because brunch without booze is just a sad, late breakfast. Go check them out on Instagram to see what all the hype is about.

My go-to: TOASTEST WITH THE MOSTEST 

Thick Cut 8 Grain Toast, Avocado Mash, Corn, Black Bean Salsa, Queso Fresco, Pickled Red Onion, and Cilantro 

Café Hollander $$ 

Because who doesn’t want to feel like they are drinking a bloody marry on the rooftop of a Chicago bar. VIBES. This is the #1 restaurant atmosphere in Madison, hands down. You will never want to leave and your phone battery will die from all the pictures taken. The bloody mary and mimosa selection is remarkable. It is a perfect stop for a late brunch after walking through the Hilldale farmers market. Don’t leave without ordering frites with your choice of dipping sides—basil aioli, siracha mayonnaise, Korean BBQ!! 

My go-to: AMERICANA 

Two Eggs, Hollander Potatoes, Multigrain Toast, Breakfast Sausage Links 

BERRY BLAST MIMOSA 

New Amsterdam Berry Vodka, Champagne, Pineapple Juice 

Everly $$ 

Brussel sprouts are misunderstood—probably because people do not know how to cook them properly. Everly takes brussels to a whole new meaning. MUST TRY. This natural lit space is easily the cutest craft cocktail bar in Madison. You will feel 10x richer, classier, and straight out of New York. You might even catch your pinky in the air while sipping on a fantabulous spritzer. 

My go-to: ROASTED BRUSSEL SPROUTS

Gribiche/Shallots/Lemon 

HOUSE BURGER 

Sharp Cheddar, Pickles, Red Onions, Butter Lettuce, Garlic Aioli 

Canteen $$ 

Destination→Mexico. A vibrant, fast paced Mexican kitchen & bar, serving up some famous margaritas that will make you want to shake your booty. I can only vouch for the margs since I have not stayed to try the grub. It is in a great location off the square to grab a few after class or work. 

Pho Nam Noodle House $ 

Serving up authentic Vietnamese that will make your taste buds go crazy! It does not look like much from the outside of the building, but the food is something to talk about. The prices are unbeatable. 

My go-to: EGG NOODLE AND WONTON SOUP WITH BBQ PORK 

Finale 

I hope my guide to Madison provides you with some inspiration to get out and explore the city. The summer is the best time to do so since just about everything is in walking or biking distance. Madison has Red Bikes placed around the city that you can rent for $6 dollars/day. Get out of your comfort zone and do something extraordinary. Try something new. Eat some grub that won’t make your body want to cry the next day. I promise, you won’t regret it.

If you make it out to any of these places make sure to tag #vitabenedetta and let me know how your experience went! Hopefully your experiences will be filled with good grub, aesthetic vibes, and hella Instagram photos. 

Until next time, Madison. Where are some of your favorite spots in Madison? Comment below.

[tipsycad147]

Carmelite Water (Lemon Balm Wine) – A New Take On An Old World Potion

Written by Sass Ayres

Upgrade your glass of white wine with some herbal goodness! This lemon balm wine is a new take on an ancient cure-all called Carmelite water. And while it has long lost its reputation as a miracle potion, Carmelite water can still be enjoyed today just as you’d enjoy any glass of wine. But maybe you’ll enjoy it just a little bit more knowing it’s full of nutritive and medicinal herbs.

This recipe uses herbs like lemon balm, angelica root, clove, and nutmeg, but could also be made with just lemon balm. The choice is yours!

HERE YOU’LL FIND: What is Carmelite Water? About the Herbs in This Lemon Balm Wine How to Make Carmelite Water (aka Lemon Balm Wine) Tips, Tricks, & FAQs Recipe for Carmelite Water

I’m a sucker for ancient herbal potions. There’s something so intriguing about the old uses of plant medicines, something so full of mystery and magic.

I’m constantly humbled by the human process of figuring it all out before science was as advanced as it is today. Many of these old herbal potions survived times when science was even silenced as evil or sin. Can you imagine?!

Come storytime, tell me about how our ancestors lived in relationship to the plants and this planet. I’m all ears.

What is Carmelite Water?

Carmelite water is an alcohol extract of lemon balm and other herbs and spices. In a time before modern-day medicine and all the amenities of science, these herbal alcohol extracts were often the backbone of the medical system.

They often served as panaceas for all kinds of ailments, everything from digestive complaints to the plague and leprosy. A little sip could make all your worries go away, sending you on your way to a long and healthy life.

The Origin of Carmelite Water

Carmelite nuns in France developed the original recipe for this lemon balm wine in the later 1300s for King Charles V of France. With the enthusiastic support of the aging king, Carmelite water garnered a reputation as an elixir of life or miracle water.

While the exact original recipe of Carmelite water is somewhat of a coveted secret, the star ingredient is consistently lemon balm.

Also called Eau de Melisse (as in lemon balm’s genus Melissa), Carmelite water also contains a varying combination of other herbs and spices, including chamomile, sandalwood, cinnamon, mugwort, sage, angelica, and fennel. Most typically, Carmelite water contains a mixture of anywhere from 9 to 14 different herbs and spices.

Traditional Uses of Carmelite Water

Interestingly, Carmelite water was also traditionally used as a perfume due to its unique combination of highly aromatic herbs. It’s strong in scent and bold in flavor. Accordingly, Carmelite water was traditionally sipped in small quantities as you would a bitters cordial or digestif.

>>Wanna learn more about herbal bitters & how they can help your digestion? Check this out: The Beginner’s Complete Guide to Herbal Digestive Bitters

“It causeth the Mind and Heart to become merry, and reviveth the Heart fainting to foundlings, especially of such who are overtaken in their sleep, and driveth away all troublesome cares and thought…”

Nicholas Culpepper, 15th century English botanist & physician on Carmelite water

About The Herbs In This Lemon Balm Wine

This recipe for Carmelite water is a variation on a recipe from Mountain Rose Herbs. The original recipe calls for the use of cinnamon chips. However, as a nod to ancient tradition, this lemon balm wine recipe is really open for interpretation. In fact, you could skip the other herbs and spices, just use lemon balm, and call it a day!

As you’ll read below, the herbs and spices in this recipe come with a whole bunch of anti-‘s, including anti-fungal, antiviral, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory. It’s no wonder Carmelite water was once considered a panacea for all the ills of the times.

However, the collective nutritive and medicinal properties of the ingredients in this recipe lend towards a calming, anti-inflammatory herbal wine high in antioxidants that may also be beneficial for your digestion.

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)

This herb of happiness and sunshine is full of antioxidant flavonoids! Lemon balm is a beloved medicinal herb that not only tastes as good as it smells, but is equally as gentle as it is powerful.

In herbal medicine, lemon balm is often used to help soothe nerves, ease stress and anxiety, and even has anti-depressant properties.

Lemon balm is high in volatile oils (the smell good oils) that can help to support healthy digestion. Plus, it’s also known for its antiviral activity, especially against herpes viruses.

Angelica Root (Angelica archangelica)

Angelica root is a member of the carrot family and has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for thousands of years.

Its primary medicinal uses include helping to balance hormones and support the liver‘s natural detoxification processes. Furthermore, also considered a bitter herb, it’s an excellent tonic to the digestive system.

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum)

As perhaps one of my favorite culinary spices, coriander gets a lot of use in my household. Not only is coriander is a good source of minerals like copper, iron, and magnesium, it also has many medicinal uses.

Like lemon balm, coriander is also known for its ability to help support healthy digestion and soothe nerves. It’s high in anti-inflammatory antioxidants and has antimicrobial properties as well.

Clove (Eugenia caryophyllata)

It’s so easy to forget that many of our common herbs and spices also have such amazing medicinal properties. As another great source of vitamins and minerals, clove is such a great spice to include in our day.

Clove is also antiviral, anti-fungal, antibacterial, and pain-relieving. It’s full of anti-inflammatory antioxidants and like all the other ingredients in this recipe, clove is known to help support digestion.

Nutmeg (Myristicum fragrans)

And last, but not least, we have nutmeg. This ultra-fragrant spice is also incredibly supportive of healthy digestion, in addition to being anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and more.

How to Make Carmelite Water

Here’s a quick overview of how to make Carmelite water (aka lemon balm wine). You’ll find specific measurements and methods in the recipe card at the end of this post.

Equipment You’ll Need

Fortunately, this incredibly simple lemon balm wine recipe requires very little equipment. You will need:

Quart-Sized Glass Jar (like a canning jar or recycled jar)

Small Funnel (small enough to fit into the neck of the wine bottle)

Fine Mesh Strainer + Cheesecloth or Muslin -or- Nut Milk/Strainer Bag* (I use these strainers for everything! And here’s my favorite nut milk bag.)

4-Cup Glass Measuring Cup (or something your funnel can nest into)

Ingredients

1 bottle dry white wine, organic if possible

Lemon balm, dried or fresh

Angelica root, dried

Coriander, whole seeds

Clove, whole

Nutmeg, fresh grated or shaved

Fresh lemon zest

Method

This recipe literally couldn’t get any easier. Here’s the quick-and-dirty of how to make this version of Carmelite water:

Add herbs and spices to a quart-sized glass jar.

Pour in wine.

Infuse for 4 hours in the refrigerator.

Strain.

Enjoy!

Other Botanical Beverages You Might Enjoy

Pink Paloma | A Grapefruit Cocktail with Chamomile Tequila Wild Flower Vodka Mojito Ginger Mint Hot Toddy Calendula Lemonade (non-alcoholic)

Tips, Tricks, & FAQs

What is Carmelite water used for?

Traditionally, Carmelite water was used for everything! It was a cure-all herbal tonic. The use of fragrant herbs and spices also made it a great perfume back in the day.

Today, Carmelite water makes for a delightful sipper on a warm afternoon. Or sip on a glass before or after a meal for a calming, anti-inflammatory herbal elixir with digestive support.

Can I make lemon balm wine with fresh herbs?

Yes, you can! Using fresh lemon balm in this recipe works really well! I actually prefer using fresh lemon balm. Lemon balm (and many of the mint family plants, in general) can quickly lose its potency. If your dried lemon balm is old or has been improperly stored, you’re better off using fresh if you have the option.

To know if your dried lemon balm is still good, just look at it and take a whiff! If it has turned more brown than green and hardly has any delicious lemony smell, it’s time to toss it.

Can I just throw the herbs and spices right into the wine bottle?

Yes, you could. However, you may have to drink a few sips of wine so that they’ll fit. Plus, sometimes it’s difficult to get all of the herbs out of the slender bottleneck when straining time comes.

My personal preference is to infuse the wine in a quart-size glass jar. After straining out the herbs and spices, you can then use a funnel to help pour the infused wine back into the original wine bottle.

What if I don’t have whole spices? Can I infuse wine with powdered herbs?

You absolutely can infuse wine with powdered herbs and spices! However, I do NOT recommend it. Powdered herbs and spices can be incredibly difficult to strain out of liquids. Your lemon balm may end up with powder in it. And who wants to sip on powdery wine!?

If powdered herbs and spices are all you have, when straining, try using a coffee filter or a double layer of clean cloth to help catch as much of the powder as possible.

Where is the best place to find high quality herbs?

The first best place to find high-quality herbs is to either grow them yourself or get them locally from someone who does. However, I know that not all of us have that option.

You can find the spices in this lemon balm wine recipe at conventional groceries and local food cooperatives. If you have a health food store near you, you may be able to find dried lemon balm and angelica root there. If it’s an option, always opt for organic herbs and spices.

And once you’ve exhausted those possibilities, the next best place to get high-quality herbs and spices is from reputable online retailers. I’ve purchased so many herbs online over the years. Without a doubt, I can tell you that Mountain Rose Herbs consistently outshines the others. The quality of the herbs, vast selection, and awareness and ethics around harvesting and environmental impact make them my medicinal herb go-to.

Carmelite Water (aka Lemon Balm Wine)

Course: Drinks Difficulty: Easy  Quantity 3 cups  Prep Time 4 hours

This botanical infused wine recipe is based off of Rosalee de la Forêt’s Carmelite water recipe. It’s fragrant, dry, slightly astringent, & there’s just something extra special about its ancient roots. I particularly love Rosalee’s suggestion to get lost in reveries of mysterious and ancient herbal potions while enjoying a sip of this infusion on a hot summer’s eve.

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup dried organic lemon balm (or ~1 cup fresh lemon balm, loosely packed)

3 tablespoons dried organic angelica root

1 tablespoon dried organic coriander seed

1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest (~1 small lemon)

2 whole cloves

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated

1 bottle organic dry white wine

DIRECTIONS

Into a quart-sized glass jar, combine all herbs & spices.

Pour the wine into the jar, seal with a lid, & give the jar a shake to start the infusing process. Let the wine infuse for 4-5 hours in the refrigerator. (I do not recommend infusing for longer than 4-5 hours. The longer you let it infuse, the more medicinal the wine will taste.)

After a 4 hour infusion, use a fine-mesh strainer layered with several layers of cheesecloth, a coffee filter, or a nut milk bag to strain the herbs from the wine. Compost the herbs.

Return the infused wine to the jar (or use a small funnel to pour it back into the original bottle).

Enjoy within 3 days. This wine is best enjoyed chilled.

https://www.botanyculture.com/carmelite-water-lemon-balm-wine/

[some-cookie-crumbz]

What a Brew-Tiful Night

What a Brew-Tiful Night Fandom: Naruto Pairing: SasuSaku Summary: Coffee Shop AU. Sasuke works at a local coffee shop and hates basically everything about it. Except for the cheery, polite young woman that comes in. She’s okay. AN: This is the first snippet of the infamous Coffee Shop AU that my dear friend, @jaz-draws-stuff, drew some absolutely amazing art work for, which you can find [here], [here], [here], [here], [here] and [here]! Give her a follow and check her out all of her amazing artwork (if you haven’t already because she is so, so, so fucking amazing I swear she should have everyone on this site eating from her palm~!!)

He doesn’t normally get invested in the lives or well-being of his customers.

This is primarily because he normally hates the customers that come in to Bean Time of Youth. They are stupid, rude, bossy, picky, or any mash up of the four options. Most of his customers are the kind that will cut him off midway through a question or greeting because they are impatient. Most of his customers don’t know how many shots of what they want in their drinks, or what size they want, or what different flavor variables they offer. Most of his customers come in on cell phones and then have the nerve to shush him when he tries to take their order when they shouldn’t have even come up to the register if whining about some trivial bullshit was that important.

This woman is nothing like the rest of his customers.

She always comes in practically glowing, like the moon and stars on a clear evening in summer, regardless of the time of day. Hell, even when she comes in after using the campus gym to crank out a quick session she looks and sounds fresh as a daisy. She always waits for his prompts and is always polite yet concise with her responses. He knows what her three preferred menus items are - Cinnamon Dolce Latte, Caramel Raspberry Macchiato, and the house brew coffee with one shot of French Vanilla creamer and two scoops of Splenda – and he can typically get a read on what kind of day she’s going to have based on her request – classes all day, two classes and a few hours interning at the local hospital, and a heavy assignment load from her classes with deadlines pressed together in a claustrophobic time frame from one another, respectively – because he genuinely likes getting to engage with her. He actually even remembers her name and always spells it right.

Sakura. It suits her well, with her floral colored hair and leafy tinted eyes.

He’s just getting ready to end his shift when she comes up to place her order. She’s normally not in so late – the clock reads that it’s eight pm and the latest he’s seen her is four – and she actually looks tired. She plasters on a smile and greets him in a voice that still carries some of her usual cheer, but it seems significantly muted. He can get a better look at her as he writes down her name and order – a pure black coffee with two shots of espresso – and he can see the bags starting up under her eyes. They’re in the faintest stages of turning from purplish-grey to black and easily overlooked by someone who isn’t paying attention.

Not that Sasuke Uchiha was paying attention to some random girl. That would be absurd.

She keeps staring out at the darkened streets as she waits, shifting her weight and biting her lower lip slightly – shifting because both legs are worn down from her working and gnawing on her lower lip to keep a yawn under wraps. He knows the tell-tale signs of exhaustion all-too well. He mixes the drink up and pauses, taking a beat to think, before scrawling a small note just a bit below her name. He covers it up with the cardboard overlay used to keep the coffee’s heat from burning the customer’s hands.

Not that he doesn’t want her to see the note; he just doesn’t want her to see it while he’s around.

“Sakura,” He calls calmly, resisting the urge to snicker at how she actually flinches out of surprise. She walks over and doesn’t bear a hint of embarrassment; either pretending she didn’t just jump, pretending he didn’t see her jump, or honestly not knowing he witnessed the jump, he figures. She takes the cup carefully with a smile and muttered thanks, and he decides to bite the bullet. “You waiting for someone?”

She perks up, blinking twice in slight surprise at the question, before smiling again and shaking her head. “Nah. Just dreading the walk to the campus library,” She says.

He quirks an eyebrow. “You’re going to the campus library at eight at night?”

“Hm. I have two research papers due a week from today and need to have at least six sources per paper. Plus the library is open until eleven, so I figure why not take advantage?” She hums back, taking a sip of her coffee. She doesn’t even flinch from the taste.

He knows she can take care of herself. He’s seen the light muscle definition on her arms and legs when she comes in from the gym or when it’s warmer outside – again, not that he was looking or anything – so she could protect herself from any potential attackers. Even still, he can’t stop himself from opening his mouth to ask, “Want some company on the walk there?”

“Oh, I should be fine. I wouldn’t want to be a nuisance,” She says with a small laugh, but what he can’t help but think is a note of hope resides there, as if she’s trying to be polite but actually wants him to insist on escorting her.

He’s figures he may as well take what he thinks is an invitation and see where it gets him.

“I actually live in the dorms so it’s on the way. As long as you don’t mind waiting for a few while I clock out and finish something in the back,” He explains just as he hears the restroom door open. Suigetsu had ditched Sasuke up front to clean the bathroom before he had a chance to protest.

Admittedly, it seemed it had worked out in his favor in this case.

“As long as you’re sure you’re okay, I don’t mind waiting,” She beams, her smile back to its usual level of vibrancy. He turns away and nods to hide the blush creeping up along his cheeks, Suigetsu waltzing back behind the counter with a knowing grin on his lips.

It takes him less than five minutes to punch his time card and ditch his work smock. When he steps out, Sakura is giggling about something Suigetsu said that must have been about him with how they both go silent when he steps out. They watch him for a moment before Suigetsu disappears to start taking apart one of the machines, whistling inconspicuously, and Sakura turns her full attention to him. “Ready?” He asks.

“Hm,” She agrees. He makes sure to hold the door for her as they leave, pausing to send a warning glare at Suigetsu. The other male grins cheekily and blows him a kiss.

Because of course he would, the smug prick.

They walk in silence for the first block, Sasuke with his hands shoved in his pockets and Sakura still cradling the coffee she’s been nursing slowly. He glances at her sideways. “How do you stomach that stuff?”

She perks up, raising an eyebrow inquisitively. “What? You mean the coffee?”

He nods. “I can get why you have your usual drinks because they have flavors and creams and things to make them have an actual taste. But just the black coffee… I wasn’t expecting it,” He admits calmly.

“Well,” She says after taking another quick sip, “it’s not my first choice, honestly. When I actually go out and pick up a coffee I normally prefer getting the mixed drinks. But I really need the caffeine since I need to get this research started and have an early morning shift tomorrow.”

“Your internship, right? How’s that going for you?” He remembers they had talked about it a handful of times over the last few weeks. Monday’s were Sasuke’s longest days, where he worked from opening at six to five in the evening, which earned him a thirty minute lunch break. The last three Monday’s, when he was on his break, Sakura had been settled in the café working on homework and some documents for her internship. Because Monday’s were ridiculously busy, Sasuke had been forced to take the available seat at her table – and Kiba made more than his fair share of comments about how Sasuke had never complained about sitting with her – and from there they’d talked a little bit to fill the time. Specifically, he remembers being impressed when she admitted to having a part-time job, taking six classes, and working an internship under a Dr. Kato.

“Really good! A lot of the kids have been feeling better and had a lot more energy to play, which is so great! Little kids shouldn’t be stuck in hospital beds on machines and stuff, you know?” She gushes excitedly. He nods slightly, keeping his surprise well masked. He hadn’t known that she worked in the children’s ward, but it did make sense to him. Someone like her, with boundless energy and patience; a woman who carried herself with confidence and had a sincere smile for anyone she crossed paths with? Children would absolutely respond and benefit from that kind of genuine warmth. “It’s just… It feels good to see them acting like children. Getting to see them play around with their parents and each other, seeing the relief and joy in the parent’s face, being able to give others that sense of security that things are going to be okay... It feels good to know you can help make their lives a little brighter.”

He smiles at her, feeling warmth at the enthusiasm and sincerity to her words. “You’re really passionate about your work,” He comments.

“Well, it makes sense, I think. If you aren’t passionate about the field you’re studying, then what’s the point in going for that career?” She answers lightly. She then waves one hand and takes another swig from her coffee. “But what about you? You live in the dorms so you must be a student here. Why hadn’t you mentioned that to me before? And what are you studying?”

“I don’t really want to talk about that,” He snaps, his tone much harsher than he intended. She winces a bit and her smile falls but she doesn’t look away from him. He averts his gaze for a moment to try and regain himself. He shouldn’t lash out at her for asking innocent questions and keep the conversation going. She’s not the one that frustrates him, after all. “Ah, sorry. I just… It’s kind of a touchy subject,” He mumbles softly, not even daring to look back over at her. He should have known this would happen, really, and its his own fault. He always gets pissed when people ask about this, regardless of how they phrase it. He expects they’ll enjoy awkward silence the rest of the walk to the campus and then she’ll start avoiding coming in during his shifts.

Instead she sips her coffee again and says, voice calm and understanding, “It’s okay. So, have any funny customer stories from today?”

They fall into easy, casual chatter after that, talking about various topics from the obnoxious customers of the day to Sakura’s childhood incident that left her terrified of clowns. It all comes so natural and easy, like relaxing with a cup of warm tea after a particularly rough day. He feels immensely grateful that she didn’t take his bark personally and was so eager to let the matter drop, to have someone not try to push and press answers out of him. They part ways once they get about halfway across the quad, the dorms and library being on opposite ends from one another, but as he heads off he notices her removing the little cardboard cover on her coffee cup. He ducks around a nearby corner, just barely watching over to see her reaction.

She’s dropping the cardboard cover into the trash when she spots the black ink marks of a note on her cup, just under her name.

Sakura

Doing a good job shouldn’t mean you neglect your own well-being. Don’t forget to look after yourself every now and then.

She blinks three times before giggling, a faint blush reaching her cheeks. “I knew he was a sweetheart under that grumpy face,” She mused happily, readjusting the strap of her bag on her shoulder before heading toward the library. Around the corner, Sasuke can feel the rush of heat signaling that a blush is settling over his cheeks and the tips of his ears, but there’s a smile there too.

After all, she thinks he’s a sweetheart.

[delfinamaggiousa]

Six Caribbean Bartenders Share Cocktail Recipes to Represent Their Islands

A cocktail is much more than something to sip. Often, a cocktail represents the heart of a place, an old family recipe, indigenous ingredients with storied pasts and tales of survival, and, of course, cultural pride. Annually, over 30 million tourists flock to the Caribbean, not only for its awe-inspiring beaches, but also those tropical flavored drinks with the cute little umbrellas in them. What is often overlooked, though, is the expertise and story of the mixologist who makes the drink. The people who shake, stir, and pour concoctions over ice, with training that extends far beyond your average Mai Tai. More than just a brightly colored cocktail to gulp down, there is passion, precision, and a connection to a place, all in one glass.

Caribbean mixologists from Grenada to Trinidad created the following recipes exclusively for VinePair. Some are shaken, others are frozen or stirred, and all are made with ingredients that represent the island where they’re grown. Beyond their tropical appeal, each tells a story of the place it was created, from Barbados, Grenada, and Anguilla, to Trinidad & Tobago, to the Bahamas, to the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Spiked Amaretto Brûlée Recipe

Developed by: Phillip ‘Casanova’ Antoine Island: Barbados

Since Barbados is the birthplace of rum, it’s only fitting that Phillip Antoine, owner and head liquid artist of Casanova Liquid Artistry, a Barbados-based liquor brand, remixed crème brûlée dessert to include the island’s native spirit. In celebration of Barbados’s recent Welcome Stamp, an immersive, year-long remote working opportunity for travelers, Antoine has created a number of cocktails that represent the island, including this Spiked Amaretto Brûlée Recipe.

“I love this cocktail not only because it’s gorgeous, but also because the flavors of citrus harmonize beautifully with the aromatics and nutty taste of the almond in the amaretto,” says Antoine, who was also named the island’s Bartender of the Year in 2015. “This combination with the caramelized sugar adds a yummy, smoky aroma and flavor that synchronizes well with the rum. All these characteristics remind me of elements of Caribbean and island life.”

Ingredients

1 ounce dark rum

1 ½ ounces amaretto

1 ¼ ounces lime juice

¼ ounce simple syrup

1 egg white

Colored sugar (garnish)

Directions

Place all ingredients in shaker tin.

Add ice and shake vigorously to marry ingredients, emulsify egg white, and chill beverage.

Strain into serving ware (coupette glass, preferably)

Sprinkle sugar evenly across the foam layer (caramelize with a Brûlée torch, if available)

The Xtra Spiced Beet Recipe

Developed by: Rachael Findley Island: Grenada

Credit: Rachel Findley

Most who have been to Grenada associate the island with nutmeg rather than root vegetables (Grenada is called “Spice Island,” after all). But Rachel Findley, local mixologist and “Flavours of Grenada Mixology” champion, introduced another flavor to represent her island: Beets.

At Silversands Grenada, where Findley is resident mixologist and runs the rum, Cognac, and cigar lounge Puro, “I chose to create a spin on beets, which are widely used on my island of Grenada for a source of energy and replenishment, especially in this climate,” Findley says. “I wanted to spice it up a bit and add a spirit like light rum for a twist.”

Ingredients

4 ounces beet juice

2 ounces light rum

4 ounces heavy cream

2 ounces spiced Demerara syrup (recipe follows)

Directions

In a shaking tin, add all ingredients except half (2 ounces) of the heavy cream.

Shake until tin is frosted and pour into a small wine glass or Martini glass.

Float remaining 2 ounces of cream on top.

Garnish with cinnamon and grated beet.

Ingredients for Spiced Demerara Syrup

1 cup Demerara sugar

½ cup water

½ vanilla bean

3 cloves

1 cinnamon stick

Directions

Heat water in a saucepan and add sugar and spices over medium high heat.

Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 10 minutes.

Strain out spices and let cool.

Spiced simple syrup will keep in the refrigerator, covered, for up to two weeks.

The Archipelago Recipe

Developed by: Marv Cunningham Island: Bahamas

Credit: Marv Cunningham

Although this uniquely Bahamian drink takes patience to create, it’d be difficult to pass by a recipe from Marv Cunningham. As an award-winning bartender, owner of Mr. Mix Bahamas, and lead mixologist for the Aura Nightclub at the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island, he regularly demonstrates a deep-rooted passion and zeal for the culinary and cultural riches of his native country, the Bahamas.

“The Archipelago is a signature tribute cocktail that celebrates Bahamian food and beverage culture,” Cunningham says. He adds that the drink draws inspiration from Bahamian music (Junkanoo and Rake N’ Scrape); the island’s national festival, Goombay; and the island peoples’ traditions and art forms. With the Archipelago, he celebrates Bahamian ingredients, such as nutmeg, coconut, and pineapple.

For the nutmeg-infused gin, Cunningham recommends the following: “When infusing the gin, use two whole nutmegs and your favorite bottle of gin. Crack the nutmeg seeds into two pieces, then drop them into the bottle for an overnight infusion. This allows the gin to extract the nutmeg’s flavors during this period of maceration.”

Ingredients

2 ounces (60 ml) nutmeg-infused gin

1 ½ ounces (45 ml) coconut jelly purée

1 ounce (30 ml) Cocktail Artist Blue Curacao

1 ounce (30 ml) coconut water

1 ounce (30 ml) pineapple & Scotch bonnet shrub (recipe follows)

3 dashes Angostura orange bitters

Pineapple slice, pineapple leaves, and grated nutmeg for garnish

Directions

Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker and give it a dry shake (shake without ice).

Add ice to the cocktail shaker, and shake vigorously.

Strain into a rocks glass with an ice block.

Top off with crushed ice, and garnish with pineapple slice and leaves.

Ingredients for the Pineapple & Scotch Bonnet Shrub

250 grams white sugar

3 ounces white vinegar

1/4 cup freshly chopped pineapples

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a Mason jar, and stir.

Leave to marinate for 24 hours.

Once dissolved, strain thoroughly. Use immediately in your cocktail of choice; or store in the refrigerator for up to three months.

The Calypso Cooler Recipe

Developed by: Raakesh Madoo Island: Trinidad & Tobago

Credit: Raakesh Madoo

Raakesh Madoo is a food and beverage lecturer at the Trinidad and Tobago Hospitality and Tourism Institute, and a proud Trini with over 24 years in the food and beverage industry. His home, the dual-island Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago, includes African, East Indian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, and European populations, which lends itself to a diversity of cuisine, and plenty of room to play for cocktails and food pairings. The Calypso Cooler is an expert example.

“This recipe was designed and intended to be the perfect aperitif for local Trinidadian cuisine, whose recipes are grounded in grassroots traditions, indigenous ingredients, traditional flavors, and memorable experiences,” Madoo says. “The cocktail, though having nuances of complexity, is low-alcohol. Its cooler underpinnings allows for fantastic results to be achieved when pairing with local Trinidadian dishes like bake and shark, roti, curried crab and dumplings, and corn soup.”

Ingredients

1 ½ ounces (45 ml) of mint-infused Old Oak White Rum

1 ½ ounces (45 ml) Fernandes cherry brandy

1 ounce (30 ml) fresh passion fruit juice

½ ounce (15 ml) citrus and bell pepper oleo saccharum

Freshly grated toasted cinnamon

2 dashes Angostura Aromatic Bitters

2 dashes homemade pineapple bitters (optional)

1 ½ ounces (45 ml) fresh coconut water (for topping)

Directions

Smoke glassware with cinnamon bark and set aside. Suggested glassware: Old Fashioned or goblet.

Shake all ingredients (except coconut water) in an ice-filled shaker and double-strain into desired glassware filled with frappe ice.

Top with coconut water

Garnish with dehydrated orange wheel, mint sprig, and toasted cinnamon stick.

The Nostalgia Recipe

Developed by: Taffy Hodge Island: Anguilla

Credit: Taffy Hodge

For Taffy Hodge, manager and head mixologist at Lit Lounge in Anguilla, it’s the flesh and color of fruits that evoke the spirit of her island, Anguilla. She does this at Lit Lounge by infusing cocktails with combinations such as rum and passion fruit. She also makes her own syrups, including sage, lemongrass and coffee bean. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Hodge won the silver medal for best bartender in Anguilla at the “Taste of the Caribbean” Culinary Championships in 2014.

“This cocktail is tamarind based, which is a fruit that grows wild across the island. Its bittersweet qualities evoke the same feelings of nostalgia towards the island as the tamarind juice and syrups that are made at home,” Hodge says. “This combination of wild bittersweet fruit offers a snapshot of Anguilla with its warm and spiced hues that paint the palate.”

Ingredients

2 ounces of overproof white rum, such as Sunset

5 ounces of tamarind juice

1 ½ ounces (45 ml) cinnamon syrup

Directions

Shake all ingredients with ice, then pour into the glass over ice. Suggested glassware: Hurricane or Highball

Garnish with tamarind balls and a mint sprig

The Ease All Pain Recipe

Developed by: Ira Claxton Jr. Island: U.S. Virgin Islands

Credit: Ira Claxton Jr.

Ira Claxton Jr. is a self-proclaimed foodie and mixologist who has served as a judge of the Caribbean Hotel Tourism Associations’s Taste of the Caribbean for 10 years. He owns The Calypso Epicurean, a hospitality consultancy with an emphasis on catering, bartending, branding and marketing, and event operations.

“Similar to its Painkiller cousin, the Ease All Pain cocktail pairs exceptionally well with seafood dishes, specifically local favorites like steamed or boiled fish with local ground provisions,” Claxton says. “Conch and local spiny lobster pair perfectly with the cocktail’s higher citrus notes, without overpowering or competing with their savory notes. The original Painkiller is a universally recognized bar favorite, which the local islanders here pair well with other staples, such as local patties (seasoned and fried pockets filled with various meats); and ‘Johnny Cakes,’ fried fish, or chicken.”

Ingredients

1 ounce (30 ml) Pusser’s Navy Rum (Cruzan Rum produced in St. Croix Gold can be substituted)

1/2 ounce (15 ml) Cruzan 9 Spiced Rum

3/4 ounce (23 ml) Cruzan Coconut Rum

2 ounces (60 ml) Pineapple Juice

1 ounce (30 ml) orange juice

2/3 dashes of Angostura Orange Bitters

Directions

Combine ingredients in a shaker tin with ice to incorporate spirits and juice, and shake vigorously.

Strain contents from one shaker tin to the next, discarding ice.

Immediately “dry shake” cocktail with no ice and double strain into a coupe or Martini glass.

Garnish with grated fresh coconut and nutmeg, along with an orange wheel.

For an additional spirit boost, soak 3 Luxardo cherries in Cruzan 151 Overproof Rum for approximately two hours, skewer them, and place atop cocktail width-wise as additional garnish.

The article Six Caribbean Bartenders Share Cocktail Recipes to Represent Their Islands appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/6-caribbean-cocktail-recipes/

source https://vinology1.wordpress.com/2020/09/15/six-caribbean-bartenders-share-cocktail-recipes-to-represent-their-islands/

[madamehearthwitch]

Chai Masala and a Story

photo source

Was chatting with @curiouslyheathen​ today about tea (I really do mean it when I say please feel free to shoot me messages and just chat about stuff if you see me blogging!) and they said I should post my Chai Masala recipe.

A couple notes about “chai tea”. Technically chai means tea so literally we here on “the continent” call it tea-tea, but that’s a whole other thing. Masala is a spice mix. So you can have all sorts of different kind of masalas. Chai Masala is a black tea, with milk, and spices. What those spices are can vary greatly according to personal taste and where they learned how to make it.

I was taught by this wonderful woman I used to work for who only spoke Hindi. I taught her children how to speak and write English, and they would always insist that I stay afterwards. The food was... incredible. It was my first experience with authentic non-American food and I was in love. Looking back, I am certain that was the very root of my kitchen witchery. Through some rough translations and lots of made-up sign language I managed to convey that I wanted to learn how to cook. And I would spend hours after the lessons in the kitchen with her and Naani.

The keynote flavor for most (all?) chai masala is the green cardamom. That’s what gives it the spicy and sharp note that is the signature flavor. There might be many different versions of this drink, but if it doesn’t have green cardamom, it’s not chai masala, lmao. (that is 100% my own opinion)

The Recipe (finally, right?)

10-15 green cardamom pods (lightly crack them open with a mortar and pestle or flat side of a knife)

1 stick cinnamon

1 inch ginger (cut into 4-5 slices -I leave the skin on)

5 cloves

2 tsp loose black tea (tea bags can also be used)

2 C water

sweetener to taste (I like to use honey, raw sugar, or agave)

In a saucepan on the lower side of medium, and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes. I like a good strong tea (like the gods and irish intended) so I’ve been known to let it go 25 min or so.

Turn down to low and add 1 C of milk just to warm it a bit. (If you are making the chai masala ahead of time you can skip this step and add the milk whenever you do want to drink it)

Once it’s simmered away, use a fine mesh strainer or cheese cloth to filter out the spices and tea as you pour into a mug. Top with a sprinkle of cinnamon and enjoy!

One thing that I will often do when I have a busy week coming up is make up a bunch of the tea and leave out the milk. Then I store it in a jar in the fridge, heating it up with a spot of milk whenever I want a cuppa.

***

This is the version of chai masala that was taught to me. However it really is up to personal taste. So tweak and play with the combinations, try new things (many chai masala recipes call for anise but I would rather light my mouth on fire than use anise in a drink) and figure out what works for you!

[tauers-go-dutch]

Why Bristol?

I can’t really describe why I wanted to go to Bristol.  Being a beer geek, I quickly realized that the UK has really good craft beer- most everyone’s probably heard of BrewDog, but there is also Siren, Burning Sky, Magic Rock, Buxton, and Wild Beer, to just name a few.  As I kept trying new beers, I started paying attention to where they were brewed.  I noticed that Wild Beer, Arbor, Moor, Tiny Rebel, and others were from Bristol, or at least nearby.  Doing a bit of research, I saw there was also a Bristol Beer Week in October, where several of the neighboring breweries and bars team up to bring rare beers to the public. That, plus I had actually found that Bristol is a bit of a foodie town, I was sold- even if literally everyone asked me why I’d want to go to Bristol.

So we got into Bristol Friday evening after a bit a flight delay. We had an easy bus ride from the airport to our hotel, which was right by the main Temple Meads Station. After checking in, we had enough time for one drink.  We were only a fifteen minute walk from downtown, so we wandered down to Kongs of King Street. This student bar brought me back to my college days- with a ping pong table, arcade video games, blaring rock music, and a killer beer list.  Yes, even the killer beer list reminded me of college (I did go to school in Fort Collins). Despite the throwback, we definitely aren’t college kids anymore, so we called it early and got some sleep.

On Saturday, we had a food tour scheduled with the Bristol Food Tour, but it didn’t start until noon. So we strolled around and found some coffee at the Full Court Press. This small café really knew their coffee. There were several beans with different origins- Guatemala, Indonesia, Ethiopia. I went with a flat white with the Guatemalan origin bean that gave a raspberry chocolate flavor with earthy undertones- one of the best coffees I’ve ever had!  Mariah had the cold brew, which was also delicious. Even though we were going a food tour, I also had a cinnamon scone and stopped at another café for a quick mushroom and halloumi brekkie sandwich (again delicious). I underestimated the amount of food that would be on this food tour- skip breakfast if you go, the quality and quantity of food is truly epic. You will not leave famished.

It was a bit of a hike to get to the starting point in Stokes Croft, the hipster neighborhood of Bristol, but we met our guide, Anika, who was a Canadian who relocated to Bristol to work in the restaurant industry. Like I said, Bristol is a bit of a foodie city- I was excited.  Also, remember how literally everyone asked why we were going to Bristol?  That included the people who were also on the tour- they were all local Bristolians who wanted to see what the next best thing is to eat in their town. After the initial jabs at my American accent, they all were very welcoming and very pleasant to converse with over the next three hours.

Our tour started at The Parlour, a local ice cream shop that used to be a hair parlor (yes, I am American and will leave out the ‘u’ when it isn’t in the name) in the 70s. Three generations later, the same family that owned it in the 70s runs the show today. We got to sample as much as we want, but I truly recommend the cappuccino- it was divine. Next was Flour & Ash, a pizza parlor (see what I did there J) that was started by an ex-corporate banker who wanted to do something different- don’t we all. The pizza cannot be understated; we tried three of the ever-changing selection. I loved the mushroom, but the chorizo was top notch as was the vegan featuring smoked eggplant (no aubergines here). Our guide stopped to show us a Polish Church (read Catholic Church- not common in Protestant England) and shared with us baklava from Bristanbul (I love a good pun). It was good, if almost forgettable, among the other treats on the tour. Next was a café in a laundromat (really a good idea), that featured a drink that could not be named (it was butter beer- come at me JK). Honestly, it wasn’t for me- kinda tasted like eggnog without the alcohol. Meh. Mariah was even less thrilled.

You should always start the tour with ice cream

Mariah was disappointed to find that the Butterbeer from her beloved Harry Potter books tasted more like melted butter than the cream soda she’d imagined.

Always time for some baklava

We crossed the street to a local pub called The Pipe and Slippers.  We received a selection of four burgers, including the fried halloumi veggie burger.  Sidenote- I’d never heard of halloumi before moving to Europe, but the English love it. It is a stiff Turkish cheese that is delicious when grilled, but it can be excessive (such as when using it to replace meat in a burger). The fried chicken and chorizo (the English love chorizo, too) burgers were good, but I actually loved the seasonal Blood and Guts burger, which featured a slab of blood sausage. If you Google blood sausage, it’s easy to get turned off, but I promise it is good. The fries (not chips) are solid too. Oh, and don’t forget to grab a local brew from the bar.  

At this point I’m getting full, but we walked a little further while admiring the street art. Bristol has a vibrant street art community, probably most famously known as the home of Banksy.  Stokes Croft has ton on display, and I was loving it. Our next place was a brunch spot called Ceres that was started by a Melbourne chef, and it was amazing. Serious, each time I think I’ve found the best brunch, someone just raises the bar. The food in England gets a bad rap, but the brunch game is on point. We had a dish with maize pancakes with a perfectly poached egg, but the black rice porridge with coconut milk, mango, and lemon balm sealed the deal. That dish was epic, and worth the price of admission.

The amazing black rice pudding

Afterwards, our guide brought us to the Bear pit, which is an outdoor art venue where aspiring street artists and practice and display their work. We had a bit of chocolate from Zara’s Chocolates- I really enjoyed the mint chili crisp. Then we walked back to the downtown area, saw more stunning street art, and eventually made our way to St. Nicolas Market. There we found a gyoza restaurant called eatchu (not capitalized). It was started by some locals after living in Australia and studying under a Japanese chef, and the handcraft love and care that goes into the more than 500 gyozas sold each day really shows. Meanwhile, our guide went and brought us some delicious cakes from Ahh Toots- the Orange Chai was my favorite.  

In the Bear pit

Selfies are hard

So ended our tour, but we had plenty of other sites to see… but they’d have to wait until tomorrow because the sky opened up and the rain came down. Well, we just holed up in local brewery- Zerodegrees. These guys specialize in lagers, and they make some good ones. I enjoyed the slightly meltier Vienna lager, while Mariah enjoyed a black currant Berliner Weiss. Once the rain died down, we made our way to Wild Beer Co. I definitely recommend these guys if you’re looking for something different. They specialize in beer fermented with wild yeast, creating unique flavors, which can range from bone dry funk to juicy sour fruit. Maybe not always great, but definitely unique. We closed the night going to two fantastic beer bars, Small Bar and The Beer Emporium. Small Bar might have had a better tap list, but The Beer Emporium had a unique ambiance in an old underground cellar.  

The next day we finally saw more of the city, but not after heading to another great brunch spot, Brew (not going to lie, I seriously debated going back to Ceres). Brew held its own with solid poached eggs, bacon, and toast. So we made our way to the Clifton Bridge (the park to the right has a great view), and back to Cabot Tower. It is free to climb Cabot Tower, and there is a great view of the city. Afterwards, we had a ‘treat yourself’ moment at the Bluebird Tea Co. The people there were extremely friendly, and explained how the quaint little tea shop is rapidly expanding all over England- including just opening a store in London. Their teas are still house blended by the founder, who also creates cute puns to name the blends (serious, I think puns are a source of English pride). We bought the founder’s book, an Advent calendar, several bags of loose leaf tea, and a gift set or two for the holidays (can’t spoil who they’re for). We then saw a vintage Banksy (unfortunately splattered with blue paint). We fought the wind walking the Wapping Wharf, and got a burger at the local joint, Squeezed. The burger was good, but the fries were really tasty since they had a light dusting of both salt and sugar. We went back to the Wild Beer Co. (also at Wapping Wharf), and enjoyed a beer before getting on our afternoon flight home.

The famous Clifton Bridge

Mariah was in heaven 

Cabot Tower and the view from the top

A Banksy original, ‘Well Hung Lover”

Overall, Bristol was the least touristy place we’ve been so far, which was refreshing. Admittedly, it is a little sleepy, but there is enough culture, from the street art, to the food, to the beer, to justify a weekend trip. While we didn’t have enough time to do this, you can spend more time in the area by taking a quick train to Cardiff, the capital of Wales, Bath, home of the famous Roman ruins, and Stonehenge. Definitely keep this small city on your radar if touring through England!

Tot ziens for now.