#sourcing raw ingredients

[chemicalmarketwatch-sp]

Emulsifier Market: Trends, Drivers, Challenges, and Future Outlook

The emulsifier market plays a pivotal role in various industries, including food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and personal care. Emulsifiers are ingredients that help stabilize and maintain the uniformity of products by enabling the blending of water and oil-based ingredients. With their diverse applications, emulsifiers are essential in ensuring product consistency, texture, and performance.

The global emulsifiers market was valued at USD 9.1 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 13.1 billion by 2027, growing at a cagr 7.6% from 2022 to 2027.

Advantages of Emulsifiers

Improved Product Stability: Emulsifiers ensure that products remain stable over time by preventing the separation of oil and water-based ingredients. This property is particularly crucial in products such as sauces, creams, and lotions, where uniformity is key to consumer satisfaction.

Enhanced Product Performance: By improving the texture, viscosity, and spreadability of products, emulsifiers contribute to a superior user experience. For instance, in the food industry, they help create smooth and creamy textures in ice creams, salad dressings, and margarine.

Versatility in Formulations: Emulsifiers allow manufacturers to create a wide range of formulations. They are used in everything from personal care products like shampoos and moisturizers to pharmaceutical formulations like oral suspensions and topical creams.

Cost Efficiency: The use of emulsifiers can reduce production costs by enhancing product quality and improving processing efficiency. Their ability to stabilize formulations means fewer quality control issues, less wastage, and smoother production cycles.

Drivers of Growth in the Emulsifier Market

Increasing Demand for Processed Food and Beverages: As consumer lifestyles become busier, particularly in regions like North America, the demand for ready-to-eat and easy-to-cook processed foods has surged. These products often rely on emulsifiers to ensure the proper texture and consistency, thereby driving market growth. Fast-paced lifestyles and the desire for time-saving food preparation methods have created a booming market for processed foods, fueling demand for emulsifiers.

Technological Advancements and Product Modernization: Innovations in emulsifier technology, such as the development of more efficient and sustainable emulsifiers, are spurring market growth. New emulsifiers are being introduced with better performance properties and improved quality, which increases their applicability across various industries.

Established Emulsifier Manufacturing Companies: North America and Europe house many well-established emulsifier manufacturers that cater to the growing demand for emulsifiers across sectors. The market is expanding due to these companies' continuous advancements in emulsifier technologies, enhancing both the quality and range of emulsifier applications.

Challenges in the Emulsifier Market

Raw Material Sourcing: One of the primary challenges faced by the emulsifier market is the sourcing of raw materials. Traditional emulsifiers are often derived from petrochemical or animal-based sources, but there is growing pressure to shift to more sustainable and plant-based alternatives. Sourcing these ingredients in sufficient quantities while maintaining cost-effectiveness remains a challenge for many manufacturers.

Regulatory Constraints: As emulsifiers are heavily regulated, particularly in food and pharmaceuticals, companies must navigate complex and varied regulations across different markets. This regulatory landscape can slow down product development and innovation, especially as consumer preferences shift towards cleaner, more natural ingredients.

Consumer Preferences: As awareness of health and wellness grows, consumers are increasingly demanding clean-label products that contain fewer synthetic ingredients. This trend challenges emulsifier manufacturers to innovate and offer natural or plant-based emulsifiers that align with the growing demand for transparency and sustainability in ingredient sourcing.

Opportunities in the Emulsifier Market

Growing Demand for Plant-Based Emulsifiers: With consumers becoming more health-conscious and environmentally aware, there is an increasing demand for plant-based emulsifiers. These emulsifiers, derived from sources like soy, sunflower, and canola, align with the rising preference for vegan and non-GMO products. This trend presents significant opportunities for companies to develop and market plant-based emulsifiers that cater to both food and non-food industries.

Sustainability Focus: Manufacturers are investing in bio-based emulsifiers that offer both environmental and functional benefits. Plant-based and sustainable emulsifiers are seen as alternatives to synthetic chemicals, which are often criticized for their environmental impact. The growing sustainability focus is a crucial opportunity for the emulsifier market to innovate and offer eco-friendly solutions.

Future of the Emulsifier Market

The emulsifier market is expected to continue its growth trajectory, fueled by several key factors:

Regional Growth: The demand for emulsifiers is projected to rise significantly in emerging markets, where urbanization and disposable income are increasing. In regions like Asia-Pacific and Latin America, the expanding food and beverage sectors are particularly driving the market, with an increasing shift towards processed foods and beverages.

Technological Innovation: Future developments in emulsifier technology will likely lead to the creation of more efficient, eco-friendly, and functional emulsifiers. The integration of novel ingredients such as plant-based emulsifiers, which meet both consumer demands and sustainability standards, will shape the market's future.

Clean-Label and Natural Ingredients: The ongoing trend towards clean-label products, which feature natural and recognizable ingredients, will continue to impact the emulsifier market. Manufacturers will need to prioritize transparency in their ingredient sourcing and work towards providing natural alternatives to synthetic emulsifiers.

To know more download PDF brochure : 

The emulsifier market is evolving rapidly, driven by technological innovations, shifting consumer preferences, and the increasing demand for processed foods and beverages. While challenges like raw material sourcing and regulatory hurdles persist, the growing interest in sustainable and plant-based emulsifiers presents significant opportunities. As the market continues to evolve, manufacturers who can adapt to these trends and focus on clean-label and eco-friendly solutions will be best positioned for success in the future.

[zvaigzdelasas]

Gum arabic, a vital ingredient used in everything from Coca-Cola to M&M’s sweets, is increasingly being trafficked from rebel-held areas of war-torn Sudan, traders and industry sources say, complicating Western companies’ efforts to insulate their supply chains from the conflict.

Sudan produces around 80 per cent of the world’s gum arabic, a natural substance harvested from acacia trees that’s used widely to mix, stabilise and thicken ingredients in mass-market products including L’Oreal lipsticks and Nestle pet food.

The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), at war since April 2023 with Sudan’s army, seized control late last year of the main gum-harvesting regions of Kordofan and Darfur in western Sudan. Since then the raw product, which can only be marketed by Sudanese traders in return for a fee to the RSF, is making its way to Sudan’s neighbours without proper certification, according to conversations with eight producers and buyers who are directly involved in gum arabic trading or based in Sudan. The gum is also exported through informal border markets, two traders told Reuters.

Asked for comment, an RSF representative said that the militia had protected the gum arabic trade and only collected small fees.[...]

In recent months, traders in countries with lower gum arabic production than Sudan, such as Chad and Senegal, or which barely exported it before the war, like Egypt and South Sudan, have begun to offer the commodity aggressively at cheap prices and without proof that it is conflict-free, two buyers who have been approached by traders told Reuters. While the acacia trees that yield gum arabic grow across Africa’s arid Sahel region — known as the “gum belt” — Sudan has become by far the world’s biggest exporter due to its extensive groves.[...]

Before the Sudanese civil war, the raw gum would be sorted in Khartoum and then trucked to Port Sudan, on the Red Sea, to be shipped via the Suez Canal around the world. Since late last year, however, RSF-affiliated gum arabic started to appear on sale at two informal markets on the border between the Sudanese province of West Kordofan and South Sudan, according to a buyer based in an RSF-controlled area, who declined to be named due to safety concerns.

The buyer, a major trader in the West Kordofan area, said that traders collect gum from Sudanese land owners and sell them to South Sudanese traders in these markets for US dollars.

4 Mar 25

[reasonsforhope]

Green energy is in its heyday. 

Renewable energy sources now account for 22% of the nation’s electricity, and solar has skyrocketed eight times over in the last decade. This spring in California, wind, water, and solar power energy sources exceeded expectations, accounting for an average of 61.5 percent of the state's electricity demand across 52 days. 

But green energy has a lithium problem. Lithium batteries control more than 90% of the global grid battery storage market. 

That’s not just cell phones, laptops, electric toothbrushes, and tools. Scooters, e-bikes, hybrids, and electric vehicles all rely on rechargeable lithium batteries to get going. 

Fortunately, this past week, Natron Energy launched its first-ever commercial-scale production of sodium-ion batteries in the U.S. 

“Sodium-ion batteries offer a unique alternative to lithium-ion, with higher power, faster recharge, longer lifecycle and a completely safe and stable chemistry,” said Colin Wessells — Natron Founder and Co-CEO — at the kick-off event in Michigan. 

The new sodium-ion batteries charge and discharge at rates 10 times faster than lithium-ion, with an estimated lifespan of 50,000 cycles.

Wessells said that using sodium as a primary mineral alternative eliminates industry-wide issues of worker negligence, geopolitical disruption, and the “questionable environmental impacts” inextricably linked to lithium mining. 

“The electrification of our economy is dependent on the development and production of new, innovative energy storage solutions,” Wessells said. 

Why are sodium batteries a better alternative to lithium?

The birth and death cycle of lithium is shadowed in environmental destruction. The process of extracting lithium pollutes the water, air, and soil, and when it’s eventually discarded, the flammable batteries are prone to bursting into flames and burning out in landfills. 

There’s also a human cost. Lithium-ion materials like cobalt and nickel are not only harder to source and procure, but their supply chains are also overwhelmingly attributed to hazardous working conditions and child labor law violations. 

Sodium, on the other hand, is estimated to be 1,000 times more abundant in the earth’s crust than lithium. 

“Unlike lithium, sodium can be produced from an abundant material: salt,” engineer Casey Crownhart wrote ​​in the MIT Technology Review. “Because the raw ingredients are cheap and widely available, there’s potential for sodium-ion batteries to be significantly less expensive than their lithium-ion counterparts if more companies start making more of them.”

What will these batteries be used for?

Right now, Natron has its focus set on AI models and data storage centers, which consume hefty amounts of energy. In 2023, the MIT Technology Review reported that one AI model can emit more than 626,00 pounds of carbon dioxide equivalent. 

“We expect our battery solutions will be used to power the explosive growth in data centers used for Artificial Intelligence,” said Wendell Brooks, co-CEO of Natron. 

“With the start of commercial-scale production here in Michigan, we are well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for efficient, safe, and reliable battery energy storage.”

The fast-charging energy alternative also has limitless potential on a consumer level, and Natron is eying telecommunications and EV fast-charging once it begins servicing AI data storage centers in June. 

On a larger scale, sodium-ion batteries could radically change the manufacturing and production sectors — from housing energy to lower electricity costs in warehouses, to charging backup stations and powering electric vehicles, trucks, forklifts, and so on. 

“I founded Natron because we saw climate change as the defining problem of our time,” Wessells said. “We believe batteries have a role to play.”

-via GoodGoodGood, May 3, 2024

--

Note: I wanted to make sure this was legit (scientifically and in general), and I'm happy to report that it really is! x, x, x, x

[husain-himani]

Optimizing Raw Material Sourcing: A Crucial Role in Food Production

In the intricate world of food production, where taste, quality, and consistency are paramount, the role of raw material sourcing becomes a pivotal function. At the heart of every delectable pickle, savory sauce, and aromatic spice lies the careful selection and procurement of high-quality raw materials. This crucial responsibility falls under the purview of professionals who ensure that the journey from farm to table is seamless and satisfying.

Crafting Culinary Excellence through Raw Materials

The role involves much more than simply acquiring ingredients. It’s a nuanced process that demands a keen eye for quality, an understanding of food safety standards, and a knack for negotiation. Let’s dive into the roles and responsibilities that define this essential function:

1. Purchasing with Precision

At the core of the raw material sourcing role is the art of purchasing. This entails acquiring the necessary raw materials while aligning with the dynamic needs of the business. The goal is to ensure that the production process is smooth, uninterrupted, and in sync with the market demands.

2. Identifying Gems: High-Quality Raw Materials

The sourcing professional's keen sense of quality comes into play when identifying raw materials that meet the brand’s high standards. Whether it's the freshest vegetables, the juiciest fruits, or the most aromatic spices, every component contributes to the final product's flavor profile.

3. The Hunt for Suppliers

In the world of raw material sourcing, suppliers are invaluable partners. These professionals are tasked with scouring the market for suppliers who not only meet quality benchmarks but also align with the company's ethos. The supplier selection process involves evaluating certifications, adherence to food safety standards, and consistency in delivering top-notch ingredients.

4. The Art of Negotiation

Negotiation is where business acumen meets culinary artistry. Sourcing professionals liaise with suppliers to secure favorable terms and competitive pricing. Their skill in negotiating long-term contracts for critical raw materials ensures a stable supply chain – a critical factor in maintaining product consistency.

5. Ensuring Stability through Contracts

Raw material sourcing is as much about ensuring stability as it is about securing ingredients. By negotiating and establishing long-term contracts, sourcing professionals shield the production process from sudden disruptions. This strategic move fosters business continuity and safeguards against supply chain hiccups.

A Symphony of Quality, Consistency, and Taste

In the world of food production, where each ingredient contributes to the symphony of taste and texture, raw material sourcing professionals are the conductors. They orchestrate the flow of ingredients from the source to the kitchen, ensuring that every bite is a testament to quality and consistency.

So, the next time you savor that tangy pickle, that zesty sauce, or that aromatic spice blend, remember that it’s not just about the recipe – it's about the meticulous effort of sourcing professionals who transform raw materials into culinary masterpieces. They infuse flavor, quality, and a touch of magic into every bite, enriching our dining experience and setting the bar for gastronomic excellence.

[harunayuuka2060]

Leona: ...

F!MC: *captured a wild boar, brought it to the palace, and is currently butchering it herself*

Leona: ...

F!MC: What are you staring at?

Leona: ...

Leona: Don't you trust the food here in the castle?

F!MC: ...

F!MC: It's nothing like that. I've been doing this since I was a child.

Leona: Excuse me? Aren't you from a family of nobles?

F!MC: No. Just my older sister.

Leona: ...

Kifaji: As per your request, I have conducted a thorough background check. It appears that Lady MC and her elder sister share the same mother, though they were born to different fathers. Lady MC hails from a family of hunters and entered her sister’s noble household at the age of nine.

Kifaji: Furthermore, I have uncovered that Lady MC has personally overseen the preparation of the family’s meals. From hunting and sourcing raw ingredients to the act of cooking itself, she ensures that no ill intent—such as the slipping of poison—befalls the household’s food.

Leona: ...

Kifaji: *smiles* Isn't that impressive?

Leona: ...

Kifaji: It appears that she intends to continue the practice she once used to safeguard you, Prince Leona. A remarkable display of her devotion to caring for her husband.

Leona: We're not married yet. She doesn't have to do this.

Kifaji: Nevertheless, as her fiancé, you should consider showing your commitment by doing something in return.

Leona: ...

[peascribbles]

𝑬𝒏𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒉𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒛𝒆𝒅 𝑳𝒊𝒛𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒔: 𝑨 𝑷𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒉𝒍𝒆𝒕

A few snapshots of the shenanigans you get up to with your dragon. - addendums to abundance dragon!sylus x gn!reader, tooth-rotting domestic fluff, drabble format, sfw; 800wc

I. Provide a reassuring, secure dwelling.

Most of the peculiarities that accompanied living with a dragon were tolerable with the passage of time. There was one exception, when you woke up early for the nth time because every single muscle in your back was screaming at you.

You mentioned you couldn't sleep on piles of gold forever, and he'd muttered about picky mortals under his breath.

Hours later, you spotted him atop a treasure mound pulling out various delicate fabrics, delicately held in his claws. You were presented with a makeshift nest he put together for you, made of assorted drapes and velvet finery.

A strange ritual took place in the transitional period that followed: out of sheer stubbornness, he insisted on using the gold piles as his bed, flippantly stating he would sleep there, apart from you. After he thought you'd fallen asleep he would migrate to the nest without fail, his tail coiling around your leg to keep you pressed to him. The nights would unfold this way for a good while, until he finally surrendered to the temptation of the silken fabrics, swathed in the promise of your welcoming, warm embrace.

II. Offer a variety of food.

You bring up his exclusive diet of meat when you realise that's all he's eaten since you met him.

"Sweetie, I'm part dragon, if you haven't noticed." He says through a mouthful of raw antelope, his lips dyed scarlet with its blood.

"Yes, but even you need a healthy, balanced diet. Back then, I befriended a stray lizard in the Sanctuary by bribing it with fruits and vegetables," you reply straight away, having anticipated his response.

He arches a brow and opens his mouth to interject, but you continue, "not to mention, food can be a source of happiness too. There are so many flavours and textures you're missing out on. Allow me to show you."

Though he remains sceptical, he obliges you in gathering the ingredients for a salad with some simple dressing the next day. You'll never forget the look on his face after he took a bite.

III. Engage in novel forms of play.

"How about a chase or two around the den? I could use a stretch."

Any chance to exercise his human legs comes as a novelty – after all, flying is his main form of cardio. You manage to evade him for a few minutes, but he gets you when you tire, pinning you to the ground with a triumphant gleam in his eyes; not unlike the expression of a predator that's caught its quarry.

These games of tag turn into a regular amusement, and you're glad for it. At least there was another option besides hide and seek now.

Sometimes he initiates them during your late afternoon excursions to the valley bordering his city, and you aren't always the one being pursued. He enjoys it the other way around too, stealing playful glances over his shoulder as you run hot on his heels through the grassy slopes, the wind mussing up his hair, laughing as the waning light drenches his eyes in the splendid shades of a thousand blazing sunsets.

IV. Decorate the enclosure.

You'd been waiting for his curiosity about humans to surface again, and leaped into action the second Sylus brought it up, his tone almost shy.

"Show me more of this… art."

You first taught him how to combine water with finely ground clay to create pigments—he'd generously carved out wide stone bowls for you to hold them in, hollowing them out like they were made of paper.

A few adjustments had to be made along the way to account for your difference in species. While your fingers sufficed as artistic tools, the same couldn't be said of his rigid claws. He couldn't apply the mixture with any shape or form other than thin and crooked lines. To accommodate him, you went and plucked a handful of hairs from the wild horses that roamed his lands, and bound them to a stick with some rope to create a brush that he could use instead.

His cave served as a vast canvas from then on. You never told him what to make; just extended patient encouragements to stave off the occasional flashes of self-doubt that threatened his budding creativity.

Days became weeks, then months, as the walls were covered with his paintings, alongside yours. He gravitated to drawing the panoply of animals that called his territory home—aurochs, ibex, eagles, and bison, to name some—with intense earnestness, his brow furrowed in great focus. One time, you saw him tucked in a concealed nook of the lair, sketching a dragon and human cuddled together.

It took every ounce of willpower you had to wait until that evening to tackle him down and smother him in kisses. In between each press of your lips, you mumbled, "I— love you— so— damn— much, you silly man."

[strange-aeons]

hey strange! So I know you’ve fed your cats the Carna4 brand for a while (correct me if I’m wrong or if thats changed) and I’ve been feeding my cat that brand also for about a year now ever since I got him (he’s 2 yo). He recently had a seizure and we discovered its due to his diet lacking thiamine/B1 vitamins. Bc Carna4 has raw fish in its ingredients it cancels out the vitamins and could leave your cat severely deficient, as mine is, according to the doc and the MRI scan. I thought I should inform you bc this has been terrifying and I don’t wish it on anyone or any cat. Pls feel free to message me if you need more info I’d be happy to share! Also my cat is an orange cat and I know breeds and genetics are a thing so maybe your cats are totally fine but I still thought you should know.

Thank you for sharing this! Wishing your orange boy a full recovery!!

I had no idea this was a thing. I also feed my cats other raw foods and treats with different protein sources but I think after reading this I will diversify their diet even more.

[compulsivebites]

Meat for a dog | butcher!Simon x f!reader

based off the comments from this post | pinterest board | word count: 5,097 (soz)

warnings: 18+ ONLY (MDNI), dubcon (god i wish i could write noncon), fingering, animal meat & blood mention, piv, simon not shutting the hell up

a/n: i took a gummy and edited this so now I hate it

The swap of his gun for a cleaver- a human body for an animal one- felt like a natural exchange for him. He liked it well enough. Showed more respect towards the animal meat he carved than the human ones. He was good at it.

His days were always the same— a smoke before his shift. Wrapping the stained white apron around his broad body as he chopped various meats for the display fridge in the front. The discards would go in a plastic bucket to be thrown out. The scavenger in him knew it could probably be useful for something- fuck if he knew for what though.

Usually he recognized most of the faces that came in, bulky arms resting against the display as he watched bodies pass by, waiting for someone to summon him when they were ready.

***

Ok. Just go in there and ask. The worst they could do is say no. The idle noise of your car engine stops as you take the key out and drop it into your bag. You hate this, and almost hate how much you love your dog enough to do this. For the past month, you did a deep dive into dog nutrition. Reading about raw food, what kinds of bones he could eat, the types of diets there were within raw feeding, the different components of a balanced bowl, and the different ingredients within each component. After weeks of research, you eased your way into it. Starting with tinned anchovies- simple enough and easy to find. Your dog loved it, well- he regularly ate goose poop and food on the street so you weren't sure if that mattered but you kept going, his excited spins as you would place his bowl down was encouragement enough. It was also easy enough to buy some extra chunks of meat for your boy when you went to the grocery store. Chicken feet, duck heads, turkey neck- a little harder, but you always found it. Some other things, though- liver, heart, kidneys- are a little more difficult to source and expensive. Everyone online said a local butcher was the answer- a lot of edible meat for cheap. That felt a little bit more difficult for you, feeling embarrassed to have to ask someone if they had any scraps of meat you could give your dog. You could already imagine a scary man behind the counter laughing at you, but this was the only butcher shop around so you had no choice. Choosing this as a form of exposure therapy, it was a task you had to see through— no matter how uncomfortable.

The bell above the door rings as she pushes the door open. Simon watches your eyes scan across the store- sees the slight relief when your gaze is able to familiarize yourself with his shop. You look like a nervous little thing. Giving a small smile when you pass the elderly woman, avoid eye contact with the loud man screaming on the phone, you're shoulders tense and your feet move quickly.

"Hiya mate," Simon takes his time looking away from you. Bored eyes looking at the balding man in front of him. Sees a flash of annoyance in the mans face at Simon's lack of enthusiasm to help him.

"What'll it be?" Simon doesn't move at all as the man lists off the meats and weights for each protein. He waits a beat after the man finishes listing everything and leisurelymoves to get everything for him, a small smirk as he turns his back towards the customer, hearing him let out an irritated puff. He hands the man his things without a word, putting the cash in the register, and returns to his spot. He holds dirty, crumpled black gloves in his hands as his eyes scan the store for you. Easy enough, as it's the end of the day- neither of you notices that it's only the two of you in the store now.

"Hi, I have a weird question to ask." Decades of war made his hearing horrible and he's feeling like a shit so he almost can't help his tone when he asks.

"A little louder, love" It pisses you off and you almost leave- but you can't. You watch the smirk form on his lips. You take a look at him, his towering body at ease in his shop. He's hot in an unconventional way. His dirty blonde buzz cut growing out, his dark brown eyes that sparkle with a hint of mischievousness, his face roughened from scars that didn't heal correctly, big crooked nose that looks like he didn’t bother to get set back into place. He scares you, in an 'out of your league' way. He radiates confidence, indifference— like he always gets what he wants.

He can see the anger flicker in your eyes, but as quick as it's there— it goes. A sore spot, and he can't help as his smirk turns into a smug grin as he watches you repeat yourself a little firmer- but your politeness doesn't hinder.

"I was wondering if you had any meat you were getting rid of, for my dog. I’ll pay for it" you add the last part in quickly, hoping that will make him ease up on you. He may be handsome, but you can tell he's enjoying your discomfort. You feel like an awkward teenager again; this answer puts you on edge, makes you shrink into yourself.

"Hm— never had anyone ask me that" his thick finger taps on the display as he makes an exaggerated thinking face. "Might have some in the back- let me just switch the sign and we can take a look." He gives the glass one last tap before he pushes his broad frame back and moves towards where you're standing. His heavy boots get louder as he passes you and goes to flip the 'Open' sign to 'Closed' and lock the door.

Your mouth falls slightly open. You checked the store hours a few times before you came and everyone online said it's best to go closer towards closing time but you weren't expecting him to close the store while helping you. You were a customer surely he should just leave it open? The thought felt a little selfish as soon as you had it, so you close your mouth.

He watches your throat move as you swallow, oh— he wants to play with you. Wants to trap your tail under his paw and watch you try to run away. See you squirm under him. Force pretty little noises out of you. He’s aware of how he comes across, relies on it. Expected to be a selfish lover, to take without care, and they’re right— he is. Normally he enjoys taking, gives just enough to keep the other person from complaining. Not a bad fuck but not one that needs to be repeated either. But with this situation, a perfect one where he can take his time and play with his food— doesn’t need to maul it. He wonders how much of a fight you’d put up, if any. He’ll find out soon enough.

He stands in front of you now and makes himself big, raising his tattooed arm onto the top of his head. Hand rubbing up and down his buzzed hair as he starts asking you questions he doesn't really care about- wanting to hear your trembling voice for a little longer. Like a cat playing with its food. He cuts you off mid-sentence feeling impatient, he leans down towards your ear and whispers for you to follow him.

"Let's check together." His voice feels like a boom compared to the whisper in your ear he gave a second ago. It catches you off guard and makes you jump a little. You clear your throat and take a final glance at the 'Open' sign that faces you.

"Oh, I don't want to intrude. I can wait here—"

"No, you have an odd little request. Let's figure out if I have an answer for you together." He holds the hefty stainless steel door open with his boot, thick arms crossed in front of his chest, his head following you as you enter. You hesitate for a second and force yourself to move past him and into the back room.

The smell of raw meat is the first thing you take in— it’s almost jarring how much stronger it is back here. Obviously, you think to yourself as you look at the skinned lamb bodies hanging from a hook. You wonder how he deals with it every day, but the scent follows him always, all blood smells the same no matter the species. The loud hum of the refrigerators fills your ears as you turn back to look at the butcher. The door makes a loud bang as it rushes to close and you flinch. Neither of you talk as he makes his way next to you, his massive frame hovering beside you— let’s you shrink in the silence for a few seconds before moving.

If he’s good at one thing, it’s perceiving people— had a career that depended on it. After entering the back with you, he decides to just stand there— see if you’ll leave, back out. But you don’t, instead he watches your neck bob as you swallow, pick at your nails, bite your bottom lip— you must really like that dog.

He walks towards two massive buckets sitting next to a metal table. He lifts one and lets the thick plastic container bang against the counter as he puts it down.

“This ones got some good bits, edible but wouldn’t make a profit if I put it up front.” Your eyes light up, it’s exactly what you’ve been looking for. He lifts a brow, amused by the ardent look on your face, before continuing. “It’s time for my smoke, so sort through this and pick out what you want.” He places a plastic storage container in front of you. So worn that the measurement lines are gone. “Whatever you want can go in here.” You nod without looking at him, hearing his heavy steps head towards the back exit to your right.

He waits for you to pick up a piece of meat from the bucket and whistles at you. Like an obedient dog, your head whips towards his direction the second you hear it.

“Look left.” Your head turns just as fast towards the area where you two walked in. Your eyes scan the off white walls, the steel door, the metal table. “See that small box, there? Gloves.”

“Oh, yeah, ok. Thank you.” You head towards the metal sink to wash your hands quickly. Since you started feeding your dog raw meat— you had gotten used to the cold, smooth textures. Not thinking twice about putting your hand in the bloody bucket.

“Dirty girl,” he chides. “Even I wear gloves.” You watch the end of the cigarette glow as he sucks the nicotine in. You don’t answer as you return to your table, opting to give a little shrug instead. You hear him snort as he turns his back to you to finish his smoke.

* * *

You don’t know how long it’s been, but your container is halfway full by the time he finishes his cigarette. Content in your task, sorting through the cold meat and fat chunks, you don’t notice him till you feel him pressed against your back. You go rigid. Hands frozen in place as you suddenly feel trapped.

“Good little worker, almost done filling your container.”

“I— yeah, thank you. For letting me do this, he’s gonna lo—” your words get stuck in your throat as his body twitches closer to you— like he couldn’t help it. It pushes you forward into the counter, your body causing everything on the table to lightly jerk once.

“Easy. Keep working, let me see how well you're doing.” His big hand wraps around your neck, not too tight, hanging there like a collar. Fingers lightly resting on your carotid artery as if he was feeling your pulse. He can, basks in the stuttering beats.

“Gotta tenderize the meat,” you hear him purr into your ear as his tattooed arm rubs against your hip, occasionally rubbing your stomach under your shirt. You wonder if you’ll find any bruises on your hip tomorrow.

You try to keep a steady hand as you rush to finish filling your bucket. No longer paying attention to whether the meat is good or not. You then feel him at the button of your jeans, on instinct, you jerk your hips back to get away from his hand but feel his unmovable body.

“Ah ah ah, pick that piece up again.” You pick the limp, red chunk of meat up from the bucket and let it dangle in front of the two of you. From your peripheral you see his head lower to rest his chin on your shoulder, the smell of meat, cigarette, and very faint cologne fills your nostrils. You can feel the prickle of his facial hair through your shirt. “That’s a nice cut, I reckon that one should go to the mutt, hm?” Your hand trembles slightly as you add it to the clear bucket with a weak noise of agreement. He squeezes your neck in silent approval before dragging it down. He gropes at your breasts, thumb circling your nipples, you bite your bottom lip to avoid letting out any noise.

You add a couple more pieces of meat, while both of his hands casually unbutton your jeans. He returns one hand to your chest to continue playing with your nipples through your shirt. His other hand pulls your underwear and jeans down at the same time. You feel the calloused skin of his finger scrape against the fat of your hip as he hooks it around the fabrics. You haven’t moved, your jeans pushed down to your knees, frozen until you hear his gruff voice.

“Spit.”

You slowly look down with wide eyes at his two thick fingers in front of your mouth. You swallow the excess saliva in your mouth without thinking. You both hear the quiet tu sound as you watch a small, pathetic drop of spit fall onto his fingers.

“That’s it? It’s like you want it to hurt, unless” He cuts himself off, the two fingers disappear to swipe your folds. Your face feels like it’s on fire when you feel his fingers easily glide across. He starts rubbing circles as he lets out a raspy laugh.

“Fuckin’ hell. How long have you been standing here dripping? Was it me or the meat hanging in the fridge?” You try to move your head to the side, to get away from him, but he moves his hand from your nipples to its previous spot on your neck. Thumb on the back of your skull, forcing you to keep your head straight. You feel his teeth on your ear as he nips at your lobe. “Dirty little puppy. Might need to line you up with my lamb carcasses and hose you down when we’re through, clean you off.”

“I— please, can I just go. I didn’t mean to.” You lose your words. Didn’t mean to what? Get this wet? You try to figure out a way to convince him to let you out, yet your body felt glued to the ground. His words are a bit coarse, but his touch hasn’t been so bad— a bit rough but nice nonetheless. Every touch he gives you feels like it slows your brain down. You begin to get lost in your thoughts, disappointment in yourself growing until the butcher interrupts them.

“Settle, love. What kinda man would I be if I let you leave here with that dripping cunt. And without food for your dog? I’m not cruel.” The period to his sentence is a quick slap to your pussy, you let out a suprised gasp. “I’ll take good care of you, just need you to take what I give you, yeah?” You can only let out a pathetic whine in response.

You weren’t expecting his hands to leave you so soon. Confused for a moment before you feel him lift your shirt and bra over your head, the plastic, blood covered gloves roll off along with it. His hands fall into their previous positions on your body.

“Now, how about a little quality check, see if this needy pussy is ready for me?” In any other situation you’d ask if he’s always this chatty— you feel like he hasn’t shut up since you both walked into the cold, metal kitchen. His hands have you too distracted to think anymore about it as he spreads your folds apart before sinking his big finger into you slowly, all in one go.

Like a trained dog you fall into line immediately, any form of objection, not that you’ve shown any really, gone from your body and mouth at his say so. Simon thought of all the moments he gave you to bite and bark at him, but you did neither. Like a dog who didn’t know its leash was taken off. Simons body let out another involuntary twitch into you as he thought about it, pushing his finger deeper into you. He decided that he was probably doing you a favor. A feral dog that finally got some guidance from a trainer, doesn’t really know what to do without a firm hand. He felt your warm walls pulse, like your body could read his mind and agreed with him. Simon couldn’t help but let out a deep moan. He uses his free hand to unzip his jeans, letting his hard cock bounce out, ignoring it as he places his hand on your chest, tweaking your pebbled nipples.

He knew he’d have to stretch you out a bit more before you could take him, barely able to push his finger into your soaked cunt. His thumb starts rubbing slow circles around your clitas his finger curls inside of you, working in tandem as he feels you squeeze around his finger. You can’t help the way your hips push into his hand, desperate to create more friction.

“Yeah, hump my hand needy girl.” You whine and push your hands flat against the table as you try to grind your hips against the palm of his large, calloused hand. He keeps his hand steady, making you figure out how to reach your peak on your own. Another whine slips out— more desperate this time, beginning to get frustrated that you can’t get the right rhythm.

“That’s alright, you need me to help you out?” You feel pathetic as you nod your head in response. The butcher pinchs an ass cheek before he puts his hand on your back and forces you forward till your front is laying on the table. You cringe as you feel the blood from the meat against the front of your body, you fold your arms under your forehead to avoid putting your face in it. His hand runs down thumb draws circles around your clit slowly while his long finger curls into you, feeling for your g-spot. He strokes it until he feels your cunt flutter around his finger, he can hear you panting as your body begins to shake. He bends down towards your head, as if you wouldn’t be able to hear his deep voice while he was standing.

"Don't cum yet- want you to tell me the word you use on your dog when you release him"

"What?" You want to tell him to shut up and let you cum, your pussy flutters impatiently around his finger as you try to focus.

"Like when you release him to do something. We had dogs when I was in the military, wouldn’t move until they gave a command. What’s his?" His breath tickles your neck with each word, talking casually like you’re not on the edge of an orgasm.

"Um, break." You're confused, not getting where he’s going with this. or caring.

"Alright then, Break. Cum for me like a good girl." You've never been so confused while having an orgasm, body twitching as he leaves his finger wedged inside of you. He hears you let out a shakey moan as you cum, your chest rising and falling quickly. He leans down to rest his heavy body on top of yours, his free hand wipes the light sheen of sweat from your forhead before haphazardly grabbing the top of your skull to turn your face to look at him over your shoulder and smiles at your disheveled state— can see your dialated pupils and the way your mouth hangs open as you pant. He lets go of your head and can’t help but bite on your bare shoulder until he hears your heavy breathing turn into a hiss, swiping his tongue across the crooked indents left over by his teeth, feeling you shudder beneath him.

“Want you to do a little trick for me now.” You have no time to ruminate on your orgasm or what he just said, suddenly feeling him bully a second finger to join the first one without warning, you let out a whimper as your eyebrows scrunch together. His other hand moves to your cheek, roughly pinching it as he talks.

“Breath through it, know you can take it. How else is that needy little pussy going to take my cock, hm?” You pull away from his hand and shake your head in displeasure, your wetness not enough to alleviate the painful stretch. He begins rubbing down your soft skin, stopping at the inside of your thigh and stroking it softly.

Simon doesn’t move the fingers inside of you. Takes time doing new tricks, so he decides to give you a second to adjust, the flutter of your warm cunt isn’t the worst thing his fingers have felt either. Like a trainer standing still while a dog thrashes around at the feeling of being on leash for the first time, a new sensation— he can be patient when it’s worth his while.

“That’s it— “ You don’t know how long your eyes have been squeezed shut or how long you’ve been chewing on your bottom lip, but you try to soften your face. You’ve never had anything thisbig inside of you before. You push down the thought of what he’s stretching you out for, opting for deep breaths instead. Then you feel him move his fingers, stretching them open and shut.

He curls them as he pushes them in and out, when he can tell that you’re close he pulls his fingers out. You hear him jerk himself a few times, the wet strokes sound obscene in the quiet room. Grateful that you can’t see how big he is.

He lets out a deep moan as you feel the head of his cock bully itself into your soaked cunt, his two fingers feel like they did nothing to prepare you for the size of him as you let out a quiet groan of discomfort.

“It hurts.” you whisper as you feel begin to thrust in and out of you. You don’t know how he hears you but he lets out a hum of acknowledgment and takes a hand off of your hip to play with your clit.

“I know, your cunt is barely letting me pull out.” He starts to pick up his pace now. The hum of the refrigerator now joined by the sloppy sounds of his thrusts into you. Eventually, your body adjusts to his size, you push your hips back to meet his thrusts.

“Plea- e- ease” You pause for a beat, realizing you don’t even know his name. “Sir?” You don’t know what else to call him, cringing as soon as you hear the formality leave your mouth.You don’t remember seeing any name tag on him when he was standing in front of you earlier and the politeness ingrained into you since you could speak wouldn’t allow for anything else to come out.

“Sir? Some set of manners on you. Or do you not know my name?” You shake your head that’s resting on the table, his thrusts unrelenting. You bite your lip to prevent a moan from slipping out before you talk.

“I don’t- know your na-” His thrusting doesn’t let up as he speaks at you, humor in his voice, “I’m inside of you, fucking you raw. You’re letting me— a strange man, fuck you. And you don’t even know his name? Oh, you are a filthy thing.” You feel embarrassed as you listen to his deep voicechastise you. A flicker of frustration fills you as you think about how he doesn’t know your name either. You let out an annoyed whine, both at him talking and his refusal to let you just cum again.

“Guess I don’t know yours either.” He emphasises the last word with a particularly hard thrust before pulling out of you all together, both of you moan, his desperate cock twitches at the loss of warmth.

He knows you were both close to cumming, but Simon doesn’t usually get to edge himself with his partners. Always opting for a quick fuck, but he couldn’t help himself this was such a unique situation— knows that you’d let him do anything right now so he can’t help but indulge by edging himself a little with your pussy.

You feel him pull you up by the shoulders, turning you around to face him. His brown eyes look down at the pink liquid covering your chest as an eyebrow quirks up, can’t help the smirk from forming before he grabs your chin so your eyes met his. He ignores the disgusted look on your face at his reaction to the blood on you.

“Forgot to tell me yours.” You tell him your name as you get distracted by his heavy boot moving. You look down and watch him step on the crotch of your joined underwear and jeans, pushing them down until they’re at your ankles, blocked by your shoes. You look back up at him to see what he does, his dark brown eyes are already on you. He lifts you up without a word, setting your warm body down on the cold table. You watch him as he kneels down to slip your shoes and socks off, tosses them somewhere to the side along with your jeans and underwear. Your breath begins to return to normal as you watch him. You notice that he didn’t bother to get undressed, his black jeans unbuttoned just enough to let let his cock out. You’re nakedness makes you feel like the lamb carcasses hanging from the hooks in the big refrigerator behind him. When Simon stands you can’t help but look down, swallowing the lump in your throat as you see his erect cock for the first time, it almost looks painful, your eyes follow the veins up to the tip covered in precum. You can’t look away as you watch his thumb spread it around before stroking his length one time before leaving it alone, turning his attention back to you.

Your hands go behind you to brace against the table as he firmly pushes your thighs open to their limit. He leans down slightly, fingers spread you open as you hear him spit on your cunt. He doesn’t bother to spread it, just forces himself in all at once. He watches your face as you struggle to adjust around him, enjoys the way your eyebrows scrunch together as he starts moving. His movements are obdurate, not giving you any reprieve from his harsh thrusts as he speeds up.

He feels the moment you adjust to his size. You both moan as you feel your pussy clench around him, feel the cum at his base being pushed out with each thrust. He uses a hand rub at your clit, alternating between rubbing it and lightly pinching it. Your body begins to quiver, you’re almost over the edge when you hear his voice.

“Break” You groan in embarassment as your body shakes, pussy clenching around his thick cock as you cum.

His hands find your thighs as he grips them harshly, thrusts losing rhythm as he chases his high now. You enjoy the grunts that leave his mouth as he gets closer. You feeli his cock still for a second before it twitches inside of you. He braces his arms against the edge of the table, surrounding your body as he pants above you.

You whimper when he begins to pull his soft cock out of you, feeling empty. He tilts his head down slightly as he looks at your opening. His finger opens your hole to give you both a better view. Your cunt twitchs at the attention, you both watch cum leak out of you. He chuckles before he moves back, tucks himself back in his jeans as he goes towards the sink. He pulls a few napkins and walks back to you, you’re surprised when he instead scoops some up to push back into you. He has a grin as you look at him with annoyance. He laughs as he hands you the napkins, he grabs the container of meat and places it on the other table, his back to you.

You swipe the rough napkin, flinching as you clean yourself off. Your skin makes a squeak as your bare skin rubs against the metal counter, you pushing yourself off. You put your clothes on as you watch his back, he’s quiet as you hear the rustling of plastic wrap.

He turns around, holding the container with one hand, he uses the other to grab your chin to make eye contact with him.

“I’ll see you here next week, yeah? He nods your head for you, "Yeah. I'll find you if you forget— I’m gonna want that container back." He pats your cheek before handing you the container.

You hold it against your body as you give him a small smile. He smirks at you as he herds you towards the back exit.

“Forgetting your manners, pet?” He lifts a brow at you, broad frame standing over you.

“Oh, thank you.” You offer him a small smile, brain trying to process what just happened.

“Good girl. Break” You hear his raspy chuckle as you walk away on shaky legs.

[timetraveltasting]

ORIGINAL TOLL HOUSE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES (1938)

Since I won't be home for the holidays this Christmas (we are going to Australia to spend a summery Christmas with my in-laws), I went home to Canada a little early for a quick trip - most importantly to meet my new, adorable niece! Surrounded by childhood favourites and nostalgia, I thought it would be a great idea to make a classic Tasting History treat with my mom: the Original Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies. This first ever chocolate chip cookie recipe, originally called Chocolate Crunch Cookies (a later newspaper typo created its now-common name), was created by Ruth Wakefield and her head pastry chef Sue Brides at The Toll House Inn in Whittman, MA in 1938. The restaurant was already quite popular among locals and food critics, and Ruth finally decided to share the recipe for these star cookies with the public. It was printed in newspapers, and the popularity of the chocolate chip cookie grew even further when Nestlé printed it on the back of their packaging. In the original recipe, Nestlé's chocolate is mentioned by name, and the growing popularity of the cookie recipe led to a 500% increase in profits for the company. Their chocolate bars originally had to be chopped up into 'pea-sized' pieces by hand until Nestlé began selling scored bars with the correct size, and eventually chocolate chips - created especially for making chocolate chip cookies. Interestingly enough, the original chocolate chip cookie recipe is very close to the one that is still on packages today. I have very fond memories of making chocolate chip cookies with my mother as I was growing up, and I thought, what better way to compare the two recipes than to also make this original chocolate chip cookie recipe with her! See Max’s video on how to make this dish here or see the ingredients and process at the end of this post, sourced from his website.

My experience making it:

Finally in my natural element in Canada, with easier to find ingredients that I recognized and could more predictably bake with, I was able to follow the recipe exactly. The one major change I made was to omit the chopped nuts completely, mostly because I'm not a fan of nuts in baked goods.

Because this recipe requires an overnight element, my mom and I began preparing the cookie dough the day before we wanted to bake and eat them. My mom began by beating the eggs, then creaming the butter with a hand mixer while I portioned out the other ingredients. She added in the sugars, eggs, baking soda dissolved in water, and vanilla and mixed them until combined. I then slowly sprinkled in the flour and salt mixture into the mixing bowl while she mixed, until that, too, was combined. I was worried the dough was looking a little too dry and dense, but my mom assured me it still looked right - I totally trust her baking instincts! We then folded the chocolate chips into the dough with a spatula, then covered it with Saran wrap and let it sit in the fridge overnight. The next evening, we preheated the oven, took our dough out (which had really hardened up!), and began portioning it out into little balls of dough. My mom had to use a fork and a bit of force to portion it, since it was so cold and solid! We used a weigh scale to determine the 14 oz. size of ball, but honestly, we did end up going up to 20 oz. or so at some points - it would have taken a long time to weigh every ball. On a lined baking sheet, we fit about 14 balls of dough, spaced about 2 inches apart. After pressing down on each just a little bit, we tossed the first batch in the oven. It smelled so good, and the bits of raw cookie dough I snuck while waiting for the cookies to bake were heavenly! When we took them out, we transferred them onto cooling racks. I think we baked about 5 trays of cookies overall, leaving us with an absolute plethora of chocolate chip cookies by the end! They looked small, but classic - almost like the chocolate chip cookies you can buy in a store. Very photogenic, in my opinion.

My experience tasting it:

Of course, our patience got the best of us, and we did not wait for the cookies to cool before trying them. No regrets! They tasted wonderful - crisp on the bottom and edges, but soft and a little melty in the middle. Really ideal, this kind of cookie could please everyone. My mom likes her cookies on the crispier side, and I like mine on the soft and gooey side, yet we both were very happy with how this recipe turned out. So was my dad, sister, my brother-in-law, and my aunt! In fact, these cookies didn't taste much different from my mom's chocolate chip cookie recipe (as I remembered it). She claims she also got her recipe from a newspaper, so it may have also had the same origin as this one. The flavour of these cookies was sweet, but balanced by the salt and rich brown sugar. They were so tasty, I think this could even become my main chocolate chip cookie recipe, although I will probably make each cookie even bigger in order to get a large volume of soft gooeyness. And I will definitely halve the recipe! 100 cookies or so, as tasty as they are, is an awful lot to get through and would definitely become noticeable on the waist. Otherwise, I agree with Max that there is a reason this recipe has lasted so many decades in its nearly-original form - it really is a crowd-pleaser. I was happy I was able to take some cookies with me back to Germany so I can share some with my husband! If you end up making this dish, if you liked it, or if you changed anything from the original recipe, do let me know!

Original Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies original recipe (1938)

Sourced from Ruth Wakefield’s Toll House Tried and True Recipes by Ruth Wakefield (1938).

Toll House Chocolate Crunch Cookies Cream 1 cup butter, add 3/4 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and 2 eggs beaten whole. Dissolve 1 tsp soda in 1 tsp hot water, and mix alternately with 2 1/4 cups flour sifted with 1 tsp salt. Lastly add 1 cup chopped nuts and 2 bars (7 oz.) Nestle’s yellow label chocolate, semi-sweet, which has been cut in pieces the size of a pea. Flavor with 1 tsp. vanilla and drop half teaspoons on a greased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes in 375° oven. Makes 100 cookies. 

Modern Recipe

Based on the recipe from Ruth Wakefield’s Toll House Tried and True Recipes by Ruth Wakefield (1938) and Max Miller’s version in his Tasting History video.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 beaten eggs

1 tsp baking soda, dissolved in 1 tsp hot water

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 cup chopped nuts

14 oz. chocolate chips

Method:

Cream the butter until smooth. Mix in the brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, baking soda water, and vanilla until combined.

Whisk together the flour and salt. Add this to the butter mixture and mix until just combined.

Stir in the nuts and chocolate chips just until evenly distributed.

Cover and chill the dough overnight.

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190° C).

Scoop dough into balls, about 14 grams each. A half a teaspoon is way too small of a measurement, so I found weighing the dough to be the best way. Place them on lined baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. Press the cookie dough down a bit.

Bake for about 8 minutes, or until golden brown.

Take them out of the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Serve them forth!

[kcrossvine-art]

Hey folks! Itsssssssssssss timeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee for another dungeon meshi cooking time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Isnt that neat.

Its weird to think how long its gonna be before season 2 of the anime drops. Anyway go read the manga i promise you wont regret it. This ones from senshis lil garden on legs-

Today we'll be making Golem Field Fresh Veggie Lunch!

(As always you can find the cooking instructions and full ingredient list under the break-)

MY NAMES CROSS NOW LETS COOK LIKE ANIMALS

SO, “what goes in to Golem Field Fresh Veggie Lunch?” YOU MIGHT ASKIts vegetables, vegetable wauter, and not Much else! Knife is there too.

Head of cabbage

4 carrots

3 potatoes

2 onions

2 turnips

Thick slice bacon

Butter

Seasoned rice vinegar

I lied theres pork did you fall for it did u catch it.

AND, “what does Golem Field Fresh Veggie Lunch taste like?” YOU MIGHT ASKSon, have you ever eaten a vegetabel

Broth is surprisingly flavorful considering the limited spices and short cooktime

Potatoes are perfect texture for dipping

Cabbage absorbed a lot of the juices!!!

Was more impressed by the salad part of the meal-

The turnips need to be sliced enough to Barely see through, and the carrots julienned thin enough to be almost peels

And its this wonderful vegetable confetti tasteful in its simple pleasure

Rice vinegar of any kind will work, seasoned rice vinegar is just what i had

Salt both parts of the meal generously

In the future i wouldve shredded or cut the cabbage much smaller. We'll talk more on that later. Its also intentionally barebones with spices and oils, me using butter and rice vinegar is even pushing the limits of show accurate because in the show they used plain olive oil.

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

From idea to execution, this was a very quick recipe. For starters, nothing gets cooked all that long (the water spends more time empty than it does ingredient'ed) and for lasters nothing gets cut all that much. It was tricky finding good sources for stewing a whole cabbage because most recipes call for either shredding or at least chopping smaller. And they do this for a reason. Its unwieldy trying to eat a whole half of cabbage, you never quite know when to start or where to start. Do you bite chunks out? Peel leaves? Spear it with other things? I dont know. I still dont. Im not a huge raw cabbage fan and it wasnt raw, but it wasnt transformed much either. Minimalist. 

This was a feast in the show and i bet that the freshness of the veggies were a factor, considering they were plucked fresh off the living rock guys. I wouldve killed to be able to brown the onions, roast the carrots, or maybe cube the potatoes (though the consistency was perfect for forking and dipping them in butter so! Bonuses.)

Oven roast bacon is a beloved treet for me. It seemed to absorb some of the vegetable broth and vice versa with the broth absorbing the oils from the bacon, which enhanced all the flavors. Maybe in the future itd be nice to try cooking the bacon a bit ahead, and then adding it to the pot while everythings boiling? Also adding a spritz of lemon juice to either/both is always nice!

I give this recipe a solid 7/10 (with 1 being food that makes one physically sick and 10 being food that gives one a lust for life again.) for its simplicity. With modifications like shredding the cabbage and more seasonings, it could become an easy 10/10. hit that like and subscribe or kill me

🐁 ORIGINAL RESIPPY TEXT BELOW 🐁

Ingredients:

Head of cabbage

4 carrots

3 russet potatoe

2 white onions

2 turnips

10 slices of thick slice bacon

Butter

Seasoned Rice vinegar

Stew Method:

Preheat your oven to 400f. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a baking rack on top (alternatively you can use a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and no baking rack. but the baking rack lets the air circulate better and the grease drip off!)

Cook your bacon for about 18 minutes or until crisp. Flip halfway through.

Chop your carrots, peel and slice your potatos in half, and slice your onions into rings.

Get a large pot with a tight fitting lid, add water, salt, your carrots, your potato pieces, and your onions. Cover and heat to a low boil.

Cut the cabbage head in half down the middle. Once the pot is boiling, carefully add your cabbage to the pot and arrange the halves so theyre fully covered.

Cover and cook for about 13 minutes, the cabbage should be slightly crisp but have give to them. 

Remove from heat and laddle contents into a bowl, arrange some of your bacon along the sides so the fat and the broth mix :) salt and pepper to taste. And get a little saucer for butter so you can dip the potato pieces and/or coat the cabbage pieces.

Salad Method:

Peel your carrots and turnips. Cut off the ends of both. Julienne your carrots, and thinly slice your turnips.

Add your carrot greens (or your chosen leaf filler) to a bowl, then add your carrots and turnips.

Coat with seasoned rice vinegar, salt, and pepper. Thoroughly mix and enjoy :) 

[jeevausa]

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[consolecadet]

Tips for freshly diagnosed celiac-havers

Someone I knew asked me for advice after getting diagnosed with celiac. I gave her some. I might as well share them with you as well!

I am not a doctor, and not your doctor, I'm just some guy with celiac disease. Ask an actual doctor for help with medical decisions. I'm in the northeastern United States, so you might have to go hunting for equivalent resources if you live elsewhere.

Are you done with testing?

If you had a tTG-IgA blood test with an elevated result, or a doctor just told you you have celiac, but you have not gotten a biopsy via endoscopy to confirm your diagnosis, WAIT! You may not want to stop eating gluten quite yet. You have to be eating gluten for the biopsy test to work.

It is not fun to stop eating gluten, start feeling better, and then have to start eating it again just to prove that you really have celiac disease.

Your choice in this area is personal. If you know you're going to have to wait years to get an endoscopy, it would probably be healthier and more pleasant to stop eating gluten now and then do a "gluten challenge" for a few weeks before your endoscopy.

If it's unlikely you will ever get an endoscopy (too expensive, inaccessible, phobia, etc), there's no point in waiting for something that may never come -- just stop eating gluten now.

But if you can schedule an endoscopy for a month or two from now, it's probably best to keep eating gluten until the endoscopy. Sorry.

Please eat food. Like, enough food.

The most important tip I got early in my diagnosis is that if you stop eating gluten and you start feeling crummy -- dizzy, cranky, tired, etc -- it's not because you're going through "gluten detox" or some shit. It's because you're hungry!

It's easy to accidentally start eating way less when you start eating gluten free. A celiac diagnosis can make you want to avoid eating because food feels scary and stressful. Cutting a major ingredient from your diet without knowing what to replace it with can also leave you undernourished.

You really need nourishment when you are recovering from celiac! Your body need energy from food to use on healing your intestines. If you've lived with celiac for a long time, you probably have vitamin deficiencies you're trying to bounce back from. The emotional difficulty of adjusting to a new diagnosis is also much easier to face if you're not starving.

All of this advice applies equally regardless of body size. Yes, even if you are very fat. If you're hungry, eat.

Where to find information about gluten-free food

The gold standard for basic celiac info is celiac nonprofits. There's a ton of info about celiac disease and the gluten free diet on their websites. I recommend:

Celiac Disease Foundation

Beyond Celiac

You know what's not a legitimate celiac nonprofit? Gluten Free Society. Do not listen to anything GFS or its founder Peter Osborne have to say. Osborne is not an actual doctor, nor is he doing actual nutrition science. He is a chiropractor (i.e. quack) so bad that his state's board of chiropractors threatened to revoke his license. Don't let anyone tell you celiac means you can't have corn!!! Truly, wtf @ this guy.

Google's AI summaries for searches like "Is XYZ food gluten free" are often inaccurate (because they pick up sites like GFS). I always click through to the source to be sure. "Is XYZ food celiac safe" sometimes gives more useful search results.

I also like this presentation "I Have Celiac" for a super in-depth guide to having and living with celiac. The OP made it to show to loved ones to explain their deal, but it's so thorough that I found it helpful for myself when I got my diagnosis.

I want to buy food that's safe for celiac...how do I do that?

You should be able to find gf food at any supermarket. The selection of baked goods and processed foods may be lacking, depending on where you live, but produce, raw unmarinated cuts of meat, and other whole foods like milk and eggs are generally safe even if not labeled gf.

A lot of supermarkets have an indicator on the price labels to help you -- for example, at Stop and Shop, the labels on the shelf have an orange circle that says "gf" in it under foods that are gluten free. It's best to check the packaging too, since Stop and Shop sometimes gets it wrong!

Something that says "gluten free" or "certified gluten free" on it is safe for celiac*. Something that doesn't say "gluten free" on the packaging may also be safe, so long as it also doesn't contain wheat, barley, or rye, or have a wheat allergy warning under the ingredient list. Here are some tips for what to look for on ingredient labels.

Labels can get real complicated real fast, so just use your best judgment. It's okay if you don't get it right 100% of the time. The goal when living with celiac is to reduce gluten exposure as much as possible, not to hermetically seal yourself in a deep well where a single molecule of gluten can never possibly reach your tongue. You, and only you, get to decide how much exposure risk you're comfortable with.

My favorite grocery store post-diagnosis is Wegmans. My nearest one is a bit of a hike, so I don't go that often, but it's such a treat when I do. Wegmans has a huge gluten free aisle with gf staples and fun snacks, plus lots of food items that can be harder to find gf, like fresh pasta and baked goods.

I also like the online health food store iHerb for finding new gf snacks and ingredients. You can filter the whole store by dietary needs, so you can also find gf skincare/makeup items and supplements if you want. I have a discount link for 20% off: https://secure.iherb.com/rewards/rewards-program?rcode=DRO2876

The best way to find restaurants that can accommodate celiac is Find Me Gluten Free. It's essentially a gluten-free Yelp. People use the site/app to review of restaurants for 1) what cross-contact precautions the restaurant takes and 2) crucially, if the food was good!

Gf food can be expensive, ngl. The National Celiac Association has advice for how to save money on gf food, including a database of food pantries that set aside gf food for people who need it.

GF ~influencers~

If you want to follow some people who Get It, I like:

Phil Hates Gluten (on IG, TT, and YT) has EoE (another gluten-related autoimmune condition). He reviews gf food and restaurants and makes silly videos about the gf experience.

Robyn's Gluten-free Living on YouTube has gf baking videos and advice about traveling, eating at restaurants, saving money on gf food, and more.

Here on Tumblr, @gluttonysansgluten and @certifiedceliac (and I would love more recommendations for celiac related Tumblr accounts!)

Having celiac is really hard. But it does get easier.

I felt overwhelmed and honestly kind of doomed when I got my celiac diagnosis. For the first few months I felt like I couldn't trust any food and I was going to be totally excluded at all social events forever. It sucked. But then I got a lot of practice figuring out which foods were safe for me, advocating for myself at restaurants and when my friends were planning get-togethers involving food, and now things are really not that bad. And I feel way, way less sick.

If you feel overwhelmed or don't know how to interpret the 1 million sources online telling you what's gluten free, I really recommend seeing a dietician. Your best bet is a weight-neutral or HAES dietician who mentions celiac somewhere on their website or online profile. You can generally count on those folks to give you practical information about how to live with celiac, as well as emotional support as you adjust to what is probably a pretty big and stressful change in your life and how you view yourself!

You got this!

*Please do not talk about Cheerios on my post. Make your own.

[ckret2]

Ive never watched Samurai Jack, and now besides feeling like I must- I have thoughts. An AU where Aku and Jack end up in a the PPG parallel timeline- and it creates some reaction with the current chemical X. Have to help fight HIM or some other great force. Aku literally doing it because its actually his planet to control thank you but out. Jack just staring at his distant relation and how he just had chemical X hanging in such a way that he could break it and have it land in his child potion. And infect his monkey assistant. And that monkey assistant new enough to mimic its effect to create radioactive boys

honestly, headcanoning "Aku's goo is the source of Chemical X" makes the Rowdyruff Boys even funnier. The vile substance that granted the Powerpuff Girls their power and Mojo Jojo his evil genius is derived from the malevolent alien primordial ooze which birthed Aku and the dark blood that drips through his shadowy veins. It is the raw stuff of which the Shapeshifting Master of Darkness, the Shogun of Sorrow is made; the godly/demonic substance that can possess innocent minds and corrupt pure souls; the scion of a vast all-consuming chaotic darkness from the dawn of the universe

and this goddamn monkey is like "oh yeah I synthesized an adequate substitute in an unclean toilet bowl."

I occasionally mentally toy around with an AU I'll never write based on the premise of them both ending up in Townsville. Samurai Jack canon: Aku conquers Jack's kingdom, Jack tries to kill Aku, Aku sends Jack thousands of years into the future to get him out of the way, Jack comes back from the future and times his exit so that it's like thirty seconds after he left and he resumes fighting a weakened Aku; AU diverges here, Aku gets away from Jack by sending himself into the future (which is immediately altered since this now means Aku hasn't been ruling over the world for the past few centuries); Jack follows to hunt him down. Maybe give future!Aku's memories to past!Aku just for the fun of it even though it isn't logical, we can call it time travel magic BS.

i imagine Aku gets there first and Jack finds him some weeks/months later just because that makes for some much funnier possibilities. Aku arrives weakened, the magic sword shredded him so thoroughly that it'll take him ages to regain his power; he sniffs out the scent of himself and goes toward it in hopes of finding shelter—loyal cult, pit of evil slime, time traveled duplicate of himself, whatever—finds the house it's coming from, knocks on the door, is greeted by three floating girls who go now this guy looks pretty evil but we learned at school not to judge based on appearances, and Aku's staring at them flummoxed like "MORE daughters I didn't know about????"

The professor shows up, Aku wants to know why his blood is inside these weird little girls he's never seen before, the professor wants to know why his girls have this freaky stranger's blood inside them, after a couple of confusing minutes everyone works out that the freaky stranger is the anthropomorphized form of the main component of one of the four ingredients used to create these weird little girls. Aku's like ah, kindred spirits. I too was formed by a foolish man's irresponsible alchemy.

the girls are like, "so that makes you like our other dad!" Aku's like "sure, why not!" just add a few more little bastards he didn't know he was supposed to be paying child support for. The girls are like "so are you a superhero like us?" and Aku—who's still so thoroughly thrashed from his fight with Jack that his spine feels about as structurally supportive as a toothpick and he thinks he might keel over dead if he so much as looks at a magic sword—resists the urge to reel in horror at the words superhero like us and goes, "... Yyyessssss." Fake smile. "Do you have a guest room." Beggars can't be choosers.

(he could have followed the other nearby Chemical X scent trail to the volcano in the middle of town but nooo, the suburban house was closer.)

so imagine Jack managing to find the Utonium household after a heavily-injured Aku has spent a couple months doing everything in his power to convince a trio of punch-happy do-gooder toddlers that he's a perfectly friendly and law-abiding walking font of raw superpower juice. Well Jack's gonna have a hard time talking them out of it now, isn't he? The girls claim Aku reads them bedtime stories. World-demolishing tyrants don't read bedtime stories. And Jack can't attack Aku if he's got kindergartener triplets to defend him, no way is he battling kindergarteners.

... so does Professor Utonium have a second guest room for a surprise visit from a distant cousin on his mother's side of the family who's just arrived in America? (Pleasant smile for Utonium; the most aggressive eye contact with Aku over Utonium's shoulder.)

I actually think Aku & Him would get along alright—villains tend to be pretty cordial to each other in Townsville when they aren't actively stepping on each other's toes/schemes, and there's some evidence Aku & Him are friendly with each other.

And it seems to me like Him doesn't want to conquer the world so much as just make it as miserable as possible. If conquest is what it takes to make it miserable, then so be it—if you want something done right, do it yourself—but if someone else could make the world miserable enough, he'd be content; and I think Aku fits the bill. Plus Mojo & Him seem to be sorta friends, and any friend of Aku's other-bastard-child-he-didn't-know-about-but-is-pleased-to-see-following-in-his-footsteps is a friend of Aku.

Aku would probably be down to fight some other villains encroaching on "his" turf, though; like the occasional alien invader.

[dazedblackwolf]

hey pack

Here's another list to help you explore and connect with your therianthropy on a deeper level, with some fresh activities, crafts, and prompts tailored to embrace particularly a wolf species.

Activities

• Sound and Howling Practice:

• Record yourself howling at different times of day or under different moods. Reflect on how each "howl" feels—how does it release emotion or connect you to your wolf side?

• Create a "howl playlist" with music that stirs your therian instincts (e.g., nature sounds, drumming, atmospheric pieces).

• Wolf Senses Exercise:

• Spend time in a quiet natural setting focusing on your senses:

• Sight: Notice movement, light, and color details like a hunting wolf.

• Smell: Bring herbs or natural objects to engage your scent sense.

• Hearing: Focus on distant sounds and rhythms in nature, like rustling leaves or bird calls.

• Journal about what you notice when you "switch on" your senses like a wolf.

• Therian Nesting or Den Building:

• Create a cozy “den” space at home using blankets, pillows, and objects that feel lupine or natural to you.

• Spend time there journaling, napping, or meditating on your wolf self.

• Tracking Practice:

• Learn about animal tracks, especially wolves, and go on a walk looking for signs of animals (tracks, fur, disturbed earth).

• Alternatively, make your own wolf paw prints in mud or sand to explore how it feels to leave your mark.

• Scavenger Hunt for Natural Items:

• Gather nature objects that feel wolf-like: feathers, stones, sticks, or bones (ethically sourced). Arrange them into a display or altar dedicated to your therian self.

• Moon Rituals:

• During full moons, sit outside, howl, or meditate while reflecting on the moon’s importance to you.

• Track your emotions during different moon phases. Does the waxing or waning affect your therian instincts?

• Animal Behavior Study:

• Watch documentaries or videos about wolves, paying attention to their body language and pack dynamics.

• Mimic their movements or postures in your own space—practice stalking, sitting alert, or playful bowing.

• Wild Running or Walking Meditation:

• Go on a mindful walk or run where you imagine yourself as a wolf. Pay attention to your posture, your breath, and how your body feels in motion.

• Natural Meal Exploration:

• Make a "prey-inspired" meal. Use ingredients that feel raw, earthy, or natural (e.g., a protein-packed dish with mushrooms, lentils, or root vegetables). Reflect on the primal satisfaction of eating mindfully.

• Dream Exploration:

• Keep a dream journal and focus on wolf-related dreams or animal symbolism. Reflect on their meanings and what your subconscious might be telling you.

Crafts

• Wolf Mask or Headdress:

• Create a wolf mask using papier-mâché, clay, or fabric to wear during rituals or journaling sessions. Decorate it with natural colors, fur textures, or paint patterns that reflect your inner wolf.

• Therian Symbols and Totems:

• Carve or paint a personal symbol that represents your therianthropy on wood, rocks, or clay. Carry it as a token or talisman.

• Custom Scent Blend:

• Make your own wolf-inspired scent using essential oils. Focus on earthy, woodsy, or musky tones like cedarwood, pine, sage, and patchouli. Use it during meditation or den-building.

• Fur and Tail Crafting:

• Sew or craft a faux fur tail to wear around your home or during personal therian activities. Focus on the ritual of creating something tied to your wolf identity.

• Bone or Stick Art:

• Use ethically sourced bones, sticks, or driftwood to create art that feels primal—like wall hangings, carvings, or sculptures.

• Therian Journal or Grimoire:

• Craft a dedicated journal for your therian reflections. Decorate it with nature elements (pressed leaves, paw print stamps, fur textures).

• Paw Print Artwork:

• Paint or draw paw prints on canvas, paper, or clay. Use them as decorations for your den or altar.

• Howl-Inspired Poetry or Music:

• Write poems, songs, or chants inspired by your wolf self. Incorporate themes of the moon, wilderness, longing, or pack connection.

• Wolf Vision Board:

• Create a vision board using images, words, and symbols that reflect your therianthropy and wolf self. Include wolf conservation efforts, moon phases, or natural scenes that call to you.

• Nature Bracelet or Necklace:

• String together natural elements like stones, wooden beads, or wolf-like charms into a wearable piece of jewelry to symbolize your therian identity.

Journal Prompts

• Primal Connection:

• When do you feel most connected to your wolf self? Is it during certain times of day, seasons, or activities?

• The Call of the Wild:

• Describe a time when you felt a strong urge to “return to the wild.” What triggered it, and how did you handle it?

• Senses and Instincts:

• Which of your wolf senses feels strongest (sight, smell, hearing, etc.)? How do you use it in everyday life?

• Emotions and Shifts:

• How does your wolf identity help you process human emotions like anger, loneliness, or joy?

• What does a phantom shift or mental shift feel like for you?

• Pack Reflection:

• Who in your life feels like “pack” to you? What roles do you and others play?

• Do you ever feel like an outsider among humans? How do you cope with that feeling?

• Wild Identity:

• What does “wildness” mean to you, and how do you nurture it in your day-to-day life?

• Symbolism of the Wolf:

• How do you embody the symbolism of the wolf—strength, loyalty, intuition, or freedom?

• What lessons has the wolf taught you about yourself?

• Therian Storytelling:

• Write a story or scene where you fully experience life as a wolf in the wild. What do you see, hear, and feel?

• Human vs. Wolf Balance:

• How do you balance your therian instincts with human life? Are there parts of yourself you suppress or embrace?

[joemomrgneissguy]

Yuanxiao

The following is a recipe as presented in Tasting History by Max Miller. If you enjoy it, I would highly encourage checking out the Tasting History youtube channel or buy the Tasting History cookbook.

From History The cooking method uses glutinous rice that has been ground into a fine powder. Inside the wrapper the filling comprises the flesh of walnuts and white sugar. Water is sprinkled on the filling and the balls are rolled around in flour to form them. They are as big as walnuts. This is the same as what the people of the Jiangnan region call tagyuan -Liu Ruoyu, Zhuo zhong zhi (translated by Roy Chan)

"Yuanxiao is a ball of glutinous rice stuffed with a sweet walnut filling, but it's the source of this seventeenth-century recipe, the Zhuo zhong zhi by Liu Ruoyu, that has a story worth telling.

The Ming Court, under the teenage Tianqi Emperor, was run by a powerful and scheming eunuch named Wei Zhongxian. Powerful and scheming eunuchs were actually quite the trend in Imperial China, but none were as formidable as Wei. He, along with the emperor's nurse, Madame Ke, removed all others who held power over the emperor. Some were banished, some starved to death, and others were forced to commit suicide. The pair kept the young emperor ignorant of the goings-on in his empire while they ran the government.

During Wei's reign of terror, a young eunuch named Liu distinguished himself as an excellent calligrapher, an uncommon skill among the eunuchs of the Forbidden City. His work caught the jealous eye of the illiterate Wei Zhongxian, who, unfriendly to any he believed smart enough to challenge his power, demoted the young scribe to work in the stables. Liu toiled there for several years and added the moniker Ruoyu, which meant "the dumb," to his name to remind himself that feigning stupidity might serve him better in the Wei regime.

But the powerful eunuch eventually found a use for Liu Ruoyu's talent: forgery. Wei had procured a number of blank documents already stamped with the emperor's seal. All he required to govern with impunity was for someone to fill the documents with whatever decrees he wished. Liu was just the man for the job.

The scheme did not last long though, for when the Tianqi Emperor died at the age of twenty-one his younger brother, Zhu Youjian, came to power as the Chongzhen Emperor. Though only sixteen, Zhu had not yet fallen under Wei Zhongxian's influence, and the new emperor banished the troublesome eunuch, executed Madame Ke, and imprisoned any who had helped Wei, including Liu Ruoyu. While in prison, Liu wrote the Zhuo zhong zhi, part protestation of his innocence and part treatise on daily life in the Forbidden City. His writings included a number of recipes, such as this one for Yuanxiao."

Modern Recipe

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups (140g) whole shelled, raw, unsalted walnuts

1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar

4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter, melted

2 cups (225 g) glutinous rice flour (sweet rice flour)

Makes 16 Yuanxiao

Cook time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the walnuts to the pan in a single layer. Heat them, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Once the walnuts are toasted, remove them from the pan and set aside on a plate to cool, about 10 minutes. Once they are cool, crush the walnuts by hand or in a food processor, until they become almost a coarse flour.

Mix the crushed walnuts, sugar, and butter in a bowl until combined. Chill the mixture in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Remove the mixture from the refrigerator and divide it into 16 portions. Using clean hands, roll each portion into a ball and set aside.

Fill a large bowl three-quarters full with cold water. In another large bowl, add the glutinous rice flour. Working in batches of 3 or 4 balls at a time, roll the balls in the flour until covered. Put the balls in a fine-mesh strainer. Dip the strainer with the balls briefly in the water, then return to the flour and roll again, coating completely. Repeat this process 7 to 10 times, or until there is no visible filling. Repeat the process until all the balls are coated. note that cracks may appear in the coating, but as long as the filling is not visible, that is okay.

Fill a large pot half full of water and set it over high heat. Bring the water to a boil. Working in batches, boil 3 or 4 balls until they float to the top, 2 to 3 minutes. Note that the balls will expand, so leave plenty of room in the pot. Once the balls have floated to the top, add a cup of cold water. The balls should sink a bit. Adding cold water will stop the boiling and allow a skin to form on the balls. Allow the water to return to a boil and wait until the balls float again. Remove the balls and set aside. Bring the water back to a boil and repeat the steps with the remaining balls until finished. Serve warm.