#special bread with pate

[formeryelpers]

Cay Café, 46551 Mission Blvd, Fremont, CA 94539

It took awhile, but the 99 Ranch Food Hall is finally fully occupied. Cay Café just opened and they serve banh mi, build your own “fresh bowls,” rolls, and drinks (including matcha drinks, Vietnamese egg coffee, ube coffee, etc.). The manager was super nice and told me they have a bakery in Hayward and they make their own bread, roast their own pork, make their own pate, etc.

Order from the kiosk or from the cashier. You’ll get a number and they’ll call out that number when your order is ready.

Crunchy roasted pork banh mi ($9.50 + $2 for pate): slices of roasted pork with house special spicy sauce, pickled daikon & carrot, cucumber, cilantro, jalapeno, house sauce, and mayo. So the bread was soft with a light crunch. It seemed a bit underbaked to me? I’m used to crunchier bread. The roasted pork was the best part because the skin was so crispy and the fatty bits made it even better. The pickled carrots and daikon seemed more sweet than tangy, the jalapenos weren’t spicy, the spicy sauce wasn’t spicy, and there was only a sprig or two of cilantro. They also forgot the pate but I pointed it out and they gave me a cup of pate (delicious too).

Fresh bowl with vermicelli, grilled pork, egg roll, and peanut sauce ($11 + $2.25 for an egg roll). The bowls come with cucumbers, lettuce, cilantro, pickled carrots and daikon. I did not see any cilantro? The lettuce was shredded. The peanut sauce was good but I should have chosen nuoc cham. The egg roll was packed with ground pork, crispy, and piping hot. The pork had a nice marinade.

Everything was 10% off during the soft opening. I like this place but they need to use more fresh herbs. They ran out of bread in the evening, so the banh mi was not available.

4 out of 5 stars.

By Lolia S.

[voxy-pilura]

Discover the Best Banh Mi in Orange County

When it comes to Vietnamese cuisine, one iconic dish stands out: Banh Mi. This delicious sandwich, which perfectly combines savory, sweet, and tangy flavors, has become a favorite worldwide. If you're in Orange County and searching for the best Banh Mi, look no further than Saiga Eatery. Conveniently located in the heart of the area, this hidden gem is a must-visit spot for anyone craving authentic Vietnamese flavors.

What Makes Saiga Eatery’s Banh Mi Special?

At Saiga Eatery, the Banh Mi is more than just a sandwich; it's a culinary masterpiece. What sets it apart is the perfect balance of textures and flavors. Each sandwich is crafted using freshly baked French baguettes that are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The bread is then generously filled with a variety of savory options, including pork, chicken, or beef, and complemented by pickled vegetables, cilantro, and a spread of creamy pate.

The ingredients used are always fresh, and the house-made sauces bring out the true essence of Vietnamese cuisine. Whether you're a long-time fan or a first-timer, the menu offers a selection to suit every palate.

Why Saiga Eatery?

With so many options for Banh Mi in Orange County, Saiga Eatery stands out for its dedication to quality, authenticity, and customer satisfaction. The welcoming atmosphere makes it the perfect spot to enjoy a quick meal or take away for later. Their Banh Mi sandwiches are affordably priced, making it easy to indulge without breaking the bank.

In the bustling food scene of Orange County, Saiga Eatery shines as one of the top places to experience the best Banh Mi. Don’t miss out on this local favorite!

[downtoearthmarkets]

It’s time to think about all things dad as we celebrate and honor the important father figures in our lives this Sunday, June 16th. When Father’s Day was still in its infancy in the early 1900s, the holiday held a tradition of daughters handing red roses to their fathers during a church service. To this day, the rose remains the official flower of Father's Day, with red ones symbolizing a still-living father and white ones for the deceased. By all means, bring dad a bouquet of flowers, but the farmers market offers a cornucopia of edible gift ideas that are also sure to delight and make the shop for pop a breeze this weekend:

Cheesy Dad You know the kind of dad we’re talking about. The one that likes to crack silly dad jokes at every opportunity he’s given and hasn’t met a cheeseboard he doesn’t relish. Well, game on, because your Down to Earth farmers market is the perfect place to shop for all your cheeseboard essentials! Dad will be wowed when you present him with his ready-to-eat, farm-to-table cheeseboard that’s been carefully curated to suit his personal tastes. Here are the basic components to include using a variety of fresh, seasonal ingredients from our vendors:

Cheese: Look to feature at least three different types of farmers market cheese with different flavors and textures – creamy, firm, aged and soft. Depending on the type of cheese, you can include the entire piece or cut it up into smaller cubes or slices to make it easier to serve.

Something Sweet: Fresh fruit such as hulled strawberries from the farmstalls, squares of slowcocoa's craft chocolate, and SOVA Farms drizzled honey will add just enough contrast to the savory and salty flavor profile you’re building.

Something Savory: Small touches of savory items can include cornichons, olives, roasted peppers, as well as tapenades and spicy condiments. Dr. Pickle’s jars of stuffed green olives come in Bloody Mary, Bleu Cheese & Almond, Garlic & Jalapeno and Cream Cheese Jalapeno.

Crackers and Bread: The goodies on dad’s tasty cheeseboard need a delivery mechanism in the form of sliced Wave Hill Breads baguette, crackers, toasty slices of Badass Bagels or crispy pita chips—select at least two.

Charcuterie: Make dad’s cheeseboard meatier with slices of charcuterie from Goode and Local By Don Rodrigo. Choose from salami, pate, mortadella, hot coppa, iberico persunto, mangalitsa jamon and more.

Crudité: Throw in raw crudité to add refreshing color and crunch and counterbalance the heavier, sodium-forward meats and cheeses. Radishes, carrots, celery, peppers, broccoli florets or anything cut into bite sized pieces will work perfectly.

Pie Guy If dad loves dessert, we’ve got his ticket!

Pick up a pie from the farmstalls made with fresh fruit and other seasonal delights. Don’t forget to pick up containers of sweet berries from Caradonna Farms, Great Joy Family Farm and Norwich Meadows Farm as strawberries are in peak season currently, while raspberries and blueberries are now starting to trickle into the market. 

Babka Paradise makes Babka, Challah, Knishes, Kugel, Halva, Blintzes and other homestyle kosher foods and baked goods that are sure to indulge dad’s sweet tooth. 

Wave Hill Breads treats include cookies, muffins, scones, pastries and monkey bread.

Pasta Papa When dad gets hungry, nothing hits the spot like a hearty bowl of tasty pasta. Gift him some handsome boxes of fresh pasta and jars of sauce from That Pasta Club along with a bottle of his favorite wine. That Pasta Club is an artisan producer of fresh pasta made using local grains and seasonal flavorings. They specialize in handmade stuffed pasta, bronze die extruded pasta and small batch sauces. Their pasta menu rotates on a weekly basis in line with the seasonal, balanced and delicious ingredients they use in their dishes.

Of course, the farmers market offers many more gift options for every kind of dad, whatever his tastes may be. No matter what direction you decide to go in, you simply can’t go wrong with something locally produced, seasonally grown and uniquely yummy that will make both his heart and belly full this weekend. We wish you a wonderful Father’s Day and look forward to seeing you in the market.

[atlanticmustard]

Evan Williams Gourmet Honey Mustard

Despite this, curiosity in Mustard had declined within the 1700s, partly due to the introduction of latest spices from the Far East. In 1856, Jean Naigeon of Dijon, France substituted verjus (the acidic juice from not fairly ripe grapes) for vinegar in prepared mustard. Thus Dijon Mustard, the smooth gourmet mustard recipes, less-acidic Mustard was born and created renewed interest in the condiment. This secured Dijon, France because the world's capital of Mustard. A few weeks after my Mr. Wonton, and since all I could speak about was my mustard quest, I talked about to a friend the Chinese meals thing.

People produce beer mustard utilizing beer in the place of vinegar. On the other hand, spirited mustard consists of both spirits and vinegar. Unlike other best gourmet mustard forms of mustard which has a yellow hue, French mustard is a paste with a particular brown shade.

Salchichon, Mortadella, Pancetta, Pancetta – such a wide alternative of gourmet specialities at Marky’s Store! We give gourmet mustards you attractive pate & deli meat costs in order that anybody can afford to style these

It first got here here in and now has a devoted Stateside following. Fans recognize the chain's low costs for staple foods like meats, breads, and frozen objects. You will not usually find too many name-brand products on their shelves, as Aldi's stock is stocked with over 90% of their very own non-public brands corresponding to Burman's which makes a speciality of condiments. Daily Chef is a brand that is part of Member's Mark, which is owned by Sam's Club. While the warehouse club store is well-known for several delectable treats from their very own brands, this organic yellow mustard falls flat.

The vendor of top 1 product has acquired honest feedback from 386 customers with a median ranking of four.7. Our gourmet mustards use one hundred gourmet mustard wholesale pc recent components with no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. Maille Dijon mustard has a creamy texture, spicy style and easy end.

They share a powdery texture and come from plant-based sources. Some chefs and meals corporations go as far as to make use of wasabi powder as a substitute of dried mustard because of the additional zing it provides. When selecting the best brands of mustard, we needed to make certain gourmet mustard brands that we found only the highest-quality elements available. We examined every brand for taste, texture, and total high quality. These seeds aren’t just limited to condiments – with their bitter style, they’re excellent for adding an additional edge to dishes like Indian curries or Italian mustards.

To achieve this, she appeared closely at the quality of the ingredients and sure elements of the dietary value, which, in flip, helped us decide which brands are in the end higher for your well being. To taste the mustards blind, we served them in unlabeled containers with items of simmered Sabrett all-beef sizzling canines on the aspect. Tasters weren't allowed to debate the mustards or their impressions through the tasting.

Although it doesn’t embody sugar or white wine, the sweet taste makes you surprise if there might be any vinegar within the combine. It works nicely for salad dressings and will also go as a sauce for various selfmade delicacies. It will not do you any good to rigorously source gluten-free scorching canine if the mustard you're placing in your canine is not secure. Fortunately, respectable gluten-free mustard selections abound for those of us following the gluten-free diet.

Doing everything potential to fulfill the most demanding culinary preferences of execs and connoisseurs of high quality gourmet mustard is the motto of the corporate. Firstly, it wasn’t well seasoned and didn’t taste as good as its competition.

[amazingvietnamtrips]

Best Restaurants in Hanoi Old Quarter: Exploring the Authentic Flavors of Vietnamese Cuisine

If you're looking for an authentic culinary experience in Vietnam, the Hanoi Old Quarter is a must-visit destination. Located in the heart of the city, this bustling neighborhood is filled with a diverse array of restaurants, serving up traditional Vietnamese dishes that will tantalize your taste buds. From savory pho to crispy banh mi, the Hanoi Old Quarter has something for everyone. In this article, we'll explore the best restaurants in Hanoi Old Quarter, so you can get a taste of the local cuisine.

1. Pho Thin - The Best Pho in Town

Pho Thin is a legendary noodle soup spot in Hanoi, and it's easy to see why. The broth is cooked for hours, infused with fragrant spices and tender beef, creating a rich and flavorful base. The noodles are handmade, giving them a unique texture that perfectly complements the broth. If you're a fan of pho, you won't want to miss Pho Thin.

2. Bun Cha Ta - Top Bun Cha Restaurants in Hanoi Old Quarter

Bun Cha Ta is a restaurant that specializes in Bun Cha, a traditional Vietnamese dish that consists of grilled pork, vermicelli noodles, and fresh herbs. The pork is grilled to perfection, giving it a smoky flavor that pairs perfectly with the refreshing herbs and tangy dipping sauce. Bun Cha Ta is one of the best places in Hanoi to try this classic dish.

3. Banh Mi 25 - The Best Banh Mi in Hanoi

Banh Mi 25 is a small, unassuming restaurant that serves up some of the best banh mi in Hanoi. The bread is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, filled with a variety of meats, fresh vegetables, and pate. The flavors are perfectly balanced, creating a sandwich that's both savory and satisfying.

👉Looking for the ultimate foodie adventure: https://www.vingle.net/posts/5620099

4. Cha Ca La Vong - Top Cha Ca Restaurants in Hanoi Old Quarter

Cha Ca La Vong is a must-visit restaurant in Hanoi, especially if you're a seafood lover. The restaurant is famous for its Cha Ca, a Vietnamese fish dish that's marinated in turmeric and served with vermicelli noodles, peanuts, and fresh herbs. The fish is cooked at the table, adding an element of theater to the dining experience.

5. Quan An Ngon - The Best Street Food in Hanoi

Quan An Ngon is a street food paradise, with dozens of vendors serving up everything from grilled meats to sweet treats. The restaurant has a lively atmosphere, with colorful decorations and live music adding to the ambiance. This is the perfect place to try a variety of local dishes, all in one location.

6. Bun Bo Nam Bo - The Best Bun Bo in Hanoi

Bun Bo Nam Bo is a restaurant that specializes in Bun Bo, a beef noodle dish that's popular in southern Vietnam. The broth is rich and savory, with tender slices of beef and chewy noodles creating a hearty meal. The fresh herbs and peanuts add a refreshing crunch to the dish.

7. Cau Go Vietnamese Cuisine - The Best Fine Dining Restaurants in Hanoi Old Quarter

Cau Go Vietnamese Cuisine is a high-end restaurant that specializes in traditional Vietnamese cuisine. The menu is filled with classic dishes, all beautifully presented and expertly prepared. The restaurant has a stunning view of Hoan Kiem Lake, adding to the elegant ambiance.

8. Xoi Yen - The Best Sticky Rice in Hanoi

Xoi Yen is a small restaurant that serves up some of the best sticky rice in Hanoi. The rice is cooked with a variety of toppings, such as mung bean, fried shallots, and roasted pork, creating a delicious and filling meal. The portions are generous, so be prepared to share with friends or take some home for later.

9. Cha Ca Thang Long - Another Great Cha Ca Option

Cha Ca Thang Long is one of the top most popular restaurants in Hanoi Old Quarter that serves up delicious Cha Ca. The fish is marinated in turmeric and served with a variety of toppings, such as vermicelli noodles, peanuts, and fresh herbs. The restaurant has a cozy atmosphere, making it a great place to relax and enjoy a meal.

10. Quan Com Pho - The Best Com Pho in Hanoi

Com Pho is a popular rice dish in Vietnam, and Quan Com Pho is the best place in Hanoi to try it. The rice is served with a variety of meats and vegetables, creating a hearty and flavorful meal. The restaurant also offers a variety of other Vietnamese dishes, such as spring rolls and grilled meats.

11. Highway4 - The Best Place for Craft Beer in Hanoi

Among the best restaurants in Hanoi Old Quarter to eat out, this one is a highly recommended for good food and beer. Highway4 is a restaurant and craft beer bar that offers a unique twist on traditional Vietnamese cuisine. The menu features dishes that are inspired by the country's street food culture, but with a modern twist. The craft beer selection is also impressive, with a variety of local and international brews available.

12. Hanoi House - The Best Vegetarian Restaurant in Hanoi

Hanoi House is a vegetarian restaurant that offers a fresh and healthy take on traditional Vietnamese cuisine. The menu features a variety of vegetarian and vegan dishes, such as tofu spring rolls and vegetable stir-fry. The restaurant also offers cooking classes, so you can learn how to make your favorite Vietnamese dishes at home.

13. Pho Gia Truyen - One of the restaurants in Hanoi Old Quarter

Pho Gia Truyen is another legendary pho spot in Hanoi that's worth checking out. The broth is rich and flavorful, with tender slices of beef and chewy noodles creating a satisfying meal. The restaurant has a simple and no-frills atmosphere, making it a great place to grab a quick and delicious meal.

14. Nha Hang Ngon - The Best Buffet restaurants in Hanoi Old Quarter

Nha Hang Ngon is a buffet-style restaurant that offers a wide variety of Vietnamese dishes. The restaurant has a lively and bustling atmosphere, with dozens of vendors cooking up a storm. This is the perfect place to try a little bit of everything, and it's a great option for families or groups.

If you're a foodie, the Hanoi Old Quarter is a must-visit destination. From traditional noodle soups to crispy sandwiches, the neighborhood is filled with restaurants that serve up authentic Vietnamese cuisine. Whether you're looking for street food or fine dining, there's something for everyone in the Hanoi Old Quarter.

[valgasnewsthings]

Dietic dishes by special prescription.

 Hematogen liver.

Dry hematogen 25 gr, millet flour 10 gr, fromage 20 gr, meat broth 30 gr, onion 21 gr, oil butter 10 gr, rusks ten gr, water 150 gr, exit 175 gr.

A ready hematogen mass put on the spreading  oil a portion pan, and bake in oven, omelet cold, and cut on two parts, breading in rusks and fry. Cook fromage sauce on white sauce and pour over a liver in serving.

Yeast pate.

Yeasts pressing  50 gr, flour 3.5 gr, onion ten gr,  oil 6 gr, salt one gr,  rusks 10 gr, exit 70 gr.

In pressing yeasts rubbed with salt till fromage kind mass receiving add flour, all put on the pan with chopped onion, and fry till pate thickness, for decreasing stickness in ready pate adding chopped rusks.

Potato meat balls in fromage, diet nr 9.

Potato 500 gr, eggs 1/4 , fromage 20 gr, greens 5 gr, exit 200 gr.

Clean potato, wash, and shred. Add in sieve,wash cold water for starch to remove , press humidity through gauze, add egg, salt, mix and form balls on 8 pieces for portion, and after balls put on portion pan and stew till ready with fromage at closed lid. Serve in portion pan, sprinkle with green.

Potato drink with cranberry, diets nr 2,7,10.

Potato 187 gr, sugar 10 gr, cranberry 15 gr, exit 100 gr.

Raw cleaned potato wash, shred, press juice. Infuse in a closed dish for 2 hours for starch settling.Filter juice. Wash berries, press juice, mass hard cook 7 min, filter, add sugar, again lead till boiling cold. Potato juice  add in cranberry juice and infusion. Received drink not keeping, thus mixing his needing before serving.

The end.

from Valga s health news,gardening,and cooking ,and beauty . https://ift.tt/myLkZ9H via https://ift.tt/1MHlyhz

[jayveeardona]

Feeling Christmas all around and @pizzaexpressph is bringing you the magic of White Christmas with their new Christmas Gourmet Dishes ( starters, pizza, and pasta) to add sparkle to your holidays. ✨ 🎄 Dough Balls Christmas Tree (P395) with dough balls shaped like a Christmas tree and topped pepperoni, mozzarella, Parmesan, and rosemary. This also comes with star-shaped bread, basil pesto, and pesto rosso. 🎄Pollo Toscano con Burro (P460) is sure to make you feel extra special this holiday season with a chicken fillet brushed with butter and seasoned with roasted garlic, smoked paprika, and fresh rosemary. 🎄Smoked Salmon Truffle Honey Pizza (P895). With smoked salmon, mozzarella, cream cheese, and red onion on our signature Romana crust that’s drizzled with truffle honey and topped with fresh dill, this pizza is an extra deluxe treat. 🎄Penne Pollo Toscano Con Burro (P485) combines our Pollo Toscano Con Burro with penne tossed in creamy mascarpone and passata sauce, garlic confit, and Parmesan cheese. 🎄Pasta Gamberetti e Capesante (P780) is a creamy seafood number with penne, prawns, scallops, and lots of garlic. 🎄 Tortellini Foie Gras con Panna (P760) with pate de foie gras-filled tortellinis in a cream sauce. 🎄Another must-try for seafood lovers who want to indulge is the Lobster Ravioli (P995) with lobster filled ravioli plus cherry tomatoes, and grated Parmesan. 🎄Riso con Salsiccia (P460) is packed with punchy flavors thanks to arborio riso, fennel sausage, onions. 🎄 Risotto ai Funghi (P550) is velvety and luxe with creamy risotto and button mushrooms, finished with truffle oil, fresh thyme, and grated Parmesan. The new PizzaExpress Christmas Gourmet Dishes is now available for dine-in, takeout, and delivery. Order for delivery via @grabfoodph, @foodpanda_ph , @pickarooapp , @riderko.ph , bit.ly/pizzaexpressph-order or call us at 0917 589 4547. PizzaExpress (@pizzaexpressph) is at SM Megamall, Uptown BGC, and Power Plant Mall. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cmbg1ORhX9m/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[thuongne]

Authentic Food

So I’ve read this article a few days ago called “Dubious Gastronomy: The Cultural Politics of Eating Asian in the USA” by Ji-Song-Ku, which I found to be really interesting. The article talked about the modified Asian food in the USA and food authenticity in general that touched upon areas that I never thought about.

California Roll is, in fact, not an ‘authentic’ Japanese roll, which can be argued as one of the best Japanese rolls outside of Japan. The Americans prefer cooked food and so California Roll was good due to the absence of raw fish. Spam is another example of not authentic food. Countries from part of Asia and the Pacific used spam in many of their dishes like Japan and Korea. Despite their immense popularity, Spam originally came from the USA and it is the county with the largest bulk consumer.

Both the California roll and take-out Chinese food are considered American inventions that would not be recognized in the country of their supposed origins. When I read this, I immediately thought of Panda Express. I do agree that I don't consider take-out Chinese food to be authentic Chinese cuisine.

I ask myself, how do you define authentic food? Taking a cuisine from my culture as an example, Vietnamese people are fond of street food and small-size shops that are specialized in certain types of food. Small-size shops can be hawkers that traveled on their motorcycles with a small kitchen tied to the back of their bikes which they used to prepare our food. You can tell that these people had been doing this for years by the way they are adept with their utensils to prepare our food. I am sure that Banh Mi is one of the dishes that are most popular in the country and even outside of Vietnam.

If you did not know, Banh Mi is a thin, crunchy crust that contains either chicken or pork; sometimes they even have meatballs.  It is also accommodated with a spread of homemade pate, generous amounts of radish and carrot, slices of cucumber, some mayonnaise, and finally the Maggi sauce. The main highlight of the dish is when people have their first bite of the bread and taste all the sour, savory, aromatic, sweet, and spicy flavors all at once.

However, most didn't know that Banh Mi origins and its intricate foundation are from the French. When the French established colonization in Vietnam in 1897, they brought along their food. Among them, Banh Mi is a baguette that became increasingly popular among the people, since it is easy to make and it does not cost much money, a stable food source for the poor. It is originally just a long thin bread. People used to call this western’s bread instead of Banh Mi. 

I've stayed in the US long enough to taste the Banh Mi that is made outside of my country.

In Ji-Song Ku’s words in Dubious Gastronomy: The Cultural Politics of Eating Asian in the USA on the ideas of globalization food: “either it is authentic, meaning as the “true natives” know it, and therefore delicious, or it is apocryphal, meaning altered by alien forces, most notably via “Americanization”. Looking from a marketing perspective, it makes sense that they change the taste to fit with the locals: if the locals like it, it is likely that they will have a good business. Many businesses have done this. For example, I know for a fact that many foreigners cannot eat Vietnamese “fish sauce”, therefore to serve it in a different culture, the chef puts a lot of water with the fish sauce to neutralize the taste. And it was done exactly the same with Banh Mi. And it is not necessarily a bad thing. I like the Banh Mi that I have in the US, although it did not taste like the one that I used to.

From what I understand from Ku's words: “If it can be said that the health and vitality of a cultural practice are directly connected to innovation, adaptation, and progress, then the changes to food culture taking place in, say, Flushing, Queens, are just as significant as those taking place anywhere in Asia proper.” Maybe the idea of authentic foods is all adopted from different cultures. Just as how Banh Mi is originally from France or the Chinese invented Italian spaghetti. These foods that we call “authentic foods” initially stem from different cultures and eventually evolve into the food that we call authentic today. Ku also suggested: “What is true for language is apparently often true for food. Just as London is no longer—if it ever was, to begin with—the linguistic center of the English language, Asia is not the standard bearer of all ‘Asianness,’ least of all of the food.” In other words, the idea of a food's authenticity is not just based on the people who are native to the food but authenticity is also constantly changing. People’s tastes shift all the time. The Banh Mi that I know today might not be the Banh Mi that was known to the people 100 years ago. The Banh Mi that I experienced in the US is a cultural shift. And who knows, maybe in a hundred years, Banh Mi might become the “authentic” Vietnamese Banh Mi. 

In each region, any dish from any land has its own characteristics, the taste depends on the taste of the local people as well as the fresh ingredients available. I believe that the measure to evaluate a good or bad dish is not only how attractive it is to the locals, but also to the taste of the diners coming from elsewhere.

Banh Mi has nothing unique or delicate in ingredients and processing. It is just a mixture of a variety of ingredients that makes them special. Even today, as I’ve grown up, busy with work, and unable to cook with my mom anymore, I often choose bread from my menu from time to time. Or even when I have nothing to do, I still crave the smell of bread. Perhaps why people wanted authentic food because of its value, and what makes them valuable in the hearts of the people are the memories. I grew up eating every day with Vietnamese cuisines and I became familiar with them. This is what I think when people said they want to eat their own cuisine. It is authentic because it is made in the way they know and are familiar with. This applies to people who want to taste the food of other cultures in an authentic way too. For people that never traveled, the Italian kitchen next door could be their “authentic” Italian cuisine. At the end of the day, “authenticity” is what you are familiar with.

[hopefultimetravelpeace]

New Taste in Phnom Penh! 4 Color Breads! Black, Pink, Green, Brown Stuff...

[tastesoftamriel]

The Bee and Barb

Supper specials served from 7.30pm onwards. Free-flow Black-Briar mead available.

Hot-smoked salmon pate, with dill and homemade sourdough bread

Mudcrab gratin, with Eidar cheese, egg, and micro herbs

Pheasant breast stuffed with goat's cheese, with wild garlic, brown butter, and creamed spinach

Pepper-crusted roast beef, with thick gravy, potato dumplings, and peas

Talviel's rabbit meatballs, stuffed with pecorino and pine nuts, with a caramelised onion gravy

Rift salmon steak, with local lavender honey glaze and smoked salt

Black Marsh-style bread bowl, with creamy mushroom soup, lentils, and chickpeas

[strawberryerwin]

series: erwin smith x reader postwar non-canon au ; the bakery and the library

cw:  afab reader, none other than that but adult content may follow in later parts

part 2 | part 3 | part 4

following the War, you were one of the first business owners in the new town of Harmon, opening a dainty bakery on a corner lot in a historic building across from the ornate library. fitted with just a few metal chairs and tables inside, as well as a couple outside, your shop was sweet and welcoming, much like yourself. green vines crawled up the side of the building, framing the architecture. you had hand painted a flowy, cursive script on the windows, reading "Honey Bear's Bakery".

every evening, after your employees left, you pulled your chalkboard sign in and sat down at the table by the window to update the sign with tomorrow's offerings. you offered a special breakfast item and seasonal indulgences every day, in addition to your farm to table staples. much like your storefront, the chalkboard featured your own curving font, grabbing the attention of those strolling by.

not only did the sign lure them in, but the delicious smells of savory breads, Asiago cheese bagels, cinnamon rolls, strawberry and cream danishes, and of course, your house special honey almond bear claws brought them right to the counter and transformed them from a passerby into a customer.

as stated on your door sign, you were closed on Sunday and Monday. sunday, for a day to yourself. monday, to visit the market and gather all the local produce you could use for the week's menu. on Monday evening, you would go to the shop to meet some of the merchants who brought bulk items such as grains and flours. you unlocked the doors for them and stocked the pantries with the herbs and fruits you bought earlier in the day as they unloaded your order at the back of the kitchen.

you had three employees, who rotated working days. on Saturdays, your busiest work day, two employees would come in to ensure the shop ran smoothly and stayed clean. most other days, you and one other could tackle everything. Madeline, your most senior employee, had even introduced her own specialty to the menu. on Saturday mornings, Madeline made crepes. she always had a savory option and a sweet option. she tried to teach you, but you could just never get the right thinness in your pours of the batter. you encouraged all three of your employees to experiment in your kitchen. as long as it was good, it could become a rotating item. the continuous creativity on the part of you and the three workers fostered a fun and positive environment. you couldn't think of a reason why you would ever dread going to work. in fact, you hadn't worked a day in your life since opening your shop.

in the evenings, you walked three blocks over to your home. a loft over the newspaper printing press, where a fluffy black cat waited for you. you were lucky- here, meat wasn't reserved for royalty. you could keep a kitty, and keep it full on what cats should be eating. every morning and evening when you scraped a tin of beef pate onto Pepper's silver dish, you thought about how lucky you were to have made it to this town, called Harmon. on weeknights, you left a bag of leftover muffins, croissants, or anything of the sort on the  front office desk of the hardworking press operators before taking the stairs up to your homey living area.

little did you know, one of your most loyal customers lived two streets away from the bakery in a ground floor apartment.

[cookinupculture]

Traditions my family has held onto from Poland and What we have since lost..

I am a mixture of nationalities, and that has always felt kind of disappointing for me growing up, especially when a holiday or special occasion would come around and my family I felt would be really lacking what I saw many of my friends families having, traditions, and connections to their nationality and home country. I grew up knowing I was at least a mixture of polish, Irish, German do by, French, French Canadian, and native American. I traced back my genealogy and also found some Scottish and English. My father’s father’s side of the family can be traced back to the first colonies in the United States, no joke. But on my father’s mother’s side, we are close to entirely polish. And this made Easter dinner very special to me. Yes it was a very watered down, Americanized version of Polish Easter, but it was something! Of course there is more to the festivities than the food, but I would like to stay on topic, and for this post, keep the discussion to the traditions surrounding food.

Chronologically, the first food-centric Polish Easter traditions occur prior to Easter Sunday. On Saturday, the night before Easter Sunday, Święconka, meaning "the blessing of the Easter baskets is traditionally celebrated. Where many Polish immigrants and the generations that followed proudly continued this tradition, my family did not. This tradition consists of attending Saturday night mass the night before Easter, and taking a basket containing the food that is to be served for Easter to be blessed by the priest.. Typical contents of the basket include butter, Easter bread, horseradish, eggs, sausage ham, salt, cheese, candles, and colorful ribbons. Each food represents a different blessing. Example: eggs for new life, and candles for light in the world.

The tradition of coloring Easter eggs is similar to the practice we know today, but the Polish tradition is far more intricate. Known as “pisanki”, the tradition is conducted by coloring eggs in natural dyes and adding intricately detailed designs are using paint, wax, etching with needles, or even paper or flowers petals. These eggs are traditionally given tto friends and family for Easter, so at times the eggs are made out of Wood for longer lasting gifts. In my family, we opted to practice a modified version of pisanki. Instead of the premade kits sold commercially, we stuck to the methods used by our grandmother’s grandmother using natural dyes including beets, and drawing on the eggs with wax before dipping the eggs into the dye, so the design would be visible after taking them out of the coloring.

The centerpiece of our Easter Sunday feast is the traditional Easter lamb. In Poland these are made from Sugar, but somewhere in time this became a lamb made out of butter by the Polish immigrants in the U.S. This was a staple of Easter Sunday growing up.

Our Easter feast itself was sort of a modified version of the traditional Polish Easter feast. I believe that this is largely because in Poland years ago, this was a feast for the entire day. Serves following Sunday morning mass, this feast lasted through all three meals of the day. Many Polish descendants in the US today, including mine, serve one meal, Easter dinner.

Traditional Polish Easter food includes ham, classic kiełbasa, white kiełbasa (made of unsmoked pork meat), pate, horseradish and Zurek (Polish soup made of fermented rye flour, coming with hard boiled eggs and sausage), Śledź ( herring), and eggs with salmon roe or caviar. Desserts were plentiful, and features the likes of Mazurek cake, babka, and cheesecake. To name a few. On our table every Easter I could look forward to the ham, rye bread, eggs sauerkraut, and kielbasa as was tradition, as well as other Polish classics like pierogi and golmbki. The dessert was a new tradition added by my great uncle Paul. This was also my favorite part of the meal. He taught the kids and had us assist in the dessert making. Every year we made honey baklava. I hope this tradition is carried as far as the traditions carries from Poland to our table every Easter!

Works Cited Alberti, K. (2017, April 10). The curious transformation of Polish easter in the US & UK. Culture.pl. Retrieved September 22, 2022, from https://culture.pl/en/article/the-curious-transformation-of-polish-easter-in-the-us-uk

Jones , M. (2014, April 7). 10 traditional dishes of Polish Easter. Culture.pl. Retrieved September 22, 2022, from https://culture.pl/en/article/10-traditional-dishes-of-polish-easter

No Last name provided , Elizabeth. 9 Polish Easter Traditions. Key to Poland. Retrieved September 22, 2022, from https://keytopoland.com/post/9-polish-easter-traditions

[cynicalrainbows]

An incredibly late happy birthday fic for the very lovely and very talented @shut-up-heather-d, who has been patiently waiting for this for weeks. After you read this, you should also take yourself to AO3 to read her OWN writing too, because it’s really excellent.

But here’s some fluff in the meantime. The request was for Kitty being taken care of by Catalina and Jane, and Catalina being the stricter ‘parent’.

‘I’m dying-’

Kitty rolls dramatically onto her stomach and buries her face in the couch cushion, displacing Cathy (who falls off the couch with a squeak and retreats hastily to the kitchen for paper towels to mop up the spilled coffee from her shirt).

‘You’re not dying Kit.’

Kitty lifts up her flushed face and tries to muster up the energy to glare at Catalina.

‘I AM.’

Catalina raises an unimpressed eyebrow. ‘You’re not dying, you have cramps. And if you’d just take the aspirin-’

‘But it tastes HORRIBLE-’

‘So you keep saying.’

Kitty flops back down with another groan and Catalina carries on tidying up.

‘I hate today, I’m really stressed and I have to make that phone call to the bank, on top of everything-’

Catalina sighs. She isn’t really sure how to help and she doesn’t like it- it feels like Kitty’s blaming her for her not being able to fix it. Of course, she knows this isn’t Kitty’s fault at all, just her own stupid brain but still…

Even so, she’ll do the best she can, even if advice IS all she can do.

‘Well, maybe if you go and get it done rather than putting it off….and you know it’s going to hurt until you take some painkiller, so you’re only hurting yourself by putting that off too.’

There. Sensible and hopefully enough to spur Kitty into action.

Kitty though just gives her a slightly wounded look and rolls onto her side.

After a while, the silence stretches out a little too long. She returns to the couch.

‘Kit?’

‘Mmm?’

Kitty doesn’t move from where her head is buried in the cushions- Catalina gently tucks a few locks of hair back behind her ear to get a look at slightly more of Kitty’s face, and her fingers brush against dampness on the girl's cheek.

‘Mija, are you alright?’

‘’M fine.’ It’s more indistinct than it should be- Catalina frowns. She starts to feel the first gnawings of guilt in the pit of her stomach. 

‘Kitty?’

‘- I’m sorry.’

‘Oh Kit.’

Catalina pushes a few cushions aside and makes herself a space at the end of the sofa. The guilt grows, and she wonders if maybe advice hadn’t been what was needed after all.

‘You have nothing to apologise for. It’s ok.’

‘’M sorry. You don’t have to take care of me.’ It’s so small and wavery that Catalina immediately feels like the worst person in the world. It’s not her fault- she isn’t used to this, she’s used to dramatics needing to be curbed, she’s used to plain speaking and advice. That’s what she’s good at. Kitty half sits up as Catalina sits down, as if she’s going to retreat to her bedroom, and Catalina sighs. She’s fucked up.

‘Come here mija.’ Catalina tugs until Kitty reluctantly rests her head against Catalina’s leg, and begins to smooth her hair back from her warm forehead. ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be so snappish and unhelpful. I was trying to help and I think I just made it worse, didn’t I?’

‘It’s ok.’

‘I’m not actually cross with you, you know that don’t you?’

Kitty makes a small non-commital noise.

‘Don’t you?’

‘...I suppose.’

‘Good. Now what I can get to help you feel better, hm?’

Kitty’s face sinks into resignation. ‘I’ll take the aspirin. Is it still in the cabinet?’

It’s mildly painful to Catalina to actually witness this- how Kitty’s resistance, her own wants and needs, are ready to crumble in an instant if it means that she’ll be restored to favour (in the early days, she’d taken it for a pleasant compliance until Jane had set her straight.)

‘You don’t have to-’ Catalina stops herself; Kitty blinks at her warily, confusedly. She can see the question in Kitty’s eyes as to whether or not this is some sort of trick or trap. She doesn’t take it personally (mostly, usually)- she knows this wariness was bred into the girl a long, long time ago. ‘That is, I still think you should. But that wasn’t what I meant- I was just trying to think of an alternative.’

‘Oh.’

‘I could run you a bath? Or make you up a hot water bottle. The heat might help. Only if you want to though. You can stay here if you like.’

‘You don’t have to.’

‘I know. And you don’t have to either mija. But it might make you feel better.’

Kitty opens her mouth to give her usual polite refusal and then a cramp makes her tense- her eyes close for a moment and a nod is wrung out of her.

‘Ok. Thank you.’

‘You’re welcome.’

*

Catalina insists Kitty stay on the couch while she turns on the bath. (She intends to use some of her own special fancy bubble bath in it, as a sort of apology, but realises to her chagrin that she’s run out. She uses some of Anne’s instead and tells herself it still counts.)

While Kitty soaks Catalina decides to make the hot water bottle anyway. Save them having to do the same rigmarole over whether or not she goes to all the trouble of boiling the kettle or not.

If Kitty doesn’t want it, it can just go on the floor or something.

Jane comes home just as the kettles switch flips off. Her cheeks are red from the wind- or possibly just from the three supermarket bags she’s laden down with.

Catalina stares. 

‘Are you sure you got EVERYTHING?’

Jane nods, opening cupboards and pulling out draws as she stashes boxes and jars.

‘I think so- probably.’

‘Jane, you were picking up milk and bread.’

‘Oh!’ Jane catches the sarcasm too late, as she always does and colour rises in her cheeks as it always does. (She does not however either fly off the handle at Catalina for teasing her- as she used to, in the very early days- or shut down entirely and go silent and drawn in on herself- as she still does on very bad days, although they happily are getting rarer.) ‘Well I KNOW- but then I remembered it’s Cathy’s turn to cook tomorrow and she probably won’t have time to get to the supermarket before supper-’

‘You mean she’ll keep writing til the last minute and then panic like last time?’

Jane ignores her. ‘-SO I thought I’d get some staples just in case. And they had some of that pate Anna really likes on offer, and it seemed silly to not take advantage of THAT. And Anne finished the last of the cereal this morning so-’

‘We have at least three different kinds of cereal in the patry Jane.’

‘Yes but not the one that she really LIKES. And there were fresh muffins in the bread aisle, and sometimes it’s nice to have a bit of a treat for breakfast even if it ISN’T a weekend day, and THEN I thought that it would be a good idea to get stuff for making that shortbread that Joan really likes because she’s having a bit of a stressful week, poor thing-’

Catalina smiles despite herself and starts to help put things away.

‘I see…’

‘Don’t be jealous Catty, I got you some green tea.’

‘I do have green tea already.’

‘Yes but this is a special fancy looking NEW kind of green tea because I thought you might like a treat. Also a mango.’

‘Did you get anything for yourself?’

‘Yes.’ There’s only the slightest of hesitations and Catalina resists the urge to ask what: they both know it’ll just send Jane into a spiral of defensiveness as she tries to justify her spending money on herself to the insatiable long dead ghosts of the past.

‘Good. Well done.’

‘Thank you.’

‘And thank you for my treats- and for everything else. The others will be thrilled.’

‘I hope so. I got some stuff for Kitty and I to bake with too, there’s a recipe we saw on Bake Off that Anna liked the look of and Kit wanted to try it-’

‘I don’t think she’ll be quite up to that for the moment.’

‘Why? Why not?’ Jane looks suddenly urgently panicked and Catalina hastens to reassure her.

‘Nothing to worry about. Period pain, that’s all.’

‘Oh the poor little thing.’ Jane’s face creases into sympathy even as the anxiety leaves it. ‘Where is she?’

‘Taking a bath. I’m going to bring her a hot water bottle when she’s done. Actually-’ They hear the rush of water down the drain rattle the loose guttering. ‘I think that’s her now.’

‘Has she taken anything?’

‘She didn’t want the aspirin…’

Jane nods. ‘She doesn’t like the taste. I usually just end up bribing her. What did you do?’

‘....I- um- I told her to stop complaining.’

‘Catty!’

‘Sorry! I didn’t say it exactly like that.’

When she glances up at Jane, she’s supremely relieved to see that Jane looks more amused than vengeful.

‘What’s funny?’

‘Sorry. Nothing. Just…’ Jane bites back a smile. ‘You looked SO guilty when you admitted that. I don’t think you’re as cut out for the strict parent role as you think you are…’

Catalina can’t help but smile back. ‘Maybe not. I do want to make it clear I did apologise. And I WAS about to make her a hot chocolate to take up when you came in.’

Jane chuckles and hands over the bag of mini marshmallows. ‘Better get started then.’

*

Kitty’s struggling with her wet hair- cursing herself for her ill-thought out decision to lay back in the water and wondering whether to just leave it and lie down with it wet- when Jane taps on the door.

‘How are you feeling love?’

‘You’re back!’ For the first time since being struck down, Kitty feels actually, properly happy: she can’t quite explain it, but somehow, having Jane in the vicinity during a crisis just makes things better. Easier. 

It didn’t even mean things were fixed or solved- for that, all the queens agreed, you needed Catalina or Anne or Anna (or Cathy if the problem involved etymology or linguistics or the interpretation of scripture). Jane was not the person you had around to fix things, they all knew. 

But Jane was the person you’d position yourself close to once the solution to the problem had been identified and needed putting into place. 

(Her role in this respect- always fairly clear- had been absolutely cemented the day that Anna had come home to find Catalina miserably struggling through a phone call, her head in Jane’s lap while Jane did needlepoint and fed her white chocolate buttons. Catalina had been slightly flushed upon discovery but determinedly insouciant, and to their eternal credit, the others had refrained from commenting.)

Kitty struggles to her feet to pull Jane properly into the room. ‘I’m fine! How was your shopping trip?!’

‘It was alright. They had those special dark chocolate biscuits I was waiting for them to restock at LAST-’

(Jane isn’t quite sure why talking about things she’s brought for herself to Kitty doesn’t set off the same anxiety as it does when admitting to having done so to anyone else. It doesn’t, and that’s enough for her.)

Kitty knows better than to comment on the purchase, but she beams proudly at her all the same and Jane shoots a small, grateful smile back- which fades quickly when she notices how tense the girl is.

‘Are you sure you’re ok? Is it still hurting? Catalina said you were having a really hard time of it.’

Kitty blushes slightly. ‘Yeah. Did she tell you I was making a fuss?’

She looks so forlorn, Jane thinks it would almost be funny if it wasn’t so very sad. She makes her voice as gentle as possible. ‘Of course not, sweetheart.’ She wraps an arm around Kitty’s shoulders, guides her to sit on the edge of the bed and then picks up the abandoned comb. ‘She said that you were in pain and that she was concerned. That’s all.’

‘Oh.’ Kitty keeps her head down as Jane begins to patiently work through the tangles. ‘I WAS making a fuss though…’

‘Actually, she told me that she feels awful for not being more sympathetic at first.’

‘But she doesn’t need to! She ran me a bath and everything. And I shouldn’t be so whiney anyway.’

‘Love-’ Jane keeps combing, and Kitty unconsciously relaxes back into her touch, enjoying it. ‘Remember what we told you? You don’t need to feel bad about being taken care of sometimes. We all want to help. Especially if you’re not feeling good.’

‘But I’m an adult, I-’

‘Yes?’

‘I-’ Kitty bites her lip miserably. ‘I should be able to just...handle myself, you know?’

Jane shrugs. ‘Is that what you think the rest of us should do then?’

‘What?’

‘Like, I should just handle myself and stop bothering Anna or you when I need help doing a form? Or how Cathy should just get over it when she gets overwhelmed and keep going?’

‘No of course not-’

‘Or how Anne should just stop being late for things and finish jobs when she starts them?’

‘No! That would be horrible, that’s-’

Jane nods. ‘So why is it any different for you? Why wouldn’t we be just as eager to help you when we love you just as much? Hm?’

Kitty sighs in defeat, and then winces as the comb is tugged. ‘I know. I know that really. I suppose. It’s just….hard to know it properly sometimes.’

‘I know love.’ Jane leans down and kisses the top of her head, then begins to plait her hair back. ‘We’ll remind you though. As much as you need.’

Kitty opens her mouth to reply but she’s interrupted by another tap on the door- Catalina, bearing a tray and looking slightly awkward.

‘I thought you might like a hot drink-’ As she puts the tray down on the nightstand, Kitty sees that it bears one fuzzy hot water bottle, one plate of shortbread, two mugs of tea- and possibly the most decadent hot chocolate she has ever seen in her life.

She’d been about to apologise again- she still can’t quite shake the anxiety that Catalina might maybe still be annoyed at her despite her reassurances- but the elaborateness of the drink surprises a laugh out of her instead.

‘Catty! It looks-’

Jane’s laughing too. ‘That’s….oh my goodness!’

Catalina tries and fails to frown. ‘Hey! I worked very hard on this. It is NOT easy to get that many marshmallows into one mug-’

‘You look like you managed though-’

‘Just about-’ She glances at Kitty, slightly anxiously. ‘Is it ok? Do you like it?’

‘I love it!’ Kitty bounces off the bed to hug Catalina in gratitude and then winces. ‘Argh. Bad idea. Sorry.’

‘It’s ok-’ Catalina hands her the hot water bottle and Kitty presses it thankfully to her stomach. ‘Why don’t you get comfortable? It might feel better if you lie down.’

Jane starts to arrange pillows as Kitty settles onto the bed. ‘Jane, I’m not an invalid you know, I honestly can do it myself-’

‘I know love.’ She doesn’t stop. ‘But you’re sick so-’

‘I’m not sick.’

‘Being in pain is a kind of sick.’ Catalina chips in. ‘Just indulge us mija. Now, do you want some peace and quiet so you can rest? Or do you want company?’

Kitty hesitates. ‘It’s ok love, whichever you prefer. We won’t take it personally if you’d rather have some space-’

Kitty nods; Jane and Catalina wait a moment and then pick up their tea and start for the door. As Jane opens it, they’re stopped by a squeak from the bed.

‘Kit?’

‘Do- do you mind staying? If you’re not too busy?’ She squeezes the hot water bottle case anxiously. ‘Just, it really hurts and it’s nice to have a distraction and-’ Despite their reassurance, Kitty still half expects to catch an eye roll or a reluctant sigh. Of course they don’t want to stay really, of course they’re busy…

But instead, Jane smiles as she closes the door; Catalina squeezes her hand as she settles onto the bed.

‘Well done mija. I know that wasn’t easy.’

It’s a silly thing to need validation for but it makes the anxious bands that have seized around Kitty’s chest loosen anyway.

They get comfortable on the bed either side of her and Jane reaches for Kitty’s laptop.

‘How about some trash tv? That usually makes me feel better.’

Kitty settles back, letting her head rest against Catalina’s shoulder. It feels warm and comfortable, a good place to rest. ‘Sure. Not Love Island though, I feel too gross to enjoy watching people in bikinis.’

‘Fine.’ Jane pouts slightly and Catalina chuckles. ‘Bake Off?’

‘Ok.’

They watch in silence for a few minutes, as the sprightly music plays and mouth watering images of sponges and tarts fill the screen. Catalina hands Kitty her hot chocolate and it’s very bit as good as it looks; Jane’s arm around her is pleasantly soothing.

‘Catty?’

‘Hm?’

‘Thanks.’

‘You’re welcome mija.’

(Kitty doesn’t just mean for the hot chocolate. But she thinks Catalina probably knows this.)

[ilyamatic]

Echoes Day 10: Cuisine

I am skipping a few days in the @arcana-echoes because this right here? This is what I was made for. I love food and all my OCs do too so let's jump right in shall we?

Ayitian food is based off of Haitian food, so you are going to see a lot of seafood, bold flavors, and quite a bit of French influence. Not to mention it is going to be spicy. They say that every Ayitian is born with a scotch bonnet pepper in their mouths. So if they offer you food, tread lightly.

Some dishes that my OCs grew up with:

Pate: Pate are a puff pastry with savory fillings. They are often filled with ground beef, shredded chicken, mori [moe-ree] (bacalao/dried salted cod), or aranso [ah-rahn-sew](smoked herring). Andrico and Jai prefers the beef, while Jasna prefers mori. Andrés and Marie-Carmel will fight over the chicken ones but everyone agrees that aranso is the best flavor hands down

Banan peze: these flatted, fried slices of plantain are often served with meals. They can be found with fritay (fried foods) or with something saucy. They can also just be eaten as a snack. Banan peze can be either savory or sweet, depending on the ripeness of the plantain.

Diri ak djon djon: It is rice flavored with a black mushroom native to the island. Its dark color is achieved by soaking the mushrooms and then cooking the rice in the strained liquid. It is a bit labor intensive so it is often seen on the weekends, holidays, or special events. It is Andrés' favorite and adores it when it is cooked with tritri (dried baby shrimp).

Legume: Jasna's comfort food of choice, legume is stewed eggplant and other vegetables often cooked with meat or crab. It is often served with red beans and rice or over white rice with sois pwa (pureed bean sauce). Hearty and filling, it is the perfect dish after a particularly hard day.

Soup joumou: a New Year's staple. Made with a pumpkin native to the area, soup joumou is a dish that symbolizes victory. Due to its ingredients, it was a dish reserved for the ruling Augustine family. But once the island was free of their rule on New Year's day, it became available to everyone. So on the first day of the year, every Ayitian everywhere is having a bowl. There is much debate amongst the friends on who makes the best but everyone knows its Marie-Carmel.

Lalo: Lalo is a dish made with jute leaves, meat, and crab. Much like legume, the ingredients are stewed together until they are tender and flavorful. The jute leaves can be temperamental and can be slimy with cooked improperly so it is not a dish one would see often. Jai could eat buckets of it when done right.

Poisson gwo sel: Named after the rock salt often used to season the fish, poisson gwo sel is baked whole snapper. It is often baked with other aromatics that further flavor the fish on top of the salt, pepper, garlic, and parsley. While she makes the best soup joumou, poisson gwo sel is her favorite.

Poul ak nwa: Stewed chicken with cashews. There are hardly words that can describe it. Juicy, flavorful chicken. Crunchy yet creamy cashews. Serve it on a bed of white rice with a side of sois pwa and these Ayitian will love you forever.

Akra: Oh, akra. The delicious fried taro fritter that hardly anyone gets right. Perfected it is crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside with the right amount of spice. Andrico has gotten close and they hardly stay on the table when his friends are around.

Tassot kabrit: The one dish Andrico would refuse to share with anyone. Tassot kabrit are goat chunks marinated in sour orange juice and spices before being fried. It is juicy and salty and everything you need after too many nips of rum. Often served with banan peze and a spicy relish called pikliz.

Other common foods include:

Bread (Haitian style)

Hot chocolate (Haitian style)

Red beans and rice

Boiled plantains

Bouyon (soup made with greens, veggies, meat)

Griot (fried pork chunks)

Mais moulin (Haitian style polenta)

Fruits (mangos, soursop, papaya, coconuts, oranges, etc.)

[rockofeye]

Hi!! I hope you are well. What are your favorite things about Haitian culture??

Hello!

I am doing well and hope the same for you.

What a big question! There are a lot of things I really love and appreciate about Haiti...I probably can't name them all, but let's see how far I can get.

I love the language. Kreyòl is a uniquely expressive language...English and French are nowhere near its level of expressing meaning and describing life. The understood sound effects alone as part of how people illustrate day-to-day life are something that English certainly doesn't have and it's something that communicates unique meaning. The history of the language and its development is also special, as it has really developed into its own record of living history.

The unique art created in Haiti is something special, and I include traditional dance under the art umbrella. Whether it's painted kwi or drapo for ceremony or the history of Haiti expressed through dance, it's something very unique to Haiti and its something that really grabbed me when I got started.

The art of Haiti really ties in to something that isn't present in the US or other Western societies. In Haiti, religious practice is so tied into daily life that it is inseparable. It's really hard to describe in a way that makes sense because US culture very much does not have that; folks in the US tend to place their religious practice in a box instead of weaving it into daily life. In Haiti, it's just life...nothing is boxed up or held separate. When you plant your field, of course you give to Kouzen. When you go to the cemetery, of course you go and salute Baron. Of course you go to the dance in the temple down the road, even if you are only going just to dance...and of course you know how to dance. Like, it's so woven together that even people who don't serve the lwa actively still participate. Of course you go to Sodo. Of course you celebrate Gran St Anne Charitab. This is all just...normal everyday stuff. It's really beautiful to behold and it's really clear what the Western world has lost in selling its soul to enslave others.

And of course the food...griot, soup joumou, lanbi boukannen, mayi moulen (apparently I am in the minority for liking it...especially with epina, tomat, sos pwa nwa, and maybe a little zaboka), pate, makawoni au gratin (Haitian mac and cheese is Amazing), and you cannot beat a cold Prestige on a hot night in the temple, or a little rum punch (Barbancourt, jus grenadya, grenadine) and some kenep on the beach. Also...lots of folks don't know, but Haiti has a really solid patisserie/baking history, which might be the only good thing leftover from French occupation. Haitian bread is delicious, as is Haitian cake. Regular vanilla cake filled with passionfruit curd or limon curd is so good...cake here is so light and fluffy and delicious. I loooove bonbon siwo (comparable to gingerbread...made with siwo kan/cane syrup instead of molasses and my favorite is when there is little shreds of sugar cane baked in), and there's also dous makos (a chocolate and vanilla fudge-type candy) and ti karol, which is kinda like a fruit juice popsicle. And the JUICE...I so look forward to coming and have some jus cerise/acerola cherry juice (one of my sisters makes it with a little lime and it is Perfection) or jus kowosol/soursop juice or jus grenadya/passionfruit juice or really whatever juice is available. The best is a 'milkshake' which is juice mixed with milk over ice. Sounds a bit weird to most Americans but sooooo good.

I really love how family is so different in Haiti...by and large, family is FAMILY and nothing can change that. That has its upsides and downsides of course, but the commitments people have with each other, whether they are related by blood or via the lwa or by chosen family are deepdeepdeep. It took me a long time to kind of come around to to that because things have been so different for me...jaws drop when I tell people I am essentially estranged from my family, as that's so strange for them to hear. But...it's something that I have really come to appreciate.

Something that I had a hard time internalizing at first was how Haitians often give each other respect. One of my brothers broke it down for me: Americans (and others) seek to be understood, as being understood translates to respect, and that's different in Haiti. In Haiti and among Haitians, one of the things I have come to learn (and was shown by people who care about me) is that understanding someone/something is not at all related to respecting them/it. Like, when I explain some things about my life or who I am to folks in Haiti, they very much want to listen and hear what I have to say because they care about me and are curious about who I am and what life is like for me outside of Haiti...but what I tell them may not make sense or may seem really weird and they won't understand at all why that is a thing. However, they respect me regardless of what they may/may not understand. It maybe sounds confusing when I write it all out, but I think about how, in the US, we so often equate someone understanding who we are as something that is the pinnacle of respect. It was mindblowing when I finally understood that, and it's something that's been really important to me and honestly been very healing in a lot of ways. I have a lot of gratitude for that.

That's what I can come up with off the top of my head. There is certainly lots more, but how do I boil down such a wide and varied cultural heritage into words?

Thanks for your question...please don't hesitate to ask more.

[markleesthighs]

Mea Bella | Chapter 2

Pairings: Reader x Jaehyun, Reader x ??? Genre: NCT royalty!au, angst, fluff, subtle flirting Warnings: flashbacks, forbidden love, smutty Words: 2.5k

Chapter 2 - One More Day

You were hanging laundry up to dry on clothespins when you saw Jaehyun and his advisors and planners with him in the garden, picking out what flowers to use for the decorations. When they caught your eye, you curtsied and allowed them to continue. However, you felt Jaehyun's eyes lingering upon you, gazing at your features and beauty. Jaehyun was so distracted that he almost fell into the fountain.

"Prince Jaehyun, please look where you are going," said his royal advisor, Taeyong.

"R-right, thank you."

You smiled as you walked back into the castle to finish cleaning before helping the needs of Jaehyun. You cleaned and organized his room, closet, and office and eventually met up with Jaehyun around noon. You went to serve them lunch, and they were discussing the guest list.

"The Lees, Suhs, Moons, Kims, Wongs, and Parks have RSVPed so far."

"Fantastic. Hopefully, everyone else will as well."

"Prince, I am required by law to invite princess-"

"Yes, I know, and I am fully aware that she and her family have RSVPed."

"Now that everything is in order, you still have a tasting of the food and outfit fittings left for the Prince Jaehyun."

"Thank you for your kindest services, now let's eat."

When you walked away, you wanted to know who the lucky princess is. You hoped some of the other maids in the kitchen had heard anything. From what you heard, they said that she was a flirt and slept with wealthy men to reach the top, which is how she became a prospect for Jaehyun. You felt sick by this and hoped that Jaehyun wouldn't fall for her, but he might have to marry her.

Jaehyun finished his lunch but still had to taste the food for the midnight ball. You walked out to see him sitting by himself, awaiting food with a list and quill in his hand. He notices you walking in and smiled at your presence. You walked over to him, and he immediately gave you a quick peck on the lips.

"Is this the first course I'm tasting?"

You laughed while blushing.

"Because this tastes REALLY sweet."

He pulled you in for another kiss that was longer than the first one, but you pulled away in fear that someone would see.

"I'll go get your actual course."

"Come back quick before I perish from loneliness."

"Don't be so dramatic."

You brought out some hors d 'oeuvres such as deviled eggs, stuffed mushrooms, and pate. Jaehyun ate and checked off or crossed out the foods he wanted for the ball. But he had been talking about 10-15 minutes with each hors d'oeuvre, and you still had more food for him to taste.

"y/n, tell me what you think of this"

"b-but Jaehyun, it's caviar, you should be tasting these things."

"Yeah, but I need another outside opinion, you know?"

"I don't know…"

"Do it for me?"

"Fine…"

Jaehyun put some caviar on a cracker and fed it to you. You swear it was the best thing you have ever tasted in your life, and you wanted more of it.

"Jaehyun…This is really good, and it's creamy and salty. I like it."

"Do you know what's also creamy and salty?"

"Oh, shut up."

"Here, try the smoked salmon with cream cheese."

Jaehyun fed it to you again, and you smiled back as you tasted the smokey fish and cream cheese touch your tastebuds. It was a perfect combination of food.

"Hey you got a little cream cheese on your face, let me get it for you."

Jaehyun licked his thumb and rubbed it against the spot on your cheek where the cream cheese was, and you felt your face turning red.

"I-is it gone?"

"Nope. I missed a spot."

"Whe-"

Jaehyun pecked your lips, which made you throw your head into his lap out of embarrassment. Jaehyun caressed your hair and attempted to calm you down while smiling at your shy figure.

"Ahem."

You and Jaehyun turned to see his mother staring at you and Jaehyun intently to intimidate you.

"I understand that both of you are close friends, but you must not act this way at the ball, we have guests and a reputation to uphold. Jaehyun, your father would not be too pleased to see you like this infant of your potential wives. If you both continue to fool around, then you won't be matching this year, understand?"

"Yes, mother, I understand, I'll continue tasting now."

"y/n?"

"Yes?"

"Can you please go to the fitting room, to kill two birds with one stone so that Jaehyun can focus and that you can get fitted for your dress."

"Of course, enjoy the rest of your afternoon."

You bowed to both of them and walked up to the seamstress' room where they took your measurements and fitted you for the dress. They also took notes on what hair and makeup you'll be doing to accommodate the dress as well. You noticed a suit that looked similar to the fabric the seamstress was working on.

"Is that Jaehyun's suit?"

"Yes ma'am, would you like to peak?"

"If I may?"

"Of course."

She pulled to mannequin out from behind the divider, and you saw a beautiful royal blue suit with black detailing, symbolizing the colors of the kingdom, meaning confidence, wisdom, intelligence, and strength. You felt the soft fabric and saw on Jaehyun's suit a sash with all of his badges from the military and inherited ones from his ancestors. Each badge was perfectly polished and shined brightly in the light. You admired Jaehyun, and he had accomplished so much for an (almost) 18-year old. However, one badge caught your eye; it was an amber gemstone in the center of what appeared to be a flower or a daisy. That badge was a badge you gave to Jaehyun for helping him pick flowers with you, it was a cute badge at the time, but now you look back and realize it was a badge Jaehyun never took off. The seamstress noticed you were staring at the badge for a long time and decided to give some input.

"Ever since Jaehyun was young, he refused to take off that badge. It was very special to him. I also heard that he never took it off in battle too, whenever it was becoming rusty or old he constantly wanted it polished and fixed right away, it was very sweet. When I asked him about it, he said someone very special gave it to him, and it motivates him that he can do anything as long as he has his heart set on it."

You smiled and have never felt warm and fuzzy about something in your life. But it only made it bittersweet when you realized that Jaehyun was going to be courting people wearing your badge. You said your goodbyes and thanks to the seamstress and continued your daily routine. Preparing bread and food for dinner, cleaning and dusting several parts of the castle, and having to assist Jaehyun when he needed it. You were helping Jaehyun with selecting flowers, and he asked for your opinion.

"y/n, roses or lilies?"

"roses, they look more elegant and fitting for the ball."

"hm, good choice."

Later that night, it was dinner time, and you were helping serve dinner as usual, due to this, you were always exposed to the daily conversations at the dinner table.

"Did you see if your suit fits?"

"It does mother."

"How about the food is everything suitable, presented perfectly, and tastes lavish?"

"Of course."

"Have you looked at the list of princesses attending tomorrow evening?"

"…no.."

"Jung Jaehyun! I told you look at that weeks ago! You must have done some research in the library!"

"My darling, leave him alone, I didn't even research you because there was no need once I spoke with you."

"Can you stop being so irrational right now! I just want what's best for our son!"

"He will choose what is best, I've taught him to have a good heart."

"Have you heard of the rumors of some of these princesses? If my son marries, please excuse my language, but a whore, I won't be able to breathe."

"Mother, will you please relax, there's nothing to worry about."

While Jaehyun's mother looked in distress, she saw you fill her glass with more water, and she turned to you and began to speak.

"Ah, y/n, since you are attending, can you please make sure that Jaehyun stays clear of the troublesome princesses? I trust you because you know as women, we know how vicious we can be."

"Of course, my queen, I will try my best."

Great, picking Jaehyun's future wife while you are secretly dating, doesn't sound like a bad idea at all. You turned to Jaehyun, giving him a small smile before returning to bring out dessert, raspberry tarts.

After dinner, you helped clean up when you saw Jaehyun waiting so you could help him with his nighttime routine of bathing, getting dressed, and going to bed. You walked up to his room to see him sitting against his window, still looking out into the starts.

"I'm not ready, y/n."

"I don't think anyone is ever ready."

"It's a big moment in my life. I don't think I'll be able to do it, especially when you are going to be there."

"Don't worry about me. I'll be okay."

"But it's not okay!"

"…"

"I- I love you, y/n! to have you watch me go off with another girl is just wrong! I-I don't want to hurt you!"

"Jae, it's fine, we both knew this day would come eventually….trust me, I'll be okay."

"Are you sure, my daisy?"

"Of course, I will always love you, no matter how many times you could break my heart."

"I promise I will find some way for us to be together, and I promise I will have a dance with you at the ball."

Jaehyun kissed your hand as you bitterly smiled, and you went to go prepare his bath filled with rose petals and lavender. The aromatics in his bathroom were warm and florescent. Jaehyun noticed how monotone your face was while filling his bath, so he came behind you, only in a robe hugging you from behind.

"Join me."

"W-wh-"

"Please, it might the last time we have this chance together."

"B-but Jae I'm just a maid I'm not supposed to- let alone see you naked."

Jaehyun looked at you with puppy-like eyes begging you to take a bath with him, and you couldn't resist.

"Fine, but you are getting in first."

Jaehyun smiled as you turned around because you were too shy to see Jaehyun naked, your mind would go lewd places. Jaehyun laughed as you heard him, slowly dip into the bath. You started to strip your clothes and tie up your hair with a black ribbon so your hair would not get wet. You hesitated to turn around once you removed all of your clothes, but Jaehyun encouraged you to turn around. You turned around slowly looking at the floor, but you could sense the smile forming on Jaehyun's face. He reached out a hand for you to join him, but you were still looking at the floor when you walked to the edge of the bathtub. You looked at Jaehyun's loving gaze as you slowly dipped into the bath, now only looking at the candles around you trying to avoid looking at Jaehyun and his body. Your back met Jaehyun's chest, and you felt Jaehyun pull his head down into your neck. His hands started to rub your arms and legs lightly, massaging them. You felt your cheeks blush, and your whole body feeling hot.

"J-Jae-"

"Shh, let me love you, my daisy."

Jaehyun started to kiss your neck softly, and his hands moved all over your body, making you become breathless under his touch. You turned your head to meet his eyes, kissing him delicately while the bright candles and warm water hug both of you. It was as if time stopped, and you turned your whole body to straddle Jaehyun deepening every kiss. Jaehyun wrapped his arms around you hugging your waist tight, wanting you to be closer to his body.

"God, you are so beautiful," Jaehyun moaned.

You felt his member get harder against your thigh begging to enter inside you, and you felt hungrier for Jaehyun. You looked at Jaehyun's eyes filled with lust, pleading for you. Jaehyun whispered in your ear.

"I'm going to put it in, okay? Relax, you'll be okay love,"

With that, he entered inside you, kissing you every second of the way and whispering words of encouragement to keep you relaxed. You felt the pain and pleasure scratching Jaehyun's shoulders, moaning loudly like music to his ears. Tears streamed from your eyes from the pain, and Jaehyun lifted your head from his neck and wiped them away, kissing your neck.

"Is it okay for me to move?"

"M-maybe one more- ah- second- mmh-"

"Of course, take all the time you need."

You took about 2 minutes before you told him that it was okay for him to move, and he began moving at a slow pace, for you and him. Jaehyun eventually picked up the pace while kissing you and caressing your entire body, splashing water, petals, and moans scattering all over the bathroom. It eventually led to Jaehyun, making you both reach your climaxes at the same time. You both panted, taking deep breaths to relax your breathing. You straddled off of Jaehyun, sitting in between his legs, and you laid against his chest, fiddling with his fingers.

"Are you alright, my little Daisy?"

"Yes, Jae, I love you so much."

"I love you too, y/n."

Jaehyun got up from the bath and carried you out, knowing that your body would be a little sore, and you would not be able to walk. He wrapped you in a towel and laid you down on his bed, letting you dry off and relax.

"Wait, Jae, I'll clean- the bathroom- ah-"

"No, no, no, you've cleaned up after me several times, let me."

"But-"

"Please rest, for once, let me take care of you now."

So, you laid on the plush bed as Jaehyun started to clean up the bath, throwing the petals out the window and draining the tub and cleaning the floor with a cloth. Once he finished, he kissed your forehead to wake you up from your small nap. You smiled, looking at Jaehyun, who smiled back and left to get your nightwear from your room. He removed the towel and helped you get dressed. He also prepared clean clothes for you the next day when you woke up. You could barely walk, so you stayed with Jaehyun for the night. Jaehyun changed out of his robe and into his pajamas, cuddling up next to you, kissing your neck.

"Goodnight, my daisy."

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