#spicy version available elsewhere

[readgoods]

some things you just can't help

[risingshards]

I put a post on my Patreon as I'm brainstorming ideas for a series in the Rising Shards universe there (It's been a long time coming but I've been so busy with other projects I haven't gotten to it yet) but I figure it might be good to talk about it here as well and not so subtly promote my Patreon!

I also wanted to put a truncated version of the poll here as well to gauge interest in the series ideas. I go into them in more detail on the post which is public to everyone, you don't have to sub to see it! But if you don't wanna click elsewhere I'm curious about a reaction to the ideas whether you're a reader of my work or not.

The Lost Hero: My action fantasy story (which you can read here https://tapas.io/series/TheLostHero ) may not move ahead in the contest, which would be a bummer but would be fine. I think it might be neat to continue it on here. Patron exclusive idea that I came up with some big spiciness with the Lost Hero cast that I was going to write just for fun for me, but if it comes to it and I put TLH on here, I may put the spiciness as well. This would be a big fantasy globe trotting adventure with lots of wild twists and action past the first 20 chapters that are available now.

Falling Shards: I've been really in the mood to try to write Falling Shards, which would be about the boys' school so I would be experimenting with not doing a yuri for once, which could go very wrong but I think it'd be a fun thing to try. It would be nice to put it up here, but I don't know how many are JUST looking for yuri from me. If you don't want any yaoi type stories don't vote for this one hahaha.

Pyre Cani in the Desert: This is the one I've promised the most so no matter what I have to figure out some way to do it, about the wild lands in the west where Cani with dangerous powers adventure and battle.

Wolves of Hope and Stardust: This is a project I started but haven't gotten very far in. As it is right now it's a fantasy story about a freedom fighter meeting up with a dangerous enemy, who turns out is just a big himbo that's only playing up the dangerous enemy role to try and take down the evil empire. The himbo went over really well in my workshop group so it'd be fun to write them again.

Mix of TLH, Falling Shards, Pyre Cani, and WOHAS: The disparate ideas I have for these three series might actually mush together really well, and would allow me to write all sorts of things and cover lots of boxes (aka have romances that aren't just MLM and have my usual WLW business in there 🥰).

[thetoxicgamer]

Warhammer 40k Darktide patch makes challenges more team-friendly

The Warhammer 40k Darktide patch 9 is now available on Steam, and creator Fatshark claims that the new Darktide penances are intended to promote "more cohesive team play". The update and removal of penances that might have interfered with your colleagues' enjoyment of the co-op version of Grimdark is another goal of the patch. For a complete list of Warhammer 40k Darktide patch notes, including a rebalancing of enemy unit spawning to boost the number of melee elites, continue reading. Darktide patch 9 is titled ‘Garbs and Penances,’ so you won’t be surprised to learn that they’re the main focus of the update. New sets of class penances have arrived that “provide more straightforward progression goals and are aimed at reinforcing the class roles, rewarding them playing well without disrupting the game.” Several older penances have been moved to a ‘Redacted’ tab because Fatshark decided they were “trick challenges” that required the entire team to actively work together to complete them rather than pursuing normal gameplay, which “can be a lot of fun but should not be mandatory or forced upon unsuspecting teammates.” Other penances have received numbers tweaks to make them easier to complete as a solo player without disrupting the rest of your team. A change to the game’s ‘pacing director’ has adjusted the spawn distribution, with a goal of providing “more variation in encounters by weighting away from ranged mobs and giving the melee guys more presence.” So expect to be able to get slightly more into the thick of things without being constantly pinged at by ranged Chaos troops. Elsewhere, several less-used feats are getting buffed slightly, while the ‘Rev it up’ blessings will now last longer. There’s also a whole wealth of additional bug fixes, including the resolution of a rather spicy glitch that allowed the Kantrael Mk IX combat shotgun to set enemies on fire through walls and other level geometry at basically any range. Warhammer 40k Darktide patch 9 – Garbs and Penances Here are the full Warhammer 40k Darktide patch notes for the Garbs and Penances update, courtesy of developer Fatshark: New Penances Veteran Sharpshooter - Stay Accurate: Kill 350 enemies with ranged weak spot hits. - Resupply Allies: Replenish 5000 total ammunition to allies using Scavenger. - Stay Alert: On Malice Threat or higher, kill 150 enemies that have been marked by Volley Fire. - Fire Down Range: On Malice Threat or higher, kill 100 enemies that are over 25 meters away. - Find Your Targets: On Heresy Threat or higher, kill 2 Elite or Specialist enemies during a single Volley Fire, 50 times. - Be Methodical: On Heresy Threat or higher, keep Volley Fire active for over 20 seconds 5 times. Psyker Psykinetic - Prioritise Targets: Kill 200 Elite or Specialist enemies with Brain Burst. - Master Survival: Use Psykinetic’s Wrath to survive Perils of the Warp 50 times. - Power Up: On Malice Threat or higher, kill 100 Elite or Specialist enemies with Brain Burst while at maximum Warp Charges. - Unleash the Warp: On Malice Threat or higher, Kill 2500 enemies with Warp attacks. - Shoot Fast: On Heresy Threat or higher, kill 25 Pox Hounds, Mutants, or Scab Trappers using Brain Burst before they incapacitate you or an ally. - Keep Your Distance: On Heresy Threat or higher, complete 3 full Missions without being hit in melee by an Elite enemy. Zealot Preacher - Control Crowds: Stun 1500 enemies using Stun Grenades. - Stay Strong: Replenish 7500 Toughness using Chastise the Wicked. - Find Their Weakness: On Malice Threat or higher, kill 75 Stunned enemies with Critical Hits. - Channel Your Rage: On Malice Threat or higher, kill 1000 enemies with Melee Attacks while at least 3 stacks of Martyrdom. - Master Your Tools: On Heresy Threat or higher, kill 75 Elite or Specialist enemies with Powered Melee Attacks (Chain or Power weapons). - Have Faith: On Heresy Threat or higher, using Chastise The Wicked, dash toward a targeted enemy that is wielding a ranged weapon 40 times. Ogryn Skullbreaker - Help Everyone: Revive or Assist 40 Knocked Down or Incapacitated allies. - Keep Them Grounded: Knock Down 5000 enemies. - Clear The Path: On Malice threat or higher, knock down 3 Ranged enemies using Bull Rush, 25 times. - Cleave Them Down: On Malice Threat or higher, kill 2 enemies with a single Melee Attack 250 times. - Keep Your Friends Close: On Heresy Threat or Higher, complete 3 full Missions without any allies being Knocked Down or Incapacitated for longer than 10 seconds and without any allies dying. - Bring The Hurt: On Heresy Threat or higher, hit 4 Elite or Specialist enemies with Big Boxes of Hurt, without missing an Elite or Specialist enemy with a Big Box of Hurt 5 times. Updated Penances Ogryn Skullbreaker - Friends Will Be Friends: Changed the required mission time that a player must be in coherency with an ally from 100% to 90%. - Gone Bowling: Changed the number of enemies requirement from 70 to 60. - Heavyweight Champion: Changed the number of Ogryns you must hit with Bull Rush from 6 to 4. - Don’t Stop Me Now: Can now only be completed in a private game. Zealot Preacher - Just a Flesh Wound: Can now only be completed in a private game. Psyker Psykinetic - Going Out With A Bang: Changed the number of elites you must kill from 3 to 1. - Pick n’ Mix: Changed number of enemies you must kill from 5 to 4. - Malleus Monstronum: Can now only be completed in a private game. Veteran Sharpshooter - One in the Chamber: Increased the number of times you need to kill an enemy with the last round in a clip from 5 to 8. - Make Every Shot Count: Changed requirement from 100% accuracy to 90% accuracy. Enemy Balance - Changed spawn distribution for Heresy and Damnation, weight default population towards more Scab Maulers while introducing more variations of Elite patrols. Please note that the total amount of Elites and total threat value of all enemies spawned remains the same. - Made heavier stagger variations require more impact for Scab Maulers while tuning their walk switch distance and increasing their ranged stagger resistance. They should still stagger, but prefer the lighter stagger reactions. This makes them less prone to fall over with the rest of the horde and instead stand and take the pain. - Increased hit zone damage and adjusted hitpoints on Plague Ogryn and Beast of Nurgle to reward weak spot and torso hit more. - Fixed case where the Daemonhost could stay longer than intended after players got revived during the fight. Weapon Balance - Increased active duration of Rev it up Blessings (available on Cadia Mk IV Assault Chainsword, Orestes Mk IV Assault Chainaxe, and Tigrus Mk II Heavy Eviscerator) from 2 seconds to 3 seconds. - Increased the number of tiers on blessing Power Cycler (Munitorum Mk VI Power Sword and the Munitorum Mk III Power Sword ) from 1 to 2, adding a tier below the previous. - Added 2 more tiers to Bloodletter and balanced values. Feat Balance Veteran Sharpshooter - Exhilarating Takedown: Increased Duration from 6 seconds to 8 seconds. Increased Toughness replenished from 15% to 20%. - Deadshot: Reduced Stamina drained per second from 10% to 8%. Reduced Stamina drained per shot from 5% to 4%. - The Bigger They Are: Increased the Damage Bonus from 50% to 75%. Ogryn Skullbreaker - Smash ‘Em Good: Increased Toughness replenished from 20% to 25%. - Best Form of Defence: Increased Toughness replenished from 20% to 25%. - Blood and Thunder: Increased Stacks of Bleed applied from 4 to 6. - Bloodthirst: Increased the maximum amount of Stacks from 5 to 6. Zealot Preacher - Martyrdom: Increased Melee Damage per Stack from 5% to 8%. - Purify in Blood: Increased the Toughness bonus from 75% to 100%. - Fury of the Faithful: Increased the Duration from 5 seconds to 10 seconds. Pysker Psykinetic - Warp Absorption: Increased the Toughness replenished from 10% to 15%. A full list of minor balance tweaks and additional bug fixes can be found via the game’s page on Steam. Load up your armoury with the best Darktide weapons and you’ll be set for success. Those of you just starting out can catch up on our explainer of the Darktide classes and their respective strengths and weaknesses. If you’re eager to escape to all manner of wonderful worlds, we’ve got the best fantasy games on PC where you can do exactly that. Read the full article

[shabbytigers]

couldn’t be me, but i assure you it’s not implausible

most places have a fairly specific selection of cuisines from elsewhere, right. like, always setting nyc aside, you aren’t going to find eg uzbek or azerbaijani food in most of america. those cuisines are literally not even on the mental menu of potential options

german food is maybe on the menu but it’s mostly there as a greyed-out option? like, it’s on the radar, but it isn’t much of a thing in america outside specific areas with a lot of people of german descent. if you find it it’s probably schnitzel and sausages. braised red cabbage is … a very reasonable expectation that is likely to be disappointed. it’s hella weird to an american sensibility tbh, the color, texture, and flavor are all a bit unexpected and especially together. i don’t love it myself; for me it’s too sweet and too soft. it can be good when made with tart apples, but at best ehhh. it’s exotic to american palates to a degree that probably seems preposterous to people for whom it’s a staple, it’s like so intrinsically obviously comfort food, and yet i assure you it is a headfuck to those not unto it born

—

most places, further, have a more specific subset of cuisines from elsewhere that have been extremely well assimilated into a fully localized version that, at this point, reads to local palates as normal/comfort food. and the thing is that the highly normalized-americanized versions of these cuisines don’t involve a whole lot of cabbage! american “chinese” food is the one in this category that uses cabbage most. taco bell tier texmex “mexican” food is also in this category. generic “indian” food—whole-ass subcontinent rolled into one putative cuisine—is hmm maybe not quite there but damn close

(you can get more authentic versions of all of these in america too but that’s not my point here)

i don’t think that americanized mexican food has a lot of cabbage going on. you’ll see lettuce instead

not a ton of cabbage in the most popular assimilated indian dishes, either. we lean heavily on the work done in britain so the chicken makhani or tikka masala zone is the sweet spot. (the us uses less heat than britain though—if you want spicy you order vindaloo or madras—but, well, i’ll just say that i used to think americans were wimps about indian food, and then i moved to germany 💀)

korean hasn’t made it to the degree of assimilation chinese or even indian has in the us. it’s highly available in the cities but … okay i’m gonna broadly generalize that as an american korean-food enthusiast, one is aware of having acquired a taste for kimchi in a conscious and deliberate turn against the path of least resistance. like… there is an element of “i think i will cause problems on purpose” in the decision to eat kimchi. and i say that as a person who eats kimchi. (admittedly i am also a person whose relationship with cabbage is a bit fraught—i and my gi tract are not at one regarding how much of it we want in our life—but kimchi has never hurt me in that way. fermentation is an ally to me. i’m talking about an aesthetic perverse enjoyment.) so like, forget about extremely unadventurous people, even an american who is a little adventurous but not a lot is gonna probably enjoy korean food but they’ll order bulgogi and just not touch the dish of kimchi

ethiopian and russian are pretty exotic options in america outside of major cities, and even there, not on every street corner. you go as a project. you don’t get them ambiently

sooo postulating someone who isn’t motivated at all by adventure in eating and prefers comfortable, familiar food (with whom there is nothing wrong, even if i don’t grok their scene) i find it easy to imagine them living a mostly cabbage-free life. very VERY different from a german with the exact same unadventurous temperament!

coleslaw is the only american home cuisine vector for cabbage i can think of and a lot of people ignore it or only eat tiny quantities as a condiment. i feel like even americanized chinese only gets away with cabbage because it’s shredded and mixed with a bunch of other shredded stuff

and now i’m thinking about moo shu pork—you know: stir fry, heavy on cabbage, also features wood ear mushrooms, there’s pancakes and hoisin sauce on the side like for peking duck? for the record, i would kill and fucking die to find moo shu pork here. it was a core comfort takeout option for me in brooklyn (and my innards usually put up with it okay for whatever reason; it takes lightly roasted brussels sprouts to really rile them)

i should be clear that when i talk about “americanized” or “highly assimilated” versions of whatever, it’s not meant in a pejorative way. i am vehemently in favor of butter chicken and orange flavor beef and even the kind of tacos that come in a hard yellow corn shell? i also like many chinese and indian and mexican dishes prepared in ways closer to their origins. you can eat both in this life. it’s not a fucking sophie’s choice

isn't the demonization of MSG specifically also pretty heavily tied to anti-asian racism? like it's just a roundabout way of saying "the food of an entire continent makes me sick!" (which i have indeed seen very sheltered white people with "IBS" claim)

plausible, but i don't know enough about the history of it to say

[hakuoyuki]

Wait I thought this was an event story? Or did I screw up my facts? 😅 -Ayaka

Okay, so first of all there’s a few things I need to get straight here. Let me just go through this one by one.

First of all, this is not a story event. Yes, this existed in the original, they’re known as “Sexy Bags” or “Story Set with Stimulatingly Sweet Voices”. No, these stories are not fully voice. In each stories, only 6 lines are voiced through out the story. (Full voiced sets will be specified accordingly. When the word "full voiced" is no where to be found, then it is not one)

What you see here is the first of the “Sexy Bag” to be released. In JP, the title for it is “Lewdly Loved by the Beasts” (野獣たちは淫らに愛する)

JP Translation:

Story Set with Stimulatingly Sweet Voices

“Lewdly Loved by the Beasts”

The beasts loves you lewdly and greedily.

ーーHave you prepared yourself to be lewdly loved?

The ENG version is as you can see in the pic above.

By this point I think you all noticed a very obvious difference between the two pictures in addition to the different names and tagline. The avatars that comes with the set.

So the avatars that the ENG version is offering actually came from elsewhere, and that is from the Halloween Night Story Event which by this point I’m pretty sure ENG is going to skip it entirely until next Halloween where they might just go with the revived version that had Jin’s story added and make that the ENG’s first run instead. Do note that the rerun in JP had different coloring for the avatar as compared to the first run version though.

Please excuse me for using the screen from TW ver instead of JP ver for the ranking reward since TW just had this event and the screenshot is still in my phone. The rewards for Halloween Night on TW is exactly the same as JP (first run) anyway so...

As you can see here, the ENG ver had turned Halloween Night SE's ranking reward into the story set avatar for the sexy story set sale. This change is actually not uncommon with ENG localization especially if you’ve played IkeVamp ENG and saw what they did compared to JP before.

ENG localization often shuffle around the avatars for some events, change the attire colors, or even create a completely new avatar and disregarded the original for whatever reason (sometimes they give it out on other occasions, sometimes it’s just... Gone.) although these avatars usually becomes available on JP later on one way or the other (future events, as part of set sales, etc.) but that just leads to more shuffling later on. Another thing they often do is completely changing the event names and tagline to something else “because localization not translation”. They most likely have their reasons but I can only make guesses here for what it could be.

As for whether the stories are worth it... I’ll say, only buy it if your favorite suitor is there. The bottom line though, the gacha set is worth it for those who frequently pull on gachas because they’re given out 20 tickets here for the price of 19 (+100 diamonds) and these tickets can be used on all gacha. However, do note that 10 pulls with gacha tickets has no guarantee for 4 star or above.

So in the end, it’s up to you whether you want the tickets for more chances to pull, or do you rather just do a 10 pull with diamonds. If your fav is in the gacha set though, go ahead!

However, regarding the stories.... as I’ve frequently said before, ENG localization basically just do as they pleases to the “spicy scenes” of stories. Leon's for instance, had a whole scene in his first love story event’s epilogue changed in the ENG ver. Chevalier’s smut in his route was significantly toned down as compared to the JP ver. Yves’ passionate love (dramatic) end smut was off screen in JP but made very explicit in ENG. However, the smut in Yves’ 1st birthday story was significantly toned down. Nokto’s 1st birthday story (his POV) however, had everything kept the same for the main smut bit before the cg scene except for the moanings that were removed from ENG and turned into narrative (like they do for all the other stories in ENG localization. It seems ENG doesn’t like moanings).

With that said, I really can’t tell if the story is “worth it” for the ENG ver since they might’ve changed what happened in the story and how the whole (or part) of the story was written out.

If it’s the JP version however, I love Nokto’s story from this set!!!! All of his sexy bag stories really. Licht’s too! Licht’s smut are often smut+crack and his reactions are just a super fun read LMAO. Also as much as the twins deny that they’re “not alike”, the more you read their stories the more you’ll see how “alike” they are LMAOOO. They are indeed different but they do share a lot in common. For the other suitors... I don't really get their stories unless they happened to be in the same set as Nokto or if I want all the attires. In JP the ones I got were all well written tho👌🏻

In the JP ver, for the first sexy bag “Lewdly Loved by the Beasts” (JP) or “Shipwrecked Love” (ENG) specifically, after Licht’s route release and Jin’s route announcement, they had a rerun for this story set with Licht’s and Jin’s story added as an additional set in the sale (they were also added into the all stories set).

I actually like story events more than collection events because of the significantly longer stories. Even 100k love points bonus stories are around 2.5-3 times the length of a collection story.

If we take all kind of stories into account though, I love the story sales especially the sexy bags! The thing about IkePri's sexy bags (in JP) is that it has plot.

Collection stories for IkePri are more on the fluffier side but I love them too! It's cute to read úwù

For Collection Events, I love touch events more than gift events though because touch events has one (1) non-voiced event exclusive line that is only available for that specific event too. That line is related to the theme of the event being held.

Best of all in IkePri are all the stories that are in His POV. These stories are always super worth it hands down. 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻

When in doubt, go for the His POV.

[jcisthebestfightme]

BJYX Food Blog

Ahhhhhh I love food so much!!!! hahahaha So I decided to record down all the times food show how much they love each other. This is mostly just for me. Since this is a “food blog”, instead of “evidence” which you can find elsewhere in other people’s analysis posts, I will instead include yummy photos of food. Will continue to update this list. 

Disclaimer: All fanfiction. 

1) Pancake - I talked about this in detail here. In summary, dd is bragging about how “homey” he is that he can make pancake. The recipe uses butter, something only people that bake in China will have. Gg likes to bake cookies (even sugar-free one, haha gg is more detail-orientated and health conscious than me) and bread. Apparently gg also loves cheese and dd mentioned that his pancake has cheese.

2) Love on the Rocks or Love’s Water - This supper famous drink in China’s Starbucks is actually black currant juice + raspberry juice + black tea. You can make it easily at home (it’s not available in U.S. Starbucks). Because of BJYX, you can order it as “Love’s Water” directly at Starbucks in Chinese (Yes, Starbucks knows about them.) Why is it call Love’s Water? It’s red, the color of love while also sweet and sour. Also, it’s actually gg’s favorite drink at Starbucks. You can often seen him drinking it during the filming of the Untamed. What about dd? It’s been mention by gg that dd only drinks water. However, during Untamed filming, dd can also be seen drinking Love’s Water from Starbucks. Does love change a person’s preference in drinks?

3) Green tea - We’ve all seen the BTS where they share green tea from the same bottle, twice. However, what’s even more interesting is that dd kept the preference of drinking green tea even after filming. Fans have caught dd drinking green tea during ttxs taping and there are pictures of bottle of green tea in his van. He’s also mention liking green tea with dls on ttxs.

4) Hot pot

a. Soup - Gg used to say because he’s from Chongqing, he likes spicy hotpot. However, after 2018, he mentioned that he now like twin-sided pot (half spicy, half not). Is he sharing a pot with someone who doesn’t eat spicy food that much? In clips from early 2018, we see dd not being able to handle spicy food. However, in 2020, we see him ordering a completely spicy soup base (him being the only one out of the 4 people to do so). What changed for both of them?

b. Sauce - In Chongqing where gg is from, you eat hotpot with a spicy oil sauce. Gg used to say that was what he preferred. However, in an interview, he picked sesame sauce over the spicy oil sauce. He also mentions that he loves the sauce with sweet garlic. If you go back to old video of dd, he has always love sesame sauce with garlic. He also mentioned in ttysj earlier this year that he loves hot pot with sesame sauce with sweet garlic. However, in j5, we see him eating his hot pot with spicy oil sauce. What happened? Are they trying to become each other?

Edit - dd was asked recently why he changed from his sesame sauce to spicy oil sauce and he said “I learned it from a friend I met from filming.” And he said it’s because it makes the hot pot less spicy, and most important, the flavor suits him.

c. Dried yamakurage - Ngl, I’ve never heard of this vegetable before today. Many people from different parts of China was in the same boat. Google search told me that it’s a vegetable they like to add in hot pot in Chongqing. Dd mentioned in ttxs that he likes this vegetable. In j5, you can also find this vegetable on the table.

d. “Treasure in the palm” - What is that? Ya, I had no idea either until dd ordered it for his hotpot. (Many other Chinese audience on WB also has never heard of it.) Apparently it’s the ligament in the middle of a chicken’s claw. I did some Google research and it seems like it’s mostly eaten bbq style or stir fry. So I searched “掌中宝” + hotpot and got the result that it’s eaten in hotpot in....drumroll....Chongqing! (Yes, where gg is from.) So ya......

e. Cow stomach - Another thing dd ordered. This time, this is something dd has always like to eat and has said it since 2017. However, it’s gg that mentioned in an interview that he also like to eat this for his hot pot now. Previously, when asked what his favorite hot pot meat is, he said “beef.” Maybe he just suddenly change his mood?

I just found these amazing videos from this Youtube Channel about Szechuan (around the area gg is from) hotpot so check them out for more information.

5) Zongzi - Where gg is from (southern China), we’re use to eating savory Zongzi with meat, peanuts, eggs, etc inside. But where dd is from (northern China), they think zongzi should be sweet with red bean, etc.. During an interview when ask to pick between sweet vs savory zongzi, gg immediately picked savory. However, dd wavered and then picked savory at the end. 

6) Eggplant - Gg said that he eats anything except eggplant because he once threw up when he was younger eating eggplant and it left a trauma on him. Unfortunately for him, the prepared food during CQL had a lot of eggplant because it was in season where they were filming. The actor of LXC during a livestream also mentioned that gg doesn’t like to eat eggplant. Then he followed up by saying that dd loves to eat eggplant. But if you watch ttxs, none of the host ever mentions dd likes eggplant (they constantly mention that he loves cilantro, durian, snail rice noodles, etc.). Also in an episode when there was eggplant, dd didn’t actively try to eat some. So maybe during their filming time, someone doesn’t like to eat eggplant and gave theirs to another person, causing LXC’s confusion?

From my own opinion, I think gg is the type of person that values food a lot. You can see him craving certain food and be very picky about the type of food he likes to eat. He also knows how to cook well so his standard for good food is high. I think dd is the type of person that likes food but isn’t super picky of the type of food he eats, as long as it’s good, he’s happy. So he’s more likely to just enjoy the same food that gg likes because that will make both of them happy. I don’t think either of them purposefully change their food preference for each other but more that your food habit changes naturally when you spend a lot time with another person. 

7. Cough Drop

When watching Street Dancing, there was a clip of all the team leaders sitting down watching and dd pulled out a “candy.” The leader next to him asked him if he was eating candy and he pulled out a pack and shared it with others. He even reached over to make sure he shared his candy with everyone. It was such a cute moment and looked like elementary school children sharing snacks. It’s cute and that’s it, right?

Nope, bxg have to live up to the title of “Detective Conan/Sherlock Holmes”. People start digging through old pictures and found one where they saw the same brand “candy”, which was actually cough drops in gg’s back from several years back. The version dd was eating was a “peach flavor version” meant for children. What was interesting is that he ate the peach version himself but shared a different version with others. This was confirm by the company that made the cough drops. (CPN) It’s possible that he’s savoring the peach ones for himself because gg gave them to him specially.

So gg and dd have the same cough drop. That’s it, right? Nope, more Detective Conan popped out and found several videos of fan-meeting in Thailand when gg was eating a cough drop and dd was coughing. Then gg asked some assistant for the cough drop, yes the same exact brand, and then handed them to dd. You can also see dd have something in this mouth before he went on stage. This tells us that gg has definitely given dd this cough drop before.

But are we sure that the supply of cough drop dd has is from gg? Probably, because of what happen in XGDS. During XGDS, dd was eating a cough drop. Normally, other friends, like the people in street dancing will see that and say, “oh you’re eating a candy?” But when gg saw, he asked “does your throat hurt?” This means that gg knew that dd was eating a cough drop immediately. How would he know that? Unless he’s the one who gave it to him. (This story has more logic and evidence than papers I’ve read in Cell/Nature/Science.)

Fun fact - some fan bought it and said it taste terrible LOL It taste too sweet on the outside and taste like medicine on the inside (which it is technically herbal medicine.) So don’t recommend trying it.

[every1studio]

REQUESTED: “caught in an act; mafia version” [ateez]

genre: fluff + suggestive + mafia! au 

ficstyle: bulletpoints + reactions 

request: “ haiii could you please write ateez mafia au when you and him making out ” + “  Hi! Was scrolling on what to read and completely fell in love with your writing! Keep up the good work❤💜 I also want to request smth: ateez reaction about being caught kissing their girlfriends by the other boys! Thxxxx “

note: happy holidays + please read at your own risk 

HONGJOONG

(type: the tease)

Hongjoong grabbed both sides of your jaw as he gently pushed you farther into the sofa 

he had just came home from working with the godfathers of the neighboring mafia leagues 

it took him hours on hours dealing with them; they were indecisive but didn’t know what they wanted 

that’s why he loved coming home to you 

someone who knew what they wanted and when they wanted it 

and he knew what you wanted and liked 

even just kissing him was like you were in heaven 

maybe it was because he used to have a tongue piercing but he definitely knew how to please you with just his tongue 

Hongjoong disregarded your moans for more as he kept it to just making out with you 

because of your loudness, you didn’t hear Mingi walking in

“OKAY CALM DOWN FOR A SECOND.. GEEZUS..” he calls out as he places some paperwork down on Hongjoong’s desk

Hongjoong felt kinda embarrassed but also kinda proud of how uncomfortable he got Mingi 

“you wanna get in on this?” Hongjoong jeered as he snaked his hand around your waist 

you shoved him out of embarrassment; you tried hard not to make eye contact with Mingi  

Mingi tosses a blanket over to you two, “I’ll pass this time, lover boy.. see ya later, Y/N..”

Hongjoong chuckles into your neck, “he said, “I’ll pass THIS time,” didn’t he~” 

“maybe he did, but I want you right now..” you muttered under his peppered kisses; tugging at the hem of his shirt  

he pulls away and wraps you in the blanket, “I DON’T KNOW.. MAYBE LATER~”

he sticks his tongue out as he shoves his hands into his pockets and walks out the door 

SEONGHWA

(type: the ultimate dom)

making out with Seonghwa is like trying to fight for a breath of air 

you’re always pushed up against something; the bed, the wall, the bathroom stall

even if you tried to subconsciously push him off, he’ll still be taking your breath away

literally 

sometimes you’ll try to initiate things; just to rile him up, to tease him

it never works in your favor 

he might let you led things like holding his hands, or kissing him on the cheek 

anything more than that, don’t even think twice 

but if you went for it anyways, he’d click his tongue as the first warning

grab your jaw to make strong direct eye contact and sternly state your name as the second warning

he won’t even give you a third warning; he’ll just push you up against whatever surface is available 

so today was no different, you thought that maybe you could catch him after collecting his share of money 

you hoped that he was tired so he’d be more off-guard 

but the next thing you knew, you were pressed onto the leather sofa

the straps of your dress was falling off of your shoulders

your hair was messily draped around your face 

as Seonghwa was locking his lips with yours

that was an image Wooyoung would be ingrained in his head for a LONG time

he had just entered the room to re-calculate the amount Seonghwa collected; he knocked a couple times but there was no answer 

Seonghwa caught his eye and stopped; you thanked him for a chance to breathe 

“you wanna just stand there or do you want in on this?” Seonghwa asked as he brushed his hair out of his face 

“uh-um.. I can.. uh.. just come back.. lat-..whenever you’re done..sir...” Wooyoung trips on his way out 

Seonghwa was really able to dominated anyone.. and probably everyone 

YUNHO

(type: the teddy bear)

he was always sweet to you 

even if he was notorious for ruining other people’s lives

he would always treat you so well

when he was with you, he’s a hopeless romantic 

he always careful with you

well he tried, it’s hard when he’s such a big guy 

a sweet, soft kiss always ends up him caging you into his body as he wrestles with your tongue 

he loves how small you look under him 

it turns him on even more 

he always did this thing where he placed his forehead on top of yours after kissing 

it sent shivers up your spine knowing that he was dealing with rings of mafia lords and here he was being so smitten by you

like you were with him 

you could say all his underlings were jealous of your relationship with him 

especially Jongho 

speaking of that boy, he’s never even had physically contact with other person; romantically 

so when he accidentally waltzed into Yunho’s study, he couldn’t help but tense up when he saw his boss smothering you 

Jongho had to loudly cough to make himself known 

Yunho frantically looks from the wall behind you to you and then to Jongho, with wide eyes

he tries to adjust himself and help fix you up

Yunho nods before turning around to face Jongho, “let’s go do work elsewhere yeah? How’s your day?” 

he’d shoved Jongho towards the door and winks at you before making their way out 

YEOSANG

(type: the robot)

Yeosang is a quiet man

but that doesn’t let him from getting what he wants

although he doesn’t seem like it, he enjoys having a heated moment with you

it will always but a spur of the moment 

because he’s always over-thinking about timing with you 

he wants to make it right for you 

it was weird because when it came to mafia work; he didn’t need to even take a second thought 

but when he goes for it, he REALLY goes for it 

he always starts off with massaging your neck

sometimes he just continues sitting there massaging your neck

sometimes he’ll make his way down to your waist to hoist you up to his lap 

he’ll start to pepper kisses on your jaw and slowly make his way to his lips 

he loves massaging your body; anywhere basically 

Yeosang started to get into one of those moments when he was driving you back from a dinner  

he was just innocently tucking your hair out of your face

all of a sudden, you both found each other in the backseat of the leather seats of his car 

Hongjoong was wondering why his colleague was taking so long 

he could see the steam in the car and sternly knocked on the window of the car door 

Yeosang straighten up in an instant and got out of the car first

he didn’t say anything and briskly walked passed Hongjoong

Hongjoong just nods to acknowledge you and follows after Yeosang; nagging at him  

SAN

(type: the duality)

you get the best of both worlds with San

when he’s had a good day, he’s full of love and fluffiness 

he’ll cup your face and squish your cheeks; kissing constellations onto your face 

but if he’s had a hard day of work, he’s a little bit different

in the beginning, he’ll be standoffish and you’ll notice it 

“babe... what’s wrong?”

you always start by giving him a little peptalk

he’ll push off your words of encouragements at first; seeing that he’ll be mad from whatever he was dealing with before 

you’d rub your hands up and down his face to his chest; if you throw in a couple of teasing remarks

and he’ll have no choice but you shove his tongue down your throat

I don’t make the rules; this is the way that he is 

“you don’t know what you signed up for..” he’ll chuckle against your mouth

but you’ll snap back with a smirk, “maybe I know EXACTLY what I signed up for~”

you guys can get.. um.. a little loud

but it vocally or just bumping into furniture or thrashing each other against surfaces

Seonghwa would come storming into the room; annoyed by the fact that you two have to be so loud 

San would just pull you into his chest as he shoots an oh-so-sickly-sweet smile at Seonghwa

“we’ll be quieter~” 

Seonghwa would roll his eyes and pick up his keys, “that sounds like a lie.. I’ll be out. just don’t make a mess or anything...”

MINGI

(type: the hinedere)

his appearance makes his job a lot easier 

when he wasn’t with you, he was cold and cynical; almost sarcastic at times because he doesn’t take anyone seriously  

it’s like a 180 degree flip when he gets off of work to be with you

“awh~ look at my cute, little, baby angel~”

he’ll start off by kissing you everywhere but your lips and then he’ll make you work for his kisses

which is where they get spicy 

this is when he’ll let you sit on him as you lay onto his chest 

he does this thing where he’ll smile the whole time that you two are kissing

he honestly can’t believe how happy horny you make him just by being there 

frankly speaking, he’ll let you do ALL the hard work

because he’s gone most of the time and you know what he likes, so it’ll just be easier to let you do your thang

so basically he’s a little submissive for you  

no one’s really seen Mingi like this

that was no one until Yunho accidentally walks into the room

“hey Mingi.. I need that file-”

everyone just stops everything that they’re doing 

Mingi just yells out of no where, “AHHHHHHH”

Yunho just knows that that’s the cue to get tf out of the room but Mingi will continue to push him out of the room 

WOOYOUNG

(type: the schemer) 

plans everything

whether it be mafia wars or cute dates with you 

everything happens for a reason with Mr. Wooyoung 

and everything happens in his favor 

so you’ll never actually win when you’re with him

what do I mean by this?

he’ll notice that you’re in one of your frisky moods

he’ll loosen you up

make sure to steal a couple of breaths 

might exchange saliva; take your gum 

rough up your hair 

make you all hot and bothered

and then leave

just like that

he’ll leave 

San would just be staring at the both of you with dead eyes 

“you’re just gonna leave them like that?” 

Wooyoung cocks his eyebrows at San, “you wanna do something about it?”

San rubs his palms as he eyes you, still in your ruffled mess, “I mean-”

Wooyoung would pull San by the collar of his jacket, “yeah no”

Wooyoung takes pleasure in seeing you sulk and be all hot and bothered; not being able to do anything until he comes back 

JONGHO

(type: the one-who-doesn’t-know-what-he’s-doing-but..)

...BUT he does it with a little TOO much power 

this boy does not know how to control his strength yet 

so when he does something, like just a casual makeout

it turns into a tornado of mouth action

seriously 

someone needs to tell this boy that too much is just.. too much

it’s probably not a bad thing 

however he’ll get wayy into it 

gets pretty handsy

grunts here and there

goes back and forth from attacking your throat to printing hickies sporadically under your jaw

like Mingi, no one has ever seen you like this

hell, you’re most likely his first 

sooo... when Yeosang walks to inform Jongho about his appointment with some “old friends,” he’s in shock

Jongho almost didn’t hear Yeosang’s little gasp

Jongho shoots himself away from you and starts laughing

trying to distract everyone in the room from what just happened

“it’s not what it looks like-”

“so you’re telling me you weren’t just making out with Y/N?” 

“yeah, so you’re telling him that you weren’t just making out with me?”

Jongho would be breaking out in a cold sweat, “wait.. what? of course.. I- I gotta get to that appointment yeah? yeah..”

both you and Yeosang would be shaking your heads as Jongho trips over the coffee table as he tries to exit the room

[ masterlist + guidelines ]

[fragrance-and-flavour]

Traditional Fragrances Used In The Hospitality Industry

The main aim of the hospitality industry is to make their guests feel welcomed, feel relaxed and leave with a happy memory of their stay. Scent marketing plays a big role in this and the use of traditional fragrance and flavour in India as well as elsewhere is used for achieving this. But what are these traditional fragrances that are so important to the hospitality industry? Here are some of them.

Tonka beans

Originating in the Amazon jungles, this beautiful fragrance has been a staple of the hotel industry since the 19th century. You will find many luxury hotels using this fragrance in their rooms and hallways. The smell is often paired with spice notes like cloves cinnamon and nutmeg to give a very spicy fragrance with a touch of woodiness. The natural scent comes from the tree cumaru found in the Amazon. But a synthetic version of the fragrance is also available. The reason hotel especially luxury boutique hotels use them is because they enrich and refresh their guests and gives them a feeling of being in nature.

Amber

Since ancient times, amber has been fragrance mankind has used. Not only is the fragrance beautiful, but the oil also has medicinal properties. Countries have been trading this perfume fragrance for centuries as it is found naturally in many plants. The Roman Empire especially loved this fragrance, and it somewhat became their signature fragrance. Even today, when the hospitality industry uses this spicy and woody fragrance, it gives their guests a feel of being in a luxurious, sensual environment. Amber is often blended with sandalwood, nutmeg and cinnamon to create the perfect hospitality fragrance.

White Tea

Tea has always been synonymous with China, and white is a fragrance that has roots in this country. The tea leaves are harvested very young, even before they are fully open and processed in a minimal way to extract their flavour. The oil has many health benefits which are why the hospitality industry uses it in spas and other wellness centres. It makes the guests feel tranquil, as well as energised. It is often blended with floral or fruity notes like jasmine, Italian fig and others to make the guests feel fresh and relaxed.

Sandalwood

If there is one fragrance and flavour in India that has always been its signature, it has to be sandalwood. Today, India is the largest producer of sandalwood, and this fragrance is widely used not only in the hospitality industry but also in other scent industries as well as the beauty industry. The moment you smell this fragrance, you have a feeling of being in the Eastern world with all its charm and mysticism. The use of this fragrance goes back 5000 years and was used extensively for religious purposes not only in India but also in ancient Egypt. The sweet yet woody smell makes the guests feel fresh and spiritual.

So, these are some of the traditional fragrances from different parts of the world that are used in the hospitality industry. If you are looking for a fragrance blend for your hospitality property, making a customized one using these fragrances will make your property stand out among your competitors.

custom fragrance

[trustcentric]

Flint by baltaire

#Flint by baltaire pdf#

We’re introducing some new flavors and I’m highlighting some regions that haven’t necessarily been done on a larger scale there, while still keeping it approachable enough that it’s not going to come off as hardcore. “But one of the things that we have been hearing that really makes us happy is that we’ve brought something that hasn’t really existed there before, which was our goal from the outset. “There’s certain things you can do that you know people are going to love, and that’s all well and good,” he said. His new venture, Flint by Baltaire, opened in Phoenix last week and he seems to have figured at least one thing out: The most popular dish, which is unique to this location, is the hummus topped with spicy harissa, crispy shallots and pulled short rib. Availability may vary, so please contact us with any questions.

#Flint by baltaire pdf#

Potluck Club Brings Modern Cantonese-American Cuisine to NYC’s Chinatown As indicated by our Notice of Accessibility, this plain-text version of the FLINT by Baltaire menu is compatible with screen readers and other assistive technologies.It serves as an accessible alternative to the menus presented in PDF format elsewhere on this website. This New Chicago Restaurant Explores the Turkish, Persian and Indian Flavors of the Silk Road Lunch was around $55.00 before tax and tip and we left hungry.Įvery FORKING THING is subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.Michter’s Will Release a New Toasted Barrel Sour Mash Whiskey for Just the Second Time The food was good, service was good, the atmosphere is stunning but lunch seems to be for people with very small appetites. It was cooked to perfection and had a delicious wood cooked taste to it. We shared nicely cooked salmon with seasoned crisp skin, a grilled half lemon, a dab of almond-olive relish and maybe the best tasting broccolini I ever had. Then we share the BIG PLATE of ora king salmon ($28) Honestly even if I was here by myself and ate the whole thing this still wouldn’t be much food. I think my husband’s half might have had more food in it but not much more. FLINT by Baltaire, Phoenix: su Tripadvisor trovi 25 recensioni imparziali su FLINT by Baltaire, con punteggio 4,5 su 5 e al n.439 su 3.329 ristoranti a Phoenix. This was only two bites with a small shred of chicken. The harissa is delicious on this but this really only appetizer sized. Open daily for lunch and dinn er at The Esplanade in Phoenix, FLI NT by Baltaire serves wood-fired contemporary Americ an fare accented with bold Middle. My half (the bottom has some cabbage, a slice of egg, a red onion slice, some tahini and a shred of pulled chicken. It’s served with delicious harissa (a middle eastern condiment made of a roasted pepper base, warm spices, a little hot pepper and something like caraway and also a ramekin of tahini sauce. Seating is first-come, first-served and due to. Pairing chef-crafted bar bites and premium cocktails, it’s the perfect spot to unwind with friends and soak in those postcard-perfect Arizona sunsets or host a private cocktail reception under the stars. You know the song dude looks like a lady? …well….This flatbread looks more like a wrap. Upstairs at FLINT is an open-air rooftop cocktail lounge boasting sweeping city and mountain views of Phoenix’s Biltmore neighborhood. Our server suggested that we shared plates so we split a Flint laffa flatbread ($13) and a big plate of ora king salmon ($28). It came with a delicious grilled lemon half and a little ramekin of tarragon aioli for dipping. The artichoke was grilled nicely and salted perfect. We started with a wood grilled artichoke ($14.00). The lunch menu is broken down into humus, dips and spreads, salads and vegetables, laffa flatbreads, pizzas, large plates and sides. Flint by Baltaire is an upscale wood fired contemporary mediterranean accented restaurant with great atmosphere, a big exhibition kitchen and an all weather indoor patio.

[shywhisperswonderland]

List of Indian Vegan Food

Vegan Indian food is one of the best world cuisines. You've probably heard that India is ideal for lacto-vegetarian visitors, but did you know that there are also many vegan Indian food options? In India, the vegan movement is exploding. However, even before veganism became popular, there were many vegan dishes in Indian cuisine, as well as some vegan Indian desserts.

Here are some Indian Vegan Dishes that you definitely don't want to miss:

Chana Masala

Chana masala is generally a northern Indian cuisine, while it is often served for breakfast in the south. Because chana means "chickpea" and masala means "spice," this meal is a chickpea curry cooked with tomatoes, garlic, ginger, onion, a variety of spices, and, of course, chickpeas. By default, it's usually vegan. Ghee, a sort of clarified butter that is sometimes used as a cooking fat in India, is the only non-vegan item in this meal. If this is the case, you can request that the ghee be replaced with a plant-based oil by the restaurant staff. Chana masala goes well with rice or a bread like chapati or naan. Or both!

Dal Chaawal

In India, this is a common dish cooked in every home. Some families prepare it three or four times a week, depending on the region. This is a lentil and rice meal. Dal means "lentil" and chawal means "rice." Different types of lentils are used to make different lentil soups in India. Each one has a distinct flavor profile. Indians enjoy lentil soup with rice and occasionally roti (Indian flatbread). Surprisingly, this is a dish that is more popular at home than in restaurants. Once the lentil soup is done, many Indian households add a little ghee or butter to the meal. If you're a vegan traveling, make sure your host or server knows you don't want any ghee or butter.

Kofta

Kofta literally translates to "meatball." In India, however, vegetarian and vegan kofta varieties are common. Vegan versions frequently include kofta made with lentils, potatoes, or a combination of vegetables. Kofta is typically accompanied by a spicy curry or gravy. If you are familiar with Indian cuisine, you are probably aware that there are various types of gravies in India.

Kashmiri Dum Aloo

This dum aloo is a Kashmiri traditional dish made with small deep-fried potatoes cooked slowly in a spicy gravy. Although the dish originated in the state of Kashmir, it is now popular throughout India. It is widely available in most Indian restaurants, both in India and elsewhere. When made at home, it is almost always vegan. However, some restaurants serve it with a cream or curd gravy (yogurt). Confirm with your server whether a vegan version of this dish is available.

Vegetable Biryani

The first dish on this list is for all of you rice lovers! No matter where you go in India, a sumptuous plate of vegetable biryani is never far away. This is the Indian version of fried rice with vegetables. Aromatic spices such as nutmeg, pepper mace, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves, cardamom, coriander, and mint can make your senses go wild. And believe us, you'll want more.

Rajma

Rajma is a popular vegan Indian dish made of red kidney beans cooked in a thick gravy with many Indian whole spices. It's usually accompanied by roti (Indian flatbread) and steaming hot rice. Even though the kidney bean is not of Indian origin, it is an important part of the Northern Indian diet.

Masala Dosa

Masala dosa is a super-thin, crispy, savory pancake made from fermented rice and dal (lentils) wrapped around a mixture of curried potatoes, onions, and spices. It's very popular in South India and nearby Sri Lanka. This delectable dish is best served for breakfast or lunch and comes with chutney and sambar. Bangalore, in India's south, is known for its numerous dosa establishments and was recently awarded India's most vegan-friendly city.

Baingan Bharta

Baingan Bharta is a smoked eggplant curry. Baingan Bharta is a simple spice and herb mixture with chargrilled eggplant (called in India as "brinjals"). It's a flavorful, quick-to-prepare dinner that's also nutritious and delicious.

Aloo Puri

The following vegan Indian food item on this list is a decadent treat that is worth every calorie. Puri bhaji, an essential part of North Indian cuisine, is a must-try dish for those who like their food spicy. Puri is a delicious, crispy deep-fried puffed bread that is served with a delectable spicy aloo gravy (potato). If you're taking the train, you'll find vendors selling Aloo Puri at almost every station. However, for hygiene reasons, it is best to stick to government-approved vendors or the one that comes with your official IRCTC ticket.

Chole Bhature

Chole is a crowd-pleasing vegan Indian food that is enjoyed by people of all ages. This chickpea-based curry is not only delicious but also packed with nutritious ingredients. The spicy, delectable dish is served with puris or bhatura (fried Indian bread).

[healthyandhygienes]

The History of Masala Chai

The ‘”chai” you find in nearly any coffeehouse today has a history that dates back thousands of years. Ancient masala chai (meaning “spiced tea”) is steeped in tales of royalty and herbal medicine. It has evolved over thousands of years to include countless variations and a worldwide fan base.

Early History

According to lore, Indian masala chai history began thousands of years ago in an ancient royal court. Some legends say it was created 9,000 years ago, while others claim it was 5,000 years ago. There are stories that the court was located in what is now India, while others attribute masala chai to Thai origins. Regardless, it is said that a king created it as a cleansing, vivifying Ayurvedic beverage. Featured Video How to Make Homemade Ginger Root Tea

Even early on, masala chai was made with a wide range of spices and prepared with many different methods. It was served either hot or cold as a remedy for mild ailments. At the time, the spicy-sweet drink did not contain any tea leaves and was caffeine-free.

Black Tea’s Arrival

In 1835, the British set up tea farms in Assam, India. The black teas produced there made their way into local masala chai recipes. This was the first appearance of masala chai as it’s known today, complete with spices, milk, sweetener, and tea. However, this mixture lacked mass appeal in the region, as tea was primarily an export and was too expensive for most Indians.

Mass Popularity in India

In the early 1900s, the British-owned Indian Tea Association began to promote Indian tea consumption within India. Because black tea was the most expensive ingredient, vendors used milk, sugar, and spices to keep their brews flavorful while holding costs down. Masala chai’s popularity spread.

Masala chai became even more popular in India during the 1960s when a mechanized form of tea production made black tea affordable for the Indian masses. CTC (Crush, Tear, Curl) tea lacks the nuances that many crave in an unadorned cup of tea. It does, however, have a bold, tannic flavor that made it a tasty foil to masala chai’s sweet, creamy, and spicy notes. For this reason, CTC masala chai remains a staple in many parts of India.

Regionally, street vendors and train vendors called chai wallahs (“tea persons”, kind of like a barista of chai) serve masala chai to the public. Chai is also used to welcome guests into the home.

In some areas, people drink an average of four small cups of chai per day. A popular time for chai is around 4 p.m. with an afternoon snack. This snack may include savory treats like samosas, pakoras, farsan (Gujarati snacks), and nashta (savory breakfast foods that double as snack foods).

Worldwide Consumption

As the worldwide popularity of masala chai grew, so did the number of variations of it. For example:

Indian masala chai is usually sweetened with a form of local, unrefined cane sugar called jaggery. Elsewhere, it is sweetened with more widely available sweeteners, such as cane sugar and honey in the United States.

In India and most of the rest of the world, masala chai is made with black tea. In Kashmir, gunpowder green tea is used instead. Many American tearooms use loose-leaf black tea instead of CTC. You will also find that many caffeine-free versions of chai contain rooibos.

The milk in Indian chai is usually whole milk. Worldwide, some people prefer skim milk, soymilk, or other non-dairy options. A number of American coffeehouses use vanilla ice cream to make frozen chai.

In India, masala chai is made from scratch with fresh ginger and fresh-ground spices. In the U.S., it is widely available as a syrup concentrate—common in coffeehouses—and as a tea “blend” with dried spices, but it rarely made from scratch.

[erisacolyte]

A weight-lifting bro gets more than he bargained for when he drinks a mysterious protein shake, guaranteed to give 'sick gains' fast! (Full, spicy version available elsewhere!) Tumblr hates l*nks, so here's where you can find & support me: DA: joephilliactheblack Patreon: joephilliactheblack Ko-fi: A2581GB3 (JoePhilliactheBlack) Furaffinity: bobhoppe Inkbunny:BobHoppe

[johnboothus]

The Next Chapter for New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc Is Anything but Traditional

Few wines have a stronger signature style than New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Since the grape was first planted in 1975, it has become a sensation among U.S. wine drinkers — not only for its crisp character and zingy acidity, but for its sheer reliability. Even without cracking the screw cap, it’s a safe bet that any given bottle of Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand will be youthful and refreshing, with fresh citrus and grassy, herbaceous notes.

“Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is truly unique and always identifiable in a lineup of Sauvignon Blancs from around the world,” says Jules Taylor, owner and winemaker of her eponymous Marlborough winery. But, she says, “it is not all the same.” Today’s producers are increasingly intent on showcasing that there’s more to Sauvignon Blanc — and to New Zealand in general — than its stylistic stereotype. Untraditional vinification techniques like barrel aging and wild fermentation, offbeat sweet and sparkling wines, and regional distinctions outside of Marlborough are all proving that New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc has the potential to be an even more diverse category in the future.

Pioneers of Experimentation

Over the 40 years since Sauvignon Blanc really took off in New Zealand’s vineyards, winemakers have worked to understand the adopted variety. “Our treatment of Sauvignon Blanc has changed and evolved enormously, both in the vineyards and in the wineries,” says Craig Anderson, the winemaker at Hillersden Wines in Marlborough, who has worked in the country’s wine industry for 23 years. Today, most New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is produced to highlight aromatics and acidity, using techniques like mechanical harvesting, fermentation at very low temperatures using commercial yeasts, and clarification and bottling as early as possible.

But this signature style also stems from the natural attributes of the grape’s main production hub: Marlborough, home to nearly 89 percent of the country’s Sauvignon Blanc. Plentiful sunshine, cool temperatures, and moderating maritime influence shape the intensely aromatic, yet piercingly acid-driven style of the wines.

“For a long time, only the ‘classic’ style was being produced,” says Taylor. “That fresh, vibrant, juicy-acidity style. [It’s] the wine that put Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc on the world wine map.” These wines garnered international attention for their unique and distinctive character — a zingy, fresh style unmatched elsewhere — and wineries worked to meet that demand.

Similarly, the rise in new styles of Sauvignon Blanc is partially in response to current market demands. “There’s a thirst for more diversity and complexity from consumers, and also recognition from Marlborough winemakers that the style needs to continue to evolve.”” says Duncan Shouler, the chief winemaker for Giesen Group in Marlborough.

However, winemakers are curious by nature. With more than four decades working with the grape under their belts, New Zealand’s vintners are increasingly willing to push the boundaries of what Sauvignon Blanc can be. “Now that producers are confident of their understanding of Sauvignon Blanc, they are naturally wanting to explore alternative expressions of the variety,” says James Healy, the co-owner of Dog Point Vineyard in Marlborough. “Almost all serious producers of Sauvignon Blanc in New Zealand have at least two styles on sale.”

Interestingly, experimentation with Sauvignon Blanc styles is not entirely new in New Zealand. Many point to Cloudy Bay, one of Marlborough’s first wineries, as the pioneer of experimental Sauvignon Blanc winemaking, using techniques like wild fermentation, malolactic fermentation, and barrel aging in the early 1990s. These early experiments resulted in some of the country’s best-known — and more widely available — untraditional Sauvignon Blancs, notably Cloudy Bay’s iconic Te Koko bottling, first created in the 1996 vintage.

Today, Te Koko showcases a different side of Sauvignon Blanc — a serious and complex version that contrasts the bright and clean Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc. The majority of the juice undergoes indigenous yeast fermentation followed by malolactic fermentation, and the wine is aged on its lees in a mix of old and new French barrels for 18 months. “This approach builds far more richness, texture, and complexity in the wines,” says Jim White, Cloudy Bay’s technical director, “while the fruit-driven aromas become more complex and some savory, spicy notes start to show.” It is released as a three-year-old wine.

But the team behind Te Koko has also brought this experience to other wild, barrel-fermented and aged Sauvignon Blancs in New Zealand. Healy, who was one of the winemakers at Cloudy Bay from 1991 until the early 2000s, recognized the potential to craft a Sauvignon Blanc in this style from a specific parcel within the Dog Point Vineyard. “That particular vineyard … produced wine with a distinct and concentrated citrus influence,” he says, “which, combined with these vinification techniques, made it an obvious choice to make in this way.”

Healy decided to stay away from new barriques, looking instead to other international, cool-climate Sauvignon Blanc regions. “The idea of fermentation in older seasoned barrels, as is done in parts of the Loire, appealed,” he says.

As much as Cloudy Bay’s early experiments informed the creation of Te Koko, they were also tied to the origin of the Wild Sauvignon bottling from Greywacke; co-owner Kevin Judd was Cloudy Bay’s founding winemaker, and the fruit for Te Koko’s 1992 predecessor came from Greywacke Vineyard.

“When we had our first harvest in 2009, it was natural that we would continue the less-trodden path of Sauvignon and develop our own individual style of indigenous fermented Sauvignon Blanc,” says Kimberley Judd, Kevin’s wife and a co-owner of Greywacke. “[Kevin] preferred the richer, in-depth individuality that wild yeast brings to the finished wine.”

While the Wild Sauvignon is made from the same vineyard as Greywacke’s classic Sauvignon Blanc, the two are distinct. “The result is a more savory, herbal flavor profile in the wine, and a textural quality that builds on the structure and intensity of mouthfeel,” says Judd. “The hands-off process gives the wine some real personality and individuality.”

Exploring New Styles and Regions

Some winemakers are using the country’s signature variety to make wines that are neither still nor dry. “For me, the drive behind making alternative styles of the variety is to show wine buyers and consumers that Sauvignon Blanc as a variety is more diverse than it is given credit for,” says Taylor.

In addition to her classic Sauvignon Blanc and wild, barrel-fermented OTQ, Taylor makes a late-harvest, sweet Sauvignon Blanc in vintages that encourage the development of botrytis, a beneficial mold that grows on grapes, dehydrates them, and concentrates flavors and sugars. The style has been produced in New Zealand in tiny quantities over past decades.

“In the right vintages with good botrytis, a great wine can be made,” says Shouler, who also makes late-harvest Sauvignon Blanc.

Others are experimenting with sparkling styles of Sauvignon Blanc. While many use the tank method to highlight the grape’s intense aromatics, Hunter’s Wines in Marlborough uses the ancestral method to create its Offshoot Pet-Nat. “This Pet-Nat provides a little glimpse at the type of wine our winemakers are used to tasting in the winery, before wines are prepared for bottling,” the winery writes on its website.

Because Marlborough is the center of Sauvignon Blanc production in New Zealand, stereotypical “New Zealand” Sauvignon Blanc is really stereotypical “Marlborough” Sauvignon Blanc. But other regions work with the grape as well, though in markedly smaller quantities.

While nearby spots like Nelson on the upper South Island and Wairarapa on the lower North Island make similarly bright, mouthwatering Sauvignon Blancs, further areas are now defining their own regional styles. The warmer Hawke’s Bay, for instance, has the second-highest numbers of Sauvignon Blanc vines in New Zealand after Marlborough and makes riper, rounder varietal wines. “In the warmer regions to the north, the wines tend to be more tropical and lower in acid, and further south, they are more delicate while retaining good acidity,” says Taylor.

Even Central Otago, New Zealand’s most southerly wine region, counts a handful of Sauvignon Blanc vines among its plantings. “I’ve always portrayed the region as ‘officially too far south and too cold for Sauvignon Blanc,’” says Andy Wilkinson, the director of operations and sales for Misha’s Vineyard in Central Otago. “However, with that said, if you have the right site — one that is exposed to lots of light, both direct and reflected — you can produce the most stunning style of Sauvignon Blanc.”

The rocky soils, longer days of intense sunshine, and cool nights of Central Otago’s continental climate combine to create a gentler Sauvignon Blanc with softer fruit and lifting but less sharp acidity. “The tough conditions that we expose the vines to encourage them to put more energy into the fruit, [producing] few bunches but much more intensity,” adds Wilkinson.

Though these offbeat styles of Sauvignon Blanc are broadening the grape’s spectrum in this island nation, don’t expect that signature New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc style to disappear. “It is a style that is well suited to the geographic and climatic conditions of New Zealand’s major grape-growing regions,” says Judd. “But as the New Zealand industry matures, there will be an increasing presence of what we call ‘left-field’ Sauvignon Blancs in the market.”

While this might worry those who have come to rely on the predictable nature of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc as a category, stylistic diversity doesn’t undercut the intrinsic tie of these wines to their place of origin. “I think that ultimately, this will eventuate into two, perhaps three styles that will be instantly recognizable as [being] from New Zealand,” says Healy. “The one thing that they will all share is an interpretation of the intensity of the fruit quality that we have seen consistently over the past three and a half decades out of this country. It really is unique.”

The article The Next Chapter for New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc Is Anything but Traditional appeared first on VinePair.

Via https://vinepair.com/articles/new-zealand-sauvignon-blanc-untraditional/

source https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/the-next-chapter-for-new-zealand-sauvignon-blanc-is-anything-but-traditional

[entergamingxp]

FIFA 20 Future Stars Team 2 is Loaded With Top, Young Talent

February 7, 2020 4:05 PM EST

FIFA 20 Ultimate Team is back with a second Future Stars squad. Young studs like Erling Håland, Lautaro Martinez, and Federico Valverde join batch one.

If you thought the first Future Stars team added to FIFA 20 Ultimate Team last week was good, you haven’t seen anything yet. Team 2 adds some absolutely banging cards to the mix, especially with its top two players. On top of that, the new objective player is the cream of the Future Stars crop. Give the full team a look below.

We will talk

about them for years to come.

The second #FUTureStars team is available in packs now! #FUT20 pic.twitter.com/4jH0jwvRiM

— EA SPORTS FIFA (@EASPORTSFIFA) February 7, 2020

Obviously the big name here is Borussia Dortmund’s new crown jewel Erling Håland. The young striker already has eight goals in four appearances for the Bundesliga side, quickly cementing himself as the next big thing. Of course, his Future Stars card will run you nearly 4 million coins, so you can count yourself very lucky to somehow pack him in the next week. It will be very interesting to see how his price fluctuates, as he’s likely to get a Bundesliga Player of the Month card for his early efforts.

Elsewhere, Serie A fans will be happy to see Lautaro Martinez finally in a promo squad. He was heavily rumored to be a Headliner, but wasn’t able to make either of those teams. If you’re running a two-striker formation in the Italian league, he’ll slot in perfectly alongside someone like Ronaldo. The Chelsea duo of Fikayo Tomori and Callum Hudson-Odoi also join the squad. S0 now, a third of your lineup can be Chelsea Future Stars if you picked up Mason Mount from the first squad. Tomori, in particular, looks spicy as a pacy Premier League center-back.  If you didn’t do the David Luiz Flashback SBC and don’t have the coins for Virgil van Dijk’s Team of the Year card, Tomori might be your guy.

Victor Osimhen is the next objective player you can earn. Outside of Ligue 1, he doesn’t have the best chemistry links being a Nigerian. That said, if you’re rocking a French squad, he’s a must-do. Sure, he’s not going to play as well as Kylian Mbappe or Ben Yedder, but he’s free. Hopefully, we get one more of these objective players as I’m really enjoying these new upgradeable cards EA has added.

Truthfully, before the Future Stars promo FIFA 20 Ultimate Team felt like it was quickly dying. There just wasn’t a lot of love for the game in the community. While Future Stars isn’t going to erase that ill will entirely, the promo has injected some new life into the game. It’s wild what FIFA 20 can be when EA focuses on giving their player base good content.

FIFA 20 is available now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. There’s also a Nintendo Switch version, but it doesn’t have Ultimate Team (or a host of other features). I really wouldn’t recommend you play it there.

February 7, 2020 4:05 PM EST

from EnterGamingXP https://entergamingxp.com/2020/02/fifa-20-future-stars-team-2-is-loaded-with-top-young-talent/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fifa-20-future-stars-team-2-is-loaded-with-top-young-talent

[absoluteescapes]

Your Perfect Cumbrian Christmas Stocking Filler



There’s more to Cumbria than just rolling hills and picturesque lakes. Within the county, you'll find a wealth of independent and artisanal producers with a range of gift ideas ideal for Christmas. Some small enough to fit in a Cumbrian Christmas cracker or stocking, which is what we’re going to present to you here.

Whether you’re buying for someone mad about Cumbria and the Lake District, or a local who’s all about local produce and craft, these gift ideas are sure to be a hit. Not only do you get an out-of-the-ordinary gift for your loved one you also help out a small business in the run-up to Christmas.

Without further ado, here are our picks:

The Lakes Distillery

"Bassenthwaite" by Adam is licensed under CC BY2.0

Making a huge splash in the world of drinks, only a stone’s throw away from Bassenthwaite Lake, the Lakes Distillery produces several spirits in addition to its flagship ‘One’ blended whisky. They sell a range of cute, smaller iterations of their products perfect for any stocking/cracker. They even make their own crackers with samples of their spirits inside and glass baubles filled with booze too.

There’s a plethora of small gifts ideal for spirit connoisseurs, from drinks themselves to invaluable paraphernalia.

Whisky stones are a useful, permanent alternative to ice.   

A full range of gifts including baubles, crackers and miniatures can be found here.

If you really like the person you’re buying for, you can even buy an Enhanced Distillery Tour With Extra Tastings, that might fit in a stocking or cracker.

Herdy

"Herdwick Ewe" by Andrew is licensed under CC BY2.0

Iconic and responsible Lake District brand specialising in homeware and gifts. Their image is centred around Herdwick sheep, the hardy, fell-dwelling breed plentiful in the region. The 2010 winner of the BITC (Business in the Community) Small Company of the Year, has various options for small gifts perfect for a stocking or cracker.

The Marra Earrings, depicting a pair of Herdwick ‘marras’ (Cumbrian dialect for friend) make an adorable stocking filler.

Yan Socks offer an endearing twist on the tradition of socks for Christmas time, featuring Herdy’s face on one side and bottom on the other. Available in a range of colours.

There are more items including badges, jewellery and more bearing the adorable face of Herdy the Herdwick sheep can be found here to delight your loved ones this Christmas time.

Romney’s Kendal Mint Cake

Probably Kendal’s most famous export. This sugary treat has been produced in Kendal by Romney’s since 1918 and has accompanied the most intrepid of adventurers on treks up Everest, Catbells, and everything in between.

Through their online shop, Romney’s offer multipacks of their famous mint cake, so if you have a few people with a sweet tooth to buy for, you could kill several birds with one stone. In addition to their main product, they also sell modified versions in bar form with added brown sugar, chocolate and more, which you can browse here.

Hawkshead Relish

A shining success story for both small startups and Cumbrian businesses, Hawkshead Relish is now stocked all over the UK and even by some retailers across Europe and North America. Founded by family owners of a Lake District cafe, who were already making their own relishes and preserves, Hawkshead Relish began life proper in 2001. In response to dropping tourism in the Lake District because of the Foot and Mouth crisis, they decided to take the Lakes elsewhere and approached garden centres, cafes, and other potential stockists with their products and the rest is history.

The company offers a range of gift packs for sale on its website, perfect for sampling the famous reserves. Available are Savoury Selection, Black Garlic, Sweet Selection, Christmas Selection, Cocktail Selection, and much more.

Grasmere Gingerbread

"Sarah Nelson's Original Celebrated Grasmere Gingerbread" by Andrew Bowden is licensed under CC BY2.0

Invented in 1854 by Sarah Nelson in idyllic Grasmere, the village’s eponymous gingerbread is somewhere between a cake and a biscuit, both spicy and sweet.

Today, Grasmere Gingerbread, makes a wide range of ginger-based products, from the gingerbread that started it all to ginger-infused drinks, toiletries, and more.

We recommend the six pieces of Grasmere Gingerbread if you’re wanting to introduce someone to the wonderful world of Grasmere Gingerbread. If the person you’re buying for is already au fait, there’s a number of exciting variations perfect for a stocking or cracker, which can be ordered online.

Friar’s Chocolates

Buying for someone who loves Cumbria AND chocolate? Then Friar’s is probably the right choice.

Setting up shop in Keswick in 1927, Friar’s is one of Cumbria’s most prominent chocolatiers, now with a store in Ambleside as well as an online shop. They specialise in luxury chocolates, as well as novelty chocolates and gifts, all designed in-house, perfect for many occasions. Every holiday they launch a new range of products, so there’ll always be something for you to come back to.

There’s almost too many to choose from; Friar’s range of stocking fillers can be perused here - including truffles that look like Brussel Sprouts.

Wax Lyrical Candles

Nestled away just outside the Lake District, near Ulverston, Wax Lyrical is the UK’s largest home fragrance manufacturer. Inspired by the rugged, changing Cumbrian landscape Wax Lyrical has crafted candles and fragrances since 1980.

There are scents and designs for everyone, with wintry ‘Baby It's Cold Outside’ range ideal for providing comfort in the cold, dark months surrounding Christmas. The titular ‘Baby It’s Cold’ candle features an endearing penguin illustration and comes with a scent combining jasmine, white sandal, and amber, with hints of saffron and rock rose.

Or as part of their ‘Lakes Collection’, you could give your loved one ‘Fallen Leaves’ tealights, stirring memories of crisp autumn days scented with amber, heliotrope, vanilla, and rich musks.

There are almost too many candles and fragrances to choose from; you can shop the full range here.

Love the Lakes

Stockist of gifts from different Cumbrian brands, they also make their own covering a wide range. Love The Lakes has stores in Keswick and Bowness-on-Windermere aiming to showcase the best consumer products Cumbria and the Lake District has to offer. There’s a focus particularly on ethically-produced items, handcrafted in the Lakes with organic ingredients.

If you’re buying for a loved one who’s environmentally conscious, Loves the Lakes own Earth Savers range has several options including natural shampoo bars and fragranced natural soap.

The full range of Love the Lakes products can be viewed here including prints, mugs, and even gin.

Honister Slate

"Lake District - Honister Pass from the Slate Quarry" by Gareth Williams is licensed under CC BY2.0

What about a gift from England’s last working slate mine? Something from deep within a Lake District mountain? This family-run business is located at the top of Honister Pass, one of the UK’s steepest roads. As well as supplying building materials, it stocks unique gifts made from Honister green slate from the mine itself inside Fleetwith Pike.

Honister slate appears on many notable buildings, including Buckingham Palace, New Scotland Yard and other esteemed places across the country.

Small gifts made of Honister slate you can get include these rustic slate hearts, stylish key rings, and these distinctive slate cufflinks. 

Of course, all the brands we listed also stock gifts far too big for a stocking or cracker. We’d encourage you to look at those too, if you like the person you’re buying for enough, that is. 

Despite being a sparsely-populated county, we found Cumbria to have a wealth of producers, so many in fact we’re bound to have missed some of your favourites.

What would go in your ideal Cumbrian Christmas cracker or stocking? Maybe we’ve missed something glaringly obvious that should be on the Christmas list of every lover of Cumbria. Or maybe there’s a real hidden gem that you think everyone should know about. If so, let us know so we can help spread the word, you can get in touch via our contact form or Facebook.

Perhaps the ultimate Cumbrian Christmas gift, however, would be a stay in the beautiful county. If you're interested in staying in Cumbria or the Lake District during the festive period, why not check the availability of our self-catering Lake District cottages and spend Christmas in a winter wonderland.

from Blog https://ift.tt/2P49j2H via https://ift.tt/2LLs9c2

[msbrightside85]

Food glorious food

So you’re probably wondering the same as me ... how has it taken me so long to write about food? Probably because it’s a fairly daunting subject with it being so broad. But i have decided it’s about time I did ...

From the top (clockwise): Bacon fried rice, Beef noodle soup, Korean style deep fried chicken with rice cakes, Chinese style cheese steak sandwich, Chicken noodle soup, Range of hot pot skewers, (middle): Vegetable noodles.

So as I have already mentioned, I was very happy to discover that mango, pork and avocado are greatly loved over here and easily accessible (although avos can be a tad pricey). Unfortunately one of the most elusive food items also turns out to be one of my favourites … cheese. But thankfully, since my original dismay (and what felt like a fairly long amount of time) at the lack of cheesey options here, I have been shown two supermarkets that have ACTUAL cheese counters. I cannot tell you how happy I was. It was perhaps a little OTT looking back but I couldn't help myself. 

The widespread Chinese offering of cheese is generally of the plastic variety. Yup. Cheese slices. I can hear mum saying 'that's not real cheese' and she would be right but that is par for the course here. Plastic cheese in a range of varieties. Emmental, Gouda, Edam. All plastic. Now don’t get me wrong I do believe there is a place for cheese slices in this world (sorry mum), they’re perfect in burgers at a BBQ and they make an excellent addition to a midnight fridge tapas session (I say mournfully, as these ‘sessions’ are basically non existent since getting a flat mate and not being able to get coleslaw here - a fridge tapas staple food in my mind) but when you don’t have the real thing cheese slices are certainly not a suitable substitute. Although in saying that they have found their way into our home inside Caitlin’s grilled cheese sandwiches! Anyway I digress ... so after being shown where I can buy the real stuff (or as real as I’m gonna get) I am pleased to report I have bought both mozzarella (not the white buffalo kind the harder stuff but still good) and cheddar (or something resembling cheddar) so I am sated. For now. Until my next craving. Dammit I’m thinking about coleslaw now ...

A question that I've been getting a lot from England is what food do you miss? The answer? Let me be perfectly honest … there's not a lot that you can't get hold of out here. Yes, some things might be a little more expensive because it's been imported but most things are available from somewhere, especially in a city the size of Suzhou. So I'm learning to try and reduce my initial hysteria at not having something and ask around. Generally there's someone or somewhere that can help with the homely cravings. I even found a bag of pre-made gravy the other day which is DEFINITELY something I didn’t expect to find - so that’s me sorted for winter! Buuuuut in saying that, don't take this to mean that I want you to stop trying to send me the odd pork pie or two in the post … because pork pies are most certainly on the unattainable list. Although I have heard about an English restaurant which I believe may make their own … must remember to look into that.

Talking of pork pies, I asked one of my classes of older kids at school which topics interested them most about England and one of them said food. So I put some information together about fish and chips, bangers and mash and other foods that are quintessentially English, including pork pie. Surprisingly enough it was pork pie that got the biggest reaction, they thought it sounded disgusting! Which I thought was pretty rich considering some of the foods that are available here in China. I can imagine most of you would take pork pie any day. I mean here they have stinky tofu (and man it really does …) not forgetting frog which I have already mentioned and of course chicken feet …

Yeah ... this is definitely my biggest Chinese culinary challenge to date and to say I ate it isn't strictly true. I nibbled at it and then couldn't go any further. Why? It just looked too much like a human hand!!! It started freaking me out a bit to be honest. This one was boiled but I hear the fried ones are a little better to handle so who knows maybe I could be converted. Maybe.

All in all (and chicken feet aside) it's hard to miss something when you have such a fabulous range of food to choose from and I'm not just talking about Chinese food. We have a great pizza place with a traditional stone oven where the beer is cheaper than the soft drinks, there is a great Vietnamese place where I had the yummiest beef pho and Korean food aplenty. There is a fantastic range of dumplings that come in all shapes and sizes and come with a range of fillings although pork is general the favourite (which always pleases me!).

There's an abundance of bakeries serving the best cream buns and desserts, there's a cool Japanese place that has the best curried rice and a lettuce they call ice plant which is unlike anything I’ve ever tried. BBQ or shaokao (pronounced show-cow but rhyme the first part with cow) is everywhere here and tastes amazing! Although if you’re not a fan of spice then you need to know how to communicate this in Chinese because their not very spicy can arrive and be pretty damned spicy!

There's also a traditional dish here called hot pot. Hot pot quite simply is a pot of boiling water in the middle of the table (it can be flavoured to your preference} and you order different raw ingredients to throw in it! Then once it’s cooked you get (try to get) the food out with your chop sticks. The local girls I go out with usually feel sorry for me and end up scooping morsels of food out and throwing them into my bowl, which I am eternally grateful for :)

But going back to home comforts, I've had a Chinese version of a bacon and tomato sarnie, which uses the white fluffy dumpling stuff instead of a breadcake and a few weeks ago I had amazing eggs benedict with smoked salmon. I was a very happy bunny that day I can tell you. It was exactly what I needed. 

So all in all it really doesn't leave much room for missing things, especially when you enjoy food as much as I do. But it’s always good to have a bank of places you can go to when you’re having a bad china day or you’re missing home. Like I say there’s a place called Ann's that I believe makes their own pork pies, they also serve afternoon tea and do roast dinner BUT I've sworn to myself that I will only go there when I'm really craving something that is unattainable elsewhere else. I've been told we may be going there for our work’s Christmas meal so I wonder if I can hold out until December before going or whether i’ll crack before then. Tune in next time to find out. TTFN. Rachael.