#best home cooked meals uk

[maasbesttiffinservice]

Best Home Cooked Meals

Are you looking for the best Best Home Cooked Meals in the UK? We provide the best Indian food and homecooked food delivery services in Slough, UK. Home cooking allows you to use fresh ingredients, which are healthier for your health.

The thought of home-cooked meals strikes terror in the hearts of some, but studies have shown that people who cook on a regular basis have better diets than those who eat restaurant meals.

[liesandmischeif]

Safe and sound

Loki x reader

Masterlist

Notes: So I just got back from Guatemala when I wrote this... I live in the UK. The 7hr jet lag is a killer, especially when I had to go to work two days later. Anyways, enjoy!

Warnings: nilt. Pure fluff!!

You trundle through the door, luggage in tow. It had been an exhausting few weeks, the mission was successful, but you had been awake now for 28 hours because of the long day of travelling. As much as you tried to sleep on the plane, the turbulence kept shaking you awake. Even so, you were home now.  

No sooner had you stepped in the door and dumped your bags in the hallway, your boyfriend appeared in the hallway, bounding up to you and wrapping you in his embrace. You hugged him back and nuzzled your head in his neck, his black curls tickling your face. You had missed him so much. Your best friend, your lover, your soulmate. Your Loki.  

“Missed you” you mumbled into his neck.  

“And I you, my darling” came the reply. “3 weeks is far too long to be separated from you. I wanted to see you the moment you came back, but Stark refused to lend me any of his automobiles. I’m sorry I couldn’t come and get you, my love.” 

“s’okay,” you said “I just got a cab.” 

He looked down at you, bringing his hand up to your face and went to kiss you. “Don’t,” you say “I’m all sweaty and gross. I need a shower and a toothbrush.” 

He smiled “Allow me, sweetheart.” He led you to the bathroom, where there was an enormous bubble bath waiting for you. He’d ran it the perfect temperature, and must’ve bought you some new shampoo because you were running out when you left. “Thank you, my love.” you said, kissing him on the cheek.  

“Anything for you.” he said “Get in and I'll make you some food. Are you hungry?” 

“Starving.” you replied, stripping off and sinking in the tub.  

Loki left to go to the kitchen while you relished in the bath, letting all the muck, sweat and stress fall away. You were halfway to the land of nod when Loki re-appears, holding a towel and some clean PJ’s. Seeing you all drowsy, he drained the bath and helped you get out the tub. He dried you off himself, pressing little pecks to your skin whenever he felt like it, then handed you the clothes so you could dress yourself while he went and set the table.  

He’d made spaghetti and meatballs. You had been teaching him how to cook since being a prince with foreign food had left a lot to be desired when it came to earth food. You'd taught him this months ago- it was the dish most often reverted to in these situations, because he wasn’t yet very talented when it came to cooking salmonella free food, but this had a pretty decent success rate. Plus, you loved it- it reminded you of your childhood and it was a filling meal. You sat there and hoovered up every scrap in five minutes, beating Loki to finish the dish, which was impressive because that man ate like a horse.  

You went to go and put the plates in the dishwasher but he stopped you, told you that he’d handle it and to go and sit down. You didn’t protest; you were far too tired to do more than sit there. Once he’d finished, he turned and scooped you up off the chair, then tucked you up in bed with him, wrapping you both up under the covers. The two of you lay side by side, with his arms wrapped around you, and him pressing little kisses to your forehead.  

“I’m glad your home safe my love.” He said. “I was worried sick.”  

“M’okay Loki.” you mumble. He really is too cozy for his own good.  

You feel him smile against your forehead. “Sleep now angel, you can tell me all about it when you wake.” 

“’Kay.” you say “Love you.” 

“Love you too darling.” 

[sweetiecutie]

141 x Eastern European reader relationships hc’s

Warnings: some cussing, stereotypical behavior, pretty much safe, not meant for russians - just scroll past

A/n: I was heavily inspired by this post by amazing @kivino, absolutely go and check it out!!

Pretty much all of 141 were in Eastern Europe with missions - Ghost and Price were with missions in Ukraine, Soap, Gaz and Price were to russia.

All of them worked with Eastern Europeans, so boys are generally acquainted with Slav traditions and superstitions - not to whistle within a building, for example, or not to pass things through the threshold. But working with Eastern European for a few weeks and having a romantic relationship with one - completely different things.

So here are some headcanons of how Task Force 141 deals with their Slavic lover<3

Simon “Ghost” Riley

Starting off - Simon loves your culture. He finds many national quirks amusing; his favorite one tho, is how boisterous and bossy Eastern European women are. Usually people tend to be scared of him due to his intimidating stance and quiet behavior. But these ladies who are barely over 160 cm? They can beat the living shit out of him with a single slipper, and he both respects and slightly fears them for it.

For some strange reason Ghost can’t learn a word you teach him, but all the swearings that accidentally slip off your tongue throughout the day? Ghost knows all of them by heart. And he can’t hide a small smile of amusement whenever he hears you cussing angrily over spilled tea or shattered mug. And his favorites so far are ‘kurwa’ and ‘blyat’

Simon is a huge fan of your country’s cuisine! He’s a big man, so he requires proper nutrition. And all the delicious meals your mom cooks? He’s nomming everything to the last crumb! Simon is especially fascinated with a godly meal called “shashlik” - he is definitely a meat eater, Riley loves him a juicy steak freshly off the fire. And eating a meal that consists purely out of roasted meat - a paradise for him.

Captain John Price

Now, this man is most acquainted with all Slavic traditions of all 141 since he works closely with Nikolai, so throwing him off wouldn’t be that easy. But still, having an Eastern European partner does give him some unexpected experiences. For example, John is really surprised by how easily and lightheartedly you and your family joke about dark topics as death, physical traumas or alcoholism. And while everyone is rolling with laughter Price is like “What the fuck is wrong with you guys🧍🏻‍♂️”

If some of your relatives happened to speak English, John will do his absolute best to speak slowly and reduce his accent to minimum, so that they can understand him better. I think it’s just so sweet of him 🥺

What never fails to impress Price is that how much Eastern Europeans care about their appearance. In UK people don’t bother much about their looks, preferring clothes that are comfortable rather than fashionable. And seeing all these people on the streets wearing luxury brand stuff, women with full on glam makeup, their hair made elegantly - it makes him wonder just how much time and effort these people put into their looks. (He soon learn just how expensive and tedious that is once you two start dating)

Kyle “Gaz” Garrick

I’m pretty sure many Eastern European countries have this magnificent dish - meat jelly. Looks and sounds terrifying, true cultural shock for Kyle’s poor British soul. Or soup called Okroshka - even tho I grew up eating it, I still question its existence, no wonders Kyle gets absolutely weirded out by it.

Many Eastern Europeans, especially in small towns and villages, are very unfamiliar with people of color. It’s not because they mean ill, no, but simply because it’s very rare to see foreigners in such places. So, when Kyle came over to your home for the first time, all neighborhood was quite literally gawking at him. And Garrick, being more closed-off and shy person, was really unnerved by it. What especially set him off was when some random grandmas on the streets asked him “Whose are you?”😭

Oh and he loves, loves, loves when you spill the tea about your family members, sometimes even in front of this exact person bc they can’t speak any English. Sounds mean to do so, but Kyle is very eager to hear about all the drama, glancing discreetly at relative in question. Everyone thinks it’s so cute, watching you two cooing at each other in soft voices in a faraway corner, but in reality you two are just talking shit about everyone in the room😂

John “Soap” MacTavish

What Johnny likes the most about Eastern Europeans is just how generous they are, how they treat all guests with such kindness and hospitality. Usually, when Scottish/British/Irish person invites you for some tea - you do have tea and some sweets. In Eastern Europe though, if you are invited for some tea, you will be having a three meal course of delicious national dishes with incredibly tasty bakery for a dessert, and, of course, tea as promised. And afterwards they will also give you some food in a plastic container so you can take it home. Johnny was genuinely surprised by such warm treatment.

He remembers a lot of random words you say: names of different objects and foods or whole sentences like “turn on the lights” etc in your mother tongue. Johnny likes listening to you talking on the phone with your relatives, his ears perk up slightly whenever he catches a familiar word. But can he actually spell or write these words down? Not really. And if your language uses Cyrillic alphabet? Absolutely no. (This thought came to me based off @kivino’s hc’s)

When Johnny visited your home for the first time, he was actually surprised to see this stereotypical picture: a bratz doll gf and her shreck bf. He was also surprised by how unattractive most Eastern European men are, especially those in their 40s.

Likes, reblogs and comments are highly appreciated! Feedback is very important for writers, give us some love and appreciation<3

[igncrxntripley]

Hey hey.. it’s your fav Dominik simp 😮‍💨

It’s Mother’s Day in the UK and I lost my mother unfortunately soooo I was wondering if you could do some Dominik comfort if you’re feeling it?

(I’ll end up re reading jd smut anyway but I thought I’d ask 🫶)

loss

a/n: literally anything for you ❤️ i hope this makes your day, sending you all the love!!

synopsis: dominik comes home to comfort you on one of the most difficult days of the year.

tags: SFW, grief, loss, mention of death, crying, fem!reader

Nothing about Mother’s Day was easy for you; a holiday you once loved celebrating turned into a memory after you lost your mother almost a year ago. Dominik knew this day was difficult as well and he wanted to do everything in his power to make you feel at least a little bit better, but he also knew it was going to be difficult. He did his best though by sending you a voice message early that morning, as did your other close friends and family who knew how difficult today was going to be for you. 

You’d found yourself on the couch for the majority of the day waiting for Dominik to get home from the airport. You had a box full of pictures and anything sentimental relating to your mom in front of you, curled up in her favorite blanket as you sorted through pictures. Even though there was a smile on your face getting to see her in some of your favorite memories, that didn’t make it hurt any less. Tears rolled down your cheeks the entire time, and eventually you stopped holding back the quiet sobs that threatened to leave your lips. You didn’t even hear Dominik open the front door. 

When Dominik walked in and saw you, his heart broke immediately. He wanted to be home from the moment you woke up but he also had to work with a busy travel schedule. Luckily he was able to get home as soon as management would allow him, but that didn’t make him feel any less bad about it. Dom’s face fell when he heard your soft cries and he abandoned his bags by the door. “Babe…” he said softly, watching you turn your head to look at him as he made his way to the couch. “Dom, I-I…” you started to say, but Dominik shook his head in response and sat next to you on the couch. As soon as his arms were around you, you started to sob even harder. 

“I know, baby. I know.” Dominik whispered into your hair as he let you cry into his chest. He shifted your body so it was in his lap and his grip tightened on you. “It’s n-not fair.” You cried, and he nodded in response. “It’s not fair. But we’re going to get through it.” Dom responded, running a hand through your hair as his body slowly rocked back and forth. 

Eventually your sobs died down into sniffles, your hand reaching over to grab some pictures of your mom that you’d been looking at before. Dominik looked at them with you, letting you sit in a comfortable silence to grieve your loss. “She would’ve loved you.” You told Dom softly, making him give the tiniest smile into your hair. “She always told me to find a strong man to take care of me.” You looked up at him, his thumb coming up and wiping the tears from your cheeks. “I have a feeling I would’ve loved her too.” Dominik said softly. “Show me some more pictures of her.”

You spent the next few hours sorting through pictures with Dominik, telling him all about your family and the moments behind those pictures. He got to see birthday parties, special events, holidays, anything that was sentimental. He also got to tease you for the pictures of younger you, and you made a mental note to get payback for that later. 

Dom spent the rest of the day doing things with you that made you happy; he cooked every meal, watched your favorite tv shows, and ran a hot bath for you that you asked him to join. As you two laid in the tub, bubbles surrounding your bodies and you leaning back into his chest, you looked up at him with a smile. “Thank you for everything.” You said softly as Dom leaned down to kiss your nose. “Anything for you, baby.” He said, his fingers dancing on your skin under the water. “I know I can’t fix it, but I’ll do whatever I can to make it better.” You leaned up to give him his own gentle kiss, smiling for one of the first times that day. “You did a pretty good job.”

[wonderlandhatter]

Frat Aaron hotchner x reader in university head cannon/thoughts.

This isn't edited but just my favourite au atm that had just grown in my head lol.

💞 These are just some late night thoughts on dating frat aaron. Full disclosure I'm from the UK and we don't have frats over here so it's going to be not very accurate lol. Also this is in university idk if frats are just college though.

✨ You are opposites hes cocky amd as extroverted as they come, you hear his friend group before you see them. His house throws the parties that are talked about for weeks after.

💞 While you're not shy persea you're introverted, keep to yourself and have a couple close friends.

✨ He goes after you, deff flirts constantly and in the words of the Barbie movie he only has a good day when you notice him. He lives for the roll of your eyes after the cheesiest thing leaves his mouth.

💞 You think he's just doing it to get a reaction, knowing the reputation of his frat house. How can someone with the possibility of having anyone on campus be serious about you.

✨ Tonight he'll be hosting a toga party. Letting his abs distract from the little effort he put into his outfit, winning bear pong with the biggest decision being debated in his mind will be which of the practical models he'll pick.

💞 While you have been practically giddy about picking up pastries on your way home, changing into the confident ( and likely oldest) pyjamas in your closet and bundling yourself in your bed. Watching movies that give you nostalgia to the max and eating pastries out of the box.

✨ He couldn't want you, could he?

💞 Obviously he does, you're a self deprivation idiot, that man would watch you paint a wall. Even an ugly colour

✨ Dating him would include so many Snapchats, not to text but because he is sending you pictures constantly, that man thinks he's hilarious. Does it make you smile and giggle? Ofcourse it does.

💞 This picture is exactly what he'd send you when he's at a fancy (insert American university sport) dinner

✨ He's bored and thinking of you always, that man is so whipped it isn't even funny.

💞 A lot of studying together, he's in a pretty full on course afterall. You both encourage eachother and push eachother to do better.

✨And ofcourse after one does well there's rewards.

💞 He loves how you'll put him in his place, he knows he can get carried away and you ground him in the best way.

✨That man can't cook, his frat house comes with meals supplied so why would he?. He didn't think home cooked meals where something he particularly cared about until you two started hanging out together more and he starting coming over to your house, or when you'd have lunch together and he'd see your packed lunch.

💞 At the start he'd hover over you while you cooked but slowly he'd help little by little until he even cooks something for you ( is it burned? Yes. Do you lov it? Ofcourse)

✨ You conveniently always made "too much" or "couldn't finish" your lunch and ofcourse h d finish it for you.

✨💞 I have many more thoughts so if anyone would like to chat about this my inbox is very open, I'm kinda in love with frat boy aaron lol💞✨

[docholligay]

What was your favorite thing you did in the UK/Germany?

That's such a hard thing for me to say on these sorts of trips, because there are so many things that go into "favorite." Apologies that this won’t be very poetically written, I’m sitll musing on my thoughts about it. 

The event I loved the most: Dickens Christmas Feast

We all know I love Charles Dickens, and even more so, we all know I love A Christmas Carol. I have seen so many versions of it, I will continue to watch versions of it, it is the best thing about Christmas, I think. So, on the one hand, very low bar to entry foe me.

On the other hand, I cannot recommend it enough to people. I would see anything this theater company did. They did such a wonderful job of building tone as you walked to where the theater was, you get this sense that you’ve about to hear something no one has ever heard before, even though this is probably one of the best known stories in the Western world. They even had a map of London from the late 1800s. I genuinely told people to just go past us in line (We had Royal Circle tickets--everything else had been sold out--so it didn’t matter if we were first or last) because they had a magnifying glass to look at the city map. It was so interesting to me to see the ways its different, but also the way its the same. What parts of the city cropped up, where were the nice areas, all of that. 

I loved dressing up. I love dressing up anyhow, but it was so much fun to do it for a Victorian themed event, and people reacted so positively to the handful of us who dressed up. There was one gal who stood by us in line, turned to her mom, and said, “I told you people would dress up! We could have dressed up! I love your costumes.” and then when we thanked her and said we loved to take an opportunity, she said, “Did you bring all that from America?” and upon confirmation, she turned to her mom again and said, “They brought it from America!” I loved her, I hope next time she dresses up. 

The food was shockingly good. I don’t put a lot of faith in dinner theater, foodwise, but the duck was well cooked, I love the potted cheese, and the cocktails were flat out incredible. I had smoking bishop, which I liked so much I think I’m going to try and make it at home this winter. Also, in the Royal Circle the service was incredible. Our gal Lily was so very attentive and wonderful, and she let us know that she couldn’t come out during the three acts, but in the meal breaks, she would. I let her know I was going to want to put a cocktail order in about ten minutes before each act began, and she was SO on it, like CLOCKWORK, asking me what I’d like for the next act and having hit the table RIGHT before the lights dimmed again. She was amazing. 

And the play. Again, I love A Christmas Carol and I acknowledge that fully, but I never imagined that one of my favorite reworkings of it would be a one man show that is represented as Charles Dickens acting it all out of you in his deeply involved, hyperactive, scattered way. I ADORED IT. I cannot express to you how well the guy did, and how much, in moments, it really felt to me like the feeling of being a writer--especially in the earlier parts of the play--with him saying a line “wrong” and then going, “No, I don’t like that” taking up the exact same position, and redoing it. It was very much the feeling of me pacing around the office in the old days writing something. At the end of the second act, when they had this huge clap of thunder roll, lights flashing, the actor as Scrooge in this moment crying out in fear over the approach of the third ghost, and then the whole room goes pitch black and silent. It’s SO tense. The lights come up, he smiles and goes, “Pretty good, right?” ANd it just captured, for me, that feeling of knowing you’ver written something that’s going to get to your reader, and it is this MOMENT in the writing, but you’re sitting there grinning like an idiot over your desk, chuckling. 

The only other players in the work, actually, were the musicians, who were live, and walked around playing the violin and little drums and other instruments, it was such an excellent way to really loop in the music aspect and give this so much more of a live feel. 

The whole thing is done as a theater in the round style, and there really isn’t a bad seat in the house. I was in the royal circle, but mostly what we had was more attentive service and much more comfortable seating (They were these sumptuous plush banquettes. So nice. Everyone else was on a regular chair) because the seating was so good for the play itself. And because of how it was done, it had to have sparse staging, but what they did have was wonderful. In the center stage, especially, they had a doorframe that popped up, and when they lowered it, they couldn’t do it without a light slam, so they worked it into the play SO WELL, at one point one of the musicians was holding it for the perfect dramatic moment to hear that slam, and it was such a clever way to work in something that could have been annoying into being absolutely perfect. 

It was so cleverly done, I would go see it again despite the cost of it, absolutely, if I were in London at the time. 

Thing I think everyone should go see in London: Westminster Abbey. 

A lot of the things I recommend are ‘use cases’ because there’s very little int his world that is uniformly bad or uniformly good, there are just good and bad use cases. I think the London Eye would be a fucking horrfying waste of time and money, but if I were bringing beeb, she might love it, as she loves to be up high. When i went with my wife one of my favorite days was when i took the train out to the shitty OW office and walked back to Mile End at the route I think Lena would take, and basically just bopped around the East End.  Many people would find that boring or too much walking. I thought the British Museum was an annoying waste of my life. Many of you are audibly gasping at that statement. Use cases. 

ANYHOW, Westminster Abbey is one of the only things I can think of in London that everyone she go see. I am not a big historic church person, so please trust me when I say its a very beautiful church, but it’s much more than that. I’m not sure if I just wrote this in my diary or said it here, but it feels like the collective hopes of a nation, and what it makes itself to be. What do we hold dear? What do we call ours? This is even more striking with seeing the scientists, and poets’ corner, the RAF chapel. It’s about what the UK thinks of itself as, what it hopes it is, as much as it is anything else, and I think you get a fantastic sense of that HOPE going through there. There’s a reason Oliver Crowmwell was there, and then wasn’t. Its striking for me in a way churches rarely are. I love that aspect of it, my wife loved the straight history aspects of it, the craftsmanship of the building itself and the graves are absolutely worth study, if you’re a royals person, that’s where the coronation is, if you just want to hit the tourist highlights, it is a major one. I cannot recommend it highly enough. 

Thing I didn’t expect to love: The Christmas Garden Path at Blenheim Palace. 

I cannot express to you what a tonally bizarre journey the Blenheim path was. It was as if they asked several different people to come together and make this, but refused to allow them to speak to each other, so you jump from moment to moment and it has absolutely no unity whatsoever. You begin in a very boring “Nice lights set to Pentatonix” Christmas display that in no way prespares you for what is about to happen. At one point, in what I called, “The Annual Tory Salute to the Blitz” it is literally the glowering face of Winston Churchill, illuminated, against a backdrop of flames. If you do not believe me ask @morkaischosen who was there with me. Then we went into the “Christmas Rave” where there was, I am not joking, pulsing lights as you walk in a circle around them to techno music. Is this related to Christmas? Who knows? WHo cares! There are dancing fountains! There’s a love tunnel! One of the areas I just called “A Eurovision entry from Eastern Europe” and I was completely right. It was bonkers. It was jarring. I loved it. 10/10. Also, whoever planned it out had amazing wisdom with the drink stops, I am so serious. I never had to chug nor wait, they were spaced PERFECTLY for finishing one drink and wanting another. 

But one of my actual favorite times, that I will look on with extreme fondness, is something that I think most people would have found boring to hear about: Sitting on the living room floor with @verbforverb while @tallangrycockatiel sat there and knitted, sampling whiskeys. It was not anything you’d find in a travel guide but in many ways was what I came there to do and will be one of my favorite memories (also verb trying to fucking murder me during a monring run)

[imagine-knb]

idk if you've watched it, but I'm really into the one piece live action right now. So if they were on a pirate crew, what do u think the gom+uk+kagami would be?

anon, I have some bad news: none of the admins have watched One Piece... But my bestie is obsessed with that show, so I asked her a looooot of questions for research purposes! And also used this site here when her advice still made no sense to me... Here's my best shot! Admin Neon

Kuroko — the boatswain

as the boatswain, Kuroko often reports to his captain about the progress of certain projects around the ship

his job is made a lot easier because of his naturally low presence; he's able to sneak around the ship without a lot of notice

this has people willing to get on his good side no matter the cost, because if he's easily able to report the great job you're doing, he's also able to report when people are slacking

Kagami — the (unwilling) cook

when he ran away from home to become a pirate, Kagami had big dreams of grand adventure and a lot of fighting

unfortunately, he's the best cook on the damn boat, so he got roped into being the chef for every meal instead

that doesn't stop him from joining in on a fight when there's a scuffle aboard his ship (the captain would never let him leave to board another ship)

Kiyoshi — the cooper

being a big and strong guy makes him the perfect candidate to be stowing and moving the barrels on board

this also means he is in charge of organizing all the items, which might not have been the best decision; only Kiyoshi knows how he organized the barrels and none of it makes sense to anyone else

he may or may not have done this on purpose to make himself invaluable to the captain

Kise — the navigator

not much of a fighter, but having gained an education due to his upbringing, Kise becomes the navigator for the crew

he's not very good at first and, in his earlier years pirating, often leads his crew right into the thick of danger

thankfully the devil's fruit he consumed gives him the power to temporarily copy the skillset of people nearby, so in a pinch he can fight just as well as his strongest ally

Aomine — the (unwilling) carpenter

much like his red haired rival, Aomine also joined a pirate crew with the thought that he would be seeing a lot of action

he was forced to pick up a job on board during the times where fights weren't happening, so he started apprenticing after the ship's old carpenter

more than once he's had to repair a breach underwater and he always swears he sees mermaids

Midorima — the medic

being the medic of the crew often meant that Midorima was dealing with more than just the sick; he was also dealing with the dead

he's one of the cleanest people on board the ship due to the nature of his work

often, he is escorted away from scuffles that break out on board; the captain will do anything to ensure the only medic is safe

Murasakibara — the sailmaker

being one of the taller members of his crew, it only made sense to make Murasakibara the sailmaker after he'd been asked to re-tie down some sails for the umpteenth time

the power he gained from his devil fruit has made the job of patching those high up holes much easier, as it allows him to grow at will to unsurpassable heights without changing his mass

unfortunately it also makes him an easier target when he's playing lookout for enemy ships

Akashi — the captain

having run away from home, Akashi starts his own pirate crew in the hopes that he can make a name for himself, whether he be famous or infamous

often rivaling pirates will not realize he's the captain at first since he isn't the largest and most ruthless looking of the group

what they fail to notice is that Akashi has certain pull from the shadows that makes him more terrifying than a traditional captain

Mibuchi — the quartermaster

as the captain's number one right hand man, Mibuchi knows the ins and outs on how to run a successful pirate crew

it's common that quartermasters become the next captain when new ships are taken over, but to Mibuchi, this would be a nightmare

often, instead of taking over new ships himself, he will assign another high ranked crew member to do it for him; he just can't leave his captain's side

Nebuya — the gunner

as the person in charge of the arsenals, Nebuya is also in charge of the main fleet that performs attacks on other ships

he runs a tightly knit, no nonsense fleet that is famed for their ruthlessness out on the open waters

he works closely with the captain and seems to be loyal, but there have been rumors lately that he's been eyeing out becoming a captain himself

Hayama — the cannon operator

the devil fruit he consumed makes him just as fast as lightning, so it's only natural that Hayama is in charge of reloading the canons

he works extremely well with whatever gunner is in charge, being able to pick up on their verbal cues just as quickly as they say them

whichever crew happens to have him on their ship is practically ensured easy victories, as he's become a master at knowing exactly which canons to fire and where at a moment's notice

Hanamiya — the stowaway

he'd hidden himself amongst some empty barrels when he first joined the pirate crew on their journey, but was soon discovered by the pesky cooper

once discovered, Hanamiya spent a lot of time in the brig while the captain debated with his crew on what to do with their stowaway

he garners some trust from them (a foolish mistake) and ends up doing small jobs around the ship to help; eventually he becomes known for ruthlessly executing whoever dares try sink the ship he's on

[msfbgraves]

There are whole treatises on immigrant cooking but it's so interesting to do it in real time.

I wanted some noodles with pickled eggs and immediately started the process.

They use a lot of unsweetened soy sauce. The thing is, sweetened soy sauce, as known in Indonesia, is so much cheaper here. And then there was the sesame oil. I have some sesame seeds, but they're hardly a staple, and my local supermarket did not stock sesame oil at all. And then there was the sesame paste, well, fuck it. I went with peanut butter for that. And no, they did not have white sesame seeds.

Unsweetened soy sauce, very expensive, immediately becomes a luxury, so we're doing this with sweetened soy sauce, omitting the sugar, and black sesame seeds. Also peanut butter and some Indonesian crushed pepper paste (sambal). Was it good? Yes! Did it, at this point, have anything to do with the Japanese version? I don't have money to be all authentic, crikey.

Also, Dutch national cuisine is extremely heavily influenced by not having:

Arable land

The climate to grow anything but cabbage, root vegetables or onions (few herbs). Spices are insanely expensive. We stil say that something is 'dear as pepper' (peperduur).

Do you know what we did have?

Livestock. And dairy. Plus beans and some fruits like apples, pears maybe some cherries and forest fruits.

So Dutch meals can only really be flavoured by meat! Fish is somehow a springtime and summer dish, because you need very soft baby carrots and very fresh vegetables to actually enjoy a meal of plain fish - again not even lemon - plus potatoes and some lettuce.

And oh, what if meat is unavailable?

(Not even bacon?)

There's only one thing for it, you smother it in cheese.

Now of course nowadays, you can buy herbs and spices. But still, our people are very bad at making vegetarian dishes, because if you can't flavour anything with meat or cheese what are you gonna do? Buy cumin?! Who has that kind of cash, traditionally?

So you see a lot of meats seasoned with fruits, or fruit served as a side dish. You see a lot of cabbage and kale mashed through potatoes. Why? It softens the taste; cabbage is quite harsh. You also see people basically give up on dinner, really, and inventing really tasty meat and cheesy bites. That does not a meal make, but they're really really good. It does also create a culture obsessed with desserts. If dinner is a bit of a bland affair, dessert can lift your spirits considerably.

A lot of this "White people can't season their food" comes from traditionally not having learnt non meat-based seasoning. We've tried to get by with fruits and the best cheese we could manage.

And sure. I am very eagerly brushing up on other kitchens, because now we absolutely can buy five spice and lentils and ginger. But I'm so much milder about "bad" cuisine or unauthentic foods. People are trying to do the best with what they have available and indeed what they know. Also, learning a foreign cuisine is hard and can be very expensive.

And I've decided that it's infintely easier to cook Surinamese in the Netherlands and Indian in the UK, so I'll cook Gordon Ramsay recipes when I'm there and sweet soy sauce chicken noodles when at home. Also try finding endive outside of Turkey and Holland. It's no use.

[coldcrypt]

I'm marco, 26yo cis guy from UK. I got into weight loss because I wanted motivation to stop drinking around april 2022, and ended up bingeing and purging on avg 3 times a week for abt 6 months. I relapsed back into daily drinking (litre+ of vodka a day) and detoxed in hospital at the start of the year, but have been finding it really difficult to stop and stay stopped, so I'm back here. I've nearly died so many times recently from drinking and I just keep gaining/getting more and more swelling &bloating. If any alcoholics/bulimics have advice for someone who cant stop shovelling it in to get a sustainable deficit, I'd appreciate it a lot. My goal is to be safe about it, but I'm open to anything that works.

I'm experimenting with different methods of weight loss, sometimes fasting, sometimes rezzing, but am very inconsistent. I binge v often. This is not so much an accountability blog, more like recording what I've learnt and just venting. My bmi starting around may20th was 22 ish, was 5th june 20, 4th oct 22.5,and now 20.5 jan27th. Have to get it back to 20, but goal would be 18 with low body fat %. My main goal is to stop drinking and get healthier (thinner).

To do list:

get compression sleeves for running

Things that worked:

going to meetings make it much easier to abstain and think abt other things than food -> much easier rezzing

being distracted by things unrelated to food

having good food options for rezzing prepped, like boiled eggs, or having a solid stock of staples like steak, yoghurt, fruit and veg

not buying food that I will binge on, if I buy it, even if its not for me, I will eat it and get fat

taking longer routes/walking instead of getting train (energy, weather and mood permitting)

peppermint tea

keep it in the day. One day at a time really works, it just takes practise to get into mentally

supporting blood sugar throughout the day, especially if going out/socialising/towards the end of the day (when alc cravings pick up). This is best done with small amounts of carbs following a rly high protein 1st meal

Things that I was doing before but that didn't work out well:

taking K supplements (just eat s. potato for carb allowance, is filling too and has loads of K, stops palpitations when intermittent fasting)

pho, miso or gochujang as soup bases. They are too salty and lead to painful sluggish bloat.

Oyster sauce is not worth the cals

Diet sodas. Caffeine dependence builds really quickly and teeth need help

olive oil for sautéing vegetables. Pointless cals. Fats can come from lean meats like beef steak, eggs and occasional avo as well as omega3 supplements

fasting. At 18 hours I feel like I'm goin mental and at 22+ the palpitations make it uncomfortable to move around or do anything at all

strength training (esp core) at home without equipment. Dont enjoy it at all, not motivated at all

watching hours and hours a day of ED documentaries, scrolling ED tumblr, and watching hours of foodtube every day. Obsession -> binges

hard avoiding carbs. Leads to massive brain rot and feeling morbid. Can't do anything. Inevitable binges, usually alcohol, or 4000 cal of food.

sushi is not really worth it. White sushi rice is too sugary. Its usually a carb craving in disguise, or something to get on the go and is expensive.

weighing every morning just lead to trying to use caffeine as lax and more chaos on energy levels, or obsessing and not being distracted.

Press ups make my joints click a lot. Planking is really boring and doesnt feel rewarding.

Using sex for stim instead of food and cooking

Curious about:

feta, olives and cherry tomatoes for satiety.

Broccoli and mushrooms (annoying to prep or dont taste nice when boiled)

chicken sausages for cheap lean protein (think they can be a binge trigger or lead to mental scarcity feelings but not sure if worth)

ways to make cottage cheese not taste shit (cocoa powder is not cutting it)

cardio > strength training maybe. Runner's high > nothing from strength training (that I ever felt anyway).

Finding a way to enjoy strength training

yoga and stretching for stim

skipping breakfast has really mixed vibes. Can feel completely awful, but can also make rezzing much easier. Can also lead to binges in the evening (because there's unspent cals in the budget). Probably best to stick to eating breakfast but keeping it high protein and not eating right away when waking up.

Experiment with meds timings.

minced turkey or discount fish for lean protein variety

ways to make eating salad not miserable, cos it does work rly well for getting a deficit. (Maybe herbs and lemon and chickpeas? Make in bulk? Quinoa? Binge risk)

_____________

New plan from 4th Oct '23 can't be strict bc cant track exercise cals without a phone for looking at time spent walking and running so will need to do a gross-in instead of net- in quick basic (aspirational) plan:

1000 cal deficit/day for the next month -> 1500 gross in/day allowance

NO: baked beans, bone broth, oil, paté, pasta, alcohol, caffeine, quiche, cheese, instant snack food, pesto, chorizo, hummus, meal deal foods reason: too sugary or fatty for their worth in flavour. Cause binges every time when rezzing. Not filling enough. Caffeine leads to crashes and the pickmeup is usually food.

LESS: bread, onion, ketchup reason: can be useful carbs in a pinch, less likely to cause binges than above (because they are only accompanied with protein). Onion and ketchup help with mental scarcity and support good vibes

MORE: fruit, veg soup, sweet potato, tuna, s. noodles, fruit juice, avocado, egg, steak, quorn, butternut squash reason: sugar cravings need to be comboed with fibre addition, or fruit juice could be useful diluted for emergency alc cravings. Everything else is lean protein and should be frontloaded in the day. Sweet potato is there for potassium and low glycaemic index carbs. Avo and s. noodles are contentious bc of price and fat/nutritional value reasons

ALTERNATIVES TO EATING: gaming, reading, weighing, cleaning, brushing teeth, counting cals, weights, stretching, running, walking, meetings. mostly overeat because of boredom and to break monotony in free time or to stim. These are alternatives that work and also make rezzing easier in other ways.

[inkofamethyst]

June 21, 2024

Okay so I started working through some problems on a website I discovered called Rosalind. It's several bioinformatics coding challenges. Harder ones unlock as you complete easier ones. It's pretty fun! Each problem has taken progressively longer to complete, sure, but I'm really loving getting back into the problem-solving mode. The one thing is that they don't give you aaaaaany coding help or hints or suggestions, so that will probably make things really difficult down the line (the best way to learn!!! (I need to maintain optimism)). Currently (almost) everything has been within my skillset, so mostly string manipulation and simple operations, and even though all of my work was probably worth a combined five hours on the eight problems (only finishing seven because I couldn't figure out probability), they ultimately weren't too bad. This will probably be what I spend my time on in the office to keep my coding skill up when I have nothing else to do.

While I should probably be learning R... I simply don't want to right now. Maybe in July after I get back from home idk.

I've also started watching music theory lectures (as opposed to just the interactive online textbook thing), and I really enjoy them! The circle of fifths is really clicking now for the first time in my life lol. I might try to also use downtime in the lab to write out my scales since I have a better understanding of how they work (kinda). It presents the textbook content in a slightly different way which I kind of appreciate, and then I can take that perspective back to the online textbook exersizes which I do for a few minutes daily. When I go home (so very soon!!!) I'm going to have to bring out ol' girl Melody and try some things, I think.

On that note (hehe), I need to think of a name for my bass!! My flute is Melody, my sax is Jasmine, my uke is Lulu... which are admittedly not very creative but I think they got a little better over time :P (Melody because flutes play melody (I was twelve, okay?), Jasmine because saxes play jazz, and Lulu for Honolulu because ukes are from Hawaii). So I think that, in keeping with tradition, the name has to be a little cheesy. I have one idea, but I don't think it's clever enough.

I haven't been eating very well lately. I'm in the process of restocking my pantry. I think I sort of just.. ran out of steam for cooking for myself. So it's been an embarrassing amount of chef boyardee, uncle ben's, velveeta... but tomorrow, I'm shaping up! Meatball stroganoff. And I have a plan for future meals, so I'll keep an eye out for sales, etc etc. Gonna get restocked! I'm shaping up! Maybe tomorrow I'll go for a walk in the morning! Maybe before even picking up my phone! Who knows!

Today I'm thankful that it's cooling down!!!! And also for the rain :) And also that the pollen is gone!!!!! After a month of suffering it was suddenly just no longer blowing into my open window :D

wait one last thing, circling back, even though I want to give my brain a break from the bioinfo problems, I inherently still feel that I've left something undone, as in I started working on problem 7 but couldn't figure out the right formula to even do the probability by hand, and even though I want to give myself a full weekend break, my brain is still passively thinking about it because I feel as though I didn't come to a satisfying conclusion. i wasnt even supposed to finish problem 8 tonight but i couldnt let it go.

so i need a distraction.

crochet it is (I'm working on my vest! it is suuuuper cropped (I'm about 2/3 through the front panel right now) and I fear my tiddies will not make it in, but hopefully it will be done before I go home so I can block it and maybe fix it? [edit, two days later: the front was just wonky because this is the first thing I've crocheted in years and I hadn't figured out my tension yet; def gonna redo it i think]).

actual last thing: surprisingly, I'm actually actively working toward several goals. like i always set them, but the past couple of weeks have been a bit of a lull. now I just feel craaazy energized.

[bibibi-tchx]

Wait no because I can so see tjd boys absolutely spoiling rhea with love even more than they normally do!

Finn and Dame bringing her, and Dom obviously, little presents and snacks back from the UK, Finn always being there to make her laugh, Damian cooking her her favorite meals, Dom just being the adorable little thing he is and helping with whatever she needs! Also drawing her tons of pictures

And Damian and Dom baking her little goodies here and there to surprise her!!!🥹

a w w w w w w yes

damian and finn coming home with a whole suitcase filled with gifts for their parenting partner and dominik

sm stuffed animals- and, if youve read this fic, youll know how much rhea loves her incense so i can imagine all the cool lil burners theyve got her

chocolate!!! everyone knows uk has the best cadburys (fight me on that i DARE x) so they come home with sm chocolate for rhea, but have to keep in mind that dominiks still got his sensitive tummy, so they bring him other candies

mm world! i make it a routine to go on my birthday (perks of being a london gyal) and i can imagine all of the stuff theyve brought home for dominik: the clothes, the accessories, the bottles and all

and then at home dominik helping out his papi a lot more- cooking with him and making sure that his mami gets food first, and that theres more than enough

“is gotta be perfect!” about one thousand times because thats what he hears rhea say for him, and so therefore hes gotta make sure that the foods only the best

cupcakes and all, icing them with little m n r so that everyone knows the cakes are for mami only!!!

ty anon! <3

[lemme-just-oops]

How would the arcana Twilight Boys react to cultural cooking ( i Hope the question is clear 😂)

Alpheratz: He likes food that has little to no spices used. When you offer him anything to eat with more than salt and pepper as seasoning, he will not enjoy it, because it tastes "too exciting." Might like new zealand dishes, but only on occassion.

Arcturus: A great fan of soups! Especially loves them when he could help you cook, because the taste of joy makes it tastier. Literally. The water in his world tastes better when the surroundings appear happy. No matter if you have Ramen, vegetable soup, creamy or anything else classified as a liquid meal, he will love it. Please mind that he does not eat meat, so do not boil your soup with bones to create flavour.

Pollux: He loves baking with Arcturus, because they create healthy snacks. But expanding his recipes is not bad. He will love it! They have to be sweats though. But be prepared for him sending you pictures of enormous versions of whatever you taught him the recipe of. A mochi the size of your head? His thoughts will tell him this may create a mess, but that does not matter. Or Champus filling his entire fridge. Do not teach him about donuts, because he makes enough to fill the school. Make him eat thai and korean and he falls in love.

Sirius: His taste is as experimental as a mad scientist. Does not call anything "bad" until he tried it, even if he dislikes every ingredient in the dish. He loves smelling spices, so please season everything to the best of your abilities. When you cook for him, he is honest about his opinions. Would definitely enjoy mexican and hungarian dishes.

Spica: This man has not lived if he has not tasted everything. He was raised in a rich household, so he only got to eat the most expensive dishes from all different places. Since you are from another world, he would like to learn more about your dishes and asks you to cook something. He seems to form a special liking to egyptian meals, even though that may be a continent away from your actual home.

Vega: He likes convenience food, if he tastes anything with flavour, he may get an overdose on it and might not be able to handle it at first. But your dish has potential, he says. Give him a few tries and he actually can eat it without his stomach cramping later on. The blandness of UK food suits him.

[maasbesttiffinservice]

What is Tiffin?

What is Tiffin? A tiffin is a lunch box that holds a variety of foods. Tiffins are typically made of stainless steel, which helps keep the food hot or cold. It also contains a handle for easy carrying.

Tiffins are not made to be used on the stove or in a hot oven, as the heat can warp them. Our tiffins are made of food-grade, non-leaching stainless steel and are BPA- and phthalate-free. Many peoples are searching for Indian tiffin near me on Google.

In South India, tiffin means a light snack between breakfast and dinner or a tea-time meal at about 3 pm consisting of typical tea-time snacks like cutlets, idlis or vadas.

Outside of South India, the word tiffin mostly refers to any packed meal or snack and is sometimes a name for the food carrier itself: tiered stainless-steel containers with lids that can be locked together and clamped down on the sides or top.

The containers were originally made of brass but are now often aluminium or stainless steel and can be found in any size from tiny to gargantuan. In the UK, Many peoples searching tiffin service near me on Google.

On any weekday in Bombay (now Mumbai), tiffins, or dabbas, can be seen stacked up on handcarts or bicycles being pushed along the busy streets by dhoti-clad men called tiffin wallahs, or dabbawalas.

These workers operate a complex system to ensure that thousands of tiffins are delivered daily to their intended recipients, often office workers. You can get food delivery Slough, UK.

Tiffin service is the perfect option if you want to enjoy home-cooked meals without having to cook. Quickly offers a huge selection of Indian tiffins in Manhattan, delivered right to your doorstep.

What is Punjabi food?

Are you looking for Punjabi food near me in the UK? Even non-vegetarians will yield to their cravings when it comes to Punjabi cuisine. From appetizers like Chola Bhatura and bread pakoras to dinner items like Sarson da saag and Makki di roti, the food of this region is a delight for every palate.

What is the Mildest Indian Curry?

Ever looked at a curry menu at an Indian restaurant and not sure which dish is mild? Or even medium spiced? Some popular mild Indian dishes include butter chicken, tikka masala, dal makhani, and chana masala.

Don’t worry; there are plenty of options out there. From the classic Korma to the north Indian Pasanda (as seen above), here are a few of our favourite dishes that are perfect for those with a low spice tolerance.

What is a Balti Curry?

What is a balti curry? A balti is a curry that comes with lots of vegetables, and it is loose in texture and quite tangy. It is the ideal curry for vegetarians as meat usually takes a back seat.

It is a very popular curry in the UK, particularly in Birmingham, known as ‘the balti triangle’. It is normally served with naan bread to mop up all that delicious sauce!

Indian Home Cooked Food Delivery In the UK

Are you looking for the best Indian Home Cooked Food Delivery Near Me? We are all about serving honest, home-cooked, good food. Our meals are delivered in tiffin boxes (more like milk pails) and are chilled so that they can be eaten cold or heated up later when you are ready to eat.

What is Desi?

People with the name Desi are believed to be creative, independent, and spiritual. While a person’s personality traits may not be entirely determined by their birth name, they do play an important role in identity formation.

What is Desi Meaning? Desi is a term that describes someone with Indian, Pakistani, or Bangladeshi heritage. It isn’t a derogatory phrase and can be used to describe both men and women.

[terraterrarestaurant]

What Makes The Best Authentic Italian Cuisine?

Authentic Italian cuisine is renowned worldwide for its simplicity, fresh ingredients, and rich flavors. It is a culinary tradition deeply rooted in the cultural heritage of Italy and has been perfected over centuries. Several factors contribute to what makes the best authentic Italian cuisine.

First and foremost, the quality of ingredients plays a pivotal role. Italian cuisine relies heavily on locally sourced, seasonal produce. Fresh vegetables, herbs, and fruits are at the core of many Italian dishes. Tomatoes, basil, garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese are staple ingredients that are used abundantly. The Italians believe in letting the natural flavors shine, and this emphasis on fresh, high-quality ingredients distinguishes authentic Italian cuisine.

Another key element is simplicity. Italian dishes are often characterized by their minimalist approach, with few ingredients combined in harmonious ways. Rather than overwhelming the palate with complex flavors, Italians celebrate the natural taste of the ingredients. For example, a classic Margherita pizza showcases the combination of fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, basil, and olive oil on a thin, crispy crust.

Best Italian restaurants in London are also heavily influenced by regional variations. Italy is divided into twenty diverse regions, each with its culinary traditions and specialties. From the hearty pasta dishes of the north to the seafood-rich cuisine of the south, each region offers unique flavors and techniques. The best Italian cuisine embraces and honors these regional variations, ensuring that the dishes reflect the local traditions and ingredients.

Furthermore, the art of cooking in Italy involves technique and skill. From handmade pasta to slow-cooked sauces, Italian cuisine demands attention to detail and patience. Whether it's shaping delicate tortellini or simmering a ragù for hours, the dedication to craftsmanship is evident in every dish. This commitment to traditional methods is what sets authentic Italian cuisine apart.

The concept of food as a shared experience is deeply ingrained in Italian culture. Italians view meals as a time for connection and celebration, and this philosophy translates into their cuisine. The best Italian restaurant in the UK offers meals that are often enjoyed with family and friends, accompanied by lively conversations and laughter. The convivial atmosphere adds an extra layer of richness to the dining experience, making it truly authentic.

Lastly, respect for tradition and heritage is a defining characteristic of Mediterranean restaurants. Recipes are passed down from generation to generation, preserving the authenticity and integrity of the dishes. Italian chefs and home cooks take pride in upholding these traditions and keeping the flavors alive.

In conclusion, the best Italian restaurants in London are a combination of high-quality ingredients, simplicity, regional variations, technique, shared experiences, and respect for tradition. It is a culinary journey that embraces the essence of Italy's diverse regions and celebrates the natural flavors of the ingredients. Whether it's a plate of spaghetti al pomodoro or a slice of creamy tiramisu, authentic Italian cuisine is a testament to the rich culinary heritage of Italy.

[thessalian]

Thess vs Culinary Skills

Just rewatching that video of the poor sod on Discord fucking up instant ramen, and realising that in at least some ways, I am lucky as hell. My cooking skills are, false modesty aside, above par in a significant way. I can make some complicated shit, and a lot of the stuff I make on the fly comes out exceedingly well. Thing is, there are reasons for that.

Yes, I did have Home Ec in school. I didn’t need it by that point, but it was there - both in the US high school I attended and the school where I did my A-levels in the UK. (In that latter, I learned how to make pasta. I should do that at some point. Of course, figuring out the gluten-free bits is going to be a thing, but...)

I actually worked in an industrial kitchen when I was seventeen. Well, I say ‘industrial’; what I mean is “I was kitchen staff at a summer camp when I was seventeen”, so what I mean is “worked in a kitchen that made mass quantities of food in very large batches and yet still had to squeeze in legitimate vegetarian options on the side”. I learned how to make quiche, and also bread - though it took some doing to pare down the recipe from “enough loaves to feed something like five hundred people” to “one batch of bread rolls”. Of course, I only got that job because I could already cook, but it taught me a lot about cooking large batches of things.

In her never-ending quest to make sure I wasn’t bored or lonely after school, my mother signed me up for cooking classes when I was about eight. I still had to go back to the after-school programme I normally went to afterwards, since Mum traditionally worked very, very late at that point in my life, but I gained a certain amount of popularity when I turned up with home-made cookies, mini-pizzas, and these shredded potato savouries that came out particularly well. But even there, I had an edge - I knew how to cook already. This was just new techniques and new recipes.

My mother ... I won’t say she taught me to cook, exactly. Not in the usual teacher / student way. My mother and I have had our problems insofar as our relationship is concerned, but one thing she did always know about me is this - I learn best by doing. So she’d get me to help her with dinner really, really young, and from that I moved on to making dinner for us both myself. So I learned the family favourites basically by cooking them, and added my own variations when I made them myself.

Most of all, though ... the reason why my variations worked as well as they did: my mother let me experiment with the spice rack. I mean, let’s face it - canned soup is boring, especially if you’re used to a more varied flavour profile. So, when Mum and I were having a catch-as-catch-can sort of meal (usually lunches over the weekend, and usually involving soup, canned ravioli, or whatever leftovers happened to be lurking in the fridge), I had full run of the spice rack. I mean, if I messed up and put too much of something in a pot of vegetable soup, it wasn’t going to be my mother having to eat it, so she figured, why not? Trying to spice up soups, canned pasta, salad dressing etc taught me how all the spices worked first-hand - what they taste like, what things they complement, approximately how much is enough and how much is too much depending on what you’re using them to spice up, stuff like that.

I mean, this is all to the good for me, since all of this together gave me an idea of where the wiggle room in a recipe is, what constitutes ‘done’ by looking / smelling / feeling rather than relying entirely on recipe times that change depending on what kind of oven / stove you’re using and how good it is. But it did annoy one of my former partners. He loved my cooking, but he hated that I couldn’t tell him exactly how I did it - he’d ask how long to cook the thing, and all I could say was “Until it’s done”, and shrug when he asked how I knew it was done; or he’d ask how much of a spice to put in and I’d shrug and say “I dunno; enough”. Because at that point, it was all instinctive to me. I know I’ve told this story before, but it never ceases to make me feel bad ... though I feel better about it now that I’ve shared favoured recipes with others with the same vague parameters and it’s gone exceedingly well for them. Also, anything beats the former partner who didn’t really understand the point of enjoying what was to him nothing more than a fuelling exercise, disliked on principle any meal that involved more than one utensil to eat and more than three chews to swallow, and would have happily accepted a pill that gave one all the calories and nutrients someone needed for the day, because “the time spent cooking and eating would be better used elsewhere”.

So, yeah. Play around in the kitchen, and let your kids play around in the kitchen. At least with the spice rack. It’s how I figured out that even Chef Boyardee ravioli can taste epic with some garlic pepper and a sprinkling of oregano.

[oflowtides]

⸻  CHARLES MELTON. HE/HIM / have you ever heard of NARROW by mayday parade, well, it describes VINCENT PARK to a tee! the thirty one year old, and COOK AT BELLE NOURRTURE was spotted browsing through the stalls at portobello road market last sunday, do you know them? would you say HE is more finicky or more RELIABLE instead? anyway, they remind me of low volume sitcoms as background noise, clothes overflowing from dressers, a bemused smirk, and new burn marks on steady hands, maybe you’ll bump into them soon!

time in notting hill: three years

As far as Vincent was concerned, he had the best life.  Growing up with a stay at home mom, a dad who always came home for dinner, and a sister who was something like a shadow, there was few things he could think of that would have made life easier.

As a child, if Vincent wasn’t playing with Coraline, he was under his mother’s feet in the kitchen.  Sure, the young Park boy loved eating, but he loved watching - and eventually helping - his mom craft each dish with so much love.  Meal times were like a ritual, and they were something that Vincent held very close to his heart.

High school brought on sports and new friends, but to him, there was an unspoken rule about always being home for dinner, if he could help it.  Some people didn’t understand why Vincent was so close with his family, and why he tended to put spending time with them above everything else, but to him, it was a no brainer.

When he wasn’t studying or practicing, he was still helping his mom cook, and eventually decided that cooking was what he wanted to do.  As graduation soon approached, he started scoping out culinary schools and programs nearby, and with his family’s blessing, dedicated his life to honing his craft.

Cooking brought him the kind of happiness it always did, and getting to do it for a living was the extra piece of the puzzle Vincent didn’t even know he was missing.  He tried to get jobs close to his family, as he preferred to continue to live at home to help out where he could, as well as save up for a trip to Europe.  While he hated being away from his family, the idea of traveling and eating all different kinds of food was very appealing to him.

He’d saved up enough money to go to London, and as a surprise, invited Coraline to come along with him.  The plan was to backpack across all of the UK and Europe, but once they got to London, it was evident that it was a lot easier to get places than they originally thought.  So, since they were already there, Vincent decided to get a place to live and a job, taking holidays to go to different cities and towns to explore the cuisine, but still have somewhere close to call home.

While he misses his parents a lot, and tends to FaceTime with them every few days, he at least has Coraline to keep Notting Hill feeling like home.