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fleckcmscott · 4 years

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Another Year

Summary: Arthur’s birthday is coming up. Y/N wants nothing more than to make it great.

Warnings: Swearing

Words: 3,892

A/N: This request came from the one-of-a-kind, fabulous @sweet-nothings04! Thank you for asking for this. I enjoyed writing it a lot!

If you have any thoughts or questions, please comment, feel free to message me, or send me an ask. Requests for Arthur and WWH are open! Keep them coming!

Y/N hadn't realized how much she'd missed putting together birthday celebrations. Not until the unexpected serendipity of falling in love again. Her ex-husband had preferred not to make a big deal of them, had stated he hated getting older. (Considering he'd been in his twenties, she'd found that assertion silly.) As her father had slipped away, special events and gifts had gone by the wayside to focus on routines that wouldn't throw him off kilter. She'd been invited to her sister's and brother-in-law's parties but had only stayed for the hour or two she'd hired a sitter. And while she wasn't the most attentive aunt, she always ensured her nephews and nieces at least got a card and money for a treat.

From what she'd gathered, birthdays had never been an important facet of Arthur's life. That had become obvious upon learning his was 11/21/1946 by reading documents instead of from him. When she'd discovered he'd turned thirty-five and hadn't even told her. But unlike her ex, it wasn't because he didn't want them to be. It was due to neglect, isolation, and the inability to connect. As much sympathy as she had for Penny, for her own illnesses and suffering, for what had been done to her, the wounds she'd inflicted on her son hurt Y/N’s heart. There were so many lost years. She was determined to make-up for them by spoiling him.

The diner where Patricia and she often met for lunch was halfway between their two offices. A five- or six-minute walk for them both. Y/N arrived first. She sat at the white and gold Formica counter and perused the menu. (Though she'd already decided to get her usual pastrami on wheat, garlic pickle, and coleslaw.) Patricia strolled in as the waitress jotted down Y/N's order, and told the young lady she'd have whatever Y/N was having.

They caught up quickly. The Wayne Foundation case was going to have a preliminary hearing in three weeks. Y/N couldn't have rolled her eyes harder. ("Thank god I won't be there. They'd have to drag me off the stand.") Patricia listened with interest while Y/N went on about a dispute involving break violations at Ace Chemicals. And Patricia invited her to stop by the office soon, claiming Matt had realized he'd been stupid to let her quit. ("I'm sure he misses me being a pain in his ass.")

Y/N was picking at the crust of her sandwich when she changed the subject. “I need a favor.”

Patricia arched a brow at her. “Is this going to involve me lugging boxes of files to your apartment?”

“Only if you want the workout.” Chuckling, Y/N shook her head. “Arthur’s birthday is next Saturday. You bake the best cakes. If I’m left to my own devices, he’s going to get something out of a Universal Foods’ box.”

“Mine are out of a box. I just modify the directions and make my own frosting.” Patricia used the rest of her bread to sop up her coleslaw’s dressing. “How old did you say he’s going to be? Thirty-five?”

“Thirty-six.”

Swallowing her last bite, Patricia quirked up the corner of her lips. “I still owe you for running those supplies to the office when my foot was broken. What kind does he like?”

Y/N hugged her tight across the shoulders. After a short discussion, they decided on chocolate with vanilla cream frosting - a safe choice. It would be small, since it was only for the two of them. Arthur had a job the day before. That would allow her to take it home without him seeing. She’d just have to keep him away from the fridge the rest of the evening.

They talked about the other things Y/N had in-store for him, the reservation, the gifts. She giggled, pleased at having successfully hidden it all from him so far. “You’re putting a lot of work into this,” Patricia said. “What did you do last year?”

“I didn’t know about it last year. He didn’t mention it.” Though Patricia was already aware of some of Arthur’s past, Y/N had kept the details to a minimum. She tried to think of an elaboration, one that respected his privacy but was honest. She started in on her pickle. “With Penny being sick - with everything he was going through...”

Sipping her coffee, Patricia spun her stool to face Y/N fully. “You don’t need to say anymore. I remember. It was hard for you both.”

The empathy in Patricia’s gaze prompted a smile. And reminded Y/N how grateful she was for a friend who was frank but unjudgmental. “Back then, he thought needing or wanting anything from me was a bother. But he’s getting better at letting me love him.” Y/N put a hand on her chest. “And now he’ll never need to mention it. It’s locked in here for good.”

~~~~~

Yesterday had left Arthur in a funk. One that showed signs of adhering to his brain the way flies had stuck to the tape he’d had to hang from the ceiling of his old apartment every spring. He’d spent close to twelve hours dancing and waving a “Store Closing! Everything 50-70% off!” placard in front of Dave’s Pleasure Emporium in Gotham Square. (The city must really be fucked if its denizens’ finances were shitty enough that adult shops were shutting down.) It had been his least favorite gig in months. But the slow season was coming on, and the pay had been decent.

The dull ache in his lower spine, radiating to his hip, had made it harder than usual to sleep. And soreness was seeping from familiar spots to sinews he’d forgotten were there. Even the tips of his toes hurt. Two more ibuprofen tablets and acetaminophen went down easily. Carefully, not wanting to rouse her, he removed Y/N’s hand from his stomach, wincing as he shifted onto his left side to alleviate the pressure on his right.

Thirty-five was too old for this. While he loved performing for children, he should have made it as a comic by now. And he should have finished school. He’d be able to do more than be on his feet all day, then. Have more options. Opportunities...

Or maybe he simply shouldn’t have taken that particular job.

The ability to stop catastrophizing, adjust his way of thinking, was new. And rare. He made a mental note to write today’s accomplishment in his journal and share it at his next appointment. The therapist would be impressed with him. Dozing, he thought his funk might abate after all.

It could have been five or fifty minutes later when he felt the comforter being dragged down. Heard the zip of the shades being rolled up. But he was in that snug state between wakefulness and slumber and refused to react. Then there was a pinch on his chin, a light weight on his scalp. “What are you doing?” he mumbled gravelly.

“It’s someone’s special day today,” Y/N said.

Oh. That’s right. He was thirty-six now.

Squinting in the bright sunlight filtering through their sheer curtains, he propped himself on his forearm. She was half-reclined next to him, draped in a short, black nightdress. The one she found a tad tawdry but he liked. He rubbed his eyes, his forehead. Thin cardboard stopped him when he reached his hair. His fingers followed it, found it tapered into a point.

A party hat. She’d gotten him a party hat. He couldn’t hold back his snort.

In his line of work, birthdays were for kids. He’d stopped caring about his own as a teenager. Penny had seemingly been glad he was around. But she never remembered. Hell, he’d had to remind her of her own. But the last acknowledgment of it, the last one before meeting Y/N, had been by a teacher. He’d gotten an extra five minutes of recess and escaped punishment for inappropriate laughter for the day.

This was his first birthday with a person who saw and loved him. Understood who he was. Knew he was more than some image projected onto him. A person who appeared thrilled he existed and to be in his life. As a husband. Every sit-com and film he’d watched had clued him in: wives deemed them important. They hid gifts, cooked special meals, sneaked around arranging parties. There hadn’t been any sneaking on Y/N’s part, none that he could detect. He wondered what she could have planned.

The kneading of her thumb in the hollow of his hip, briefs slung too low as usual, gave him a good idea of her plan for this morning. The entangling of their legs confirmed it. “I got donuts. Coffee’s ready.”

“You, um-“ He cleared his throat, closed his eyes at the brush of her thigh against his length. Which was getting harder with each touch of her lips to the crook of his neck. “You didn’t make breakfast?”

“No.” Her chuckle was throaty, full of desire. “I wasn’t going to torture you with burnt eggs.” She was pulling at his biceps, trying to get him to settle over her. “Let’s work up your appetite, Mr. Fleck.”

But he flinched and halted her movements. The painkillers hadn't kicked in yet. His muscles burned. "We'll get to it later," he promised between languid, lingering kisses. The kind that made him feel safe. Loved. Famished for her. She guided him onto his stomach, stroked him affectionately. Breaths mingling, they chatted lazily until they both cooled off.

Once his stomach started rumbling, Y/N insisted they get up, despite his protestations that he wasn't hungry. That staying under the covers with her for hours would be fun. That they could eat in bed, crumbs be damned. His back would get worse if he continued laying like that, she told him. He needed to stretch and move. Although he grumbled, his experiences with injuries, whether from overwork, assholes, or sleeping on a couch most of his life, had taught him she was right.

Following a cigarette on the fire escape, he went to the kitchen, grabbed a mug, and did a double-take at the round table in the dining nook. He approached it in disbelief. He tensed as he ran his hand along the rectangular gifts and their shiny red paper. Squeezed the puffy, tan winter coat. Fingered the silver ribbon tied to the chair, dangling from an aluminum helium balloon. The lump in his throat forced a short laugh. But he didn't cover his mouth, not having to hide from her. He shook his head, wiping at the sudden wetness in his eyes. "All this is for me?" He did his best to sound normal.

"No. They're for my other husband, Carnival." She came behind him, hugged him around his torso and splayed her fingers on his chest. "You may have met him. Has a penchant for making balloon animals? Wears pants with the cutest patch on his bottom?" He grasped her forearm, held her tight to him as his shoulders shook with mirth.

It wasn't yet eight o'clock. And the day was already shaping up to be one of his favorites.

~~~~~

At the vanity on Arthur's side of the bed, Y/N was attempting to create the perfect oval eye with brown liner. The wide smile creeping onto her face wasn't making it easy. But it couldn't be helped. Everything had gone wonderfully so far. Had more than met her expectations. She hoped his had been met, too.

She'd been badgering him to get a winter coat since last Christmas. (His teeth had chattered almost the entire time they'd stood outside to watch Gotham's Christmas parade. The hot chocolate from a vendor hadn't done much good. A long bath had been necessary to finally warm him up.) The one she'd picked out fit him well, and he'd seemed to like it, hanging it by the door next to his tan jacket. And she'd known he was attached to his trusty, foil razor. But it was over fifteen years old, taped together, and on its way out. The new one had a rechargeable battery. He wouldn't be tethered to the outlet over the sink if he wanted to move around a bit.

The twitch of his nostrils, his hitched breath as he'd whispered, "Thank you," had compelled her to kneel next to his chair. The poignancy of his reaction had affected her keenly. Hollowed out her core and filled it with compassion and love. He'd frowned and wiped his nose with the back of his knuckles. "Sorry," he'd scoffed, glistening eyes darting to hers. "I don't mean to be weird."

"You're not, Arthur." She'd gently removed his black and red polka-dotted party hat, set it on the table. "You're being you."

After a quick lunch, they'd leisurely strolled arm-in-arm through the neighborhood, including a visit to the nearby park. Arthur had wanted to stop into the used record shop three or four blocks away. She'd caressed up and down his back, observing his content visage as he flipped through the LPs. It was lovely to see him treat himself to a couple without hesitating to worry about the cost for too long. At home, he'd settled on the floor by the record player and put them on. He must have been feeling better, because he'd kept his earlier promise: they'd made love on the carpet. Unhurried, sweet, and giggling like idiots.

The opening of the bathroom door broke her out of her reverie. She started blotting her darker-than-usual red lipstick with a tissue. "It was nice of Patricia to get me aftershave," he said.

She smoothed the lines of her champagne color, mid-length dress, adjusted its petal sleeves, then twisted around just as he entered the bedroom. Her movements halted. Would his handsomeness, his beauty, ever fail to stun her? Gaze roaming his slender form, she stared at him. He'd only worn his black and brown oxfords seldomly, saving them for special occasions. The wrinkled white socks didn't match his black pants, but they paired well with him.

It was the teal button-up, patterned with white circles of various opacities and sizes, that caused her to need a few seconds to process his remark. It'd hung in the corner of his old living room; she'd eyed it in their closet since he'd moved in. It was such a contrast to his usual conservative clothing. Quite unlike him, she'd assumed. But seeing him standing there in it, the way it complimented his lithe figure and brought out the light green of his irises, made him look a little less withdrawn, she realized she'd been mistaken.

"She thought it'd suit your new shaver." He gave a gentle hum in response, bashful smile appearing. Such gestures were unfamiliar to him. Eventually, they'd become such an integral part of his life he'd grow tired of them. Y/N would make sure of that. The idea prompted a grin and she stepped around the bed to approach him. "You look great. Are you ready?"

“Yeah.” The crook of his mouth, the furrow of his forehead alerted her to his nervousness. He rubbed the back of his neck, flitted his look to hers. “It sounds fancy.”

She kissed him soundly and he eased into her embrace. “You don’t have to impress me,” she said. “You already did that. Use whichever fork you want.”

The restaurant was in Gotham’s Little Italy district, only a block or two from Chinatown. Y/N had never been to Bamonte’s but her colleagues had given it good reviews. (One had said he and his wife went there every anniversary.) Arthur gaped when they went inside. She watched him survey the lavish, red curtains decorating the walls; the dim lanterns suspended from the ceiling; the faux-marble floor. Huffing, he turned to her, concern clear on his face. She grasped his elbow. “It’s all right. You belong here as much as anyone else.”

The maitre’d led them to a secluded table, behind its own drawn back drapes in the rear corner of the smoking section. Arthur traced the edges of the three lit, tulip-shaped votive holders. Caressed the cream color tablecloth as he sat in the fabric covered chair. An anxious chuckle left him and he smoothed his palm over his thigh. “I hope I don’t spill anything.”

Y/N assisted Arthur with the menu, explaining some of the more exotic-to-him dishes. He was interested in the antipasto, which wasn’t unexpected, since he always kept a jar of olives in the fridge. The gnocchi with tomatoes, spinach, fresh basil, and mozzarella was what he thought sounded best. She chose an old favorite, chicken in a mushroom and white wine sauce and a Caesar salad on the side. Arthur picked the least expensive Moscato on the wine list. When the bottle was opened and left on the table, he blinked at it, then shrugged and filled their glasses.

After a couple of sips, he crossed his legs and puffed on his cigarette. “I wrote a new joke. Well, I really just changed an old one.” He reached across the table to graze across the back of her hand. “Why didn’t the old man like having insomnia?”

Her eyelids fluttered, his gossamer touch setting her aflame. She ran her toes along his calf, his resulting twitch causing her to giggle in delight. “He wanted to sleep with his wife?”

Dark brows shot up in surprise, his eyes lighting up. Their fingers laced together. “How did you know?”

Leaning forward, she traced his crow's feet, prominent due to his beaming smile. Then her touch drifted to his jawline. “It was the first joke you ever told me," she murmured. "How could I forget?” Clutching her hand, he pressed a kiss to her wrist. He held her to his lips, hard enough to feel his teeth. And he grew quiet. “What is it?” she asked after a minute.

His eyelids shut. She could feel his pulse quicken together with hers. “I- I wanna sleep with you forever,” he breathed.

Out of anyone else’s mouth, she would have taken that to mean sex. From him, however, she knew it meant mountains more. Adoration welling in her chest, her fingertips weaved into his loose, chestnut curls. “You will.”

~~~~~

Once, in high school, Arthur had gotten a hold of some grass. It was supposed to induce giddiness and euphoria, make a person relax. God knows he could have used it back then; Penny had started declining and he’d had to learn to run a household. Plus, he’d thought at the time, it’d make him one of the guys. All the cool kids were doing it. Maybe he’d be able to connect with one and learn how to be popular. But all it had done was make him nauseous and paranoid. There hadn’t been one iota of the “high” he’d imagined. He’d thrown it out and never tried it again.

Now he wondered: was it possible to be high on a person? To be drunk on their presence? To feel their essence down to the cell? Necking on the sofa with Y/N, their coffee forgotten on the coffee table, he figured it must be. Enraptured, he wanted to capture her ragged breaths, take her into his lungs, make her a perpetual part of his being. Perhaps he’d stay happy naturally, then, like everyone else. Even if that didn’t work, she’d always be close.

Giggling, she pushed him off her and headed towards the kitchen. “Wait here. No peeking.”

Laughing softly, Arthur pushed his hair out of his face. She’d already gotten him gifts. Let him make love to her. Taken him to an eatery where he was totally out of place and managed to make it comfortable. What else could she possibly do? Luckily, he didn’t have to wait long. He eagerly followed at the call of his name.

The loveliest cake he’d ever seen was on the counter. Dark chocolate shavings embellished its round border. And it was the perfect size for the two of them. Y/N was rushing to light a mass of candles on it. “Quick, make a wish before wax drips onto the frosting.”

He mused for a moment. He no longer needed to pine for daydreams and delusions of companionship - he had Y/N. In spite of the icons his mother had had in every room of their apartment, he’d long ago stopped praying to what he suspected was nothing for his conditions and illnesses to go away. Then it occurred to him. Bending to blow out the candles, he wished for his innate comedic gifts to be recognized. To be validated as the stand-up he knew he was. And to provide for Y/N. To be what she needed. To make her happy.

Although he was grateful for Patricia’s thoughtfulness, and he knew Y/N’s baking wasn’t better than his own, part of him had wanted her to be the one who made the cake. But he tried to push that aside and appreciate it regardless. The slice she gave him was far too generous. He ate it all, anyway, because it was delicious. The sponge was fluffy. And the chocolate could actually be detected, instead of a vague, sugary flavor. The frosting tasted finer than that on the grocery store bakery cupcakes he’d sampled in the past.

As he was rinsing off the cutlery, Y/N saddled up beside him and held out a bright purple envelope, inscribed with “Happy Birthday!” in her pretty longhand. He leaned his hip against the counter as he grasped it, intentionally brushing his hand against hers. Gingerly, he lifted the flap and pulled out the card.

The cardstock was a vibrant gold and white. Two mugs, one green and labeled, “Yours,” one pink and labeled, “Mine” sat on sketched coasters. The shiny purple letters underneath proclaimed, “You get me. I get you.” Pressing his thin lips together, he opened it. And sighed when he read the rest: “Hope you know how happy that makes me.”

One of his wishes had already come true.

The elation coursing through his veins made him shudder. He nearly missed the stiff papers that fell from the envelope. Y/N retrieved them and gently placed them in his palm. A wide smile spread across his cheeks as he read aloud. “‘Gotham Pops presents A Night with Gershwin?’” He double-checked the date. “These are for New Year’s Eve.”

She nodded. “I snagged them as soon as they went on sale. They’re orchestra seats.” Then she squeezed him flush to her side, bumped her nose to his. “Don’t think I haven’t heard you sing to yourself in the tub.”

“Oh,” he chuckled, eyes tracing the diamond pattern of the grey, linoleum floor. “I thought I was quieter.”

“I’m glad you weren’t.” Enthusiastically, her lips pulled at his before she grinned up at him. “Did you have a happy birthday? Was it worth getting older?”

Arthur’s answer came without delay. “Yes.” There wasn’t a way to explain what it meant to him, to explain that she helped him feel good to be alive. How full his heart was. That she patched cracks in his soul he hadn’t known existed. He longed to do the same for her. He cupped her jaw on either side, guiding her to his mouth and rasping, “I don’t mind getting older with you.”

~~~~~

Tag list (Let me know if you want to be added!): @harmonioussolve @howdylilflower @sweet-nothings04 @stephieraptorr @rommies @fallenstarsabyss @gruffle1 @octopus-plasma @tsukiakarinobara @arthur-flecks-lovely-smile @another-day-in-chuckletown @hhandley80 @jokerownsmysoul

#arthur fleck #arthur fleck fanfic #arthur fleck x reader #arthur fleck x female reader #arthur fleck x ofc #joker 2019 #watchwhathappens

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98prilla · 4 years

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Absorbing Anxiety

Based on @loveceit ‘s concept of Virgil being able to absorb the worries of the other sides! It was such a great concept and I loved it, so here’s my little take on it. Please let me know what you think!

They were all in the kitchen of the mindscape. Usually, they each grabbed food individually or just conjured up stuff when they wanted to eat, but Patton insisted once a week they all cook and hang out and eat with each other. A family supper, you could say.

Currently, Patton was looking over Roman's shoulder, trying to instruct him in making spaghetti sauce. Virgil was sitting at the kitchen island, watching them bicker, absolutely sure they were going to start the stove on fire. Then it would spread to the rest of the kitchen, the table, their rooms, it would be nothing but searing heat and dancing flames. He could taste the ash in his mouth, feel the smoke choking his lungs, his skin burning and blistering as he fought through the fire, trying to escape, but it was everywhere, there was no way out.

“Yo, edge lord!” He jerked at Roman's voice, cutting through his daydream. Or day mare? Whatever.

“what, prince of annoying me?” he asked, glaring slightly up at him from under his bangs.

“Honestly Roman, did you even bother to read over the recipe for this dish before you began cooking?” Logan asked, entering, distracting Roman. Virgil breathed out a slight sigh, glad to feel the attention shift away from him.

“Please, I’m a master chef! I can improvise with the best of them!” He replied, spucking spaghetti sauce against the wall as he gestured with the spoon he’d been using for stirring. Virgil snorted and Logan sighed, adjusting his glasses.

“He’s doing great, Logan! He just needs some more practice.” Patton countered, gently taking away the spoon from Roman anyway.

“So did Undyne” Virgil muttered to himself. He didn’t notice Logan’s attention shift his way, or the hint of puzzlement that slipped into his gaze. Virgil had seemed more, well, anxious of late, and he was going to solve this mystery.

They were at the table, Virgil having set the places while Logan monitored the kitchen, which helped put his mind at ease about the whole fire thing. Despite Roman’s best attempts, the pasta was quite good, and Virgil could practically live off garlic bread, which always accompanied this meal. It was relatively quiet as they all ate. Usually Patton would finish first, and then quiz everyone else about their day.

They all had their own schedules, though obviously they worked together quite a bit. Logan got them all up by 9am usually. They would all scrounge for breakfast, or Patton would make pancakes. Usually Roman would grumble and moan for twenty minutes before actually getting up, while Virgil was one of the first in the kitchen, making coffee. They’d socialize a bit, then split off, Logan trying to make sure Thomas followed his schedule, usually having to reign in Patton, who wanted to chase after every dog they passed on the street. Roman was usually brain storming or questing through the imagination for new and interesting ideas, sometimes bringing the rest of them along. Virgil hated to admit it, but he actually kind of liked these excursions. It was a bit like playing live d&d. He was a rogue type, obviously. And other than that, Virgil kept Thomas aware of his surroundings, of any dangers, of impending deadlines, of things that needed to be worked on urgently and things that could wait. Usually they all had some down time in the evening they spent together, or with Thomas as well, then it was off to bed. Virgil usually was up the latest, going down rabbit holes of conspiracy theories or loose ends from the day, trying not to keep Thomas awake.

“Could you pass the bread, kiddo?” Patton asked. Virgil smiled, coming out of his thoughts.

“anything for you, Pat.” He replied, passing the plate across the table to Patton. For a moment as the plate passed from one hand to another, their fingers touched.

Insecurities. About being too silly, not being taken seriously, not being listened to, being dismissed. He only wanted to help, but it seemed nothing he did was ever good enough, or just caused more harm. All his nostalgia and daydreaming just distracted from what was important, what was real and there and now, but he couldn’t let go of the past, even when it hurt. So he clung to it like a lifeline even when he knew it was better to let go, and it hurt…

Virgil bit his lip as he pulled his hand away, making sure no one else saw the slight flicker of shadow that vanished into his skin, absorbed by his being. He noticed with satisfaction that Patton chartered away the rest of the meal, eyes bright and filled with excitement, all the clouds gone from his mind. He didn’t notice Logan’s appraising eyes on him. Virgil went to bed early that night.

Roman was pacing the living room. Virgil was sitting on the couch, headphones on, playing some podcast he was only really half listening to as he watched Roman endlessly walking back and forth, wearing holes in the carpet. He was muttering to himself too, which was never a good sign. With a sigh he pulled the headphones down around his neck.

“Having trouble, Romeo?” He asked, smirking despite himself. It was always fun to see Roman in a bit of a pickle, it didn’t happen too often that creativity couldn’t think of anything creative.

“I’ve been brainstorming for hours, and I’ve got nothing, nada, zero! It’s hopeless. I’ll never have another idea.” He plopped dramatically onto the couch, arm splayed across his forehead. Virgil snorted.

“Please. You’re literally the embodiment of ideas. How hard could it be to think of an idea for a video?” He asked, and Roman immediately sat up, a gleam in his eye as he looked at Virgil.

“Oh alright. Hit me with something. Give it a go. What’ve you got, off the top of your head?” Roman asked. Virgil didn’t even blink.

“Ghost hunting. Get an audio tape, an emf reader, and boom, video.” Roman shook his head.

“You know that will scare Patton to death, and Logan will be talking our ear off the entire time about the scientific impossibility of ghosts. In the end, Thomas won’t believe we’ve found something even if a full bodied apparition appears in front of us.” Roman replied. “Anything else?”

“Hmm could do more gaming stuff with his friends. Everyone seems to love that, haven’t done a Kingdom Hearts episode in a while. I know you love Disney.” Virgil teased.

“Tempting, tempting, but been there done that. I’m trying to think of something different, something we haven’t already done before.” Virgil groaned, leaning back against the couch.

“Alright, maybe this is a biit harder than I was giving you credit for. But you’ll think of something. It’s what you do. Go run around in the imagination for a while, beat up the dragon witch, I dunno.” Virgil replied, reaching up to push back his hair, grazing Roman’s arm with his own as he did so.

Worries. Nothing he did was original anymore, was showstopping, amazing, attention getting. It was only a matter of time before everyone found out he was a fraud, before he ran out of ideas permanently, and then Thomas’s career would be over. He’d have ruined it for all them, for Thomas, let them all down. Or worse, he’d be deposed by Remus. Thomas’s content would turn into a dumpster fire and all of his loving fans would turn against him, the backlash would be on national TV, he’d be the laughing stock of the entire internet, no one would care about him anymore. And he’d be powerless to do anything about it, because deep down, he was just a faker. He was nothing, nothing at all.

Virgil barely registered Roman’s rushed farewell as he hurried off to his room, alight with some new idea he needed to start sketching out before he lost it. Virgil flipped his hood up, looking at his arm. It took the darkness longer to fade this time, and he didn’t know why. It had never felt like this before, so overwhelming, so built up. He drew in a breath, trying to contain his own spiraling thoughts.

It had to be something to do with being originally a “dark side” now living in the “light side”. It had to be something to do with the others. Deceit, if he had to place his bets. Because of him, he was so full on his own personal stress and worry that it was harder and took longer to absorb the other’s. But he had to. If they wanted to get anything done, he had to. He could handle it. He always had, anyways.

It was dark. Whispers chased him through twisting corridors, faint voices that whispered he was worthless, he’d never be forgiven, he was unworthy of their love, he was a liar and a fraud and a cheat. He ran faster, trying to outrun those words, trying to scream, to say it wasn’t true, but his words caught in his throat until he choked on them, falling to his knees, unable to breath. The whispers buzzed around his head, burrowed into his skin, each one biting deeper than the last until there was nothing of him left and he dissolved into a shadow. Desperatly, he tried to reach the others, but they couldn’t seem to hear him.

He watched them wait for him for breakfast, only for him to never arrive. Saw them knock on his door with worry, force it open to find no sign of him. He saw Patton crying, sitting on his bed, hugging tight the card Virgil had once made for him. He tried to reach out, to comfort him, but the scene burned away, flaking away like ash, leaving him once again in suffocating darkness, knowing there was nothing, nothing he could do.

He jolted awake to a knock at his door, breathing heavy and panicked, unsure for a moment where he was.

“Virgil? May I speak with you?” It was Logan. He furrowed his brow, looking at the clock beside his bed. It was early, seven am, but Logan was usually an early riser. Then he looked down, biting back a yelp.

His arms were covered in inky shadows, no doubt the result of his nightmare. It looked almost like his skin was luminescent with darkness, like he was becoming a shadow himself. His breath hitched again at the thought. What if his nightmare was a warning? What if he was going to fade away and only be able to watch as everything fell apart, and no one would be able to keep Thomas safe anymore, and he’d no doubt do something stupid and get himself killed.

Or worse, selfishly worse, what if nothing changed? What if Thomas was happier, what if he was more productive? What if he got videos done on schedule and came up with innovative ideas and found someone good to love, because all this time he had only been standing in Thomas’s way, and they’d all been too blind to see it?

“Virgil?” He barely heard Logan’s voice anymore. His airway was constricted, and he felt like he couldn’t breathe. The room was swirling, closing in around him, and he didn’t have any space, any air, there wasn’t any room, any light, any sound…

“Stop it.” He whispered, the buzzing words swirling around him, eating away at him. He covered his ears, tears tracking down his face as they grew louder and louder, drowning him out. Coward, useless, stupid, foolish, childish, dreamer, idiot…

“STOP IT!” He shouted, and suddenly the whispers ceased, the darkness vanished from his skin, the room expanded and it was blessedly silent. He collapsed against the bed, curling into himself, unable to stop shaking. It was so much, when had it all become so much? How did he ever do this without any problem? This was his job, it was what he was made for, made of, why was it hurting so much now?

“Virgil. Please. Please just… just open the door.” Logan’s voice was steady as ever, but something about it, the tone, the octave, made Virgil listen without registering what he was doing, and his door clicked open.

He heard footsteps, slow and soft, like Logan was afraid of scaring him away, like he was a startled deer ready to bolt at any moment. He felt the bed shift beside him, felt Logan’s weight on it.

“You’re not feeling well.” It wasn’t a question, and Virgil didn’t bother answering, no point in denying it. Then Logan reached out.

“Don’t-“ He yelped, trying to pull back, but Logan had already grabbed hold of his wrist. As he watched, it turned almost translucent, revealing the shadows swirling around inside, thick and viscous, like a combination of oil and smog roiling beneath his skin. He heard Logan inhale sharply, felt his eyes on him, but he couldn’t bring himself to look up. To see the disgust and fear and pity on his face, to see him recoil now that he’d seen what lay beneath the surface, now that he knew what he really was.

“I thought so.” Was what he mused instead. Virgil’s head jerked up, looking at Logan, who was staring into the distance, as if calculating something in his head. “How long have you been using this ability?” He asked. Virgil hunched his shoulders, hugging his knees to his chest.

“What ability?” He muttered. He felt Logan’s stern gaze on him again, then heard him sigh.

“I noticed you doing it to Patton the other night. You touched his hand, then he became noticeably more… well, cheery. And Roman, the other day. He’d had writers block for hours, then two minutes with you and he’s writing up a storm. I’ve noticed other times, too, where short interactions with you suddenly leave one of the others more lighthearted and you more downcast, especially and concerningly so as of late. So, I will ask again. How long have you been using this ability?” Virgil bit his lip, hesitating, before shrugging.

“Always. I’ve always had it. Always used it, even when I was... was one of Them. Makes sense, right? Anxiety can absorb other Sides’ anxieties. Makes it easier for everyone to function, doesn’t impede me doing my job. After a while it just, I dunno, fades away from me.” He replied.

“But now it isn’t, is it? Instead of gradually fading away, it is instead accumulating to previously unforeseen levels, perhaps dangerously so and to your detriment.”

“I’m fine, teach. Just some added worries. Nothing I can’t handle.” Virgil replied, giving Logan a smile, stretching. Logan simply frowned.

“You’re not fine, Virg. I could feel you, the whole mindscape could. You’ve never felt like that, not even during a panic attack. This, what you’re doing, I don’t know why it’s hurting you this way now, when it wasn’t before, but you need to stop using it, at least until we can figure out why.” Virgil looked like he was going to argue for a moment, but then he deflated, seeming to sink into himself.

“then what good am I? If I can’t even do my job, what’s the point?” He whispered, voice shaking.

“Oh Virgil. This isn’t your job. It’s not your job to take away everyone else’s worries, it’s not your job to put all of that on yourself, it’s not your job to keep it all inside you until you fall apart and your emotional well being is compromised. Your job is to keep Thomas safe, and doing what he needs to, in order to survive.”

Then Logan was suddenly hugging him. He blinked in surprise before leaning into it, letting all his own stress cry itself dry. Virgil was too preoccupied to notice, but Logan wasn’t, as he watched some of the darkness swirling inside Virgil slip onto his own skin, and sink into it. He felt a bit heavier, a bit more stressed for no particular reason than usual, but it wasn’t cumbersome, and it wasn’t a hinderance to his function.

He realized that just as Virgil could siphon away other’s stresses and worries, he too, could siphon away some of Virgil’s. He wondered if all of the others could do it. It made sense, that it would work both ways. He supposed it would naturally fade away over time, but that it faded faster the less there was, just as worries, once stacked on top of each other, lingered longer than if they had been one single thought.

He ran the calculations in his mind. He could take a bit from Virgil, make sure it dissipated fully, then take some more, and soon he would be back to normal levels. As long as he monitored the situation, and started easing some of the added worry before it built up to such high levels again, it shouldn’t affect either of them. He would have to be discreet, of course, just as Virgil didn’t want anyone to know he was siphoning away their anxieties, Virgil wouldn’t approve of Logan taking away his.

“It’s ok, Virgil. It’s ok.” Logan whispered, hesitantly stroking Virgil’s hair as he rocked him. He generally wasn’t the one dealing with emotions, and was slightly out of practice in comforting people, but his efforts seemed to be working as Virgil’s sobs slowly came to a halt, and he drew away, wiping his eyes.

“I don’t know why it’s so much. Why it… it hurts, so much. It’s never been like this before, never. Something must be wrong with me, something isn’t working right.” Virgil rambled, wiping his nose on his sweater sleeve.

“Just take a break from using it for a while, alright? You have so much accumulated right now, it just needs more time to break down. Don’t use it for, let’s say a week, and then we’ll see how you feel. As long as you are honest with me about the state of the build up. Ok?” Logan asked, Virgil meeting his eyes as he nodded.

“Ok teach.” Logan smiled softly.

“good. Now, do you want to try and get some more rest, or do you want to come help with breakfast?” Virgil smiled wryly.

“I think sleep is out of the question. Might as well make sure the kitchen doesn’t go down in flames.” They made small talk the rest of the morning as they cooked, the repetitive pattern of it soothing Virgil’s mind somewhat, letting him relax without realizing it, making Logan sigh with relief.

It seemed he’d managed to get this power of Virgil’s under control once again. But that begged the question, if it had been previously under control, who had been siphoning away the stress from Virgil? Certainly not Remus. So, it must have been… Deceit?

Not for the first time, Logan wondered how close Virgil had been with the others before moving to the other side of the mindscape. Close enough that small touches of affection were acceptable, if Deceit truly had been managing Virgil’s skill. Yet Virgil seemed to hate him so vehemently now. He sighed, flipping pancakes. That was a mystery for another day.

#sanderssides #thomas sanders #virgil angst #virgil sanders #patton sanders #roman sanders #logan sanders #mention of deciet

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youxidol · 7 years

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ＶＡＭＰＩＲＥ!ＥＸＯＲＥＡＣＴＩＯＮ: weird cravings

Minseok:

Minseok had noticed that your mood sky rocketed when you ate chicken. So he’d fallen into a routine of bringing some home for you to munch on. He sat next to you as you worked through the thighs, humming in glee with each bite. “It need something,” you said through your mouthful of food as you went to collect the bottle of chocolate sauce which you poured over the chicken. “Do you think it’s bad?” you frowned, looking to him. “We can work on your diet when your cravings stop being so crazy. For now, eat what you want and be happy.”

Junmyeon:

You and Junmyeon had curled up on the sofa to watch TV. His hands rested on your stomach while you watched a documentary about the desserts of the world. “That looks so good,” you whispered at the shot of the sand. “You want to go on holiday?” he smiled, rubbing you stomach. “No I want to eat it,” the smile faded quickly as he looked over your face.

He left your side for mere seconds to bring you a bowl of ice chips, which took your mind completely off the random craving you had. “We should watch a movie,” he hummed, turning the channel over while you ate the ice.

Yixing:

Yixing had spent all night cooking you soup that would give you all of the vitamins and nutrients you needed. When you woke, he placed the bowl in your lap, smiling at you as you tasted it. “Can you put cinnamon in it?” you asked, holding the bowl back to him. “Anything for you, my love.”

Baekhyun:

Baekhyun’s face screwed up in disgust the second he entered your home. When he found you at the table, about to bite into a raw garlic clove his eyes widened before he came to slap it from your hand. “Don’t eat that!” he exclaimed, taking the chopping board to throw it in the bin. “I need it!” you whined, holding your hands towards the bin. “Absolutely not,” he returned to your side, one hand resting on your belly, the other cupping your face. “Let’s go back to the mango cravings, yeah?”

Jongdae:

Jongdae laid next to you on the bed as you munched at your onions that were dipped in peanut butter. “I hope he doesn’t want to eat this when he comes out,” he smirked, rubbing your belly lovingly.

“I bet my breath stinks...” you mumbled, making him nod. “Worse thing I’ve ever smelled,” he hummed with a chuckle. “I’ll go brush my teeth,” as you went to sit up, he lowered you back onto the bed. “I can cope with it,” he whispered, lips pressing to your forehead.

Chanyeol:

Chanyeol watched you lovingly as you devoured the cake he’d decorated with olives. “It’s good?” he asked, tapping your stomach gently. “It’s amazing!” you muffled through the mouthful of food. “Anything for you and this darling,” he leaned forward to press a kiss to your head and your bump.

Kyungsoo:

The craving you were having with annoying you greatly; no matter what you combined, nothing satisfied you. So you now waited patiently for Kyungsoo to cook up what he thought would help. The smell made you think it was promising, but when he set it down in front of you, you whined and slumped in your chair.

You watched him take a sip from his glass of blood then went to sit in his lap. You dipped a piece of your broccoli into the blood and ate it. “Really?” he laughed, arms coming to wrap around you. “I spend hours cooking for you and you ditch it for blood?” his thumb swiped away the drop that trickled down your chin and licked it clean. “That tastes so good,” you breathed. “Well, at least you’ll adjust to being a vampire easily.”

Jongin:

Jongin narrowed his eyes at the plate that the waiter set down in front of you. “Is that good for you? It smells very acidic,” he murmured, nose crinkling as he watched you take a bite from the pickled mixture. “It’s not my fault he wants this.”

Sehun:

Sehun’s eyes never left you as you prepared you evening ‘meal’. You set down the chocolate ice cream and mustard mix, making him lower his mug of blood. “I think I can say that my meal is more normal than yours for once,” he giggled.

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jenguerrero · 4 years

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#MattMoore @MattMoore #SerialGriller @SerialGriller #hmhco @hmhco

I loved Matt’s book, the South’s Best Butts, so I was psyched to see he had a new book out! First of all, I can’t even with that name!!! 😀 Serial Griller is a fabulous book, with great versions of the tried-and-true dishes you know and love, and some really creative ones to let you flex your grilling muscles! Terrific range. I want to highlight two iconic vacation favorites of ours. Every time we take a hiking vacation in Gatlinburg, TN, we stop for Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwiches on the way there and back. So ridiculously yummy! It never would have occurred to me to try grilling it. Does that luscious spicy and barely sweetened chicken oil stick to the grilled chicken the way it does to the fried? Yes!

New Orleans is only 8 hours from Fort Worth, so we love to duck down there, and when we do, you’d think we were in some sort of Po’Boy testing and analysis. He does his chuck roast on the grill, and it adds just a little smokiness to it. <sniff> It’s really a thing of beauty.

Big thanks to HMH for letting me share both of those recipes with you! I’ll tell you all about the other dishes we tried after the recipes. If you get the book, flip it open to the BBQ Meatloaf and Redneck potatoes and make those right away. Hug me later!

Excerpted fromSerial Griller: Grillmaster Secrets for Flame-Cooked Perfection© 2020 by Matt Moore. Photography © 2020 by Andrea Behrends and Helene Dujardin.Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

East Nashville Hot Chicken

SERVES 4

Being a longtime resident of East Nashville, I’m hesitant to even include this recipe. I still have not come to terms with Nashville’s rapid ascent as a city, or the fact that hot chicken has become our food of export. Most folks incorrectly liken hot chicken to buffalo-style chicken. Classic hot chicken includes a paste—almost a batter—of molten butter or oil, sugar, and spice that’s a deep heat that hits you more in the gut than tongue. The classic hot chicken is fried, but this grilled spin is awesome. Serve the usual way, with soft white bread and tart dill pickles, and it’s a taste of home, no matter where you’re from.

HANDS-ON:35 minutes TOTAL:8 hours 35 minutes, including 8 hours marinating

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (about 1 pound) 2 cups dill pickle juice 1 cup water 1 tablespoon plus teaspoons kosher salt 1 cup canola oil 2 tablespoons light brown sugar 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon paprika 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper 8(1-ounce) white sandwich bread slices 20 dill pickle chips

1.Place the chicken, pickle juice, water, and 1 table-spoon of the salt in a large ziplock plastic bag. Seal the bag and marinate in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours. Remove the chicken from the bag; dis-card the marinade. Set the chicken aside at room temperature.

2.Open the bottom vent of a charcoal grill completely. Light a charcoal chimney starter filled with charcoal. When the coals are covered with gray ash, pour them onto the bottom grate of the grill. Adjust the vents as needed to maintain an internal temperature of 400° to 450°F. (If using a gas grill, preheat to medium-high [400° to 450°F].)

3.Combine the oil, sugar, cayenne, paprika, and black pepper in a small grill-safe saucepan; place on unoiled grates. Cook, uncovered and stirring often, until tiny bubbles form and the sugar melts, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat. Pour the mixture into a heatproof bowl and allow to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.

4.Sprinkle the chicken with the remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Coat the top grate with oil; place the chicken on the oiled grates. Grill, covered, until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of the chicken registers 160°F, 10 to 12 minutes per side. Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes.

5.Dip the chicken, one breast at a time, in the oil-sugar mixture. Place two bread slices on each of four serving plates; top one slice on each plate with a chicken breast and five pickle chips.

Debris Po’Boy

SERVES 6

Chuck roast seems to always be on sale at my local grocery—especially on Sundays. Though I’m all for a low-and-slow roast in the oven or slow cooker on the weekend, I prefer throwing this bad boy on the grill until the exterior is crusty and caramelized. Once it’s got a good exterior char, I finish cooking the roast in a Dutch oven until it is fall-apart moist and tender, “debris” style. Of course, you can serve the beef as a traditional roast with all the fixings, but I like it shredded and piled in a classic po’boy, dressed with the trimmings and reserved drippings. Keep a bowl of that savory drippings nectar close for dunking.

HANDS-ON:25 minutes TOTAL:3 hours 15minutes

1 (3-pound) boneless chuck roast 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper 3 cups unsalted beef stock ¾ cup (6 ounces) salted butter, softened 6 (8-inch-long) portions Italian bread, split 6 tablespoons mayonnaise 12 (¾-ounce) slices provolone cheese 3 cups shredded iceberg lettuce (from 1 head) 12 thin tomato slices (from 1 large [12-ounce] tomato) 24 dill pickle chips Crystal hot sauce (optional)

1.Open the bottom vent of a charcoal grill completely. Light a charcoal chimney starter filled with charcoal. When the coals are covered with gray ash, pour them onto the bottom grate of the grill. Adjust vents as needed to maintain an internal temperature of 300° to 350°F. Coat the top grate with oil; place on the grill. (If using a gas grill, preheat to medium-low [300° to 350°F].)

2.Season the beef with the salt and pepper. Place on the oiled grates. Grill, covered and turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a large Dutch oven. Pour the stock over the beef and place the Dutch oven on the grates. Grill, covered, until thebeef is fork-tender and a thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 145°F, about 2½ hours. Remove the pot from the heat. Transfer the beef to a cutting board (reserving drippings in the pot); let rest for 15 minutes.

3.Spread the butter evenly on the cut sides of the bread. Place the bread, cut-side down, on the oiled grates and grill until just golden brown, about 45 seconds. Remove from the grill.

4.Shred the beef with a fork. Spread the mayonnaise evenly on the bread tops. Place two cheese slices on each bread bottom. Top evenly with the shredded beef, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and hot sauce (if desired). Pour the reserved beef drippings into a serving bowl; serve alongside the sandwiches.

The Sweet Potatoes al Rescoldo on page 91 are the absolute best, and would be the perfect accompaniment to your Thanksgiving turkey. Buttery and sweet with pie spices, a little chile, and nuts.

The BBQ Meatloaf on page 271 is fantastic! And he’s talking BBQ sauce – it’s made on the grill. Killer meatloaf! Tons of flavor and the texture was perfect. I made this will the potatoes below and it was outstanding.

The Redneck Potatoes on page 211 are total keepers. I’ve made them twice already. It’s that comfort food perfection that you’re hoping for.

The East Nashville Hot Chicken on page 237 is amazing!!! Amazing! It never would have occurred to me that you could grill it instead of frying it. Yeah, the coating sticks!

The Flank Steak with Black-Garlic Board Sauce on page 53 is fabulous! If you’ve never tried it before, hunting down the black garlic is well worth it. It adds so much depth of flavor to the sauce. He’s recommending dried grapevines as fuel, but I went with one of his substitutes, dried peach wood.

The Spatchcocked Whole Chicken on page 240 is so yummy. If you haven’t tried spatchcocking before, you’re in for a treat! It cooks so evenly and stays wonderfully juicy. Do it!

The Debris Po’Boy on page 229 is to die for. We try all the Po’Boys every time we find ourselves in New Orleans and this has all the lusciousness you’re expecting in a Po’Boy with a little kiss of smokiness from the grill. We loved them!

The Bacon and Swiss Burgers on page 60 are perfect. I grill burgers or do them in the skillet, but hadn’t thought of combining those two. Truly the best of both worlds. Note: He doesn’t mention seasoning the patties before you start grilling, and you’re going to want to do that.

The Meatballs with Sweet-and-Sour Sauce on page 162 are great. They’ve got a Swedish meatball vibe with a lot of flavor overlap, so I love that they’re glazed in lingonberries.

The Chili on the Grill on page 266 is a really flavorful, nearly all meat version. I stole a piece of wood from my smoker for the final one hour simmer to amp up the smokiness. So good!

The Pork Gyros on page 223 are really flavorful and juicy. So good!

*I received a copy to explore and share my thoughts.

Need a copy of that book? I’m an Amazon affiliate. Every time you use one of my links to make a purchase, Amazon gives me a tiny percentage. Thank you!

Serial Griller

East Nashville Hot Chicken and Debris Po’Boy Recipes and cookbook review: Serial Griller #MattMoore @MattMoore #SerialGriller @SerialGriller #hmhco @hmhco I loved Matt’s book, the South’s Best Butts, so I was psyched to see he had a new book out!

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spicysoupparadise-blog · 6 years

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recipe // polish pickle soup, aka zupa orgokowa

“If you even remotely like pickles and you like soup, you gotta do Polish Pickle Soup. All hail the pickle.”

Makes: 6 servings of soup Time: 15 min Prep Time, 30 min Cook Time Survives: 3 – 4 days in fridge (depending on how many days in a row you can eat pickles)

// Ingredients

– 1 yellow onion – 2 leeks – a dash of olive oil – some butter – 4 cloves garlic – 2 or 3 large russet potatoes, depending on how much you like potatoes – dill pickle spears. I like Mt. Olive Brand. You can use whatever you want! – 6 cups veggie broth – 2 bay leaves – household flour – 1/2 cup heavy cream

// Preparation

– cut onion into long “french onion soup”-like strips – WASH THOSE LEEKS REALLY WELL BEFORE YOU CUT THEM. – Snip off those long tough leek fronds. Only use the soft light-green/white parts – cut leeks across the circle, so you get cute little leek rings – WASH THOSE LEEKS AGAIN – dice four cloves of garlic – wash, peel, and chop up your potatoes. They work best as little cubes, big enough/small enough to fit on a quarter. – chop up pickle spears into as big as a pieces as you want. // If you make them finer, they will be more incorporated into the soup. If you make them them bigger, they will stick out in the soup – but give you a splash of pickle flavor when you eat it! I preferred my pickle slices smaller – about dime sized. Foots preferred his to be quarter sized. – SAVE SOME PICKLE JUICE FROM THE JAR.

// Steps

– heat onion strips in a soup pot in olive oil over medium heat until translucent and sweaty (delish) – add in those two leeks, YOU WASHED THEM RIGHT? – throw in a good chunk of butter, (like two “pats”), just to add some sweet saltiness to those leeks and onions, it should make them good and shiny and smooth – cook, while stirring, until butter is incorporated (about 2 minutes) – throw in those garlic cloves and cook – stirring – until fully incorporated (about 30 seconds) – throw in them taters! Get them all sweaty and covered in that butter. They’ll love it. – throw in the pickles and then 1/2 cup of pickle juice. SAVE SOME PICKLE JUICE FROM THE JAR. You’ll need it later. – Add 6 cups of veggie broth – or until as brothy as you like – Add 2 bay leaves – Boil for 10 minutes, cover on the pot – While boiling, take a small bowl and add 1 tablespoon of flour to 1/2 cup of heavy cream.Whip it up good. Leave on counter until ready. Unless your cat will eat it. Then put it somewhere he won’t eat it. – At 10 minutes, open the top and pour in the cream/flour mix. Stir well. The pot should still be boiling. – Smell the pickle-ness. If it is not pickle-y enough for you, add more pickle juice. Do this slowly so you adjust how much you like. It should be salty, but not like eating a pickle. // In total, we probably had 1 & 1/2 cups (the original 1/2 cup and then 1 more), but Foots wanted it VERY pickle-y). You do you, girlfriend. Add the whole jar if you want. Add none. Up to you. – Cook for another 5 minutes. – Return to the pot and taste the potatoes. Actually stick a fork into them and EAT ONE. You’re going to notice something funny. The potatoes won’t feel cooked on the outside – but they will taste cooked on the inside. They are done. The saltiness of the brine and the starchy flesh of the potato do something funny. The outside of the potato is actually some kind of “briny salt crust.” That is the most beautiful thing in the world. Don’t overcook the potatoes. Keep the crust. You’ll thank me. – Stop the boil and let the soup come to room temperature. Store in fridge overnight and eat next day. // You could eat this soup immediately. In fact, all of the recipes we read said to. However, we NEVER eat a soup the day of. We always let it marinade. We feel that the soup tastes SO MUCH better – including this soup. But if your circumstances call for eating now – you can eat now.

Eating Now // Serve warm with a piece of toasty thick bread like a country loaf. Don’t use a ciabatta or a baguette or other sourdough flavors as the sourness of the bread doesn’t marry too well with the saltiness of the soup.

Eating Later // Reheat only the amount you’re going to eat on the stove or the microwave. Serve with toast. Lasts three days in fridge.

Have a recipe you think could beat it? Drop me a message! I’ll try it out!

#food #foodporn #foodblog #foodblogger #soup #lunch #eastern-european #vegetarian #polish food

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runfront3-blog · 5 years

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linguine and clams

It’s only the first day of summer and I’m already weeks deep into our unofficial dish of it, linguine alle vongole, preferably hastily prepared about 10 to 15 minutes before we dive in, eaten outside with a current favorite rosé, caprese salad and a massive bowl of kale caesar (from SKED). It’s infinitely summery. It’s pasta, but I don’t feel like I need a nap after I eat it. And hey, there’s even a t-shirt to go with it (hat tip).

You do not need one fancy thing to make it, save the freshest clams you can find. You can pick them up on the way home from the beach or sprinkler park or wherever you’re going to spend your summer day now that cooking will be the easiest part of it. I prefer manila clams, as they’re smaller and, I’m convinced, sweeter, but littleneck or cherrystone are fine as well. From there, a glug of oil, red pepper flakes, a lot of garlic, a cup of wine, a bag of dried pasta, a lump of butter, a squeeze of lemon, and a pile of chopped parsley, and boom, so easy let’s do it again every week.

The only thing I’m extremely bad at when I make it is measuring, which I’m sure fills you with confidence right now. If you were interviewing me as I was cooking it and said “how much garlic did you just chop?” I’d be like an impenetrable grandmother and say “some” but I mean “a lot” and possibly even “all of it” (it = a head of garlic) when I double this. We’ll call it 7 cloves. Whaaat, you say, did you invite vampires over? But it settles in so well with the other ingredients, it will still not be the first thing you taste. If you ask me how much olive oil I put in the pan to heat the garlic, I’d say, “a glug” or “just coat the pan.” Parsley? A big handful. Butter? A lump. (Note: Every cook who has ever told you they added only a “pat” of butter lies.) Pepper flakes? As much as your crew can handle. Salt? Go for it. Pasta? Eh, about a pound, but what I really mean is, if you guys are a 7 to 8 servings to a pound bag people, do that here; if you’re 3 or 4 to a pound, do that instead. Clams? Well, are clams-as-centerpiece or clams-as-accent people? Depending on where you fall, you might want a scant 1/2 to a generous 3/4 pound per person. Shown here is the latter, and it’s doubled, and this isn’t even all of them, and we still only had pasta left at the end of the meal, and this was just a normal Sunday for my husband’s family, which is why I love them. Know your audience. Written below are more middle-of-the-road amounts that will make most people happy.

A few other things I hope to head off before anyone asks: – Deb, I don’t eat clams: Try this with mussels! Or shrimp, although I’d sauté or grill them instead of steaming them. – Deb, I don’t eat fish at all: Ah! I really want to make this with either chickpeas or artichokes, but be ready to tweak flavors as needed, as clams provide their own flavorful broth in a way that these ingredients will not. In both cases, you are now allowed to finish it with parmesan. If you wish to finish the seafood version with parmesan, just warn me before you tell me so I can cover my ears. – Deb, I don’t want to eat pasta: My favorite pasta swap is actually white beans, either giant (like we do here) or smaller ones more readily available in cans. Maybe you cook dried beans like these chickpeas and pour the warm clams and their juices over them? – Deb, I really only care about the clams: On it! Try these garlic, wine, and butter steamed clams with grilled bread, Portuguese-style. – Deb, I only want to make the caprese salad: (How did you know what my lunch was!) I take two approaches to caprese salad when I’m using grocery store (and not recently-picked, peak-season tomatoes, still a couple weeks off here): 1. Find the best ones you can get and season them well. 2. Find the best ones you can get and slow-roast half of them. This combination of some tart/chewy tomatoes and fresh ones is addictive, and hides a multitude of tomato imperfections. In both cases, add mozzarella or burrata, a few leaves of fresh basil, olive oil, and coarse salt to taste. Balsamic vinegar is not traditional on authentic caprese, but you should make food the way you like it. I add a few drops when the tomatoes are mediocre.

Previously

One year ago: Stovetop Americanos, Easy Drop Berry Shortcakes and Zucchini Grilled Cheese Two years ago: Strawberry Milk, Corn and Black Bean Weeknight Nachos, and Funnel Cake Three years ago: Saltine Crack Ice Cream Sandwiches, Strawberry Cornmeal Griddle Cakes, Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream Pie Four years ago: Valerie’s French Chocolate Cake and Limonada de Coco Five years ago: Espresso Granita with Whipped Cream Six years ago: Broccoli Parmesan Fritters and Cold Rice Noodles with Peanut-Lime Chicken Seven years ago: Rich Homemade Ricotta and Linguine with Pea Pesto Eight years ago: Shaved Asparagus Pizza, Root Beer Float Cupcakes and Lamb Chops with Pistachio Tapenade Nine years ago: Lemon Mint Granita, Pickled Sugar Snap Peas, and Springy Fluffy Marshmallows Ten years ago: Dead Simple Slaw + 6 Heat Wave Reprieves, 10 Paths to Painless Pizza-Making, and Pistachio Petit Four Cake Eleven years ago: Gateau de Crepes

And for the other side of the world: Six Months Ago: Dutch Apple Pie 1.5 Years Ago: Union Square Cafe’s Bar Nuts and Homemade Irish Cream 2.5 Years Ago: Potato Kugel, Pull-Apart Rugelach, Tres Leches Cake and a Taco Party 3.5 Years Ago: Decadent Hot Chocolate Mix and Gingerbread Biscotti 4.5 Years Ago: Sweet Potato Cake with Marshmallow Frosting, Cigarettes Russes Cookies, and Sugared Pretzel Cookies

Linguine with Clams

Servings: 5 to 6

Time: 20 to 25 minutes

The photos in this post show the staggering portions I used for 8 people (5 pounds clams and 2 pounds pasta; we had a lot of pasta leftover and no clams so I’ve adjusted accordingly). Please take note of what I said above, re: typical portions in your crew when estimating, and adjust as needed for most or less pasta or clams.

Kosher salt

1 pound dried linguine

2 tablespoons olive oil

About 7 cloves garlic, minced

Red pepper flakes, to taste

1 cup crisp, dry white wine, doesn’t have to be fancy

3 1/2 to 4 pounds manila (my first choice), cherrystone, or little neck clams

3 tablespoons salted or unsalted butter

1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 lemon

If you think your clams may not be clean, wash them first: Fill a large bowl with cool tap water and place the clams in it. Let them soak for 20 minutes during which they’ll expel any sand and grit.

Cook linguine: Bring a large pot of very well-salted water to a boil and cook linguine until it is tender but still with a good bite left to it, about 1 minute less than the final doneness you’d prefer. Carefully ladle out (about) 1 cup of pasta water into a glass or bowl, set aside. Drain pasta, discarding remaining cooking water.

Cook the clams: In your empty pasta pot or a large sauté pan with a lid, drizzle oil in empty pot and add garlic, a couple pinches of pepper flakes (up to a teaspoon is great here for people who like more heat), and kosher salt, I use about a teaspoon here but use less if you’re nervous. Turn heat to medium, stirring the garlic and pepper flakes until the garlic begins to sizzle and just barely begins turning golden brown. Add wine and half of reserved pasta water and turn heat up so that it boils. Add clams (discarding the water they were soaking in) and cover pot to steam them open. Manila clams take 3 or so minutes to steam open; cherrystone and/or little neck can take up to 5 to 7 minutes. Peeking under the lid is fine.

[If you’re really obsessive like me, after a minute or two, you might open the lid and start removing, with tongs, the ones that have opened. It’s basically like playing one of those fishing games at a beach carnival, where the fish mouths open wide with a prize inside, except these you can actually catch and eat.]

Finish the dish: Scoop cooked clams into a large bowl with a slotted spoon, discarding any that don’t haven’t opened, and leaving the cooking liquid behind. Simmer the cooking liquid in the pot until it has reduced slightly; you want a little less than cup. Taste for seasoning; adjust as needed. Add butter and, once it has melted, add drained linguine and half of parsley; cook them together for 1 minute, tossing frequently, until linguine is well-coated and only a little liquid remains at the bottom. If needed, use some or all of remaining pasta water to keep pasta loose. Add clams (and any liquid that has collected in the bowl) to the pot and toss to combine, once or twice, then tip whole mixture into serving bowl.

Finish with lemon juice, to taste, and remaining parsley. Eat right this very second.

Source: https://smittenkitchen.com/2018/06/linguine-and-clams/

#read more #see more #check it out #interesting #learn more

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guitarsun40-blog · 5 years

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“Beefy” Vegan Black Bean Walnut Burgers

A mix of black beans, rolled oats and walnuts give these flavor-packed vegan burgers a meaty bite, while spices pack in the flavor. These black bean walnut burgers will please vegans and non-vegans alike!

I don’t usually go for meaty vegan burgers. Both when I’m buying premade patties and when I’m making my own, I’m usually a bigger fan of veggie burgers that taste like, well…veggies. Or at least veggies with lots of delicious seasonings!

But I’m down with pretty much anything that’s vegan, and I’ve noticed lately that big, hearty, beefy veggie burgers are gaining popularity. And since we’re coming up on a big veggie burger weekend (happy almost Labor Day!), I decided to see if I could come up with a pretty convincing recipe of my own.

Now, in the interest of full disclosure, it’s been a long time since I had a non-vegan burger, and I’ve never tried Beyond Burgers, Impossible Burgers, or any of those super convincing meaty veggie burgers that everyone is raving about.

But I still think I did a pretty good job. Would these suckers fool a non vegan? I’m guessing no, but like I said, it’s been a while! Would non-vegans enjoy these burgers and appreciate their hearty bite and savory flavor? Yup, I believe they would!

The burgers start with a mix of oats and walnuts. You’ll want to blitz them up in the food processor before anything else, until they resemble coarse crumbs.

Add your beans, onion, garlic and some seasonings. Pulse again until the beans are broken up and everything is mixed. Don’t overdo it! You want some texture.

I’m normally a pan-fried veggie burger kind of girl, but I preferred these baked. Just shape the mixture into patties, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes on each side.

You can top your burgers with whatever you like, but for these meaty burgers I really like the classic toppings: ketchup, mustard, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles and a slice of vegan cheese (I used Chao brand, original flavor).

Tips for Making Perfect Black Bean Walnut Burgers

Want to keep these burgers gluten-free? No problem! Just use certified gluten-free oats and your favorite gluten-free buns.

While I prefered these burgers baked, you can pan-fry them if you’re short on time. Just use a lightly oiled non-stick skillet and cook the patties over medium heat for about 4 minutes on each side.

Annie’s and Edward & Sons Worcestershire sauces are both vegan. You can also check the ingredients on your store brand — sometimes I luck out and find a vegan one!

Give the burger mix a taste-test before shaping it into patties, and adjust any seasonings to your liking. In fact, you can almost always do this when you’re making vegan burgers! The only time I skip it is when the recipe includes wheat flour, which can have contaminants and shouldn’t be eaten raw.

Like this recipe? If so, be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter. And please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you make it!

"Beefy" Vegan Black Bean Walnut Burgers

Ingredients

1 cup rolled oats (certified gluten-free if needed)

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 (14 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 small onion, roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Salt to taste

Cooking oil or spray

For Serving

6 burger buns

Toppings of choice

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the oats and walnuts into the bowl of a food processor fitted with an s-blade. Blend for a few seconds, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Add the beans, onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, cumin, paprika, and pepper.

Pulse until everything is well chopped and mixed, being careful not to overdo it (don't let the mixture turn to mush).

Shape the mixture into 6 patties and arrange them on the baking sheet. Lightly brush or spray the tops with oil.

Gently flip the patties, spray or brush the other sides with oil, and bake about 15 minutes more, until firm and lightly browned.

Stuff into buns and serve with toppings of choice.

Nutrition Facts

"Beefy" Vegan Black Bean Walnut Burgers

Amount Per Serving (1 burger)

Calories 390 Calories from Fat 153

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 17g 26%

Saturated Fat 1.4g 7%

Sodium 658mg 27%

Potassium 483mg 14%

Total Carbohydrates 47.2g 16%

Dietary Fiber 7.2g 29%

Sugars 5.2g

Protein 14.9g 30%

Calcium 9%

Iron 25%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Source: https://www.connoisseurusveg.com/black-bean-walnut-burgers/

#read more #see more #check it out #interesting #learn more

0 notes

micebrandy29-blog · 5 years

Text

“Beefy” Vegan Black Bean Walnut Burgers

The burgers start with a mix of oats and walnuts. You’ll want to blitz them up in the food processor before anything else, until they resemble coarse crumbs.

Add your beans, onion, garlic and some seasonings. Pulse again until the beans are broken up and everything is mixed. Don’t overdo it! You want some texture.

Tips for Making Perfect Black Bean Walnut Burgers

Want to keep these burgers gluten-free? No problem! Just use certified gluten-free oats and your favorite gluten-free buns.

Annie’s and Edward & Sons Worcestershire sauces are both vegan. You can also check the ingredients on your store brand — sometimes I luck out and find a vegan one!

Like this recipe? If so, be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter. And please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you make it!

"Beefy" Vegan Black Bean Walnut Burgers

Ingredients

1 cup rolled oats (certified gluten-free if needed)

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 (14 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 small onion, roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Salt to taste

Cooking oil or spray

For Serving

6 burger buns

Toppings of choice

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the oats and walnuts into the bowl of a food processor fitted with an s-blade. Blend for a few seconds, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Add the beans, onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, cumin, paprika, and pepper.

Pulse until everything is well chopped and mixed, being careful not to overdo it (don't let the mixture turn to mush).

Shape the mixture into 6 patties and arrange them on the baking sheet. Lightly brush or spray the tops with oil.

Gently flip the patties, spray or brush the other sides with oil, and bake about 15 minutes more, until firm and lightly browned.

Stuff into buns and serve with toppings of choice.

Nutrition Facts

"Beefy" Vegan Black Bean Walnut Burgers

Amount Per Serving (1 burger)

Calories 390 Calories from Fat 153

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 17g 26%

Saturated Fat 1.4g 7%

Sodium 658mg 27%

Potassium 483mg 14%

Total Carbohydrates 47.2g 16%

Dietary Fiber 7.2g 29%

Sugars 5.2g

Protein 14.9g 30%

Calcium 9%

Iron 25%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Source: https://www.connoisseurusveg.com/black-bean-walnut-burgers/

0 notes

cordpolo6-blog · 5 years

Text

“Beefy” Vegan Black Bean Walnut Burgers

The burgers start with a mix of oats and walnuts. You’ll want to blitz them up in the food processor before anything else, until they resemble coarse crumbs.

Add your beans, onion, garlic and some seasonings. Pulse again until the beans are broken up and everything is mixed. Don’t overdo it! You want some texture.

Tips for Making Perfect Black Bean Walnut Burgers

Want to keep these burgers gluten-free? No problem! Just use certified gluten-free oats and your favorite gluten-free buns.

Annie’s and Edward & Sons Worcestershire sauces are both vegan. You can also check the ingredients on your store brand — sometimes I luck out and find a vegan one!

Like this recipe? If so, be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter. And please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you make it!

"Beefy" Vegan Black Bean Walnut Burgers

Ingredients

1 cup rolled oats (certified gluten-free if needed)

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 (14 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 small onion, roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Salt to taste

Cooking oil or spray

For Serving

6 burger buns

Toppings of choice

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the oats and walnuts into the bowl of a food processor fitted with an s-blade. Blend for a few seconds, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Add the beans, onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, cumin, paprika, and pepper.

Pulse until everything is well chopped and mixed, being careful not to overdo it (don't let the mixture turn to mush).

Shape the mixture into 6 patties and arrange them on the baking sheet. Lightly brush or spray the tops with oil.

Gently flip the patties, spray or brush the other sides with oil, and bake about 15 minutes more, until firm and lightly browned.

Stuff into buns and serve with toppings of choice.

Nutrition Facts

"Beefy" Vegan Black Bean Walnut Burgers

Amount Per Serving (1 burger)

Calories 390 Calories from Fat 153

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 17g 26%

Saturated Fat 1.4g 7%

Sodium 658mg 27%

Potassium 483mg 14%

Total Carbohydrates 47.2g 16%

Dietary Fiber 7.2g 29%

Sugars 5.2g

Protein 14.9g 30%

Calcium 9%

Iron 25%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Source: https://www.connoisseurusveg.com/black-bean-walnut-burgers/

0 notes

daisycactus20-blog · 5 years

Text

Sunda: A Seat At Melbourne's Best New Restaurant?

Sunda is an intriguing restaurant slightly hidden away on Punch Lane on the edge of Melbourne's Chinatown area. It is named after the Sunda region incorporating Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam. The menu is an intriguing mix of these three cuisines crossed with native Australian ingredients-think buttermilk roti with Vegemite curry topped with shaved Tasmanian truffles or an unforgettable Bika Ambon honeycomb cake.

There isn't anything really like Sunda in Sydney which is my prerequisite when choosing restaurants in Melbourne. Knowing this, my food writer friend Sofia suggested that we dine at Sunda. Chef Khanh Nguyen (formerly of Mr Wong, Bentley Restaurant & Bar, Yellow and Cirrus) hails from the inner west in Sydney and moved to Melbourne in December 2017. Sunda is also Khanh's first venture by himself.

"I didn’t like that people saw Vietnamese food as a cheap cuisine. As with other cuisines, Vietnamese food is just as time consuming with so many techniques to produce the dishes that make it what it is. I felt like I would be restricting myself if I were to open a Vietnamese restaurant and cooking Vietnamese food alone. From there I decided to cook south east Asian food, which became my new goal. The flavours are somewhat familiar to what you would find in south east Asia but by combining it with native ingredients it creates something quite unique," he says.

The simple glass box dining room is made up of bar seats as well as two long share tables. Bar seating allows you to watch the chefs in action and is where we take a seat. They bring us a tasty Achar (pickled vegetables) with dried soybeans and kohlrabi to snack on.

Truffle roti $36

A day earlier Sofia tagged me on an Instagram post of Khanh's letting me know that we would be dining on the final night that they had Tasmanian truffles on their menu. I almost feel that truffles are the universe's way of making you thankful for winter and at Sunda they're generously grated over a crispy, buttery, buttermilk roti served with a round of Vegemite curry. If this isn't a dish to suggest that multiculturalism works I don't what is.

The vegemite curry roti dish is the result of several weeks of testing. There were versions of the dish using a wattleseed dough, a version cooked in lemon myrtle oil and one with a Davidson plum sauce. But it wasn't until one of his chefs made a simple roti at home and told him that it was better than the ones that he was making that he pared it back, "Sometimes you just shouldn’t try to much with adjusting a traditional dish," he says. They replaced the milk with buttermilk, used cultured butter, condensed milk and layered the dough with brown butter and made the roti what it is today. It is a lengthy process which is why it is an off menu item and they only serve 20-25 daily. And the Vegemite curry? "The vegemite component is made from the usual ingredients you’d find in a curry with added butter, roasted yeast, vegemite and sour cream. That little dip has around 35 ingredients, giving it a unique and complex flavour," explains Khanh. And it is amazing.

Crispy tempeh, ginger flower, tamarind, palm sugar $6

Even tempeh, an oft derided vegetarian or vegan ingredient becomes a thing of tastiness with a rich palm sugar and tamarind sauce with fried ginger flower on top. It's like a tasty chip dipped in a sweet, tangy sauce.

Wagyu rendang bun, pickled radish, fermented sambal $9

We watch as they fry the wagyu rendang bun. The wagyu is soft and not as spiced as some rendang can be but it's served puffy and piping hot with a wonderfully pungent fermented sambal as well as pickled radish to take the heat out of the sambal if you need it.

‘Otak otak’, spanner crab curry, finger lime, rice crisps $27

The most popular dish coming out of the kitchen is undoubtedly the otak otak. Usually it's a light fish mousse wrapped in banana leaves in a smart little package. This version is a long and slender spanner crab stock and coconut milk parfait infused with curry paste then set with a seaweed extract. It is served resting on a charred banana leaf with picked spanner crab meat, chilli, finger lime, coriander and a nuoc cham (sweet fish sauce dressing) gel parfait and served with rounds of house made crispy rice crisps which you spoon it on. I dare anyone to stop at one rice crisp of this. The curried spanner crab mousse spreads lightly and creamy with the crunchy crisps.

Fremantle octopus, bush tomato, lemongrass sambal, onion $24

Although I think that this is perhaps one dish too many for the two of us, I'm so glad that we ordered the Fremantle octopus. It is exquisitely pretty and come cut into bite sized, tender pieces on top of a bush tomato and lemongrass sambal with slices of onion.

The creamy sambal is made with lemongrass, shallot, tomato and garlic then is cooked down until caramelised and blended until smooth and seasoned with kombu stock and sherry vinegar. The sauce is spicy and addictive while the octopus melts in the mouth.

Lamb rump, cashew nut, saltbush, native curry $40

We are often the girls with eyes bigger than our stomachs. This lamb rump curry is a version of a dish that Khanh's mother used to make. When the lamb arrives it's a generous portion. There are slices of melting, fat ringed lamb rump enriched with curry paste and Vegemite with cashews, saltbush and a native curry. The native curry is made with the usual curry spices with the addition of native spices like lemon myrtle, aniseed myrtle and native pepperberry. The cashew nuts have been braised for hours in Indonesian palm sugar and crispy fried saltbush seasoned with vinegar.

Egg noodles, XO sauce, chicken crackling, pepperberry $22

One of Sofia's favourite dishes was the egg noodles with XO sauce and chicken cracking. I immediately gravitated towards it too because when it's freezing cold I go for comfort foods like breads, noodles and pasta. And this is a beauty. With a good char from the wok the egg noodles are cooked with XO sauce and native pepperberry as well as a sprinkling of crunchy pieces of chicken crackling. It's sizeable too and the sort of dish you find yourself going back to, even after you think you've eaten enough.

Bika ambon, banana custard, macadamia, pandan $18

And then comes dessert and a must order is the Bika Ambon. It's an Indonesian cake with a delightfully spongy texture. Khanh describes it as "It's a cake I first experienced during a trip to Medan, Indonesia. I was fascinated by the little air pockets and strands that were layered through the cake and decided I wanted to put it on the menu at Sunda." The process is long and the cake is an infusion of coconut milk and cream, kaffir lime leaf, lemongrass and dark palm sugar. It is then left to ferment and sour with yeast for four before being poured into a cake tin and cooked for two hours. Khanh serves it with banana custard, macadamia and pandan ice cream as an ode to banana bread. It's like a puffy crumpet banana cake in a cake form. The banana custard, roasted macadamias, pandan ice cream all go wonderfully with this soft, warm and spongey cake.

Vietnamese coffee, chocolate, coconut, wattleseed

And because it's the end of truffle season, we also try the Vietnaese coffee dessert. It's Khanh's take on Vietnamese coffee ice cream which he drank every day during his research trip. It starts with chocolate coffee mousse, dehydrated wattleseed cake, puffed wild rice, cocoa nibs, coffee honeycomb, young coconut granita and a condensed milk ice cream with Vietnamese coffee dust and what else but shavings of lush truffle. I only wish there was something like this in Sydney!

So tell me Dear Reader, which dish did you like the sound of best? And when offered truffle as an option, do you take it up?

This meal was independently paid for.

18 Punch Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000 Tuesday to Thursday 6–11pm Friday 12–3pm, 5:30–11pm Saturday 5:30–11pm Closed Sunday and Monday sunda.com.au Phone: (03) 9654 8190

Source: http://www.notquitenigella.com/2018/09/27/sunda-melbourne-review/

0 notes

kristinsimmons · 6 years

Text

Smoky Jackfruit “Chicken” Salad

Can you believe we’re more than halfway through the year? I sure can’t. When it hit me that we were 6 months into 2018, I did a bit of a mental check-in on how things have been going so far this year—it’s definitely had its ups and downs. My challenges this year have been mainly with my health, but when our health is off-balance, it tends to drip over into every area of life.

There is always a silver lining, though: my health setbacks have been a huge wake-up call. For the past 5 years, my body has been either pregnant, nursing, or both, and that has without a doubt taken a huge toll on me. There have been times when I’ve neglected my physical, mental, and emotional health. There have been times when I got lazy with vitamins and just stopped caring. There have been times when my anxiety felt out of control. I’ve had a lot of inflammation and allergic reactions. A lot of illness. Things seemed to get worse after I had to take antibiotics for an infection this past winter.

About a month ago, I finally said enough is enough! I needed to stop and listen. Since then, I have committed to taking time for myself to heal. To go to those doctors appointments I’ve been putting off. It’s easy to let things slide when life is busy. Having kids can be all-consuming…they are so needy (for good reason), but wow parenthood can really make you lose yourself if you let it.

If you’re going through one of those life phases where you feel like you just can’t “get it together,” you aren’t alone. This too shall pass. And when it does, you will be stronger and wiser. And don’t lose gratitude for everything that’s going well along the way. Gratitude is definitely an anchor through the challenging times.

Meet jackfruit. Have you tried it before? I’ll admit I was a bit scared when I first saw the funky-looking fruit (and cans of jackfruit mystified me!). But after playing around with it for a few weeks, I’ve come to really love it. And I have so many fun jackfruit recipes ideas! A reader wrote to me the other week asking for help. He said his daughter can’t have legumes or nuts, so I put my thinking cap on and thought about how I could use jackfruit to create a delicious salad dish that she could enjoy on bread, wraps, rice cakes, or crackers. Jackfruit does lack the robust amount of protein you’d find in legumes and nuts, but I find adding hemp hearts (either by mixing them into the salad or adding on top) works great for boosting protein.

I really like the Native Forest brand of canned jackfruit. You don’t need to cook it to soften before use (unlike Cha’s Organics brand). After rinsing and draining it, I slice the spongy, firm core off each piece. If using jackfruit straight from the can, the core is a bit too firm for this recipe. You’ll only want to use the soft, stringy jackfruit that resembles pulled pork/chicken (in the photo below, that’s the stuff on the left!). With a bit of slicing and dicing, you’re ready to roll!

Smoky Jackfruit "Chicken" Salad

Vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free

I recently started experimenting with jackfruit recipes, and I discovered that jackfruit makes a fantastic sub for chicken in a traditional chicken salad. My goodness, it’s delicious (and not only is jackfruit delicious, it’s rich in Vitamin C too)! Because jackfruit has such a mild flavour, it takes on all the wonderful flavours in this dish—tangy lemon and dill, creamy eggless mayo, savoury garlic, and smoky paprika. I’ve added fresh vegetables like celery, green onion, and bell peppers to give it a great crunch and loads of fibre. Serve this salad in pieces of Boston or Bibb lettuce, in a wrap or sandwich, or on crackers. To boost the protein, I like adding hemp hearts. You can find canned jackfruit online or in health food stores, Asian grocery stores, and the international section of some chain grocers. Recipe is adapted from my favourite Chickpea Salad.

Yield 4 servings

Prep time 15 Minutes

Cook time 0 Minutes

Total time 15 Minutes

Ingredients:

1 (14-ounce/398 mL) can young jackfruit (in brine)*

2 medium (140 g) stalks celery, finely chopped

3 medium (45 g) green onions, thinly sliced

1/2 cup (67 g) finely chopped red bell pepper

3 tablespoons (45 mL) store-bought vegan mayo or 5-Minute Mayo**

1 small (5 g) clove garlic, minced

2 to 3 teaspoons (3 g) minced fresh dill

2 to 3 teaspoons (10 to 15 mL) fresh lemon juice, to taste

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Drain and rinse the jackfruit. Place the drained jackfruit segments onto a large cutting board. Using a knife, slice off the fibrous core of each jackfruit segment. You’ll only want to use the “stringy” parts that resemble pulled pork. Discard the core and chop the remaining pieces into small 1/2-inch chunks. It should look like shredded chicken and you should have about 1 1/2 cups chopped.

Add the chopped pieces to a bowl and stir in the celery, green onions, bell peppers, mayonnaise, and garlic until combined.

Now stir in the dill and season with the lemon juice, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper, adjusting quantities to taste after mixing.

Serve in a sandwich or wrap, on top of a big salad, or with crackers. I love enjoying it with rice cakes and mashed avocado too. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Stir before serving.

Tips:

* I use Native Forest Organic Young Jackfruit which comes in a 14-ounce (398 mL) can. Make sure to purchase canned jackfruit that says “in brine” as opposed to “in syrup” (or simply ensure that it’s unsweetened). Some brands (like Cha’s) recommend cooking it before serving to soften the jackfruit. To do this, gently boil it for 15 minutes and then drain and rinse with cold water. Native Forest brand can be used straight from the can without cooking.

** If you’d like a soy-free version of this salad, be sure to use soy-free vegan mayonnaise (Vegenaise makes a tasty soy-free version). Or you can make my homemade soy-free mayo.

Feel free to add finely chopped dill pickle to the mix, too! I like adding about 1/4 cup of chopped dill pickle for a tangy crunch.

In case anyone is wondering, I served the salad on rice cakes with mashed avocado, hemp hearts, and a sprinkle of pink salt. So good!

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Smoky Jackfruit “Chicken” Salad published first on https://wittooth.tumblr.com/

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susantregre · 6 years

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Smoky Jackfruit “Chicken” Salad

Smoky Jackfruit "Chicken" Salad

Vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free

Yield 4 servings

Prep time 15 Minutes

Cook time 0 Minutes

Total time 15 Minutes

Ingredients:

1 (14-ounce/398 mL) can young jackfruit (in brine)*

2 medium (140 g) stalks celery, finely chopped

3 medium (45 g) green onions, thinly sliced

1/2 cup (67 g) finely chopped red bell pepper

3 tablespoons (45 mL) store-bought vegan mayo or 5-Minute Mayo**

1 small (5 g) clove garlic, minced

2 to 3 teaspoons (3 g) minced fresh dill

2 to 3 teaspoons (10 to 15 mL) fresh lemon juice, to taste

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Add the chopped pieces to a bowl and stir in the celery, green onions, bell peppers, mayonnaise, and garlic until combined.

Now stir in the dill and season with the lemon juice, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper, adjusting quantities to taste after mixing.

Tips:

** If you’d like a soy-free version of this salad, be sure to use soy-free vegan mayonnaise (Vegenaise makes a tasty soy-free version). Or you can make my homemade soy-free mayo.

Feel free to add finely chopped dill pickle to the mix, too! I like adding about 1/4 cup of chopped dill pickle for a tangy crunch.

In case anyone is wondering, I served the salad on rice cakes with mashed avocado, hemp hearts, and a sprinkle of pink salt. So good!

from Oh She Glows https://ift.tt/2umc5oq

#Oh She Glows

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bestnaturalsecrets · 6 years

Link

Smoky Jackfruit "Chicken" Salad

Vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free

Yield 4 servings

Prep time 15 Minutes

Cook time 0 Minutes

Total time 15 Minutes

Ingredients:

1 (14-ounce/398 mL) can young jackfruit (in brine)*

2 medium (140 g) stalks celery, finely chopped

3 medium (45 g) green onions, thinly sliced

1/2 cup (67 g) finely chopped red bell pepper

3 tablespoons (45 mL) store-bought vegan mayo or 5-Minute Mayo**

1 small (5 g) clove garlic, minced

2 to 3 teaspoons (3 g) minced fresh dill

2 to 3 teaspoons (10 to 15 mL) fresh lemon juice, to taste

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Add the chopped pieces to a bowl and stir in the celery, green onions, bell peppers, mayonnaise, and garlic until combined.

Now stir in the dill and season with the lemon juice, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper, adjusting quantities to taste after mixing.

Tips:

** If you’d like a soy-free version of this salad, be sure to use soy-free vegan mayonnaise (Vegenaise makes a tasty soy-free version). Or you can make my homemade soy-free mayo.

Feel free to add finely chopped dill pickle to the mix, too! I like adding about 1/4 cup of chopped dill pickle for a tangy crunch.

via Oh She Glows

#IFTTT #Oh She Glows

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sublimotion · 6 years

Text

How to Feed Your Gut

http://drhyman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/sauerkraut-e1523566088825.jpg?v=1.1

Five years ago, nobody knew they had a microbiome. Today, we’re obsessed with it. That may be a slight exaggeration, but the health of the community of microbes living in and on our bodies—100 trillion single-cell organisms, outnumbering human cells 10 to 1—has become a top priority. With good reason: Our gut bacteria regulate many of our bodily functions, from creating vitamins to controlling our immune system, our brain function and of course, our metabolism and weight. They are critical to our long-term health.

Meanwhile, modern living and our bad lifestyle choices have been hard on those little bugs. The standard western diet is impoverished of the things our beneficial gut bacteria require. All the chemicals from processed foods and the environmental toxins we take in only make the situation worse. Our guts become damaged when we eat a processed diet that’s high in sugar and starch, don’t eat enough of the right fiber and prebiotics, or take too many gut-busting drugs (like antibiotics, acid blockers for reflux, anti-inflammatories, hormones, and more). Think of your gut as an inner garden; just as with any garden—when you let the weeds take over, you get into trouble.

We are home to more than 500 different species of microbes. Some of them help us, but others are harmful. Many of us have too few bacteria in our intestines, where they do us the most good. Others have an overgrowth of the bad kind, which causes its own problems. Not enough of the good bacteria, or too much of the bad, can lead to intestinal disorders like Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Leaky Gut, and SIBO, but also chronic inflammation, depression, even cancer and heart disease.

So, it’s our job to encourage the good microbes by feeding them the things they need and avoiding the things that damage them. Meanwhile, we have to starve the bad bacteria by avoiding the foods and other forces that allow them to thrive.

Not surprisingly, good bacteria love healthy whole, organic, plant-based foods, ones that are high in fiber and nutrients and contain no artificial ingredients. One of the biggest questions I get when I tell people to eat more fiber is, “What are good sources of fiber?” Below, I’ve put together a partial list of foods filled with fiber and foods to feed your gut.

Fiber-rich foods for your gut:

Apples

Artichokes

Avocados

Bananas

Beans

Berries

Broccoli

Brussels sprouts

Cabbage

Celery

Coconut (and foods made from it)

Cucumbers

Dandelion greens

Figs

Garlic

Kale

Lentils

Nuts and seeds

Olives and olive oil

Onions

Pumpkin

Spinach

Seeds, especially when sprouted

Strawberries

Good bacteria also benefit from foods that have been fermented or cultured, like these:

Naturally fermented sauerkraut

Pickled vegetables (including organic pickles)

Kimchi (the Korean version of fermented vegetables or fruit)

Kefir (fermented milk—unsweetened only)

Miso

Tamari (the liquid from miso)

Tempeh (fermented tofu cake)

Tofu (which is sometimes fermented)

Naturally fermented soy sauce

Unpasteurized apple cider vinegar

Coconut yogurt (unsweetened)

Even if you’re eating the right things, you may need some outside assistance maintaining plentiful and diverse gut bacteria. That’s what prebiotic and probiotic supplements are for. Prebiotics feed the good microbes, mostly with fiber. Probiotics are the actual bacteria. The best way to determine if probiotics work for you and which ones to choose is to work with a Functional Medicine practitioner. Everyone is different, and for some people, deeper gut healing might be required before you start taking probiotics.

To tend your inner garden, you might need to do some weeding, seeding, and feeding—a process that Functional Medicine doctors follow: First, you weed to get rid of the bad bugs using herbs or medications; then you seed the gut lining with good bugs; and then you feed the good bugs with prebiotic foods and fibers to keep everything healthy.

There are many different varieties of probiotics out there. When shopping for a probiotic, you should look for one with at least 25-50 billion living CFUs (colony-forming units), including the most beneficial strains like:

Bifidobacterium bifidum

Bifidobacterium longum

Bifidobacterium breve

Lactobacillus acidophilus

Lactobacillus rhamnosus

Lactobacillus bulgaricus

Foods made from coconut are good for our gut microbes. One such food—taken as a supplement—is medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil derived from coconut oil. This dramatically reduces intestinal inflammation and helps eliminate bad bugs.

Another supplement is glucomannan, a dietary fiber derived from a root. It bulks up the food passing through the digestive tract, thereby aiding people with constipation. It also helps with weight control.

What NOT to feed your microbiome:

You won’t be surprised to know that the foods and other edible substances that damage everything else about our health are also no good for our microbiome. It’s the usual suspects:

Highly processed or packaged foods

Refined grains, especially wheat

Sugars, especially high fructose corn syrup, and artificial sweeteners

Refined oils and fats, especially soybean and corn oil

Antibiotic drugs, except when absolutely necessary

Hormones, including birth control pills

Steroids

Anti-inflammatories, including ibuprofen, Advil, and aspirin

Acid blockers, like those prescribed for acid reflux

Products that damage our guts:

What we put on our bodies also affects our guts. Taking antibiotics can alter our gut health for the worse, and so can using antibiotic-based products. Avoid the following:

Antibiotic soap

Alcohol-based hand sanitizers, like Purell

Even dishwasher use is thought to be bad for our microbiome, because it kills germs too well

Stress, Sleep, Exercise and Your Gut:

Lack of sleep and chronic stress also contribute to gut imbalance. In fact, your gut flora listens to and becomes influenced by your thoughts and feelings. So be sure to get 7 to 8 hours of quality sleep and remember to practice your favorite stress reduction activities daily. This can be deep belly breathing, meditation, therapy, or yoga. Whatever you like to do to relax.

Recent studies have also pointed to the idea that exercise can have powerful impacts on our gut health. One study showed that exercise alone, without dietary intervention, led to an increase in beneficial butyrate-producing bacteria. Butyrate is a fatty acid, which can prevent cancer, speed up your metabolism, and reduce inflammation.

This means that movement matters. You won’t find me at the gym, but I love to play sports, hike swim, and run on the beach. Find what works for you, and do it daily. Your gut will thank you.

All this attention paid to our gut microbes requires an adjustment in our thinking—we grew up believing that bacteria were bad things that should be killed at any cost. We now know that this is not true, and scientific research today is still learning about the ways these single-cell organisms are necessary to a healthy life. I’m excited to see what we’ll find next.

Wishing you health and happiness, Mark Hyman, MD

PS: For more information about what the heck to eat (and what to avoid) to feel your best, check out my new book, Food: What the Heck Should I Eat?

[Read More ...] http://drhyman.com/blog/2018/04/13/how-to-feed-your-gut/

#infrared sauna #health

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