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tastesoftamriel · 3 years

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I love me some soup. I haven't eaten solid food in years! Soup the morning, soup in the midday, soup in divorce hearing, soup for dinner, soup for dessert; soup is the best! Soup is the heart of all comfort foods, so what's the favorite soups of our 9 races? My favorite is a simple tomato with cheese, elk meatball, shredded custody papers, and gnocchi, its the only thing that comforts me anymore! I'll never make anything else again!

Congratulations(?) on your divorce friend, and I salute your commitment to soup instead of matrimony! You're in luck, here's a soup-er list of liquid delights you can look forward to on your next trek across Tamriel...

Altmer

If you like mushroom soup, look no further than Summerset! The Isles are famous for forest mushroom soup, made from an array of mushrooms, starring an array from chanterelles to portobello. Fresh and bursting with flavour, the mushrooms are flame-roasted before being popped into the cauldron with truffle oil, fresh cream, and crispy lardons and garlic croutons to serve.

Argonians

The Argonians make an array of different soups of varying palatability, but my favourite has to be a snail-and-beef noodle soup from the town of Lilmoth. Fresh flat rice noodles in a piping hot clear vegetable broth are topped with snails, fishballs, and thin raw beef slices, which cook in the boiling soup. It's absolutely delicious, and the perfect balance of chewy and soupy!

Bosmer

Meaty soups are arguably the most popular of Bosmeri cuisine outside of Valenwood, and for the most part, in Valenwood too. Hot pulled venison soup with bone broth may not sound like much, but it's absolutely divine. The pulled venison is so soft that it melts into the rich, flavourful bone broth that has generally been stewed for at least 24 hours, giving the soup a delightfully meaty flavour that's sure to satisfy your hunger.

Bretons

High Rock is famous for two particular soups, though they have hundreds more. A big, flavourful bowl of bouillabaisse is a firm favourite, particularly on the coastal regions of the Province, while inland areas are also very fond of a homey, classic potato cream soup with dill, shaved pecorino, and pine nuts. Even better, you'll often find these soups in edible bowls made from fresh crusty bread, so you can eat and dunk at the same time! Quite genius, really.

Dunmer

The Dark Elves love their soups, which usually have a chunky base made from saltrice or ash yams. In terms of flavours, you'll find that savoury and bitter flavours dominate the palate, such as medicinal soups with boiled, sliced trama root, dried comberries, and proteins like kwama egg drops, fish or crab meat, nix-hound, and bantam guar. Some of the herbal soups are a little overpowering to my outlander sensibilities, but I heartily recommend a big, savoury bowl of kwama egg drop scrib-and-saltrice soup, served with wickwheat flatbread and nix-hound jerky for dipping.

Imperials

You say you're a tomato soup fan, but you haven't really experienced tomato soup until you've been to Cyrodiil. Rich, tangy, and fresh off the vine, tomato soup is a Province staple that can be found in just about every home and tavern. It's always made with a splash of wine or sherry, and seasoned with herbs and a crust of melted mozzarella on top. They can also be made more exciting with the inclusion of things like extra virgin olive oil, chili oil, and shaved black truffle.

Khajiit

I love all things Elsweyr in case it wasn't already obvious, and I would jump down a canyon for a decent bowl of lemongrass chicken soup! A delightful coconut milk base is stewed with fresh chilis, lemongrass, galangal, calamansi lime, moon sugar, and vegetables, along with tender chunks of chicken that melt in your mouth. The end result is an exotic explosion of flavours like nothing else on Tamriel, with a perfect balance of sour, spicy, and sweet.

Nords

Despite stereotypes of Nord cuisine as dull and tasteless, diners are always surprised when I serve up a traditional Skyrim fish soup. Cod, dried monkfish, smoked haddock, salted slaughterfish, salmon, molluscs, and a special smoked, salted cod roe are just some of the wonderfully versatile ingredients you'll find in your bowl, floating in hearty chunks in a creamy soup with chives and dill. If you're feeling cheeky, I suggest sprinkling a good handful of melting cheese on top and popping it under a grill for a few minutes. Ah, the taste of home.

Orcs

Soup isn't much of an Orc thing unless it's as a side, or when one is feeling poorly. With an Orcish appetite to consider, stronghold soups are thereford often almost as thick as stews, and are absolutely delicious! My favourite is a creamy pea and potato-based soup topped with smoked or cured meats, crispy fried onions, and a bit of apple puree. It's simple and hearty, and of course very heavy on the onions.

Redguards

The Redguards aren't much for soups, but the ones they have are excellent! I adore a good curried lentil soup with lots of garlic and pulled, salted goat. The mild curry flavour of the thick soup perfectly balances the traditional salted mutton, and is finished with a splash of kefir and with flatbread to serve. It's filling, yet not enough to make you feel weighed down on a hot desert day.

#Asks #Food #Soup #worldbuilding #world building #the elder scrolls #tes #Tastes of Tamriel #tastesoftamriel #Text post #Long post

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awesomenightfall · 5 years

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The first part of the “DA Protags are Bad Adults Modern!AU”.

---

Work at the university had been brutal and Solona Amell wanted nothing more than to go home, rip her bra off, and sit in a bubble bath for a few hours while reading a nonsensical smutty romance novel and drinking an entire bottle of wine.

She loved academia, she really did, and the study of magic and the arcane was an important one, but if she had to listen to one more old, crusty mage-cum-lecturer with too many degrees and not enough brain cells tell her that her research on the Blight was archaic and irrelevant one more damn time she was going to flip a table and --

Her thoughts of slaughter and revenge halted as soon as she managed to open the old, rickety, door to her apartment. It was a far cry from the lavish estate she had been raised in, but it was her oasis in the chaos of Kirkwall, a small bit of independence that she was proud of, despite the leaks and the chipped paint, and the noisy neighbors who had ceiling-thumping-sex at very inconvenient hours.

As soon as Solona opened the apartment door, she was greeted to the sight of her roommates on their worn, secondhand couch. Hawke was wearing nothing but a sports bra and gym shorts and Ellana was naked from neck to waist, wearing only a thin pair of underwear. There was a quart of melting ice cream between them and a cooking show blasting from the TV. Solona could only deduce from the sweltering, unrelenting heat of the apartment and the tear tracks down Ellana’s cheeks that a) the air conditioner was still broken and b) her elven roommate was still reeling from her recent break up.

Solona sighed deeply. Her bath and the next chapter of Swords and Shields would just have to wait.

“Hawke,” Solona addressed her cousin, who was busy spoon feeding Ellana ice cream while simultaneously dabbing her cheeks with a tissue. “Didn’t you say you had a friend who could come and fix the AC?”

“Hello to you, too. And actually, it’s Ellana’s friend Dagna who said she’d come over to fix it, but she’s been holed up at work. She’ll be here soon, don’t worry so much, Sol. It’s not good for you. Remember your blood pressure,” Hawke said easily, in her Hawke-ish, charming way that almost made Solona forget that she was annoyed.

Almost.

Solona stripped off her outer shirt. If she couldn’t beat them…

She plopped down next to Ellana. “Are you alright?”

Ellana waved her hand. “Oh, fine. I’m fine. I’m tired of dwelling on my bad luck with men. Let’s not talk about me. Let’s talk about Hawke.”

“Always a fascinating topic of conversation,” Hawke agreed and Solona rolled her eyes.

Ellana wiped her face with the back of her hand and wiggled her eyebrows, instantly cheered up. “Fenris, you know, the elf from the building that Hawke is crazy about, passed by the apartment on the way to the basement to do his laundry and I swear, I’ve never seen Hawke run so fast!”

“I never run after a man.” Hawke plucked the spoon from Ellana’s hand, dug it into the soupy ice cream, and slurped it indecently. “But for tattoos and muscles, a girl might just power walk.”

Solona threw a couch pillow smattered with cigarette burn holes at Hawke’s head, laughing despite herself. “You’re incorrigible.”

“But you love that about me,” Hawke said with a shit-eating-grin.

She did, but there was no way she was going to admit that out loud. Hawke was loud, ridiculous, and unpredictable, but her heart was in the right place. Still, Solona would have preferred it if Hawke could settle down, just a little, instead of burning the candle at both ends all the time, but that just wasn’t Hawke’s style. Hawke with her five part time jobs (some of them not quite legal, Solona deduced, but somehow she never got arrested -- Solona suspected that Hawke’s very connected dwarf friend, Varric, had something to do with that but the rumor was unconfirmed) and endless energy and need to help people.

Solona loved her cousin but her poor life choices with partners and work and living in general really left a lot to be desired.

Ellana Lavellen, the third part of their trio, was sweet but young, and only slightly more put together than Hawke. She was a graduate student that had ventured far, far away from her clan to come to Kirkwall to study and write her dissertation on eleven history and relics.

“I think I’m going to title it: ‘How the Shem Steal Dalish History, Give It a Mediocre Andrastian Twist, and Slap Their Name on It’,” Ellana told her the first time they crossed paths in the library. “I was going to call it, ‘The Study of Shem Perverting Dalish Culture for Political Gain’, but apparently that was ‘too controversial’. Can you imagine?”

Solona liked her immediately and the rest, as they say, was history.

“You know, you can’t be sad forever over one guy ghosting you,” Hawke said to Ellana.

Ellana sniffed, affronted. “We were together for a year and then he just ups and leaves. To do ‘field research’. Except he just disappeared off the face of the planet. That’s more than just ‘ghosting’. That’s-- that’s-- a full blown haunting!”

Solona had to bite her lip to keep from smiling. Apparently Hawke’s penchant for the dramatic was contagious.

“Maybe he did you a favor,” Hawke suggested. “Your friend Dorian said he dressed like a hobo, anyway.”

Ellana took another couch pillow and shoved it in Hawke’s face. “He did not! It-- it’s a style choice!”

“A bad one!”

“Oh, like you’re one to talk!”

“Stop defending him, he ditched you!”

Solona shoved herself between the two arguing roommates, hands on both of their faces to pry them apart. “Alright, you two. Break it up.”

“Yes, Mother,” Hawke said snottily, acting every bit like the rebellious teenager she once was. “All I’m saying, Ellana, is that there are plenty of fish in the sea. You’re cute with perfect tits--” Solona snorted, “-- shut up, Sol, so let me hook you up with someone.”

Ellana’s frown softened. “... who?”

“Anyone you want. Just name them.”

“... Varric?”

“... anyone but him,” Hawke amended. “Trust me, it’s for your own good.”

Solona desperately wanted to ask if it was because, as she had long suspected, Varric was secretly Hawke’s Sugar Daddy and that was how she could afford to live life on part-time salary, but that was more than Solona ever really wanted to know about her cousin and her proclivities.

Hawke waved off Solona’s openly suspicious look. “All I’m saying is that many have tried and failed miserably. The dwarf is immovable. A fortress against venereal temptation. Ellana needs someone… easier. What about Merrill?”

“Why?” Ellana asked. “Because we’re both elves?”

“No,” Hawke corrected. “Because you’re nice and she’s nice and you can be nice together. How about it?”

“Isn’t your brother dating Merrill?” Solona asked.

“No, Carver has his thumbs up his ass and is wasting time pining away from afar. Besides, I’m not suggesting they get married,” Hawke said. “Maybe they just go on a casual date. Make out. Have sex and then report back in graphic detail.” Solona slapped Hawke on the arm. “Fine, fine. Maybe just the first two, then. Spoilsport.”

Ellana chewed on her bottom lip. “Well… it couldn’t hurt. It might be nice to go out.”

“Great! I’ll text her. You won’t regret it, Merrill is the best.”

Anytime Hawke said, You won’t regret it, the person almost immediately began to regret it, but Solona didn’t want to rain on Ellana’s parade.

“It’s disgusting in here,” Solona announced. “I can’t sit here another moment longer.”

“Dorian’s apartment complex has a pool,” Ellana suggested. “It’s not open now, but we could climb the gate and sneak in. The security guards are usually napping at this time or watching soap operas.”

“Before Captain Killjoy nixes the idea, I’m making an executive decision and we’re going,” Hawke said quickly before Solona, could in fact, nix the idea. “It’s either that or die of heatstroke. I vote pool.”

Solona unstuck herself from the couch. “Fine, but we better not get arrested. I’m lecturing tomorrow.”

“What could go wrong?” Hawke wondered aloud.

“With you?” Solona asked. “Only everything.”

#dragon age #hero of ferelden #f!hawke #inquisitor #k writes trash

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stcllac · 5 years

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i. ready

snippets lost to the past, all in chronological order.

be strong, he tells himself as small fists collide with a punching bag too big for them.

be strong, he tells himself as he hears the children in the apartment below his sob for their mother.

be strong, he tells himself as police sirens echo down the street for the third time that week.

❝ she’s a mistake. ❞

❝ there you go stating the obvious again. ❞

❝ then i’ll ask the main question: what the fuck do we do with her ?? ❞

❝ the population already knows she exists, so we can’t get rid of her. leave her for now. we’ll deal with her when she becomes a problem. ❞

❝ fine. in the meantime, she should be educated and taught to act worthy of our name. she might be a mistake, but no one else needs to know that. ❞

tiny hands reach up to pull at glasses, a childish giggle leaving an equally tiny mouth.

❝ he wasn’t left with a name, right ?? what should we call him ?? ❞

brown eyes stare into blue. a name comes to the tip of her tongue, a sudden idea, but it feels so right.

❝ levi. ❞

his eyes open blearily, only to close again as the fluorescent lights overhead cause a dull ache between his eyes. he focuses on breathing, almost as if he’s forgotten how to do it, and his senses slowly return. he hears voices nearby and listens in an attempt to forget his own problems.

❝ another success ?? ❞

❝ of course, we never fail. not for the past few years, anyway. ❞

❝ where did you find him, anyway ?? ❞

❝ wandering the streets, rummaging through trash cans. we thought about making him a raccoon for the irony, but decided against it. ❞

vague memories are beginning to resurface in his mind, but just as they’re in reach, he drifts into another round of slumber.

she’s five years old.

she’s being kicked around like a soccer ball, dragged along the dirt like a potato sack, thrown into the lake like a squirming fish. she cries and yells and gasps as the other children laugh and throw sticks at her face. the sun is excruciating against her pale skin, and she finds shade only to be pulled away and tormented some more.

she’s five years old, and she thinks she’s dying.

your entire existence hinges on the stability of this shrine.

she doesn’t know how she knows this. she doesn’t even remember how she arrived here, what her name is, where she comes from. all she knows is that this is the home she must look after.

her lungs are on fire but she can’t stop, her gaze fixated on a single spot in the water, her screams directed at the unassuming ripples her voice makes. the other children stare in horror while the adults are calmer. they understand what’s happening, she can tell, so why aren’t they helping ??

hands gently guide her beneath the surface and against the current, and it’s only when they’ve passed the root maze that she’s able to close her mouth and her fuzzy senses return.

it isn’t until later that she's told what she experienced: on occasion, a nix will sense when a drowning will occur, upon which they will stare at the scene of the impending tragedy and scream for an extended period of time unless removed from the vicinity.

❝ you have a remarkable gift, milady. ❞

she doesn’t understand. no one has ever referred to her as ❛ milady ❜, and she thinks they’re wrong anyway, as she hasn’t been given any presents recently. surely she would know if she had a gift.

her father looks at her and she, a daddy’s girl until this very moment, recoils. there is no love or pride in his eyes, nothing that makes her feel safe in his presence. she feels more like an object than a living being and she curls into herself as a protective instinct.

he surges forward and grips her shoulders, shaking her lightly, and the grin on his face makes her want to cry.

❝ you’re going to have it all, ❞ he hisses.

this, she’ll realise later, is where it truly begins.

❝ hey, knock it off !! ❞

❝ oh, yeah ?? what are you gonna do about it ?? ❞

the bully is three times her size, and far too big to be picking on her, let alone a young child, but she’s ready to take him on. she never lets herself waver, staring him down as she raises her fists -- a decoy.

as expected, she’s laughed at right off the bat.

❝ you think you can land a hit on me ?? you’re a fucking pipsqueak, you can’t even reach my -- ❞

all at once, his feet are swept out from under him, and she pulls her leg back so she and the initial victim can make a quick escape from the scene.

she leaps. she runs. she cartwheels. anything to get away from the droid after her. she’s at an advantage, her small stature making it easier for her to dodge, and her speed is nothing to laugh at, either. it’s only pressure that she doesn’t work well under, but the adrenaline is helping her through.

she beats her record by ten seconds, earning her a grin and a ruffle of her hair.

❝ that’s my girl. ❞

he wakes in the snow, mind foggy, eyes searching. the winter woods are dead silent save for the pained sound that leaves his throat as he slowly lifts himself up, more akin to an old man than an eight year old.

he remembers his name, a term for twilight, a shade before night, but he doesn’t remember who he is. where does he come from ?? who does he come from ?? his instincts tell him that the answers lie through the frosted gates he spots in the distance, but with that realisation comes a sense of foreboding, a strong push that tells him not to follow up.

he steps back, then again, and again, until he’s completely turned and sprinting to a place more warm.

the sound of arguing is something he’s used to by now, though he never admits as much. he pretends he never hears their rows at all when they all sit at the table and discuss their day as though nothing’s wrong, and he knows that today will be the same as muffled voices slip through the crack beneath his door.

❝ i just want to leave !! let me leave !! ❞

he’ll say that you can’t leave.

❝ you can’t leave !! ❞

there it is.

❝ why not ?? what could i possibly have to gain from staying here ?? ❞

he’ll mention the kingdom, the people, and their responsibilities. and me as an afterthought.

❝ have you forgotten about the kingdom ?? our people, our responsibility to them ?? ❞ a pause. ❝ our son ?? ❞

he sighs. if this is what being crowned entails, he’ll pass.

she drags her feet, ready to collapse as she searches for her keys, only to find she doesn’t need them when the door opens without her prodding. her father stands there with a bright smile on his face, and for a few moments she dares to hope.

❝ mini-hyewonnie !! great, you’re here. ❞

her hopes disappear into the void that all her dreams reside in. is it too much to ask to be referred to by her actual name and not a mini version of her ( currently awol ) mother ?? is it too much to ask that she be her own person with dreams and desires ??

unaware of her inner turmoil, her father continues. ❝ i think i have a lead to where your mother is, i’m gonna go check it out. could you make dinner ?? ❞

he says this as though he regularly makes dinner, as though she isn’t the one who slaves over the stove every night after both school and her part time job just to ensure she and her younger siblings are fed. he just smiles down at her with eyes that tell her that he’s already made up his mind. she’s cooking dinner whether she likes it or not.

❝ sure. ❞

❝ thanks, sweetheart, see you later !! ❞

he’s off before she can say goodbye, and for a moment she just stares as the car starts and he disappears down the road, likely to be gone for a week at least. she resigns herself to that fact as she puts on a smile for her siblings and steps inside.

❝ stop it !! ❞

her words fall on deaf ears, but she stands her ground, arms pointing at the two most important people in her life. she’s trying desperately not to cry because this isn’t how things are supposed to be. she wants to act like a normal ( as if she’s ever been normal ) sister and spend time with her family like a girl her age is supposed to.

as if that’s ever going to happen, but a girl can dream.

❝ you’re leaving again ?? ❞

❝ we didn’t tell you ?? we’ll be gone for the next couple of weeks, we’ll be back on the 28th. you’ll be alright to get to school and everything, and you can ask the neighbours if you need anything !! ❞

he leans against the doorframe with a sigh, watching the car ( once again ) being loaded with bags and suitcases. ❛ that’s not the point ❜ is what he wants to say, but he doesn’t bother. he’s clearly the adult here.

❝ we’ll see you when we get back !! love you !! ❞

it isn’t perfect. the curve isn’t as smooth as it could be and the arrows are different lengths, but he’s never done this before, so he counts it as a win.

he leaps through the air, following the wind as he targets the trees, hitting them one by one. his laughter is lost in the breeze when he departs from the glade he’s been spending his time, itching to explore elsewhere. he ensures he collects his arrows on the way.

he avoids the woodland creatures, the only things safe from his sharpshooter eye. there haven’t been many threats as of late, and he craves a decent fight, so it’s no surprise that he whirls around the moment he hears the crunch of the grass behind him.

his arrow is pointed at a girl not much younger than him, and for a moment, all they do is stare at each other. she doesn’t appear fazed at all. is he not threatening enough ?? is his stance too lacking ??

in the end, she says, ❝ can you get out of my way ?? i have to get back to work. ❞

she gestures to a woven basket with various items he can’t make sense of, but it makes him grin all the same, and he bows with confidence.

❝ i’ll escort you, m’lady !! ❞

❝ you’re kinda boring, you know ?? nothing, like, stands out. ❞

he doesn’t think the words are said maliciously. they’re so nonchalant, as if just stating a fact, and he realises with a pang in his heart that that’s exactly what it is. he stares down at his plain clothing and catches sight of his boring black-ish brown-ish hair in the window and wonders how he can seem more interesting.

his gaze wanders the graphic novel lying on his desk and he flips through the pages, wishing he could be a character from some fantasy land instead.

the boys in the photographs are familiar, but she has no interest in any of them, eyes briefly glossing over them. how annoying.

❝ so ?? do any of them catch your eye ?? ❞

her glare is as intimidating as any ten year old’s would be, but she knows her message is received when her father sighs in resignation and leans back against the sofa.

❝ we only want what’s best for you -- ❞

❝ -- i didn’t realise that shoving me into an unhappy arranged marriage and planning my entire life out for me before i’m even a teenager is what’s best for me. ❞

a pause. she doesn’t break eye contact, though he desperately tries to.

❝ your mother and i are happy. ❞

❝ liar. ❞

the word echoes long after she speaks, leaving the weight of her bitterness and indignation for him to see. her eyes don’t leave his until she stands and storms out of the room.

he doesn’t follow.

the rain splashes across the tree leaves and drowns the weeds in puddles, but she continues to dance with her eyes closed, magic flowing from her fingertips. she loves the rain, though that isn’t saying much, as she loves the sun and the snow and the clouds and everything the weather brings.

her companion doesn’t think the same, taking shelter beneath the awnings of her small cottage. all it does is make her laugh, and she wastes no time in scooping the little fox up in her arms and twirling her around as raindrops run through her hair.

this isn’t the first time he’s snuck out of the house, but it’s the most important time, and his hands shake as he clings onto the windowsill. he can jump from the second storey when in a pinch, but that makes more noise. he can’t risk it. he grabs onto the nearby tree and manoeuvres his way to the side opposite the house, staying aware, hoping and praying no lights turn on.

the guilt he’s been harbouring since receiving the offer is still with him as he jumps the fence and heads down the road he knows leads to downtown. isn’t he just abandoning his siblings this way ?? perhaps he’s doing this to earn a living that, hopefully one day, will help them, but in the meantime ??

he’s nothing more than a shitty brother.

she runs through the halls, slamming doors and skidding across the floor until she arrives in the dining room. she leaps onto her sister’s back and giggles despite the lack of reaction.

❝ janiiiieeeeee, where’s baby ?? i wanna show him the new tricks i learned on the bike and the skateboard !! ❞

janie stiffens and she’s forced to slide off. she peers around to see her sister’s face and her own drops at the pure worry she sees.

❝ janie... what’s going on ?? ❞

❝ go-go... i’m so sorry. ❞

her fingers are covered in blisters and she’s sweating under the summer heat, but she has another accomplishment under her belt and that’s something to be proud of. her fellow members think so, too, judging by the way they high-five each other take a selfie to send to their parents, showing off their newly earned patches.

she’s about to join them when she hears a voice behind her and, despite it not being directed at her, she turns. it’s pathetic how she listens for his voice with hearts in her eyes. she’s only young, but she’s always been a romantic, and she wishes and dreams that her life will be like the movies and books she reads.

it’s funny how she can climb a mountain in a skirt, ride a jet ski blindfolded, and save an endangered species, but she can’t tell her crush she likes him.

she quickly shakes the thought from her head and faces her friends, beaming. ❝ guys, wait for me !! ❞

❝ finally graduating, huh ?? ❞

❝ right ?? holy shit. ❞

❝ got any plans ?? ❞

❝ i’ll probably go to the city. ❞

❝ seriously ?? lucky. ❞

❝ you only have one more year, don’t you ?? you can make it. ❞

❝ i think you’re overestimating my academic abilities, my man, but thanks. ❞

❝ i don’t just mean academics. academics who ?? don’t know her. ❞

❝ bitch, i wish that was me. ❞

the tallest tower isn’t high enough, but it’ll do for now. he spreads his arms and closes his eyes, letting the wind gently caress his face, the cold nipping at his nose. he doesn’t mind.

is this what it feels like to fly ?? is this how his father feels ( felt ) every day ??

❝ i’ll find you, dad, ❞ he whispers to the clouds. ❝ i promise. ❞

huddling in the corner between the wall and her bed isn’t the best course of action, but it’s all she can do. she’s paralysed, frozen as she listens to the whispers and feels the chills that travel up her spine.

none of the other kids get this way, so why ??

❝ go away, ❞ she whimpers as she senses a presence beside her, but when she looks there’s nothing there.

she cries harder.

the moment she opens the door, she’s bombarded.

❝ where were you ?? ❞

she dumps her bag in the hallway. ❝ library. ❞

❝ by yourself ?? ❞

heads through the kitchen, doesn’t look at her mother. ❝ yep. ❞

❝ what were you doing there ?? ❞

takes the steps two at a time. ❝ studying. ❞

❝ are you going to answer with more than one word ?? ❞

❛ are you going to stop cheating on dad with some sneaky ass rich guy and buying me presents with his money because you feel guilty ?? ❜ is what she wants to say, but she bites it back and simply says, ❝ nope. ❞

row after row of statues, the smell of dust and grime taking over her senses, her footsteps the only sound in the chamber aside from her laboured breathing. she knew something was wrong, that there was something she was missing, but she never thought it would be something as disturbing as this.

familiar faces are etched in stone, and the further she walks the sicker she feels. it has nothing to do with the state of the room.

she doesn’t react save for unsteady footsteps until she finds the statue at the back of the chamber. it’s like looking into a dirty mirror, and her gaze roams around the oh-so-familiar pose until she feels bile rise to her throat and she’s forced to cover her mouth to keep it in.

❝ why do you keep these ?? ❞ his mother asks, turning up her nose as she picks up one of his old casts. she must have found one of his secret treasure boxes.

he grins. ❝ ‘cause !! it proves how many awesome things i’ve done !! ❞

his mother shakes her head, but he spies the small smile on her face as she does.

she waits until she’s perched on the windowsill to light the match, throwing it onto the documents she's spread across the study. she’s taken everything she needs and refuses to leave anything else for her father and sister, though she’ll miss the days she spent rummaging through the shelves when her father thought she wasn’t around. not that he looked hard enough anyway.

the papers ignite and she drops onto the grass outside, making a mad dash for the forest. her father’s screams moments later propel her forward and she smirks as she disappears into the night.

she’s useless.

she never says as much out loud, knowing she’ll be met with resistance, that she’ll be told that she’s perfect, which is just ridiculous because that isn’t true for anyone.

( well, it is for perhaps one person, but she’s biased. )

if she wasn’t useless, she would be able to stop the crying she hears when she explores the castle. her father would consider her a strong and educated girl instead of something he remembers to see every few months. she would be able to prevent the wounds inflicted on her cousin before a hand is even laid on him.

no hands would be laid on him at all.

but she has always been useless, and useless she will continue to be.

lean fingers spin the ring around, light reflecting off the gold band. she hasn’t seen this particular item amongst her mother’s collection before, and she’s sure she would remember it, even if the last time she played dress-up was years ago.

figuring she can indulge herself just this once, she slips the ring on, staggering back when she’s enveloped in a blinding light.

the moon dips below the horizon. tech finishes fiddling with the audio and he watches the ❛ on air ❜ light flicker on.

he grins.

❝ good evening, listeners... ❞

❝ alright, guys, gals, non-binary pals !! it’s time for a q&a, the final and arguably best part off the night !! ❞

before he can say anything more, his phone pings, and he checks his notifications as questions spam the chat. a message from his sister isn’t unusual, but the message itself has his eyes widening before he can stop himself.

❛ he’s back. ❜

he sucks in a breath. he’s only vaguely aware that he’s still streaming and, barely looking up from his phone, let’s out a rushed, ❝ hey, i’m so sorry, guys !! a family emergency just came up -- don’t worry, everything and everyone’s fine, but i have to be at home !! i’ll make it up to you guys soon, bye !! ❞

❝ the new girl thinks she’s better than us. she doesn’t say hello, barely even smiles, what the fuck ?? ❞

❝ i’ve heard she does sketchy shit late at night, if you know what i mean. ❞

❝ are you kidding ?? i bet she’s never worked a day in her life. ❞

none of these things are said to her face, and she’s sure that she isn’t meant to overhear, but not being a human comes with consequences. sometimes better hearing is one of them.

the only person who says anything directly is a nervous looking boy, and judging from the way her classmates are watching and giggling behind their hands, he drew the short straw.

❝ hey, uh... your parents are seriously fucking rich, right ?? ‘cause people are saying they’re, like, swindlers or whatever -- ❞

she cuts him off with the way she looks at him. it’s a variant of her usual disinterested expression, this time with a fire behind her eyes.

❝ my parents are dead, ❞ she says, loud enough for the entire class to hear.

she rubs her forehead, willing the ache to disappear. she can’t afford to take a break now, not when her deadline is quickly approaching and she hasn’t even begun her search for her parents. there are so many things she has to do and so little time to do it in.

coffee. coffee will make things better.

only when she checks the cupboard, the instant coffee is gone, used up by her sleep deprived self that morning. her fingers clench around the handle as she curses herself for not remembering to pick any up after work. it isn’t a big deal, it’s just coffee, and yet it’s the cherry on top of everything that’s gone wrong lately, and she has to swallow thickly to get rid of the lump in her throat.

she slaps her cheeks and shakes her head. no, be strong.

fire consumes her, but she doesn’t burn. she’s revitalised. any ache or pain she may have felt before is gone, making way for the power she never realised she had. she doesn’t know what it is or where it comes from, but she thinks she can take on the world.

a petty criminal will have to do.

the robber is taken away within minutes and she’s surrounded by strangers, and perhaps it’s the high from the fight, but she feels so in control, so valid.

she answers the call next time it comes around.

❝ why bother learning about your history when you can make your own ?? ❞

❝ what do you mean ?? ❞

❝ i mean that i could tell people where i come from and why i’m here now and all that boring stuff, but why bother when i could give them a story ?? ❞

❝ but... wouldn’t that be lying ?? ❞

❝ not if you make it grand or fantastical enough. ❞

❝ i’m not good with words like you are. ❞

❝ maybe not, but you’re surrounded by history. i’m sure you’d be able to think of something. ❞

❝ hey, i’m not about to dishonour the dead that way. ❞

[ LOADING... ]

[ LOADED ]

[ ACCESSING... ]

[ CONNECTED ]

❝ hello !! how may i help you today ?? ❞

his face is warm where the sun showers him with light. his eyes remain closed, both because he doesn’t want to damage them, but also because he truly can’t be bothered. he’s content where he is. why should he move ??

something -- someone -- shifts beside him and he whines, just a little, wrapping his arms around the moving figure and curling into them.

he could die happy here. he has the sun, some sleep, and his best friends beside him.

❝ everybody hold on tight !! ❞

she doesn’t need to be told twice. her hands find another’s -- she’s not sure whose -- and she clings tightly as the countdown begins, faster than it’s ever been before. these are dire straits. there isn’t time for the usual fanfare that comes with the spell that she’s usually so enamoured by.

this is a fight for survival.

the countdown ends and she shuts her eyes tight as the familiar swooping feeling returns to her stomach. she hears a scream from the opposite side of the room, but doesn’t open her eyes to investigate. she doesn’t want to see them.

#( para )#i'm not tagging everyone but they're all here #some of them share a snippet #also i'm being vague af bc i love being vague #i'm so sorry

3 notes · View notes

the-expert-zone · 4 years

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Cheap KETO Food List – including Pantry Staples (PDF)

To shave dollars off your keto grocery list and stay on track with weight loss, you need smart strategies. There are plenty of budget-friendly, delicious low-carb foods so you don’t need to resort to pasta, bread, rice and other inexpensive carbs!

Download the FREE PDF below with this exact list of cheap keto and low-carb foods, many of which are also long-lasting pantry staples. We’ll send it straight to your inbox >>>

Success! Now check your email to download the FREE Low-Budget Keto Food List

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With food shortages and out-of stocks common right now, as well as many of us being in isolation and unable to get to the shops, we are turning to our pantries to help us stay on track with keto and try to maintain the progress we’ve made.

When you’ve spent weeks, months or years following a keto diet, the last thing you want is to be forced to throw it all in and see that hard-earned weight loss reverse.

Many of us need to stay keto or low-carb for health reasons, whether that be managing insulin resistance and diabetes or the multitude of other conditions that the ketogenic diet helps.

It’s not an option just to throw our hands up and use the current world health crisis to buy all the pasta we can get our hands on and give up.

Because it doesn’t need to be this way…

If you’re committed to maintaining keto right now then this post will give you plenty of ideas for keto groceries that are easy on the budget.

I’ve tried to showcase low-carb foods that are low-budget AND…

…can be stored for long periods of time whether that be a non-perishable item like canned tuna or in the freezer, like frozen cauliflower or broccoli rice.

LOW-BUDGET KETO FOOD LIST – PDF

Get our FREE Cheap Keto Food List and keep dropping the weight without blowing the budget

Success! Now check your email to download the FREE Cheap Keto Food List

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THE TOP 10 CHEAP KETO FOODS

Canned tuna, salmon, chicken – properly stored, these can last for 3-5 years. Ideally in olive oil for the added fat.

Smoked oysters, tinned sardines – properly stored, these can last for 3-5 years

Ground or minced meat eg. beef is typically the cheapest and can be used in hundreds of ways

Frozen low-carb vegetables – cauliflower rice, broccoli rice, any frozen low-carb vegetables like green beans

Canned tomatoes – used in so many recipes

Coconut milk, coconut cream – used in so many recipes and as a dairy-free milk & cream substitute

Olives – we don’t eat many at a time so they tend to last a while, a good source of healthy fat. Look for whole olives with the seed, not pitted or sliced.

Condiments like mayonnaise – also consider making your own to save even more money

Fresh ketogenic vegetables in season – always buy in season to get the lowest prices. You can save money here by making your own cauliflower rice and spiralizing your own zucchini noodles etc.

Olive oil & avocado oil – avocadoes may be too expensive right now, so look for an affordable avocado oil to enjoy some of the same benefits

RELATED: Keto Home-Made Staples

USEFUL KETO “PANTRY” STAPLES (THAT COST A LITTLE MORE)

Eggs – depending on egg prices near you, they may actually be considered cheap. Eggs are a great way to meet your protein goals and can be used in many ways from breakfast to dinner. If you don’t usually eat a lot of eggs, consider frittatas and egg muffins.

Low-carb sweeteners – avoid keto dessert recipes if they use large quantities of sweetener or you’ll burn through your supplies very quickly. Think about keto sweeteners as a luxury right now. Use sparingly for tea and coffee and you’ll find that it helps to avoid sweet cravings.

Coconut flour – recipes only use very small amounts of coconut flour due to its unusual texture. A packet will last a long time.

Almond flour – while not low-budget, almond flour or almond meal it is a classic low-carb pantry staple that can be used in everything from baking to crumbing fish. Buy on discount and use sparingly.

RELATED : 10 Low-Carb Keto Pantry Essentials

LOW-BUDGET KETO FOOD LIST – PDF

Get our FREE Cheap Keto Food List and keep dropping the weight without blowing the budget

Success! Now check your email to download the FREE Cheap Keto Food List

CHEAPER CUTS OF MEAT

Beef – brisket, ground beef (mince), chuck, blade – avoid rib eye, eye fillet, tenderloin, waygu

Chicken thighs, drumsticks or whole chicken (use bones to make bone broth) – avoid chicken breast

Organ meats – liver, heart, kidneys etc

Pork – belly, shoulder, gigot, chop, ribs. Pork loin or tenderloin tends to be more pricey.

TIP: Go for lower quality meat and cook it in your slow-cooker, pressure cooker or in your oven over a long period, at a low temperature.

Cheap ground or minced beef can be used in many ways including burgers

AVOID THESE TO SAVE ON YOUR KETO GROCERY LIST

ALL processed keto foods – protein bars, packet mixes, anything that comes packaged!

Store-bought drinks – diet soda, Zevia

Bottled water

Expensive, high quality cuts of meat – chicken breast, eye fillet beef, rib eye, boned fish and pricey seafood

Diet supplements – shakes, “fat burning” pills, protein powder

Pre-cut veggies – also fresh cauliflower rice, fresh zucchini noodles

Out of season veggies and fruit

Free-range and organic – sadly, higher welfare produce generally costs more

Pre-shredded cheese – buy cheese in blocks and shred with a food processor or box grater

Alcohol – it doesn’t help you stay in ketosis so nix it for the time being

★ WHAT ARE YOUR GO-TO AFFORDABLE KETO DIET STAPLES? COMMENT BELOW!

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You can click the LINK to start creating your 8-week plan. Simply follow the plan to achieve a successful keto diet.

⠀ LINK : CLICK HERE LINK :CLICK HERE

from Your Keto Plan https://ift.tt/2N7BfUZ

#keto diet food cook cooking

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calorieworkouts · 4 years

Text

23 Weight-Loss Tips That Actually Worked For Women Just Like You

There's no question that employing a trusted registered dietitian is the means to go when you're attempting to make a big modification to your lifestyle.

But you understand that else has some pretty damn suitable ideas when it pertains to dropping pounds? Individuals that have really done it themselves.

Here, 23 various women share small tricks that helped them lose weight (and also keep it off).

1. Ditch your trigger foods.

Bags of chips. Tubs of crackers. Additional Halloween candy. Do away with anything that's a weak place, specifically any foods you've binged on in the past. 'If you understand you'll damage into the remaining birthday cake at twelve o'clock at night, throw it quickly,' states accountant Brandy Thele, that shed 130 extra pounds after she was detected with kind 2 diabetes mellitus.

Instead, swap 'restricted' foods for much healthier replacements. As opposed to swearing off treat completely, for circumstances, indulge in fresh fruit after meals. As well as if your partner or youngsters balk at your chucking the gelato, hide it behind the icy edamame so you don't glance it every single time you open up the freezer.

2. Hold on your own responsible ... for every little thing.

Keep a food diary as well as consist of everything (yes, that bite of your toddler's mac and cheese matters) so you can see where the calories come from. Day-care supervisor DJ Gray listed what she consumed and tracked her calories with the SparkPeople app on her way to shedding 115 pounds.

3. Produce an assistance system online.

Social media can be a powerful incentive to stick with your plan and make progress, Christina Donatella, now an individual fitness instructor, established up a Facebook page about her diet plan and workout routines and dropped 180 pounds.

Are you captured up on Jenna Jameson's weight-loss journey?

4. Take note of section dimensions.

So lots of dieters undervalue just how much they're eating. Devices and also devices can help: Teacher Jen Punda downloaded and install the MyFitnessPal app to help her gauge serving dimensions and also dropped 91 pounds, stay-at-home mother Krystal Sanders acquired a portion-control plate, which educated her to eyeball healthy and balanced portions of healthy protein, veggies, and starches.

5. Cook your own food.

Research reveals that individuals that prepare the majority of their own meals take in fewer calories, carbs, sugar, and fat than those who prepare seldom. If you insist you're also overloaded, try this method from paralegal Jessie Foss, who shed 100 pounds: On Sunday, work up a big batch of something healthy and balanced, like soup from a slow cooker, and also eat it throughout the week.

6. Do not nix the fiber or fat.

Fiber broadens in your belly and also requires time to digest, both of which aid keep you really feeling complete for longer. Great resources include entire grains, veggies, as well as whole fruit (not juiced). Healthy fats like olive and nut oils-in moderation-improve flavor, give you energy, and also help your body use specific nutrients. Alexandra Shipper included healthy and balanced fats, such as avocado, to healthy protein sources like eggs as well as fish on her method to going down 55 pounds.

7. Do not really feel required to go to the fitness center.

When you're at your heaviest, it can be frightening to step right into a health club and start running or lifting among the spandex-clad. Exercising in your very own space is likewise merely less complicated to schedule-you can lift weights while the child naps or very first point in the morning without dragging yourself out the door. 'I bought a stationary bicycle so I can function out whenever I want,' states Sarah DeArmond, who shed 100 extra pounds.

8. Job weights into your workout routine.

To drop significant lbs, you require the one-two strike of cardio exercise plus strength training. Resistance assists construct and also protect metabolism-boosting lean muscle mass while shedding fat and is particularly crucial when you hit a plateau. Amanda Eco-friendly lost 15 pounds in 2 months doing hour-long cardio DVDs, but it wasn't till she started running outside and training weights three times a week that she was able to ditch the last 15 of her 30-pound objective.

9. Difficulty yourself by enrolling in a race.

Jessica McMullin signed up for her first race, a 5K walk-run, hoping an obstacle would certainly help motivate her to shed weight-which it did, method greater than she could have pictured. 'I absolutely fell in love with running, it changed my whole life,' she states.

Not only did it aid her shed 60 extra pounds, yet making it a day-to-day practice also helped her overcome her depression. Now she stays motivated by remaining to challenge herself with brand-new race goals. To day, she's completed over 100 different races.

10. Do not promise off your favorite deals with for excellent.

Little treats keep you from feeling robbed, so everyday, allow on your own a little bit of something you enjoy (go for 150 calories each). This kind of small amounts is the distinction between a 'diet' and also a way of life you can stick to for life. For salon proprietor Caitlin Gallagher, who shed 125 pounds, that indicated changing her every night bowl of ice cream with a square of chocolate, social worker Brittany Hicks, that lost 100 pounds, started cooking mini variations of her favorite pies.

11. Always ensure you have a plan.

When going out to supper, follow the lead of law enforcement agent Larissa Reggetto, who dropped 105, and also look up the food selection ahead of time to prevent impulse buying.

12. Stick to a routine.

Too much selection in your diet regimen can tinker your satiation cues and also make you eat way too much, so include some (tasty) monotony to your routine. One easy way: Consume the exact same healthy and balanced breakfast and/or lunch daily during the week, and appreciate new tastes on the weekend break. The most effective feature of that strategy, claims 69-pound-loser (emergency room, champion?) Melanie Kitchen area: 'I really did not need to keep developing new dishes!'

13. Have a positive weight-loss rule.

When Katrina Plyler decided to take control of her weight, she chose to try the Whole30 as a way to reset as well as commit to her objectives.

' That initial day was so tough, I nearly caved and also grabbed the vending equipment at job yet I kept in mind a quote I carried my Facebook web page that claimed 'The only thing standing between you as well as your objective is the bullshit tale you maintain informing yourself as to why you can't attain it' which was enough to make me avert from the machine,' she says.

She completed the entire month of the Whole 30 and stuck to a clean Paleo-style diet regimen afterward. Within a year she was down 46 pounds. 'I always keep that quote close-by and also reread it when I'm really feeling weak,' she adds.

14. Search for things to include to your life, not deduct.

Starting a weight-loss journey can be hard, particularly if you're quiting a great deal of points you love. Shannon Hagen's key to remaining positive while dropping weight? 'I never ever consider it as giving points up, that makes me feel deprived,' she states. 'Rather I concentrate on adding in one little healthy change at a time, until it comes to be a practice.' Instead of being bummed over not having your normal dish of ice lotion before bed, attempt a new healthy dessert recipe to include to your file.

15. Focus on what you wish to acquire, too.

Chronic migraine headaches were what first inspired Amanda Tagge to begin working out. 'I was intending to discover some remedy for my frustrations as well as working out did aid however I realized that if I truly desired to really feel much better I required to overhaul my health habits overall and slim down,' she claims. The even more she transformed, the far better her frustrations obtained and she lost 70 pounds in the procedure which aided her feel even better. Concentrating on right her wellness was enhancing kept her going even when the range wasn't moving.

16. Track your fruits as well as veggies.

Snacking is the crucial to Mary Rogerson's 60-pound fat burning but it's not just exactly how usually she eats yet what. 'I intend to eat at least 7 portions of vegetables a day, in addition to some protein, every couple of hours,' she states. 'And also The finest component is that by the time she's filled up on her rainbow of fruit and vegetables, she's usually also full to eat much else as well as her yearnings for sweets have actually gone method down.

17. Consume something rejuvenating as quickly as you wake up.

' Every morning I consume alcohol a mug of warm water with half a lemon pressed right into it, a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, and a dashboard of cayenne pepper,' states Michelle Keough. This assists her beginning her time off on a healthy note while obtaining her moisturized after a long night. This technique, integrated with eating meals constructed around healthy protein as well as veggies, helped her lose 20 pounds and also keep it off.

18. Try establishing an 'consuming home window.'

Connie Jory advocates recurring fasting-eating during a certain window of time, like from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. consuming at all.

' In the beginning it was difficult to adapt to but I've found that if I stick to only consuming within my collection home window, the hunger pains vanish and I don't even think of food.' This intermittent fasting method has actually assisted her shed greater than 70 pounds.

19. Make treats a real treat.

' I have one hell of a wonderful tooth, therefore I have to decline to bring sweet, cake, or sweets right into the residence, period,' claim Lin Williams, who's lost 105 extra pounds. Rather, if she desires a reward she has to want it poor enough to get up, obtain in the cars and truck, leave her house, as well as go to the store-a procedure that rarely really feels worth it. As well as on the rare occasion she does indulge? 'I get specifically what I want as well as enjoy every bite of it!' she says.

20. Use a loved one as inspiration.

Finding the inspiration to work out as well as drop weight was difficult and as a busy mama Sabrina Winder can never appear to discover the time. When her son decided to do a biking value badge for Kid Scouts, unexpectedly helping her youngster indicated helping herself also.

' My reason made use of to be that I really did not intend to leave my kids alone to work out, however this assisted me see I can still do it and simply include them,' she states. Currently she's slimming down and obtaining trimmer while setting a healthy and balanced example for her children. 'It's a win-win for our entire family,' she adds.

21. Don't really feel poor for saying 'no' often.

' My father resembles a food-pushing wizard, he's always pulling stuff out of his pockets or showing up with delicious food,' states Mary Mock. While the family members tradition of shock sugary foods was fun, when it came time to lose weight, she knew she needed to place a quit to all that lure. 'At first, he seemed hurt when I kept claiming no yet when I explained it was for my wellness, he hopped on board. Sometimes I still have to remind him though!' she says.

22. Discover ways to treat on your own without food.

Making the connection between her stress and anxiety and also her food desires was a game-changer for Kelly Pedestrian. 'I understood that by the end of the day, I simply wanted something to relax me down as well as so I 'd binge on delicious chocolate,' she states.

' Regarding a year ago, I started looking for other ways to handle my stress and anxiety besides consuming, like washing or doing acupuncture.' She's lost over 40 extra pounds but the finest component is that she feels extra unwinded than she's ever been. 'It ends up that eating all that sugar was making me much more distressed, making a ferocious cycle.'

23. Make your refrigerator a 'healthy and balanced treats just' zone.

Having a healthy option within your reaches when you're depriving can make all the distinction in between sticking to your objectives as well as providing in to temptation. 'I keep little containers of hummus and also carrots, pickles, nuts and dried out apricots, salsa and rice biscuits, and other healthy and balanced combos in the front of my fridge and also kitchen so they are literally the initial thing I see when I unlock,' claims Lita Moreno. 'I don't also offer myself a selection to rip off.' This little change has aided her decrease virtually 80 pounds.

#exercise #fitness #fitness center #fitness instructor #health #health club #the fitness center #weight #wellness #work out #workout #workout routines

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himbowelsh · 7 years

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I'm not sure if you still take those so you can totally tell me to fuck off, but I have this prompt idea for winnix (cause of those cute baby Dick pictures): Canon or Modern, Nix spends Christmas with Dick and his family. Dick's Ma tells him all her favourite stories about little Dick and shows him pictures from his childhood. Nix tries very hard to suppress his heart eyes. They share a room and it's fluffy and warm and christmasy and Nix never felt so good during holidays.

AN: irl dick’s father died not even a year after he got back from the war, in june ‘46. he was out in nixon at the time, and rushed home as soon as he heard the news. since i want to keep this happy, in this story dick’s father’s gonna still be around. (fiction -- it’s a magical thing.)

He’s not really sure what he’s getting himself in to when Dick invites him home for the holidays.

They’ve been back home for over a year now, and most of that time has been spent in Nixon, New Jersey. Dick took the job as personnel manager in January. Since then he has met the family, won rave reviews, and proven himself to be Lewis’s father’s favorite son. His father’s new (much younger) wife flirts shamelessly with him; and Lewis’s sister thinks he’s a great guy. Dick is getting used to life in Nixon and finding his rhythm at the company.

In the midst of all of this, Dick has still taken several opportunities to go back home -- his home, all the way in Lancaster. He’s reunited with his family. He spent Easter and Thanksgiving with them, and celebrated his sister’s birthday. Lewis was asked to come, of course, but he turned the invitation down each time.

Dick is better off spending holidays there. Those are his people, the type of family who cooks Christmas dinner together and eats it around a warmly lit table. Nixon holidays are a rush of glitzy, alcohol-fumed parties. Dick wouldn’t fit in there. Hell, he would hate it. He’s much happier celebrating back home, and Lewis is glad for it.

Dick has his place, and Lewis has his. That’s what he swore by up until Dick presented him with a neat, cream-colored envelope five days before Christmas.

Lewis’s first thought is that it must be a gift. “You shouldn’t have,” he says; then he sees that it’s postmarked from Lancaster. “You really shouldn’t have.” His fingers fumble as they tear open the envelope, revealing the letter inside written in open, spidery print. “Dick, you got your mother to write me?”

“She wants you to come down,” Dick replies. Smugness exudes from his voice, barely masked by that boyscout charm that makes everything he says sound so genuine. “It would make her very happy.”

He can say no to Dick all he likes, but there’s no way Lewis can turn down an invitation from his mother. He knows it, Dick knows it, and he’s bet his stash of VAT 69 that Mrs. Winters probably knows it too.

Lewis sighs, sets the letter down on the table, and turns to Dick. “Well,” he says, “Guess I can look forward to a Pennsylvania Christmas.”

Edith Winters is, in many ways, very much like her son. She is tall and long limbed, with a long face and bright blue eyes. Her features are more delicate than her son’s, however, and instead of being red her hair is a mass of blonde curls fading to grey in places, pinned up on her head in a loose bun. She greets Dick with a warm embrace and a kiss on the cheek before turning to his travelling companion.

“You must be Lewis,” she says. Her smile is almost an exact mirror of Dick’s. Suddenly it doesn’t matter that they’re standing on the middle of a train platform out in Nowhere, Pennsylvania, and that Lewis can feel his eyeballs freezing inside of his skull. He feels warm, and for the first time in a long time realizes he’s excited for Christmas.

“That’d be me, ma’am,” he replies, and accepts her tight embrace. His surprise must show in his expression, because Dick chuckles over his shoulder. Lewis shoots him a glare, but there’s no fire in it. If this is what a Mom Hug feels like, his own mother ought to take notes.

“Take it easy on him, Mom,” Dick pipes up. Lewis thinks he’s taking pity on him for one second before his friend’s lips quirk up. “He’s still got to meet Ann.”

That’s the moment Lewis realizes he has no idea what he’s getting into.

By the time Lewis is settled in at the Winters’ home, he understands and appreciates Dick’s insistence that they both get some rest on the train ride over. If he hadn’t had the extra sleep, he doubts he’d be able to begin keeping up with the lively, warm home atmosphere that is so completely different from what he knows.

He’s heard a lot about the Winters family. Dick never shared his hesitance to talk about his home life during the war; in fact, he was the exact opposite. He enjoyed reminiscing, and would often take quiet moments to look back on his roots. Lewis thinks he knows what to expect from the Winters home -- a nice rural homestead, with a barn and small stable in the back. In a lot of ways, he isn’t wrong. Dick’s house sits on a lengthy expanse of land. There’s a tire swing hanging from a tree in the backyard. The farmhouse looks almost stereotypically domestic, painted white with a warm glow emitting from the shuttered windows. They’ve got a trellis, real chickens -- they have a white picket fence, for christ sakes.

If Lewis feels a bit like he’s stepped into an alternate universe, it’s nothing compared to actually meeting the family.

Dick’s father doesn’t say much aside from greeting him; he is even more laconic than his son, and at first glance seems serious enough to make Lewis uncomfortable. Ann Winters more than makes up for her father’s reticence, however. Lewis only has to look at her bright red hair and lively blue eyes to know that she’s a chatterbox.

In fact, Ann hasn’t left him alone since he walked in the door. She pelts him with questions about everything from his life in New York to the war, and he can barely answer one question before she’s launching off with some anecdote, joke, or a new question all over again.

“Dick took me into New York City a few years back! We got to see Sons of Fun, and stayed at this really nice hotel. He even let me have breakfast in the dining room all by myself! I ordered pancakes, and fruit, and they put powdered sugar on it and everything --”

She talks more than his father’s second wife, and is a lot harder to ignore. Lewis’s head is spinning.

Even so, he loves her. She’s like a tiny, spunky version of Dick, and though she’s nothing like his own younger sister Lewis feels a sense of fraternal affection towards her almost immediately. Dick has spoken of her so often that it doesn’t feel like Ann is a stranger at all. He practically knows her already, and will tolerate her endless questions just to see her (and Dick, out of the corner of Lewis’s eye) smile.

Dinner itself occurs not long after they’ve arrived at the house. Lewis has never seen so much homecooked food in his life. The array of turkey, stuffing, beans, potatoes, cornbread, and vegetables could hardly rival the splendor of Nixon family dinners, but it’s obvious how much time and effort was put into making it all. Everything is delicious, of course; but the real highlight of the dinner is conversation. The Winters’ banter back and forth with a lighthearted ease. Stories and jokes flow here like alcohol back in Nixon, and Lewis (his own glass filled with water -- Dick’s entire family doesn’t drink, and Lewis made a point of respecting that) feels like a fish tossed into a completely different ocean.

It makes him sad, for a minute, because this has never been something he’s had before. How often had he longed for this as a child? How many holidays did he spend yearning for this warmth and easy familiarity?

Then he looks at the happy faces around him, and his heart feels light once again. It’s yet another of the many differences between him and Dick, but this is something Lewis can be a part of now. This is a Christmas present (there’s no better word for it) and he’s not about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

He thinks nothing can top dinner, but inevitably he’s proven wrong. Afterwards, when everyone is gathered in the living room by the light of the Christmas tree, she does what is potentially the most Mom thing imaginable.

She takes out the baby photos.

“This is one of Dick when he was no more than a year old. The cowboy hat was a gift from his uncle.”

Lewis’s eyes flash to the grown-up Dick, glistening with glee. He can only look away from the picture for a second, however. He wants to memorize every last detail of all of them. This is a side of his best friend he never imagined he’d get to see, and it’s absolutely amazing.

“What a darling,” he comments appropriately, and Dick’s mother beams with pride.

“And this one --” She pulls out a school photo, showing a middle school-aged Dick with a truly regrettable haircut. “This was around the time Ann was born.

“He was thirteen when we had Ann, and she couldn’t handle mother’s milk -- it was too much for her stomach, you know, milk still is -- so we had to make her her own formula. Dick watched me like a hawk while I’d make it. Then the day came when he insisted upon making it himself. Wouldn’t you know, he did a very good job. After that he wanted to feed Ann, of course, and he did that well too, so he became officially in charge of feeding the baby from that day on.” His mother covers her mouth with her hand as she chuckles. “He was so proud of himself!”

“Less proud when Ann would spit up on me, though,” Dick pipes up from where he’s lounged on the couch, leaning into Lewis’s side. From her seat under the Christmas tree, Ann makes a disgruntled noise. “It’s true!”

“I don’t do that now, of course,” Ann hastens to amend, sounding very self-important.

Her father raises an eyebrow. “I should hope not. Please don’t start, or we can make you very comfortable sleeping in the barn.”

Lewis snorts, and doesn’t bother covering it up. It turns out that Dick’s father is as funny as him, in that same quiet, unexpected way. They have the same sense of dry humor, though Nix has discovered the elder Winters’s unexpected proclivity for puns. For such a serious-looking guy, it’s completely unexpected. Lewis loves it.

Dick’s mother flips to another photo, and Lewis feels his heart catch in his throat. Dick can be no more than five in this one, sitting on his front porch with his elbows braced on his knees. There’s an impish grin on his face, revealing a gaping hole where his front tooth ought to be.

“Dick, what a little cad you were,” he remarks. Dick elbows him in the side, hard enough to make Lewis chuckle and nudge him back.

When he leans over to take a look at the picture, Dick’s chin winds up resting on Lewis’s shoulder. “Oh, I remember that! We tried everything to get that stubborn tooth out. The apple, the towel, and --”

“The doorframe,” both of Dick’s parents chime at the same time. Ann snickers, and Dick’s face flushes a charming red. “We remember.”

“Blood everywhere,” Dick’s father says. “It was awful.”

Ann perks up. “Sounds neat.”

“Awful,” her father reiterates, not seeming at all surprised by his daughter’s interest. “Dick cried for an hour --”

“It wasn’t a hour,” protests Dick, sounding disgruntled. Lewis has to stifle a laugh when he realizes that his friend is actually pouting.

“He was a crybaby,” Ann sing-songs. “Even after I was born. I never cried half as much as him.”

“I wasn’t a crybaby!”

“You were, darling, a bit,” Dick’s mother replies -- and presses a kiss to his temple before he can protest. “It’s alright, you were a very sensitive child! There’s nothing wrong with that.”

Lewis has never had this -- the easy affection, the teasing, the childhood pictures and stories looked back at with such fondness. That familiar melancholy returns to him, but it is mixed with something warm. It is impossible to feel alone in this environment. Dick grew up in the loving household Lewis never knew. Compared to a farmboy, the son of a millionaire is privileged in many ways; but it’s obvious that in this area, Dick is the one who struck gold.

Lewis couldn’t imagine a nicer way to spend Christmas. He presses a bit closer into Dick’s side, hoping his friend can understand how grateful he is to have been invited here.

If the tiny smile on Dick’s face is any indication, he understands.

#winnix #richard winters #lewis nixon #i clUNG to dick's biography while writing this #his father actually wrote 'we have to be PARENTroopers to a PARAtrooper' he was a total dad joke guy #also i love ann winters can you tell #my writing #Anonymous

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jesseneufeld · 5 years

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30 Keto Recipes Ready In Under 30 Minutes

Thanks to Courtney Hamilton at Paleohacks.com for today’s recipe.

Have food ready and on the table in under half an hour with these keto-friendly weekday meals!

One of the hardest parts about sticking to any diet is the amount of time you have to dedicate to preparing food. Gone are the days when you could run through the drive-thru on a particularly crazy day—at least, not without ketosis-wrecking consequences.

The next time you’re in a pinch, forget the fast food and check out this list. If you have a well-stocked pantry, you’re guaranteed to be able to make many of these 30-minute, keto-friendly meals at any given time. In other words, you can feed yourself in the amount of time it would take to run through the drive-thru.

You’ve got options for every meal of the day. Whip up delicious keto breakfasts like bacon and avocado burritos or stick-to-your-ribs keto “oatmeal” first thing in the morning, assemble a satiating Tex-Mex salad or three-ingredient salmon zucchini pasta for lunch, make a Korean beef bowl after work and indulge in a creamy bacon and shrimp skillet for a post-workout dinner.

Whatever time of day, there’s a keto meal on here for you.

Psst: If you’re looking for low-carb munchies in between meals, look no further than these 23 keto snack ideas!

#1 PaleoHacks | Easy Low Carb Keto “Noatmeal”

Start your morning off right with a warm bowl of oatmeal without all the carbs. This version simmers cauliflower rice in coconut milk with hemp seeds and chia seeds for a cozy breakfast.

#2 The Nourished Caveman | Keto Creamy Shrimp and Bacon Skillet

Few things are more succulent than the combination of shrimp, bacon, and coconut cream. Bonus: This meal comes together in minutes.

#3 PaleoHacks | Keto Breakfast Burrito with Bacon and Avocado

This ketosis-fueling burrito is technically made for breakfast, but we’d scarf this down any time of day.

#4 Healthful Pursuit | 5-Minute Cream of Tomato Soup

If you only have five minutes to spare, look no further. This creamy soup gets its richness from a surprise ingredient: macadamia nuts.

#5 PaleoHacks | Keto Breakfast Burger with Avocado Buns

Looking for a way to jazz up your keto breakfasts? Make “buns” out of avocado! Yes, this is a fork and knife burger.

#6 I Heart Umami | Paleo Filipino Skirt Steak with Cauliflower Rice

If you’re craving Filipino comfort food, give this low-carb version of steak and rice a try.

#7 PaleoHacks | Easy Buffalo Chicken Salad

This creamy, bright and spicy buffalo chicken salad is wrapped in crunchy lettuce cups for a healthy lunch your coworkers will surely envy.

#8 Wholesome Yum | Crispy Pan-Fried Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Balsamic Vinegar

How do you pack a ton of flavor into Brussels sprouts? You pan-fry them with crunchy bacon and top with tangy balsamic vinegar.

#9 PaleoHacks | Keto Turkey and Egg Breakfast Skillet

Ground turkey and eggs make for a quick and delicious breakfast any morning, but this recipe works for any time of day, too.

# 10 Wholesome Yum | Italian Marinated Artichoke Salad

This artichoke salad is super close to antipasto—go ahead and add some meat if your macros can take it!

#11 PaleoHacks | 15-Minute Pesto Shrimp Pasta with Zucchini Noodles

Put a spin on pasta night with these zucchini noodles, slathered in Paleo pesto and topped with succulent shrimp.

#12 Nom Nom Paleo | Paleo Sausage Egg McMuffin

Craving fast food? Opt for this ketosis-fueling version, which builds a “McMuffin” out of fried egg patties and nixes the cheese for creamy avocado.

#13 Keto Summit | 3-Ingredient Keto Salmon Pasta

Filled with satiating fats, this three-ingredient “pasta” requires only zucchini noodles, cooked salmon, and your favorite mayo. Top with your favorite seasonings, and dig in!

#14 Wholesome Yum | Keto Coconut Curry Chicken

Before you head out to an Indian restaurant to gorge on rice and naan, reconsider: Can you make a low-carb version at home? This recipe proves you can.

#15 PaleoHacks | Kale and Mushroom Sausage Patties

These savory sausage patties are so versatile—use them to make a sandwich with this keto bread, serve them alongside eggs, or dip in your favorite keto sauce.

#16 Wholesome Yum | Oven Roasted Mushrooms with Balsamic, Garlic and Herbs

You can serve this hearty side alongside a thick steak, but these mushrooms are meaty enough to work as a main dish all by themselves.

#17 The Nourished Caveman | Kale and Eggs Benedict

Skip the English muffin and top hearty kale and fatty eggs with a creamy, keto-friendly hollandaise sauce. Perfect for brunch!

#18 Wholesome Yum | Broccoli Cauliflower Salad with Bacon and Mayo

All you need is 10 minutes to whip up this hearty cruciferous salad with creamy mayo and salty bacon, and you’ll be fueled for hours.

#19 Diethood | Steak Fajita Roll-Ups

Here’s a fun way to serve up your steak and veggies: make steak wraps out of them!

#20 Bulletproof Blog | Low Carb Beef Stir-fry

This Asian-inspired beef stir-fry with zucchini noodles boasts tons of flavor with very few carbs.

#21 Little Spice Jar | Garlic Butter Baked Salmon in Foil

This easy-peasy, low-mess dinner cooks up quick and produces the most flavorful salmon, ever. Be sure to opt for grass-fed butter.

#22 Bulletproof Blog | Poached Cod in Tomato Broth

Looking to switch up your seafood intake? Try poached cod in a vibrant, fragrant tomato broth. The whole meal comes together in just 20 minutes!

#23 Eat Well 101 | 15-Minute Cowboy Butter Chicken with Zucchini Noodles

Grass-fed butter elevates the humble butter chicken in this 15-minute recipe.

#24 That’s Low Carb?! | Bok Choy Chicken Stir-Fry

It’s hard to beat a quick-cooking stir-fry, thanks to its ability to pack in tons of flavor in just a few minutes.

#25 Life Made Sweeter | Tex-Mex Chicken Salad

Packed with fajita chicken and veggies, this hearty and filling salad is always a safe bet!

#26 Primavera Kitchen | Shrimp Avocado Cucumber Salad

This colorful salad is just what you need on a warm day.

#27 A Sweet Life | Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas

Grab a sheet pan for a super quick meal with easy cleanup. Then, grab some lettuce leaves and instead of tortillas and dig in!

#28 Happy Body Formula | Low Carb Korean Beef Bowl

Ginger, garlic, chili, fish sauce—while quick, nothing about this meal is boring.

#29 All Day I Dream About Food | Lemongrass Chicken with Cilantro Cauliflower Rice

Fragrant lemongrass gives this 30-minute keto meal a distinctive Asian flair. Use whichever keto/Paleo sweetener you’d prefer here.

#30 Physical Kitchness | Easy Paleo Greek Chicken Skillet

If you’re a fan of Mediterranean food, you’ll love this chicken skillet with Greek seasonings, lemon, olives, and artichoke hearts.

Thanks again to Courtney Hamilton from Paleohacks.com. Interested in seeing a certain recipe or roundup of a certain category—Primal or Primal-keto? Let us know below!

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lauramalchowblog · 5 years

Text

30 Keto Recipes Ready In Under 30 Minutes

Thanks to Courtney Hamilton at Paleohacks.com for today’s recipe.

Have food ready and on the table in under half an hour with these keto-friendly weekday meals!

Whatever time of day, there’s a keto meal on here for you.

Psst: If you’re looking for low-carb munchies in between meals, look no further than these 23 keto snack ideas!

#1 PaleoHacks | Easy Low Carb Keto “Noatmeal”

Start your morning off right with a warm bowl of oatmeal without all the carbs. This version simmers cauliflower rice in coconut milk with hemp seeds and chia seeds for a cozy breakfast.

#2 The Nourished Caveman | Keto Creamy Shrimp and Bacon Skillet

Few things are more succulent than the combination of shrimp, bacon, and coconut cream. Bonus: This meal comes together in minutes.

#3 PaleoHacks | Keto Breakfast Burrito with Bacon and Avocado

This ketosis-fueling burrito is technically made for breakfast, but we’d scarf this down any time of day.

#4 Healthful Pursuit | 5-Minute Cream of Tomato Soup

If you only have five minutes to spare, look no further. This creamy soup gets its richness from a surprise ingredient: macadamia nuts.

#5 PaleoHacks | Keto Breakfast Burger with Avocado Buns

Looking for a way to jazz up your keto breakfasts? Make “buns” out of avocado! Yes, this is a fork and knife burger.

#6 I Heart Umami | Paleo Filipino Skirt Steak with Cauliflower Rice

If you’re craving Filipino comfort food, give this low-carb version of steak and rice a try.

#7 PaleoHacks | Easy Buffalo Chicken Salad

This creamy, bright and spicy buffalo chicken salad is wrapped in crunchy lettuce cups for a healthy lunch your coworkers will surely envy.

#8 Wholesome Yum | Crispy Pan-Fried Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Balsamic Vinegar

How do you pack a ton of flavor into Brussels sprouts? You pan-fry them with crunchy bacon and top with tangy balsamic vinegar.

#9 PaleoHacks | Keto Turkey and Egg Breakfast Skillet

Ground turkey and eggs make for a quick and delicious breakfast any morning, but this recipe works for any time of day, too.

# 10 Wholesome Yum | Italian Marinated Artichoke Salad

This artichoke salad is super close to antipasto—go ahead and add some meat if your macros can take it!

#11 PaleoHacks | 15-Minute Pesto Shrimp Pasta with Zucchini Noodles

Put a spin on pasta night with these zucchini noodles, slathered in Paleo pesto and topped with succulent shrimp.

#12 Nom Nom Paleo | Paleo Sausage Egg McMuffin

Craving fast food? Opt for this ketosis-fueling version, which builds a “McMuffin” out of fried egg patties and nixes the cheese for creamy avocado.

#13 Keto Summit | 3-Ingredient Keto Salmon Pasta

Filled with satiating fats, this three-ingredient “pasta” requires only zucchini noodles, cooked salmon, and your favorite mayo. Top with your favorite seasonings, and dig in!

#14 Wholesome Yum | Keto Coconut Curry Chicken

Before you head out to an Indian restaurant to gorge on rice and naan, reconsider: Can you make a low-carb version at home? This recipe proves you can.

#15 PaleoHacks | Kale and Mushroom Sausage Patties

These savory sausage patties are so versatile—use them to make a sandwich with this keto bread, serve them alongside eggs, or dip in your favorite keto sauce.

#16 Wholesome Yum | Oven Roasted Mushrooms with Balsamic, Garlic and Herbs

You can serve this hearty side alongside a thick steak, but these mushrooms are meaty enough to work as a main dish all by themselves.

#17 The Nourished Caveman | Kale and Eggs Benedict

Skip the English muffin and top hearty kale and fatty eggs with a creamy, keto-friendly hollandaise sauce. Perfect for brunch!

#18 Wholesome Yum | Broccoli Cauliflower Salad with Bacon and Mayo

All you need is 10 minutes to whip up this hearty cruciferous salad with creamy mayo and salty bacon, and you’ll be fueled for hours.

#19 Diethood | Steak Fajita Roll-Ups

Here’s a fun way to serve up your steak and veggies: make steak wraps out of them!

#20 Bulletproof Blog | Low Carb Beef Stir-fry

This Asian-inspired beef stir-fry with zucchini noodles boasts tons of flavor with very few carbs.

#21 Little Spice Jar | Garlic Butter Baked Salmon in Foil

This easy-peasy, low-mess dinner cooks up quick and produces the most flavorful salmon, ever. Be sure to opt for grass-fed butter.

#22 Bulletproof Blog | Poached Cod in Tomato Broth

Looking to switch up your seafood intake? Try poached cod in a vibrant, fragrant tomato broth. The whole meal comes together in just 20 minutes!

#23 Eat Well 101 | 15-Minute Cowboy Butter Chicken with Zucchini Noodles

Grass-fed butter elevates the humble butter chicken in this 15-minute recipe.

#24 That’s Low Carb?! | Bok Choy Chicken Stir-Fry

It’s hard to beat a quick-cooking stir-fry, thanks to its ability to pack in tons of flavor in just a few minutes.

#25 Life Made Sweeter | Tex-Mex Chicken Salad

Packed with fajita chicken and veggies, this hearty and filling salad is always a safe bet!

#26 Primavera Kitchen | Shrimp Avocado Cucumber Salad

This colorful salad is just what you need on a warm day.

#27 A Sweet Life | Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas

Grab a sheet pan for a super quick meal with easy cleanup. Then, grab some lettuce leaves and instead of tortillas and dig in!

#28 Happy Body Formula | Low Carb Korean Beef Bowl

Ginger, garlic, chili, fish sauce—while quick, nothing about this meal is boring.

#29 All Day I Dream About Food | Lemongrass Chicken with Cilantro Cauliflower Rice

Fragrant lemongrass gives this 30-minute keto meal a distinctive Asian flair. Use whichever keto/Paleo sweetener you’d prefer here.

#30 Physical Kitchness | Easy Paleo Greek Chicken Skillet

If you’re a fan of Mediterranean food, you’ll love this chicken skillet with Greek seasonings, lemon, olives, and artichoke hearts.

Thanks again to Courtney Hamilton from Paleohacks.com. Interested in seeing a certain recipe or roundup of a certain category—Primal or Primal-keto? Let us know below!

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tastesoftamriel · 5 years

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Any notable deep-fried dishes among the races of Tamriel?

There aren't particularly many examples of deep fried food in Tamriel, though everybody enjoys a greasy treat every now and then! Not all races are fans of deep frying, so here are a few examples that I know of.

My personal favourite is a traditional Khajiiti street snack: fried bananas. Whole small bananas or sometimes sliced bananas are dipped in pancake batter and deep fried to perfection, and are often served with a good drizzle of moon sugar syrup.

The Orcs are famous for their deep fried chub loon wings and drumsticks, which are zesty little meaty bites that are crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and are liberally coated in spiced batter that's absolutely moreish. You'll find fried chub loon in big buckets being devoured by hungry workers and warriors at most coastal strongholds, though inland Orcs enjoy chunks of horse meat (or chicken) fried in a similar manner.

Similarly, the Bosmer enjoy a mix of fried meats and edible insects that are usually served in bowls to nibble at parties, especially crickets, mealworms, and grasshoppers. Though it sounds grotesque, they're really very nutritious and delicious! Crickets in particular are wonderfully nutty in flavour, and rich in protein.

Speaking of fried insects, the Redguards are famous for their scorpions and tarantulas on a stick, which you can find at many street vendors around Hammerfell. The poison glands, carapaces, and hairs are removed, and the insects are then coated in a spice mixture, skewered on a stick, and deep fried until golden brown. Not for the faint of heart!

Imperials love deep fried dough balls, which can be sweet or savoury. Sweet dough balls are typically served coated in powdered sugar and cinnamon, while salty dough balls are served plain with a sprinkle of savoury seasoning. Some variants also contain fillings, like jam, cheese, or chocolate.

Of all the Mer, Dunmer are probably the best known for their deep fried foods, and for good reason! Thin and crispy ash yam chips are a staple at home and on the road, and like the dough balls, are either plain and savoury, or sweetened. They also make delicious wraps that are deep fried in their entirety, which are a gloriously oily treat (definitely not one for everyday consumption though)! Bread wraps are often filled with a mix of nix-ox meat, scuttle, hackle-lo leaf, and spicy saltrice, then dunked for a couple of minutes in hot oil until dark brown and crispy. A definite must-have if you're ever in Morrowind!

The Bretons make my ultimate guilty pleasure: deep fried gooey cheese sticks! Locally made mozzarella is coated in a mix of breadcrumbs and herbs, and flash fried. The end result is a divine, cheesy snack that I'll end up dropping more than a few Septims on.

As for the Nords, there surprisingly aren't as many fried dishes as many people would assume. The most famous deep fried food is actually from my hometown of Riften and can be bought in the market square: hot battered fresh fish from Lake Honrich, with a healthy portion of greasy fried potato wedges on the side. This is usually doused with a good slug of malt vinegar and lots of salt!

The Altmer and Argonians are exceptional in that neither race enjoys fried foods, let alone deep fried! The Altmer are extremely picky about oil and prefer their food to be cooked only as far as it needs to be- deep frying is viewed to be crass and a sign of poor culinary skills, as well as the excess oil being terrible for the skin (they're right about the last part). Argonians don't tend to enjoy oily food as their digestive systems simply aren't cut out for it, and they much prefer grilling their foods instead.

#Worldbuilding #Tes #The Elder Scrolls #Food #Lore #Nord #Khajiit #Dunmer #Breton #Redguard #Argonian #Bosmer #Imperial #Altmer #Orc

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florahecate · 5 years

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Read More 30 Surprising Foods That Taste So Much Better Grilled

The following post 30 Surprising Foods That Taste So Much Better Grilled is republished from Eat This Not That by Cheyenne Buckingham

Depending on where you live in the U.S., grilling season may vary from just a few months out of the year when summer rolls around to all year round. Regardless of whether you get to fire up the grill whenever you please or have to wait patiently for warmer weather to arrive, grilling gives just about any food—not just meat—a boost in flavor. Grilling fruit over the fire, for example, allows the naturally-occurring sugar (fructose) in fruit to caramelize, something that only the grill can emulate. See which surprising foods take on an amplified flavor once they hit the grill, and, well, simply taste better when they’re grilled!

Watermelon

Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

There’s nothing quite like sinking your teeth into a cold piece of watermelon, which is why grilling such a refreshing fruit may seem a bit counterproductive? Well, it’s not—trust us. In fact, grilled watermelon pairs very well with feta cheese and balsamic vinegar. Or, you could grill cubes of the fruit and make kebabs with a yogurt and honey dipping sauce.

Peaches

Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

Chef Patrick Ochs, Corporate Executive Chef at Pubblica Italiana and Dalia at The Celino Hotel, says that grilling a peach is the great way to get the best of both worlds: sweet and savory. It’s really simple to do, too. First, cut the peach in half and remove the pit. Next, grill the open sides of the fruit on high heat until grill marks appear. “Chop and add to a salad, or as a complement to any grilled meat dish for a sweet and savory flavor kick,” says Ochs.

Calamari

Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

Grilling calamari is the surprising alternative to its traditional fried counterpart. Try tossing the squid into a salad—as we did in this spicy grilled calamari salad recipe—and serve as an appetizer at your next dinner party!

Avocado

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This creamy fruit may be delicious as-is, but grilling it inevitably gifts this source of healthy fats a smoky flavor. Not to mention, grilling helps to speed up the ripening process, which is convenient if you bought an unripe avocado for a recipe that you’re making that day!

Pound Cake

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You could warm up a few slices of sweet pound cake in the oven or microwave, but why not take the dessert to the next level presentation-wise by plopping it on the grill? Top the slice of pound cake with berries and a dollop of whipped cream, and you’re likely to impress your guests even more. Plus, how pretty do those grill marks look?

Donuts

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As if donuts weren’t irresistible in their fried (and sometimes baked) state, grilling them apparently enhances their flavor even more. Grab a dozen of Krispy Kreme donuts, slice them in half, and then place them on the grill. If you’re really looking for a splurge, you can even make a fruit sauce from blueberries, Chombard, butter, and sugar to drizzle atop your grilled donut masterpiece.

Romaine Lettuce

Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

Instead of chopping up that romaine immediately after washing it, try putting in on the grill. Need a recipe? We’ve got you covered! Try our grilled Caesar salad recipe—it’s not nearly as caloric as most Caesar salads served in restaurants, and it’s easy to make. A win-win situation indeed.

Pineapple

Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

Pineapples pack a lot of juice, which may be one of the main reasons you enjoy it so much. However, grilling the fruit allows for that excess juice to drip off, which may result in a less messy experience. Grill rings of pineapple for a sundae, or place them on top of burger patties to add some sweetness to a savory dish.

RELATED: These are the easy, at-home recipes that help you lose weight.

Bananas

Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

Banana splits are timeless, but have you ever tried a grilled banana split? Grilling a banana gives it a caramelized flavor, which marries well with something sweet and chilled such as a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.

Grapefruit

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Grilled grapefruit is a paleo-friendly snack anyone will love! Caramelize the fruit half with one teaspoon of honey and one tablespoon of coconut oil. Sprinkle cinnamon or nutmeg on top for some extra, natural flavor—and skip the sugar!

Oysters

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Raw oysters are a great go-to happy hour order, but have you ever tried them grilled? Blend butter with fresh garlic and top with an herb or even hot sauce for a delicious snack. Fun fact: oysters are loaded in omega-3s, which is an important component for staving off a stroke.

Scallions

Scallions pack a lot of flavor on their own, and while they aren’t as pungent as red onion, for example, they often aren’t eaten by themselves, but rather chopped and added to dishes as a garnish. Chef Ochs recommends seasoning the green onion with salt and oil. “Adding grilled scallions to a dish can add the perfect addition of impeccable flavor, and can also be used chopped and mixed in a vinaigrette or puree,” he says.

Artichokes

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Artichokes aren’t often one the most desired vegetables…that is, unless it’s added in a spinach artichoke dip. The vegetable is a good source of vitamin C, an important antioxidant that supports immune function and fends off illness. Try grilling artichokes with lemon and garlic for a special treat.

Pizza

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Ditch the oven and fire up the grill—it’s time to start experimenting with cooking a pizza pie atop an open fire. Slide a ceramic pizza stone under the dough to help balance the intensity of the flames from the grill.

Apples

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Do you see a reoccurring theme here? Grilling fruit takes the flavor to the next level. Pair these apples with low-sugar Greek yogurt for a healthful, protein-packed snack, or add them to a grilled cheese and Brie sandwich for an extra special treat.

Halloumi Cheese

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“One of the best cheeses to grill,” says Ochs. “Halloumi cheese actually has a very high melting point, that allows you to get extremely nice grill marks. Add to any salad or burger, and voilà!”

Asparagus

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Rarely do you nosh on asparagus in its raw form—it’s more palatable once it’s been sautéed, especially with another savory element such as a shallot. Try grilling the vegetable for an added smoky savor.

Brie

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Cheese and crackers, anyone? Brie is an intense cheese, but applying heat to this potent cheese can potentially make this pungent cheese that much more appetizing. Serve with crackers and maybe even drizzle a balsamic reduction on top.

Bacon

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Tired of having to dispose of the bacon grease from the skillet? Ditch the stove-top method and, instead, fire up the ol’ grill outside. This way you won’t have to worry about clogging your drain or causing the whole house to reek of bacon.

Grapes

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Marinade red seedless grapes for a day in vinegar, olive oil, brown sugar, and crushed garlic. Then, slide them onto skewers and grill. Pair with a delicate and mild cheese such as fresh burrata.

Palm

“I love grilled hearts of palm,” says Julian Garriga, executive chef at the upcoming Seawell Fish N’ Oyster, opening this summer in Miami Beach. “They are great in salads, but even better chopped up in a pasta, baked mac n’ cheese or a vegetarian taco. It adds a great smoky and crunch factor.”

Cauliflower

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Often fried cauliflower is served as an appetizer with ranch. But if you’re trying to watch your waistline, it may be time to nix the fried version of this vegetable and opt for a healthier alternative. Chef Ochs says to slice the cauliflower into large steak-like portions and to grill at low heat until the cruciferous vegetable becomes tender. Then, “put on high heat to get a nice char out of it,” he says. Garnish the grilled cauliflower with herbs like cilantro or parsley if you wish!

Plantains

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Plantains are much tastier to eat once they have been cooked, and grilling inevitably lends the starchy food a charred flavor. Glaze the unsweet plantain with a mixture of butter, brown sugar, and vinegar so that it caramelizes on the grill.

Apricots

Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

If you enjoy munching on dried apricots as a snack, there’s a good chance you’ll be a fan of apricots in their fresh form, too! For a healthy dessert, try grilling the fruit and adding Greek yogurt to the center where the pit originally was. Then, drizzle maple syrup and sprinkle chopped, toasted walnuts to the top of the fruit once plated.

Shortcake

Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

As if shortcake wasn’t mouthwatering without the grill, the flavor becomes even more prevalent with grill marks. Seriously. Give this grilled strawberry shortcake with balsamic recipe a test run and see for yourself.

Jackfruit

Shutterstock

Calling all vegans and vegetarians: this mock BBQ sandwich is super delicious and meatless! Grill jackfruit and drench the stuff in your favorite BBQ sauce as a pork alternative.

Mango

Shutterstock

Either eat grilled mango as-is or use it to make a homemade chutney.

Lobster

Shutterstock

Fire-roasted lobster? Sounds like a delicious endeavor to us! Make sure to grill the lobster with lemon because, according to Chef Ochs, “grilling a lemon lightly caramelizes it, makes it a bit sweeter, and adds a charred flavor. It’s great to add layer and depth in flavor to any dish!”

Clams

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Why go to a seafood place for fried clam strips when you can grill buttery clams in the comfort of your own backyard?

Endive and Radicchio

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“Great for a quick grilled salad,” says Ochs. “Season with salt and pepper, brush with olive oil, and grill until lightly charred. Finish with a touch of aged balsamic and shaved parmesan cheese.”

The post 30 Surprising Foods That Taste So Much Better Grilled appeared first on Eat This Not That.

#Eat This Not That

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thefearlessgastronomist · 6 years

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I JUST TRIED POKĒ FOR THE FIRST TIME, and HERE’S HOW IT WENT...

If you Google search Aloha Poke Co., you’ll find numerous articles from the past year about the Chicago-based restaurant’s trademarking controversies. Furthermore, searching for them on social media will likely result in various commentary telling you to boycott the place entirely because of said controversies. This stateside (even worse, Midwestern) brand has repeatedly sent cease-and-desist letters to other pokē companies, including native Hawaiian ones, telling them to no longer use “Aloha” and/or “Aloha Poke” in any sort of branding. That’s like telling a Midwesterner to not use the words “hot dish” or “casserole”; it’s kind of impossible.

Although I do not agree with Aloha Pokē’ Co.’s proceedings as such (especially when itself does not have any native Hawaiians among its founders), and even briefly considered joining the boycott... I was too intrigued about trying pokē to stay away. Sorry, protestors, I crossed over to the dark side. And I’m probably staying there, because I have fallen in love with this dish.

I was already a dedicated fan of sushi before trying Aloha, and from what I’ve previously understood about pokē, it’s essentially deconstructed sushi in a bowl. I still consider that an accurate and best possible description for those who don’t know anything about this Hawaiian staple. Pronounced “poh-kay,” this dish is comprised of diced raw fish (Aloha Pokē Co. also has tofu or cooked chicken if you’re not a fan), fresh cut vegetables and other toppings, and flavor-packed sauces, all served over a bed of rice. The word pokē itself actually means “to slice” or to “cut crosswise into pieces” in Hawaiian, or also “chunk” depending on your source material. It is a dish that has been around for centuries, is very healthy for you, and major bonus: it is customizable to your tastes.

But let’s get to the good stuff... the experience of eating it!

My favorite thing to do when trying a new “fast food” place like this (and I will repeat it over and over) is to ask the employees their recommendations; who better to suggest than those who work with the product every day! I especially wanted to ask during this particular visit because I have never tried pokē before. As is popular in quick food places these days, Aloha Pokē Co. is incredibly customizable to individual tastes. Customers choose a bowl size, their base (white or brown rice, or mixed greens), a protein that is either marinated or “naked,” then top with any amount of other ingredients as they see fit – anything from seaweed, edamame, and cucumber, scallions and sweet Maui onions, to avocado, pinneapple, jalapeños, and “crunch” fried onions. Even the sauces can be combined to form a unique (and dare I say perfect) blend of sweet, savory, and spicy that really does bring everything together.

The small corner location I visited within a strip-mall-esque development was surprisingly vacant on a damp and chilly Friday night. But there’s no doubt since opening that it has piqued the interest of many residents here. In the time I spent enjoying my noms, a handful of people started their discussion with “We haven’t been here before.” Oh good, haha, it wasn’t just me that day. But the staff were more than understanding and very accommodating.

When I made my way to the counter and let it be known that I was a newb, the first thing she asked – which solidifies my sushi-in-a-bowl description – was “Do you like sushi?” When I responded yes, but that I hadn’t had pokē before, she says we’ll do this in baby steps. Very much like Chipotle and other buildable restaurants, you just make your way through the list. Size, base, protein, other ingredients, sauce. Easy peasy. She also asked questions in relation to sushi, to help make decisions about what to add.

Once a size of bowl was determined, we discussed what sushi rolls I would typically go for. In my case, I like salmon, tuna, and shrimp rolls – all of which are addable proteins to these pokē bowls – but on this particular day, I was in the mood for salmon and shrimp. These then come with the option of “naked” or marinated in sesame + shoyu (a darker soy sauce). The cashier neglected to ask, but gave me marinated. I say that is an excellent choice. Another layer of flavor is always welcome.

Although Aloha Pokē Co. does have bowls with predetermined ingredients and sauces (called “House Bowls”), many who eat here choose their own additions. For mine, we simply went through all the options and she asked if I liked them or not. Cucumber was a given; nix on the jalapeños. Because I prefer a sweeter taste, I went for the Maui onion (a native of Hawaii) over scallions. Naturally, I added avocado (yum!), but then got a bit more adventurous by adding seaweed (not the dried stuff typical of a sushi roll, but the actual wet version of it), pickled ginger like that which is typically served alongside sushi, and “crunch,” which is fried onions.

The sauces were mildly intimidating to choose from, since some are given names like “Volcano,” “Samurai,” and “Yuzu Ranch,” rather than true descriptors like “Spicy Aioli” and “Sesame Vinaigrette.” Thankfully, it is possibly to eliminate choices by determining whether you want spicy or not. Based on more recommendations by the helpful cashier, I went with Samurai (sweet + savory), with Spicy Aioli (tangy + spicy mayo) and Yuzu Ranch (Japanese citrus ranch) on the side that I could add as I pleased. As per her description, the spiciness of aioli (which was actually similar to the sriracha mayo I make at home) is offset by the sweetness of Samurai, while the Yuzu adds another level of creamy citrusy taste. I could have honestly went without the Ranch, and the Samurai sauce was delicious on it’s own, but the sweet and spicy combo of the aioli and Samurai was the epitome of umami with the other ingredients.

Because I’m such a nerd, the icing on the cake of this experience was eating most of the pokē bowl using chopsticks; when it got down to mostly rice, I just gave up my struggles and used a fork. But my god, it was so delicious! I felt bad for stirring it all around, because the ingredients were so beautifully placed. I don’t know why, but it felt like I was eating a salad. And I would consider this the best “salad” I’ve ever had. The combination of ingredients is so fresh, and the fusion of Hawaiian-Japanese elements is brimming with flavors that, when eaten together, are just... for lack of a better word, perfect. Each bite is different enough, but each ingredient within each variation still works incredibly well. From the creaminess of the avocado and seafood, to the tang and crunch of the ginger, it is an adventure from start to finish.

Having played it safe for my first trip by getting the “Little” bowl, I will openly admit that I could have gone back to the counter for more upon finishing my meal. It was so good. And the little bowl was the perfect portion size for a taste. I have yet to decide if the larger bowls would be... too much after a while? or if I could have eaten more in one sitting? Only more trips will tell.

I would absolutely recommend trying pokē bowls in general. Researching them more once I got home after my first trip to Aloha Pokē, I discovered that they are actually very good for you. Packed with Omega-3s and “good fats,” Rojak Daily’s informant certified nutritionist Emiza Merican claims that a bowl of pokē is less than 200 calories. Delicious AND healthy? Don’t gotta tell me twice! I’d gladly go back tomorrow!

Obviously not everyone shares or will share my enthusiasm – including native Hawaiians, who claim that the “mainland pokē” in general is ruining the concept of real culturally influenced pokē of the islands – but those with adventurous palates like mine will at least have some sort of delectable experience by giving this place a try. And with those options for people who don’t like raw seafood, it can be tried without even having to go near raw fish. So that means bonus for me: I can bring some of my closest friends with me next time!

#aloha poke co #poke bowl #poke #raw #seafood #rice #food #eating #dining

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shepherdsvoice · 6 years

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Meditation I

It’s been a year since I graduated. A summer and a winter since and now summer comes again, with sunsets at eight pm and plans for Fourth of July. It is shocking how quickly this chapter is going. But at the same time, it doesn’t feel like a brief interlude. Right now it is just my life. My day in and day out. I wake up at seven, have breakfast and stay in bed till eight, then turn on some music, get ready, and leave for the office by 8:42.

I thought today about how this whole time period, from May 2017 to September 2018, will be so quickly forgotten. Just a blip in my life. That one year I spent working between undergrad and graduate school. When I lived at home and spent all day in the office and saw Caroline multiple times a week, and occasionally went on walks with Rosie, and listened to my own voice reading poetry in my car, and spent lunches sat around the picnic table laughing, and sped slow afternoons with geoguesser and rubber band wars, and greeted Sammy at later and later intervals each day, and answered Dash each morning with “Not much. How’s it going?” and proceeded to listen to his tale of trial and hardship from the night before. If my four (four!) years at UVM already feel so distant and foreign and foggy with only 365 days of haze between them and now, how will this one year stand any chance in the ever-more-polluted stream of my memory? How will I be able to hold on to this measly drop in the relentlessly raging river of my life?

Maybe I’ll remember this epoch as a time when I put my head down and figured things out. Got my ducks in a row. Just did the next right thing. Got a job, figured out what to study in grad school, picked my schools, applied, got accepted, chose, applied for scholarships and housing, attended online webinars, etcetera, etcetera.

Or maybe I’ll remember working. Being the third car in the parking lot, clocking in at 8:47, opening my work tabs and then killing time until Alex rolled in at 9:37, saying good morning to Dash at 9:13, Bea swishing in with a long skirt and worn bag at 10:32, nowadays Kim showing up around 9:50, Michelle anywhere from noon to one, though usually closer to one. Lunch decisions that take hours, waiting for a delivery man in some immediately identifiable beaten up, ten+ year old foreign sedan. Food eaten in ten minutes but sitting at the table for at least forty. The long drag of the afternoon: fish darting around the fish tank, Sammy sighing as he lies down in one of his four spots around the office, handfuls of candy from the machine just to stay awake, memes passed back and forth in the chat, walking Sammy around 2:45, watching the clock creep to four, Alex leaving at 4:12, time for me to leave after 4:22.

Or maybe I’ll remember it as a period when I did a lot of travelling. Since I graduated I’ve been on nine trips that ranged from jam-packed weekends in NYC to ten day treks through Asia. I’ve added eleven new countries to my list and one new state. I’ve traveled with friends and alone, to places I’ve been to and to places I’ve only dreamed of. I’ve been to Asia 3 times in the last six months but had never been once in the first 22 years of my life. The weekend after next, I leave for Iceland.

I may remember this filler chapter (that’s not filler at all) as any of these things. But if I have a choice, I hope to remember it as this week. This week that encapsulates all of the above. That harbors the essential quiddity of this time.

I want to remember flying back from Korea on Sunday night. Saying goodbye to Ngawang and Aja and Tania in an apartment in Itaewon after a rainy morning at a trendy café where we ate tartine and swapped photos, after an evening watching Goblin and walking around Namsan Park, after an afternoon in Hongdae, buying k-beauty supplies and posing with BTS cutouts. I want to remember throwing my sneakers in the garbage, promising to keep our streak alive (303 and counting), and hauling my bag down those treacherous stairs, walking through the bustling and steep streets to the metro station, boarding the airport express and watching the outskirts of Seoul flash by the windows. I want to remember the tightness of those three hugs I received, and the goodbyes that rang out to me from the windows as I walked away.

I want to remember this week of exhaustion and adjustment. Of regaling my coworkers with stories and pictures and chopsticks and squid. I want to remember the fleeting burst of summer with 77 degree days and sunshine and dresses and chinos and skirts. I want to remember all the flowers blooming and walking to work while my car was in the shop, sneezing for hours from the pollen but still seeing the brilliance of the sun in the golden hour every time I blinked.

I want to remember mango smoothies and iced coffees drank on the deck, garlic steak and asparagus in Pyrex containers in the fridge, Stephanie’s home cooking, bento boxes from Pacific Catch, a gallon of Comforts salad eaten on the patio in San Anselmo while Rosie sprawled on the concrete.

I want to remember dinners with dad, losing at trivial pursuit, sitting at the dining table and talking until after the sun had set and the room was dark, watching Lomachenko and nixing every Norwegian crime drama Netflix had to offer. I want to remember wandering the aisles of Target with Caroline, our baskets overflowing with the amount of clothes we had to try on, the sky an impressionist’s plein air palette of pinks and purples fading into one another over the Bay Bridge. I want to remember Rosie at the office today, Alejandra and Ana and Camilla and Rieko and Tracy and Tina stopping by to say hi to her. I want to remember walks with Dash around the neighborhood, complaining about everything when our words really meant the opposite. I want to remember driving around with Michelle on Saturday, reading out street names from a poorly printed map, standing by while she spoke to artists about techniques and expression and color contrast, learning about her in the space between her words.

I want to remember the silly things and the big things. Foxhole read for the first time in a long time, new highlights but the familiarity of a key called home. BTS gearing up for a comeback, trailers dissected with Ngawang over snapchat, the promise of an album on repeat come Friday. I want to remember the important things. Hours of Peterson podcasts while I sat and scrubbed and swept and sautéed. Donne poems that ricochet in my heart, bubbling up into my mind, compelling me to shake my head in wonder then turn the volume up and listen again. Meditations whose sentences sometimes confound me but whose meaning is immediately clear to my soul, no words necessary. My heart and my mind are full of the words and phrases and ideas of great men like Prager and Peterson, Shakespeare and Marvell and Donne and with their words I can smash away the steal from my heart and peel the scales from my eyes for I am involved in mankind, in this drama we all take part in, this library in which we are all volumes. I hear the bell tolling and I know it tolls for me.

I want to remember this moment, in my room, a candle burning, my hot water bottle radiating heat under my multicolored quilts, the soft glow of fairy lights twisted around my headboard, posters of Italy hanging over a bookcase packed with things I’ve read and am reading and have yet to read. I want to remember this night where outside the house, the trees are still and quiet and the light spring breeze sways the unmowed grass. I want to remember this night like so many other nights from this past year, promising a tomorrow I won’t remember in twenty years, but which I look forward to nonetheless.

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