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yeehaw-im-a-guy · 5 years

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Agony of the White Box

These days, I’m not sure what I could have done differently. My mind was crowded, my heart was full and my stomach was bloated. Would I have been able to avoid Jean in the first place?

The crisp autumn air was still as I walked down the dreary, nipping sidewalk of my home town, the shy bit of Quincy, Boston. I was walking swiftly, eager to get out of the cold air, watching as cars drifted by, the rubber on their wheels splashing gently in puddles of dirty asphalt water. My earbuds were shoved into my ears, playing sad songs and sorrowful melodies sung by grunge guitars and horrible, phone-recorded voices. The trees loomed over the cracked and dull streets of Quincy, and when you weren’t staring at the way the neon Dunkin Donuts’ sign shone through the fog, you couldn’t help but stare up at the swaying hickory tree branches. My walk to school was always calming and I always felt somewhat protected by the large branches and leaves, but on this particular day something just didn’t feel right.

In the distance, I began to approach my high school. I was starting my sophomore year at Wildwood High, although not as bright eyed and hopeful as I was my freshman year. I was still just as naive, admittedly, as I still desperately wanted to make friends with someone, anyone really. Part of me told myself that this yearning for anybody could get me in trouble, but another part of myself said that it didn’t matter. I’d take any amount of time with someone, if being friends with somebody meant that eventually it would all come crashing down, so be it. That’s just how I was, and how everybody in high school was at its core, just another guy looking for companionship.

The school campus had a distinct smell, stemming from the cafeteria, of cooked low-grade meat and half baked bread. The hallways were warm, heating my pink face and my thin knobby knuckles, the escape from the chilly morning successful. My boots squeaked against the tile, leaving watery brown marks on the floor. Students crowded around the hallway, giving me little room to get around, but they wouldn’t pay attention to me anyway. Cheering voices and gossiping chatter filled my ears, so I turned my music up louder. I couldn’t hear it when the bell started to ring, students started leaving the halls. Well, most except for one guy, who I noticed stared at me from across the now empty hall. My music blared into my ears, drums beating violently and guitar strings plucked every which way, creating a slur of noise in the faint shape of a song. The guy across the hall was tall, lanky and had bad, scarring acne. His eyebrows were dark and thick over his eyes, which could have been as large and glossy as a pair of cue-balls. His hair was thin and a tad bit crusty, it looked as if it had been dyed and bleached multiple times. I’ll admit, I’ve seen him before a few times in the halls, but it was only today that I noticed a faint grin across his face as he stared, just a few feet away from me.

My eyes locked with him briefly before continuing my walk down the hallway, trying to just ignore the glaring glass eyes and get to class.

A few boring classes into the day, I was making my way to the gym for a team sports class. I didn’t bring a change of clothes, I never do, so I spent the hour chasing footballs and breathing heavily in a pair of black jeans and a warm sweater. The ball was rarely thrown to me, the other students didn’t know or trust me enough to catch it, and I don’t blame them. Towards the end of the already merciless exercise, Coach Stephen pushed me to try and catch the football more, so reluctantly I ran up and down the gym, attempting to let the other rowdy boys know that I was open. After nearly giving up, my eyes dropped for a single moment, and in the same breath drifted up again, and I caught a glimpse of something being thrown at me, full speed and force. I lifted my hands, but not soon enough. I caught the ball horribly wrong, and the next thing I knew, my pinky finger and ring finger were bent way out of shape, the nail on my pinky halfway off and gushing blood. The students came to a cold halt, all eyes on me. A few of them began to laugh, then others joined. My face twisted into a confused look.

“Seriously? You can’t even catch the ball? You pansy, that could’ve been our point!”

“He must’ve had a wedgie, judging by the way he ran.”

“I should’ve recorded that for WorldStar!”

The jeers echoed in the gym.

I tucked my bleeding hand in my other, holding it against my sweater. Biting on the inside of my cheek to try and contain the pain, I waited thoroughly embarrassed until the class was over to possibly get to the school’s nurse.

In between classes, I drifted down the empty hallways to get to the nurse. The white halls were bland yet bright, stinging my eyes. I lifted up my good hand to gently graze it against the wall of the hallway, feeling for texture. None. The walls were as smooth as they were painfully white. My head turned back to the front of myself, facing the end of the bleak hall, however something new was interrupting the static of the hallways. The guy from this morning was standing in the middle of the hallway, I figured he must’ve just stepped from the corner. My eyes darted away shyly, before returning their awkward gaze at the guy. My good hand dropped to my side, leaving my bloodied, bent hand against my now blood soaked sweater. I began to turn the corner of the hall, stepping as close to him as I had ever gotten.

“Does it hurt?” A raspy, deep voice spoke in the static. I stopped in my tracks, my heart racing. I turned back to him, his blue eyes reaching into mine.

“What hurts?” My voice cracked.

“Oh come on, don’t act like that doesn’t hurt.” His head turned, similar to that of a dog, a concerned feeling being transmitted from his expression. I looked hesitantly down at my stinging hand.

“Oh, uh, yeah, I-I guess so,” I laughed nervously, trying to find the right response. The guy held his expression for a moment longer before shifting his position, shoving his hands into his jacket pockets and standing up a bit straighter. His head flicked back to me.

“My name is Jean.” He grinned at me.

“Joseph,” I held my arm out to Jean for a shake. He gripped my palm firmly and shook it.

“You’re heading to the nurse, right?” He asked me nonchalantly. I nodded.

“I’m gonna join you.” He briskly patted my head, his large palms blanketing over my hair.

We began walking down the next hall.

His eyes wandered once more. Then darted.

“How’d it happen?” Jean spoke, keeping his face forward.

“Oh, I uh, caught a football wrong.” I answered, trying to make it sound like it wasn’t a big deal.

“Did the other kids laugh?” He asked. I was put off.

“Uhm, yes. Why?”

“The kids at this school are disgusting.” Jean said aggressively. I felt the blood rush away from my face, leaving me pale.

All of a sudden, I felt my arm being yanked, almost violently. Jean was dragging me somewhere.

“What are you doing?” I squealed, shooting him the scared look of a deer in headlights.

“You can’t trust the nurses here, Joseph. You can’t trust any of these teachers, if you want that hand repaired, come to me.” Jean spoke firmly, he was sure of himself. His confidence emerged and hung over me. My gut feeling began to shift.

I felt protected.

Jean dragged me out of the halls and into a closet. Like a raccoon digging through a trash can, he dug through shelves and pulled out paper towels and tape.

“H-Hey, Jean, I know you’re trying to help, but-” Before I could finish my pathetic sentence, he took my fingers and bent them back into shape, awful popping noises surrounding my pounding ear drums. I let out a screech, my fingers throbbing painfully. Jean quickly covered my mouth with his palm, and then taking it off to bandage my pinky with the paper towels and tape. I watched him, kneeling down and fixing up my fingers, and felt myself blush when he looked back up at me with a toothy grin.

“There, see? Never go to the nurses for help when you don’t need it. Come to me.” He said. He was staring into my soul.

“Okay, Joseph?” He said again. I shook myself out of a daze and nodded.

I gave Jean my phone number.

The rest of the day played out smoothly, and finished calmly. I walked home, this time the fog being less thick, grey clouds still above me. I stepped up the stoop to my house heavily, the screen door creaking as I swung it open. I dropped my backpack next to the door, and strode to the fridge for something to eat. I often have to find things to eat myself as my parents usually aren’t around. This time, they’ve been gone for five days, but I can’t complain, they always make sure to leave just enough food to last their outings.

Sitting on my couch, kicking my feet up and holding a bowl of cereal, I lifted up the remote to put something on the tv. I felt the phone in my pocket vibrate, so I dug it out and flipped it open. It was Jean.

Hey man.

I read it a few more times in my mind before deciding what to say next.

Hey

I sent back to him. I didn’t get a response until an hour later.

U busy thursday?

He asked. My fingers started flicking fastly, pressing down on the small buttons of my phones keyboard.

Nah, why?

Ok cool. I’m gonna come by.

A handful of lonely days passed, and I spent my lunch periods with Jean. He didn’t seem to have any other friends, but neither did I.

However, something still didn’t sit well with me deep down. Ever since I began to hang out with Jean, I hadn’t been getting teased. I hadn’t even been looked at by another student.

When Thursday came, Jean decided to give me a ride home, which was much appreciated on my side.

I sat in the front seat of his beat-up silver Corolla, my feet pushing past the trash that laid on the floor of his car. It smelled of vinegar and salt. Jean slid into the driver's seat and pulled down his mirror, fixing his hair. A bit of sun started to show through the clouds, beaming in through the dusty glass window and scattering around Jean and I. Somehow, in the golden rays, Jean actually seemed as if he were handsome all along.

After taking a long look at Jeans features and almost being caught by him, I turned my face back to the dashboard, peering out at the moving scenery. As the car rolled across the bumpy brick road, I heard a faint rattling. At first I ignored it, but it wouldn't end.

“What's that rattling?” I asked, my body wiggling in synchronization with the bumps in the road.

“It's nothing.” He glared at me in the corner of his eyes and I immediately shut up. I drifted back to the dashboard, listening for the rattling. I moved my head forward towards the glove compartment, the rattling sounds getting louder. I felt an abrupt smack on the back of the head.

“Stop.” Jean commanded. I nearly jumped from fright, holding the back of my head.

“What was that for?” I asked softly. I watched my tone. Jean peered between me and the road.

“Don’t touch things that aren’t yours.” He said sternly. His face was so serious, it almost made me burst out laughing from nervousness. I felt an anxious smile appear on my face, and Jean didn’t look happy. He took a deep breath and sighed.

“Fine,” A small smile appeared on his face for a moment, just a few seconds. He opened the glove compartment himself, his boney arm reaching over me and pulling out the drawer. Inside was unexpected, to say the least.

Five medical needles rolled inside of the glove compartment, surrounded by garbage. My eyebrows furrowed.

“What's all that for?” I questioned, looking at the five needles closely before Jean snapped the glove compartment shut.

“I have diabetes.” Jean kept his eyes on the road. He sounded sure of himself, he always did, but somehow I just don’t think he has diabetes.

We pulled up into the my driveway. I eagerly looked out the window to see if my parents had come back, but there was no one. My heart sank a little more. Jean parked and shut off the car, twisting the keys out of the slot. I picked up my bag from next to my feet and got out of Jean’s car, my boots crushing small rocks. The doors made a thud when Jean and I shut them. Jean’s head peeked out from on top of the car. He scanned my quaint house. The wooden boards that held up my home were wet and starting to fall apart, and the roof was eroded from rain and snow. Small, warm puffs of air fell from Jean’s open mouth. I made my way around his car and lead him inside my house.

I kicked off my boots and Jean carefully untied his sneakers, using his palm to slide them off. The interior of my home was plain and had almost nothing. I lead him down the empty hall, passing by my room I had since I was a kid. The door was shut. Jean wouldn’t be able to see that it was empty, except for piles of clothes and a mattress. The room that was supposed to be my parents was empty, and I never had any siblings, so naturally the other two rooms were completely empty as well. The only rooms in my house with anything inside it was my kitchen and the living room. The kitchen had a plastic table and a fridge with plenty of food inside. My living room had a stained couch and a TV on the floor.

The wooden floor creaked as Jean and I sat down in front of the TV, sitting in what was probably the most comfortable thing in my house; my couch. We watched Kitchen Nightmares for a while, making weak jokes about Gordon Ramsay and the way he cleverly insulted a plate of mush. The sun dropped gracefully in the quiet hours we spent bonding over the television. Dust danced around us and I could feel my thoughts pushing back to the front of my head when the TV stopped playing the show. I looked out the window, purple bleeding into golden sunlight rays.

“What time do you have to leave?” I asked. The house seemed so calm without the background noise, and I began to remember that it was just Jean and I in the living room.

“Not anytime soon,” He said, checking his phone which was vibrating violently, “Sorry, I usually get a flood of messages around this time.”

I leaned over and looked at his phone. All of the numbers were different, and they kept flooding in.

“You famous or something?” I giggled and looked up at him.

“You could say that.” He smiled back at me. Jean shoved the phone back into his jeans and stood up.

“Hey, do you wanna run a quick errand with me?” He held a hand out to me, and I grabbed it, Jean lifting me up out from my seat. I pulled my sagging pants up. I nodded.

“Sure, where to?” I answered, Jean starting to make his way to the front of my house. I followed behind him, catching up. I almost slipped, my socks sliding against the wooden floor.

“Just around, it’ll be quick. We might stop by the creek to see my friends.” He opened the screen door, his shoes hanging off of his fingers. We both got into his car and he pulled out. Stars glittered through spotting clouds.

We parked in a nearly empty lot of a small building with a group of grubby men standing and smoking at the corner, the smoke dancing and fading into the fall sky. A flickering, beaten sign at the top of the building read “Korova” in a cheesy, psychedelic font. I’d seen that name before in a movie once, so a smidge of familiarity grazed my mind. Jean got out of the car and strode out to the group of grubby men. He started talking to them before being punched in the face by one of them. He staggered back, holding his forehead, and he turned around. He walked back to the car, one of the men flicking a glowing cigarette butt in his direction.

“What happened?” I worriedly touched my finger on his freshly bruised forehead. He winced.

“This is why parents should’ve beaten their kids more when they were young!” He cried out, his voice cracking. I sat in shock as he breathed heavily, slamming his fists on the wheel.

“Screw this!” He shouted at me, violently getting out of his car. He opened up the door to the back seat and pulled out a baseball bat from underneath the seats and stormed back to the group of men. He swung at one of them, the one that had punched him. I couldn’t take my eyes off of it. He just kept beating and beating until everyone had scrammed, the man on the cementlying still. Everything in that moment yelled at me to run and get help, but I just sat there as Jean made his way back to the car. We sped away. I held on tightly to my seat.

“What the hell was that?!” I cried.

“Nothing! It was nothing!” He shouted again. I felt tears well up in my eyes. He eventually slowed down. We pulled up to a creek, the relentless dark surrounding us more. I could see a girl and what looked like a shaggy haired guy in the dim headlights. They approached the car and Jean got out, before looking back at me and motioning me to follow him.

“You’ll never guess who just %$@&ed me over!” He shouted to them.

“Oh God, what happened?!” The girl said, long blonde hair gently blowing in the wind. Her skin was fair and her face had sharp cheekbones. She touched his forehead the same way I had. Jean pulled her into a warm embrace.

“It was Jim. He told me he didn’t have my meth right now! I got a little pissed and he punched me! First he and his jackass friends are blowing up my cell, then I take the time to drive over there with this freshmen in my car to tell him to calm the hell down and he punches me right in front of him!” He pointed at me. The two of his friends looked at me.

“Whos this?” They asked in unison. Jean face palmed, wincing again.

“That's Joseph. I met him a few days ago at school and-” he started saying before the shaggy haired boy interrupted him.

“Jean, you seriously brought a freshmen you just met to a meth run?” He said, his head bobbing with the rhythm of his panicked words.

“Uh, I-I’m a sophomore…” I said, my voice too meek to make an impact. They ignored me.

“Okay, okay! I get it!” Jean shouted. He bent down and sat on a rock, the two others sitting down next to him. Everything was silent except for the occasional musical chirp of crickets. I leaned against the hood of the car. The girl rubbed Jeans back and pulled out a pipe. The shaggy haired guy put his head in his palms.

“This is the fifth time this happened. I don’t even get that angry! Sure I shout and maybe throw a few fists, but come on!” Jean took the pipe and lit a mound of green at the end of it, taking in smoke. The girl looked over at me and held out a small hand for me to shake.

“Hey, bud. I’m Kacy. That guy over there is Travis.” I took her hand and shook it gently. She had sweet eyes, although they were a tad bit bloodshot. I got off of the hood of the car and sat on the grass with the rest of them.

“I’m Joseph.” I said calmly. Everything was quiet again.

“Jean, I… it’s okay, dude. Nothing happened, it’s alright.” I looked over at Jean affectionately.

“Where are your parents, kid? Why don’t you just go home?” Travis glared at me through his hands.

“I don’t really have any parents. And uh, Jean is my ride home.” I answered nonchalantly. Travis sighed.

“It’s fine, you can stay with us. You seem relaxed enough. Travis just doesn’t take that much of a liking to new people.” Kacy spoke smoothly. She took a hit from the pipe then passed to me. I acted like I had gotten this opportunity before and wrapped my lips around the end of it. Kacy giggled, and Jean looked over at me, laughing with her.

“You’ve never smoked before, have you?” Jean said. I breathed in hard before choking and spitting. They took the pipe out of my hands.

“Okay, no more for you, croaker.” Jean chuckled. I blushed with both embarrassment and admiration.

“So, you don’t have any parents?” Kacy asked. I frowned a bit.

“Yeah, they’re never really around. They prefer to spend their money on traveling and such, and they can use a bigger budget if they didn’t have to pay for a kid and furniture.” I let out a soft laugh to lighten the mood.

“Holy crap! Is that why your house is friggin’ empty?!” Jean’s head perked up. I nodded, laughing a bit more.

“Oh my God! Poor kid!” Kacy squealed. I blushed more.

“That’s exactly why this world needs to pay. I’m tired of it, it’s all relentless and meaningless.” Jean watched soft water trickle through rocks.

“One of these days I’ll show them, heh.”

Jean pulled out his phone and checked the time.

“Ah, we’d better head back, Jo.” He looked up at me. I nodded.

“Aw, alright!” Kacy said adorably. Travis held out his palm to Jean for a high-five, which he reluctantly took. He stood up, and so did I. We got back into his car and with that, the night came to a close.

On our way home, a question arose.

“Hey, should we be worried about that guy? Are like, the police going to get involved?”

“Psh. Please, those guys are constantly tweaking. The police couldn’t help those knuckle heads if they wanted to.” He let out a low chuckle. I laughed with him, the air smooth as it cut in through the open window.

It was about a week from then that my food began to ran out, my parents still missing. My grades started dropping as I spent more and more time with Jean and Kacy, although Travis didn’t really come around anymore since I met him. I only ever saw him giving Jean and I a look from a distance. Wide berth, I told myself. Days were flying by, and although it had only been so long, it was routine that I spent hours with Jean.

I went to school one day, after my food had ran out. I was hungry, dangerously hungry. I sat out in P.E, knowing that even if I tried to run, I’d pass out. That night, Jean was with me and we were ritualistically watching Gordon Ramsay. He asked me something that had stained my mind since.

“Do you ever wonder why your parents don’t come?”

I had always tried to keep that thought as far back into my head as possible. I shuddered. In reality, I often thought about where my parents were. I’d lay in my bed, waiting for sleep to grab me. Out my window, I saw the stars dance among deep gray clouds. I always knew that perhaps they were looking at the same stars as me, maybe even at the exact same time, but even then I thought that they weren’t thinking about me. They were in New York, or Maine, drinking wine in a hot tub or some other romantic activity. By the time I turned twelve, my cultural identity was a single white box with a mattress inside and a towel with a tv on it.

“They didn’t really like that I was going to be a priority when I was born, so they decided to just work around it.” I said, Jean looking upon me with sympathy.

“Plus, they’re pretty pro-life, so abortion was off the table, of course.” I stared at the floor. Jean let out a large guffaw at this.

“Shut the hell up, dude.” He said between chuckles. He leaned in and hugged me, warmth coating me in a way that I hadn’t experienced before. I blushed deeply, and slowly brought my arms around him.

Jean began buying me groceries. I thanked him immensely every time, often with tears in my eyes. Every time I thanked him, he got a little more prideful. He’d pat my head and grin his usual toothy grin, the tips of his canines overlapping.

Eventually, Jean stopped visiting me. He stopped coming to school and Kacy disappeared with him. Thoughts I held in a secret corner of my head started bleeding in more, like water leaking through the crack between the bathroom door and the ground. Jean never responded to my texts. He was gone, out in the world somewhere, like my parents. No reason, though I suspected the same reason as my parents; I stopped being a priority.

I was restless, yet so tired of the hunger for both affection and something to eat. My eyes sunk, hardwood patterns filling my blank expression.

Where did he go? Why did he go? Doesn’t he know that I need him? After all that time? The white box shrunk around me, I began to suffocate in my room. He must know I need him, I have nobody else, no other friends, no parents. Was it a joke? Was our relationship a joke? Of course, how could I ever expect someone like Jean to care, he didn’t care when he beat that man, why would he care? Panic enveloped me. The box shrunk more, my door slowly drifting off. Days passed, school passed. All I had was this white box and a mattress. That's all I need, right? I don’t need him, I could starve, I could stare at the sky, I could empty my life more than I already had. I loved Jean, I loved him, I admit it. He grew and grew on me and when he cut himself off, cut a piece of me off too. Voices louder, louder. It was my voice, my voice was an echo and my throat hurt. The awful sound of silence got noisier and noisier until I was desperately nauseous. I could starve.

My head buzzed, the noise locked in there. My mouth was open, my ribs were against my flesh, as if they were desperate to leave my body, a prison. The school could call my parents, say that I was missing, but they were still gone. The ringing in my ears served as a melody for my thoughts to play along to. The cacophony ceased when my phone vibrated.

Hey

I felt my heart sink. My shaking hand brought my phone up to my face. Anxiety rushed into my abdomen. I couldn’t bring myself to answer it. I put my phone down and closed my eyes. After a few brief moments of what seemed like I was floating in warm water, perhaps the anxiety hopefully fading, I flung up and began to dry heave. The fact that nothing came out only made me wretch more. I stood up in a sudden burst of energy and swung open my bedroom door, and nearly fell into Jean, his phone sitting in his palm. He grinned down at me. I began to sob, still dry heaving as I latched onto Jean. He didn’t lift his arms to hold me, instead standing still, a smile still plastered on his face.

“You’re pathetic.” His raspy voice broke through my sobs.

“You seriously need me to constantly take care of you? Now I know how your parents feel!” My legs shook and I dropped to the ground, kneeling before him. He pat my head.

“You shouldn’t be so needy, Joseph. You’re fifteen, right? When I was your age, I didn’t need my drunk dad and my useless mother to take care of me.” I was confused, so confused. Any hope that my thoughts were just thoughts brutally escaped me. He pushed my head back and looked into my eyes, the same way he had when we met. I could starve.

“Just when you think everything is cozy, it isn’t, right? That’s the way of the world, and it needs to pay, right?” I wondered why, what pushed him to show me.

I couldn’t cry anymore, although I tried. Jean lifted me up, I was light as a feather. He put me back onto the floor, my cold feet touching the wood.

“I don’t understand,” I choked up. “Why are you doing this?”

“You have no identity. It was stolen from you by society.” I stared at his chest. It was true.

“I’m… I’m hungry, Jean…” I muttered, lowering my head.

“I love you.” I choked out. My head was knocked against the door frame by a sudden impact.

“You don’t love me, you just need me.” A chilling voice said.

He took my hand and led me out to his car. He opened the passenger side door, gently pushing me inside. I got in, no strength to really fight. He got into the driver's seat and pulled out a small jar. It was baby food. My head tiredly turned towards him. He held a small spoon and dipped it into the baby food, taking out a scoop and feeding me, pinching my cheeks and shoving the spoon in my mouth. It tasted horrible, yet I ate it. He fed me quietly in the car. I couldn’t tell what time of day it was, I hadn’t been able to for how long already. Slime fell down my dry throat. He threw the jar out of the window, glass shattering on the pavement. He opened the glove compartment and took out a needle. He dug around more and took out the jagged bottom of a Pepsi can filled with a strange liquid. He put the end of the needle in and sucked in. He tenderly took my thin arm and injected me with the liquid. I felt like my arm might snap. I stared out the window, drool dripping from my lips.A cold finger against my chin wiped it off.

A surge of energy overcame me, my heart beating to the rhythm of pure agony. I felt my soul pound through my chest as Jean pulled out of my driveway. My eyes peered into the mirror hanging from the ceiling of the car, and I saw Travis for the first time since I had met him sitting in the back seat with a glare that saw right through me. My mind went pitch black whenever I’d blink, my entire life flashing through my throbbing head for what seemed like an eternity every time. Rage, rage is what filled me. Rage that my parents weren’t here to see this. I saw the white box, my bedroom, the mattress and every time I laid down to stare at the sky. Every day that passed, I laid longer and longer until it was all there was. I slammed my fists against the dashboard, screaming bloody murder for it to stop, and I hated how beautifully Jean looked at the road. My neck jolted back as Travis held my mouth shut from behind the seat with dirty fingers. This was it.

I was dying, I was going to die. Make it stop, make it stop, make it stop make it stop until my eyes rolled in their sockets, desperate for arms to grow out of them and hold onto something, to reach for something that wasn’t there. The car swung around corners, people walking with their children and their dogs without a clue of the white box, they were all blurred, long white figures with varying heights. My skull crashed against the window beside me and my chest fell forward, breaking out from Travis’s grip. The car had stopped in front of the school, Jean and Travis exiting the car with haste, Jean nearly ripping me out of my seat. I could starve.

Dragging me along with them, the soles of my boots fraying against gravel, Jean dragged me, a bat in his hand and a crowbar in Travis’s. The front of the school grew larger and larger and my palm was filled with the sting of cold steel, a knife being placed in the center, Jean closing my hand with his. I felt like I now knew what I was doing, I was in control, Jean gave me control and I walked with them confidently in the school, Jean grinning at me. It wasn’t Jean, it was them. It was the school, it was my parents, it was the world.

On the campus, we went through the empty static halls. I was almost brought back in time when I saw the same distant end of the hallway where Jean once stood with me. The cafeteria was moving as if it were a live being on its own. Jean battered the heads of students and Travis crushed bleeding skulls with his crowbar, the screaming of innocent people becoming sane and of utmost importance to me. My knife jabbed into as many as my grabbing hands found. It was loud, so loud. I was going to hell, an invisible arm lurching me forward every time, only for my own to enter someone else's body. Was this what it felt like to be Jean? Was this what humanity was? Was it all exactly how Jean had said?

I closed my eyes, blissfully stabbing into the air until I hit something. The bat had collided with my stomach, my hands, shirt and boots covered in hot blood. Standing above me was Jean, freshly wounded by my knife, a snarling infuriated expression plastered on to him as I mistakenly betrayed him. I became part the the world Jean hated in that moment. The bat met me once more, and everything was black, black, blacker than before.

The silence brought me back to simpler times, I was almost waiting for another episode to play and fill it all.

It was my mistake thinking that I’d be able to just avoid him, not because he was persistent, but because I was desperate.

Looking back at it all doesn’t phase me anymore. I’m an adult, my white box was replaced with a red one with furniture inside. I inherited a new life, a new culture. Although my parents never did come back, I knew that it was alright anyway. I was taken in by a new family after the police discovered me on the floor of Wildwood High’s cafeteria. Explaining everything was painful, but honesty was all I could offer. Jean and Travis got life in prison, I believe, so maybe they could get revenge on the world in there instead. Being forcefully injected with meth was a decent enough excuse to let me walk free, and as years went by the nightmares that taunted me disappeared, and for once I had something in my life that truly taught me something. The agony of the whitebox sailed away in an ocean of tears, my eyes unable to cry anymore, preventing the vast, salty sea from flooding the new city I had built called life.

#poem #poetry #agony of the white box #short story #grunge #read me

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betterlatethannovel · 3 years

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How many it's too hot posts have you seen today? Probably a lot. This is another one but I'm not sorry. I hate the heat. Like really hate the heat and the sun. I'm naturally ginger and fair, I don't tan I go lobster and the rate at which I get heat exhaustion is ridiculous. Give me autumn, give me crisp cold days and rain and grey skies or blue skies but with a bitter wind please. I hate the heat, you can't escape its cloying fingers as they wrap around you. At least with the cold you can warm up. At least with the cold it's socially acceptable to put all the clothes on, to sit next to a radiator and to be pink cheeked and watery eyed. The heat just makes you hot and sweaty and despite what the simpsons would have me believe sitting in front of the open fridge is not acceptable. Nor apparently is walking around with less clothes on, especially if you are ample chested and even more especially if you are fat. (God forbid you be fat, happy with your body and want to be cool.) I think what's worse though is the heat is stifling my creativity and my cognitive abilities. There is writing I want to get on with and I can't concentrate, I can barely keep my head up and my eyes open. Working too is so much harder and the thought of getting on the tram tomorrow, especially now we're in 'freedom' territory is making a lump the size of a basketball rise up on my throat. Aside from a cold shower it's inescapable. There's no relief. From the discomfort, the anxiety, the headache (that no matter how much water I drink does not leave because it is NOT dehydration). Reading is about the one thing I can manage. So I'm going to bury my head in a book about Russian Serial Killers and hope the rain and thunder come soon. The spooky month of October cannot come soon enough!! #toohot #writing #vampire #ihatethesun #daywalkinggingerkid #goddamnitsunfuckoffandleave #bringbacktherain #whereisthethunder #discombobulated https://www.instagram.com/p/CRgmx6wI-ZF/?utm_medium=tumblr

#toohot #writing #vampire #ihatethesun #daywalkinggingerkid #goddamnitsunfuckoffandleave #bringbacktherain #whereisthethunder #discombobulated

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easyfoodnetwork · 4 years

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The Ultimate Guide to Fruity, Milky, and Other Exciting Specialty Drinks

What to get in the drinks aisle of an international grocery store? Consider these.

I’ve always found joy in the little things in life — the smell of a new book, blank stationery, and a small soft drink carton waiting for me in the fridge. I never outgrew these joys, and I invested in my soft drink passion especially. I know, I know, there is a common trope about millennials who infantilize themselves because society won’t let them buy houses and save money, and I agree! But the quest for gourmet soda is particularly exciting. The reward? A salve at the end of the day.

As my journey in life takes me to more and more international grocery stores, I’ve ventured farther into the beverage aisles, and when the cool air of the fridge hits my face, I edge closer to the fluorescent light and reach toward the cold carton, bottle, or can of a new or familiar joy. Sure, you can always get something alcoholic, but for those of us who don’t want to exacerbate our GERD (hello, 30s), are addicted to sugar, or don’t want to spend more than $5, there is the wonderful world of speciality soft drinks. First, some general tips:

1) Find an international grocery store or immigrant-owned bodega

Chances are you won’t find specialty sodas and juices at Target or Walmart unless they’re manufactured by an American brand. Look up Japanese, Korean, South Asian, Middle Eastern, Mexican, and Chinese grocery stores (or any other kind!) in your area. While you’re there, pick up some pantry staples and make sure you’re respectful of the other shoppers. If you live by an immigrant-owned bodega, take a closer look at their shelves.

2) Don’t be a coward

Just because you can’t read the language on the packaging of a drink, and just because you’ve never had it before, doesn’t mean it’s a mystery of the vast unknown. Be brave! You could end up discovering your holy grail drink! And if you hate it, that’s also okay. It’s not going to cost you much to find out. If you’re really curious, though, there’s sometimes an import sticker that states what it is in English.

3) Look for the beverages in the fridge and on the shelves

There are instances when those working the stores haven’t had the time to fill up the fridge. Be mindful of stacked cartons or bottles around the store, where potential new favorites could be hiding out. Other kinds of drinks will be placed not in the fridges but on dry shelves in the interior of the store.

4) Once you find a favorite, take a picture of the packaging

Be sure to take a picture of something you really liked for future visits and file it into a folder on your phone — it’ll help you repurchase your favorites and also prevent any mix-ups between similarly shaped or designed bottles.

The ones to know:

Here are very few of my personal favorites, split into the categories of “fruity” and “milky.” Fruity drinks are evergreen, but especially appropriate for the times when you want the feeling of summer. Milky drinks are a little more substantial, better suited for the days when you’re craving something closer to a dessert.

Fruity

Suntory honey lemon

My holy grail of fruity drinks. I have only had the luck of having this once in my life, and I have been searching for it ever since. Achieving the perfect balance of sweet and sour, it feels familiar (because it’s honey and lemon) but also completely new because it doesn’t remind you of that familiar cold/flu combo. Like all excellent soft drinks, it has a sophistication from the first to the last sip.

Taisun winter melon drink

Winter melon (aka white gourd) is popular in Taiwan and has got to be the best double agent of all time. In its raw form, it tastes pretty neutral, which makes it well-suited as a savory vegetable dish. Once you add sugar to its juices, though, it transforms, giving off burnt caramel notes that makes it the most dessert-like fruit drink maybe ever. It’s in my top five of all time. I have consumed plenty of Taisun cans, and I hereby encourage everyone to try my regular boba order (winter melon tea with salty foam) if it’s your first time.

Suntory Gokuri grapefruit

Again with another heavyweight, Suntory offers us Gokuri. As well as having the sexiest packaging (aluminum tinned bottles, generous girth, amazing colors and design), it also is the best citrus soda. Its grapefruit and cassis an orange flavors are clear winners, and the peach flavor is also good (though I usually prefer a non-carbonated peach).

Rubicon

Sing it with me now: lychee, mango, guava, passionfruit. If my childhood were a table, these four would be its legs. Though these drinks are common in the U.K., they’re a little harder to come by in NYC, where I’m located now. Somewhere in between juice and lassi, Rubicon’s drinks are sweet, thick in consistency, and truly a delight to all those who have an affinity for — yes — lychee, mango, guava, and passionfruit. Get them anywhere you can, most likely at a South Asian grocery store, and for the love of god, don’t buy the sparkling versions.

San Pellegrino prickly pear and orange

The blood orange flavor of these foil-wrapped cans gets a lot of airtime with soft drink enthusiasts, but o-ho! Let me tell you about the rare and best flavor of San Pellegrino. Prickly pear, also known as nopal, is a cactus that can be used in savory cooking but also eaten as a fruit. This flavor sets itself apart from other San Pellegrino varieties in that it doesn’t taste as artificial, which is hard to achieve with carbonated sodas.

Bruce Cost jasmine green tea ginger ale

I never really understood the love for ginger ale until I tried Bruce Cost’s. With other ginger ales, the ginger is too strong, or the sugar too sweet to counteract the ginger, but the beauty of Bruce Cost’s ginger ale is that it’s infused with flavors that you wouldn’t think would work — and yet they do. Jasmine green tea is amazing all by itself, but with the ginger ale flavor, it’s a perfect union.

Ikea elderflower drink/Belvoir elderflower presse or cordial

Elderflower is popular around northwestern and central Europe, and has a distinctly elegant taste that is a heavy-hitter by itself and with cocktails. If your store has a specialty shelf dedicated to the friends across the pond, you may have some luck in finding Belvoir, an elderflower cordial popular with us Brits. If not, perhaps you can scoop a carton or bottle of “Dryk Flader” next time you’re at Ikea trying to satisfy your meatball craving.

Suanmeitang (Chinese sour plum juice)

If, like me, your only experience of plum juice is to fix some… uh… bowel issues, then I understand the hesitation with trying suanmeitang. But this is an all-around winner: a sweet, sour, and very slightly salty plum juice, in an adorable bottle, that, yes, helps with digestion — because bowel movement is important! Grow up! You can likely find suanmeitang at most Chinese grocery stores.

Milky

Vitasoy black sesame

If you’ve ever been to HMart or an East Asian supermarket, you might have seen these cartons in a variety of colors to denote different flavors. But nothing reigns more supreme than the black sesame flavor: A milky backdrop complements the nuttiness of the black sesame and makes for a great drinkable dessert.

Marusan Hojicha milk tea

Milk tea is tea leaves steeped in milk in various combinations. You have oolong, darjeeling, and other forms (which I encourage you to try if you haven’t), but hojicha is my personal favorite. Hojicha is the more elegant sister of matcha: Whereas matcha leans more fresh and grassy, hojicha is the roasted version, and provides a deeper and earthier flavor. I recommend finding hojicha leaves and having them for hot tea (or finding sachets for a hojicha instant latte), but if you want a soothing cold version, hojicha milk tea in the carton is unbeatable. Marusan’s uses soy milk, which helps with any lactose intolerance.

Yakult probiotic drink

A legend, an icon. Nothing can replace the tangy sweetness of this watery liquid. She mainstreamed and we still love her. Does she actually help with good gut bacteria? Do we care either way?

T.Grand Assam milk tea

Assam tea is produced in Assam, India, and it’s a pretty singular black tea flavor. It tastes a little bit like fragrant burnt sugar or earthy caramel. Adding milk nestles that flavor into your palate and imparts an astounding flavor somewhere between creamy and fruity, floral and nutty. It has crisp notes, much like oolong, but the taste itself is rounded out. I prefer T.Grand’s version, partly because of its “My Way My Life My Milk Tea” caption on the cartons (damn straight!), but UCC has Assam milk tea too.

Bikkle yogurt drink

For those who need a little more of Yakult, and the tiny bottles simply don’t hit, we have Bikkle’s yogurt drink. Much like Calpis, it’s a yogurt drink that tastes less like lactose and more like a kind of sugar that does something to the pleasure center of the brain. It has a better taste and consistency than Calpis, and does not give me a tummy ache, so it’s a win all-around.

• Get Yourself a Specialty Soda, as a Treat [E]

from Eater - All https://ift.tt/3fh1oJh https://ift.tt/2XfgsB8

What to get in the drinks aisle of an international grocery store? Consider these.

1) Find an international grocery store or immigrant-owned bodega

2) Don’t be a coward

3) Look for the beverages in the fridge and on the shelves

4) Once you find a favorite, take a picture of the packaging

The ones to know:

Fruity

Suntory honey lemon

Taisun winter melon drink

Suntory Gokuri grapefruit

Rubicon

San Pellegrino prickly pear and orange

Bruce Cost jasmine green tea ginger ale

Ikea elderflower drink/Belvoir elderflower presse or cordial

Suanmeitang (Chinese sour plum juice)

Milky

Vitasoy black sesame

Marusan Hojicha milk tea

Yakult probiotic drink

A legend, an icon. Nothing can replace the tangy sweetness of this watery liquid. She mainstreamed and we still love her. Does she actually help with good gut bacteria? Do we care either way?

T.Grand Assam milk tea

Bikkle yogurt drink

• Get Yourself a Specialty Soda, as a Treat [E]

from Eater - All https://ift.tt/3fh1oJh via Blogger https://ift.tt/3fgFS7A

#Blogger #cooking #Eater #food #recipes

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instantdeerlover · 4 years

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The Ultimate Guide to Fruity, Milky, and Other Exciting Specialty Drinks added to Google Docs

The Ultimate Guide to Fruity, Milky, and Other Exciting Specialty Drinks

Unsure what to get in the drinks aisle of an international grocery store? Consider these.

1) Find an international grocery store or immigrant-owned bodega

2) Don’t be a coward

3) Look for the beverages in the fridge and on the shelves

4) Once you find a favorite, take a picture of the packaging

The ones to know:

Fruity

Suntory honey lemon

Taisun winter melon drink

Suntory Gokuri grapefruit

Rubicon

San Pellegrino prickly pear and orange

Bruce Cost jasmine green tea ginger ale

Ikea elderflower drink/Belvoir elderflower presse or cordial

Suanmeitang (Chinese sour plum juice)

Milky

Vitasoy black sesame

Marusan Hojicha milk tea

Yakult probiotic drink

A legend, an icon. Nothing can replace the tangy sweetness of this watery liquid. She mainstreamed and we still love her. Does she actually help with good gut bacteria? Do we care either way?

T.Grand Assam milk tea

Bikkle yogurt drink

• Get Yourself a Specialty Soda, as a Treat [E]

via Eater - All https://www.eater.com/21347271/best-specialty-drinks-sodas-international-suntory-honey-lemon-yakult

Created July 31, 2020 at 11:26PM /huong sen View Google Doc Nhà hàng Hương Sen chuyên buffet hải sản cao cấp✅ Tổ chức tiệc cưới✅ Hội nghị, hội thảo✅ Tiệc lưu động✅ Sự kiện mang tầm cỡ quốc gia 52 Phố Miếu Đầm, Mễ Trì, Nam Từ Liêm, Hà Nội http://huongsen.vn/ 0904988999 http://huongsen.vn/to-chuc-tiec-hoi-nghi/ https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1xa6sRugRZk4MDSyctcqusGYBv1lXYkrF

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ultrahealthandfitnessposts · 4 years

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20+ Foods We Still Store in the Fridge Even Though It’s Better to Stop

We are accustomed to placing most nourishments into the refrigerator to keep them crisp for whatever length of time that conceivable. Be that as it may, for reasons unknown, this isn't generally the correct activity in light of the fact that not all nourishments ought to be put away at low temperatures. This is the reason a significant number of the nourishments in our coolers simply consume space on our racks and wind up losing their taste and helpful microelements.

Splendid Side has examined the subject and found that putting away a few nourishments in chilly temperatures shows up and their taste more regrettable. This isn't just valid for some individual fixings, yet additionally for arranged nourishments too.

Vegetables

Potatoes. Potato starch transforms into sugar in cool temperatures, this is the reason cold potatoes lose their taste and wind up being somewhat sweet. In cool temperatures, the water inside potatoes extends and shapes gems that pulverize the structure of the filaments. This makes the vegetable delicate and not great to eat.

Garlic and onion spoil when there isn't sufficient air flow and an excess of mugginess.

Carrots and beetroots begin to shrink when kept in the refrigerator and afterward they additionally decay.

Tomatoes kept in the ice chest lose the entirety of their taste and become watery.

Eggplants are extremely surly vegetables. Excessively cold — they get watery and lose the entirety of their valuable characteristics, excessively warm — they get dry.

Zucchini turns delicate when kept in the ice chest and they get secured with form.

Cucumbers become delicate and permeable at lower temperatures. Plant specialists realize that cucumbers love the glow and the equivalent goes for putting away them. On the off chance that they get secured with dim and disgusting spots — this implies they are decaying.

How to do it right? Vegetables like dry spots with great air course and they improve when they are a long way from light introduction. A wooden box is an extraordinary spot for them. Potatoes, tomatoes, and peppers are better kept independently, additionally from each other, in light of the fact that they effectively produce the ethylene gas that rates up the maturing of different foods grown from the ground around them. For onions and garlic, there are other demonstrated strategies — drape them in a net or in tights simply like our grandmas used to do.

Organic product

Bananas. This organic product matures at 59-68°F, so in the event that you got them when they were as yet green, don't keep them in the refrigerator. Ready bananas shouldn't be kept in the cooler either on the grounds that at lower temperatures, the skin turns dim.

Peaches, kiwis, apricots, mangos, pomegranates, persimmons. On the off chance that the natural products are strong, don't place them exposed to the harsh elements since they won't age there. The natural products themselves are bound to turn sour. What's more, delicate natural products, similar to persimmons will get watery.

Citrus. All citrus natural products are best kept at a temperature above 32°F. The virus air in the cooler can harm them: the high dampness will make the organic products decay. Likewise, lemons and limes assimilate smells no problem at all. You could place them in the ice chest for a brief timeframe so as to hinder the aging procedure.

How to do it right? Store them at room temperature. You can place natural product in paper packs: unripe organic product will age, and the aged ones won't turn sour. The most significant thing is to ensure there is acceptable air flow. Bananas, pears, apricots, kiwis, mangos, peaches, and plums produce ethylene, so they ought to be kept independently.

Desserts

Chocolate. The virus is similarly as terrible for chocolate as the warmth. At lower temperatures, chocolate gets secured with a white covering which is brought about by buildup — a few pieces of the sugar become solidified. Likewise, chocolate rapidly retains smells, so there is an opportunity you could eat chocolate that scents like soup.

Nectar. Lower temperatures cause it to take shape and become strong — there is no opposite reaction from cold temperatures. At the point when kept accurately, nectar can be put away until the end of time.

Nutty spread. The main thing you will accomplish by keeping this in the cooler is that it will be difficult to put on bread. Incidentally, you can find out about the principles for putting away and the timeframe of realistic usability on the bundles.

How to do it right? Nectar ought to be kept in a firmly closed glass container, in a dull spot, at room temperature. Nutty spread is flawless when it is kept in cabinets, except if the bundle says something different, chocolate ought to be kept in a cool dull spot to keep it from dissolving or getting harsh.

Sauces and dressings

Zesty sauces. Fiery sauces contain all that anyone could need vinegar with the goal that they stay new outside the cooler.

Ketchup. It doesn't make a difference where it is kept — inside or outside the cooler. It just occupies space on the rack. The significant levels of vinegar and salt keep the item from turning sour.

Soy sauces. A few sorts of state the sauces can be put away for a long time. They contain such a lot of salt that there is no compelling reason to keep them in the ice chest in the wake of opening them.

Serving of mixed greens dressing. Numerous dressings that are made of oil and vinegar can be kept with no cool temperatures. The equivalent goes for servings of mixed greens made with olive oil and vinegar.

How to do it right? On the off chance that the pack doesn't state in any case, keep sauces in the cabinet — one that is a long way from the stove.

Flour items

Bread. In the event that you will eat bread inside a few days, don't place it in the refrigerator. Cold temperatures change the structure of bread, it loses its taste and the high moistness may make it get secured with form quite quick.

Bread kitchen. At low temperatures, buildup makes delicious bread shop and pies taste "wet."

How to do it right? Bread kitchen things ought to be enveloped by paper sacks and kept at room temperature. Pies ought to be secured with material paper and set in a cool spot. What's more, bread ought to be kept in a bread box made of glass or hardened steel.

Sticks and pickles

Pickles. They are shielded from turning sour with the additive used to make them. This works for every comparative nourishment that contain marinade, salt, vinegar, and flavors.

Jam. Given that there was a standard formula and the jam was accurately fixed in a cleaned container, you can save it outside the refrigerator for as long as 2 years and the ice chest isn't the best spot. Putting away jam neglected can animate the development of form. Each time you open the entryway of the ice chest, the container is in danger: warm air gets into a split between the top and the container, and there is likewise buildup which makes the ideal conditions for microorganisms.

How to do it right? Try not to keep open containers in the ice chest — just keep the ones that have covers you can seal. Marinades and sticks can be put away in a cool dim cabinet.

Berries, nuts, dried organic product

Berries. They are bound to stay new at room temperature. The dampness of the refrigerator will destroy them. Additionally, just wash them directly before eating them.

Nuts. From one viewpoint, low temperatures can help safeguard the characteristic oils in the nuts, on the other — nuts tend to ingest the preferences and kinds of different nourishments.

Dried natural product. Putting away dried natural product in the ice chest will just make it clammy, which is something contrary to what you need with them.

How to do it right? On the off chance that you are intending to utilize the nuts in the following hardly any days or weeks, it is smarter to store them in a fixed holder inside a pantry. In any case, on the off chance that you need to store them for a while, place them in the cooler. The ideal temperature for dried organic product is from 32°F to 50°F however they ought to be routinely ventilated and checked for form. Also, with berries, there are 2 choices: either a dry cool spot on the off chance that you will eat them soon, or freezing them in the event that you won't eat them until some other time.

The cooler is unfilled. What else?

Olive oil. The virus makes the oil produce some residue which makes the oil shady. Keep it at room temperature, along these lines it will stay as it was previously, yet ensure the spot you keep it is dull.

Eggs. There are no exceptional standards about eggs: they can be put away both inside the refrigerator and outside, thus can margarine — in a dull cool spot. The fact of the matter is to ensure the temperature is steady and reliable. In the event that you choose to place eggs in the ice chest, don't keep them as an afterthought rack however put them more profound in the refrigerator to shield them from temperature changes.

Margarine. A high grouping of fat won't let it turn sour quick. It is superbly protected to store it in a shut dish in a cool spot for a day or 2 — it will be simpler to put it on bread that way.

Salami. Once more, this is your decision: you can place it in the ice chest or not. Simply ensure you wrap it firmly in material and put it in a cool spot. It very well may be saved for a month. Obviously, if the maker's bundle wasn't at that point open.

Watermelons and melons. Before you cut them, there is no compelling reason to place them in a virus place. Watermelons kept at room temperature contain much more cancer prevention agents and different supplements contrasted with those kept in the refrigerator.

Espresso. Dampness is the most noticeably awful adversary of espresso beans. In the event that you place a container exposed cooler, buildup will show up, and when this happens the whole cell structure changes, which prompts losing the oil (the oil is liable for that brilliant espresso smell) and all the espresso enchantment vanishes. Consistently that you take the container out and set it back in, you hurt it much more: temperature vacillations cause espresso to lose its taste. Espresso ought to be put away in a fixed compartment, in a dim spot, at room temperature.

The temperature inside the ice chest isn't equivalent all over the place. For instance, the most sultry zone in the ice chest is the racks on the entryway. A few nourishments are best put away at quite certain temperatures, so perhaps you should investigate the proposals on putting away nourishments in various territories.

Is your cooler additionally pressed with nourishments that can be kept outside of it? Or then again do you have your own stockpiling tips?

source https://www.health-pro.design/2020/02/20-foods-we-still-store-in-fridge-even.html

#health and fitness

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lisacongo2-blog · 5 years

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Thanksgiving hacks: Bionic turkey

Excerpted from Dave Arnold’s blog, “Cooking Issues.”

The “bionic turkey” experiment: Cook the bird from the inside-out. Bone the bird, replace the leg bones with aluminum tubes, stuff the carcass with aluminum foil (heats quickly, maintains structure), and pump hot oil through the tubes to cook the inside of the thigh quickly.

How to make a “bionic turkey”

Cooking the bionic chicken: Take the fully boned chicken, stuff the cavity with aluminum foil, and put aluminum sprinkler-tubes where the leg bones used to be. Pump 65 degree oil through the legs for 20 minutes then turn down the oil to 64 and immerse chicken for 40 more minutes.

1.De-bone the bird: We used a technique that avoids cutting the skin: Starting at the butt end of the bird you carefully remove the bones by slowly turning the bird inside out. Then you carefully remove the leg bones; the wing bones are left in.

2. Prepare tubing: Cut pieces of aluminum tubing to the same length as the leg and thigh bones. We cut slits all along the tubes so they would act like sprinklers. We made the knee joint by joining the tubes with rubber tubing. We attached these bionic leg bones to the pump output of an immersion circulator.

Bionic Turkey: two pieces of aluminum tubing are cut to the same length as the leg and thigh bones. Cuts are made in in the tubes so they act like sprinklers. They are joined at the “knee” with a length of rubber tubing.

3. Stuff the bird: We stuffed the inside of the chicken with aluminum foil and threaded the aluminum tubes into the legs. Then we trussed the bird — no one would suspect a thing. We put the bird on a cooling rack over a lexan full of oil heated to 65 C with an immersion circulator. We hooked up a second circulator and used it to pump hot oil through the leg tubes. The extra oil poured out of the bird and back into the lexan. After 20 minutes we lowered the temperature to 64C and dropped the bird into the oil. 40 minutes later we pulled it.

4. Admire results: The bird held its shape even when we removed the foil. It looked like a whole, untouched bird. The meat was perfect all the way through.

5. Finish the bird: Ladling hot oil over the skin for several minutes worked great. Simple.

The results

Here’s the conclusion to my turkey saga (read the rest here, here, and here):

To recap, I made a boneless bionic turkey with aluminum sprinkler-pipe leg bones and cooked it in duck fat and butter using a two-step process. I chilled it and brought it to my in-laws’ house three hours north of the FCI. All I had to do on Thanksgiving day was warm up the bird and crisp the skin.

Kitchen space was scarce, so I did everything on the grill outside.

Preheating. I removed the grates from the grill and put a hotel pan with oil directly on the burners to heat up. I put the bird on a rack above the hotel pan and partially closed and tented the grill to pre-warm the bird.

I took the bird out of the fridge, removed most of the aluminum foil from its cavity, and let it come up to room temperature for an hour. I turned the grill into a turkey-warmer/pour-over fryer by removing the cooking grates and putting a hotel pan with two gallons of oil directly on the burners. On top of the hotel pan I put a rack to hold the turkey. I put the turkey on the rack and closed the grill (as much as I could) to allow the turkey to warm up while the oil was heating. I couldn’t close the lid without mangling the turkey, so I propped the grill open and tented the lid with aluminum foil. The area where the turkey was sitting floated around 275 F –a good warming temperature.

Fat ladling time-lapse. 2 minutes.

When the oil was piping hot (around 375 F) I started ladling the fat, two-fisted, all over the top of the bird. It browned even faster than I thought it would. The whole bird was crisped up in about 2 minutes. Bonus: there were no spewing geysers of oil, no huge flames, no Thanksgiving-ruining clouds of choking smoke.

Closeup of fat ladling.

So far, so good.

Finished bird.

Once inside, I removed the bionic leg bones and the rest of the foil. The bird didn’t collapse. Another win.

Bird on the table with bionic legs removed. Looks normal.

The moment of truth:

White meat. Perfect.

Dark meat. Perfect.

I was happy with the results. The family enjoyed the bird. Super moist but not watery. Tender. The taste of the herbs, duck fat and butter came through. Next year, I might increase the temperature a half a degree to make the breast meat look a little more conventional. There were also a couple of blood vessels that didn’t lose their red color. That didn’t bother me too much.

Folks around the dinner table kept asking me if it had been “worth it.”

“Did you like it?” I asked.

“Yes.”

Then I guess it was worth it.

Source: http://blogs.kcrw.com/goodfood/2018/11/thanksgiving-hacks-bionic-turkey/

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stockbeaver96-blog · 5 years

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Yotam Ottolenghi’s summer recipes

Today I am celebrating the season with three dishes that are perfect for summer dining. To keep things light on a hot day, serve these olive oil flatbreads with a selection of cold cuts and salads. You can whip up my strawberry tiramisu cake the day before, then flip it impressively on to a plate so you can enjoy a hassle-free outdoor lunch. And for a vibrant meal-in-one to accompany good wine and conversation, there’s a crunchy, sweet and sharp chicken and egg salad. Three very good reasons to bask in the summer sun.

Olive oil flatbreads with three-garlic butter (pictured above)

The garlic butter is the star of this dish, combining mellow, slow-roasted garlic, sweet black garlic and pungent raw garlic. The recipe will make more butter than you’ll need for the flatbreads, but it keeps for up to a week in the fridge and is great spread on toast, melted over steak or stuffed into chicken kievs.

Prep 5 min Cook 1 hr 10 min Makes 4

200g strong white bread flour 1 tsp fast-action dried yeast 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing and drizzling Flaked sea salt and black pepper 120ml lukewarm water

For the three-garlic butter 1 whole head garlic, the top fifth of the bulb cut off to expose the cloves 1 small garlic clove, peeled and roughly chopped 4 cloves black garlic, peeled and roughly chopped 100g unsalted butter, softened 10g parsley leaves, finely chopped 1½ tsp caraway seeds, toasted and crushed

To serve 2 ripe vine tomatoes 2 cloves black garlic, peeled and thinly sliced 1 tsp picked thyme leaves 1 tsp picked oregano leaves

Heat the oven to 200C/390F/gas 6. Put the flour and yeast in a large bowl with a tablespoon of oil and half a teaspoon of salt. Pour in the water and use a spatula to combine. Transfer to a lightly oiled work surface and, with lightly oiled hands, knead the dough for five minutes, until soft and elastic (add more oil if it starts to stick to the surface). Transfer to a large bowl, cover with a slightly damp, clean tea towel and leave in a warm place to rise for about 40 minutes, until nearly doubled in size, then cut into four equal pieces.

While the dough is rising, drizzle the head of garlic with a teaspoon of oil and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Wrap tightly in foil and bake for 40 minutes, until the cloves have softened. Discard the foil and, when cool enough to handle, squeeze out the flesh from the papery skins.

Put the roast, raw and black garlic in a mortar with a teaspoon and a half of flaked salt and a good grind of pepper. Pound to a rough paste, then put in a bowl with the butter, parsley and caraway, and mix well.

Grate the tomatoes on a box grater, discarding the skin, then put the flesh in a sieve set over a bowl.

Turn the oven to its highest setting (250C/480F/gas 10) and heat a large baking tray on the middle shelf. Transfer the four pieces of dough to a lightly oiled work surface and use your hands to stretch each one into a rough circle about 18cm wide and 5mm thin.

Remove the hot tray from the oven and quickly put two flatbreads on it, spacing them well apart. The dough will be very thin, but should have enough elasticity not to break. If you do get a hole, don’t worry: it just adds to the rustic look.

Quickly return the tray to the oven and bake for eight minutes, until the dough is golden brown and crisp. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Spread each flatbread with a teaspoon of the garlic butter, then top with the drained tomatoes and the slices of black garlic. Sprinkle over the herbs, and finish with a drizzle of oil, a generous pinch of flaked salt and a grind of pepper.

Asian chicken and egg salad

Yotam Ottolenghi’s Asian chicken and egg salad. Photograph: Louise Hagger for the Guardian

I have packed chicken, eggs and potatoes into this to turn a summer salad into a light meal. Play around with the ingredients: green beans, asparagus and peppers will all work as well as the chicken and vegetables listed.

Prep 25 min Cook 1 hr Serves 4

3 tbsp soy sauce 2 tbsp maple syrup 2 tbsp vegetable oil Salt and black pepper 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 7cm piece fresh ginger, finely grated 6 boned and skinned chicken thighs 250g small or medium new potatoes, halved 1 small kohlrabi, peeled and very thinly sliced (use a mandoline, ideally) 1 cucumber, cut in half lengthways, seeds and watery centre discarded 5 limes – 4 juiced, to get 60ml, and 1 cut into wedges, to serve 3 eggs 2 tbsp rice-wine vinegar 2 tbsp mirin 4-5 spring onions, finely sliced into 5cm strips 5g coriander leaves 1 large red chilli, deseeded and julienned 2 tbsp mayonnaise ½ tbsp black sesame seeds

Heat the oven to 220C/425F/gas 7.

Put the soy, syrup, oil and an eighth of a teaspoon of salt in a bowl with two teaspoons of crushed garlic and a tablespoon of grated ginger. Cut each chicken thigh into three strips, then toss in the bowl and leave to marinate for 10 minutes. Lay the chicken on an oven tray lined with baking paper, then roast for 30-35 minutes, stirring once, until cooked and golden brown. Leave to cool, then roughly shred with two forks.

While the chicken is cooking, put the potatoes and a teaspoon of salt in a medium saucepan, cover with water and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20-25 minutes, until soft but still holding their shape, then drain.

Stack the kohlrabi into piles, then cut into 1cm-wide strips and put in a large bowl. Cut the cucumber into 6cm x 5mm batons and add to the bowl. Add the lime juice and half a teaspoon of salt, and toss to coat.

Fill a small saucepan with water and put on a medium-high heat. Once boiling, turn the heat to medium, gently lower in the eggs and cook for seven minutes. Drain the eggs and, once cool, peel them.

Mix the remaining teaspoon and a half of garlic and two teaspoons of ginger with the vinegar and mirin, and pour over the kohlrabi. Add the spring onion, coriander and chilli, and toss. Stir the mayo into the potatoes and cut the eggs in half.

Using your hands – they’ll act as a natural sieve – lift the kohlrabi and cucumber on to a platter with a lip. Top with potatoes, then strew the chicken over. Add the eggs yolk side up, then scatter with the sesame seeds. Sprinkle with a little salt and serve with the lime wedges.

Strawberry tiramisu cake

Yotam Ottolenghi’s strawberry tiramisu cake. Photograph: Louise Hagger for the Guardian

This impressive-looking dessert is like a summery tiramisu. It doesn’t cope too well against time or heat, so eat it straight out of the fridge. The espresso adds a grown-up twist, but you can leave it out if you prefer.

Prep 10 min

Cook 45 min Set 5 hr Serves 6

850g strawberries, hulled 135g caster sugar 1½ tsp vanilla bean paste 1 tbsp orange zest 2 egg yolks 50ml sauternes dessert wine 80g mascarpone, at room temperature 80ml Grand Marnier 1 shot (30ml) espresso (optional) 150ml double cream 140g Savoiardi biscuits (also known as sponge fingers or ladyfingers)

Heat the oven to 200C/390F/gas 6. Line a 24cm x 14cm loaf tin with clingfilm, so it drapes over the sides.

Cut the larger strawberries into quarters and smaller ones in half.

Put 550g strawberries in a 30cm baking dish, then stir in 100g sugar, a teaspoon of vanilla bean paste and two-thirds of the orange zest. Roast for 30 minutes, stirring once halfway, until the strawberries have produced a syrup, then leave to cool.

To make a sabayon, whisk the egg yolks, sauternes and 20g sugar in a medium heatproof bowl, then set over a saucepan of simmering water (ensure the base is not in contact with the water). Whisk for four to five minutes, until the mixture resembles a thick, foamy cream, then take the bowl off the pan and leave to cool, whisking once or twice as it does so. Set aside to cool, then mix in the mascarpone using a spatula.

In a small bowl or cup, mix the Grand Marnier with the shot of espresso, if using.

Put the double cream and the remaining orange zest and vanilla paste in the bowl of a stand mixer and whip to soft peaks – about a minute.

Blitz the remaining strawberries with the remaining tablespoon of sugar for 30 seconds.

To assemble the cake, pour the roasted strawberries and their syrup into the lined loaf tin. Cover with a row of biscuits, pushing them down so they soak up the syrup. Turn over the biscuits and push them down again, to soak the other side, too. Drizzle half the Grand Marnier mix over the biscuits, then spread the sabayon on top in an even layer. Spread the whipped cream evenly over the sabayon, then pour the blitzed fresh strawberries over the cream. Top with a second layer of biscuits (you may need to cut some in half lengthways to fill in any gaps) and drizzle the remaining Grand Marnier evenly over the biscuits. Push the biscuits into the blitzed strawberries, then turn them over to soak the other side. Pull the clingfilm tightly over the top, and refrigerate for at least five hours, or overnight.

To serve, unwrap the clingfilm lid and put a large plate on top of the loaf tin. Hold the plate and tin together, then quickly flip over to invert. Gently lift off the tin: the cake should release itself from the tin and on to the plate; if it does not, tap the tin gently until it does. Peel off the clingfilm and serve at once.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/jul/14/yotam-ottolenghi-summer-recipes

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easyfoodnetwork · 4 years

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What to get in the drinks aisle of an international grocery store? Consider these. I’ve always found joy in the little things in life — the smell of a new book, blank stationery, and a small soft drink carton waiting for me in the fridge. I never outgrew these joys, and I invested in my soft drink passion especially. I know, I know, there is a common trope about millennials who infantilize themselves because society won’t let them buy houses and save money, and I agree! But the quest for gourmet soda is particularly exciting. The reward? A salve at the end of the day. As my journey in life takes me to more and more international grocery stores, I’ve ventured farther into the beverage aisles, and when the cool air of the fridge hits my face, I edge closer to the fluorescent light and reach toward the cold carton, bottle, or can of a new or familiar joy. Sure, you can always get something alcoholic, but for those of us who don’t want to exacerbate our GERD (hello, 30s), are addicted to sugar, or don’t want to spend more than $5, there is the wonderful world of speciality soft drinks. First, some general tips: 1) Find an international grocery store or immigrant-owned bodega Chances are you won’t find specialty sodas and juices at Target or Walmart unless they’re manufactured by an American brand. Look up Japanese, Korean, South Asian, Middle Eastern, Mexican, and Chinese grocery stores (or any other kind!) in your area. While you’re there, pick up some pantry staples and make sure you’re respectful of the other shoppers. If you live by an immigrant-owned bodega, take a closer look at their shelves. 2) Don’t be a coward Just because you can’t read the language on the packaging of a drink, and just because you’ve never had it before, doesn’t mean it’s a mystery of the vast unknown. Be brave! You could end up discovering your holy grail drink! And if you hate it, that’s also okay. It’s not going to cost you much to find out. If you’re really curious, though, there’s sometimes an import sticker that states what it is in English. 3) Look for the beverages in the fridge and on the shelves There are instances when those working the stores haven’t had the time to fill up the fridge. Be mindful of stacked cartons or bottles around the store, where potential new favorites could be hiding out. Other kinds of drinks will be placed not in the fridges but on dry shelves in the interior of the store. 4) Once you find a favorite, take a picture of the packaging Be sure to take a picture of something you really liked for future visits and file it into a folder on your phone — it’ll help you repurchase your favorites and also prevent any mix-ups between similarly shaped or designed bottles. The ones to know: Here are very few of my personal favorites, split into the categories of “fruity” and “milky.” Fruity drinks are evergreen, but especially appropriate for the times when you want the feeling of summer. Milky drinks are a little more substantial, better suited for the days when you’re craving something closer to a dessert. Fruity Suntory honey lemon My holy grail of fruity drinks. I have only had the luck of having this once in my life, and I have been searching for it ever since. Achieving the perfect balance of sweet and sour, it feels familiar (because it’s honey and lemon) but also completely new because it doesn’t remind you of that familiar cold/flu combo. Like all excellent soft drinks, it has a sophistication from the first to the last sip. Taisun winter melon drink Winter melon (aka white gourd) is popular in Taiwan and has got to be the best double agent of all time. In its raw form, it tastes pretty neutral, which makes it well-suited as a savory vegetable dish. Once you add sugar to its juices, though, it transforms, giving off burnt caramel notes that makes it the most dessert-like fruit drink maybe ever. It’s in my top five of all time. I have consumed plenty of Taisun cans, and I hereby encourage everyone to try my regular boba order (winter melon tea with salty foam) if it’s your first time. Suntory Gokuri grapefruit Again with another heavyweight, Suntory offers us Gokuri. As well as having the sexiest packaging (aluminum tinned bottles, generous girth, amazing colors and design), it also is the best citrus soda. Its grapefruit and cassis an orange flavors are clear winners, and the peach flavor is also good (though I usually prefer a non-carbonated peach). Rubicon Sing it with me now: lychee, mango, guava, passionfruit. If my childhood were a table, these four would be its legs. Though these drinks are common in the U.K., they’re a little harder to come by in NYC, where I’m located now. Somewhere in between juice and lassi, Rubicon’s drinks are sweet, thick in consistency, and truly a delight to all those who have an affinity for — yes — lychee, mango, guava, and passionfruit. Get them anywhere you can, most likely at a South Asian grocery store, and for the love of god, don’t buy the sparkling versions. San Pellegrino prickly pear and orange The blood orange flavor of these foil-wrapped cans gets a lot of airtime with soft drink enthusiasts, but o-ho! Let me tell you about the rare and best flavor of San Pellegrino. Prickly pear, also known as nopal, is a cactus that can be used in savory cooking but also eaten as a fruit. This flavor sets itself apart from other San Pellegrino varieties in that it doesn’t taste as artificial, which is hard to achieve with carbonated sodas. Bruce Cost jasmine green tea ginger ale I never really understood the love for ginger ale until I tried Bruce Cost’s. With other ginger ales, the ginger is too strong, or the sugar too sweet to counteract the ginger, but the beauty of Bruce Cost’s ginger ale is that it’s infused with flavors that you wouldn’t think would work — and yet they do. Jasmine green tea is amazing all by itself, but with the ginger ale flavor, it’s a perfect union. Ikea elderflower drink/Belvoir elderflower presse or cordial Elderflower is popular around northwestern and central Europe, and has a distinctly elegant taste that is a heavy-hitter by itself and with cocktails. If your store has a specialty shelf dedicated to the friends across the pond, you may have some luck in finding Belvoir, an elderflower cordial popular with us Brits. If not, perhaps you can scoop a carton or bottle of “Dryk Flader” next time you’re at Ikea trying to satisfy your meatball craving. Suanmeitang (Chinese sour plum juice) If, like me, your only experience of plum juice is to fix some… uh… bowel issues, then I understand the hesitation with trying suanmeitang. But this is an all-around winner: a sweet, sour, and very slightly salty plum juice, in an adorable bottle, that, yes, helps with digestion — because bowel movement is important! Grow up! You can likely find suanmeitang at most Chinese grocery stores. Milky Vitasoy black sesame If you’ve ever been to HMart or an East Asian supermarket, you might have seen these cartons in a variety of colors to denote different flavors. But nothing reigns more supreme than the black sesame flavor: A milky backdrop complements the nuttiness of the black sesame and makes for a great drinkable dessert. Marusan Hojicha milk tea Milk tea is tea leaves steeped in milk in various combinations. You have oolong, darjeeling, and other forms (which I encourage you to try if you haven’t), but hojicha is my personal favorite. Hojicha is the more elegant sister of matcha: Whereas matcha leans more fresh and grassy, hojicha is the roasted version, and provides a deeper and earthier flavor. I recommend finding hojicha leaves and having them for hot tea (or finding sachets for a hojicha instant latte), but if you want a soothing cold version, hojicha milk tea in the carton is unbeatable. Marusan’s uses soy milk, which helps with any lactose intolerance. Yakult probiotic drink A legend, an icon. Nothing can replace the tangy sweetness of this watery liquid. She mainstreamed and we still love her. Does she actually help with good gut bacteria? Do we care either way? T.Grand Assam milk tea Assam tea is produced in Assam, India, and it’s a pretty singular black tea flavor. It tastes a little bit like fragrant burnt sugar or earthy caramel. Adding milk nestles that flavor into your palate and imparts an astounding flavor somewhere between creamy and fruity, floral and nutty. It has crisp notes, much like oolong, but the taste itself is rounded out. I prefer T.Grand’s version, partly because of its “My Way My Life My Milk Tea” caption on the cartons (damn straight!), but UCC has Assam milk tea too. Bikkle yogurt drink For those who need a little more of Yakult, and the tiny bottles simply don’t hit, we have Bikkle’s yogurt drink. Much like Calpis, it’s a yogurt drink that tastes less like lactose and more like a kind of sugar that does something to the pleasure center of the brain. It has a better taste and consistency than Calpis, and does not give me a tummy ache, so it’s a win all-around. • Get Yourself a Specialty Soda, as a Treat [E] from Eater - All https://ift.tt/3fh1oJh

http://easyfoodnetwork.blogspot.com/2020/07/the-ultimate-guide-to-fruity-milky-and.html

#EasyFoodNetwork #ComfortFoodRecipes #EasyRecipes #GoodFood #BestComfortFoodRecipes #TastyFoodv

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computerguideworld-blog · 5 years

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Noodle Salad with Sesame Peanut Dressing (Work lunch idea!)

New Post has been published on https://computerguideto.com/awesome/noodle-salad-with-sesame-peanut-dressing-work-lunch-idea/

Noodle Salad with Sesame Peanut Dressing (Work lunch idea!)

Asian Noodle Salad tossed with a wickedly delicious dressing that’s creamy, peanutty, with a hint of sesame, tang of lime and mild hit of chilli. I would die a happy girl if I drowned in this dressing (morbid but true). Great lunch idea for work because it’s super tasty served cold!

Noodle Salad – Lunch Idea for Work!

This noodle salad is the sort of thing I used to take into work for lunch back in my corporate days. I was never a sandwich gal. I mean, let’s face it. Sitting in an air conditioned cubicle in front of a computer all day isn’t exactly stimulating. Most days, lunch was the most exciting part of my day.

Hence – skip the sambos.

Enter – Asian Noodle Salad with creamy peanut dressing!

Great COLD lunch – and lasts for days!

There’s not many dishes other than salads that are genuinely great cold – or intended to be eaten cold. There’s even less salady type things that last for days, given that the moment salads are dressed they start to wilt and lose freshness.

And therein lies the reason why this noodle salad was a regular in my work lunch rotation. Adaptable, no need to heat it up, and it’s truly just as good today as it is tomorrow and the next day – and the next!

What you need

In case I hadn’t already made it clear – this noodle salad really is all about the dressing. I use commercial peanut butter spread here ie the type loaded with sugar and extra oil and salt because all these flavourings are part of what makes the dressing so tasty.

If you make this with natural peanut butter, refer to the recipe notes – we need to jack up the flavourings a bit.

For the noodle salad itself, the idea here is to use vegetables that won’t wilt into a watery mess the minute it’s dressed. I’ve gone with: beans, capsicum (bell peppers), carrots and bean sprouts. Other ideas for vegetables include:

Cabbage (white, green, red) Zucchini (yes, raw, it’s great!) Snow peas Thinly sliced raw broccoli Red onion Lightly blanched asparagus, snap peas, cauliflower

Avoid things like lettuce, spinach, cucumber and tomato unless you’re consuming it on the day.

Best noodles?

I like to use any fresh thin egg noodles (ie pale yellow noodles sold in the fridge section) such as thin Hokkien noodles because I am partial to the slightly chewy, slippery texture in this noodle salad. But I’ve made this plenty of times with just about every other noodle I use – rice noodles, ramen noodles (toss the seasoning packs), dried egg noodles and yes, I’ve even used pasta!

Also a great Asian side dish!

I know I’m talking this up as a lunch idea for work, but this Noodle Salad is also a terrific option as a side dish for an Asian meal (or Asiany, you know the sort I mean!). I see this alongside things like:

Asian Marinated Chicken or Chinese BBQ Chicken Chinese Chicken Wings Asian Glazed Salmon or Honey Garlic Salmon Foolproof Poached Chicken Breast with Ginger Shallot Sauce Asian Chilli Garlic Prawns (Shrimp) or even non Asian Garlic Prawns Thai Marinated Chicken (Gai Yang) or Southern Thai Grilled Chicken

Also, it would be great to serve as a side to make a meal out of small-bite type Asian things such as:

Potstickers Spring Rolls Chinese Lettuce Wraps (San Choy Bow ) (also the Thai version would be great) Thai Fish Cakes

All this tasty food talk is torture. I need to sign off and get into the kitchen to make dinner! ~ Nagi x

Watch how to make it

youtube

Noodle Salad With Creamy Sesame Peanut Dressing

Recipe video above. A vegetable noodle salad with a dressing that’s creamy, peanutty, with a hint of sesame, tang of lime and mild hit of chilli. GREAT work lunch idea – keeps for days, terrific served cold. Try adding shredded chicken! Also great side for Asian meals. Serves 3 as a meal, or 4 to 5 as a side.

Dressing

1/4 cup peanut butter (, preferably smooth (Note 1)) 1 tbsp sesame oil (, toasted (Note 2)) 1 tbsp canola oil ((or other neutral oil)) 2 tbsp soy sauce ((Note 3)) 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce 1 tbsp sriracha ((adjust spiciness to taste)) 2 tbsp lime juice ((sub rice or cider vinegar)) 1 garlic clove (, minced) 2 to 4 tbsp water (, if needed)

Salad

350g / 12 oz fresh egg noodles ((about 4 cups, packed)) 1.5 cups carrot (, julienned (1 large or 2 small carrots)) 2 cups beansprouts 1.5 cups green beans (, halved) 1.5 cups red bell pepper/capsicum (, finely sliced (1 large)) 3 green onion stems (, finely sliced on the diagonal ) 1 tbsp white sesame seeds ((preferably toasted))

Prepare noodles according to packet directions (most just require soaking in hot water). Drain, rinse and set aside to cool.

Dressing – Mix together Dressing ingredients, using water only if needed to loosen so it can be tossed through salad. If you reduce Sriracha, might need to add smidge more lime.

Beans – Steam or boil green greens until just cooked, tender but still crisp. Drain under running water to cool.

Toss – Place salad ingredients in a big bowl, toss with dressing.

Garnish with sesame seeds then serve at room temp. Keeps 4 days in the fridge.

1. Peanut Butter – commercial spread is what I use in this recipe ie sweetened. If you use natural peanut butter (ie pure peanuts, not added sugar etc), you’ll need to add about 2 tsp sugar and 1/4 tsp salt into the dressing.

2. Toasted Sesame Oil is dark brown and has a more intense sesame flavour, Untoasted is yellow (not common in Australia).

3. Soy Sauce – all purpose or light soy. Don’t use dark soy or kecap manis, flavour is too intense.

4. Noodles – I use thin hokkien noodles because I like the slippery, slightly chewy texture in this noodle salad, the type that is sold in the fridge section that just requires soaking in hot water. But any noodles work fine here – rice, egg, fresh, dried, even ramen (use 3 cakes, toss seasoning). Just prepare per packet.

5. Other Vegetable options – anything that won’t go watery limp once dressed:

Shredded Cabbage (white, green, red) Zucchini batons (yes, raw, it’s great!) Snow peas, thinly sliced raw broccoli, red onion, corn Lightly blanched asparagus, snap peas, cauliflower

Avoid: lettuce, spinach, cucumber, tomato

6. Adapted from a Nigella Lawson recipe.

7. Serves 3 as a meal, or 4 to 5 as a side.

Originally published July 2014, updated May 2019 with new photos, rewritten post, addition of recipe video and most important, added Life of Dozer! No change to recipe – it’s just as tasty as its been for the last decade I’ve been making it!

Life of Dozer

Dozer spent most of yesterday afternoon in the car with me as we travelled all over the north side of Sydney doing flower and foodie drop offs for Mother’s Day, to the various special mothers in our lives.

The post Noodle Salad with Sesame Peanut Dressing (Work lunch idea!) appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Read more: recipetineats.com

#15 minute meals #asian recipes #noodles #quick and easy #salads (meals)#side dishes #vegan

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appletable80-blog · 5 years

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cabbage and mushroom “lasagna”

In July, because I make no sense at all, I decided to knock an item off my To Cook list that’s been there since 2010, a golden, bubbling, layered dish of mushrooms, cabbage, thinly sliced potatoes bound with a bechamel sauce and topped with cheese. Talk about beach eats!

But a craving is a craving and I made it with the thought that we could try it, then freeze the rest until that whole December – January zone when the sun sets at approximately 3:32pm and the only way to endure it is to channel some Scandinavian coziness and make it, like, fashion. Candles! Thick sweaters! Tea, a good book, and soft music. Long-cooked winter vegetables snug in a rich casserole.

Instead, over a few days we finished the whole thing because it’s completely amazing. The recipe comes from the Marcus Jernmark, the Swedish chef who, at the time, helmed Aquavit, a high-end Scandinavian restaurant in midtown. The recipe made its way into a column by Elaine Louie that briefly ran in the New York Times called “The Temporary Vegetarian” that I followed with devotion. It’s not like a decade ago was dark times for vegetarians, but this column had a freshness to it, focusing on vegetable-forward and varied dishes with home cooks in mind, a few years before its time. (It later became a book).

Jernmark explained that in the fall in Sweden, they eat cabbage, kale, and mushrooms, and he wanted to turn them into a seasonal, homey take on lasagna. Because I’m a pedant, I’m not entirely sold on the name. It seems as much a potato and vegetable gratin as anything else but I’m leaving it because it’s layered, and I have a thing for lasagnas outside the red sauce and ricotta cheese box, anyway.

It’s a bit of work, as can happen when three vegetables and a sauce are involved, but it’s honestly the perfect dish for laying low on a cold weekend: lush but not as nap-inducing as pasta-ed versions. And it’s excellent. The photos don’t do it justice, but it’s cooked cabbage, guys. It’s doing its best.

Previously

One year ago: Dutch Apple Pie Two years ago: Brussels Sprouts, Apple, and Pomegranate Salad and Spinach Sheet Pan Quiche Three years ago: Pecan Pie and Roasted Leek and White Bean Galettes Four years ago: Classic Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Praline Sauce and Crispy Sweet Potato Roast Five years ago: Cauliflower with Brown Butter Crumbs and Parsley Leaf Potatoes Six years ago: Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette Seven years ago: Dijon-Braised Brussels Sprouts Eight years ago: Sweet Corn Spoonbread and Apple Latkes Nine years ago: Sweet Potato Buttermilk Pie, Creamed Spinach and Gingerbread Apple Upside-Down Cake Ten years ago: Cranberry Pecan Frangipane Tart, Mustard-Roasted Potatoes and Walnut Tartlets Eleven years ago: Black Bean Pumpkin Soup, Chicken with Chanterelles and Pearl Onions, Pumpkin Waffles and Cream White Polenta with Mushrooms Twelve years ago: No-Knead Bread, Tomato and Sausage Risotto, Sundried Tomato Stuffed Mushrooms

And for the other side of the world: Six Months Ago: Ice Cream Cake Roll and Garlic Lime Steak and Noodle Salad 1.5 Years Ago: Potatoes Anna and Strawberry Graham Icebox Cake 2.5 Years Ago: Confetti Cookies and Roasted Carrots with Avocado and Yogurt 3.5 Years Ago: Toasted Marshmallow Milkshake and Fake Shack Burger 4.5 Years Ago: Soft Pretzel Knots and Buns and Carrot Salad with Tahini and Crisped Chickpeas

Cabbage and Mushroom Lasagna

Servings: 6, generously, to 12, petitely

Time: 2 hours

Source: Marcus Jernmark, then of Aquavit, via the NYT

There are three key things to know going into this dish:

Seasoning is really key here. It’s winter vegetables, butter, milk, and cheese; it will not naturally boom with flavor. Make sure every element is gets the necessary salt and pepper and it will add up to something wonderful.

I found mine got a little watery as it baked, because cabbage is watery. You can baste a little out, if you wish, or you can just let it go. As it cools, most will settle back around the vegetables and it shouldn’t seem too wet.

I almost didn’t share this recipe because it’s got a bunch of steps, and a lot of vegetables to chop (the dish is all vegetables, after all), and thought nobody would want to make it, but it’s too delicious not to. So do as I do, put on your headphones, queue up The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, try to get your head around the fact that it’s now 20 years old, and you’ll be done before Mary J. Blige shows up.

9 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

2 2/3 cups whole or lowfat milk

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

Salt and ground black pepper

1 medium onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 pound assorted (shiitake, oyster, porcini, chanterelles, etc.) or just cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage (I used less)

2 pounds Napa cabbage, 12 large leaves removed from the head, and reserved, the remainder sliced thin

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 1/2 pounds (about 4) yukon gold potatoes, sliced 1/8-inch thick

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, or Västerbotten (the chef’s preference).

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt 6 tablespoons of the butter. Add flour, stir for 3 minutes (do not allow to brown), then gradually whisk in milk, stirring until thickened, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in nutmeg and season with salt and pepper to taste. Scrape sauce into a bowl, and reserve.

Wipe out sauté pan (rinse if needed) and melt 2 tablespoons of the remaining butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and sauté until onions are translucent. Add mushrooms, sage and sliced cabbage, and sauté until fragrant and the cabbage is tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Add wine and sauté until it has evaporated. Add reserved sauce and simmer for 10 minutes. The mixture should be very thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

While the mushroom and cabbage mixture is simmering, pour 6 cups of water into a stock pot, and bring to a boil. Add whole cabbage leaves, and blanch for 2 minutes. Drain under cold water, and pat dry on towels.

Grease a 9-by-9-inch baking dish or a lasagna pan of your choice (I used this) with remaining 1 tablespoon of butter.

To assemble the lasagna, line the bottom of the dish with half the cabbage leaves, and top with half the potatoes, half the creamed mushrooms. Repeat the layering of cabbage, potatoes and mushrooms, and top with grated cheese. Cover snugly with foil, and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, and bake until the top is golden brown and potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes but up to 10 minutes longer if needed. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, and serve.

Do ahead: I prepared the sauce and all of the vegetables and then ran out of time when I made this, stashing them in the fridge separately and baking it the next day, which works totally fine. You can also make the dish, chill it, and bake it when needed, and leftovers reheat well too. Finally, you could freeze the whole dish for a later date.

Source: https://smittenkitchen.com/2018/11/cabbage-and-mushroom-lasagna/

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unwritrecipes · 5 years

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Pan-Roasted Mushroom and Spinach Slab Pie

Happy 3.14 or 3/14, Thursday March 14th, aka Pi Day! Finally got it right, math whiz that I am (not)! Last week I claimed it was 3.12 until my very wise son and his girlfriend gently pointed out to me that pi is 3.14 which probably explains why I am writing this now and not involved in a career that involves higher math of some sort! LOL! But in any case, it’s an awesome day to celebrate with the eating of pie. C’mon we’ll take any excuse we can get, right?

Now, generally when I think about pie, I’m deep in dessert mode (and often it’s a la mode, ha ha) but today, in the spirit of the number pi, which I vaguely remember has something to do with infinity, I want you to expand your mind and embrace the savory possibilities of pie too. Yup, that’s right. Pie, in all its glory, as the main course. And now take it one step further and instead of the traditional round pie, make it rectangular. Uncharted territories, I know. Scared? Don’t be. Because this Pan-Roasted Mushroom and Spinach Slab Pie is not only positively delicious but far, far easier to make and a really fun weekend project. Let’s hear it for Pi(e) Day!!

Of late I have been addicted to the making of slab pies, ever since laying my pie-crimping hands on Pie Squared by Cathy Barrow. I blogged about it last week for my Famous Fridays post with this Easy-As-Pie-Apple Slab Pie and gave you copious notes (I’m still tired from the typing) about how to prepare the slab pie crust, so instead of redoing the whole tutorial here, just click on the link and you’ll see photos that walk you through the crust-making process. Got it?

Ok, let’s move on to the filling, which despite the fact that it is loaded with mushrooms is not goopy or liquidy at all (if you’ve ever made quiche and found that the filling cooked up a little watery, you know what I mean) and this is due to two important techniques: pan-roasting at a high heat and cooking the mushrooms in two batches, so as not to overcrowd the pan. Yes, it takes a little bit longer but it gives you mushrooms that are firm and almost caramelized which adds a ton of texture and flavor to the filling.

And speaking of caramelized, we’ve got to give a shout out to the onions which don’t get a mention in the title but are a vital part of what makes this filling so special. Taking the time to caramelize them is so totally worth it!

And let’s not forget about the spinach (you could also sub in kale—that’s what the original recipe calls for) which you just stir into the hot onions to allow to wilt a bit and adds the right balance of bitterness and leafy greenness to the sautéed veggies and richness of the eggy, custardy filling and cheese.

Assembling is a breeze. Simply position the top crust over the filling, crimp, slash a few steam vents in the crust, brush with an egg wash and bake.

You’re gonna be so proud when you pull this baby from the oven! Golden brown, flaky gorgeousness!

It’s like a quiche on steroids! A complete meal in a pan.

Serve it with a crisp, green salad and you’ve hit dinner perfection! And while you’re at it, how about one of these pies or tarts for dessert?

God, I love Pi Day!!

Pan-Roasted Mushroom and Spinach Slab Pie

Makes 12-15 servings

It is helpful to have a food processor for this. It is also helpful to have a bench scraper and a baking stone but not absolutely necessary.

Prep Time for Crust: Prep Time for Filling: 30 minutes (much of this is hands free); Assembly Time: Bake Time: 50 minutes-1 hour

Ingredients

For the Crust

2 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons unbleached, all-purpose flour (325 grams), plus extra for shaping and rolling out dough

16 tablespoons (225 grams) unsalted butter, cubed and frozen for 20 minutes

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup (120ml) ice water

For the Filling

1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil, divided

1 pound mushrooms, any kind (I used half regular button, half baby Bella) sliced not too thinly and divided in half

Kosher salt

Red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons dry sherry

2 large onions, sliced in half and then into half moon slices

Fresh thyme leaves from a few sprigs of thyme

5 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped

1 cup whole milk

2 large eggs plus 1 egg white (you’ll use the yolk later for the egg wash)

Black pepper

4 ounces Swiss or Gruyere, grated (about 1 cup)

For the Assembly

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon water

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

The Recipe

1. To make the crust: place the flour, butter and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal steel blade and pulse for 15 times until the butter is in small, pea-like pieces and coated with the flour. Pour in all of the ice water and pulse until the mixture almost forms a ball. You still want it to be a bit shaggy. If you over mix it, it’ll be tough. If you don’t have a food processor, you can mix the dough by hand. If so, freeze the sticks of butter and then grate them using the largest holds on the box grater right into the flour mixture. Working quickly, use your hands to combine the ingredients until the grated butter pieces are coated in flour. Pour in the water and and use your hands to sort of toss and fold the dough together into a shaggy cohesive ball.

2. Take 2 large pieces of plastic wrap and lay them criss-crossed on the counter so that they form a large “X”. Take a little bit of flour and scatter it in the center. Turn the dough out right into the center of the X, scraping the food processor clean and fold the plastic wrap over the shaggy ball and any stray crumbs. You want to avoid touching the dough with your hands as that warms the fats and cuts down on the pastry’s flakiness. Use a bench scraper or a firm spatula to push the dough into a 6 by 4-inch block that will look like a compact piece of dough not a crumbly block but you will still see pieces of butter throughout. (It helps if you use a ruler to measure—will make the rolling out later a snap). Now use a rolling pin to gently press across the surface of the dough to remove any bubbles. Flip the dough over and repeat on the other side. Place in the fridge to rest for at least 4 hours and preferably overnight.

3. Before you are ready to roll out the dough, set up your rolling surface—it can be a board or your clean counter as long as it’s cold. Use painter’s or masking tape to make an 11x15-inch rectangle. Remove the dough for about 10 minutes before you roll out—you don’t want it to get too warm. Generously dust the rolling surface with flour. Remove the plastic wrap and cut the dough into 2 pieces, one a little larger than the other—this will be the top crust.

4. Working quickly, smack the dough 3 times with the rolling pin. Now flip it over and do the same to the other side. This helps to compress the fats. Now flour your rolling pin and roll out the dough from the center outward, angling to the sides, working to fill the shaped space. Every so often slide the bench scraper underneath the dough to keep it from sticking to the board and turning the dough to get it to fill the space evenly. If it shrinks back when you roll it, don’t pull it—just be patient and keep rolling—it will fill the space eventually. Once it’s rolled to size, gently fold it over in half and carefully place it in the 1/4 sheet pan. Gently press the dough into the corners using the sides of your hand, not your fingers which might poke holes. Place the pan into the fridge while you roll out the top crust.

5. Roll out the top crust using the same technique, but only to about 10x14-inches. Place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet and sprinkle with flour. Transfer the dough to the sheet and refrigerate as well.

6. To make the filling: Pour 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil into a large, wide skillet and heat over high heat until the oil shimmers. Add half of the mushrooms and move them into a single layer. Sprinkle with a pinch or two of salt and red pepper flakes and let the mushrooms cook for several minutes, somewhere between 6-9 minutes, without moving them, until you can easily lift one with out sticking. They will sizzle and snap so be prepared. Then turn all of them quickly so that the other side can get browned and let cook another few minutes. Transfer to a bowl and repeat the entire process with the rest of the mushrooms, beginning with the heating of another 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil.

7. When all of the mushrooms have been transferred out of the skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and lower the heat to medium. Stir in the onion and thyme let cook for about 15 minutes, until the onions are beginning to caramelize and turn golden. If they are browning too quickly, turn down the heat. Stir in the chopped spinach and remove from the heat.

8. If you have one, place a baking stone on the center rack of the oven. If not, use an inverted rimmed baking sheet. Turn the oven to 400ºF and let preheat with the baking stone.

9. Remove the bottom crust from the fridge and scatter the mushrooms across the bottom as evenly as possible. Top with the onion mixture, pushing it around so that it is evenly dispersed.

10. In a separate bowl, whisk the milk, eggs, egg white, and a pinch or two of salt and pepper together. Pour it over the vegetables and scatter the cheese evenly across the whole thing. Remove the top crust from the fridge and position on top. Tuck the bottom crust edge over the top crust and crimp. Use a sharp knife to make a few venting slashes in the top crust. Whisk the egg yolk and water together in a small bowl and brush across the surface of the pie using a pastry brush. Sprinkle on some kosher salt. Place the pie in the fridge for 20 minutes.

11. Bake for about 45-50 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted into the center of the pie comes out clean. Let cool for about 10 minutes before cutting., then use a sharp knife to cut squares and serve immediately. Pie reheats well too. Store leftovers covered in the fridge and reheat in a low oven for about 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Note: Recipe adapted from Pie Squared by Cathy Barrow. I subbed spinach in for the kale and used more and different variety of mushrooms.

#Butter #Flour #Kosher Salt #Ice Water #Olive Oil #Mushrooms #Red Pepper Flakes #Onions #Thyme #Spinach #Milk #Eggs #Egg White #Black Pepper #Gruyére Cheese #Egg Yolk

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nyc-uws · 6 years

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1. Invest in some produce bags that absorb ethylene, a gas that accelerates ripening and decomposition.

Your veggies will last a lot longer. In addition, pack your leafy greens loosely, which keeps moisture and sogginess to a minimum.

Get a pack of 30 produce bags from Walmart for $7.99.

2. Wrap or cover your leafy greens with a paper towel to keep them fresh all week long.

The paper towel will absorb the moisture. Get more info on keeping fruits and veggies fresh for longer on Inhabitat.

3. Get ethylene gas absorbers for the fridge.

These little pods absorb the ethylene emitted by fruits and vegetables to keep them fresh up to three times longer. Here’s a handy list of ethylene-producing and ethylene-sensitive foods from Real Simple.

Get a set of two from Walmart for $10.92.

4. Place fresh herbs in a jar filled with enough water to cover the tips of the stems.

Trim the ends and then place them in a glass jar, like a bouquet of flowers. For basil and cilantro, store them at room temperature.

Get a set of 12 pint-sized mason jars from Walmart for $8.69 or a set of 12 quart sized jars from Jet for $10.26.

5. Or, if you use a lot of fresh herbs, invest in an herb saver.

It's supposed to make your herbs last up to three weeks.

Get it from Jet for $31.50

6. Store bananas away from other countertop produce and wrap their stems with plastic to keep them fresh.

Because bananas produce a lot of ethylene, a fruit-ripening gas, it's best to keep them away from other produce, unless you want to speed up their ripening. If you want to ripen an avocado more quickly, place it in a bag with a ripe banana.

Get a bamboo banana hammock from Jet for $10.62.

7. Place tomatoes on the counter with the stems facing down.

Because they're fairly delicate, placing them upside down thwarts air from entering through its stem, which accelerates ripening. If they're stored in the fridge, they'll lose flavor and develop a mealy texture.

8. Cucumbers will last longer at room temperature whereas keeping them in the fridge will accelerate their decay.

According to the Kitchn, they'll get "chilling injuries" in the fridge, which include wateriness, pitting, and faster decay.

9. Prep your greens with a salad spinner, which cuts out a lot of moisture and prevents leaves from wilting.

10. Spray leftover guacamole with cooking spray before putting it back in the fridge.

There are a number of ways to keep avocado green, and oil is one of them. You should also keep the pit in the guacamole.

Get a can of olive oil cooking spray from Walmart for $3.85.

11. Keep carrots crisp by storing them in water after removing their leafy tops.

Apparently, if you keep carrots fresh for an extremely long time, they'll re-grow their leafy tops. Immersed in water, carrots will stay fresh for weeks.

12. Freeze green onions in a plastic bottle.

Make sure the green onions are completely dry before storing or they’ll get freezer burn.

13. And keep ginger in the freezer too.

It grates much more easily, and the peel grates up so fine that you don’t actually need to peel it. Plus it lasts way longer.

14. Store mushrooms in a paper bag, not a plastic bag.

A plastic bag will trap moisture and cause them to mildew. Put them in a paper bag in the fridge or in a cool, dry place.

15. Wash berries in vinegar before drying them and store them on a paper towel lining in the fridge.

This will prevent them from getting moldy quickly. Compared to spoiling after a few days, they'll last for up to 1-2 weeks.

16. Store potatoes with apples to keep them from sprouting.

The ethylene produced by the apples stops the potatoes from sprouting. Who knew food science was this cool?

17. Add a dab of butter to the cut side of cheese to keep it from drying out.

For maximum preservation, wrap the cheese in wax paper and then store it in a reusable bag in the fridge.

18. Keep produce whole for as long as possible and limit the amount of chopped produce you store in the fridge.

If you do end up chopping too much that you won't use in time, freeze it!

19. Corn should be left in the husk until the very last minute because, otherwise, it'll lose flavor.

And try not to store corn in the fridge for too long. They'll taste sweeter the sooner you eat them but if you have to store them, keep them in their husks.

20. Stop scallions from getting slimy by placing the roots in a jar of water.

By keeping the roots attached, they'll continue to grow (if they're stored in a sunny spot and the temperature's warm) and you'll have a long-lasting supply of green onions.

21. Store countertop items away from windows because sunlight tends to speed up the ripening process.

But if you want to expedite ripening, then place them in direct sunlight (works great for avocados).

22. Follow this handy guide on what to store on the counter, and what to put away in the fridge.

23. Lastly, freeze everything you know you won't use in time.

You can pretty much freeze anything! Some key things to remember are that vegetables freeze better after they're blanched, which retains their texture and nutrients, and some foods like avocados will freeze better after being treated with a citric wash. Here's a helpful, comprehensive guide to freezing all types of fruits and vegetables.

Get started with some freezer bags ($3.99), airtight containers (salsas and jams) ($15.95), and freezer tape ($1.83) - all at Walmart.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/francinehendrickson/ways-to-save-on-groceries?utm_term=.wb3AAk4Kz#.rrDooY5Jb

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cringalicioustrashcandiety-blog · 6 years

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Dean Winchester X Markiplier fanfic

Okay so in case you forgot- this is a Dean Winchester X Mark Fischbach fanfiction. So… sorry. P.S. this is very cringalicious.

Sam and Dean sat in the crackling leather seats of the Impala that nighttime- the cool and crisp air flooded through the cracked windows and rustled the hair on their heads. The monster hunts had been slow as of late and they had been aimlessly searching for whatever popped up when they heard wind of a possible demon possession around California. The brothers were eager for anything they could get their hands on no matter how slim the chances. The two were begging to get aggravated in the cramped quarters. So at the first motel, they saw once the sun dipped below the horizon they ran like mad. Going through all their current supplies Dean grumbled disapprovingly. “Sam, did you eat the rest of our protein bars?” The taller brother shrugged from his place at the small kitchenette table- researching the area on his laptop. “Dean- I don’t know, maybe you did. Don’t we have those carrots I packed?” Dean huffed. “I threw out that carrot food- needed my pie.” Sam rubbed a hand over his face exasperatedly. “Then you have to go and get some food if you’re hungry.” He stood and began packing his laptop away. “I’m going to find the closest bar to this place to try and get some information. You hang back.” Sam pulled on his leather coat over his already warm flannel and left their shared motel room. Dean rolled his eyes with an exasperated sigh and rummaged through the motel mini-fridge to find it empty. He stood and grabbed his coat from the place on his bed- pulling it on and shoving the keys in his pocket after holstering his gun on his hip out of view. But as he stepped outside the older Winchester found that his baby was gone. “Dammit, Sammy!” Looking around the parking lot he spotted a few cars strewn about- but one in the far corner had a window cracked open. It was one of the shabbier looking ones but he’d rather not break a window to steal one at the moment. Dean climbed in after unlocking the car through the open slot in the window and turned on the car- it idled for a moment before starting with a sputter. Although unsure of whether the car would make it or not he began on his drive to the closest quick-e-mart in the area.

Almost as soon as he hit the road it began to rain. Then it poured. Then it was an onslaught of rain and wind and Dean could barely see the road in front of him. He was considering turning back around as the car began to sputter breathlessly- the lights flickered as Dean’s eyes widened in terror. “No, no, no- dammit! Don’t you do this!” But the car refused to abide by his rules and slowed to a crawl- then died on the side of the road in the rain. The droplets hissed from the head of the hood of the car. Dean pressed his head to the wheel, damning his luck. Just then there was a knock on the driver side window. Dean jumped in his seat and turned to see a man with an umbrella and a thick coat- he had one hand cupped around his eyes and the other with a death grip on the umbrella to keep it from getting torn from his grasp. Dean turned the crank and lowered the window as the man leaned forward to shield the gap and speak to him. “Hey there!” Although it was hard to hear over the roar of the winds Dean could pick up his deep voice. “I saw your car on the side and wanted to ask if you need a lift. With this storm there’s next to no service and this downhill area gets flooded really fast.” Dean had to through his plans of hunkering down in the car and waiting for Sam to come get him out of the window into the rain because of those facts. He considered the offer- staying in the car wouldn’t be safe- but he had no idea if this guy was a demon or not and had a knife hot and ready in his pocket. But staring out of the thin glass of the window into this stranger’s dark brown eyes he felt a strange bubble in his stomach. He nodded his head with conviction. The stranger smiled and stepped back for Dean to open the door. As soon as the door opened the rain almost shut it right back- but with the strong grip of the man with the umbrella he was steadied and shielded from the rain as much as possible.

The stranger’s car was warm from the heating and it soaked into his sodden and stressed bones. He fought back the urge to slump in relief as the kind man closed his own door and tossed the umbrella into the back. Shrugging off his thick coat Dean against got a good look at the other. Almond shaped brown eyes and shortcut stark black hair- Dean guessed Chinese, maybe half. And he looked a good seven or eight years younger than himself. He turned to Dean with a smile in his kind eyes and held out his hand. “Hey, I’m Mark! Glad I found you out here before the water got too high.” Dean shook it with some indecision. “Dean, and uh thanks.” Mark pulled his hand back to twist the key which made the engine purr and drove away- leaving the shit car Dean stole on its own. “Haven’t seen you before, new to town?” Dean nodded. “Yeah, me and my brother and doing some traveling.” Mark smiled at him. “That’s nice- where are you staying? I can drop you off.” Dean unintentionally tightened his grip on the hidden holster just in case. “No it’s fine- just drop me off at any old bus stop, I'll find my way.” Mark shook his head and sighed. “Buses won’t drive in weather like this- basically a hurricane out there. Most everywhere is closed by now.” Dean groaned, he was running out of options. Mark looked over at him with concern. “You know I have a spare room at my house- You’re welcome to stay for a night.” Dean was shaking his head before Mark even finished. “No man I don’t want to bother you- seriously, just drop me wherever.” Mark was already shaking his head back as his eyes caught Dean’s and Dean was stuck there, staring. “Look I can’t just leave you in this weather- I don’t know you yet but I wouldn’t leave anyone in this situation. Just let me lend you a little help.” The Winchester just gave a nod of his head- unable to argue with his deep resounding voice and concerned tone, and Mark changed directions.

After rushing through the rain once again the front door of the two-story house was slammed shut as the younger of the two males leaned against it. “Wow, it’s only getting stronger huh?” Mark asked. Dean nodded as he looked around the inside of the house, “Nice place you got here.” Mark smiled and walked up to the other man- who he noted was probably five or six years older than him and roughly the same height. “I can lend you something while I dry our clothes and wait out the storm if you want.” The Asian man offered- Dean nodded with a smile- “Yeah sure man.” Mark led him upstairs where he handed him a shirt and a pair of sweatpants- then a bit more awkwardly a pair of boxers. Dean tried to smile even though this whole situation was very awkward for the both of them. The younger pointed the older in the direction of the bathroom. Once the Winchester came out of the tiled restroom Mark was already there reaching for his dirty laundry. With his jacket and clothes tumbling in the dryer Dean was forced to improvise with where he placed his gun and holster. The T-shirt and lose sweatpants would expose the outline of the handgun if he wasn’t careful- even though at this point he was mostly sure that Mark was not a demon or monster out to kill him. Dean took a moment to roam his eyes on the other’s figure. Mark seemed rather fit and with a build nearly similar to his own which he could appreciate. He was as tall as- if not truthfully taller than Dean. He didn’t seem to be seedy or even suspicious- the Winchester could feel himself relax unintentionally around this man. Mark turned to him in a sweeping motion- but his eyes stopped at Dean’s feet and an eyebrow rose confusedly. “Dude, why do you still have your shoes on?” Dean felt a small flame in his cheeks. “Shit man- let me clean it up.” Not fully realizing, he had tracked mud from the restroom because of his boots. It was such habit to keep them on he didn’t think. Dean immediately grabbed a handful of toilet paper and wiped up the watery brown streaks before begrudgingly popping off his shoes and standing back up. This time he was two inches shorter. Mark’s eyes widened at the accountable difference and held in a snicker. Dean felt the hair on his neck rise as he refused to cuss at the younger of the two. Mark smiled and nodded his head to the stairs- “I have some beer downstairs if you want a drink.” The older Winchester grinned at the offer. Dean was already three beers in as Mark finished his first- the Asian affliction to alcohol slowing him down. As the conversation grew dull and resulted in small talk, Mark asked Dean about what he did for a living. “A car mechanic.” He said, easy and partially true. “My dad was one too- my brother though, he’s the smart one. Sammy went to Harvard.” Dean smiled and snapped the lid of another bottle. “What about you? This is a nice place.” Mark laughed. “You do look like a hands-on kind of guy, I'm a Youtuber.” Dean raises an eyebrow. “I’m sorry but what the hell is a Youtuber?” Mark couldn’t contain his bubbling laughter and rubbed his face. He replied giggling. “Wow, I've never heard that before! I do dumb stuff on the internet for money.” He offered as a vague explanation.

Dean raised a brow and thought of his only experience with online entertainment- of people doing things for money. Dean hid his embarrassment with a long sip of his beer. “So uh- that must be an interesting line of work.” Mark was confused for a second before the thought set into his alcohol addled brain. Mark groaned and covered his face with his hands. “No not that! Oh my god I don’t do porn!” Dean laughed until his stomach was clenching in pain. Mark huffed and threw a pillow at the Winchester half-heartedly. “No man, a Youtuber makes videos- like entertainment. It seems pretty easy but really with the editing and hours of planning and effects and social upkeep- it can get hard.” Mark smiles around the lip of his bottle when taking a sip. “But making people happy and being able to do what I do for charity is what makes it worthwhile.”

Dean had looked over the Korean as he talked, taking in his soft brown eyes and his winning smile framed by those two biteable-ly soft lips and his thick black hair. This kid seemed honestly kind and generous, those were rare traits in the people Dean had met. And Dean could admit- at least in his own head- that Mark was fairly attractive. He wasn’t gay, and he plenty of evidence to prove that- but maybe he wanted a man about… one out of ten times. He was willing to bet Mark wasn’t strictly 'into' women as well. As Mark finished talking and Dean had to stop eyeing him like a piece of candy he took another swig- maybe too much beer wasn’t a good thing right now- and found this bottle to be empty. Dean sighed and pushed off the couch only to find his feet had fallen asleep and weren't responding to his commands he shuffled as he tried to catch his balance but then a strong hand clenched his forearm and pulled him back into the couch again.

The older Winchester crashed heavily on top of the Asian man.

Mark saw that Dean was falling before the man had even started to react- his hand shoot out and pulled him back to his seat before momentum carried him forward- but it seemed that a different momentum took place and Mark found himself with a lap full of drunken, flushed, Winchester. Mark’s eyes roamed over Dean. His clouded green eyes, his dirty blond locks that looked like heaven to weave his fingers through and yank his head back, and his parted lips separated from a small gasp of air when falling into Mark’s lap. The alcohol had made Mark’s face flush bright red but if it hadn’t, surely the thought of how tastily fuckable Dean looked sure would have done him in. As his thoughts came back to him he felt something hard pressing against him- from Dean's pants. Mark couldn't help but raise his brows at the impressive size he could interpret from its pressing into his thigh. Mark's hands- which were both empty due to him dropping his beer to grab Dean- moved up and settled on Dean's hips.

So there ya go... Chapter 1...

#imsorry #cringe #fuck it

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blog-perfectgiverbouquet-blog · 7 years

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The Best Chicken Pot Pie, With Biscuits Or Pastry

The Best Chicken Pot Pie, With Biscuits or Pastry

[Photographs: Vicky Wasik]

Individual Double-Crusted Chicken Pot Pies

Chicken Pot Pie With Buttermilk Biscuit Topping

When it comes to making dinner, by virtue of my dessert-oriented profession, I gravitate toward what I like to call "secret pastries"—savory meals that ultimately hinge on making a fantastic dough. It's a category that includes dishes such as ravioli, quiche, empanadas, and pizza, as well as my personal favorite: chicken pot pie.

Of course, no matter how amazing the pastry, all the time and effort that go into chicken pot pie will be wasted if you start with a mediocre filling. You know the sort: loaded with overcooked chicken swimming in a watery sauce.

Fortunately, the same steps that ensure the chicken stays tender and juicy will also guarantee a super-flavorful filling. It's as simple as giving up on pot pie as a vehicle for leftovers. Sure, we all remember how fantastic that roast chicken was the night before, but if it was perfectly cooked then, it will always be overcooked in a chicken pot pie.

Rather than using leftovers, the ultimate chicken pot pie starts with tender, juicy chunks of chicken that are ever so slightly underdone. Not raw, but around 135°F (57°C), a temperature that ensures the chicken won't be ruined by additional cooking but instead will end up perfectly done when the pie is baked. To do that, I'm fond of Daniel's technique for cold-poached chicken, only I use chicken stock in place of the water in his method. On top of that, I throw in onions, celery, and carrots, along with a small amount of garlic and herbs.

I do this because I end up using the poaching liquid in the pot pie itself, so the more I can reinforce the chicken flavor in each step, the better. In short, I'm making an incredibly intense chicken stock by using chicken stock instead of water, doubling down on the underlying flavor.

Because the stock is reinforced with additional aromatics and meat, it doesn't matter as much whether that chicken stock is store-bought or homemade, so don't hesitate to use whichever makes the most sense to you.

In either case, unless that stock is so collagen-rich that it turns solid in the fridge, it's nice to go ahead and bloom a little gelatin to fortify things down the road. A small amount of gelatin can go a long way in creating a more luxurious mouthfeel in the finished product, without forcing you to use excess flour and other thickeners that can dull the flavor of the sauce.

With the poached chicken and concentrated stock ready to rock and roll, the filling itself is fairly straightforward. I start with equal parts butter and flour by weight to make a light blond roux, which strikes the perfect balance of toasty flavor and just enough thickening power for a sauce that coats each nubbin of food.

When the roux is pale gold, I add a mix of diced onion, celery, and carrots. (Unlike my usual pastries, secret pastries are fairly forgiving of adaptations, so those vegetables can be swapped for whatever you prefer, including shallots, leeks, and even butternut squash.) I keep cooking and stirring until the vegetables have slightly softened, then stir in a splash of dry white wine and the fortified stock. From there, I cook only until the stock begins to bubble.

Off heat, I stir in salt, pepper, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce (as a wee umami bomb) to establish a baseline for the seasoning. It's good to get the seasoning going early, since the flavor of the sauce is harder to judge when it's chock-full of undercooked chicken and frozen peas.

At this stage, the sauce should taste slightly more intense than ideal, as its flavor will be diluted by the volume of ingredients added in the next step: those aforementioned frozen peas, along with diced pimento pepper, the reserved bloomed gelatin, and the poached chicken (shredded or diced into bite-size bits).

Full disclosure: I don't even like pimento on its own, but it does something magical in chicken pot pie, adding a vibrant color and smoky sweetness that make the whole dish pop. If you're not keen on buying a whole jar of the stuff, most fancy supermarkets include pimentos in their salad or olive bar, so you can load up on exactly how much you need, down to the gram.

Once the filling is made, what happens next is a deeply personal affair, a decision that can split families and destroy friendships, or, perhaps, inspire newfound love. I speak, of course, of that long-standing rivalry between Team Biscuit...

...and Team Pie.

Let us cast aside the false dichotomies that divide us! In the realm of secret pastry, we're all on the same team. Besides, the true definition of pot pie (or, as Merriam-Webster would have it, "potpie") says only that it must be covered with pastry, a requirement easily satisfied by any dough. The choice between a pie dough and a biscuit dough is simply a matter of personal preference and available time, as each method requires the filling to be handled in a different way.

Drop Biscuits

Drop biscuits are by far the faster and easier option for chicken pot pie, coming together in five minutes flat. They add an undeniable heartiness to the dish, and their fluffiness contrasts brilliantly with the creamy filling below. When they're made with tangy buttermilk, that touch of acidity cuts through the richness of the filling as well. Plus, biscuits can be dolloped over a hot filling, so the whole thing bakes in less time, too.

My drop biscuit method is dead simple: Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together with a bit of sugar. (The sugar doesn't make the biscuits sweet—it helps with browning and provides a subtle counterpoint to the salty filling.) Next, toss in some chunky cubes of butter, smash each one flat, and continue rubbing to create a coarse meal. Stir in some buttermilk, and you're done.

In this recipe, the pH, viscosity, protein composition, and complex flavor of cultured buttermilk play a vital role. With substitutes, like milk mixed with lemon juice or vinegar, the biscuits will spread more, brown less, and lose their fluffy charm. (For more information, check out these side-by-side comparisons of buttermilk substitutes in drop biscuits.) What's more, the sharp taste of acetic or citric acid from the vinegar or lemon juice will give the biscuits a harsh flavor.

Using a spoon or small scoop, dollop the biscuit dough over the filling in tablespoon-size portions. (It doesn't matter if the filling is piled into a two-quart casserole or split among several ramekins; you can divide it up however you prefer and portion the biscuit topping accordingly.)

Transfer the dish(es) to a rimmed half sheet pan and bake at 400°F (200°C) until the filling is bubbling-hot and the biscuits are golden brown—about 45 minutes if the filling was warm when you started, and about 15 minutes longer than that if it was prepared and refrigerated in advance.

If you value the roof of your mouth, let the pot pie rest at least 20 minutes before serving. The filling will be scalding when it comes out of the oven, so don't burn your tongue, and give that sucker a chance to cool. I promise it will still be piping-hot when you dig in.

Pie Dough

A chicken pot pie topped with a crisp and flaky double crust is time-consuming, but it's as elegant as it is rich, befitting a special occasion. That beauty is more than a surface treatment, as my whole wheat pie crust will bake up flaky and crisp even along the bottom. That's due to the whole wheat flour, which also gives the crust a heartiness that can stand up to the meaty filling.

The only way to keep that layered dough flaky and light is to cool the filling until it's no warmer than 50°F (10°C). The process can be sped along by cooling it in an ice bath, or spreading it into a large baking dish to increase its surface area before chilling it in the fridge. Or, you can turn the cooling process into a make-ahead asset, since the filling can be prepared and refrigerated a day or two in advance. (As can the dough, which needs to be rolled and relaxed about two hours before use.)

Once the dough and filling have been prepared, assembly is fairly simple. Line your baking dishes with a layer of dough, fill each to the top, and top with another piece of pastry, trimmed to size. (Here, I'm using six two-cup ramekins.) Crimp the edges with a fork to seal the top and bottom crusts together, then brush with an egg wash.

If you're feeling fancy, the dough for the top crust can also be cut into thin strips and woven, following the steps in my lattice tutorial.

If you're topping with a solid sheet of pastry, cut a few vents in the crust to help steam escape—it won't have any trouble slipping out of a lattice on its own.

Place the pot pies on a half sheet pan, and bake at 400°F until the filling is bubbling-hot and the crust is golden brown, about 75 minutes. This is considerably longer than it takes to make the biscuit-topped pot pie, but the cold filling and extended bake time are absolutely vital to getting the crust crispy along the bottom and sides.

The filling will be at a boil when the pot pies come out of the oven, so do give them a chance to cool. Aside from being dangerously hot, the filling will be fairly runny when it's above 200°F (93°C), so letting it cool will give it a chance to thicken up as well. That's why I don't recommend baking chicken pot pie in a pie pan, as the filling won't be thick enough for clean slices until it's just about lukewarm.

Regardless of how it's topped, this secret pastry is one of my favorite comfort foods once the weather turns cool, and easily customized with whatever vegetables and seasonings you love best.

Individual Double-Crusted Chicken Pot Pies

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Chicken Pot Pie With Buttermilk Biscuit Topping

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