#and it’s a mushroom so some irregularity of shape is expected

[tj-crochets]

Giant mushroom creature pattern progress, with the mini mushroom pattern for scale!

#the pattern making process #Idk if any of y’all are interested in behind the scenes pattern making stuff like this #like that the big version has a separate piece for the bottom of the feet and a dart in the middle #that the little version doesn’t have #to make it more 3D. the little version relies on the stretch of the fabric and the stuffing for shaping #the big mushroom miiiight be a bit too tapered #but we’ll see lol #and it’s a mushroom so some irregularity of shape is expected

[foragingincanadamb]

(Don't eat them raw ever even after being dried)

If you see this post please get your own information.Don't want anyone getting sick! or worse!

Inky caps

Find:grows in tight clusters in grass or on wood debris.

Time:summer and fall

Description:cap is up to 8 cm broad, light gray or gray-brown with furrow-lines radiating to the edges.gills are nearly free from the stem and white/grey when young.the flesh and gills of older specimens liquefies into a black inky mass when old.partial veil leaves an inferior, fibrous ring on the white stem.tip collect younger specimens and/or remove blackening areas which have a more bitter taste.tip: cooking with water shortly after collecting helps to prevent the dish from turning into a black inky mess.warning: causes a reaction of hot flushing and nausea if consumed with or followed by alcohol. Do not consume this mushroom unless abstaining from alcohol.

Look alikes: Shaggy Mane and Mica Cap(see below)

Jelly ears

Find:growing on dead deciduous trees almost always elder,but also other hardwoods.

Time:All year, especially autumn

Description:They are brown to almost black and develop on wood decay.Cup-shaped, becoming irregularly lobed and often ear shaped. Up to 7cm diameter, but usually smaller.Jelly ear naturally de- (and re-) hydrates in the wild, often looking like shrivelled, hard dark knobs, a fraction of their hydrated size and easy to miss, in warm dry weather. It can be picked in this state and rehydrated.Anyone on blood pressure medicine or expecting a surgery should not consume the mushrooms!

Look alikes:most similar looking species you are likely to encounter is Tremella foliacea, which is also translucent, medium brown to black, gelatinous and grows in overlapping flaps on decaying wood. Tremella foliacea has a lot more water in it, so its "squishier" , aka much easier to compress.this is an edible but very poor fungus, but being insubstantial it has no culinary value.

King Bolete Cep

Find:under beech, birch, scots pine, spruce; solitary or in clusters.

Time: spring,summer and autumn.

Description:partial veil is absent.firm young ceps are one of the tastiest wild foods, and extremely versatile. Older specimens are best dried, after which their flavour intensifies.Key identification features are the light to chestnut brown smooth cap with a white rim and often a hazy pale ‘bloom’. Ensure the stipe is pale with a slightly raised white net pattern (reticulum) on the top third. As a member of the bolete group of mushrooms, ceps have pores under the cap rather than gills. These start off pale grey, becoming yellow and eventually olive green in past-their-best specimens. Flesh should be unchangingly white throughout apart from a narrow claret-coloured line just under the skin of the cap.Ceps grow quickly and come in a wide and quirky range of shapes and sizes, and are often semi-decomposed before they reach maturity.

Look alikes: not edible Boletus huronensis (“False King Bolete”)Exceptionally dense. Found in hemlock. Pale yellow pores slowly bruise green-blue, resolving toward brown. Often has a “tide mark” on the stem. Netting is rare. Often tastes sweet.Sometimes has a disagreeable garlic or skunky odor.May have an unusual lack of bug holes.This is the only mushroom in North America that can have non-bluing yellow pores and also be a sick-maker.listed in many old books as edible, huronensis has been blamed for some notorious, multi-day, projectile food poisonings.

Lobster Mushroom

Find:conifer forests. They can be found under cedars and Douglas firs, growing from under loose forest floor material.

Time:spring,summer and fall.

Description:not a mushroom, but a parasitic fungus that grows on mushrooms.the fungus turns the host mushroom a bright reddish orange.the fungus deforms the surface of the host mushroom to be coarse, cracked, and dotted with tiny white pimples.the fungus eventually twists the mushroom into an irregular shape, making the host unidentifiable.has a seafood-like flavor that is highly variable.has a firm, dense texture.fresh specimens have a white interior.appears in summer and fall following rainy weather.They" have confirmed that none of the Hypomyces lactifluorum hosts are toxic.

Look alikes:There are no mushrooms that look like lobster mushrooms. As such, there are no poisonous lookalikes for lobster mushrooms.

Meadow Mushroom

Find:grows in grassy areas, meadows and fields, often in a ring.

Time:spring, summer, or fall.

Description:cap is up to 10 cm broad, convex, white to creamy, dry, smooth.older specimens have a nearly flat cap.flesh is white, firm.gills are crowded, free from the stem, progressing from bubble-gum pink to chocolate brown with age.stem is smooth, white.partial veil is smooth, white, and leaves a single, thin ring on the stem.stem does not have a bulbous base.flesh slowly bruises off-white, to dingy brown, NOT staining yellow, orange or red.warning: discard specimens that do not have the bubblegum-pink pink gills or who's flesh stains yellow, orange, or red. these can be poisonous look-alikes.less regular shape of the cap.

Look alikes:Destroying angel there's no antidote and 60-80% of people don't survive.Caps of the Destroying Angel are 5 to 10cm in diameter, pure white, and without any marginal striations. The cap is initially egg-shaped and then campanulate (bell shaped) or occasionally almost flat but with a broad umbo, and is often tilted on the stipe.Although some young caps carry white remains of the universal veil, they soon wash off in wet weather and are rarely seen on mature caps.Amanita virosa gills are white, free and crowded.Stems of Destroying Angels are 9 to 15cm tall, 0.6 to 2cm in diameter, and often slightly curved; pure white and fibrous with an ungrooved, fragile ring high up on the stipe. The large, sack-like volva is usually buried deep in the soil.Mature specimens have a faint sickly and unpleasant odour.Often found at the edge of deciduous or mixed woodland.

Mica Cap

Find:They tend to favour stumps, logs, and buried wood. Most of the time, the mushrooms grow on wood or right next to wood. Sometimes they are at the bases of trees, even when the trees seem healthy.

Time:spring, summer, and fall.

Description:The Mica Cap is not very picky about the type of wood it decomposes.feature brown caps coated with a distinctive dusting of salt-like or mica-like granules. The unique combination of size, habitat, and salt-like granules makes mica caps instantly recognizable. Caps are reddish-brown to tawny to ochre-brown, becoming grayish particularly near the margin. The surface is covered by listening granules that are soon lost. The cap is radially lined almost to the centre. The mushrooms grow larger than many inky caps, cap size reaches sizes of 2 to 6cm wide.Attached to the stem or free from it; when young, gills are pale, becoming brown, then black; deliquescing (turning to black "ink") but usually not completely. Gills grow close together or crowded.You should collect only specimens that have not yet begun to liquefy. Mica caps must be cooked and eaten almost immediately after collecting as they will begin to deliquesce or dissolve into an inky black spore filled liquid within 1 to 3 hours. 

Look alikes:edible Inky cap is up to 8 cm broad, light gray or gray-brown with furrow-lines radiating to the edges.gills are nearly free from the stem and white/grey when young.the flesh and gills of older specimens liquefies into a black inky mass when old.partial veil leaves an inferior, fibrous ring on the white stem.tip: collect younger specimens and/or remove blackening areas which have a more bitter taste.tip: cooking with water shortly after collecting helps to prevent the dish from turning into a black inky mess.warning: causes a reaction of hot flushing and nausea if consumed with or followed by alcohol.Do not consume this mushroom unless abstaining from alcohol.

Shaggy Mane

Find:grow in disturbed grounds, grass, wood chips, or hard-packed soil. They often appear shortly after a good rainfall.

Time:summer and autumn.

Description:they're only edible in their early stages.The shaggy mane has very distinguishing features. Its cap typically measures 5 to 14 cm tall, and is 2.5 to 4.5 cm across. It is columnar, becoming bell-shaped. The surface is dry, white with a brown central disc, breaking into coarse, white and brown recurved scales.Height: The stalks generally reach 15cm tall and are 1 to 2 cm thick. Stems are hollow, with a string-like strand of fibers hanging inside.Gills are white, adnexed to free (close together), free gills that eventually become black and inky.

Look alikes:edible Inky cap is up to 8 cm broad, light gray or gray-brown with furrow-lines radiating to the edges.gills are nearly free from the stem and white/grey when young.the flesh and gills of older specimens liquefies into a black inky mass when old.partial veil leaves an inferior, fibrous ring on the white stem.tip: collect younger specimens and/or remove blackening areas which have a more bitter taste.tip: cooking with water shortly after collecting helps to prevent the dish from turning into a black inky mess.warning: causes a reaction of hot flushing and nausea if consumed with or followed by alcohol. Do not consume this mushroom unless abstaining from alcohol.

#inky caps #jelly ears #king Bolete cep #lobster mushroom #meadow mushroom #mica cap #shaggy Mane #foraging #mushrooms #fungus #fungi #edible #dehydration

[a-table-of-fics]

Cull to Adventure, Chapter 5, Draft 1

[[As Tumblr increased the size limits for posts, I can finally put this chapter draft all together.]]

Marie was already in a sour mood, having woken up far earlier than preferred. But it got worse as she realized she might as well have slept in; hardly anyone was around today. The heat wave, combined with the fact that all games were postponed until the respawn points have power again, meant that no one was around. Marie knew she couldn’t move too far from where the Outpost was without drawing unwanted attention, but it was a bit demoralizing. She was glad she had the parasol for the scant shade it provided in the midday sun, but she still tugged at her kimono every so often.

Well, if she wanted to find her cousin and the stolen Zapfish, she would have to do it herself. She didn’t want a second celebrity disappearance to cause more chaos, but she didn’t have much choice. Agent 2 would have to complete the rescue mission alone.

As she looked in the Outpost for her Charger, she debated whether Gramps should be alerted at this point. She decided against it, still; he was probably stressed enough about his mission with Agent 3, and she didn’t want him throwing himself in danger trying to find Callie. That was her job, darn it!

She opened a drawer and found her charger waiting, but…where was her uniform? The armored hoodie, the short, the boots, even the headset were all missing. She rustled around; maybe a bit of disorganized Callie rubbed off on her…but no, they were gone! Someone was in here! They took the Splattershot and one of the Ink Tanks, too!

A flash of panic came over Marie; someone had come in, and the outpost was breached! But… wait, why wasn’t her charger taken? Or any other supplies? Just the Agent getup and weapons—Oh.

Oh no.

She ran out of the shack, stumbling over her kimono a few times as she went for the manhole to Inkopolis. She had to get to Ammo Knights, and fast. It was lucky there wasn’t really anyone in the Square; while Marie took care to make sure she wasn’t immediately recognized by the adoring public, she didn’t care as much in the rush she was in.

The doors to the Ammo Knights store burst open the moment she unlocked them. Sheldon barely had time to look up in shock before the idol was in the back, frantically booting the computer up. Several monitors came up, each showing different angles of a new part of Octarian territory. None of the cameras could see anything, but when Marie put the headset on and heard panting and slight whimpering, her suspicions were confirmed.

Cull had gone into Octo Canyon alone.

Marie took a deep breath, turned the mic on, and coughed politely.

“Eh—” started Cull’s yelp, before he remembered where he was and clammed up.

“Oh good, you remembered the headset,” Marie said, keeping her voice level. “Okay, I think we can get you through this, but… I’m not sure where you are…”

“C-came in a-and made it to ch-checkpoint…”

Marie checked. The simulated sunny beach area in Octopolia did have a trail of green, including some inflated sponges. And it led right to a smaller respawner, directly in front of a massive road of pink ink. From where the camera was situated, Marie could see a Balloon Fish, but there were a few things behind it that were too blurry to see.

“They got some- some kinda robot b-bombs!”

“Octopods?” Marie asked. “Shouldn’t be a big deal, right? They just run at you.”

“…B-but that one at the start was so fast…C-can I really take more than one in a f-fight…?”

Marie leaned back in her chair, noting where the blurs were.

“You don’t have to, ex-Agent 4! If you can take that Balloon Fish, the Octopods should all pop with it!”

“B-but if I go up there, w-won’t they pop it and…?”

“Nah, they’ll run up to try to blast you. The Balloon Fish’ll be fine!”

Bad time for a joke, Marie realized, as she saw something shake in the respawner.

“Look, look,” she said, frantically trying to clear Cull’s head of some of the anxiety. “All you gotta do is keep your distance! Pop that balloon before the Octopods get to you.”

Cull finally surfaced, out of the respawner, and swallowed. He looked at the expanse of Octarian pink before him; it was going to take a lot of ink to even get to the Octo-bombs. He started firing, and Marie saw that his attention was divided between his path-making and the upcoming encounter.

“Hey, eyes on the prize, kid, not the road!”

Well, now the kid’s movement was slower, but at least he seemed more alert.

A thought came to Marie.

“…Ignore that when you start driving, ok?”

The Octopods started to rush in, but it was too late. Cull had already hit the Balloon Fish, taking the bombs and their weird red balloons with them. Octarians had the strangest ways of holding Power Eggs.

“Nice.”

That just left a layout of crates in a flattened “u” shape against the wall, a wall which had two Balloon Fish attached to it. As Cull looked up and around, Marie took a moment to swap through the cameras, finding a launchpad at the top, and the next camera showed a checkpoint. Thankfully, nothing between there and their current position Cull would have to worry about.

“All right, so just pop those balloons and swim up there. Nothing to worry about.”

Cull looked, hesitantly, but nodded. The Balloon Fish made short work of those boxes and covered the wall in green. But… he hesitated, rubbing the back of his head. Marie could hear sheepish mutters of “uh” and “oh boy” over her headset. She was about to ask what the holdup was, maybe throw in a joke about enjoying his handiwork, but all that came out was “wh” before she realized the problem – he was a slow swimmer when it wasn’t a vertical slope.

And she had seen the kid climb, too. This looked like a tougher thing to scale, sure, but his grip back then was impressive, and she was sure he could have figured something out. At the very least, it would probably be better than him struggling to swim up like he would have to now.

“Okay kid,” she said, attempting to hide her haste in correcting this, “I don’t usually recommend this, but you might want to try a running jump here.”

“O-okay…”

Marie watched as the ex-Agent stepped back, steeled himself, and sprinted to the wall. He jumped, and Marie thought he was going to slam into the wall, his squidforming was so close. However, it wasn’t close enough to conceal the fact his tentacles were… well, half-gone. He disappeared in the ink in a flash, but Marie could still tell, especially as he splashed and struggled to get the vertical movement.

Marie couldn’t do much more than watch; explaining how to swim to a fellow Inkling would just be dumb, and she wasn’t good at motivational platitudes. Still, she could try to encourage.

“Almost halfway there. Just keep breathing.”

“Just got past the second Balloon Fish; you’re almost there!”

Cull finally slipped over the edge onto wooden floor again. He couldn’t even kidform, and Marie could hear him panting and fully view his squid form.

His fins were much more disk-shaped than most, making his silhouette look less like an arrow and more like a mushroom with a point on top where his mantle ended. His skin had a spotted texture, as if someone had lightly sprayed him with darker green paint. More prominent, however, were his eight arms, all irregular stumps of what was expected, clearly from an injury long ago. His two tentacles, while about as long as most Inklings’, were notably thinner, and showed the same signs of being cut off at the end.

And Marie had sent him headfirst into danger. Worse yet, he refused to leave.

Cull wasn’t panting for too long; he soon kidformed, and was silent on his walk to the launchpad. Marie wasn’t sure what to say; she may like snarking, but humiliating someone was something else entirely.

A few quick key presses, and Marie could watch him land on the next section, where there didn’t seem to be much going on. There was a single sponge floating in the middle of a gap in the road, but not much else to see other than a few pillars. As Cull tentatively clambered down in case there was something, Marie switched to the next available camera. She could see Cull fill the sponge with ink to make a bridge in the distance, but more importantly, there were patrolling Octarians moving in a synchronous circle on some grates that were jutting out of one of the pillars.

“Octotroopers above you,” Marie called out, as Cull walked forward. She could see him step back onto the sponge, looking up and spotting the enemies. He tentatively moved forward, but never so much that he committed to a plan before stepping back. Thankfully, neither Octo seemed to have seen him, their gaze focused squarely on what was in front of them rather than what was below.

“C’mon,” Marie said, after about fifteen seconds of this, “You gotta do something if you wanna get outta here!”

“Uhm…”

“Oh for— just go! Take ‘em out and find a way up!”

Well, at least he was moving forward. The bad news was, the Octarians saw him, and began firing shots through the grate. At least the ex-Agent 4 was aware of this, and trying to zig-zag a little bit. He made it under the grate, with only a few spatters of pink on him for it. When he shot straight up and splatted one of the Octotroopers, however, his reflexive ducking was not enough to stop himself from being coated in green ink.

Despite herself, Marie had to stifle a snicker. Maybe it was just a needed release from stress, but there was something adorable about that pratfall. It reminded her of something that happened when she herself was younger, when she played one-on-one with Callie. The exact same thing happened to her, except she completely missed Callie…

“Y-you there?”

Marie took a breath, composing herself. Cull didn’t need the idea that she was laughing at him, nor did he need to hear her worrying about the other Squid Sister.

“Yeah, um… look for a way up the pillar. Looks like the grating goes to another floor… Just watch for that Octoslob and you’ll be fine…”

But Cull wasn’t looking up now. His attention was caught by something out of range of the cameras. He fired ink offscreen, slowly and carefully. Marie didn’t hear any return fire or Octarian shouts from his microphone, but all the same, this was concerning.

“Uh, I said ‘up’ the pillar…”

“Th-there was a lot of pink ink over here…J-just want to be sure…”

“I understand that,” Marie said, quietly kicking herself for not thinking of the possibility of an ambush, “but they’d have a hard time chasing you up. You might be better off—”

She heard the sound of wood breaking, and hoped to the Crane that Cull was alone; she’d be hard pressed to help him if she couldn’t see.

“Huh…Is that…?” he said, after a pregnant pause.

“Hmm? What was that?”

“N-nevermind, I must be mistaken…”

Marie heard some paper rustling, and then some grunting and splashing before Cull emerged from behind the pillar, now on the second floor. He took a few breaths, leaning against the column, before finally heading to the wall.

After making a break through a few more Octarians and some kind of wall-cleaning robot, he made it to a dead end. Behind a bunch of crates destroyed by a nearby Balloon Fish, there was nothing but a sheer drop to the facilities miles below. To his left, he could just see a large wooden wall, with the launchpad there. He groaned.

All Marie could say was “Sorry, kid, but you gotta make it through this.”

Cull stepped back to look, but he didn’t know if he could make another climb like that so soon. Instead, he looked to the re-inflated Balloon Fish, and then at the wall; not even at the launchpad!

Marie was at a loss for words when she saw the kid start clambering onto the enormous ink bomb, and rather quickly at that. Sure, Cull slipped once or twice, but he never once lost his grip. Within fifteen seconds, he was wobbling on top of it, looking almost like an eight-year-old bouncing on a waterbed. He sat down and started rocking, as if he was trying to get comfortable.

“Okay, look,” Marie finally said, “I get it may be tiring, but that’s no excuse for lazing around and…”

She stopped when he stood up, the Balloon Fish rolling back so far that Marie stood up, shocked at how far over the ledge Cull was. Cull, for his part, had an expression like he swallowed a sunfish whole, but kept his eyes to the wall he had to climb. He took one step forward, waiting for the Fish to roll enough…

And then he jumped. His hands reached out, and he was able to grab onto the ledge. By all accounts, he shouldn’t have been able to keep his grip, but it was dawning on Marie that he was a whip-lash squid.

He hoisted himself up, finding another piece of Sardinium, then looked over the edge to see about that launchpad. It was a simple swing down, and Cull was on his rapid way to the next area.

Marie was there to witness each remaining step. The ambush from above, where Cull leapt screaming into his first Splashdown. The attack immediately after, where he managed to actually take one or two of the Troopers before they even landed. Cull getting splatted again by the remaining Octarians, though he didn’t gasp as frantically when he respawned this time. He was able to finish off the other Octotroopers and make it to some more sponge-scaling situations and an easy battle.

After a bridge made from sponges filled with Balloon Fish ink, Marie’s eyes widened. Up ahead, a bulbous flying thing she knew all too well, and she was about to cry out a warning, but stopped herself. She was already dealing with a bit of a nervous wreck; no sense in giving him a heart attack in all three of his.

Instead, she said, as plainly as she could, “An Octobomber. Gross.”

“What—” Cull started, before yelping. He just saw a Splat Bomb land by him, and it wasn’t his.

Marie sighed as he respawned. Even if she didn’t want to scare the kid, that warning may have been less than helpful.

“Sorry, squid,” she said, apologetically. “Didn’t want to scare you…”

Cull walked back over to where he was, far more slowly this time. Shooting gobs of purple at him was one thing, but now they were hurling bombs at him!

“Ugh… how close is the Zapfish?”

Marie blinked. She hadn’t even been looking for the Zapfish; she was just making sure this kid got out alive.

“Um…”

She could see Cull looking around, mostly up and at the corners of platforms. She assumed he was looking for the camera, but he was nowhere close. At least it kept him safe while she re-calibrated the ZapSeek program that Sheldon wrote.

“Let’s see… the Zapfish is… uh…”

“Ye—?” was all Marie heard in response, before the computer suddenly went black. Her eyes widened, and she frantically mashed the power button, but all she heard was the equally frantic clicking of the button.

Sheldon opened the door behind her, frantically pulling out a set of keys. He dashed to a caged area behind the computer, where he kept the generator.

“Sorry, sorry,” he said, trying each key in turn as fast as he could, “Without Zapfish, we gotta rely on this generator, and as you know, this is an old thing, and the fact is, it’ll take a bit to refuel it and start it up again, not to mention the computer booting time—”

“Sheldon!” Marie said, sharply. “Just tell me what I can do to help get it back! There’s a kid lost in Octopia here!”

“Right, right,” Sheldon’s capped silhouette nodded. “Sorry. So, I need you to take the rip cord here and wait to give it a good yank! There’s a coupla things I gotta keep in place over here while you do that…”

Marie walked over, but saw multiple cords that looked pull-worthy.

“Um…”

“You got the rip cord?”

“No…”

“All right, hold on…”

The sound of Sheldon pouring whatever the generator needed slowed to a halt, and he patiently walked over, instantly finding the correct cord and handing it to her.

“I’ll let you know when to pull. It might take a few tries for it to start, but keep at it.”

Marie nodded, not understanding when she heard a variety of switches being flicked, as well as some clatters.

“All right, you ready?”

She pulled the rip cord. A rumble, but nothing else.

“Okay, try again.”

It took a few more pulls, but the generator eventually roared to life.

“Now, lemme take care of getting you started, and I’ll be out of here…”

Marie didn’t dispute that. She was a lot of things, but she was no computer squid. She waited for the slow booting, the password entry, the appropriate programs written by Sheldon…

It felt like hours, but everything Marie was used to was back up. Sheldon saluted, then went back to working on his weapons.

Right, so she could flip through the cameras again, and find Cull who was… still standing at that checkpoint. Her audio wasn’t working, but she could tell he was just calling out, trying to get a response.

It took a minute for Marie to find the volume and fix it, but she was greeted with a quiet, almost fearful “…hello?...Yes?...Is the Z-Zapfish close…?”

“Yeah, hang on,” Marie said, putting on a practiced smile. “It was just a technical thing, sorry.”

“O-okay…”

“Just keep moving forward, m’kay? That Octoslob might have bombs, but he’s pretty slow, so just keep on your guard, okay?”

Cull gulped, but still started taking steps forward. It was slow and halting, with him looking around as if he was expecting the Octobomber to have flown to where he was.

Marie wasn’t going to spur him too far forward; the camera systems for other areas were still loading, and she didn’t want Cull dying down there, especially if it would be from something super avoidable.

Suddenly, after some tentative advancement, Cull ducked into the ink. Marie switched from the loading screen back to him the moment she heard a splash. He was nearing the Octobomber.

“Remember, kid: those Splat Bombs have timers on ‘em. Keep moving, and don’t let ‘em catch you! That’s a rule of the battlefield!”

Cull wasn’t moving.

“Come on, this is no time for hide and splat! You gotta move forward! Once you get to the Zapfish, you can get out of there!”

“But…” Cull whispered, still not so much as swimming an inch, “I-I don’t know…”

“Look, kid,” Marie sighed. “If you want to find your way home, you need to get past this guy. I already told you; keep moving and you’ll be a harder target for him!”

After a second (presumably waiting for the fat flying octopus to look away, which Marie had to admit would be a decent strategy), Cull emerged and started running, firing wildly as he did so. The Octobomber flinched as ink hit them, and they spun around, quickly lobbing a bomb at the Inkling intruder. Cull kept running forward, barely out of the blast’s range. He kept shooting, somehow missing half his shots as he did so.

It gave the Octobomber enough time to fire another bomb. Marie would have congratulated Cull on his plan of circling to avoid the explosives, but she was too busy gasping as he inattentively moved towards the edge.

“Kid, watch it—”

“Yeah, just keep movin’! Works great!”

He cheered as he splatted the enemy, but the cheer was short lived as he fell off the ledge.

Marie didn’t see his ghost swim up. She waited, desperately scanning every pixel, rotating every camera, but she saw nothing.

She started breathing again when she saw his hands inch onto solid ground, followed by the rest of him.

“Oh, thank Cod,” Marie said, more under her breath than anything. “Right, so….”

The hacks into the next area of security cameras finally loaded. Marie wasn’t sure what the delay was. Something about cache? She’d have to ask Sheldon later, but for now she looked into the next set of cameras, and…

“Hey, good news!” she said. “You’re almost to the Zapfish and outta there!”

“Uh, y-yeah…” Cull said, sounding like Marie did when she first learned how to fake smiles. “Uh, al-almost might be a strong word…”

“What are you talking abou—oh.”

A quick pan of one of the cams showed the problem. A series of dry sponges formed a line from the floor Cull was on to the floating island the Zapfish was on. Even if he used the Balloon Fish lined across the sides to fill them up, this would be a struggle for him to swim up what most Inklings could with just a bit of effort.

“Er… yeah, this might be tough…” Marie trailed off. “I’m sure you can make it up there, though…”

“Nnn…”

She saw him standing there, craning his neck to see the sun-shaped wall far above him. She couldn’t see his expression, but she could tell he wasn’t exactly readying up for the climb. Heck, he was walking back to a ledge (thankfully, a part with a railing this time). He looked around a little, but he didn’t see anywhere else he could try to go.

The blue skies made from blue monitor light surrounded him on all sides, illuminating a sparkling blue sea under him. Looking out on the wooden platform into the distant waters like this was filling him with nostalgia, back when he could only be halfway between squid and kid at most. He remembered having to brush his tentacles off his eyes a lot, to see a cloudless sky like this, with rocky beaches and wooden docks. The false sun was still a good one, adding to the illusion pretty well. Even if the air was still the stale air you’d find in caves, it didn’t matter; the atmosphere was so much like that of a beach, giving a very surreal vibe of familiarity along with the floating platforms, debris, and screens. This was inspiring.

“You okay, kid?”

“Hmm? O-oh, yeah, j-just needed a moment…”

He pulled himself away from the view, having calmed himself a bit. He took a breath, and looked at the challenge before him.

He fired at the first sponge until it was dripping with ink. He took a breath, and climbed up to the top of it. It was easier to just climb up the one, and he still had a dry, shrunken sponge in front of him.

He stepped onto the dry sponge, and was about to fire to inflate it as well, but he realized he’d have to do still more climbing with the other pair up ahead. He wasn’t sure if he’d be up to that; even that one small swim took effort. He still wanted to get the Zapfish in something resembling a timely manner, so he looked either way. It’d be a tricky thing, but he’d done crazier tagging a spot on Moray Towers the one time.

Standing on the tinier platform, he looked at the Balloon Fish on either side, and popped one.

Marie’s jaw dropped. She just saw Cull get flung like a ragdoll as the sponge exploded out to its full size under him. He flailed and hollered, but not as intensely as she thought it warranted. Heck, it almost seemed planned, as he landed flat on his back on top of the next set of filled sponges. He grunted, but he quickly got up and leapt at the final wall between himself and the Zapfish’s platform. A couple of grunts and kicks against the wall, and he could move from dangling by his fingers to actually getting onto the platform.

From there, Marie could view him freeing and petting the Zapfish. He sat down as the platform moved to the exit, the Zapfish on his lap. It was kind of adorable, honestly.

#cull goes to octo canyon #cull to adventure #splatoon #splatoon 2 #splatoon 2 fic #chapter 5 #draft 1 #cull to adventure full chapter

[twistednuns]

October 2020

To buttress - increase the strength of or justification for; reinforce / to mollycoddle - to give someone too much care or protection. 

A letter from Nina. One of those weird internet connections. Not my first one, certainly not my last one.

Frank’s DnD backstory reads quite insightful/poetic to me as he has taken so much from his life. He might have done it without intent but it’s quite obvious to me. I’ve agreed to make a character sketch for him. I’m looking forward to the challenge but I’m also afraid of starting the project because obviously I want it to be perfect. Anyway so the other night I sat at his kitchen table and started drawing a facial composite for his goliath. Lots of sketches actually with him giving me some prompts and ideas. I think he loved watching me do my magic. What a peaceful moment.

Applause from some students. Simply for entering the room. They must really hate their English teacher, eh?

I’ve started forming the habit of drawing tarot cards on a full moon and new moon night. It helps me set an intention for the following two weeks. So on the first of October I drew the Queen of Wands to represent me and I’m loving it. It’s the perfect choice.

The fabric dyeing process for the Plot exhibition at Haus der Kunst

Inviting warmth into my life. Wearing appropriately warm clothing. Even hats. Drinking tea all the time. Turning the heating on even though it’s only September. Warm breakfast. Ayurveda inspiration. Hot baths. Thinking about buying an electric heating blanket for my bed.So far I’ve been taking a hot water bottle to bed with me pretty much every night.

Finding one of those Barts woolly animal hats online. This one came with tigers. And the seller sent me a cherry marzipan teabag. I enjoyed it on a cold and rainy Saturday morning.

FAQ: The Status of the Shits Women Have Left to Give

Reading the final scenes of Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone trilogy. I actually took the wrong bus one evening and ended up in front of one of the Pinakotheken instead of Villa Stuck. I must have been quite immersed. I’m very happy with the ending. I mean, the main character is walking around the house barefoot with the smell of fresh paint following her, her hair loose. What a wonderful image.

The wind blowing through the maple trees outside my living room window. I’m just going to quote a Wikipedia article to explain what happened next: The distinctive fruits are called samaras, “maple keys”, “helicopters”, “whirlybirds” or “polynoses”. These seeds occur in distinctive pairs each containing one seed enclosed in a “nutlet” attached to a flattened wing of fibrous, papery tissue. They are shaped to spin as they fall and to carry the seeds a considerable distance on the wind. People often call them “helicopters” due to the way that they spin as they fall. During World War II, the US Army developed a special airdrop supply carrier that could carry up to 65 pounds (29 kg) of supplies and was based on the maple seed.

Monsieur Wiener - I’ve paid him a visit when I had problems with my analogue Pentax camera!

I don’t know why but one dark Friday evening I slipped into the empty church at Odeonsplatz. I loved the peaceful atmosphere, the specific smell and the red church candles flickering.

I loved meeting Flo. We had such a great time, constantly joking, talking about this and that. Sailor Mercury, Hades, our family. His wink. He said that I had been exactly right but in the end apparently I wasn’t. It stung because he had been one of the rare guys in the last months (years, actually) I actually liked. Oh well. I guess it wasn’t meant to be after all. This is what the Universe had to say about it the other day: There are no accidents. If it’s appeared on your life’s radar, this is why: to teach you that dreams come true; to reveal that you have the power to fix what’s broken and heal what hurts; to catapult you beyond seeing with just your physical senses; and to lift the veils that have kept you from seeing that you’re already the person you dreamed you’d become.

Videos of Marno and Erin together. Also: she is so freakin’ beautiful as a marauder.

A surprise call from Ann-Katrin.

Sweet chai tea with milk.

The bright moonlight making the neighbours’ roof look like fish scales.

Forensic linguistics. I listened to a podcast episode about the Unabomber who was only discovered after his brother had noticed some stylistic irregularities in his manifesto. You can’t eat your cake and have it too.

Autumn leaves. Especially when it’s just the outer leaves turning red or yellow while the rest of the foliage is still green.

Sitting next to my ten-year-old student Ella on the bus on our way home on a Friday afternoon. She’s a very chatty Gemini and even though her self-importance and constant talking can be quite annoying I’ve kinda taken a liking to her.

A bunch of Alstroemeria in my dark green glass vase on the desk. A pretty image.

I still appreciate how beautiful my LuLuLemon thermos bottle is after all this time.

I should probably mention my new hair (extensions). Well, it looks absolutely gorgeous from the front. But I already know that I won’t get them again because you can see the glue in a few places, it’s quite hard, often painful and feels unnatural. And of course it’s much too expensive.

Baby carrots with King hummus.

My lunch dates with Becky.

Making my favourite sour thai curry. With rice noodles. And peanuts and cilantro. Yum.

Starting to work on a big soapstone sculpture. It’s going to be a hand! I love it when I have a group of calm students. It allows me to work on a project with them.

Making delicious pumpkin lasagna.

Visiting Manu’s mum. Making plum dumplings together. A fun afternoon in their kitchen.

A very cosy Sunday. Waking up at 5:30am. Watching Practical Magic in bed. Having a slice of pumpkin lasagna for breakfast. A sudden urge to get out, dressing up to keep out the cold, going out, early, streetlights still on. A walk through the woods. I loved how calm everything was. Being out before all the others had a chance to disturb the stillness with their kids and dogs and bicycles. Making lebkuchen. Lots of pecans. Having a nap. Writing a letter. Drawing weird mushrooms and bugs.

Autumnal smells. The moist smell of the forest ground, mushrooms, the smell of chimneys on a cold Sunday morning. Incense, gingerbread spices. Facial oil with lavender and iris. Roasted pecans.

A crafty day. I made a haunted house, some ghosts, spiders, bats, skulls and pumpkins out of paper.

Schlurp.

Meeting Frank in front of Residenztheater. The whole square was empty, he was the only person there. Waiting for me. Looking up to the opera roof. What an impressive building.

Talking about living life in story mode and action mode. I feel so stuck in action mode at the moment and desperately want to switch to story mode. Fantasy, magic, coincidences and meaning.

Spicy pumpkin recipes in the current issue of Schrot und Korn.

Rice and hazelnut milk as a bedtime treat.

Collecting autumn leaves. Chestnuts, acorns, feathers, beechnuts. Making a little autumnal alter with some crystals.

Thursday mornings. So much time for myself. Lots of tea, warm breakfast.

Treating myself to massages and nice facial creams and serums. Ya Yah is such a gifted person. I love her massages the most. The other day I also got a facial for the first time in many many years. It was nice to be wrapped in an extremely fluffy blanket. When the bright lights were on I could see different colours after closing my eyes and imagined being at a tropical beach. Unintentional ASMR sounds from the rubber gloves. Cosy.

Spicy winter tea in my new thermos bottle. The steam swirling up from my favourite mug (the moon phase mug I bough in Canada).

Buying cheap sparkly stickers, washi tape and stamps. Just because.

Pecan nuts are the BEST. Crazy delicious.

Porridge with coconut milk and mango for breakfast. Persimmons. Candles in the morning.

Gloomy twilight. The dark hour right before sunset/sunrise. Spooky black silhouettes against the ink blue or greyish white sky. Fairy lights. Memories of spending Halloween at Greyfriar’s Kirkyard in Edinburgh.

Finding yet another woolly hat for my collection. This time with pheasants.

Deltavenus’ Instagram feed.

Cutting open a fresh lime.

Happily singing along to my two favourite mantras (Jai Mata Kali / Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha) while making apple galette. Trying to harmonise in different ways.

A very surprising call from Claudia. She ended up in my kitchen, drinking half a bottle of wine.

A lovely Sunday with Sash. A walk through the English garden.   Watching the waterfall, falling leaves, backlit by the afternoon sunlight. Haus der Kunst. Getting in for free (art teacher bonus). I really liked the Michael Armitage exhibition and the enormous dyed curtains in the hall. Franz Erhard Walther’s Dust of Stars autobiography was impressive as well. I just ordered the book online; I’m looking forward to reading it. We also had a drink at Goldene Bar and enjoyed a late lunch at Baoz Bar.

Becky leaving me a lovely note and an English magazine on my desk.

Fink’s Knödelstube with Lena and Sash. We had 13 different kinds of dumplings. Heavenly delicious.

I came to realise that mornings are my favourite time of the day. I love gloomy, dark sunrises and my usual productivity highs.

Writing limericks with the kids.

Getting lost in the woods after dark which might not look like a good think at first glance but I uncovered a little secret - some bee hives I had never seen before!

A mild obsession with The Corrs’ song Old Town. I didn’t even know where it came from. It’s not a song I’ve ever actively listened to.

Learning about sesame plants. Another one of those plants I expected to look completely different.

I can smell mushrooms. On Saturday morning I went to the forest again early in the morning and whenever I would get a whiff of mushrooms and look down there they were.

Dog owners wishing me a good morning on my walk. Interestingly only men, the women tend to ignore me.

Wicked! - Modern Art’s Interest in the Occult. Learning about Leonora Carrington.

James’ chameleons in art class. He drew one representing each of his family members. He was the one licking a bat. Bold.

Buying far too many books. But I found out that Naomi Novik just published a new novel about a school of magic. And within two days I came across the writer Ursula K. Le Guin three times so I took it as a sign and got one of her books as well.

Prepare for the Roaring Twenties - The human desire to socialize will survive the pandemic.

A deep talk session with Jonathan about getting old, having children, self-worth, dating, obeying rules.

Finding my favourite pair of jeans on Kleiderkreisel for a fraction of the original price. And a baseball jacket with a Strange Ladies Society print on the back.

A walk in the forest before work. Something I’ve never done before I think. So good for my nerves, really.

The art of decision-making.

Joy praising me for my authoritative voice (effectively making the fifth-graders do what I want).

Decorating the classroom with the fifth-graders. I love my haunted house on the window pane, their lovely spiders, ghosts and bats. I should probably mention that our class mascot is a cute spider named Crawley so we’re all quite into spooky stuff. On the last day before the holidays we all showed up in costumes, played a Halloween quiz, listened to creepy music and I brought some candy, too. Fun!

Meeting the gang on Halloween. Japanese-inspired dinner and a board game.

#things i love #present perfect #personal #october #2020 #october 2020

[3yrmadisonsanders-blog]

Cermamics Assesment 1: Containment: History and contempoary.

Throughout the history of ceramics containment has been vastly one of the most widespread uses for ceramic work, from the historic relics of ancient civilizations of native people to the contemporary vase, containment has been a large part of the artistic medium for centuries.  

Handbuilding being the most popular of ancient pottery techniques, used to create forms by hand as the title suggests. Techniques such as pinch pots, coil building and slab construction make up the scaffolding of what handmade pottery has become today. These techniques are widely useful and practically used to create useable pieces such as utensils, vessels and tools in the past. However in modern day contemporary works, they are used for much more impractical and artistic means alongside their traditional uses.

Artists such as Ronit Baranga, (a contemporary ceramicist) that uses their skills to create artistic pieces whilst use the idea of containment are purely for aesthetic artistic purposes.

Embraced#1, Ronit Baranga, 2016

Ronit Baranga is an Israeli based artist who takes the passive vessel and gives them limbs and human features. She describes in an interview  with Shachaf Dekel (Dekel,2015) ‘that by giving the vessel limbs she animates it, giving the utensil the chance to decide whether to use itself, let us use it,or run away.’ This gives sense to the piece that makes it feel alive, becomes more than just a container, a vessel to hold, it becomes something that holds life.

Lynda Draper’s Genie bottle, which is purely a structural form but conveys the ideas of containment.

Lynda Draper, Emerald Genie Bottle, 2015

Whose work is inspired by the childlike nature of making and the whimsical memories of childhood, Which brings us to the idea of containment and weather a form can physically be considered a vessel used for containment if it physically cannot contain anything.

 For us to understand containment it's important to know what it means on the basic level.

To Contain:

To hold or include within its volume or area, to be capable of holding or to keep under proper control.

Eg. This bowl contains soup, this vase can hold flowers, theres is jewelry in this box.

Whilst Drapers work very clearly doesn't hold anything physically we can imagine the vessel holds a mysterious genie, a phantasmical power, childhood memories. Which offers the question, can the vessel contain something non physical? can we interpret containment as the containment of feelings, memories, experiences?.

Take for example, the female body could be considered a form of containment as the womb that contains life , or the containment of memories and images to the brain, whilst these are not physically able to  hold your pasta or tea they hold something ephemeral that we can discern from the physical.

 Traditional techniques of ceramics from the past spread as far back as ancient japan, which has a rich culture and respect around ceramics compared to our western culture. What we take for granted in modern days was once seen as a highly traditional and respected art in japan. Used traditionally for rituals such as tea ceremonies, celebration or even funerals. Ceramics was a part of highly spiritual rituals and celebrations that was very important in japanese culture, kilns specifically made for producing traditional pottery such as tea ceremonial wares was even created in several prefecturers, an example of one being created by the warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi after he returned with korean potters after his invasion of the korean peninsula (nippon.com, 2018, ‘pottery and the tea ceremony’). The vessel was highly valued and more than just the sum of its parts, whilst it was seen as a tool as it in in western culture it was a tool for something greater rather than the mundane every day or simply collectable in japan. However, in modern day after the economic troubles in japan after the early 1990’s, pottery that was used in everyday life became vastly more popular to the people, utensils that were traditionally made of wood began to become more commonly used in the household made of ceramics instead. In modern day, japan holds a pottery fair(in Kasama, Ibaraki prefecture)  twice a year every spring and autumn where the people can meet the potters themselves and purchase goods made by hand (nippon.com, 2018, ‘pottery today’), something that has mostly died out in the twenty first century after globalisation and the race to produce quick cheap products, the handmade slowly becoming less common but more valued.

Chojiro, Sen no Rikyu’s Traditional raku tea bowls

Sen Rikyu, one of japan's most renowned tea masters requested a tile maker of the name Chojiro to create him some tea bowls for his ceremonies.(The japanese tea ceremony, ‘japanese raku ware’). These tea bowls weren't meant to be beautiful but functional in contrast to most of modern days works, actually they were entirely a revolt against the aesthetically focused pottery coming out of slavic nations at the time Rikyu was so strongly against.  The fact that the bowl themselves were rustic was seen as beautiful, their natural quality was something to behold to tea masters such as Sen Rikyu, The purpose of the tea bowl being the ability to wrap two hands around the bowl so that in the dimly lit room it feels as if the bowl has become a phantom and only the tea remains not the aesthetic beauty of the vessel itself.

Whilst the japanese weren't focused on the ‘aesthetic beauty the western audiences were they still appreciated the rustic, many times admiring the marks left by the artist explained in George savage’s article (2009), many fingerprints or marks made by tools left, ridges or strange glazing effects applauded instead of being removed. The touch of the artist was important in japanese ceramics. Even after the invention of the throwing wheel artists still used handbuilding searching for the irregularities, something to creature truly unique pieces. Irregular glazing techniques such as thick coats or running colours were encouraged and their decorated ornate pieces often executed in cobalt blue or iron red meant to simulate something from nature linking them back to the earth on which it came from.

Some more artists that have been influencing my work in the studio as of late,

Nishihata, Tadashi Bowl, 2013. Tamba ware. Carol and Jeffrey Horvitz Collection

Mori Tõgaku, Big turnip shaped vase, 2015, natural ash-glazed Bizen Stoneware

Mori Tõgaku, Large undulating wave-like bizen vessel, 1990, unglazed stoneware with kiln effects

Mori Tõgaku, Bizen sculptural triangular box with angular lid join and uneven base, unglazed stoneware

 Akiyama Yõ, Matavoid 29, 2015, Unglazed stoneware with rusted iron coating.

Akiyama Yõ, Untitled T-51 (with wooden stand), 2007, stoneware with wood base.

The japanese’s proposal of making rustic pieces of ceramic art really resonates with me focusing on the nature of the clay and mark making rather than perfect aesthetic quality. I want to carry these ideas onto my studio work, my pieces focusing on being more natural and abnormal looking having been purposely manipulated to create strange and bulbous shapes. I personally think far too many ceramics these days are expected to be flawless perfect vessels and I want to create something unique and interesting like these artists whilst also keeping in mind the japanese traditions, Encouraging myself to play around with glazes and decoration to accentuate the art itself rather than focus on creating a perfect teapot or bowl.  As i find that the idea of perfection holds the artistic mind back far too much in ceramics, my vessels i've created arent perfect and by no means are meant to be, whilst they may be used as a vase or a separate small ornate bowl together they create a mushroom like shape which i used to speak back to the natural nature of clay, however i chose to make them removable from each other as i don't necessarily think the vase needs a top to create a ‘bottle’ and think they're strong on their own purely for texture and look alone without retaining that ‘perfection’ we see in many modern day ceramics.

References:

Ronit Baranga , Embraced#1, 2016

Dekel, S. (2015) ISRAELI CREATORS: a series of documentaries [youtube]

Lynda Draper, Emerald Genie Bottle, 2015

Nippon.com (2018) Japanese ceramics. Retrieved from https://www.nippon.com/en/features/jg00109/japanese-ceramics.html

The japanese tea ceremony, japanese raku ware. Retrieved from http://japanese-tea-ceremony.net/raku-ware.html

Nishihata, Tadashi Bowl, 2013. Tamba ware. Carol and Jeffrey Horvitz Collection

Mori Tõgaku, Big turnip shaped vase, 2015, natural ash-glazed Bizen Stoneware

Mori Tõgaku, Large undulating wave-like bizen vessel, 1990, unglazed stoneware with kiln effects

Mori Tõgaku, Bizen sculptural triangular box with angular lid join and uneven base, unglazed stoneware

Akiyama Yõ, Matavoid 29, 2015, Unglazed stoneware with rusted iron coating.

Akiyama Yõ, Untitled T-51 (with wooden stand), 2007, stoneware with wood base.

[duncanbarker-blog]

It’s easy to be vegetarian in Kyoto. As Japan’s ancient capital, it has a long tradition of shojin ryori or Zen Buddhist temple cuisine, which is entirely vegan and includes multiple small dishes using seasonal ingredients.

Eating in a temple is a highlight of a visit to the city, but there are many other vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Kyoto, both modern and traditional. There is also an increasing number of traditional restaurants that specialise in one dish, like ramen or gyoza, that now provide meat-free options.

As I emphasise in our guide to surviving as a vegetarian in Japan, planning is key. You will likely struggle if you wander into a random restaurant as dashi (fish broth) is used in many dishes. It’s best to use the Happy Cow app to find veggie-friendly meals nearby.

We recently spent a month in the city tracking down the best vegetarian food in Kyoto from casual ramen joints to sophisticated multi-course meals. Most of the vegetarian restaurants serve set lunches which include an array of seasonal dishes for a healthy, balanced, delicious, and affordable meal.

Many of these restaurants are small, family-run places and were sometimes closed when we expected them to be open. It’s worth checking their Facebook pages before you visit for any unexpected closures (you may have to use Google Translate). It’s always a good idea to have a backup plan. Google Maps is the easiest way to find your way around (see the map below).

I’ve included current prices but they are subject to change. The current exchange rate is approximately 1 USD = 106 yen and 1 GBP = 129 yen. Note that most restaurants don’t accept credit cards. 7-Eleven is the best place to withdraw cash with international cards for free.

You might also be interested in my vegetarian Tokyo and vegetarian Osaka guides.

Vegetarian Kyoto Map

Kyoto Vegetarian Restaurants

All these restaurants and cafes are entirely vegetarian (some are vegan), so you can safely choose anything from the menu.

1) Shigetsu (TOP PICK)

The best place to try Zen Buddhist cuisine or shojin ryori in Kyoto is at Shigetsu inside Tenryu-ji temple. It’s located in the Arashiyama neighbourhood in the western hills and you can combine lunch with a day visiting the temples, bamboo forest, and other attractions in this lovely area.

You dine on the floor in a large tatami mat room with no tables or chairs and views of the temple’s garden (apparently you can request a chair). For a while we had the huge empty space to ourselves.

We ordered the cheapest lunch set and were served multiple small dishes on a red lacquer tray. We couldn’t identify much of what we were eating, but that’s part of the culinary adventure and is the closest vegetarians can come to kaiseki (Japanese fine dining).

We later learned that the mysterious jelly-like cubes were konnyaku, known in English as Devil’s Tongue, which is made from the root of the tuberous plant konjac.

Other dishes included goma dofu (sesame tofu), yuba (sheets of soy milk skin), nasu dengaku (eggplant grilled with miso), nama-fu (raw wheat gluten), pickles, mushroom and cucumber salad in a sesame sauce, and pumpkin soup.

The food ranged from exquisite to odd and we loved the opportunity to try random things knowing that it was all meat-free, something we don’t often get to do.

It’s best to make a reservation on their website at least three days in advance, but you might be able to get the basic set if you just turn up.

Cost: 3300 yen, 5500 yen or 8000 yen for lunch set including rice, soup and five, six, or seven side dishes. You must also pay the 500 yen temple entrance fee. Details: Inside Tenryu-ji temple, Arashiyama. Open from 11 am – 2 pm every day. Website: Shigetsu website. 

2) Hobodo Cafe (TOP PICK)

This cute vegan cafe has a relaxed, vintage vibe with mismatched furniture and shelves of books. It’s in a quiet, off-the-beaten-track residential neighbourhood, but it’s only a 15-minute walk from Gion.

The friendly couple who run Hobodo Cafe speak some English and provide an English menu. You have the choice of curry, the set lunch, or a takeaway bento box.

We had the excellent value set lunch and it was one of our favourites in Kyoto. It includes rice, miso soup, and seven side dishes—ours included delicious dumplings and various vegetables.

Cost: 1000 yen for lunch set. Details: 東大路西入 正往寺町452 仁王門アパート1F. Open from 11 am – 5.30 pm (3 pm on Tuesday). Closed Wednesday and Thursday. They may run out of food later in the day. Check Facebook for special closures. Website: Hobodo Cafe Facebook Page. 

3) Little Heaven

Vegan sushi at Little Heaven

For high-end, creative vegan cuisine, head to Little Heaven. They make a modern version of shojin ryori—there are many courses of beautifully presented, seasonal dishes but some westernised dishes are mixed with the traditional Japanese.

We were seated in a private room on a western-style table and chairs overlooking a small garden. Highlights of our meal included yuba cooked in various ways, an impressive plate of sushi (replicating eel, tuna, and scallops), and an incredibly creamy matcha tofu cheesecake. There were so many beautiful touches like vegetables shaped like butterflies.

It’s in the Arashiyama area but a few train stops from the main area. You need to book at least three days in advance, but a few weeks is better. You can email [email protected].

Cost: 5000 yen for set menu plus 8% tax and 5% service. Details: Sagano hirakichou 8–29 Ukyou-ku. Open from 1 pm – 7 pm. Irregular opening days. Website: Little Heaven website. 

4) Padma

This Kyoto vegetarian restaurant has eclectic decor, large windows overlooking the Kamo river, and a small range of vegan products for sale.

At lunch there are two set meals and a curry plate. I got the most expensive Peaceful lunch set which included rice, soup, and lots of small dishes. It included a few soy meat dishes (deep fried and in curry) which I don’t usually like, but it was well prepared and the vegetables balanced it out.

Simon enjoyed the curry which was a generous amount of food but less variety than the lunch set.

Cost: 1000 yen for curry, 1200 yen – 1500 yen for lunch set. Details: 2nd floor of Ebisu building (the door is to the left of Lawsons), Shimozutsumi-cho, 82. Open from 12 pm – 7 pm (lunch until 3 pm). Closed Thursday. Website: Padma website. 

5) Veg Out

Obanzai set lunch at Veg Out

Veg Out has a great location with views of the Kamo River.

The vegan menu includes Buddha bowls and paninis but our favourite dish was the obanzai lunch set which includes rice, soup, salad, and a mix of Japanese and international dishes.

The raw mint chocolate cheesecake and kombucha were also delicious and they have a small bulk buy section including granola.

Cost: 1500 yen for obanzai lunch set. Other dishes from 1000 yen. Details: 1F, 44 Inari-cho, Shimogyo-ku. Open from 8 am – 8 pm (lunch from noon – 3 pm). Closed Mondays and some irregular days (check Facebook). Website: Veg Out website and Facebook page. 

6) Cafe Waka at Otera House ( 和香)

Cafe Waka offers delicious vegetarian Buddhist set lunches. The location is a little off-the-beaten-track (we were the only tourists there), but it’s only a 15-minute walk across the river from Gion.

Our set lunch included tea, rice, miso soup, pickles, deep-fried soy meatballs, leafy greens with tofu, cold silken tofu in miso sauce, and vegetables in mayonnaise. It’s great value and you can also get an even cheaper lunch box to take away.

I believe most, if not all, dishes are vegan but it’s best to check.

Cost: 1000 yen for lunch set and 600 yen for takeaway lunch box. Details: 397–9 Shinkaichō, Shimogyō-ku. Open from 11.30 am – 3 pm on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Website: Otera House website and Happy Cow listing.  

7) Vegans Cafe and Restaurant

BBQ tofu rice bowl at Vegans Cafe

This Kyoto vegan cafe is just a 15-minute walk from one of the city’s top attractions, the Fushimi Inari shrine.

The most popular dish is the charcoal-grilled deep-fried tofu rice bowl where the vegan chef applies his BBQ skills as a former roast meat restaurant owner. It’s seriously good (get the large unless you aren’t very hungry). The soy milk miso ramen is huge and is packed full of veggies and tofu.

They also sell some vegan products and fresh vegetables.

Cost: 1080 yen for large BBQ tofu rice bowl. Details: Fushimi-ku Fukakusa Nishi Uramachi 4-chome 88. Open from 11.30 am – 4.30 pm (until 8.30 pm on Saturday). Closed Wednesday. Website: Vegans Cafe Facebook page. 

8) Yoshuji

Yoshuji is a vegetarian restaurant in the village of Kurama in the mountains north of Kyoto. One of our favourite things to do in Kyoto is take the train to Kibune and hike through the forest to Kurama where you can visit the beautiful Kurama-dera temple and finish with lunch at Yoshuji.

The restaurant is in a cosy Japanese farmhouse with an irori (fire pit) in the centre. You can order a bowl of noodles or shojin ryori set lunches.

We chose the cheapest set which came with rice, miso soup, pickles, enoki mushrooms, goma dofu (chilled sesame tofu), mashed tofu with wild greens, mashed yam with seaweed, and konnyaku served like sashimi with a dark miso sauce.

Yoshuji is halfway up the stairs leading to Kurama-dera on the right hand side (or left as you come down as we did after hiking from Kibune). There is an English menu outside.

Cost: Noodles from 1200 yen and sets from 2100 yen – 3000 yen. Details: 1074–2 Kuramahonmachi, Sakyō-ku. Open from 10 am – 6 pm. Closed Tuesday. Website: Yoshuji website. 

Vegetarian-Friendly Restaurants in Kyoto

Some of the best vegetarian food in Kyoto isn’t found in vegetarian restaurants. The restaurants below serve meat and fish, but they also cater for vegetarians (and often vegans).

They are good options for dinner as most of the vegetarian restaurants only open for lunch. You can try classic Japanese dishes like ramen, gyoza, and okonomiyaki in a typical setting.

9) Mimikou for Udon (TOP PICK)

Vegetarian Curry Udon with tempura at Mimikou

On our latest visit to Kyoto, Mimikou is the place we ate the most. This traditional udon (wheat flour noodle) restaurant is located near Yasaka Shrine and is popular with tourists. 

Two pages of the English menu are dedicated to vegetarian dishes including ramen and curry donburi (rice bowls), but best of all is the curry udon.

Our favourite dish was the kitsune (fried tofu) curry udon with vegetable tempura, which is fantastic comfort food. You can choose your type of udon (we liked the regular noodles which are quite thick), spice level (medium was ideal for us), and any extra toppings.

The vegetarian menu is vegan except for the option to add egg. They confirm that they do not use dashi in the soup.

It can be messy so use the paper bib the staff bring you!

Cost: Kitsune curry udon is 885 yen (1123 yen with tempura). Details: 528–6 Gionmachi Minamigawa. Open from 11.30 am – 8.30 pm. Closed Tuesday. Website: Mimikou Happy Cow listing. 

10) Omen Kodai-ji for Udon

Vegan udon set at Omen Kodai-ji

While we prefer the udon at Mimikou, you can try a different type of vegan udon at Omen Kodai-ji, which is conveniently located in the heart of the Higashiyama sightseeing area.

They offer a vegan version of their set which includes thick udon noodles, vegetables, sesame seeds, tempura, and dashi-free soup. You add your own vegetables and noodles to the soup.

Cost: 1800 yen for the vegan udon set. Details: 362–2 Masuyachō, Higashiyama-ku. Open from 11 am – 9 pm (but I think it closes between lunch and dinner and reopens at 6 pm). Closed Thursday. There’s also a branch near Ginkaku-ji temple. Website: Omen website. 

11) ChaoChao for Gyoza (TOP PICK)

This gyoza bar is a fun place for a drink and a quick, inexpensive meal. The staff are friendly and speak some English.

The Shijo-Kawaramachi branch of Gyoza ChaoChao has a vegetarian menu in English with five types of vegetarian gyoza plus side dishes like bean sprout salad. Vegan options are marked on the menu but are much more limited (only the yuba gyoza and a chocolate and banana dessert gyoza).

All the gyoza we tried were delicious including mashed potato, yuba, mushroom risotto with cheese, and shibazuke (soy pulp and pickles).

Cost: 1500 yen for a set including two gyoza, one side, and a drink. 430 yen for one portion of gyoza. Details: Shijo-Kawaramachi branch at  河原町通四条下ル順風町312–1. Open from 11.30 am – 3 pm and 5 pm – 11 pm (all day on weekends). Website: Gyoza ChaoChao Happy Cow listing. 

12) Chabuton for Ramen

Chabuton is a ramen chain that offers vegan ramen and gyoza. We first went here in Osaka and it became our favourite place to eat near Kyoto Station (it’s on the 6th floor of the Yodobashi camera store).

When you arrive, order and pay at the vending machine. The machine is in Japanese but if you look at the English menu you can compare the items you need—the vegan ramen and gyoza are marked as green on the menu.

Once you have the ticket give it to the staff and tell them you want the vegetable gyoza (the meat gyoza shares the same button).

The ramen comes quickly and is packed with vegetables including avocado, okra, tomato, and radish. You can jazz it up with condiments like chilli that are provided on the table. The gyoza are delicious too.

Cost: 750 yen for ramen and 320 yen for gyoza. Details: 6th floor of Yodobashi on Karasuma dori near Kyoto Station. Open from 11 am – 11 pm. Website: Chabuton Happy Cow listing. 

13) Tokkyu Ramen for Ramen

This basic ramen joint near Yasaka shrine has no English sign so look for the red lantern and hand-written sign saying vegetarian and vegan ramen.

They offer one vegan ramen made with a creamy sesame miso broth topped with bean sprouts, cabbage, green onions, bamboo shoots, and sesame seeds. We prefer Chabuton, but this location is convenient when sightseeing in Gion.

Cost: 850 yen for vegan ramen. Details: 30–4 Bishamonchō, Higashiyama-ku. Open from 11.30 am – midnight. Closed Wednesday. Website: Tokkyu Ramen Happy Cow listing. 

14) Tosuiro for Tofu

Kyoto is famous for its tofu and there are a number of restaurants that specialise in it, but they usually use dashi.

The Gion branch of Tosuiro offers a vegan set menu if you book at least a day in advance (three days if you email). It’s not cheap but it is an unusual experience and the setting is traditional in a 130-year-old merchant house.

You’ll experience tofu in all its forms including goma dofu (sesame tofu), yuba (soy milk skin), yudofu (a simmering pot of tofu and greens), and grilled miso-glazed dengaku tofu. We did get a little tofued out but are glad we tried it.

Cost: 6237 yen (including tax and service) for Rokuhara vegan set. Details: 38–1, Bisyamonten-Cho. Open from 11.30 am – 3 pm and 5 pm – 10 pm. Closed Tuesday. Website: Tosuiro website. 

15) Teppan Tavern Tenamonya for Okonomiyaki

Hokkaido okonomiyaki and yasaka soba

Teppan Tavern Tenamonya is not the place to go if you are offended by meat being cooked next to you, but it’s a good choice if you are travelling with a meat eater who wants to try the famous wagyu beef.

It’s a small izakaya (pub) with counter seating and a grill in front of you to keep the food hot. Most of the guests are foreigners these days as it’s close to Yasaka shrine, is ranked highly on Tripadvisor, has an English menu, and is run by a friendly couple. It’s so popular that booking at least two days in advance (further in high season) is essential (I emailed).

Despite the meat focus, they offer a number of tasty vegetarian dishes including okonomiyaki (the Hokkaido version was good), yasaka soba (fried noodles with vegetables), and fried potato with cheese.

Cost: 950 yen for Hokkaido vegetarian okonomiyaki. Details: B1F, 537–2 Gionmachi Minamigawa. Open from 5 pm – 11 pm. Closed Thursdays. Website: Teppan Tavern Tenamonya website. 

16) CoCo Icibanya for Japanese Curry

Vegetarian menu at CoCo Ichibanya

Looking for the nearest CoCo Ichibanya is one of the easiest ways to find a vegetarian meal in Japan. Most branches of this Japanese curry chain have a separate vegetarian menu—look for signs on the window or for the green menu at the tables. The regular English menu is helpful to explain the ordering process.

You choose your fillings (we usually get vegetables and eggplant), spice level (3 is pretty spicy), and size of rice portion. It’s tasty, filling, inexpensive, and quick.

We went to CoCo Ichibanya Keihan Shichijo but there are many branches. I check the Google Maps reviews to see if anyone mentions the vegetarian menu.

Cost for a Main Dish: Vegetarian curries from 654 yen to 911 yen. Details: Various branches. Open from 11 am – midnight (some branches 11 pm or 1 am). Website: CoCo Ichibanya website.

International Vegetarian Food in Kyoto

On short trips to Japan we usually stick to Japanese food as it’s so good, but as we were there for over two months on our last trip, we did fancy something different occasionally.

Here are our favourite international restaurants for vegetarian food in Kyoto.

Pettirosso – This friendly izakaya is run by an Italian guy and his Japanese wife who cooks up delicious Italian/Japanese fusion. They do serve fish but have plenty of vegetarian and vegan options clearly marked on the menu. The 1500 yen dinner set is good value. It’s only open in the evenings from 5 pm and booking is a good idea.

Que Pasa – Surprisingly delicious burritos with vegetarian and vegan options. It’s run by Japanese guys who lived in California so they know what they’re doing.

Ain Soph – This popular vegan restaurant isn’t our favourite, but if you’re craving a veggie burger they are pretty good.

Kyoto Beer Lab – Cool brewpub on our favourite canal street. You can get a tasting flight of beers with vegan snacks like soy meat red wine stew, edamame, and vegetable sticks with dip. Not the best for a filling meal, though.

Pizzeria Da Naghino – Authentic Neapolitan-style pizza.

E-Fish – Western-style cafe with big windows overlooking the river. We liked the French toast and smoothies.

Vegetarian Cooking Class in Kyoto

Taking a cooking class is the best way to learn more about Japanese cuisine and familiarise yourself with the unusual ingredients like yuba (soy milk skin tofu) that are often found in vegetarian Japanese cuisine.

We took a private class in the home of Emi Hirayama of Uzuki Cooking who is happy to cater to vegetarians. Read about our Kyoto cooking class experience. 

Next time, I’d like to take this vegan ramen cooking class on Airbnb Experiences which has fantastic reviews. It’s in Ibaraki which is 20 minutes from JR Kyoto station by train. 

Other Japan Vegetarian Guides

Vegetarian Survival Guide to Japan

The Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Tokyo

The Best Osaka Vegetarian Restaurants

2 Week Japan Itinerary

I hope you enjoy eating your way around Kyoto as a vegetarian as much as we did! There are many more vegetarian restaurants that we didn’t have time to try. Leave a comment below if you have any more recommendations.

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14 Primal Tips for Better Hiking

The most basic advice I can give about hiking is to go find a natural space and walk around. That’s it. It’s not sexy or particularly exciting, but it’s good enough.

I do have some additional thoughts, though. If you want to get deeper, if you want to “upgrade” or “hack” your hiking, you’ll find today’s post useful. I’m going to offer some ideas on how to get the most out of your forays into wilderness.

I’m not going to discuss multi-day hikes/backpacking, which, truth be told, I’m not nearly as experienced with. This is strictly about day hikes—the kind everyone has time to do.

I’m also not going to discuss gear. It’s real easy (and fun) to geek out on all the awesome gadgets and gear you can buy for hiking, so I won’t spend much time there.

Let’s get to it:

1. When choosing a hike, avoid those with the most reviews.

When searching for new restaurants to try, I weigh the number of reviews more heavily than the number of stars they receive. Same for books and other products. A 4.5 star average across 2000 reviews is more convincing than a 5 star average across 20.

Not so with hikes. When I’m browsing Yelp or some other hiking review site for a hike to try, I avoid the ones with the most reviews. I expect and prepare for crowds at a good restaurant. Crowds can even enhance a restaurant’s atmosphere. I hike to escape the crowds.

2. Be smart.

Grok wasn’t some foolhardy hiker, heading off into the backcountry on a lark. Most extant hunter-gatherers are cautious. They travel with friends. They move along pre-determined paths. They know the land before they walk it.

It’s a lot like a lifelong shoe wearer running a marathon in Vibram FiveFingers. It’s gonna hurt, and and injury is probable. Having grown up in the cradle of civilization, you probably aren’t prepared to go it alone. Nature can be dangerous. It doesn’t have to be, but you’d better respect it.

Plan your route. Follow a path; trails are where they are for a good reason. Solo hikes are fine (some of my favorites have been just me), as long as you know what you’re doing and where you’re going.

3. Bring your phone.

Wait, what? Sisson, I thought I was hiking to escape the trappings of civilization. I hike to gaze at the wonders of mother nature, not thumb my way through my Twitter feed. You really blew it on this one.

Not so fast. Here’s how I use my phone on my hikes.

Take notes whenever inspiration strikes. Walking increases blood flow to the brain and improves cognitive performance, spending time in nature reduces stress and elicits spiritual, ecstatic experiences, so hiking can really get the creative juices flowing. I often do my best creative thinking out on the trail.

Writing. Believe it or not, I do a fair bit of “writing” while hiking. I’ll often dictate to the speech-to-text feature on the phone a big messy rough draft. When I get home, I edit (and edit, and edit some more; it’s a really rough draft). But the hike gets the story going.

Photography. Don’t view the world through the view finder or anything, but photos can be nice. Memories and photos can perpetuate each other. And yes, share away on social media. Make people envious. Make people feel bad about skipping out on the last five hikes. Make people want to get out there themselves. In fact, let’s make this a thing. I want you to take photos next time you’re out hiking and post to the social media app of your choice. Heck, tag me @MarksDailyApple on Instagram so I can see what you’re up to. Throw in the hashtag #GrokInTheWild, too.

Research. Is this wild bay leaf, or something similar but inedible? Whoa, is that poison oak? Having a phone (with reception) allows you to dig a little deeper into the hiking experience, avoid potential dangers, and uncover treasures.

And no, I don’t always take it along.

4. Hike unencumbered whenever possible.

On short hikes, don’t take food. Don’t wear a backpack. If it’s a short enough hike, don’t even take water.

I love to hike totally unencumbered. Save for whatever fits in my pockets, I prefer to leave it behind. If it’s a cool day or a short hike (1-4 miles), I’ll even leave the water behind.

This gives me more freedom to roam and explore. I can run if I want to. I can lift a rock or log or climb a tree. Mostly, I just like having my hands free as I walk. There’s nothing like gliding down a trail, light as a bird.

Hydration is important, so before you start hiking, drink 12 ounces of water with sea salt sprinkled in—and maybe a squeeze of lemon or lime juice.

5. Don’t let children stop you.

Parents, even of youngsters totally unable to self-ambulate: take your kids hiking. It’s not that hard. If pre-walking, strap them into a baby carrier or use a stroller (trail permitting). If barely walking, just go short and slow. Your mile hike might take an hour, but it’s worth it and you’re still out there.

Hiking soothes the crying babe. It provokes the sullen pre-teen into engagement with the world (despite their best attempts). It builds stamina walking up those hills, balance traversing that uneven ground, and instills a love and respect for the natural world.

Will babies “remember” it? Not consciously, but trust me. All those hours spent walking through beautiful natural settings imprint on their subconscious selves. They’ll be better, calmer, saner adults for their time in nature.

6. Lift heavy things.

The natural environment abounds with heavy objects. Stones and fallen logs of various sizes, shapes, and weights provide plenty of resistance. I suggest you take advantage.

Carry a heavy log in the zercher position. Do some squats and lunges.

Carry a log on either shoulder. Balance it so that you can carry it without hand support.

Do landmine exercises with a log. Place one end of a log securely against a tree, rock, or other surface. Pick up the other end and use it as a weight. I like the reverse lunge (only have the log in the front rack position, unless you’re somehow able to hold a log at your side with one hand).

Deadlift large rocks. Go lighter than you think, as the irregular shape and hand positioning will make it harder than deadlift the same weight on a barbell.

7. Play as you go with a partner.

Having a partner isn’t just safer. It exponentially increases the amount of fun you can have.

Every time you see a hawk/squirrel/fallen tree/mushroom/etc., deliver a pinch/slap/goose/elbow/tickle/wet willy/purple nurple/toss to the ground to the other person. Pick an object you’ll encounter throughout the hike, choose a punishment, and whoever sees the object first gets to enact the punishment. Repeat.

Play catch. Find a stone, and play catch the entire time. Go long and go short. Catch behind your back. Throw behind your back. Switch hands. Mix it up.

Carry a heavy stone or log together as far as you can. When you get tired, hand it off. Actually, hand it off before you get tired. Keep some in the tank so you can keep the handoffs going as long as possible. Vary your carrying method (right shoulder/left shoulder/zercher/overhead/etc.).

8. Incorporate formal exercise into the hike.

This is a great way to get a solid workout without realizing it.

Do a few pull-ups on every overhead branch you see.

Do walking lunges every five minutes.

Sprint up every other switch back you encounter.

Bear crawl for 40 yards every 10 minutes.

Stop and do max rep pushups every 10 minutes. Do dips instead if you can find a suitable place.

What else can you think of?

9. Climb.

Observe the verticality of the natural world. Look for trees that you can climb, and climb them.

Be safe, of course. Don’t climb anything you can’t climb down. Avoid branches thinner than your wrist. Avoid dead branches (and dead trees, for that matter).

Also check out rock formations you can scramble up. There’s nothing like a good scramble up some granite. Bouldering—climbing straight up using toe and handholds—is also fun but requires more training and know-how.

10. Slow down.

I’m no meditator. I’ve tried. I’ve read the literature. I know the benefits. It just doesn’t work for me.

But there are alternatives that get you to the same place, and hiking is one of mine.

So, when you hike, stay present and pay attention. Touch everything you see. Caress the bark and the leaves. Smell the flowers. Flip over a decaying log and watch the bugs scatter. One of my favorites to touch and see is the manzanita tree.

Hiking isn’t always about physical fitness. It’s a place to just be in the present moment, too. 

11. Try hiking the highest peak in your area.

If my hike doesn’t have at least a bit of elevation gain, I feel cheated. It doesn’t even feel like a hike. Rather, it’s a walk.

Walks are fine. I love a good easy walk through a wilderness area. But I really, really love a good climb.

One thing I’ll do anytime I’m in a new area (and have enough time) is look around for the hike with the biggest elevation gain. There’s something gratifying about battling the most fundamental force in the known universe—gravity—and coming out on top.

I mean that literally: you’re actually on top. You can look down on the city below and know that you’re higher than every single person there.

Also, climbing is a great workout.

12. Ponder the trees.

Trees are crazy.

Depending on where you are, the trees might have been around to witness the rise and fall of Alexander the Great, the spread of Christendom, the construction of the Great Wall of China and Macchu Picchu, the dozens of generations of hunter-gatherers raising children and warring and loving and dying under its canopy. And these are living things. Not conscious like we know, but responsive to the environment and reactive to their peers, with whom they communicate via a subterranean fungal network.

13. Feel the trail’s history.

Imagine the original inhabitants padding along the same trail you’re on, seeing the same sunset you’re watching. What were they thinking? What did they dream about? What did they carry? Did they ever just go out to enjoy themselves on a hike?

Imagine the earliest explorers climbing the same ridge you just climbed. You see haze and skyscrapers off in the distance. They saw teeming wildness.

Imagine the conversations that have echoed through these trees and valleys, canyons and caves.

Imagine all the lovers sneaking off to rendezvous within the confines of that little nook in the rock wall ten feet up, maybe during a thunderstorm or to escape the brutal heat of summer. To how many conceptions did it bear witness?

Imagine the troops marching along your trail to die, or win, or do both.

14. Try brown space, blue space, not just green space.

Most of us think of forests when we think about hiking, but that isn’t the only way to do it. You can hike through deserts and scrublands (brown space), along the ocean (blue space), through grasslands, or even through a particularly impressive city park.

Not everyone has easy access to towering forests, and that’s okay.

Well, there you have it: my 14 tips for making the most of your hikes.

How do you like to hike? What tips would you add?

Let me know down below! Thanks for reading, everybody, and take care.

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The 9 Best Popcorn Kernels for Your Every Occasion Treats

Popcorns are simply irresistible. They’re very addicting and have long been associated with movies. That’s the reason why movies are doubly exciting to watch with a newly popped bag or two of the best popcorn kernels. The secret to making delectable popcorn is actually in the kernels. Whatever flavor you choose, it won’t be as great tasting as those in theaters if the kernels are of low quality.

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Quick Navigation

List of Best Popcorn Kernels

The Types of Popcorn Kernels

Butterfly popcorns

Mushroom popcorns

White Popcorn Vs Yellow Popcorn

Where to Pop the Popcorn Kernels

1. Stove

2. Microwave

3. Hot Air Poppers

Choosing the Popcorn Kernels

The Top 3 Best Popcorn Kernels Reviews

Gold Medal Products Co Popcorn (24 count 8oz popcorn/Coconut Oil kit)

Great Northern Popcorn Organic Yellow Popcorn (5 Pound)

Orville Redenbacher's Yellow Popcorn Kernels

Our Pick

The Snack That Everyone Loves

List of Best Popcorn Kernels

Description

Editor Rating

NCS

Grade*​

Price

Range*​

Gold Medal Products Co Popcorn (24 count 8oz popcorn/Coconut Oil kit)

A-

$$$

Great Northern Popcorn Organic Yellow Popcorn (5 Pound)

A-

$$$

Orville Redenbacher’s Yellow Popcorn Kernels

A

$$

Jolly Time All-in-One Popcorn 12 oz. Poppers (Pack of 24)

A-

$$$

Hoosier Hill Farm Baby White, Popcorn Lovers 4 lb. Jar

A

$$

Franklin’s Gourmet Organic Popping Corn, 100% Coconut Oil and Seasoning Salt

A

$$$

Bob’s Red Mill Whole White Popcorn, 27 Ounce

A

$

Franklin’s Organic Popping Corn (7 lbs)

B

$$

Paragon Bulk Bag Yellow PopCorn (12.5-Pounds)

B

$$

*For more information about NCS (Net Customer Satisfaction) grade, please click here. (Price range: $ = $1 - $10 / $$ = $11 - $25 / $$$ = $26 - $50 / $$$$ = $51 - $75 / $$$$$ = $76 - $100 / $$$$$$ = Above $100)

The Types of Popcorn Kernels

Popcorn kernels come in numerous types but the two most common types are butterfly and mushroom kernels. You will see the difference in shape after you pop them.

Butterfly popcorns

Going by the name alone, you would expect butterfly popcorns to have wings. This type of kernel had an irregular shape when popped and littered with wings. Butterfly popcorns are widely sold in movie houses and sports arenas.

Mushroom popcorns

Mushroom popcorns are plump, ball-shaped, and larger in size. The mushroom kernel popcorn is ideal to coat with caramel, cheese or chocolate. Garrett has one of the best mushroom popcorn around!

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White Popcorn Vs Yellow Popcorn

It’s interesting to note that popcorn kernels come in a variety of colors too. They are different types of popcorn kernels. The kernels can be white, yellow, black, blue, green, purple, and red. Sizes of popcorn kernel vary as well from small, medium to large.

However, as to the end-product, there are only two dominant colors: white or yellow. There are only slight distinctions between the white and yellow popcorn. The smaller white is tender while the larger yellow is crunchier and fluffier.

So, white vs yellow popcorn. Which one is it?

Honestly, as to the taste, ask any popcorn lover and you’ll see that white or yellow is equally fine. In the final reckoning, it’s in the cooking of the best popcorn kernels and the end result that truly matters.

Where to Pop the Popcorn Kernels

When you’re craving for popcorn, there are 3 three ways to pop them at home. The popping will depend on how you want your popcorn kernels to turn out and what cooking equipment you have in the kitchen.

1. Stove

Before the advent of the microwave ovens, the old-fashioned way to make homemade popcorn is to use the stove. Preparation is more tedious compared to the modern way. It takes practice and skills to produce the desired popcorn.

It might take you several hits and misses before you achieve consistency and turn out the perfect popcorn every time. At first, you’ll produce more burnt kernels on the stove and less popcorn to enjoy.

Perhaps the solution to your popcorn woe is to use a stainless steel cookware or a Dutch oven. Even some of the recent convection oven models in the market have popcorn cooking features. Popcorn kernels can also be popped in pressure cookers to yield the best popcorns at home.

2. Microwave

The microwave oven or a convection oven is the most convenient appliance you can use to make homemade popcorn. It’s less messy and quick to satisfy your craving.

The microwavable popcorn in bags you purchase at the grocery store usually takes at least 2 minutes of cooking time. Or simply follow the instructions. However, at times it doesn’t turn out the desired popcorn. You would be disappointed to see that some kernels did not pop at all.

When you’re buying the ready-to-cook popcorn, check the shelf life or expiry date. You need to factor in the age as it affects how the kernel pops. Also, usually those ready-to-cook popcorns come in prepacked are the best popcorn kernels for microwave use.

Inspect if the bag is properly sealed to lock in freshness. Keep in mind that the popping success rate differs from brand to brand.

Another option to save on costs is to have your own bag or microwavable bowl to place your kernels in. Season them with condiments for flavoring then cook in the microwave.

3. Hot Air Poppers

Unlike the stove and microwave where you don’t see your kernels popping, the popcorn air popper will give you the view. Watch the kernels swirl inside the cooking chamber of this motorized miniature machine. See them pop when the heating temperature hits the critical point.

The popcorns are then pushed out of the chamber out into the receiving bowl. You don’t need oil to cook popcorn in the hot air popper. The downside again is the number of kernels that did not pop plus sometimes a slightly chewier popcorn texture.

Currently, the best hot air popcorn poppers in the market are from Franklin's Gourmet Popcorn and TWOBIU. These 2 models have hundreds of satisfied buyers as well as high ratings and they are also considered the best home popcorn maker. Also, the Franklin's Gourmet unlike those stainless steel hot air popcorn poppers, it is made of aluminum which can distribute heat better.

Choosing the Popcorn Kernels

Trying to find the best popcorn kernels can be rather tricky. In all likelihood, you would go for the best popcorn brand. However, manage your expectations while choosing because even the top brands differ in the end products. There’s nothing more annoying than seeing half-popped and burnt kernels in your snack bowl.

If you are after the freshest, flavorsome, and simply the best popping kernels, below are some of the best popcorn kernels rated highly in preference by popcorn lovers like you.

The Top 3 Best Popcorn Kernels Reviews

Gold Medal Products Co Popcorn (24 count 8oz popcorn/Coconut Oil kit)

This Gold Medal variant is on top the heap of popcorn kernels. The Mega Pop is a premium treat that will make you crave for more popcorn.

The kernels turn out into the right sizes of popcorn blended with a buttery taste.

You’ll get the most out of your purchase as the pack can deliver 8-9 servings.

The popcorn kernels are high in quality; meaning every kernel pops and is consistently good.

You can cook it in a kettle, popcorn poppers or microwave.

The pack comes with popping oil with butter flavor and Flavacol seasoning salt to give the right butter and salty taste.

Gold Medal Products Co 24Ct Coconut Oil Kit 2838 Popcorn (10.6oz of kernels; pre-measured for 8oz kettles)

List Price: $33.95

Price: $33.95

Price Disclaimer

Description

Rating / Grade

Editor Rating

NCS Grade*

A-

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Great Northern Popcorn Organic Yellow Popcorn (5 Pound)

The Great Northern popcorn kernels turn out large, fluffy yellow popcorns.

This product is organic, non-GMO and not conventionally grown, so you’ll have less worry about consuming pesticides with your popcorn.

It’s a great bulk purchase considering a bag can make 40 people happy.

Always follow the cooking instructions (3 parts corn and 1 part oil) and you can’t go wrong.

Packaged in a moisture proof bag for maximum freshness.

When comparing, the Great Northern Popcorn has the best organic popcorn kernels which are Diacetyl and gluten free as well as USDA organic certified.

Great Northern Popcorn Organic Yellow Gourmet Popcorn 5 Pound, 2 Pack

List Price: $26.80

Price: $26.49

You Save: $0.31

Price Disclaimer

Description

Rating / Grade

Editor Rating

NCS Grade*

A-

Orville Redenbacher's Yellow Popcorn Kernels

Orville Redenbacher is well-known for its crispy, tender, yellow popcorns.

They boast of premium popping whether on your stove, air or electric poppers.

The kernels are 100% natural and whole grain that turns into gluten-free popcorns.

What’s great is that the smell and taste are equally better than the expensive popcorn kernels.

Lace with your favorite popping oil and seasoning immediately after popping and you’ll see how the flavor of this gourmet popcorn is enhanced several notches higher.

Orville Redenbacher's Gourmet Popcorn Kernels, Original Yellow, 8 lb

List Price: $24.70

Price: $24.70

Price Disclaimer

Description

Rating / Grade

Editor Rating

NCS Grade*

A

Our Pick

We go through hundreds of products listing at Amazon and also study the ratings left by previous buyers to find the best popcorn kernels for you. Besides that, we also calculate the overall net customer satisfaction (NCS) grade because we want to see how happy is the previous buyers with their purchase of the product.

From our finding, we can say that Gold Medal Products Co, Great Northern Popcorn Company and Orville Redenbacher's are the best popcorn kernels brands. These brands are popular and received many excellent ratings for their products.

Also, the Gold Medal Popcorn, Great Northern Popcorn Organic Popcorn and Orville Redenbacher's Popcorn score favorably for the ratings as well as the NCS grade compare to the rest. We believe that you would find these popcorn kernels a good buy too.

The Snack That Everyone Loves

Popcorn is the undisputed king of snacks in movie theaters. You can also make it the default treat in your home with the above featured best popcorn kernels. It’s a wonderful time for the family to come together and enjoy watching movies with freshly popped and nutritious corn kernels. No more lines but just cool, wholesome fun in the comfort of your home.

The post The 9 Best Popcorn Kernels for Your Every Occasion Treats appeared first on Gordan Ladd's Kitchen.

[sherristockman]

A Visit to a Poison Garden Dr. Mercola By Dr. Mercola The 12-acre Alnwick Garden in northern England is home to fragrant rose bushes, manicured hedges, a cherry orchard and stunning water features — all things you'd expect in a traditional English garden. But behind a locked gate is a garden with a much more sinister air — a poison garden home to plants that have the ability to kill. A sign on the gate reads, "These plants can kill," and visitors may only enter with a guide, in groups of 20 or less, who are warned not to touch, sniff or venture too close to the deadly plants. Some are so dangerous they're grown in metal cages with cameras tracking them 24/7. The project was started in 2005 by Jane Percy, the Duchess of Northumberland. Centuries ago, apothecary gardens were quite common in England and were used to grow medicinal plants used for a variety of treatments. Percy was intrigued by the more macabre side of the plant world, however, explaining to Australia's News.com, "What's really interesting is to know how a plant kills you, and how the patient dies, and what you feel like before you die … Most plants that kill are quite interesting."1 Plants That Can Kill in the Poison Garden More than 100 deadly plant species can be found in Alnwick's poison garden. The poisonous properties are often used by the plants as a form of protection. Many of them may be harnessed for good (for instance in the treatment of cancer or nerve pain), with the difference between benefit and harm coming in the dose. For instance, the Helleborus genus of flowering perennials grown in the poison garden were once used to help children get rid of intestinal worms, but if too much was given, it were deadly.2 Other poisonous plants in the garden range from common daffodil bulbs and laurel hedges to marijuana, cocaine, magic mushrooms and opium poppies, for which Percy obtained a special permit to grow. NPR expanded on some of the garden's highlights:3 " … [I]t doesn't take many berries from Atropa belladonna (deadly nightshade) to kill … the plant is common in England and growing happily in the Poison Garden. The duchess also warns that that merely brushing up against the bushy green Ruta graveolens (commonly called Rue) or touching the sap from Euphorbia (the Dr. Suess-like plants sometimes called spurge) can give a person a nasty rash." Another intriguing plant in the garden is datura, also known as angel's trumpets, a night-blooming perennial and member of the nightshade family. Most part of the plant contain hallucinogens that can cause delirious behavior and death.4 Percy told The Telegraph:5 "Datura is an incredible poison, but an amazing aphrodisiac, too, and you see it everywhere. In Argentina, even nowadays, some people put a bell of Datura … on a baby's pillow at night, then take it away after five minutes and the baby has gone to sleep. If it were left all night the baby would be dead in the morning. Victorian ladies used to sit around a table with a datura plant in the middle and play cards or have tea. They'd pop their cup under a bell, tap it, and pollen would fall into the cup. They would experience similar effects to that of LSD." 15 More Plants That Can Kill If you look around your backyard and possibly even your kitchen, you may find a surprising number of toxic plants, ranging from mildly poisonous to deadly. Among them:6 1. Apple Trees Apple seeds contain amygdalin, a plant compound known as a cyanogenic glycoside. When apple seeds are chewed or crushed and metabolized, the amygdalin turns into hydrogen cyanide, which is poisonous. That being said, the cyanide is produced only if the seeds are damaged (i.e., crushed or chewed), so swallowing a few seeds whole is virtually harmless. 2. Nightshade Plants The Solanaceae family of vegetables, informally known as nightshades, includes tobacco, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and potatoes. The foliage, vines and berries of such plants are toxic and should be avoided. 3. Rosary Pea This plant goes by many names, including precatory bean, Buddhist rosary bead, love bean, lucky bean, Indian licorice, prayer bean and weather plant. Rosary peas are used as ornamental beads for jewelry around the world, but they contain toxic compounds called abrin (a relative of extremely toxic ricin) and abric acid. It's said that jewelry makers have died after from pricking a finger and handling the peas.7 Consuming even one rosary pea can be deadly to pets, but fortunately the seed's hard outer coat must be damaged (crushed or cut open) to cause harm. So in many cases ingesting the seeds may lead to only mild illness. However, if a broken pea is ingested, it can lead to severe vomiting and diarrhea (sometimes bloody), tremors, high heart rate, shock, fever and death among dogs, cats and horses. 4. Oleander Oleander, or rose bay, contains cardiac glycosides that can cause vomiting, dizziness and cardiac dysrhythmias. In Sri Lanka, yellow oleander seeds are often used as a suicide agent, with thousands of cases reported each year. About 10 percent of cases of oleander poisoning in Sri Lanka are fatal.8 Your pet may also be poisoned from access to pruned or fallen oleander branches while horses may be poisoned by consuming this ornamental plant near horse show arenas. 5. European Yew Yew contains toxic taxine in its bark, leaves and seeds, which, if consumed, can lead to sudden death from heart failure. Yew leaves and seeds are also sometimes used by people attempting to commit suicide. Keep an eye out on your dogs if you have yew in your yard; even playing with the branches or sticks from the yew tree could be potentially deadly to dogs. 6. Daffodils Also known as narcissus, daffodils contain lycorine, particularly in the bulbs. This toxic chemical can lead to nausea and vomiting followed by low blood pressure and liver damage. 7. Doll's Eye This plant, also known as white baneberry, is a member of the buttercup family. It has distinctive white berries with an eye-like black dot in the center, growing on red stalks. The berries are particularly poisonous, as they contain cardiogenic toxins. It's said that eating five or six of the berries can make you sick while consuming more can be deadly.9 8. Hemlock All parts of the hemlock plant are poisonous, but the root contains the greatest concentration of poison. Hemlock is said to have been used to execute Socrates, and there are reports of children dying after making whistles out of hollow hemlock stems.10 Ingesting the plant may lead to muscle weakness and paralysis, progressing into respiratory failure. 9. Stinging Tree Found in Australian and Indonesian forests, this stinging nettle can lead to a stinging sensation that lasts for weeks. In animals, brushing past the plant may cause a severe allergic reaction. 10. Castor Beans Castor beans contain the extremely toxic substance ricin. Consuming even one castor bean can kill a human or pet, but the plants are relatively common, even in public areas. Ricin inhibits protein synthesis, leading to convulsions and kidney failure.11 According to NPR:12 "In 1978 a member of the Bulgarian secret police used an umbrella tip to inject ricin — a powerful poison extracted from the beans of a castor plant — into the leg of a political dissident, as he walked down a London street." 11. Monkshood This plant, also known as devil's helmet and aconitum, is so deadly that a U.K. gardener died in 2014 after handling the plant.13 It was also a well-known poison in ancient times, used during battles to poison enemies' water.14 12. White Snakeroot This plant contains toxic tremetol, which is poisonous if ingested, either directly or via contaminated meat or milk. If a cow grazes on the plant, for instance, its meat and milk will become poisonous. Nancy Hanks, Abraham Lincoln's mother, reportedly died from "milk sickness" after consuming milk contaminated with white snakeroot.15 13. Larkspur Larkspur contains compounds called diterpene alkaloids that are toxic to humans, dogs, cats and horses. It's thought the toxicity of this plant varies depending on the conditions in which it's grown and becomes less toxic as it matures. If consumed, larkspur can cause neuromuscular paralysis and symptoms such as muscle tremors, stiffness, weakness, convulsions, heart failure and death from respiratory paralysis. 14. Foxglove This plant grows striking bell-shaped flowers, but all parts of the plant contain digitalis glycosides, which can affect heart function, leading to irregular heartbeat and death in humans and pets. 15. Melia Azedarach This flowering tree, also known as white cedar, is native to Australia and contains berries with neurotoxic poisons. Consuming just six berries may be enough to kill a person, but birds are not affected, so they feast on the berries regularly.16 Plant Poisonings Are Relatively Common in the US While pharmaceuticals remain a top cause of calls to poison control centers, plant exposures also have a top spot on the list. Data from the American Association of Poison Control Centers' National Poison Data System (NPDS) 2013 annual report revealed more than 46,000 plant exposures in the U.S., with more than 29,000 involving children aged 5 years or younger.17 Three deaths were also reported. To avoid poisonous plants, be very careful when selecting which plants to put in your garden or home, especially if you have young children or pets. If you're planning to forage for wild edible plants, consume only those you are sure you can correctly identify and are not poisonous. Fortunately, there are far more edible plants than poisonous ones. Wild plant enthusiast Sergei Boutenko claims there are thousands of safe, edible plants growing wild in North America, but there are only 150 listed by the American Association of Poison Control as poisonous.18 Of those 150, only about 50 are considered to be "highly poisonous" (i.e., can be fatal), and the rest are classified as "mildly poisonous," which means they may cause nausea, diarrhea, or headache, but probably will not kill you. If you see a wild plant you can't identify, the characteristics that you should regard as "red flags" for toxicity include the following. As always, if you're not sure, don't eat it. ✓ Milky or discolored sap ✓ Beans, bulbs or seeds in pods ✓ Bitter or soapy taste ✓ Spines, fine hairs or thorns ✓ Dill, carrot, parsnip or parsley-like foliage ✓ "Almond" scent in woody parts or leaves ✓ Grain heads with pink, purple or black spurs ✓ Three-leaved growth pattern

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