Podcasts about Umami

On this episode we speak with Emily Segal, the founder of the brand strategy agency Nemesis, publishing house Deluge, and the author of the novel Mercury Retrograde. Emily came to fame in the 2010s as the co-founder of the collective K-Hole, which coined the term "normcore." She went on to work with everyone from Prada to Supreme, and learned a few things along the way, some of which we discuss in this episode. We mostly concentrate on two pieces of her writing, the Umami Theory of Value and B for Balenciaga, a brand case study. We discuss why the current culture feels like a postmodernist, meaningless, made-for-Instagram slop, or as Emily writes, "Umami is what you got when you did not get anything," why Balenciaga is a cultural apex predator, a vortex that sucks in cultural artifacts and spits them out as memes, why Demna's irony is hollow, whether he will succeed at Gucci, and much more besides.  Support the show

Hello, wine friends! In today's episode, we're diving into the fascinating world of sake—what it is, how it's made, and why we often drink it like wine. Get ready for a deep dive into fermentation science like never before! Joining us is Maxim Kassir, Head Sommelier at The Aubrey in the world-renowned Mandarin Oriental and ambassador for Drink Japan. With his expertise, we'll explore the complexities of sake, from brewing techniques to flavor profiles. This episode gets super involved —but if you love learning about the science behind what's in your glass, this one's for you. Let's get into it!   If you want to skip ahead:   02.00: Wine was always part of Maxim's culture and daily meals. 02.30: Moving to London in 2016 led him to pursue hospitality. 03.38: Expanding into Sake, completing WSET Level 3. 04.11: Working with Natsuki Kikuya, a "Sake samurai". 07.00: Enrolled in a pilot WSET Level 3 sake course. 07.30: How sake production differs from wine. 08.30: Sake dates back 3,000 years, developed through Japanese monasteries. 10.00: Early sake production involved monks chewing rice to start fermentation. 10.30: Koji mold plays a crucial role in modern sake-making. 11.00: Water is essential, and Japan's soft water impacts sake quality. 12.00: Japan's geography and water softness contribute to sake's texture. 14.00: Japanese water affects yeast activity, impacting aroma development. 14.30: Sake and ambient yeast for fermentation 17.00: Importance of acidity in sake fermentation 19.00: Factors influencing sake styles 20:00: The role of rice in sake production 22:30: Traditional brewing process in Japan 24:30:  Umami and sake 26:30:  Advances in rice polishing and sake refinement 29:00:  Pride and precision in sake brewing 30:30: Sake polishing and competitions 31:00: Guinness record for polishing rice 32:00: The controversy of 0% polished sake 32:30: High-polish sake's expensive process 32:58: Question on necessity of ultra-polished sake 33:00: Duration of sake fermentation 33:30: Technical nature of sake brewing 34:00: Comparison between sake and wine fermentation 34:30: Sparkling sake introduction 35:00: History behind sparkling sake's creation 36:00: Champagne's influence on sake production 37:00: Sake carbonation methods 37:30: Sparkling sake prices and techniques 38:45: Champagne makers turning to sake 39:00: Japan's declining sake consumption 40:00: Government's role in sake promotion 45.22: The different style of sake   Any thoughts or questions, do email me: janina@eatsleepwinerepeat.co.uk Or contact me on Instagram @eatsleep_winerepeat If you fancy watching some videos on my youtube channel: Eat Sleep Wine Repeat Or come say hi at www.eatsleepwinerepeat.co.uk Until next time, Cheers to you!   ---------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------- THE EAT SLEEP WINE REPEAT PODCAST HAS BEEN FEATURED IN DECANTER MAGAZINE, RADIO TIMES AND FEED SPOT AS THE 6TH BEST UK WINE MAKING PODCAST.

Har du muslimske venner, men tør ikke å stille dem alle de dumme spørsmålene du har om Ramadan? Vi har deg!Eid er rett rundt hjørnet og Umami har fastet. I denne epsioden deler vi våre opplevelser med deg. Vi har også utforsket butikktrenden som aldri dør, dadler med rare smaker: Strawberry milkshake daddel, salt lakris dadler, karamel og peanøtt dadler. Hvilken er verdt å kjøpe?Av og med: Emily Ceesay, Tuva Hassel, Amund Glad Østensen, Thien Quang Le (teknikk)

Summary: Justin and Adam explore the art and history of stew, discussing its definition, historical significance, and cultural variations. They compare stews and soups, highlighting the evolution of stew-making and the importance of indigenous recipes. The conversation delves into ingredient choices, cooking techniques, and the role of umami in flavor enhancement. They emphasize the comfort of stew, the significance of selecting the right cuts of meat, and the versatility of wild game. Various cooking methods, including crock-pots, ovens, and open-fire cooking, are discussed, along with practical tips and recipes for creating delicious stews. - Leave a Review of the Podcast - Buy our Wild Fish and Game Spices Recipes: Venison Shank Sagamité African Wild Hog Stew – Potjiekos Venison Heart Stew Rabbit, Deer, Pumpkin Beer Stew Lebanese Goose and Potato Stew Coconut Fish Stew Turkish Venison Meatball Stew Creamy Venison Meatball & Gnocci Stew Jalapeño Whitetail Stew Lobster Mushroom Obe Ata Stew Sudanese Rijla – Purslane, Lamb, and Lentil Stew How to Make Brown Venison Stock Homemade Lobster Stock Basic Dashi Stock Takeaways: Stews have a higher solid to liquid ratio than soups. Cultural variations of stews exist worldwide, including chili and curry. The first recorded recipe for stew dates back 4,000 years. Indigenous peoples have unique methods of making stews. Modern stews evolved from historical recipes in Europe. Stews are popular among hunters for their ability to tenderize tough meats. Irish stew became prominent during the potato famine. Stews can be enjoyed year-round, not just in cold months. Personal preferences for serving stews vary between bowls and plates. Stew sandwiches are a delicious way to repurpose leftovers. Stew is a comfort food that pairs well with buttered bread. Choosing the right cut of meat is crucial for a good stew. Searing meat enhances flavor through the Maillard reaction. Add vegetables at different stages for optimal texture. Homemade stock is preferred for richer flavor. Umami ingredients can elevate the taste of stew. Cooking in the oven provides even heat distribution. Wild game adds unique flavors to stews. Stews improve in flavor when left overnight. Experimenting with ingredients can lead to delicious results. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Wild Game Stews 03:03 Understanding Stews vs. Soups 06:04 Cultural Variations of Stews 08:49 Historical Roots of Stews 11:49 Indigenous Stews and Their Significance 14:51 Evolution of Stews Through Time 18:08 Modern Stews and Their Popularity 20:58 Personal Preferences and Cooking Techniques 24:00 The Comfort of Stew and Personal Preferences 27:00 Choosing the Right Ingredients for Stew 29:57 The Importance of Searing and Thickening 33:09 Adding Vegetables and Flavor Enhancers 35:58 The Role of Liquids and Stocks in Stew 39:05 Umami and Flavor Complexity in Stews 41:47 Cooking Techniques: Oven vs. Crock-Pot vs. Fire 44:59 Wild Game and Unique Ingredients for Stew 48:03 Final Thoughts and Recipes for Delicious Stews Keywords: Wild game, stews, soups, cooking techniques, cultural history, indigenous recipes, food history, culinary traditions, stew recipes, hunting Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vi kaster oss ut i den søte verda av japanske bakevarer, tok ein smakfull ekspedisjon til Pan cafe og kom tilbake til eit studio heitare enn ein nybaka melonpan. I studio: Ragnhild Nyhammer, Emily Ceesay og Anne Kristin (AK) Villar Sundal på teknikk

Joined by guest Loren Collins (@lorencollins), we break down the 3rd episode of TOC IV. Contact info: Twitter: @theflyingcowpod Instagram: @theflyingcowpod Email: theflyingcowpod@gmail.com

T24 yazarı Prof. Dr. Ayşe Naz Bulamur ile T24 editörü Hazal Sipahi'nin dizi ve film gibi yapımları tartıştığı Ekran Aşkına'nın yeni bölümünde Umami filmi mercek altında. Umami, İstanbul'da başarılı ve lüks bir restoran işletmenin getirdiği baskılarla mücadele eden, bir yandan da özel hayatı ve ekibinin talepleriyle başa çıkmaya çalışan şef Sina Bora'nın bir gecesinin hikayesini konu alıyor. Ne pahasına şık ve kaliteli bir restoranda yemek yiyoruz? Umami hangi sorunsalın çevresinde dönüyor? Video

In the final episode of To Be Delicious, Anna considers the future of MSG in the UK. Drinks culture has an inherent playfulness and creativity that makes it the perfect experimentation lab for seeking out where MSG might go next. She meets two key figures in London (and the world!)'s bar scene to understand how they're using it as an ingredient, and how umami as a flavour presents itself in drinks. Ryan Chetiyawardana, whose goes by the moniker Mr Lyan, has bars that have reshaped cocktail culture in the UK and around the world, shares how his approach to bartending and recipe development within drinks makes space for savoury and umami flavours. And Cyan Wong, bartender and Schweppes brand ambassador, mixes a unique savoury cocktail for Anna and Lucy. Watch Ryan's new TV show, Mr Lyan's Taste Trips, where he travels the world exploring flavour through drinks on YouTube https://youtube.com/@mrlyanstastetrips?si=fyLXUMDnv8H2_8eS In To Be Delicious, Dr Anna Sulan Masing explores MSG - and more broadly umami - through the lens of East and South East Asian food heritage and diaspora food culture in the UK. From fritters to instant ramen, fermentation to takeaways, these five episodes open out the conversation around MSG and find a breadth of new ways for us to think about its usage within cooking, and its importance within cultural heritage. Credits: Hosted by @annasulan Produced by @dearlovelucy & @annasulan Original theme music by @midorijaeger Podcast artwork by @npl_illustration Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions. The series is completely editorially independent and was made possible, along with Anna's wider research, by support from the European Committee for Umami and Ajinomoto. Anna's book, Chinese and Any Other Asian: Exploring East and South East Asian Identity in Britain is out now! Order here. 

In questa puntata di Diellecast, vi portiamo un mix di curiosità, stranezze e aggiornamenti freschissimi perchè abbiamo voluto iniziare il 2025 con il sorriso. Dalle notizie più bizzarre che ci hanno lasciato a bocca aperta, alle scoperte più affascinanti che ci fanno riflettere, il nostro episodio è un viaggio tra l'inaspettato e il curioso. Per esempio: sapete cos'è l'umami? No, non è un nuovo trend di TikTok, ma una vera e propria esperienza per il palato! Vi raccontiamo tutto, tra chiacchiere, risate e qualche consiglio inaspettato. Se amate lo stile leggero e divertente, non potete perdervi questa puntata! Prendetevi una pausa, mettetevi comodi e venite ad ascoltarne delle belle insieme a noi. A presto, Daniela & Lia ~~~ In this episode, we're bringing you a mix of curiosities, oddities, and fresh updates because we wanted to kick off 2025 with a smile! From the most bizarre news that left us speechless to the most fascinating discoveries that make us think, this episode is a journey through the unexpected and the curious. Do you know what umami is? No, it's not a new TikTok trend, but a real treat for your taste buds! We'll tell you about it with plenty of chatter, laughter, and unexpected tips. You can't miss this episode if you love a lighthearted and fun style! So take a break, get comfortable, and join us for a great time.  

In this episode of The Cocktail Academy Podcast, we're taking a deep dive into one of the most essential yet often overlooked ingredients in cocktails – bitters. From the history of bitters to their role in cocktails today, we explore everything you need to know to master the art of balancing flavors in your drinks.What You'll Learn in This Episode:

On umami in diaspora, from chicken salt to bay leaves. Dr Johnny Drain explains how garum is the root of many of our umami based sauces. Author and cook Kate Young prepares a classic Australian English mince on toast, with essential MSG. Chef Dara Klein reflects on how she's learned to find home everywhere, via the kitchen. Noby Leong considers adaptation and evolution in his family cooking. Plus chefs SongSoo Kim and Tim Anderson on some of the gastronomic and linguistic nuances of umami. In To Be Delicious, Dr Anna Sulan Masing explores MSG - and more broadly umami - through the lens of East and South East Asian food heritage and diaspora food culture in the UK. From fritters to instant ramen, fermentation to takeaways, these five episodes open out the conversation around MSG and find a breadth of new ways for us to think about its usage within cooking, and its importance within cultural heritage. Credits: Hosted by @annasulan Produced by @dearlovelucy & @annasulan Original theme music by @midorijaeger Podcast artwork by @npl_illustration Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions. The series is completely editorially independent and was made possible, along with Anna's wider research, by support from the European Committee for Umami and Ajinomoto. Anna's book, Chinese and Any Other Asian: Exploring East and South East Asian Identity in Britain is out now! Order here. 

Pistasj er sååå 2024! Å, spiser du det fortsatt? Så teit du er!Vi prater om mattrendene som regjerte i 2024, og vi spår de nye for 2025. Er det i år vi skal bli helt ekstatiske for en ny nøtt? Vi blir også kjent med Emily, ett av de nye Umami-medlemmene, og vi tester matnyhetene for 2025 (HINT: PROTEINBONANZA!!!!!). Av og med: Emily Ceesay, Ellen Mangen og Anne Kristin Villar Sundal. 

Liebe Leute, sorry für die Verzögerung. Janny war krank und alles war etwas schwierig. Dafür gibt es einen wilden Ritt durch die Geschichte des Herzhaften. Wir fermentieren uns eine schöne Flasche Garum zusammen und stellen nach und nach Vegimite, Maggi, Worcestershiresauce und Dashi ins Regal, bis es dem japanischen Chemiker gelingt, Rezeptoren für den würzigen, herzhaften Geschmack dieser Lebensmittel zu identifizieren, diese schmecken das sogenannte "Umami".Zu guter letzt räumen wir noch mit dem Mythos vom Chinese Restaurant Syndrome und der große Anthony Bourdain kommt auch noch mal zu Wort. Quellenauswahl:What is Umami  https://www.umamiinfo.com/what/whatisumami/'Chinese Restaurant Syndrome' - what is it and is it racist? Lasst es euch schmecken, bis in zwei Wochen!Mehr musikalischen Kontext zu unseren Folgen findet Ihr hier auf Spotify:Den aktuellen Popkultur-Kontext und viele andere Videos gibt es in dieser Playlist:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpIAKV0OMYQ&list=PLZgnFFgLv7g-AoQi_9mRgbVrLrpVqXUKPSupport the show

Tonight, settle in as we explore the fascinating world of Vegemite and the science of umami. From its humble Australian beginnings to its reputation as a salty, savory spread, Vegemite has sparked both love and debate. But what exactly makes it so uniquely flavorful? That's where umami—the so-called “fifth taste”—comes in. Join us as we unravel the chemistry behind umami and its presence in foods worldwide. Whether you're a fan of Vegemite or just here for the sleepy facts, this episode is sure to satisfy your curiosity (and hopefully send you off to dreamland). Want more sleepy content? Visit icantsleeppodcast.com for more episodes and ad-free listening. Want More? • Request a topic: icantsleeppodcast.com/request-a-topic • Listen ad-free & support the show: icantsleep.supportingcast.fm • Shop sleep-friendly products: icantsleeppodcast.com/sponsors This content is derived from the Wikipedia articles on Vegemite and Umami, available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) license. Read the full articles: Wikipedia - Vegemite | Wikipedia - Umami. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Her hafta Canlı Yayında sinema ve televizyon gündemini konuşuyoruz, ilgimizi çeken konuları tartışıyoruz.00:00 | Giriş15:35 | Umami24:40 | Hard Truths 28:20 | Better Man33:45 | Mussolini: Son of the Century39:20 | The White Lotus - 3. Sezon (Zeynep Ocak N'aber Sinema'da)1:28:50 | 21.Yüzyılın En İyi TV Performansları2:25:55 | Tilda Swinton'ın Berlinale Konuşması2:36:50 | Sebastian Stan Sevmek İçin Bir Neden Daha2:40:15 | Brian Cox'tan Kevin Spacey'e Destek2:51:10 | Critics Choice Kazananları 2:54:25 | The Odyssey'den Yeni Haberler2:57:25 | Scorsese'den Radu Jude'ye Övgü2:59:30 | Ridley Scott'ın Yeni Filmi3:01:40 | Fennell'ın Wuthering Heights Uyarlamasından ilk Görsel3:03:40 | Anton Corbijn Geri Dönüyor3:05:25 | Çin'den Gişe Canavarı Bir Animasyon 3:14:10 | Ev Köşesi: Sahip Olmaktan Memnun Olduğumuz Şeyler 3:18:45 | Severance 2. Sezon 5. Bölüm 3:35:05 | Haftanın Klasiği: Sex, Lies and Videotape (1989)

Chinese takeaways are a national institution in the UK, and have also - for many years now - been the frontline where public understanding of MSG comes to a head. Angela Hui, whose book Takeaway has shone a light on life growing up behind the counter, and her mum, Jin Tian, spend a day with Lucy and Anna; showing them around their home town in South Wales, then Jin Tian's garden and home kitchen, while considering and dispelling the prevalent stereotypes around British Chinese takeaway food. Takeaway: Stories from a Childhood Behind the Counter is out now in paperback, available from all good book shops. In To Be Delicious, Dr Anna Sulan Masing explores MSG - and more broadly umami - through the lens of East and South East Asian food heritage and diaspora food culture in the UK. From fritters to instant ramen, fermentation to takeaways, these five episodes open out the conversation around MSG and find a breadth of new ways for us to think about its usage within cooking, and its importance within cultural heritage. Credits: Hosted by @annasulan Produced by @dearlovelucy & @annasulan Original theme music by @midorijaeger Podcast artwork by @npl_illustration Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions. The series is completely editorially independent and was made possible, along with Anna's wider research, by support from the European Committee for Umami and Ajinomoto. Anna's book, Chinese and Any Other Asian: Exploring East and South East Asian Identity in Britain is out now! Order here. 

(00:55) Imagine walking into a kitchen filled with the irresistible aromas of homemade soups, breads, and jams, where the warmth of the environment makes you feel right at home. That's exactly the experience Jessica and Meghan have created at Batch LLC in Saxonburg, a haven for small-batch food enthusiasts. (14:57) With a strong focus on community over competition, these dynamic entrepreneurs have not only delighted taste buds but also fostered a vibrant local scene by supporting fellow makers. You'll hear about their fascinating journey, from their initial meeting over shared passions to building a successful business that epitomizes Saxonburg's entrepreneurial spirit.(31:01) This episode also takes you to the inviting atmosphere of Umami in Lawrenceville, for a special occasion meal, to the average Tuesday, it's sure to satisfy your culinary cravings. And finally, we do some batch cooking at home, with listener Jeff B's hearty beef stew. Join us as we celebrate the spirit of entrepreneurship, community, and, above all, the love of food that brings us together.Support the showLiked the episode? We'd love a coffee!

Emre Şahin'in yönetmen koltuğunda oturduğu Umami, 12 Şubat'ta Disney+'ta izleyiciyle buluşuyor. Filmin yönetmeni Emre Şahin ve başrol oyuncuları Öykü Karayel, Burak Deniz ile Osman Sonant, T24'te Muammer Brav'la Ekşın'ın konuğu oldu.Video

AKA infinite ways with a packet of instant noodles. Georgina Quach, a journalist and archivist, makes her personalised ramen for Anna and Lucy, and considers the importance of comfort in the food she makes, as well as how her Vietnamese heritage informs the savoury flavours she uses in her cooking. Chef and Chinese food creator Chin Taylor reflects on assumptions of how takeaway food is made and how they affect people's perceptions of the work that goes into it – and how MSG fits into this. Chef and author Tim Anderson talks about dashi, and fermentation expert and food scientist Dr Johnny Drain goes deeper on the science behind why umami is so important in a water-based cuisine like Japan's. And SongSoo Kim, head of sourcing and development at the restaurant group Super 8, talks about the complexity of umami. In To Be Delicious, Dr Anna Sulan Masing explores MSG - and more broadly umami - through the lens of East and South East Asian food heritage and diaspora food culture in the UK. From fritters to instant ramen, fermentation to takeaways, these five episodes open out the conversation around MSG and find a breadth of new ways for us to think about its usage within cooking, and its importance within cultural heritage. Credits: Hosted by @annasulan Produced by @dearlovelucy & @annasulan Original theme music by @midorijaeger Podcast artwork by @npl_illustration Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions. The series is completely editorially independent and was made possible, along with Anna's wider research, by support from the European Committee for Umami and Ajinomoto. Anna's book, Chinese and Any Other Asian: Exploring East and South East Asian Identity in Britain is out now! Order here. 

Bollesending, bby! Vi har vert på Espa og testet ut bollene der. Som vist nok skal være verdens beste, men er de det? Vi har med oss Karen fra TBP! Det blir snakket om boller og smakt på bolle og det testes BOLLEMELK en spesialitet fra Amund:)Av og med: Amund Glad Østensen, Anne Kristin Villar Sundal (teknikk), Ellen Mangen, Karen Nitoiu (gjest)   

For thousands of years, there have been four basic tastes recognized across cultures. But thanks to Kumiko Ninomiya (a.k.a. the Umami Mama), scientists finally accepted a fifth. Could there be even more? (First published in 2022.) Guests: Kumiko Ninomiya, biochemist and former director of the Umami Information Center; Gary Beauchamp, former director of the Monell Chemical Senses Center; Sarah Tracy, historian of science; Camilla Arndal Andersen, neuroscientist; Paul Breslin, professor at Rutgers University For show transcripts, go to vox.com/unxtranscripts For more, go to vox.com/unexplainable And please email us! unexplainable@vox.com We read every email. Support Unexplainable by becoming a Vox Member today: vox.com/members Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Casi desde que tengo memoria en las manos —es decir, desde que empecé a hacer manualidades y cualquiera de esas actividades artísticas y divertidas de la niñez— he tenido una curiosidad por el buen gusto. Obviamente que quizás no desde un primer momento, pero progresivamente mientras fui creciendo, me llamaba mucho la atención saber en dónde, particularmente, se aprende a tenerlo. Estás escuchando la versión en audio de mi newsletter, como una suerte de experimento en donde aprendo y pongo a prueba el traducir contenido míxtico de esta manera. Para leer la entrada completa y conocer los links de las recomendaciones usa este link ⁠bit.ly/40VVzMg⁠ Escrito, narrado y editado por ⁠Gabi Chestrada⁠ Publicada el 1 de febrero 2025

MiMi Aye, a Burmese chef and cookbook author, has used MSG in her cooking for as long as she can remember. While preparing a meal for Anna and Lucy, she reflects on her processes in the kitchen, and how a misinformed narrative around the ingredient has impacted her personally. Also featuring insight into umami from Dr Kumiko Ninomiya of the Umami Information Center, and reflections on MSG 20 years on from his original Observer Food Monthly article about it from investigative journalist Alex Renton. In To Be Delicious, Dr Anna Sulan Masing explores MSG - and more broadly umami - through the lens of East and South East Asian food heritage and diaspora food culture in the UK. From fritters to instant ramen, fermentation to takeaways, these five episodes open out the conversation around MSG and find a breadth of new ways for us to think about its usage within cooking, and its importance within cultural heritage. Credits: Hosted by @annasulan Produced by @dearlovelucy & @annasulan Original theme music by @midorijaeger Podcast artwork by @npl_illustration Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions. The series is completely editorially independent and was made possible, along with Anna's wider research, by support from the European Committee for Umami and Ajinomoto. Anna's book, Chinese and Any Other Asian: Exploring East and South East Asian Identity in Britain is out in February. Pre order now. 

Taco min gamle venn, du som er der på fredagen, kommer igjen. KjærlighetELSKER Tro.Al pastorCuntyOstAv og med: Amalie Felix, Amalie Ingela Aaser, Ragnhild Nyhammer, Thien Quang Le

The brand new Lecker mini series launches Friday 31st January. In To Be Delicious, Dr Anna Sulan Masing explores MSG - and more broadly umami - through the lens of East and South East Asian food heritage and diaspora food culture in the UK. From fritters to instant ramen, fermentation to takeaways, these five episodes open out the conversation around MSG and find a breadth of new ways for us to think about its usage within cooking, and its importance within cultural heritage. Credits: Hosted by @annasulan Produced by @dearlovelucy & @annasulan Original theme music by @midorijaeger Podcast artwork by @npl_illustration The series is completely editorially independent and was made possible, along with Anna's wider research, by support from the European Committee for Umami and Ajinomoto.

HOLD DERE FAST, PASS PÅ OG TILKALL FORESATTE. I dagens episode av SK (Skumma Kultur) snakker nemlig  Nora Broby-Bergem, Eivind Flatval Reintz og Stian Henriksen om HATTER som ny trend i BYBILDET, serietips, ny episode av Stians streamingRAGE!!! Og vær så vær så vær så snill og send oss nye trender i BYBILDET på SK (Skumma Kultur) på instagram. @skummakultur!!!!!! Ny trend i bybildet!Stian tok teknikken, det var fett.

Ich kann von hier aus nicht erkennen, wo Sie stehen oder wo ich Euch bei diesem Thema abhole, ob Ihr regelmäßig auf den Social Media-Plattformen unterwegs seid, aktiv oder passiv, und auch, wenn es sicherlich viel zu bemängeln gibt, gibt es doch vieles zu entdecken. Mir ging es z.B. so mit unserem heutigen Gast. Bestimmt 3 Jahre ist es her, da entdeckte ich den höchst erfolgreichen und lehrreichen Account „Rosakochtgruen“ von Rosa Roderigo, die in Düsseldorf zur Welt kam, in Neuss aufwuchs und albanische und vietnamesische Wurzeln hat. Nach einer klassischen Konditorenausbildung in Köln und der Arbeit in einer Schokoladenfabrik - ja, ich weiß, das Thema steht natürlich auch gleich am Anfang unseres Gesprächs - besuchte sie die Meisterschule und begann 2020, wir erinnern uns, das Jahr der Pandemie, Koch-Videos zu drehen, auf ihre Art, enthusiastisch, niedrigschwellig und doch höchst inspirierend. Rosa hat zahlreiche Fans, ihr Kochbuch ist voller Ideen und Erklärungen. In unserem Gespräch verrät sie ein paar Tricks, ich meine - Wassermelone vom Grill als Fleischdouble? Hammer. Sofort ausprobieren. Wir sprechen über Rosenkohl, Pancakes, das Wundermittel Apfelessig, geräuchertes Paprika-Pulver, Umami und Misopaste, Hefeflocken (wieder so ein Trick) und vieles mehr. Los, wir gehen jetzt zu Rosa. *** WERBUNG Toast Hawaii wird unterstützt von dmBio, die Bio-Lebensmittelmarke von dm-drogerie markt. Ganz nach dem Motto „Natürlich lecker erleben“ bietet dmBio mit mehr als 550 Produkten eine vielfältige Auswahl – von leckeren Snacks für zwischendurch bis hin zu original italienischen Tomatensaucen. Haben auch Sie eine dmBio-Geschichte, die im Podcast erzählt werden soll? Dann schreiben Sie uns gerne unter rustberlin@icloud.com ÖKO-Kontrollstelle: DE-ÖKO-007

M: 7. E: 7.

René Frank ist einer der renommiertesten und am häufigsten ausgezeichneten Patissiers der Welt. Seine Bekanntheit verdankt er seiner innovativen Interpretation von Desserts, die Gäste in seinem Restaurant CODA Dessert Dining in Berlin erleben können. Dort serviert er außergewöhnliche Patisserie-Kreationen in einem einzigartigen Konzept: Desserts ohne weißen Zucker. Vielmehr arbeitet er die natürliche Süße der Produkte heraus. Dazu kommen perfekt abgestimmte Weine, die jedoch, bis auf eine Ausnahme, zwischen den insgesamt 15 Gängen getrunken werden Die Speisen sind „nicht-binär“, soll bedeuten: Nicht richtig süß, aber auch nicht herzhaft. Dafür aber ganz viel Umami – ein Ansatz, der seinesgleichen sucht! Diese Folge ist eine sehr besondere: Das erste Mal bestimmt der Gast nicht nur das Wein-Thema, Nein! - Er bringt sogar alle drei Weine selber mit, überrascht mit einem ganz besonderen Sake und entführt die Jungs anschließend mit Kaviar wieder in die „Flavour-Pairing“ Welt. René Frank wurde mehrfach zum „Patissier des Jahres“ gekürt, erhielt 2022 den Feinschmecker Gastro Award und wurde im selben Jahr von „The World's 50 Best“ als weltbester Patissier ausgezeichnet. 2019 verlieh ihm der Guide Michelin seinen ersten Stern für das Coda und seit 2020 trägt das Restaurant sogar zwei Sterne. Er kocht ohne raffinierten Zucker und verzichtet auch privat fast komplett auf weißen Zucker. Eine Ausnahme machte René in der Kindheit bei den Dampfnudeln oder der Donauwelle seiner Großmutter. Heute erlaubt er sich höchstens ein Gummibärchen, das er zehn Minuten lang genießt. Aufgewachsen im Allgäu, zog René Frank kurz nach seiner Ausbildung zum Koch hinaus in die Welt und machte sich als Patissier einen Namen. Von der Stuttgarter Zirbelstube aus führte ihn sein Weg über Spanien, Frankreich, die Schweiz bis nach Japan. Über 20 Jahre arbeitete er in den renommiertesten Häusern der Welt und lernte von den Besten. Er ist nicht nur ein Meister der Patisserie, sondern auch ein trainierter Katsuobushi-Experte. Als Sohn einer Müllersfamilie spielte Essen, Kochen und Backen schon früh eine zentrale Rolle in seinem Leben. Er beschreibt seine Kindheit wie ein ständiges Leben in einem Restaurant, obwohl es in der Familie nie eines gab. Seine Leidenschaft begann mit einem kleinen elektrischen Puppenherd, den er regelrecht „durchkochte“. Seinen Traum, Koch zu werden, hatte er immer vor Augen – es gab für ihn keine Alternative. Die Patisserie, die keine Fehler verzeiht, ist für ihn die perfekte Herausforderung. Was sonst noch passiert: - Thomas fragt sich wieso der Podcast eigentlich bei uns im Studio aufgezeichnet wird und nicht im Coda. - Neues Qualitätsniveau erreicht: René bringt Kaviar und eine private Natur-Auslese m - Die Weinprinzessin scheint die Neujahrsvorsätze, keine Vorsätze zu haben mit Bravur umzusetzen. - Dietmar, auch bekannt als Stasi-Horcicka, hat wohl ein paar „Kreuzberger Nächte“ im Coda verbracht. „Woher weiß der das alles immer?“ - Renés Weine sind perfekt für den Podcast ausgesucht: Entweder es gab ihn auf Thomas' Hochzeit, Dietmar hatte ihn bereits dabei oder er war Mittelpunkt des „Frank Buchholz Skandals“ in Folge 32. - Gegen Renés Kaviar „stinkt“ Sebastians Käseplatte etwas ab. Die Weine der Folge: 2022 Maximin Grünhäuser Abtsberg Riesling Superior, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer https://www.bremer-weinkolleg.de/maximin-gruenhaus/abtsberg-riesling-superior-feinherb/904023-2022 Pettenthal 2023 Natur-Auslese 2010 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel - Joh. Jos. Prüm, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer https://www.weinart.de/2010-graacher-himmelreich-riesling-auslese-goldkapsel-368 Sake: Prince Nagaya – The Golden Sake Lost to Time https://princenagaya.com/ Der „Kaviar der Folge“: Sturia Oscietra Caviar - Frankreich https://de.foiegras-groliere.com/le-caviar/223-caviar-sturia-oscietre.html Reserviert Euch hier einen Tisch im CODA BERLIN: https://coda-berlin.com/ Mehr von René Frank: https://www.rene-frank.de/ Instagram: https:/

It's a new year, and Paul is excited for the Masters of the Universe film in production, but Jared Leto as Skeletor?! Jacob watches New Year's Rockin' Eve, finding the local Las Vegas spots hilarious. At a party, Matt and the kids make it to midnight, but now Matt's behind on chores. Enjoy a New Year's pretzel and a peanut butter…carrot?

Here we are with Umami House, a band that moved from DC to NY to create curated food and music experiences. We will get to hear more about how the band formed, what made them interested in creating a potluck music experience for their friends, and what made them decide to move to the Big Apple. We will also get to hear more about what have been some exciting, challenging, and very great experiences that Umami House has created--from even a sushi curated music experience. Umami House will be performing at Mercury Lounge with Lillimure on December 15th and we will wrap up the episode hearing more about their launches and endeavors in 2025 with releases.

Send us a textThis week we meet Kaki Okumura a Japanese wellness author and illustrator currently living in New York.  Her online blogs inspire hundreds of thousands of views each month and she's been published in many US publications including TedXGateway!So this week, why not get inspired to borrow the best bits from the Japanese diet and lifestyle and learn how to incoporate them into your own life with minimal effort.Kaki helps us understand . . . Why convenience cooking and healthy cooking are not mutually exclusive How to effortlessly embrace healthier foods and put meals together Why Japanese women seem to breeze through midlifeHow we can embrace menopause and getting older and why there is no need to resist ageing  Why physical, spiritual and emotional repair only happens when we slow down and take time to make order out of chaos and reconsider what's meaningful to usWhy having that Umami taste can really help you to eat healthier foodsWhy the Japanese are such foodiesThe importance of a curious mindsetWhy Japanese food is less reliant on heavy flavours and heavy oilsTips on moderation and portion controlTips on how to start your day rightHow to cultivate an environment to induce feeling of empowerment and energy I'm sure after hearing this podcast you're going to want to sign up to Kaki's newsletter and read her book - if so you'll find all the links below Book: Wa The Art of Balance: Live Healthier, Happier and Longer the Japanese way.   https://tinyurl.com/5n7umrv2         or the US Amazon linkhttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B457N55P?tag=randohouseinc7986-20Medium: https://kokumura.medium.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kakikata.space/Newsletter sign-up: https://kakikata.ck.page/Amanda Ryder Registered Nutritional Therapist ~ Author of Feel good for Menopause @amandarydernutritionhello@amandaryder.co.ukwww.amandaryder.co.uk

Freezing mushrooms is an effective way to preserve their flavor and texture for later use. There are a few quick cooking methods that are best when prepping mushrooms to be frozen. We discuss these techniques and much more. It's important to know that mushrooms are also a key source of umami. The alluring savory fifth taste alongside sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. This umami flavor is due to natural glutamates in mushrooms, which enhance the depth and richness of dishes. Understanding this correlation helps cooks use mushrooms to boost flavor profiles in various recipes, making them a treasured ingredient across the culinary enterprise.

Our guest is Ririko Tatsumi who is the founder of Annn based in New York.  Annn is truly a unique concept.  Traditional Japanese sweets are called Wagashi.  One of Wagashi's key ingredients is An, or Anko, a bean paste made with different kinds of beans from red, and white to green.  Not just colors, their flavors are diverse and it is fun to discover how simple beans can create rich flavors in Japanese sweets.  That is why Ririko decided to introduce the charm of An to a global audience in the modern American context. In this episode, we will discuss what An is, what types of An you can enjoy, how traditional An can be creative in the context of global sweet recipes and much, much more!!!

Insults, Felix and Ash Men. In 25 parts, edited from the works of FinalStand. Listen and subscribe to the ► Podcast at Connected.. “Caring is a curse you dare not go without.” Saint Marie opened the door and went in with me following along. The meeting was in process. We were flashed concerned looks for multiple reasons; Pony-Goddess Saint Marie in her sports bra and boy shorts, me in biker pants, biking shoes and nothing else, and me being late. Katrina gave the two of us a momentary notice then proceeded with her meeting. "Katrina," Saint Marie interrupted. Katrina responded with an icy stare. "You are interrupting; make it quick," Katrina stated calmly. "Then I'll wait until you finish," Saint Marie responded with her own false politeness. She randomly meandered around Katrina's office making a nuisance of herself. I resumed my place in the line-up in time to get my work-review from Katrina. I rocked at my job. Apparently I was purloining corporate resources for a prototype gravity device that would crash the Moon into the Earth. My crime was that my project was over-budget; oh yeah, and I'd end all life on Earth. "Cáel, I am unsure if I should order you to work harder, or not to try so hard," Katrina worried. "First off, I apologize for being late and under-dressed today. I meant no disrespect and I have no excuse. I'm being stabbed repeatedly with a knife at three o'clock if that helps?" I offered. "Really?" Katrina arched an eyebrow. "Really," I confirmed. "Then I get to carry around one of those cool knives like the rest of this merry band here." "My breast implants; I'm going for a respectable 'B'; go in next Wednesday. Two weeks later and I'm off to Denmark to get my 'franks and beans' cut-off and tucked," I tried to sound serious. "A few hair extensions and I'll be one of the team for real," I grinned. "Katrina, why do you put up with this?" Saint Marie seethed. "Saint Marie, it is not your station to question me, or my orders," Katrina countered. "Still, a lesson is in order." "Daphne, do you like working with Cáel?" Katrina regarded her female 'new hire'. "He is more than funny; and very attractive," Daphne responded. "He provides insight into life that a normal Amazon wouldn't have access to. He instructs with humor and bravery in equal measure." "Fabiola?" "He is a waste of resources best put elsewhere," Fabiola insisted. "He is a source of dissension. We would be better training him and others like him to replace our diseased stock." I took some small level of comfort that the other 'new' hires were almost as offended as I was, though I couldn't show it. "Tigger?" "He was a vessel for the will of our ancestors," she replied. "What more proof do we need that he is necessary around here?" "Does anyone have anything different to add?" Katrina gazed over the others. No one spoke. "That's why (dead word spoken) Saint Marie," Katrina assumed a dark goddess-like aura. "Now apologize." "Apologize for questioning you?" Saint Marie snorted. "Hardly. You are using my people and my facilities to train a male in a manner not approved of by the Council." "I have Hayden's permission, but feel free to follow your convictions," Katrina nodded. "You have a daughter in outdoor training right now, Saint Marie. It would be utterly tragic if she experienced a crippling injury," Katrina sighed. "You wouldn't dare," Saint Marie took a few steps toward Katrina who stood up from her desk. "Dare? Hayden and I have tolerated your intransigence until now," Katrina glared. "Keep to your beliefs. Now you know the cost of standing in the way of progress," Katrina continued. "We cannot afford to remove you, but we can end your counter-productive thinking at this generation." "When the Council finds out you've overstepped your bounds it will be the end of you," Saint Marie kept coming. "We are a dying people, Saint Marie. Hayden and I are willing to kill as many of you as necessary so that our daughters will have daughters of their own," Katrina stated. "If you want to see who is truly overstepping, recall our oaths. We obey the High Priestess, the Council, our Houses and our duties. I am the Spear in Night and Death. You are the Golden Mare." "You wage war upon our many enemies. I ferret them out, within and beyond our society," Katrina educated us. "If I determine an Amazon is an enemy, I bring their name to Hayden for a final adjudication of the Ancestors. If the Ancestors deny you, then I must remove the enemy. You know how that goes." "My daughter is not the enemy," Saint Marie spat. "That is not our place to decide," Katrina gave a feral grin. "You should have been an Augur if you wanted that kind of knowledge. Besides, neither you nor your daughter are under sentence of death. She can live a long full life without an eye; or an arm." Saint Marie fidgeted, contemplating violence. "Everyone, but Cáel leave," Katrina ordered. Saint Marie was staying as clearly intended. After Dora shut the door, Katrina added, "Touch my male again, and I'll do something worse to you." "What I do to a male shouldn't matter," Saint Marie growled. "The New Directive matters to us all and I think Cáel Nyilas will be the only one to pass the first round of the program, so Hayden thinks he matters; as do I," Katrina glared right back. "He hit me," Saint Marie grumbled. "After you grabbed his jaw like you would an unruly child," Katrina countered. "He was a rebellious male," Copper Horse chick kept coming. "Saint Marie, where did you confront him? It wasn't a basket weaving class; it was a firing range," Katrina sighed in exasperation. "Cáel being on the range was the reason you came here. Why did you manhandle him?" A pregnant pause followed. "I was an hour late so I missed his practice time," Saint Marie admitted. "Cáel, I blame you," Katrina looked my way. "Yes Ma'am; Katrina," I nodded. What did I do now? "Cáel's presence makes normally controlled, rational women act in an abnormal fashion," Katrina informed Saint Marie. "I prefer to believe that than think we are incapable of accepting a lone outsider male amongst us," Katrina added. "If we treat him the way we treated our old male population we would be perpetuating our mistakes. He doesn't submit because that was the type of male we selected. Why is he learning how to fight? That should be obvious to you." "Care to enlighten me?" I requested. "No," the two women replied. Ah, what the fuck. "That's okay. I figured it out," I shrugged. "I was checking to see if I warranted the truth." Katrina put her face into her upraised hands. She may have wept a single tear. "You know nothing," Saint Marie stated dismissively. "He knows enough," Katrina shook her head. "Who would have told him?" Saint Marie looked back to Katrina suspiciously. "Why don't you ask him?" Katrina chuckled. Saint Marie turned back to me. "Was it Katrina?" Saint Marie threatened. "No and no 'one' person. It was two unrelated slip-ups by two unrelated Amazons," I said. "One referenced a previous time when the Amazons let men bear arms, which led to disaster. The other was the use of the term 'Ash Men' as a positive moniker." "That's all I know. I suspect there was a time when the Amazons let down their guard and allowed men to be equals, or semi-equals, in their society. There was a rebellion that left a bitter taste on the Amazon racial psyche. Somehow the Ash Men played a positive role in Amazon society. For some reason, you exterminated them," I concluded. Saint Marie flinched. "Why do you say that?" she studied me. "They are not around today and you are all hateful psychopaths," I explained. "Again, you know nothing," Saint Marie insisted. "Katrina, unless you are not finished insulting my intelligence, can I use your bathroom so that I can get dressed and go to work?" I looked at my boss. "Insult to your intelligence duly noted. When you are finished, report to Medical. They want to test a variety of gene-therapies on you," Katrina told me. I stumbled and stared. Katrina laughed. "Get to work." From the bathroom, I heard Saint Marie question Katrina. "Is he afraid of Medical, or is he worried about being a test subject?" she posed. "Neither; he's surprised that he had his job explained to him before he actually got there. It has never happened before," Katrina replied. "You send him on missions without him knowing what he's going to be doing?" Saint Marie grunted. "Yes. It makes him think on his feet," Katrina noted. "That is probably why his work is so substandard," Saint Marie remarked. "Cáel's work is not substandard. He may be the best new hire in the batch. I give him crappy reviews to keep him on his toes," Katrina snickered. "He knows what I'm doing, but he still keeps trying harder despite that," Katrina sounded amused. "Cáel is one of the few joys in my life; and if he doesn't finish getting dressed in the next 30 seconds I'm going to assign him to babysitting Marilynn at the hospital next." I hoped out of Katrina's bathroom; mostly dressed. "Is Marilynn okay?" I worried. "I didn't get the call last night, but I never imagined anything bad happened to her." Saint Marie appeared confused. "Someone gave her a bad drugs and she nearly overdosed," Katrina brought me up to date. "That is where Desiree is. Now go to work." Off I went. "He is enamored of Marilynn St. James?" I caught Saint Marie inquiring. "Oh no," Katrina answered. "He has rather a low opinion of her, but Cáel would run into a burning ammo dump to save Constanza. He is stupidly enchanting that way." I had one last hurdle. There were the 'new' hires talking with Felix. They were captured in his orbit and he was having a blast soaking up the attention. He was making real inroads with the ladies but he missed a fundamental aspect of his environment; who hunted who. "Cáel," Felix parted the women as he came my way. "How did you do last night? Didn't you and Gina hook-up? I'm done with her, so it isn't like you'd be poaching," he grinned. I sensed the emotional tidal shift. "Nah, both Gina and I were of the opinion you dumped her to have a one-night stand with Brooke, break her heart then toss her back to me," I shrugged. Felix glared. This wasn't how the 'game' was played. Where was my outrage? "Are you going to take her back?" Felix went all alpha-predator on me. Bad move. The only predators around here had to have tits; bulging pectorals didn't count. "If you do, go easy on her. She's sore," he kept grinning like the wolf he was. "Besides," he fished something flimsy and back out of his pocket, "he can return these to her." He tossed me Brooke's panties from last night. In Havenstone, Brooke was a 'nobody'; an outsider. She didn't matter. Felix taking a trophy from a woman did matter. I was different because I knew the score. Felix didn't have that luxury. I actually held them up, displaying Brooke's rather daring choice in evening lingerie. A little bit of education was in order. "Pretty clever; the old hiding the panties trick so you can exhibit them later," I chuckled. "I use it to get a call back. You clearly get off on mailing them to her parents, boyfriend, or husband as if having sex with you wasn't humiliation enough." Felix moved to the very edge of my personal space. "Now you are being a poor sport," he sneered. "What do you mean?" I remained cool. "I went over to Brooke's this morning. We critiqued your sexual performance. She found you truly impressive; just a little weak down the closing stretch." "She said that to make you feel less inadequate," Felix reposed. "Nah; she said that so she could have sex with me," I sighed. "I fought her off as long as I could, but she wrestled me down and rode me like the pony express. If you wore her out; well; ah, she recovers quickly and vigorously." "You are so full of shit," he laughed. "You got a pity fuck. Accept it." "Think what you will," I smirked. "I left her smiling. You left her in tears and isn't the woman's pleasure what it is all about?" Pandering to my audience. "I agree," Felix took back in his surroundings. Nice recovery except for; "So that's why you stole Brooke's panties and chose to publicly hurl them at me," I met his gaze, the bastard, "because she matters; most?" Felix could feel the room temperature dropping by the Kelvin. "It is how the game is played," he snarled. He was starting to clue in that things had gone wrong. How had they gone wrong? For starters, the only Alphas allowed in Havenstone didn't have dicks. Treating women, even outsider women, as if they were game pieces on a male's only board wouldn't wash here. I had coughed up the name of every woman I'd ever had intercourse with; but that was for the job, not for general consumption. Felix, by idiotically seducing all the new hires in Executive Services had showed them EXACTLY what he thought of them; outsider women to be taken as prizes. Reference the Greeks in the Trojan War for how the Amazons felt about that. This was not sympathy for world-wide femininity. This was terrorists attacking a school. When the Amazons found those terrorists, they killed them; not to save outsider children, but because the terrorist were fucking dangerous. Since Felix treated all women like trophies and conquest, he, by definition, would treat Amazon women the same way. Good job, Pinhead. Felix was a pretty smart guy. He finally realized I'd kicked his ass without lifting a finger. Felix couldn't figure out why he'd lost, only that he'd lost. Then we were back to Felix being the man who always has to win. He couldn't let go. He couldn't let me have my moment and depart in peace. This was made all the worse for I was the Bumpkin; the guy he'd dissed from Day One. "I guess I need to have another go at Brooke to set the record straight," Felix hissed quietly. "I'll make it easy on you," I laughed loudly. "I am tired of you hiding behind my acquaintances to get at me. I have a friend coming over at 5:10 pm, so give me an hour and I'll meet you on the mats." "Why should I?" he sneered. "What's on the line?" "Normally I fight for a cause, even if it is my own self-respect. I'm making an exception in your case; I'll fight you solely to kick your ass. Just cause you are a lousy human being. I know you are because I'm one too. Fight, or cluck; your choice." "I'll fight you," he smiled confidently. "I'll break you for everyone to see and then I'll take that luscious blonde." I had to laugh. "Good luck with that," I chuckled. I could see it now. Felix: 'You are now my prize'; Elsa: 'You are now in Intensive Care'. Woot! I couldn't lose.  (Somewhere in the midst of this nightmare, Cáel needs to earn a paycheck) Felix had the physical confrontation he wanted. Somewhere in the back of my mind was that I had to do something inane yet again; like consumer test Ginsu Spatulas, or the equivalent. Felix noted the open hostility directed his way, but had neither the knowledge, nor the empathy to give a fuck. The elevator closed on his smug face. Work time. "That didn't take you long at all," Saint Marie chortled from behind me. I jolted. "If I wasn't doing this, I'd be hand-feeding polar bears, so cut me some slack," I groaned. "I was under the impression that your pugnacity was more of a defense mechanism, not male bravado," Saint Marie probed. "I am as much surprised as you are about this. I don't even like the girl involved. I've never fought over a woman before, but Felix used that woman to get at me; ineffectively," I mused. "My emotions don't; you don't want to be hearing any of this, do you?" "No," Saint Marie said. I stared at her. She stared at me. "Yes?" "Have you ever done any bikini wrestling?" I blurted out. She blinked. "Gotta go. Work to do," and I fled. In the elevator I recognized one of the ladies from International Finance though I didn't know her name. "What happened to your face?" she asked. "Do you know who the Golden Mare is?" I replied. She nodded very respectfully. "Well, she hit me." The woman studied me. "I guess I shouldn't have hit her first." "You hit (dead word spoken) Saint Marie?" She gulped. "I'm stunned you are still alive." "You and me both," I sighed. "I'm starting to regret suggesting she take up bikini wrestling." Blink. "Tell me about it. I was looking into her eyes and that was the first thing to come to mind," I shrugged. "I repeat, I'm stunned you are still alive," she shook her head. "What do you mean? I think she'd look good in a bikini," I stated. The door opened to Medical. "Have a good day at work now," I smiled. "I'm off to crush marbles with a sledgehammer." My real job was to be a genetic guinea pig. I had to sit naked on a gurney and let them take blood and tissues samples. The sperm sample was fun. First I insisted that I'd been in a fight earlier in the morning and my elbows weren't up to the job. After confirming this, they had some poor 'new hire' jack me off. I held out as long as I could, to the point she gave me a blowjob; her first. Sadly, when senior medical technician informed her of the extinction of her oral virginity, they were both less than pleased yours truly. I reminded them that I didn't shoot off into her mouth, or anything so crude. Next I informed them of a little known fact that my first ejaculate of the day (no mention of Brooke by me) was sterile and we had to repeat the process. No such luck. Damn microscopes. To prove I was a lousy patient, I feigned a collapse and a lack of breathing. I didn't grapple with my CPR specialist. I very slowly and tenderly wrapped her up in my embrace. I told her that at the moment of utter darkness, her heartbeat brought me back to the light. I was a the point of penetration when a real doctor showed up and pulled the struggling Physician's Assistant away; she hadn't finished saving me, the young Amazon protested. At this point the team threatened to give me a sedative. I responded with 'is it chemical, or a blow to the head'. They smiled and said they'd give me both if I misbehaved again. My counter-offer was a request for some Neapolitan ice cream. They conceded the issue, I got my ice cream and stopped being a jack-ass. At 11:30 am, the first battery of tests concluded. As we were wrapping up, I asked why I had to be naked for the entire thing. They stared at me. Strangely, the Amazon who had prepped me for this nonsense had made herself scarce. Damn it. The doctors then gleefully informed me that I had to be naked for the second half of the test, after lunch. I asked why. They smiled. Bitches. As I was fixing my tie, my phone rang. "Hello, Android Cáel Nyilas here," I answered. There was some giggling; Brooke. "Hey, Android Cáel, this is flesh and blood Brooke Lee," she snickered. Man, I had turned her around emotionally in only a few hours. Screw Felix. "Have you eaten lunch yet?" she asked. I bit back my automatic response; asking if she was on the menu. We'd talked about Libra as I was leaving this morning. "You, me and Libra?" I suggested. Brooke put her hand over the phone; the dearth of background noise was the giveaway. "She may not want to see you," Brooke hedged. That meant Libra was listening in. "We talked about this earlier, Brooke," I sighed. "I want a chance to at least talk with her." Not totally false. I wanted to fuck her again. That necessitated some amount of conversation so I was willing to put forth the ergs of energy. "I'll make the effort," Brooke promised. Making Libra a deal-breaker might have been sugar-coated chocolate for Libra. It would have also made them both suspicious of my suspicions. "Please do your best," I said. "Where do you want meet?" "My place?" she teased. "Libra plus I would only have forty-five minutes with you, which is not nearly enough time," I reminded her. Sex. "Libra doesn't have to know," Brooke was now pressing Libra's buttons. "We are not going to go there," I insisted. They didn't own me and I didn't own them. We were bantering back and forth, playing with sexual innuendo of the relationship kind. A good aphrodisiac is a woman thinking you are foregoing sex with another woman to have sex with her. Best of all (for me) for hooking Libra and me back together, Libra was going to let Brooke fuck me yet again. Win-win-win. "We'll meet at Stanhope's," Brooke finished. I agreed to meet her there in ten minutes and off I went. Aisha, the Arabic swimsuit model/SD hottie called for me as I was heading out the door. I asked why. She didn't say so I ran for it. Screw them all; it was my lunch break. I made it to Stanhope's. I was fleet of foot and was getting the hang of hailing taxis. Libra was with Brooke at an outdoor table at Stanhope's. I didn't fake surprise. My cover was that I had faith in Brooke. I kissed Brooke while Libra gave me the cold shoulder. "Libra doesn't believe we've talked about her," Brooke opened up. "You are the one who keeps shouting out her name during orgasm," I sighed. "That's not a joking matter," Libra snapped viciously. "It made you talk to me," I winked. Libra growled. "I hate you," she seethed. "That is a perfectly normal, if heart-rending reaction to our past two encounters," I admitted. "I hope it hurt," Libra seethed. "Besides, I went out with Brian Fung last night." She was stating the obvious. I was okay with that. It left her open to my lie. "Have you moved on?" I moped. Libra not seeing me anymore made me want to cry. Missing her was utter anguish; it was written all over my face. Non-verbal deception is as important as the verbal kind. I was not beating a dead horse, I was coaxing a thoroughbred to the Triple Crown. Give the girl what she wants; verbally, sexually and, if you can pull it off convincingly, emotionally. "I don't know," Libra stated which meant 'no, she hadn't moved on'. "Let's go out tomorrow night," I suggested. Be bold enough to make the first move, but not so aggressive she feels pressured. Being a man isn't beating your chest; it is stepping up to get your ego battered by the girl. If it wasn't for my first, failed romantic attempt, I wouldn't be where I am today. It hurt like Hell when she publically rejected me. These days, my bed was always warm so the pain was well worth it. "Why not tonight?" Libra got combative. "Felix and I had a disagreement at work," I grinned. "We are settling the issue tonight at six." "What happened?" Brooke leaned in close to me, hungry for details. I was a bastard. "He loudly presented me with these," I slipped Brooke her panties under the table. "In the middle of my office and co-workers. Even my Boss heard it," I added. Brooke's deeply tanned complexion paled. Libra didn't see the panties, but she knew the score. "What did you do?" Libra pressed. "I told him Brooke was a grown woman and could make her own decisions about who she was with," I started. "Brooke is a wonderful lady and she should be courted based on that. Felix had this bizarre idea that I felt possessive about her and thought he was using Brooke to hurt me over a slight at work," I wove forth the basic truths. "I'm not going to fight Brooke's battles," I affirmed which meant that 'yes, I was going to fight Brooke's battles'. If you are a guy and you assume that the woman is actually hearing the words coming out of your mouth, you are deluded. The reverse is also the same. "If a man has a problem with me, he comes after me, not my friends," I grew stern. This meant Felix was not a man. It also meant that I considered Brooke, thus Libra, my friends. They were okay with that. This didn't mean they thought of me as a friend. It was similar to the family butler. I had to memorize every detail of their lives. If they remembered my birthday, I should feel blessed; symbolically speaking of course. I'd make an abysmal butler. "Did he hit you?" Libra leaned across the table and stroked my cheek right below the place Saint Marie had clocked me. "That? Nah. An Archer fish tried to shoot my eye out so now he's fish sticks," I replied. "With all your wounds," Libra hesitated, "Are you in the military?" "Libra, I'm a disaster as a civilian," I chuckled. "I'd make an impossible soldier. Half way through basic training I'd start showing up in a kilt; 'cause it makes me feel free and breezy down there'." "When they tried to make me change, I'd charge them with cultural insensitivity," I smiled. "What would you do if they let you get away with it?" Brooke snickered. "Take up horse archery; because you never know when you'll be without fuel and bullets on the modern battlefield," I postulated. "If they let me get away with that, I'd stay, but I'd join the airborne." "I like parachuting," Brooke nodded. "Have you ever done it?" She bet I hadn't and she was right. "Never before in this lifetime. I really want to see if I could get my horsed trained to do it first," I chortled. "Lord knows, nobody else has. The first Airmobile Horse Archery unit. That would be pretty cool." "The horse would break her legs," Libra frowned. "Use an air mattress platform for the horse to stand on, sort of like those air bags stuntmen use, but smaller," I reasoned. I wasn't sure if Brooke and Libra were more stunned about the plausibility of my suggestion, or that I had created it off the cuff. We ordered lunch and drinks. Service was very efficient so I had only pushed my salad aside to have my grilled shrimp replaced it when a shadow fell across our table. It was a stormy Aisha. "Cáel Nyilas, you are coming with me," she spoke with deceptive calm. "No," I replied then ate a shrimp. She put her hand on my shoulder. I brandished my fork. "Listen up," I grumbled. I tapped my wristwatch with my fork, "I've got 35 more minutes on my lunch break. I'm eating with friends; okay, almost friends; " "I'm Cáel's friend," Brooke rallied. Aisha bore down on my collarbone, so I stabbed at her hand with the fork. She moved it out of the way first. "Come now," she growled. "Very well," I sighed. "Since you certainly have never heard this from a man before meeting me, I'll clarify. NO, I'm not coming with you. Go away you annoying twit. If that was unclear, let me add; no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no and no." Aisha looked over her shoulder. There were two more SD chicklets. Woot! "Last chance to keep this simple," Aisha threatened. "Brooke and Libra, you need to stand up and back away," I instructed them as I stood up as well, "I'm going to need your chairs as weapons." The girls grabbed their food and backed up. "Don't make a scene," Aisha whispered. "Ex-squeeze me? I'm eating lunch. In thirty-five minutes I'll be back at work. You are the one being a total bitch for annoying the fuck out of me here," I glared. "All you had to do was tell me why you wanted me back at Havenstone, but you didn't feel the need, so now we have this stand-off." "It is not a stand-off and I don't explain myself to you," Aisha glared back. She even showed me she had a gun. I laughed, pulled out my phone. "What are you doing?" Aisha made a swipe for the phone. "Making me late for work," I chuckled. "I'm dialing 9 1 1." "Do that and you will be in a world of trouble," she threatened. "You haven't thought this out, have you, Aisha?" I snickered. "If it was important to my job, Katrina, or Medical would have called me. If it was a calamity, Hayden perhaps. Barring that, I can't wait to hear your excuse for starting a public brawl." "I told you to come with me and you had best obey," Aisha hissed. That was the tipping point. Recycling old, failed arguments is the sign that your opponent has lost. "Yeah; right," I shrugged. I sat back down and began eating. A second later, Brooke and Libra joined me. Aisha retreated to the curb and waited; and got ticketed because it was a No Parking Zone. "Who was that woman? I've seen her before," Brooke commented. "She's that woman from the first night we met," Libra answered. "She's not my boss so I don't care," I tried to recapture our earlier mood. It was only partially successful. The three SD ladies kept their eyes on us until dinner was cleared away and it was time to go back. I kissed both Brooke and Libra goodbye with a promise of a date the next night. When I tried to walk past Aisha, she grabbed my arm. From my point of view, a ride to work was a ride to work and this one was free. I travelled in silence. Miraculously, they didn't answer my request to go to Medical, though we were at least going up; and up; and up. Crap. They deposited me in Hayden's office then departed. It was Hayden, Katrina, Saint Marie, Elsa, and Tessa. The door shut ominously behind me. "Cáel, I like you," Hayden began. "Unless you are working on an assigned task, you are not allowed to defy a woman of Havenstone who gives you a clear concise order, especially one from the Security Detail." It didn't take me a second to formulate my treatise on the Rights of Man. "No." That didn't go over well. Into the emptiness, I forged ahead. "You can't expect for me to be given conflicting orders and expect me to succeed. You people have a chain of command for a reason. I follow that chain like every other member of Havenstone." "You are not a member of Havenstone," Hayden pointed out. That I had to think about. I scanned each impassive face in the room. I wanted to cry; not out of fear; out of frustration because I really had tried so hard to make this work. "You are all a bunch of cowards and I regret ever wanting to be part of this place," I spat. "Your opinion of us does not matter," Hayden started. "Cowardly act number one," I interrupted. Hayden's gaze hardened. "It is your time. You publically defied a Havenstone employee on a mission concerning you," she continued. "Cowardly acts number two and three," I growled. Now Saint Marie and Elsa closed in. I turned to face them. I wanted to go down swinging, no matter how futile the gesture. "Cowardly act number four; suddenly, when you desire, my insolence matters," I set myself for what was to come. "Don't fight," Tessa commanded softly. Katrina kept her own counsel. "That's your fucking problem, right there," I shouted. "This isn't the Sunshine Scouts. This is a martial society. I fight, because that is what every bitch here is broadcasting. I didn't hit Rhada when she hit me. I called for help, like any sane individual. When no help was forthcoming, I called for someone to get the police. Again, you did nothing." "Fuck you all. Rhada attacked me, so I put her down. Madi attacked me, so I put her down too; and it all your damn fault and not one of you has the courage to face that fact," I shouted. "You attack me for fighting back at the same time you tell me to fit in. Now which is it? Am I to fit in to a martial culture, or am I not? Make up your damn minds!" "You do not get to talk to us like that," Saint Marie murmured. "Somebody better talk to us like this," Katrina finally spoke. "Face facts: Cáel is here because he resists. He resists because that is the lesson we are teaching him, Sisters." "What do you mean?" Elsa regarded Katrina. "When Cáel is challenged physically and resists successfully, or even unsuccessfully, he grows in the estimation of our Sisters. No one admits it, but it is the truth. The harder he fights, the more he is valued. It is a very simple principle. He has never believed he is a member of the Host, a Runner, or even a recruit. He does not strive to be an Amazon of any kind," Katrina lectured. "Then we expect him to do ridiculous things like walk off with an Amazon he barely knows who doesn't even explain where he is going, or what he is supposed to do," Katrina shook her head. "Somehow we forecast his desire to be treated with a modicum of respect to be a threat? Respecting him does not make him an Amazon; it makes him a warrior in our cause." "The Council has not decided on that portion of the New Directive yet," Saint Marie stated. "Warrior-Fathers," Katrina declared firmly. "My niece, Aya; you all know of her; she went to camp this week and SHE formed her own war band with her fellow students. Fuck you all very much; It works!" "Katrina," Hayden cautioned. "Hayden, I am tired of this half-measure bullshit. There is no being half-alive. We live, or we die. We made a mistake then we made another one. Let's not make it three." I raised my hand. "Yes?" Hayden finally acknowledged me. "Can I go back to work now? Sitting here is like commenting on the rain. I have a lot to say, but it won't affect the rain one iota," I reasoned. "You are not going to run?" Tessa asked. I knew she was joking. "Well, I can't get past the front door. I can't escape out the garage and I left my diamond-tipped glasscutter and 150 meters of rope in my other jacket," I informed her. "I guess I'll have to use the 15 kg of C-4 I have stuck in my shorts. I know it makes me look like I took a colossal dump in my underwear, but trust me, it is only a weapon," I grinned. I tried to get around Elsa. She brushed her hand over my chest. "You are special," she purred. "You scare me," I mumbled. "I know," she grinned happily. "Bye Pony-Lady," I waved to Saint Marie. "Cáel," Hayden called out. I halted, but didn't turn around. "You will stop referring to the Marshal of the Amazon Host as 'Pony-Lady', is that clear?" "Yes Hayden. Good-bye Saint Marie," I said as I departed. "Are you sure he is not mentally defective?" Saint Marie questioned. "He is," Elsa replied. "He laughs at Death." See, what did I tell you? Now you can run out and pick up an infatuated female psychopath of your very own. (Later in the day) Knife-fighting class was taught by this painfully thin yet tall Amazon with mostly grey-white hair. There was nothing wrong with her reflexes, or sight. She regarded me, her only student, with passionless eyes. She had me sit down cross-legged, she did the same opposite me, and we spent an hour talking about the philosophy of knife-fighting. Knives were hardly ever the first weapon of choice. That was part of the lesson; knowing when to choose a knife to fight with. We talked about all kinds of blades, focusing on the short, hilt-less blades every Amazon carried. I had to get one special-made. It was the size of my palms. If the blade was too small, it would cut up my hand when I used it. Except for a few hand motions, it was verbal instruction. Knife from an advantage, knife from the front, and knife at a disadvantage. Each had its own set of rules to follow. It was cool. Me having a penis didn't bother her in the least. At the end of the lesson, I asked if I could call her Zen Master. She said 'no', her name was Pamela. I then asked if I could call her Zen Mistress Pamela. Smiling, she said 'no' again. My last attempt was 'Blossoming Petals of Death Pamela' at which point she laughed and told me to give it a rest. I found myself with a free hour so I raced down to the pool and took in a few laps. It was a crime against nature that all the Amazons were one-piece bathing suits. Here I was in my Speedo and no one to play with. That wasn't really true. After my first lap, two Amazon lasses tried to engage me in a race without actually talking to me. As they were turning back they realized I was keeping to my same strong, casual strokes in my own little World. That annoyed them so the next time around, one got into my lane, turned to face me and stopped. Right according to plan, or if you prefer, like stealing candy apple kisses from a lady. I almost ran into her. At the very last second, I pulled up, letting my body coast up against her. She was treading water and looking vibrant. Her treading water meant I didn't have to. One hand settled on her mid-back (friendly enough), but the other one cupped her right ass and immediately probed along her cleft and to her wet tunnelfrom behind. Her 'Happy Choice' pop-up indicators went off and I had a winner. I was sure I could have pointed a shotgun in this woman's face and she'd have spit on me. With my pelvice bumping up against her crotch, my finger wiggling around her suit for her tunnel, and my other arm keeping her close, she looked totally flummoxed. "What are you doing?" she whispered. I was sure she wanted to have that sound authoritative, not like plea for an instruction manual. "How about this," I replied quietly, "you keep your hands moving and I'll kick so that you can wrap your legs around my waist?" "Why would I want to do that?" she asked; while her legs wrapped around my waist. A little positon altering with my hand and I was having her pulse against me. "Deena?" the other Amazon called out. She was swimming in close proximity now. "I;” Deena responded to her comrade. "You are taking liberties," she chastised me even as an erotic smile graced her lips. "Please don't turn me in," I murmured to her. My lips were a few millimeters from hers. The other woman could clearly make out our physical relationship between us. "Stop that," the unnamed woman demanded. "Ah;” Deena moaned as I slipped two fingers past her swimsuit and into her slickness. The stranger tried to separate us, but Deena shook her head. "No; we are okay." "Stop it," I whispered. "Don't make me; don't make me; don't," and kissed. Total lie for the sake of our voyeur. Deena wasn't currently capable of making me doing anything. Why was I doing this? Out of control libido plus stress plus I still had Yasmin and Felix to deal with. Oh yeah, Deena being cute, firm and just curvaceous enough to be Grace Kelly feminine didn't hurt. "Why are we doing this?" Deena murmured sexily. "Am I making you happy?" I posed. She thought about it then nodded. "I thought being with a male would be more difficult," she countered. "Stop looking so athletic," I teased her, "and it will be easier for me to get away." Calling an Amazon 'pretty', or even 'beautiful' would have limited, if any affect. Better words were 'impressive, swift, healthy, fit and athletic, because that's what they valued in one another. Even 'scary' and 'frightening' were turning out to be good words to use. They never got enough male input to matter. "You are very healthy for a male," Deena purred back. "How healthy?" the other one asked. She was now more curious than offended with my audacity. "He's VERY healthy, Sharona," Deena smiled. "He has strong fingers as well." I knew the look Sharona shot me. It was the 'why her and not me?' The answer was clear to her; Deena had been bold, thus won. It was traditional Amazon culture. I was easier to blame me because I was the guy. All three of us knew the score. More kissing and kitty-petting ensued. It became even more rewarding when I eventually bumped into Deena's clit. I didn't have to do much. My finger rubbed against her nub, Deena really liked that and started humping my finger before I could do anything. Public sex had never been a stimuli for me. I didn't mind it and by the number of Amazons circling, or watching from poolside, they didn't mind what Deena was 'doing' to me either. There was no screaming, thunderclap of joy, or even a violent physical spasm. Deena pressed tight, made several yipping noises and came down whimpering happily. She was a truly content little camper; that was for sure. "You had sex!" one of the bystanders called out. I looked into Deena's eyes. "If you say 'yes', I'll wake up tomorrow morning in Baku Faso," I whispered. "No; no we weren't," Deena gave me a sultry look. "We were practicing lifeguarding techniques. Did I save your life?" "I'm Cáel," I breathed on her lips. "Yes, I feel like a whole new man." "We will have to hone your skills; real soon," Deena winked. That was not a request. That was 'come back, or I'll hunt you down'. "I normally cannot make it before five," I informed her. "That works for me," Deena pulled away. She gave a warm sigh as my fingers slipped out of her. I made for the side. As I pulled myself out, my equipment straining at the seams, several wonderful ladies surrounded me. "Do you think you are leaving?" they confronted me. "I have a five o'clock end-of-day meeting with Katrina," I calmly explained. Katrina was my 'Get out of Jail' free card that allowed me to escape the pool and the shower without becoming a scratching post. Amazons aren't animals; I'm just that sexy. Yes, I could pick up almost any girl at a club. I also had various Amazon pre-ordering collars with my name on it. By now my neck size was common knowledge. (Wednesday Evening) The stuff of my nightmares: I walk out from the end of day meeting with Katrina and the new hire ladies two see a gaggle of other women waiting for me, I assumed. I knew them all. Farah Winters recruited me from Bolingbrook, Umami Lhasa who was Tessa Carmichael's right-hand woman, Tessa herself; and Yasmin Palhavã, my Brazilian hottie and workout date. "Hi Cáel," they all greeted me. "Hey ladies," I did my best to look happy. "What's going on?" "Havenstone has offered me a job," Yasmin grinned. How could this possibly go wrong? Yasmin thought this place was run by a crazy cult, so why did she look at ease? She could be trying to infiltrate Havenstone; bad idea. She could have had a conversion; I hope her son would be okay. She was; high on drugs; okay, the last one was weak. "What department?" I kept going. "We are trying to convince her to start out in Security Services (the guards) then move her up to Financial Investigations due to her expertise with the Policia Federal in her homeland," Tessa said. "Cáel, by the look on your face, I know you are concerned. Ms. Carmichael; Tessa, has told me some things that put the situation in perspective," Yasmin gave me an all so sexy look. "You are far braver than I thought you were." "What? That I invested the entirety of my 401K on the comeback of Baleen Oil?" I joked. "My Son will be okay," Yasmin patted my hand. Was I that much of an open book? "Do you have an instinct to protect children?" Umami inquired. "Not before I got here, but then I didn't know anyone who would casually kill children either," I responded. I had to ask the next question. I couldn't be me and not. "Tessa, can I ask you a serious question?" I began. Tessa nodded. "Why was Yasmin 'read in' to Havenstone? I don't doubt for a second she's a qualified as an investigator, but this strikes me as highly unusual and even reckless for your; people." "It was this, or kill her," Tessa answered. "By the way, that was Yasmin's first question too." "Precisely, my question was 'are you going to kill me for that crazy cult stuff that went down last week?'" Yasmin corrected. "She said I had to answer two questions to decide that." In a bizarre, Amazon-style way, that made sense. Yes, Yasmin would beat her husband nearly to death for cheating on her; and shooting her, and she would willingly have sex again. I knew this because Buffy told me her backstory and it had Katrina asking her the two questions as well. "Yasmin, let me clarify this right now," I held my ground. "I'm cheating on you. Please don't hit me. It has been a bad day and the pain has just begun." And all the psycho-bitches laughed. "Let's go practice, É o meu P.A.," Yasmin chuckled. No one was going to tell me what the damn phrase meant. I dare not look it up on-line because if I did, and Yasmin saw that flicker of understanding in my eyes; bad things would happen to me in the bedroom. No, I needed an alibi witness. To be honest, I thought the bedroom was Paradise until some ladies (I'd cheated on; surprise, surprise) tied me to one. Having my body waxed by sadistic amateurs was only recently exceeded by being shot with an arrow on my pain meter. It is not something I like to talk about. They dyed my hair bright pink too. I ended up nailing the new assistant at the College infirmary, so it wasn't a total loss. Oh, and less I forget, they both took me back later, at the same time, without telling each other. It is a wonder I'm still alive. In an effort to keep that going, I took us to the non-blooded gym this time around. It wasn't as nice as the full-blooded one, but it was still very full service. The biggest difference I had noticed earlier was the lack of archaic weapons on the wall near the training mat. Yasmin and I decided on a 40/20 split; forty minute of working out and twenty minutes on the mats. Around 5:30 pm, Felix showed up. Like me, he automatically drew attention and he'd clearly been cultivating his aura. He barely spared me a glance, being absolutely confident he had the advantage in every aspect of our contest; both physically and socially. Within minutes a subliminal ripple moved through the crowd. I was spotting Yasmin so it took me a bit to figure out what was going on; full-bloods had entered. One by one, I picked out Daphne, Paula, Dora, Tigger, Violet and Oneida. They weren't coming at me; that would have kept things calm. No, 'my' ladies were circulating and I didn't need ESP to figure out what they were saying. In the ladies' wake, evil looks where shot Felix's way. Once more, he felt the undercurrent but misunderstood it. He thought I was seeding the crowd against him. One Amazon 'Runner' cleared up the nature of the disturbance, if not reason for the outrage. "Did you really take a woman's underwear to use as a trophy to throw in Cáel's face?" the disbelieving woman asked. Felix was fearless. "Of course not," he assured her. "One of Cáel's many one night stands stopped by my place, slept and forgot; something. That's all." Good play. Since I wasn't in on sabotaging Felix, I had no counter and I wasn't going to get into a he-said/he-said contest that would leave me looking petty. Poor Felix, he kept forgetting we worked for some really smart women. Around thirty women into Felix's counter-propaganda campaign, Daphne struck. She was confronted by a pro-Felix lady. "Really?" Daphne announced loudly. "Let's clear this up why don't we." She pulled out her phone, hit one number and said, "Please project that footage to the 'Runner' gym." Ten seconds later, Felix and my conversation was projected to every TV suspended around the room. Yes, even Felix's boast and getting in my face. This wasn't solely Daphne's doing. She didn't have that kind of weight. Oneida on the other hand; Felix barely missed a beat. "Nyilas, you pulled that all out of context," he growled. The best defense is a great offense. "Felix, I'm a guy. No way in Hell I have the kind of access to security tapes," I held up my hands, proclaiming my innocence. Felix missed the 'I'm a guy' part. The women didn't. Most of them know I skated the rules, but never broke them. Yes, Katrina liked me. Would she give me access to security? That was laughable. Felix was about to pack on the stupidity. "Fine, you had one of your cheerleaders do it," Felix counterthrust. Cheerleader was not a 'positive' Amazon role model. Cheerleaders were women who promised sexual reward to male warriors that defeated their enemies (a bit of a biased view). The bipolar normal world reaction to cheerleaders aside, I knew cheerleaders were athletes who worked hard to pull off relatively complex routines. Telling the Amazons this was pointless. If any woman in this room had known a cheerleader before surrendering their old existence to become lethal man-killers, they probably didn't like them. If they had been a cheerleader, they were keeping their mouths shut. "Are you implying we have lied and altered the official record of events?" Daphne sizzled. See, lying to me and Felix was expected. Lying to their fellow Amazons, despite the Blood Prestige rift, wasn't going to happen. Trust and loyalty were fundamental virtues here. I imagine Felix had read that passage in the Handbook. I hadn't believed it for the first two days either. I'd been educated since then. "I wouldn't put it past you," Felix glared right back at Daphne. Foolish; stupid. "Yasmin, I gotta go," I hissed to my Brazilian MILF then rushed to get to Felix. I wasn't doing it for Felix, the douche. I was doing it for Katrina and her New Directive. Felix had not officially fucked up; he was just being a jerk. Daphne sent Felix a wicked smirk. She'd kicked his ass. Felix knew his ass had been kicked yet still couldn't grasp the underlying principles behind his defeat; he was in a Woman's World. "Felix, let's warm up," I urged him once I was close enough to be heard. "After that stunt; you can go fuck yourself," Felix glowered. "Dude, it wasn't me, I swear," I met his gaze. "I'm here. You find your own space," Felix indicated another portion of the mat. "Felix, these ladies are about to kill you. You do not want to send me away," I whispered. Felix formed a rebuttal then looked around. "Why?" Felix whispered back. Felix was finally acknowledging he'd lost. Now he wanted to know why. "I can't explain it right now, but let's say 'cheerleader' was the wrong descriptive to use," I continued. "Calling them liars only dug the hole deeper. It is the way it is." Felix didn't understand my words, but understood the intent. He was in Oz without any knowledge of the tornado that had taken him there. We didn't spar together. I did stay close enough to make my intent clear; there would be no ambushing of Felix. You had to understand Amazon psychology to figure out why they weren't angry with me. I was exhibiting loyalty; especially to a person I hated. Amazons had blood feuds, the specifics I hadn't figured out. You could probably kick your opponent's ass. If you stabbed them in the back, there was no rock on the face of the Earth you could hide under. "He practices Muay, Thai, and Savate," Oneida snuck up on me. "I lend you my spirit," she added with deep compassion. I turned on her and placed my hand between her breasts. "No. No cheating in this fight," I insisted. That drew many stares. "Hold your spirit for the battles that matter, not for the resolution of male grievances. Your heart is fierce and I appreciate that, Oneida. No one's spirit is infinite, so marshal your resources carefully." Yes, I was lecturing Oneida; bad move. Yes, I was safeguarding her spirit, as would any of the other Amazons in the room; good move. Cloaking my lecture and concern in mystical terms; the win. "I care deeply for you too," Oneida gave me a demur look, "my Ash Man." Kill me. Kill me now. This culture didn't have a 'ready-set-go'. When one person was ready, they attack without warning. I almost forgot that and blind-sided Felix. I didn't hold back for him. I held back because I didn't want him to be a whiny baby about this whole thing. I gave him a nod, he nodded back then he attacked. Two piston kicks by Felix backed me up. He switched up with a reverse roundhouse. That was his mistake; I slipped inside his kick range. I came at him; left jab, left jab, and a right cross in such a rapid blur the audience later told me their brains didn't register the hits until after the fact. It was lights out for Felix. His body made a wet, thumping noise at it hit the mat. There was a hush. Everyone expected this fight to go the distance. I was more renowned for my stamina than punching power. Welcome to the world of light heavy-weight boxing. My problem with Madi had been I couldn't touch her. I hadn't even gone all out with Rhada and I dropped her with two jabs. A good number of 'martial artists' think of boxing as a primitive fighting form. It is. It has also been around forever because the principles are rather simple and effective. Either don't get hit, or soak up the hit (particularly for heavier fighters), set your opponent up and clobber then. Felix had meant to control me with his powerful kicks. Both Savate and Muay Thai have excellent fist and elbow blocks and strikes. It is simply difficult to switch your focus from kicking to blocking in the blink of an eye. That was less time than what I gave Felix. Most people think of boxers as freight trains, not snipers. In truth, we are both; locomotives approaching the speed of light (somewhat). Double back to all the options Savate and Maui Thai boxers have. They would never be afraid to take a risky kick because they can block in so many ways. Suddenly the issue became one of distance and balance. The boxer was at the kicker's ankle at the moment of supposed impact and closing. By the time the kicker realized the kick's over-extension the boxer was at his knee. The kicker still had a plethora of elbow, arm and hand blocks and grapples; except all his power has gone down that kicking leg, leaving him with on point of balance; his other leg. Sure he could get an arm up, but it only had the strength and weight of that limb to call upon. The upcoming hit? It had the mass times acceleration of the boxer's body coming at him. Good luck. Felix could have beaten me, except it would have taken time. Closing would have allowed him to use all those nifty elbow, palm and hand strikes. It would have also allowed me to do what boxers to best; box. This wouldn't give me an advantage, just leveled the playing field a bit. He didn't want to grapple. I had an entire school devoted to grappling while it was an addendum to what he did. Felix's saw me go to a boxing stance, and like most practitioners of Savate and Muay Thai, he laughed inside. He was going to make a mockery of me because my style sucked and his styles were the ones that best broke your enemies and caused them pain. He was going to knock me back with his kicks then close in and pummel me with every part of his body before I could slip into jujitsu. It would be lightning fast and bloody. Nice in theory; bad in practice. He should have worn me down with his stronger legs. Things fell apart when I stopped running away after the sec

Picar a todas horas, tener ganas de dulce a menudo, pensar a todas horas en la comida, sentirse culpable por saltarse la dieta... Mantener una relación saludable con la alimentación se ha convertido en un desafío en la sociedad actual, pues estamos rodeados de productos altamente adictivos y atrapados en un estilo de vida sedentario. Son muchas las personas que recurren a la comida para calmar el estrés o la ansiedad. Pero, ¿es posible trabajar una disciplina que nos permita nutrirnos y disfrutar a la vez? Abordamos el tema con Teresa Terol, psicóloga clínica, conferenciante internacional y divulgadora, que acaba de publicar. ‘Mente umami', una guía para potenciar una relación sana con la comida.

Cáel's tombstone: For the love of women, women put him here.In 25 parts, edited from the works of FinalStand.Listen and subscribe to the ► Podcast at Connected..