“
The tomatoes and string beans were but chilled shadows. Tasteless shadows. Nor was there any taste to the coffee or crackers. Maybe because of the morning sun? The light of morning decomposes everything.
”
”
Haruki Murakami (A Wild Sheep Chase (The Rat, #3))
“
I'm staying right here," grumbled the rat. "I haven't the slightest interest in fairs."
"That's because you've never been to one," remarked the old sheep . "A fair is a rat's paradise. Everybody spills food at a fair. A rat can creep out late at night and have a feast. In the horse barn you will find oats that the trotters and pacers have spilled. In the trampled grass of the infield you will find old discarded lunch boxes containing the foul remains of peanut butter sandwiches, hard-boiled eggs, cracker crumbs, bits of doughnuts, and particles of cheese. In the hard-packed dirt of the midway, after the glaring lights are out and the people have gone home to bed, you will find a veritable treasure of popcorn fragments, frozen custard dribblings, candied apples abandoned by tired children, sugar fluff crystals, salted almonds, popsicles,partially gnawed ice cream cones,and the wooden sticks of lollypops. Everywhere is loot for a rat--in tents, in booths, in hay lofts--why, a fair has enough disgusting leftover food to satisfy a whole army of rats."
Templeton's eyes were blazing.
" Is this true?" he asked. "Is this appetizing yarn of yours true? I like high living, and what you say tempts me."
"It is true," said the old sheep. "Go to the Fair Templeton. You will find that the conditions at a fair will surpass your wildest dreams. Buckets with sour mash sticking to them, tin cans containing particles of tuna fish, greasy bags stuffed with rotten..."
"That's enough!" cried Templeton. "Don't tell me anymore I'm going!
”
”
E.B. White (Charlotte’s Web)
“
The best=laid plans, one's most fastidious contingency strategies have revealed themselves in the cold light of day to be laughably inadequate, no match for the happenstance that seems of late only to promise death, mayhem, poverty, flood. And here you are, having spent all that time protecting your home from the oncoming elements only to find that it has been shored up with crackers.
”
”
David Rakoff (Half Empty)
“
Gee cursed beneath his breath. That Cracker! She was beginning to list to one side…. What kind of idiot ran across a bridge with their eyes closed? Gee sprinted onto the roaring blackness. It was as if they ran atop a swift dark river, their feet slipping on the sleek feathers, the crows dipping beneath their weight.
”
”
Hiromi Goto (Darkest Light)
“
My first life fled without a fight and left nothing behind, so I doubt it was a loss worth mourning. A man I don’t remember mixed genes with a woman I can’t recall, and I was called to the stage. I stumbled through the curtain, squinting into the blinding light of the birth canal, and after a brief and banal performance, I died.
This is the arc of the average life—unexamined, unremarked, unremarkable—and it should have ended there. In simpler times, life was a one-act play, and when it was over we took our bows and caught our roses and enjoyed any applause we earned, then the spotlight faded and we shuffled backstage to nibble crackers in the greenroom of eternity.
”
”
Isaac Marion (The Burning World (Warm Bodies, #2))
“
The Chablis runs smooth throughout. Then the vol-au-vents, light as a puff of summer air, then elderflower sorbet followed by plateau de fruits de mer with grilled langoustines, gray shrimps, prawns, oysters, berniques, spider crabs and the bigger torteaux- which can nip off a man's fingers as easily as I could nip a stem of rosemary- winkles, palourdes, and atop it all a giant black lobster, regal on its bed of seaweed. The huge platter gleams with reds and pinks and sea greens and pearly whites and purples, a mermaid's cache of delicacies that gives off a nostalgic salt smell, like childhood days at the seaside. We distribute crackers for the crab claws, tiny forks for the shellfish, dishes of lemon wedges and mayonnaise.
”
”
Joanne Harris (Chocolat (Chocolat, #1))
“
Maybe it’s time Steve Jobs stopped thinking quite so differently,” Business Week wrote in a story headlined “Sorry Steve, Here’s Why Apple Stores Won’t Work.” Apple’s former chief financial officer, Joseph Graziano, was quoted as saying, “Apple’s problem is it still believes the way to grow is serving caviar in a world that seems pretty content with cheese and crackers.” And the retail consultant David Goldstein declared, “I give them two years before they’re turning out the lights on a very painful and expensive mistake.
”
”
Walter Isaacson (Steve Jobs)
“
Is this okay with you, Jenna? For him to stay here?"
"Yeah," I said. "It's good. You have no idea what it takes for him to ask for help."
I spent all evening in Alan's office, reading at his desk and keeping Cameron company. Mostly he slept, snoring lightly and once in a while murmuring unintelligible something into his pillow. I turned my chair so that I could look at him whenever I wanted, at his face or at the bare foot that stuck out from under the covers, or at his arm dangling off the side of the sofa bed.
Around eleven, when I was ready for bed, Cameron woke up. I brought him broth and crackers. "Hi," I said.
"Have you been here all this time?"
"Most of it."
Alan's beige pajamas looked small and uncomfortable on Cameron. "You don't have to," he said. "I can take care of myself." He reached for the broth. I watched him slurp straight from his bowl, everything about him becoming younger and more boyish by the second-rosy lips on the white rim of the bowl, wrists without enough pajama sleeve to cover them, cowlick hair and sleepy eyes.
"I know you can. But you don't have to."
"Well..." He finally looked at me. "Thanks.
”
”
Sara Zarr (Sweethearts)
“
Another lightning flash, another thunder growl. Old Mr. Jay hunched his thin shoulders under his jeans coat, and allowed he'd pay for some crackers and cheese if the storekeeper'd fetch them out to us.
"I ain't even now wanting to talk against Forney Meechum," said the farmer. "But they tell he'd put his eye on Lute for himself, and he'd quarreled with his own son Derwood about who'd have her. But next court day at the county seat, was a fight betwixt Jeremiah Donovant and Derwood Meechum, and Jeremiah put a knife in Derwood and killed him dead."
Mr. Jay leaned forward. The lantern light showed the gray stubble on his gentle old face. "Who drew the first knife?" he asked.
”
”
Manly Wade Wellman (Who Fears The Devil?)
“
think it is like this here, when the hurricane comes. Before the hurricane, I am a busy man, and my neighbor, he hurries each day, as well. I do not know him, and we pass on the street, and our eyes are filled with many concerns, and so I do not see him and he does not see me. But the hurricane comes, and there is no electricity, and no light, and we cannot go anywhere for days. I notice my neighbor standing at the fence, and I go out to him and ask if his family is well. I give him cheese and a tin of crackers, and he gives me candles and matches. We stand and talk for many hours, and after this, when we pass on the street, we no longer walk by without seeing.” The tour guide paused, his eyes dark and soulful as he took in the crowd. “This is how the change comes. The storm opens the eyes and then the heart, as well. A crisis is only an opportunity riding a dangerous wind, si?
”
”
Lisa Wingate (Never Say Never)
“
PREACHER’S WIFE PINEAPPLE CASSEROLE (Betts Hager) Ingredients 2 (20-ounce) cans pineapple chunks packed in juice, well-drained 3/4 cup sugar 6 tablespoons self-rising flour (see Note below) 2 cups grated Cheddar cheese 4 ounces Ritz crackers 1 stick butter, melted NOTE: Be sure to use self-rising flour, not all-purpose, as it already has the other necessary ingredients included. Instructions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 2-quart or 8 x 8-inch baking dish with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, mix the sugar and flour. Then, add pineapple and cheese and stir until there are no more dry particles. Spoon this mixture into the prepared baking dish. Crush crackers by pulsing in a food processor and add the melted butter with the machine running until it has the texture of wet sand. Add the crushed cracker mixture to the top of the casserole. Bake about 25 minutes until the top is lightly browned.
”
”
Tonya Kappes (Beaches, Bungalows & Burglaries (Camper & Criminals, #1))
“
What intense deliciousness! Both the tender chicken meat and its light juices are soaked in rich and creamy egg! The inside of the meat is still tender, while the outer skin is crisp and robustly flavorful! It was cooked in a way perfect for taking advantage of the luxury Jidori chicken's qualities!
The sauce is a simple one of eggs and cream seasoned with a bit of salt and pepper and heated to a thick creaminess in a hot water bath. With a touch of turmeric to give it a pleasingly vibrant yellow color, it's become a thick and creamy scrambled-egg sauce! Floating in it are crumbles of specially made rice crackers! Freshly steamed rice, sesame oil, minced squid and a pinch of salt were thoroughly combined, molded into thin rounds and then toasted to crispy perfection.
"The layered textures of the crunchy yet creamy sauce play amazingly off of the tenderness of the chicken!"
Chicken, egg sauce and rice crackers! Those three things do technically make this a chicken-and-egg rice bowl!
”
”
Yūto Tsukuda (食戟のソーマ 30 [Shokugeki no Souma 30] (Food Wars: Shokugeki no Soma, #30))
“
What an unbelievably refined flavor! And so lusciously gooey you could just faint! The salty, sticky turtle broth seeps through the mouth... melding beautifully with the salty savoriness of the butter and cheese! Together, they lap at your tongue in silky, decadent harmony!
"How on earth does this work? What makes the flavor of the turtle fit so well with the cheese?
Hm? What's this where the two layers meet?"
"You have a keen eye, sir. That's a mix of chopped nuts and seeds- walnuts, peanuts, sesame seeds...
...and...
...."
"Kaki no Tane Snack Crackers?!"
Those crackers! Soma used those the very first time Takumi challenged him!
After lightly toasting them to bring out their aroma, I mixed them into the layer between the sides of my Sformato. Of course, this was after I used my Mezzaluna...
... to chop them all into the perfect size of about 0.1 mm each!
"Heyo, Human Food Processor!"
"I see! The toasted Kaki no Tane Crackers bring just enough aromatic astringency to erase the smell of the fish and dairy...
... functioning as a sort of bridge to tie the two distinct flavors together!
Not only that, their crunchiness adds a fun, contrasting texture while not being filling at all!
”
”
Yūto Tsukuda (食戟のソーマ 34 [Shokugeki no Souma 34] (Food Wars: Shokugeki no Soma, #34))
“
Piña Colada Cheesecake This tropical twist on my mother’s old-fashioned cheesecake was a hit at cruiser gatherings. For the crust 1 cup graham cracker crumbs 1⁄2 cup sweetened shredded coconut 1⁄3 cup melted butter For the filling 11⁄2 pounds cream cheese, softened 2⁄3 cup sugar 4 eggs 3 tablespoons dark rum 1 cup sour cream 3⁄4 cup cream of coconut (see Tips, below) 2⁄3 cup well-drained crushed pineapple (about 1 19-oz can) 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 2. To make the crust, combine graham cracker crumbs and coconut with melted butter. Press into the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes until lightly browned. Set aside to cool while you make the filling. 3. To make the filling, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating until blended. Mix in rum, sour cream, cream of coconut, and well-drained pineapple. 4. Spread evenly on prepared crust and bake about 50–60 minutes on middle rack of preheated oven, until edges are set and center moves just slightly when you shake the pan. 5. Run a knife around the inside of pan to loosen cheesecake. Allow cake to cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled or overnight. Remove from springform pan before serving. Serves 16 Tips • Garnish the cheesecake with slices of tropical fruit, such as fresh pineapple or mango. • Don’t confuse cream of coconut with coconut milk or coconut cream. Used to make drinks (such as piña coladas) and desserts, cream of coconut is thick, syrupy, heavily sweetened coconut milk. Coco Lopez is one popular brand.
”
”
Ann Vanderhoof (An Embarrassment of Mangoes: A Caribbean Interlude)
“
In The After Light
“They don’t burn do they? Not like us.” -Cole Stewart
“Darling, If it were between you and a hundred of Gray’s finest. I’d pick you everytime.” -Liam Stewart
“It raine the day I walked into Thurmond and It rained the day I walked out.” -Ruby
Never Fade
“Do I… look as pretty as I feel?” -Cole Stewart
“If you think you’re going to faint, sit your ass down. I told you this because you’re a big girl and I need your help’ -Cole Stewart
“That’s my Gem!” -Cole Stewart
“I have all the time in the world for you, Gem” -Cole Stewart
“I don’t want to just see someone’s face; I want to know his shadow, too” - Jude
“How cute! I have one of those too!” -Vida
“ ‘I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m down to hear about that one-eyed chick’ Vida said. ‘You are actually the worst person I ever met’ Chubs said. ” -Chubs And Vida
“You had day of the week underwear growing up, didn’t you?” -Jude
“Ass-Clown” -Vida
The Darkest Minds
“I don’t know, Green; why don;t you hit her up for a chat and tea the next time she tries to capture us?” -Chubs
“Oh my God, Green. Just take the damn socks and put the kid out of his misery’ -Chubs
“I had pegged him’ -Ruby (Full sentence: I had pegged him for a Zepplin Fan)
“Are you kidding me? Yesterday he thought a mailbox was a clown.” -Liam Stewart
“Ruby! For the love of… We were talking about Black Betty not your Orange ass!” -Chubs
“...Crackers…Yesssss…” -Chubs
“Wake up, Team! Time to carpe the hell out of this diem!” -Liam Stewart
“I know who It is! Santa!” -Liam Stewart
“Did I just get sassed by a twelve-year-old?” -Liam Stewart
Extra Quotes From Through The Dark
“Home isn’t four walls, It’s the people you’re with”
“Of course. My girl? She’s incredible”
“Crazy is only crazy when it works
”
”
Alexandra Bracken (The Darkest Minds (The Darkest Minds, #1))
“
From my WIP "In Hiding"
Hidden in the darkness, she exhaled, releasing the tension. As she sunk into the worn cushions, Kate felt the wave of exhaustion crash over her. She dug in her backpack for the crackers wrapped in a paper towel. Closing her eyes, she ate, using her imagination to change the bland wafer into something more appealing. Retrieving her cell from her pocket, she shielded the artificial light with her hand as she set the alarm, always set to vibrate mode. The glow from the screen briefly illuminated her face. Her blond hair was history, the honey golden hue hidden under the dull dark cheap hair dye. Without makeup, she appeared younger than her twenty years, until you looked into her eyes. Here her anguish was center stage for the world to see. She barely slept and seldom ate. Worse were the dreams. Trapped in a surreal world, the explosion of gunfire surrounded her followed by blood splatter. Often, she woke on the edge of a scream waking in time to stifle her terror. She could ill afford this, screaming could bring him down on her. There were nights that she prayed it would, thus ending the torment for them both.
Perhaps another night. Kate took one last glance around the room as she tucked her phone into her back jeans pocket. Slumping over, she was out before her head hit the sofa. Camouflaged she appears to be nothing more than a bundle of rags.
Unseen in the darkness he slipped inside the house, blending into the shadows, he had waited patiently hidden in the edge of the woods, knowing she would seek shelter. Wayne closed his eyes and zoned in on her. Chasing this bitch was wearing on him; it was killing his focus. As his prey, she had developed self-persevering habits. She never left a trace of herself, not a sound, not a fiber or a hair. He drew a deep, silent breath, directing his senses, he concentrated on Kate, how she thought, what she feared.
”
”
Caroline Walken
“
This white broth...
... is soy milk!"
"That's right! I mixed a dash of parmesan cheese and a little dollop of miso paste into the soy milk and then lightly simmered it.
This is my pike dish...
Pike Takikomi Rice, Ojiya Style!"
OJIYA
Also called "Zosui," Ojiya is soup stock and seasonings added to precooked rice, vegetables and fish and cooked into a thick porridge. It is distinctly different from dishes like risotto, which is uncooked rice that is first sautéed in butter and oils before adding liquid... and Okayu, which is a rice gruel cooked to soupy softness in extra water.
"Soy milk?"
"Ah, so you finally see it, Alice.
Like all soups, the most important part of Ojiya porridge is the stock!
He built this dish to be porridge from the start...
... with soy milk as the "stock"!"
"Soy milk as soup stock?!"
"Can you even do that?!"
"So that's what it is!
Soup stock is essentially meant to be pure umami. Like kombu kelp- a common stock- soy milk is packed with the umami component glutamic acid. It's more than good enough to serve as a sound base for the Ojiya porridge! Not only that, umami flavors synergies with each other. Adding two umami components to the same dish will magnify the flavor exponentially!
The inosinic acid in the pike and the glutamic acid in the soy milk... combining the two makes perfect, logical sense!
"
"Soy milk Ojiya Porridge. Hm. How interesting!"
"
Mm! Delicious!
The full-bodied richness of the cheese and the mild, salty flavor of the miso meld brilliantly with the rice! Then there are the chunks of tender pike meat mixed in...
... with these red things. Are they what I think they are?"
"Yep! They're crunchy pickled-plum bits!"
"What?!"
"Again with the dirt cheap, grocery store junk food! Like that cracker breading and the seaweed jelly pearls..."
"He totally dumped those in there just for the heck of it!"
"These pickled plums are a very important facet of the overall dish! They have a bright, pleasing color and a fun, crunchy texture. Not only that, their tart flavor cuts through the rich oiliness of the pike meat, giving the dish a fresh, clean aftertaste. And, like all vinegary foods, they stir the appetite- a side effect that this dish takes full advantage of!
Finally, these plums are salt pickled! It is no wonder they make a perfect accent to the pickled pike at the center of the dish!"
”
”
Yūto Tsukuda (食戟のソーマ 13 [Shokugeki no Souma 13] (Food Wars: Shokugeki no Soma, #13))
“
What a wonderful crunch!
And yet the char's meat was still hot and deliciously juicy!
The breading perfectly contained inside its protective shell the savory flavor of the fish!
The Kaki no Tane Crackers came already seasoned...
... so the breading itself had a solid, delicious taste.
And the dipping sauce is perfect! The Ki no Me mixed with Tamago no Moto is wonderfully light and fluffy!"
*Ki no Me: The young leaves of the Japanese pepper plant. Clapping one in your palm crushes the leaf's cells, releasing a distinctive scent.*
TAMAGO NO MOTO.
Mayonnaise without the vinegar, it is simply egg yolks and vegetable oil whisked into a creamy consistency.
It's often used to bring ingredients together or to add flavor to a dish.
Some salt and minced Ki no Me adds an overall refreshing taste to the fish...
... erasing any oiliness and giving it a refined flavor.
"That wonderfully smooth creaminess hiding between the crispy crunchiness of the breading really spurs the appetite!
The breaded and deep-fried mountain vegetables on the side cannot be ignored, either.
They provide an eye-pleasing contrast when arranged side-by-side with the deep-fried fish.
"
"Soma, where on earth did you get the idea for this?"
"In Japanese cooking, there's a type of tempura called Okakiage, right?
When deep-frying things, use crushed-up Okaki Rice Crackers instead of panko to give the dish some uniqueness and kick.
I made this at home once long ago with my dad.
"
"And that gave you the idea to use the Kaki no Tane Crackers in place of the Okaki Rice Crackers?"
"Yep!
I call it the Yukihira Style Okaki-
YUKIHIRA STYLE OKAKI-NO-TANE-AGE CHAR!"
"You just slapped the two names together!"
On one hand, Takumi Aldini maintained a broad version that did not overlook potential ingredients, such as the duck.
On the other, Soma Yukihira's rare ability to think outside the box...
... led him to create a dish that no one else even expected!
Neither was intimidated by the time constraints or the limited ingredients.
They instead focused on what they could do to create their dish.
That is the spirit of a true professional!
Hee hee! This is hardly the first time I've given this assignment. And students have made deep-fried items before... without breading.
But he is the first one to find a way to present to me fish that is both breaded and deep-fried!
The char, in season this spring...
... is snuggly wrapped in a protective shell of Kaki no Tane Cracker breading.
”
”
Yūto Tsukuda (Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma, Vol. 3)
“
The sun starts to sink lower over the ocean, and Zach somehow magics up a fire from driftwood and kindling.
And then he brings out the marshmallows.
Not a bag of mass-produced, uniform white cylinders of sugar. But two not-quite-square, hand-made, artisanal marshmallows.
I look up at him. “Are you kidding me right now?”
The right side of his mouth kicks up in a smirk that says I gave him exactly the reaction he was looking for. “Nope,” he says. “I asked the baker and she made these special for us. After all, I did promise you.”
He grabs a forked stick and roasts them for us. When they’re perfectly golden brown and sagging off the stick, he slides it onto a graham cracker, and adds a square of chocolate.
I put the entire thing in my mouth.
“Ohmigod!” I murmur. “This is amazing!”
“Transcendent?” he teases.
“Absolutely.” I agree, licking some of the sugar off my fingers.
He grabs my wrist and the next thing I know, he’s licking the sugar off my fingers.
Oh God, and now I’m thinking of last night and what else he licked. As I watch, his eyes get intense; he’s thinking the same.
“We can’t have sex on the beach,” I say breathlessly. “Too sandy.”
“You have a one-track mind, don’t you?” he teases. “I only brought you here for the sunset.”
Aaaand now I feel like an idiot. “Right,” I cough, blushing. “Well, thank you.”
“But …” He adds, his mouth curving into that sexy smile that kills me. “That doesn’t mean we can’t … kiss.” His hand comes up to push a stray lock of hair behind my ear.
I nod because resistance is futile. The best I can do is make light of it so he can’t see the emotion coursing through me. “I’m pretty sure it’s the law that when you drink wine and eat artisanal marshmallows on the beach, you have to kiss.” I wave vaguely toward where we left the car. “I saw it on the sign by the parking lot.”
“Well, if it’s a law,” he grins. A second later, his lips find mine.
He tastes like wine and sugar, and pure Zach. I sigh in pleasure. This picnic, the marshmallows—everything—just might be the most romantic thing anyone’s ever done for me.
But that perfect sunset? We totally miss it.
After all, there are better things to do.
”
”
Lila Monroe (How to Choose a Guy in 10 Days (Chick Flick Club, #1))
“
The diet is composed for a lightly Cracker.
”
”
Petra Hermans (Voor een betere wereld)
“
Allow each lamp you light to bring a smile to your face and to enlighten your soul. Allow the earthen lamp’s flame to cleanse your heart, mind, and soul. May the Diwali lamps brighten your life and the rangoli add more colours to it. May the sound of crackers and sweets bring more glee and cheer. The mirth, merriment, and joy of this divine festival surround you for the rest of your life. Happy Deepavali.
”
”
Shree Shambav (Twenty + One - 21 Short Stories)
“
Buckwheat: Buckwheat is not related to wheat, so it is a favorable grain for wheat-sensitive people. It is also rich in protein and fiber and has been shown to lower cholesterol. Buckwheat groats can be soaked in advance and then used to make porridge, a seasoned side dish, or crackers. Kasha is toasted buckwheat. Millet: This versatile, gluten-free grain is a staple crop in India and Africa. Mildly sweet and nutty, it can be used in both main dishes and desserts. Depending on the length of time it is cooked, it can be slightly crunchy or soft and creamy. Serve it with stir-fried dishes, add it to salads, or make a breakfast porridge with cooked millet, nuts, seeds, and fruit. Quinoa: Although quinoa is usually considered a whole grain, it is actually a seed. It is a good protein source and cooks in just ten to fifteen minutes. Rinse quinoa before cooking because it is coated with a bitter compound called saponin. Quinoa tastes great by itself, or for a substantial salad, toss it with veggies, nuts, and a flavored vinegar or light dressing. It makes a great addition to veggie burgers and even works well in breakfast or dessert puddings.
”
”
Joel Fuhrman (The End of Heart Disease: The Eat to Live Plan to Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease (Eat for Life))
“
All running and playing beneath the heavy heat of the sun, children filled the park while their mothers—women cradling purring babies with pinched cheeks and sore bellies—sat on knitted picnic blankets along the sides, sipping on bubbling white wine and eating salted crackers with softened slices of warm cheese, watching their daughters prance and swirl with light dresses billowing around their boyish hips, plastic dolls tucked to their sides as squealing giggles ripped from glossed lips, reminiscing of a time when they were so ignorantly blissful, stupidly innocent, unaware that one day, such a thing would be turned sour, like the sticky juice of peaches whose pits were filled with squirming maggots. So unaware of the void that had been left in the center of the Town, gaping and cold.
”
”
Kate Winborne (Blossom (The Wolf's Den Anthology Book 1))
“
Don’t know if you have any hobbies.”
She nodded. “I do. I may have to take a break from it for a bit while I’m out here, but normally when I have a light day on campus, I go to a class . . .”
I waited.
“It’s . . . pole dancing.”
I stopped breathing, but at least I didn’t choke.
Nodding, I took a sip of my wine to block my face, which I was pretty sure had turned the shade of a beet.
“So, like Flashdance? Welder by day, dancer by night?” I barked out, feeling a stirring in my pants that was wholly inappropriate for my roomie, who’d been talking about diode lasers a minute earlier.
She’s a goddamn pole dancer.
She chuckled and crossed her arms over her chest as though trying to keep me from picturing her dancing. “Excellent movie reference. But no, that’s not even close to what I do.”
It hardly mattered. My brain was stuck.
Like a white-hot strobe had blinded me to everything except Sarah wearing lingerie and grinding on a pole under hot lights. For me.
Stop picturing it. Fuck!
“Cool,” I finally managed to say with a straight face. Like it meant nothing.
She nodded. Like it meant nothing.
Then she spread some brie cheese on a cracker and took a bite. I choked out an excuse and went to the bathroom to get a grip.
This will be okay. It will. It has to be.
In the bathroom, I splashed some cold water on my face and took a hard look at myself in the mirror. What was happening? I hadn’t been this jacked up over a woman anytime in the past two years. My emotions had been buried in caverns so deep I felt confident they were gone for good. I was fine with that.
It made no sense. Or . . . maybe it did. I’ve always been competitive as fuck. If I’m told I can’t have something, I want it all the more and do anything in my power to make it mine.
That had to be what was happening here.
It was all in my head. I knew she was off limits, so the competitive motherfucker in me started bucking against that. I just needed to get my head together and think of her like any other human who happened to be using my second bedroom.
When I got back to the table, Sarah looked up at me with a thin slice of Parma ham twirled around her fork and put the bit into her mouth. I had no defensible reason to focus on her lips or the soft contour of her jaw while she chewed.
She swallowed and smiled at me. “I figured I should get a head start on eating while you were gone. In case you had more questions.”
“Good plan. Maybe we should focus on the food for a few minutes, or we could be here all night.”
I bit into a slider and closed my eyes at how delicious the slow-roasted meat tasted on the brioche bun. Who needed to cook when someone else could make food that tasted like this? It was how I’d become addicted to takeout and why I rarely ate at home anymore. That, and I spent a lot of time at work.
Sarah finished the last of the cheesy bread and wiped her lips gingerly on a napkin before looking right at me with those gorgeous eyes. “This is weird, right? It’s not just me?”
I tilted my head, trying to read her expression and decipher her meaning. “Could you be specific?
She waved her hands between us. “This. Us. We’re in our thirties and we’re roommates. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t had a roommate for about ten years. Does it freak you out a little bit?”
Yes, but not for the reasons she meant.
”
”
Stacy Travis (The Spark Between Us (Berkeley Hills, #4))
“
having, like I’d been spinning in circles. I shook the can lightly, peered into it and counted only six more crackers. Sliding
”
”
Donna Everhart (The Road to Bittersweet)
“
Place the frozen hash browns in the bowl of a food processor. Use the steel blade, and process with an on-and-off motion until the potatoes are finely chopped. (If you don’t have a food processor, you don’t have to go out and buy one to make these. Just lay your frozen potatoes out on a cutting board in single layers, and chop them up into much smaller pieces with a chef’s knife.) Leave the potatoes in the food processor (or on the counter) while you… Crack the eggs into a large bowl and beat them with a fork or a wire whip until they’re fluffy. Stir in the grated onion (or the onion powder if you decided to use that), and the salt and pepper. Mix in the cracker crumbs. Let the mixture sit on the counter for at least two minutes to give the crumbs time to swell as they soak up the liquid. If you used a food processor, dump the potatoes on a cutting board. (If you used a chef’s knife, they’re already there.) Blot them with a paper towel to get rid of any moisture. Then add them to the mixture in the bowl, and stir them in. If the mixture in your bowl looks watery, add another Tablespoon of cracker crumbs to thicken it. Wait for the cracker crumbs to swell up, and then stir again. If it’s still too watery, add another Tablespoon of cracker crumbs. The resulting mixture should be thick, like cottage cheese. Place the ¼ stick of butter and the 1/8 cup of olive oil in a large nonstick frying pan. (This may be overkill, but I spray the frying pan with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray before I add the butter and olive oil.) Turn the burner on medium-high heat. Once the oil and butter are hot, use a quarter-cup measure to drop in the batter. Don’t try to get all of the batter out of the measuring cup. Your goal is to make 1/8 cup pancakes, and if you don’t scrape out the batter, that’s approximately what you’ll get. Keep the pancakes about two inches apart, and cover the bottom of the frying pan with them. Flatten them very slightly with a spatula so the potatoes spread out and don’t hump up in the middle. Fry the pancakes until they’re lightly browned on the bottom. That should take 2 to 3 minutes. You can tell by lifting one up with a spatula and peeking, but if it’s not brown and you have to do it again, choose another pancake to lift. Once the bottoms of the pancakes are brown, flip them over with your spatula and fry them another 2 to 3 minutes, or until the other side is brown. Lift out the pancakes and drain them on paper towels. Serve hot off the stove if you can, or keep the pancakes warm by placing them in a pan in a warm oven (the lowest temperature that your oven will go) in single layers between sheets of aluminum foil. Serve with your choice of sour cream, applesauce, cherry sauce, blueberry sauce, or apricot sauce. Yield: Approximately 24 small pancakes, depending on pancake size.
”
”
Joanne Fluke (Cream Puff Murder (Hannah Swensen, #11))
“
Sesame Crackers We love crackers in my house, where they serve as both a tasty snack and a baby weaning tool! They are so easy to make, I just take a portion off my pizza dough when I’m getting ready to make pizza and roll out the cracker shapes. The boys love cutting the crackers into fun shapes and munching on them when they’re still warm. serves 4 for lunch ¼ quantity of pizza dough • 100g sesame seeds flour for sprinkling to serve cheese and sliced tomato or hummus or tabbouleh Method Preheat a fan oven to 210°C and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Sprinkle a clean, flat surface with flour. Roll out the dough as flat as you can get it. Sprinkle the sesame seeds on top and roll again so that they are embedded into the dough. Cut the dough into shapes and place on the lined baking tray. Bake in the oven until golden brown. The time it takes will depend on how thinly you roll your dough. Make sure your oven light is on and watch the baking tray closely. Mine take about 7 minutes to bake. Cool on a wire rack and then serve with your chosen topping. The crackers will keep in a dry airtight container for up to three days.
”
”
Caitriona Redmond (Easy Recipes for Back to School: A short collection of recipes from the cookbook Wholesome: Feed Your Family For Less)
“
Those guidelines, according to Dr. Light, did not survive their trip to the office of the Head of the Department of Agriculture. In a 2004 account, she described herself as “shocked” by the changes that were made. Her team placed fruits and vegetables at the base of the pyramid and whole-grain breads and cereals further up. The new guidelines not only switched carbohydrates to the base of the pyramid, it moved processed foods like crackers and corn flakes, which Dr. Light and her team had placed at the top of the pyramid with chocolate, to the base of the pyramid. Even with all the edits, the food pyramid was not released for another 12 years.
”
”
Anonymous
“
Dr. Luise Light is a nutrition expert and led the team at the Department of Agriculture that made the original recommendations for the food pyramid. If you review her original recommendations, they sounds very similar to dietary advice given by nutritionists today: lots of vegetables, more lean sources of protein like fish and nuts, and less dairy and processed foods. Those guidelines, according to Dr. Light, did not survive their trip to the office of the Head of the Department of Agriculture. In a 2004 account, she described herself as “shocked” by the changes that were made. Her team placed fruits and vegetables at the base of the pyramid and whole-grain breads and cereals further up. The new guidelines not only switched carbohydrates to the base of the pyramid, it moved processed foods like crackers and corn flakes, which Dr. Light and her team had placed at the top of the pyramid with chocolate, to the base of the pyramid. Even with all the edits, the food pyramid was not released for another 12 years.
”
”
Anonymous
“
The aunts had their schedule, to which they kept no matter what. They took their walk in the morning, then read and wrote in their journals, then had lunch - the same lunch every day - mashed parsnips and potatoes, noodle pudding, and apple tart for dessert. They napped in the afternoon and did their business at twilight, should anybody come to the backdoor. They always had their supper in the kitchen - beans and toast, soup and crackers - and they kept the lights turned low, to save on electricity.
”
”
Alice Hoffman (Practical Magic (Practical Magic, #1))
“
Dropping to my knees faster than a Catholic craving Christ crackers,
”
”
C. Rochelle (Wings of Darkness + Light: The Complete Trilogy + Bonus Content)
“
The year was 1967. The nation lived with this constant low-level anxiety about nuclear war. Some researchers had decided to study how people would actually respond during a nuclear attack. Right there in downtown Chicago, they’d built a nuclear fallout shelter and asked for volunteers. For some reason Carter’s mother had thought it a good idea to raise her hand, and so without Carter’s fully understanding why, he and his parents and his five siblings were taken to the shelter. “There’s barely enough room for four hundred people,” he recalled. “There’s concrete floors with no pillows or blankets. To eat, you had crackers, plus water that tasted like bleach. There’s one light that’s powered by a bike, so someone has to ride the bike to keep the light on. But the bike also can power a fan, so you had to choose between the light and the fan. It’s hot as hell.” The only creature comfort allowed was cigarettes. So the whole place filled with smoke. There Carter and his family remained for three days. The researchers stepped around them, taking notes. “They wanted to watch how people would behave,” said Carter. “So I got to watch, too.” What he realized, as he watched, was that there was no way a nuclear war would be anything like that. “My mom would be at home, and we’d be at school, and my dad would be at work,” he said. “We’d all be separated. We wouldn’t know how to get to the shelter, and that’s not where we’d go anyway.” His mind unspooled a different scenario that left him with a conviction that nuclear fallout shelters were probably a dumb idea. “Going through that experience forever changed my vision of these events.
”
”
Michael Lewis (The Premonition: A Pandemic Story)
“
Deepawali - The holy light
Yesterday it was the festival of lights,
Bright, sparkling, endlessly shimmering lights,
With children running on the lanes that led everywhere,
Because on this day happiness takes a stroll everywhere,
It was a scene of joy and happiness,
A moment to celebrate togetherness,
While many indulged in savouring sweets,
Many felt just walking and talking on these ever stretching streets,
That on this day, led everywhere,
Because on this day everyone seemed to appear in these streets from nowhere,
Life had acquired an eloquent rush, life was in a flow of its own,
And one felt the the joy of a holy kiss unknown,
They say on this day good prevailed over evil,
But I say, on this day humans realised nothing is more beautiful than a beautiful human will!”
In the night the sky was lit with fire crackers that carried someones joys into the sky,
And when I saw them bursting in the sky, I thought of you often my love, not just by and by,
Until it was late in the night and the playfulness of the festive day decided to repose,
And I too called it a day, as my imaginations, now your beautiful dreams composed!
”
”
Javid Ahmad Tak (They Loved in 2075!)
“
Malcolm looked around the room. “Just so we have this straight. I’m going undercover in a cult that might be planning to use explosives to harm a lot of people in the name of the Bible.” He tried to quiet the rioting in his head. “I’ve slept with the mark, who we all know I want to save. The new shrink wants to get into my head, and I don’t want that.” “I really do want inside your head,” Nari said, her eyes lighting up. Mal ignored her and looked at Wolfe. “You’re a little nuts and now have a kitten in your pocket.” Wolfe nodded. “And you, our leader.” Mal focused on Angus. “Not only are you obsessed with a serial killer case that might just exist in your mind and splits your focus, but you have a high-heel-loving dog that’s also an alcoholic.” “What’s your point?” Force asked, his dark eyebrows slashing down. His point? What the hell was his point? He scrubbed both hands down his whiskered jaw. “I’m not going to ask what could go wrong. You know why? I just want to know what’s going to go right.” “Probably not much,” Wolfe said cheerfully. Then he fed another Goldfish Cracker to his kitten while the dog clip-clopped around the room and scratched up something called Jimmy Choos.
”
”
Rebecca Zanetti (Hidden (Deep Ops, #1))
“
For our first course, we have a play on biscuits and gravy, a classic Southern dish that's also popular in the Midwest." Chef Laurent picked up his fork and cutter into the biscuit. "Here, we have a miniature biscuit topped a boudin blanc sawmill gravy and a poached quail egg."
Chef Martinet poked at the quail egg until the yolk burst. Probably looking for egg flaws. Rosie decided to just keep talking. If she kept talking, she wouldn't be thinking about what they were eating.
"I first had biscuits and gravy at the restaurant where my mom works."
"Your mother, she is a chef?" Chef Laurent asked. He was going back in for another bite. That had to be a good sign.
"No. She, um, manages the store... at the restaurant... where she works." No matter how much time Chef Laurent may have spent in Ohio, Rosie was pretty sure he hadn't experienced a Cracker Barrel. But he nodded like a combined restaurant and gift store was nothing out of the ordinary. "I put my own spin on sawmill gravy by using boudin blanc instead of breakfast sausage to incorporate some of the flavors I've discovered living here, and I kept the biscuit small and used a quail egg to keep the portion appropriate for a first course."
"The biscuit is excellent," Chef Laurent said. "Fluffy, light, buttery- it is everything a biscuit should be. I should tell Marcus that this exactly the kind of appetizer he should serve."
He must have meant Marcus Samuelsson. Rosie felt her hopes start to rise.
"For our next course, we have a burger topped with Gruyère and caramelized onions on a brioche bun.
”
”
Stephanie Kate Strohm (Love à la Mode)
“
When I plan a menu I consider color, texture, taste, and balance: Color: A red vegetable next to a yellow one looks unappetizing. Two white ones, like celery and cauliflower, look awful.
Texture: Creamed chicken with mashed potatoes makes too much mush. Always serve something crisp with something soft.
Taste: Never team two sours, two sweets, or two bitters. Candied yams and cranberry sauce are both delectable, but served together they break two of these rules, color and taste contrast.
Balance: Courses shouldn't be uniformly rich nor light. A too rich menu might consist of a heavy cream soup, a roast with thickened gravy and potatoes, and a heavy cream soup, a roast with thickened gravy and potatoes, and a heavy whippedcreamtopped dessert. If the main course is substantial, the first should be light, crisp and appetizing, and the dessert an airy sherbet or a compote of fresh fruit.
I decide first on the main course. For a buffet for twelve there should be two warm dishes. If you're going to be a relaxed hostess choose two that can be made the day before. Most of them improve with reheating. Some of the possibilities are beef bourguignon, boned and skinned breasts of chicken in a delicate cream sauce, a shrimp-lobster-and-scallop Newburg, lamb curry with all its interesting accompaniments.
With any of these, serve a large, icy bowl of crisp salad with a choice of two or three dressings in little bowls alongside.
Hot dishes must be kept hot in chafing dishes or on a hot tray so that they’re just as good for the second helping. Plates should be brought warm to the buffet table just before the guests serve themselves. I like to have a complete service at each end of the table so that people won’t have to stand in line forever, and there should be an attractive centerpiece, though it can be very simple. A bowl of flowers, carefully arranged by the hostess in the afternoon, and candles—always candlelight.
The first course for a buffet supper should be an eye-catching array of canapés served in the living room with the drinks. I think there should be one interesting hot thing, one at room temperature, and a bouquet of crisp raw vegetables.
The raw vegetables might include slim carrot sticks, green pepper slices, scallions, little love tomatoes, zucchini wedges, radishes, cauliflowerettes, olives, and young turnips. Arrange them colorfully in a large bowl over crushed ice and offer a couple of dips for non-dieters.
[...]
It’s best to serve hot hors d’oevres in two batches, the second ones heating under the broiler while the first round of drinks is served.
[...]
After people have had their second helpings the maid clears the buffet and puts out the dessert. Some people like an elaborate ice-cream concoction — so many men like gooey, sweet things. Pander to them, and let them worry about their waistlines. Some people like to end dinner with cheese and fruit. Other two kinds — one bland and one forthright, and just ripe. French bread and crackers on the side. For diet watchers gave a pretty bowl of fresh fruits, dewy and very cold. Serve good, strong coffee in pretty demitasses and let the relaxed conversation take over.
”
”
Joan Crawford (My Way of Life)
“
Because I believe in you,” Granny Crackers responded. “It’s a lesson for all of you,” she said, pointing to everyone in the room. “In life, rare talents and great gifts seldom reveal themselves. It’s up to you to seize the moments. There is a time to be humble and a time to be proud. Ya got to know the difference. When it’s your turn to shine, do it big, bright, and completely unashamed.
”
”
Susie Newman (Eating Yellow Paint)
“
Every time we were at Billy's, AJ got the banana cupcake with cream cheese frosting, a house specialty. I usually felt it my duty to try something new- like the Hello Dolly, a graham-cracker-crusted bar, layered with a tooth-achingly sweet mélange of chocolate chips, pecans, butterscotch, and coconut, perhaps a big old slice of German chocolate cake, or just a modest sugar-dusted snickerdoodle. But today- out of alliance or nervousness, I wasn't sure- I had also ordered a banana cupcake: a wise choice, as it was especially spongy and fresh.
”
”
Amy Thomas (Paris, My Sweet: A Year in the City of Light (and Dark Chocolate))