Drabble Cascade #131 - 'herring'

FB3X Drabble Cascades

Welcome to the FB3X Drabble Cascade, a weekly blog hop where we want you to share your drabbles, or flash fiction inspired by our word of the week. To join in, just post your piece to your blog/social media/website and add your link to the list with Title (Rating, Genre), e.g. A Little Bit of Fun (PG, Science Fiction) and then to perpetuate the cascade, add the list code to the bottom of your post :)

http://fantasyboysxxx.blogspot.com/2015/09/fb3x-drabble-cascade-131-word-of-week.html?showComment=1443020737700#c1727615615042959647




Title: The Hunted (G, paranormal)
Author: charisstoma
Word count: 100

Strobe lighting slashed through the nightclub’s dimness creating seconds long images of many bodies dancing to the music’s throb. It was a perfect place to hunt, Oscar smiled to himself, all he needed to do was choose out his herring from the schooling mass.

Stroking his eyes over the dancers in search of the night’s prey, he noted where suitable dark spots were for later, preferably near an exit to an equally dark alley. Off near one of those corners a small glimmer drew his attention and he homed in on the spot.

Albert watched the approaching predator and smiled.

Yes,*sighs* there is a part 2 HERE

Flour - Self-rising, Cake vs. All-purpose

Self Rising Flour
http://southernfood.about.com/cs/breads/ht/self_rise_flour.htm
If your recipe calls for self-rising flour and you only have all-purpose flour, here's how you can adapt.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: 1 minute

What You Need:
all-purpose flour
salt
baking powder

Here's How:
Using a dry measure, measure the desired amount of flour into a separate container.
For each cup of all-purpose flour, add 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
Mix to combine. (probably best to sift together)

Tips:
You can use self-rising flour in yeast bread recipes, but you'll need to omit the salt.
If you use self-rising flour as a substitute for all-purpose flour in a quick bread, omit salt and baking powder.



Substitutes - Cake Flour vs. All-purpose Flour
http://southernfood.about.com/od/ingredientsubstitutions/fl/How-to-Make-Cake-Flour.htm

If you don't have cake flour, use 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons of all purpose flour sifted with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch for each cup of cake flour called for in a recipe.
If you only have cake flour and the recipe calls for all-purpose, use 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of cake flour for each cup of all-purpose flour.

Apple Paste - Dulce de Manzana

Apple Paste - Dulce de Manzana

Quince paste (dulce de membrillo) is a popular sweet in South America (and elsewhere). It is made by slowly cooking quince with sugar until it has a thick, sliceable consistency. It's delicious with cheese, and in all sorts of desserts.
The same method works really well with apples, because like quince, apples have lots of natural pectin. The resulting apple paste falls somewhere between apple candy and apple butter, with a very concentrated and intense apple flavor. Serve slices of apple paste with cheddar cheese for a perfect fall appetizer, or try it on biscuits or inpastries.

http://southamericanfood.about.com/od/desserts/r/Apple-Paste-Dulce-de-Manzana.htm
Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 60 minutes Total Time: 80 minutes
Yield: About 8 ounces

INGREDIENTS
3-4 pounds tart apples
4 cups apple cider or apple juice
Cinnamon stick (optional)
2 1/2 - 3 cups sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
Pinch of salt


PREPARATION
Line ann 8-inch square pan (or container of choice) with parchment paper and lightly oil the bottom and sides of the pan. Set aside.

Peel, core, and slice the apples, removing all of the peel. Place the apple slices in a large pot with the apple cider or apple juice (or use water). Add a cinnamon stick if desired.

Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook on low heat until apples are very tender.
Drain the apples, reserving cider/juice for another use.

Place the cooked apple slices in a food processor, and process until very smooth.
Return puréed apples to the pot. You should have about 4 cups of apple purée.

Add 2 1/2 - 3 cups of sugar, a pinch of salt (to taste), and the juice of one lemon.

Bring mixture to a simmer over low heat, and partially cover the pot with a lid, allowing steam to escape but preventing splatters.
Cook the apple mixture slowly, keeping the mixture barely at a boil and stirring often to prevent burning, until mixture thickens.
Stir the apple mixture often as it simmers - carefully, as the mixture may splatter.
Cook for about an hour, or until mixture is a thick paste that stays together in a ball.

The mixture should seem almost dry, and a bit stretchy. The fruit will darken to a golden brown color.

You can test to see if it's done by taking a small teaspoon of the mixture and placing it on a plate.
Put the plate in the refrigerator for several minutes.
The apple paste is ready when it becomes firm enough to slice when cool.

Transfer mixture to the prepared pan, and let cool completely.
Chill apple paste uncovered in the refrigerator overnight, to allow it to dry out a bit so that it is easier to slice.

Apple paste will keep stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator (or wrapped well with plastic wrap) for several weeks.

The Hunted Part 2

Meep is feeling poorly. So is onecrazycanuke. This is raw because I didn't mean to stay up this late.
Continues from Drabble Cascade #131 - "Herring"

Title: The Hunted Part 2
Author: charisstoma
Word count: 856

“What is a sweet thing like you doing standing in the dark all alone?” Oscar crooned letting his hand slide down from under his prey’s arm along the ribs and over the round of a hip before reversing course upward the same way. He intended to gently tilt the jaw of the dimly lit shadow of a face exposing the neck. Kisses would taste the skin and with the first start of the shiver he’d set his fangs, his other hand grasping hard over one cheek of the guy’s ass. It looked romantic done right and sometimes the prey, especially if they liked a bit of erotic pain, would orgasm making what was a comparatively good wine into a supremely prime beverage with subtle resonating undertones of flavor. Almost he gave a startled jerk as an all too sensuous caress trailed down his chest, pressing him slightly away as if his closeness inhibited the hand from its destination’s goal.

“Perhaps I was waiting for someone like you,” Albert purred back, his hand manipulating buttons open as his fingers neared his seducer’s waist.( Read more... )