Gluten brookside dark chocolate pomegranate

Hi everyone, this place is my last hope before I go insane!
Does anyone know what kind of chocolate "clay" Amaury Guichon is using for his sculptures as seen in the image from this video for example? https://youtu.be/IBs-u1h9j-M?si=eukOgZLUO9B_zH0l&t=19
https://preview.redd.it/t4tzmosihd1d1.jpg?width=865&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c3e1556e07e1cf443325ff8d03c41b8d6ec0efd1
I looked through so many comments on his videos and online in general and couldn't find any clues. Over all there seem to be next to no resources for professional stuff beyond what I already learned during my trade school education (Germany), that's NOT locked behind expensive courses or books, and that in this day and age...
It's lighter color and consistency tells me this is definitely not modelling chocolate. And since dark chocolate is preferred for this work due to it's strength, it's probably not just milk chocolate close to setting.
Does anyone have any ideas?

Just took out the fridge, and after 5-10min was like..... 🫤

My GF and I have this debate about whose handwriting is prettiemore aesthetically pleasing. Which one do you guys prefer?

Just recently sailed on Resilient Lady and thought it might be helpful to share a bit of my experience.
I eat dairy- and gluten-free - EoE diagnosis - but do not avoid cross-contamination.
Overall, both the experience on board and during excursions was quite accommodating.
Many of the restaurants offer gluten-free dishes - indicated by “(gf)” on the menus - that can be modified to also exclude dairy-containing ingredients. Many restaurants offer vegan options - indicated by “(vv)” on the menus - in addition to dishes that are both gluten- and dairy-free.
Each day I had a matcha latte with Oatly oat milk. Almond and soy were also available but I can’t speak to exactly which brands were in use.
The crew was very attentive to dietary restrictions and asked multiple times throughout the cruise if anyone in our party had any allergies, and they were very receptive if you happened to mention it first.
Another go-to drink that I got multiple times was the Fill Me Up smoothie from the Athletic Club bar which contained chocolate Vega hemp protein, peanut butter, almond milk, and maca, and to which other boosts could be added like reishi mushrooms, MCT oil, spirulina, and more. Made for a great post-workout snack.
Any excursions where food was involved asked if we had any allergies and for the most part there were pretty great accommodations made. Kudos to Manousakis Winery as there was a miscommunication but they threw together an awesome salad in lieu of cheese and bread at the last minute.
Happy to try to answer any other questions. Happy Sailing!

The colors!! 🩵✌️

TLDR; hirutism getting much worse despite a reasonably healthy lifestyle, need advice on how to mitigate it!
Hi there, I'm 23, and I have known I have had PCOS since about early 2021 when I went to my doctor (again) sobbing about my acne (as it had never gotten better despite being on the pill, then doxycycline for a number of years). I got a pelvic ultrasound which confirmed the left ovary was far bigger than the right, and I assume my bloods showed high testosterone etc, but I did not really have much help/follow up from doctors.
I am currently on year two of a Mirena IUD, and I had Jaydess in the past. Periods are too painful & heavy to not have contraception in, although I haven't been off contraception since 2019 (wondering if Mirena is interacting with androgens? Might be worth getting off it to see how things go?)
To give a full picture of me - they suspect I have endometriosis, possibly on lower colon as I have had IBS-related symptoms since I was about 17, although I have struggled with OCD & a phobia for as long as I can remember (a very anxious wee child). I was diagnosed with ADHD in 2019. (The endo has not been confirmed as I have not had a lap, but ever since I've had an IUD in the pain has been very manageable). I do struggle with very irregular periods, I seem to only get a few a year which upsets me a little as I wish they were regular.
Supplement wise - I am currently taking an Omega 3-6-9 complex, I've been taking it for 6 months consistently and have taken it on and off over the past three years. I have introduced a 500mg inositol supplement into my routine also in the last 6 months after reading about how much it helps, although I have only noticed my hirutism getting worse. I'm currently the most active I have been in two years as I have been working a ski season again (did this mid 2022 also and I felt my symptoms were much better during that period). I regularly take a Magnesium biglycinate powder, and have been a longtime magnesium taker. Due to cannabis being legal where I live, I do consume edibles on a regular basis but I always eat the high CBD content gummies, as I'm not super concerned about getting 'baked', and I know it helps with inflammation & lowering stress.
Diet wise - I went dairy-free when I was 17, and slowly started eating it again during a trip to Europe, and during first year of university but I kept having IBS attacks so I went dairy free again in 2020, and have been dairy-free since then, although have slowly reintroduced it again as I moved countries and find I tolerate the lactose-free products here a lot better, along with some hard cheeses & butter (low FODMAP). I find I get ibs attacks less frequently. Anywho, I also have dabbled in low-gluten and vegetarian/vegan diets but found I couldn't get enough protein in as a highly-active person if I give up meat AND dairy so I dabble in the two intermittently to ensure I get enough protein. I've been getting more into learning about gut microbiomes and whatnot so have been making a conscious effort lately to eat more probiotics/prebiotics such as greek yoghurt, kimchi, saurkraut and of course my favourite, kombucha.
I noticed hirutism appearing possibly around the same time as the dairy-free ness but I do naturally have very dark brown hair, my eyebrows & eyelashes are naturally pretty much black, and I've always had darker hair on my shins and pubic area. I try to avoid processed foods, but I do have an affinity for cured meats (salami is just a handy protein snack), and candy (but I find I crave it a lot less - is this inositol?). Worth noting I have never dealt with hair loss, it is very thick and grows super fast, and it has been dyed to absolute shit (which surprises me).
I remember occasionally getting the odd super long dark chin hair here and there, and I've been either microblading or using hair removal cream on my upper lip since I was about 17, but my acne has always superseded my opinion on my hair or made it difficult to wax/shave so I used to just pluck. I have had a little snail trail/lower navel dark hair for a long time too, and even got electrolysis on it for a bit when I was at high school but it just hurt too much. I take to plucking it when I get bored so I usually stay on top of it.
In the past year or so, possibly longer, I have noticed my hirutism has gradually been getting worse, as the usual 1 or 2 dark hairs on my breasts/chest slowly spread as the hair seems to be getting darker. I am feeling rather down about this and I don't feel as feminine whenever I find it. I accept I have naturally very dark hair but I feel at a loss as to why it's getting worse. I'm currently on my second round of isotretonin, which helped my skin considerably the first time around, but I did it during the winter, so my skin was fully clear when it came to summertime (have always found sunshine + ocean help my skin so much), for the first time since I was a child I had clear acne-free skin! I'm hoping the second time will kill it off but maybe I'm not so sure.
Worth noting also I am a healthy weight (I think?? my waist size is 28-30 inches, hasn't changed for as long as I can remember, some periods in my life I've been more of a 25-26. Probably have a bit more fat than muscle but been actually enjoying being a regular gym goer at the moment. Not a huge cardio person anymore. Do a lot of skiing. I weigh about 70 kilos and I am 173cm tall. Have not been near scales in about six months though haha). Not sure about insulin resistance or anything else.
I have noticed the chin hairs getting worse and worse, and there are longer, darker hairs going all down my neck now. I've always been a fairly hairy person but it's kind of getting excessive at this point and I'm at my wits end about it. Does anyone have any suggestions for lifestyle changes/tweaks I could try to mitigate it? Any supplements that help?

Following Isaac toups recipe from the basics with babish video. I had 3 issues:

1. It was spicy as hell. I only added the 1 tbsp of cayenne listed in the recipe and de-seeded my bell pepper. The andouille I used was aidells from the grocery store, a common brand.
   
2. It was near flavorless. Lots of spice on the tongue but no umami or heartiness to it. Tasted very one dimensional. This could be because there was so much spiciness it overshadowed everything but I had a hard time imagining if it wasn’t spicy, that it tasted like anything. The sausage rounds were the most flavorful part. The beer I used was modelo, same as the video.
   
3. It was too thin. I didn’t add file or okra, but the recipe was so highly recommended across Reddit that I didn’t want to change anything. It was basically water.
   

The only issue that arose during cooking was the recipe said by the one minute mark the roux should be milk chocolate colored and by the 5-6 minute mark it should be dark chocolate colored. Mine was a peanut butter color at the 1 minute mark, milk chocolate by 1:30 and dark chocolate by 5 minutes. It didn’t taste burned, and I stirred constantly other than the break at 1 minute as the recipe advised.
Recipe:
For the Chicken & Sausage Gumbo:
1 small green bell pepper, diced 2 ribs celery, diced 1 small white onion, diced 6 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup all purpose flour 2 bay leaves 8 ounces beer (just not a light beer!) 4 cups chicken stock 1 lb andouille sausage, cut into coins (or smoked kielbasa) 1 lb boneless, skinless, chicken thighs Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 tbsp cayenne pepper 1 tbsp smoked paprika Cooked white rice, for serving Sliced scallions, for garnish
Chicken & Sausage Gumbo
Take 1 small green bell pepper, 2 ribs of celery, and 1 small white onion (also known as the “holy trinity”) and dice them into medium-sized pieces. Set aside for later. Mince 6 garlic cloves and set aside for later. For the roux, add ½ cup of vegetable oil to a pot and allow it to get smoking hot before adding ½ cup of all purpose flour. Using a wooden spoon or preferably a whisk, mix together until the consistency is similar to wet sand. Within 30 seconds, the roux should be the color of milk chocolate. The darker the roux gets, the more you need to stir it, but let it sit for a few seconds before continuing to stir. After about 5-6 minutes, the color of the roux should be nice and dark or similar to the color of a Hershey’s chocolate bar. Set aside some of the roux to use later. Add 2 bay leaves as well as your “holy trinity” to the pot. Make sure to set aside some of the holy trinity mix for later. Once the mixture calms down a bit, add the minced garlic to the pot. Let the roux sit for 30 seconds. Add 8 ounces of beer and stir it in and whisk to prevent the mixture from becoming clumpy. Then, add 4 cups of chicken stock and whisk using the same procedure as the beer. Take 1 lb of andouille sausage or smoked kielbasa and cut into coins. Add kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to both sides of 1 lb of boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Sear the chicken thighs in a smoking hot pan with oil. Add 1 tbsp of cayenne pepper and a pinch of salt to the roux. Turn the stovetop temperature to the lowest simmer possible and add a generous amount of black pepper to the roux. Then, add 1 tbsp of smoked paprika and stir. After browning the chicken, add it straight to the pot and set aside the remaining oil from the chicken. Next, add the chopped up sausage or smoked kielbasa to the pot. Bring the roux to a bare simmer, cover it, and let sit for a couple of hours. Serve with cooked white rice, garnish with scallions, and enjoy!

That’s all it was. A game.
Something my friends and I used to play during the summer when we had nothing better to do. I never expected that it would get so out of hand.
I never expected it to come back long after recovery.
To anyone reading, please don’t do what I did.
I’m putting this out there to warn people.
On that warm summer evening, we played the role of Pandora.
Except, the monsters we released were far worse than what’s told in stories.
Because stories end.
And this doesn’t.
I still remember the date. July 16, 2013. I was an upcoming senior in high school while the others were getting prepared for their freshman year of college, raving on about their majors, life plans, dorms, you get the point. The summer had been bittersweet as those months would be the last I’d see them for a while. Because of this, Anthony, Lola, Eliza, and I would spend the bulk of our time together going to festivals and various camping trips, trying to make the most out of the summer while we could. On that day, the day I wish I could forget, Eliza had run late to one of our hangouts at my place. This was odd since as an Ivy league student, she was usually early or right on time to these kind of things. Half past three, we heard her knocking on my door rapidly, which was also out of character considering that she was usually the calm one in our group. A bit worried, I hurried down the stairs with Anthony and Lola following close behind, expecting Eliza to be in hysterics due to her frantic behavior. When I opened the door, however, there she was with a bright smile on her face, her red hair getting in the way of her eyes, which were a dark green shade. She pushed her hair out of her face with one hand and held a brown box in the other, and she was bouncing up and down as she usually does when she’s about to talk about something exciting.
“You’ll never believe what I found.” Eliza’s voice could barely hold her impatience as she stepped inside and kicked her shoes off once she crossed over my threshold.
“What’s up with you today?” Anthony questioned, looking more confused than concerned now.
“I’ll show you guys in a minute. Can we go up to your room, Felix?” Eliza looked over at me with her trademark smile, knowing damn well we were all too curious to just leave that box unopened. Without a word, I led the group up to my room and shut the door after everyone had walked in. Anthony took his usual spot on my beanbag and unzipped his hoodie, which had the MSM logo sprawled across the front in big red letters. He adjusted his dark rimmed glasses and took on his usual stoic expression. Lola wore a dark blue FIT shirt, which she revealed more of when she moved her locs over her shoulder as she sat on my desk chair and wheeled over to us. As she did, the various necklaces she wore clinked against each other. Eliza herself was the smartest out of the group, and probably in the whole school as well. She had gotten accepted into multiple prestigious schools, but ultimately settled for Harvard to pursue a degree in some obscure philanthropic career. Unlike Anthony and Lola, Eliza wore her regular outfit –usually a white tank top and jeans– and sat on my bed with the box in her lap. I took a seat next to her to get a closer look.
“So what’d you find?” The others moved closer.
“Something we probably haven’t thought about for a really long time. Do you guys remember that one game we used to play in middle school? The one we made after Felix joined our class?” Eliza looked at our puzzled faces to see if we had connected the dots, but her clue didn’t seem to strike any of us with familiarity.
“After Felix joined? Didn’t we just hang out or something that weekend?” Anthony questioned.
“We did, but there was something else,” Eliza raised an eyebrow, “you guys seriously don’t remember?”
At that moment, I saw Lola’s eyes light up and a thin smile grew on her lips, something she always did whenever she was able to figure something out.
“You mean that little map game we played? Where we would go out to the woods and explore?”
Both Anthony and I seemed to have remembered as well with the mention of a ‘map game.’ I chimed in, “ yeah I remember! Every once in a while when we were all bored, we’d pick a random spot on a map to go to and explore there for a bit, right? When did we stop doing that anyways? I remember really enjoying it.”
“Well life happens,” Eliza responded to me, “but I was thinking of things to do for the rest of the summer when I suddenly remembered that game! That’s why I was so late for our meetup today, I was looking through my attic for this.” Eliza shook the box slightly and a couple things clattered around inside.
“There’s no way.” Anthony sounded like he was in disbelief.
“You mean…?” Lola sat forward in the chair. Eliza smirked, her adventurous nature creeping out as realization swept over us like a wave.
“Mhm! I found the map we used to use as well as the things we collected from our little escapades.” With that, Eliza opened the box, revealing a folded piece of paper and various trinkets scattered over the bottom of the capsule. Lola squealed with excitement and immediately snatched the box from Eliza, who simply chuckled and leaned back on the bed.
“No way! Everything’s still in here!” Lola digged through the box and placed whatever objects she found across the blanket. Anthony got up and sat at the foot of my bed, to observe our findings more closely. There was a piece of some clay pottery, some rusty springs and scraps of metal, an old digital camera, and some other random stuff I can’t recall to memory right now. Anthony picked up a spring and turned it in his palm.
“Shit man, this is from that abandoned junkyard we found in 8th grade…that feels like such a long time ago now.”
I examined the piece of pottery with Eliza looking over my shoulder. Lola picked up the digital camera.
“Do you remember where this came from?” I turned to Eliza and held up my discovery.
“No clue,” she shrugged. It must have been a while ago if even she didn’t remember. I turned the piece over and grew curious when I saw weird symbols inscribed on the inside of it. I squinted a bit, trying to discern some sort of pattern within the scribbles.
I turned to Eliza again, “hey, what do you think-”
“OH MY GOD GUYS IT STILL WORKS!” Lola’s voice went up a whole octave as she motioned to us.
The rest of us looked up as she turned the camera to face us. There were various photos we went through. All of us at lakes, museums, exploring the woods; everything we did from 7th grade until my freshman year seemed to be documented. The last photo was arguable the best and msot bittersweet. It was a picture of the whole group from a while ago. We were sitting at Eliza’s dinner table with a giant chocolate cake on the middle of it adorned with two candles shaped like the numbers one and five. Eliza was talking to me in the photo. Her hair was even more red at the time and she wore it in a braid. I looked about the same in the photo as I did then, with light brown hair, blue eyes, and freckles scattered all over my body and face. I was smiling sheepishly at Eliza. I now knew why Anthony said it was obvious I had a crush on her in 8th grade. Lola went through the most changes out of all of us. At the time in the photo, she had her hair straightened and side-swept, with a bright pink streak in her bangs. She wore clunky jewlery and a frilly skirt underneath a long tank top, leaning over the table to cut another slice of cake. All of us had birthday hats on except for Anthony, who kept his sitting on the table. He held up a peace sign staring straight into the camera with a stoic expression. He looked like a statue compared to the rest of us, who were laughing and smiling. You could tell he was having fun, though.
“Well don’t you look like a ray of sunshine,” Lola snickered as Anthony shot her a dirty look.
“At least I didn’t go through some weird scene phase in freshman year,” He smiled and watched Lola’s face, knowing she was blushing despite her dark skin which made it practically invisible. I let a laugh slip out, but quickly stifled it knowing that if I kept going it would mean death. Lola side-eyed me and continued, “I was using my creative liberty to experiment with my options as an artist,” she said with an overly-posh accent that made Eliza laugh.
“Yeah Anthony, don’t be such a downer,” Eliza teased. Anthony simply rolled his eyes and suppressed a smile to pretend like he was mad at all of us. He looked into the box and picked up the paper we left, unfolding it with a hint of excitement and curiosity. When he looked at it, only two words came out of his mouth.
“Holy shit.”
“What, what is it?” Lola tried to look at the other side of the paper, but Anthony quickly held it out of her view.
“What if I didn’t want to show you?” A smile crept onto his face. This was one of those rare moments where he’d be in the moos to joke around with us.
“Don’t be a dick bro,” I said, laughing as I went to grab for the paper. Anthony just held it up in the air and pushed me off of him and I landed on my floor. While he was distracted, though, Eliza took her chance and snatched the paper right out of his hand.
“You boys need to learn to be nice,” she warned in her jokingly stern voice as she unfolded the paper and spread it out onto my bed. We all leaned over to look.
It was a map of a couple towns including ours. There were around ten small star stickers placed on different areas on the map near the streets the four of us lived in. On the top of the map, a couple words were scrawled in black sharpie; “Pick a Place!” I could see everyone’s faces light up.
“Oh my god it’s our map!” Lola shouted and pointed to one of the stars near her street, “this was where we found that old junkyard right?”
Eliza smiled, “I remember that. It feels like such a long time ago now.” She pointed to another star, “and this is where we found that lake we made a hideout of. I still remember swimming in there in 8th grade…”
The four of us reminisced for a while, talking about where we had gone and what we did there, and how impressive it was that we didn’t get tetanus from that junkyard. After nearly an hour of conversation, Eliza asked something that made all of us stop.
“So how about it guys? Do you want to do one last round before the summer ends?”
The rest of us looked around at each other. It was clear we all wanted to do it. Eliza seemed to catch on and she nodded.
“Who wants to pick where we go?”
“How about you do the honors?” Lola suggested, motioning towards the map. “You’re the one that brought this stuff in anyways.”
Eliza raised her eyebrow but didn’t object. Without a word, she examined the map for a few minutes, then placed her finger on one spot a bit far from my house.
“How about here?”
“You think we can make it that far?” Anthony asked.
“Well, we can drive now so why not?”
“You sure there’s some type of trail we can drive on? That spot looks pretty deep in the woods”
“We can find a path to drive on for a bit then walk the rest of the way. C’mon guys, this is probably our last chance to do something like this! Felix, you can drive right?”
Eliza and the rest turned to me with a hopeful expression. I had to comply.
“Sure. No big deal, right?”
All three of them cheered and high fived each other, looking pretty excited to go on one last adventure.
“So when do we leave?” I questioned.
Eliza flashed that smile again, “right now.”
“Right now?!”
“Hell yeah,” Lola chimed in. “It shouldn’t take that long, right?”
“I guess…” Even then I felt uneasy about the whole thing. I didn’t feel prepared enough to go on some random trip into the woods. I needed to pack food, water, flashlights, I had no idea how long this was going to take. Little did I know that those things would be the least of my worries a couple hours from then. I wish I could go back and convince my 17-year-old self that it wasn’t worth it, that I should just convince my friends to stay and talk for the rest of the day. I wish Eliza had never remembered that stupid game. In a way, I’m almost mad at her for what happened, but I know it wasn’t anyones fault. We just wanted to have fun. I wish we could’ve just had fun. But God had a different plan for us. One that made me think Satan himself devised it instead. On July 16, 2013, Anthony He, Lola Smith, Eliza Landserson, and Felix Johanson went on an adventure that none of them were ready for.
Author's Note:
If you just read all of that then thank you so so so much for doing so! I'm a rookie writer, so feel free to comment any constructive criticism you might have if you have actual writing experience! This is the first silly little story I'm posting here, so I hope you enjoyed :)

Modeling chocolate, also known as chocolate clay or candy clay, is a versatile and edible medium used by pastry chefs and cake decorators to create intricate decorations, sculptures, and cake toppers. Made from just two ingredients – chocolate and corn syrup – modeling chocolate is easy to make and can be shaped into virtually any design imaginable. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll take you through the process of making modeling chocolate from scratch, offering tips and tricks to help you master this essential skill in the world of pastry arts.
Ingredients:
12 ounces (340g) high-quality chocolate (dark, milk, or white) 1/3 cup (80ml) light corn syrup Instructions:
Chop the Chocolate: Start by chopping the chocolate into small, uniform pieces using a sharp knife or a chocolate chipper. The smaller the pieces, the easier it will be to melt the chocolate evenly. Melt the Chocolate: Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, creating a double boiler. Make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Stir the chocolate frequently with a heatproof spatula until it is completely melted and smooth. Cool the Melted Chocolate: Once the chocolate has melted, remove the bowl from the heat and allow it to cool slightly. It’s important not to add the corn syrup to hot chocolate, as it can cause the mixture to seize. Add the Corn Syrup: Gradually add the corn syrup to the melted chocolate, stirring constantly with a spatula or wooden spoon until fully incorporated. The mixture will become thick and slightly sticky. Knead the Mixture: Transfer the chocolate mixture onto a clean work surface that has been lightly dusted with powdered sugar or cornstarch to prevent sticking. Begin kneading the chocolate with your hands, using a folding and pressing motion, until it becomes smooth and pliable. This process may take several minutes, so be patient. Test the Consistency: To test the consistency of the modeling chocolate, pinch off a small piece and roll it between your fingers. It should be soft, flexible, and hold its shape without cracking. If the mixture is too dry, add a small amount of corn syrup and continue kneading until the desired consistency is reached. Wrap and Rest: Once the modeling chocolate is smooth and pliable, shape it into a ball and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Allow the chocolate to rest at room temperature for at least 1-2 hours, or until it firms up slightly. This resting period allows the chocolate to fully set and develop its elasticity, making it easier to work with. Store Properly: Store any unused modeling chocolate in an airtight container at room temperature for up to several weeks. If the chocolate becomes too firm after storage, simply knead it gently with your hands until it softens to the desired consistency. Tips and Tricks:
Use high-quality chocolate for the best results. Avoid using chocolate chips or candy melts, as they may not have the same smooth texture and flavor as couverture chocolate. Dark chocolate produces a firmer modeling chocolate, while milk or white chocolate creates a softer, more pliable consistency. If the modeling chocolate becomes too sticky or greasy while kneading, allow it to rest for a few minutes or refrigerate it briefly until it firms up slightly. Experiment with different flavors by adding extracts, spices, or food coloring to the chocolate mixture before kneading. Modeling chocolate can be rolled, cut, shaped, and molded into various decorations, figures, flowers, and more. Let your creativity run wild! Conclusion: Mastering the art of making modeling chocolate opens up a world of creative possibilities in the realm of pastry arts and cake decorating. With just two simple ingredients and a few basic techniques, you can create edible masterpieces that will impress and delight your friends, family, and clients. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced pastry chef, learning how to make modeling chocolate is a skill worth mastering for any aspiring confectionery artist.