Cyclopean Sausage: Sikelós

Background: Sikelós is a popular mutton or lamb sausage named after the Sicel and Sicani tribes of Trinacria. The Sikelós was first created by Cyclopean tribes living in Trinacria and were later introduced to Latium and Hellnos where it spread throughout southern Efenland and the northern coast of the Sunlands. In contrast to most sausages, the Sikelós is around 30 centimeters long, a relatively normal size for a Cyclops but quite a mouthful for most humans and elves. As such a single Sikelós is typically cut in half and shared between two people. It is most commonly eaten wrapped in a flatbread with shredded pickled onions, roast garlic and Kýklopaskó cheese. Unlike Kýklopaskó, the production of Sikelós has spread far beyond the Cyclopean populace to the dinner tables of different races and creeds. There are a multitude of variations with some Latins putting wolfpeach purée and petersilie on theirs while the Gaulish variety might be served on a baguette with melted cheese and mushrooms. Kingdoms as far north as Anglia have adopted the Sikelós as well and serve it with a mustard sauce with grilled onions on a toasted roll. 

Traditional Production of Sikelós

Ingredients:

    • 2 Kilograms of Lamb Meat

    • 450 Grams of Lamb Fat

    • 30 Grams of Salt

    • 20 Grams of Rosemary 

    • 10 Grams of Fennel

    • 5 Grams of Coriander 

    • 5 Grams of Black Pepper

    • 100 Milliliters of Red Wine 

    • Lamb Entrails

    • 3 Grams of Origanum

    • 3 Grams of Thyme

Instructions:

Chop your meat into cubes and mix in the salt and let sit for a half-hour. Mix the Lamb Fat into the meat and roughly mince. Then let the mixture sit for another half-hour.  Add in the spices, herbs and wine into the meat and stir until fully combined. Add your minced meat to a meat grinder and grind into a paste. Extrude the paste into the lamb entrails, tying off every 30 centimeters lengths before separating the sections. Hang your sausages to dry in a dark and cool environment overnight before consuming with Kýklopaskó and flatbread.

The Cuisinier’s Toolbox: Knives of Gaia

The Cuisinier's Toolbox is going to be a series of entries regarding the culinary tools and equipment of the world of Gaia, the tentative name for the fantastical world of How To Cook Your Dragon.

As an aspiring chef there are many tools at your disposal whether you be a Tavern Owner, a Magirist, or a high Gastromancer. Some tools might be familiar to the commonfolk while others are only used by the culinary elite of Gaia. This entry will encompass a quick overview of the most common culinary knives throughout Gaia. 

    • The Athame: A double-edged knife commonly used in the kitchen for a variety of different         purposes.

    • The Boline: A sickled shaped knife used for cutting herbs and vegetables. 

    • The Cleaver: A heavy knife used for chopping meat and breaking bones.

    • The Culter: A small, rounded knife, the dullest of the lot, used for spreading butter and              jams. 

    • The Flayer: Despite its dark past, the flayer is best used for filleting meat and peeling               fruits.

    • The Kervan: A large knife with a surprisingly thin edge used for carving meats. 

    • The Phleam: A tiny knife used for precise cuts and incisions in meat.

    • The Seax: Every chef’s sword is their Seax, a large kitchen knife used for cutting,                    chopping, and slicing. Apprentices are typically gifted Seax’s from their masters. 

    • The Serrula: A long serrated knife used for cutting through bread. 

    • The Sica: A curved flexible blade used for de-boning fish and meat. 

    • The Whetstone: While not a knife, every aspiring cook knows that success lies in keeping        one’s knives sharp and one’s wit even sharper. 

Cyclopean Cheese: Kýklopaskó

Background: Kýklopaskó or Ciclòpichi is a popular folkcheese from Hellenos and southern Latium (specifically the Isle of Trinacria). The cheese is said to have been created by the Cyclopean tribes of Trinacria where it spread to southern Latium and Hellenos. The production of Kýklopaskó has not changed in centuries and still is created by hand with each batch requiring certification that it was created by a Cyclopean Cheesemaker who has been approved by the Arkhityrokómos (Head Cheesemaker). Despite their barbaric past, the Cyclops are highly respected for their tradition of metalworking, sheepherding, and cheesemaking. Some humans have attempted to capitalize on the popularity of Kýklopaskó by producing cheaply made cheese and selling it a lower price, this has in turn resulted in said merchants being visited by the Cyclopean Xadélfia and a swift end to their business schemes.

A Cyclops selling Kýklopasko to Hellenic sailors

Ingredients:

    • 4 Liters of Sheep Milk

    • Fresh Rumen of a Young Lamb

    • 15 Grams of Yogurt

    • 100 Grams of Salt

    • 50 Milliliters of Lemon Juice 

    • 5 Milliliters of Wine Vinegar

    • 3 Sprigs of Rosemary

Instructions:

Warm the milk to blood heat then stir in the yogurt and let sit for an hour. Pour the mixture into a fresh Rumen of a young, unweaned lamb and tie off. Gently massage the rumen to make sure the rennet is fully mixed into the milk. Let the rumen sit overnight. Cut open the rumen and pour the now congealed curds into a pot. Use a knife to roughly chop the curds into cubes. Place a cloth over a bowl then pour the curds into the cloth to let the whey drain off. Bring the corners of the cloth together and tie off, then let the bundle hang over the bowl. Allow the curds to drain for a quarter-day (six-hours). The curds should have congealed into a larger block during this time. Prepare a brine by adding 100 Grams of Salt, 5 Milliliters of Wine Vinegar, Rosemary, and 50 Milliliters of Lemon Juice to 2 Liters of Water. Submerge the cheese in the brine for 1 to 2 days then drain and let sit uncovered for another 1 to 2 days to dry. Consume with olives, Sikelós, or flatbread. 

Yuletide Sweets: Zuckerkinder

Background: The Zuckerkinder are a popular dessert consumed by children during the Festival of Yuletide. It is said that the creation of the Zuckerkinder was taught by the great Jǫlfuðr and is an example of folk or hedge magic that can be practiced by the commonfolk even those without a grain of magical potency. 

The legends say that the Zuckerkinder created from the blood of a polite child will be friendly and playful whereas a Zuckerkinder created from the blood of a naughty child will be mean and spiteful. As such children are expected to be on their best behavior or else their Zuckerkinder will torment them. Since the magic of Zuckerkinder is gifted by the Jǫlfuðr, the Zuckerkinder will only animate during Yulemonth. If the blood of a truly malicious child is added to a Zuckerkinder, it will animate and any other Zuckerkinder near it will carry the child off and they will never been seen again. 

Children chasing after a playful Zuckerkinder

Ingredients:

    • 750 Grams of Flour

    • 20 Grams of Gingifer

    • 5 Grams of Canella 

    • 12 Grams of Saleratus

    • 2 Grams of Nutmeg

    • 2 Grams of Ground Cloves

    • 1 Gram of Mace

    • 3 Grams of Salt

    • 215 Grams of Butter (softened) 

    • 350 Grams of Sugar

    • 200 Milliliters of Honey

    • 250 Milliliters of Blood from any Mammal 

    • 50 Grams of Fresh Mandragora (finely chopped)

    • 13 Drops of Children’s Blood (freshly acquired)

    • 5 Grams of Ergot 

    • 5 Grams of Traumpilz

Instructions:

Grind your Ergot and Traumpilz into a fine powder with a mortar and pestle. Mix the flour, ground cloves, gingifer, canella, salt, saleratus, mace, nutmeg into a bowl. Then stir in the Ergot and Traumpilz powder. In a separate bowl beat the butter until smooth then add the sugar and honey until combined. Then slowly mix in the Mammal Blood (not the Children’s Blood) and finely chopped Fresh Mandragora. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes to rest. After resting gradually and methodically mix the liquid ingredients into the flour mixture along with the Children’s Blood until a thick dough is formed. Cover the dough and let sit for a quarter-day (or 6 hours). After sitting roll out the dough to a 6 millimeter thickness. Using a knife or pastry cutter cut out humanoid shapes from the dough and lay them upon a baking platter. Place the platter in an oven and bake for 10 minutes. While baking it is imperative that one recite the following incantation, HAIL OH GREAT YULEFATHER HEAR OUR CRY, ÚR LÍFINU KEMUR BLÓÐ OG ÚR BLÓÐI KEMUR LÍF, at least seven times for the enchantment to fully take effect. Once removed from the oven, your Zuckerkinder will immediately animate upon being touched by a child and will remain animate for up to one hour before hardening and de-animating. Consuming an animate Zuckerkinder is unspeakable and must not be done under any circumstance under penalty of eternal servitude to the Jǫlfuðr.

Elven Reindeer Stew: Peurapata

Background: The Elves are an ancient people, native to the far north of Efenland they have migrated south into central Efenland over the centuries. The Elven language or Keeli has numerous dialects with the purest dialects remaining in the far north whereas the southern Elves have adopted many Teutonian, Dwarven, and Norðurlander loan words. The Northern Elves primarily refer to themselves as the Väki whereas the Southern Elves refer to themselves as the Álfar. The Álfar were driven out of central Efenland by the Teutonian Empire during the Glorious War leading to a great exodus of Elves from Efenland to the far north. The Álfar refugees have adopted the Väki tradition of raising reindeer. What is presented here is a traditional Peurapata or Reindeer Stew, a signature dish of Väki Elven cuisine. The Álfar refer to this dish as Hreindýrigrýta in their dialect. 

A herd of Väki Peura/Reindeer

Ingredients:

    • 500 Grams of Reindeer Meat

    • 1 Liter of Water

    • 1 Onion 

    • 4 Medium Juuri 

    • 30 Grams of Reindeer Fat 

    • 100 Grams of Mushrooms

    • 10 Dried Puola Berries

    • 100 Milliliters of Reindeer Milk

    • 2 Grams of Pähkinä

Instructions:

Chop the onion and shave the reindeer meat into thin slices. In a large cauldron, melt the fat over a fire. Add the onion, pähkinä and sliced reindeer meat to the hot fat and cook until browned. Add the water and simmer for half an hour while skimming off any scum that floats to the top. Slice the mushrooms and juuri then add the mushrooms, juuri, puola berries, and reindeer milk to the water. Let simmer for another half hour then serve hot. Serve with rootbread or ale. 

Dwarven Cave Sausage: Hellirpylsa

Background: 

Hellirpylsa, better known as Dwarven Cave Sausage is a staple of Dwarven Cuisine. The Dwarves or Dvergar are native to the Mountains of Niðavellir and reside in their great subterranean city of Myrkheimr. During the Glorious War between the Elves of Álfheimr and the Humans of Teutonia, the Dwarves infamously chose to remain neutral in the conflict, they returned to their impenetrable fortresses carved into the mountainsides. In their earthen citadels, the Dwarven Jarls and Thanes built massive underground mushroom farms and bred Cave Boars for sustenance as war raged on outside their homes. The Hellirpylsa became a necessity given its long term storage that could stay fresh for a year in the cool dark climates and was often used as rations alongside Svǫpprmjǫl (Fungus Meal). Hellirpylsa is typically served with Gullinnmjǫðr (Gold Mead) and Svǫpprbrauð (Fungus Bread).

A series of Hellirpylsa with their unique mold casing 

Ingredients:

    • 1 Kilogram of Troglobite Mammal Meat (Cave Boar, Cave Lion, Cave Bear, etc.)

    • 25 Grams of Salt

    • 1 Length of Mammalian Entrail Casing

    • 5 Grams of Svǫpprsáð

    • 2 Grams of Nutmeg

    • 1 Gram of Hvítrmós

    • 1 Gram of Grármygla Spores (for producing a culture)

Instructions:

Separate the meat from the bone and remove any excess fat. Mix in 5 grams of Salt, the Svǫpprsáð, Nutmeg, and Hvítrmós into the meat. Let sit for 10 minutes, continuously pressing out any excess moisture with a cheese cloth then remove and grind into mince. Extrude the minced meat into the entrail casings in 20 centimeter lengths, tying them off individually. Rub the Hellirpylsa with a Grármygla culture then place in a warm humid climate for a day and a night in darkness to feed the culture. This in turn produces the Hellirpylsa's distinctive flavor and allows for longer preservation. Once cultured rub the sausages in a coating of the remaining salt then hang in a cool, dark, and dry climate for up to six weeks to fully cure. Do not worry as the Grármygla will germinate on the skin of the Hellirpylsa however if yellow mold begins to grow on the skin, discard the batch. Once cured the Hellirpylsa must be kept in a cool, dark, and dry environment but will stay edible for up to a year.

Sailor's Friend

Background: Sailor’s Sickness, Redgum, or Seasickness, Davey Jones’ Revenge has been given many names over the centuries ever since humans took to the high seas. First identified by explorers crossing the Atlantean Ocean during the 13th Century when they noticed their crew falling over from lethargy, weakness, and sores. Nobody knew the origin of the mysterious illness that’d turn imperial frigates into ghost ships. It wasn’t until Hindustani merchants advised the sailors of utilizing citrus fruits to combat the “sickness of bloody gums” that a cure was discovered. Efenlander sailors were quick to adopt this cure and bottle it as what would become known as Sailor’s Friend. Due to its legitimately delicious flavor, it became extremely popular even on land as sailors brought it to bars and taverns. It is considered a quintessential drink of Southern Markland

Depiction of an outbreak of Davey Jones' Revenge

Ingredients:

    • 3 Centiliters of Water

    • 3 Centiliters of Kill-Devil Rum

    • 2 Centiliters of Orange Juice

    • 2 Centiliters of Lemon Juice

    • ½ Centiliter of Sugarcane Juice 

    • The Water and Kill-Devil Rum can be substituted by 6 Centiliters of Grog if desired.

Instructions:

Boil the water to ensure freshness and let fully cool. Mix water and Kill-Devil Rum (other Rums are acceptable but use Kill-Devil for authenticity) in a bucket. Skip this step if using Grog. Add the Orange Juice and Lemon Juice into the bucket and stir together. Slowly stir in the Sugarcane Juice then serve or bottle for future consumption. If making a Privateer, add 2 Centiliters of Lime Juice with the addition of Orange, Lemon, and Lime zest served over ice. 

The Edesia Festival

I am going to start releasing more posts about worldbuilding within the universe of How To Cook Your Dragon to give a greater sense of life to this project. 

One must picture Remuria during the Edesia Festival of Latium, the pinnacle of decadence, debauchery, and flavor. Devoted to Edesia, the Goddess of Feasting, the festival has become a meeting point for Efenland's chefs, magirists, and cuisiniers to showoff their newest creations and gastronomical inventions. The Edesia Festival is set up like a ring with the most expensive and elite dishes in the center, and the more economical dishes as it moves outward towards the edge of ring. 

Dishes range from New Anglian pioneer food to the mysterious cuisines of the Morrowlanders. Elves, Dwarves, and other races usually excluded from Latium Festivals are invited as well (assuming they are capable cooks). Less-capable chefs set up booths lining the streets of Remuria to sell their bites and morsels to the commonfolk. Anyone can present a dish to the High-Priests of Edesia in hopes they will try a single bite of it. If the High-Priest approves, the presenter can enter the Edesiad.The Edesiad is held as a yearly competition between the greatest chefs, pushing them to their limit in order to the claim the title as Archimagirus. Archimagirus is a life-long title and the Archimagiri are often selected as the personal chef's to Gods, Kings, and the Ultrawealthy. The rarest ingredients such as a dragon liver, phoenix eggs, and leviathan roe are sold at auctions to the highest bidder and are quickly prepared into masterful dishes for the visiting nobility.

Giant's Feast: Kýrmagi

Background: Known as Kýrmagi in High Jǫtunn or Kūzmagô in Low Jǫtunn, the dish roughly translates to “Cow’s Stomach”. Kýrmagi is a traditional dish among the Giants of Jǫtunheimr. Despite standing between three and four meters (9 to 13 feet) tall, Giants have been a historically persecuted race by races of shorter stature. Following the expulsion of the Giants from Teutonia by the armies of the Kaiser Gottfried, many were forced into the far north beyond the reach of the Northmen. Life was difficult for the Giants who struggled to survive between the harsh environment and the human raiders. These disparate tribes and refugees were finally united by the Highchief Vafþrúðnir. It is said that Vafþrúðnir united the Northern Giant Tribes by signing a pact in blood and sharing a feast of Kýrmagi among his new brethren. A single Kýrmagi can weigh up to ten kilograms.

Depiction of the Giants of Jǫtunheimr

Ingredients:

• 1 Cow’s Stomach

• 1 Cow’s Heart

• 2 Cow’s Lungs

• 1 Cow’s Liver

• 1 Cow’s Tongue

• 1 Cow’s Brain

• 2 Cow’s Kidneys

• 500 Grams of Suet

• 3 Onions

• 500 Grams of Oats

• 20 Grams of Salt

• 50 Milliliters of Ale

• 3 Apples

• 10 Grams of Petersilie

• 20 Grams of Coriander Seed

Instructions:

Wash the stomach and let soak till morn in cold water. Slice off any excess fat, gristle, or skin and discard. Rinse the heart, liver, lungs, brains, tongue, and kidneys, in cold water then add to a large cauldron of boiling water. Let simmer for two and half to three hours regularly skimming off any fat or viscera that floats to the surface. Remove the meat from your cauldron and rinse in water once again, then set aside to rest. Strain your broth and place just the broth back over the fire and reduce until half is gone. Whilst the stock reduces, finely mince the organs. Mince your apples and onions as well. Knead (traditionally by hand) the minced organs, suet, onions, apples, oats, petersilie, and coriander seed together. Season with salt, then spoon the mixture into the cleaned cow stomach until it is two-thirds full. Expel any built up air and tie the stomach closed. Pierce the stomach several times before cooking to prevent bursting. Place the stomach in a cauldron and slowly bring to a boil and let simmer for two to two and half hours. Remove from the water and serve. 

Saturnalian Must Cakes: Mustacei

Io Saturnalia!

Background: Mustacei or Saturnalian Must Cakes, are a sweet treat hailing from the Latium Empire eaten during the Festival of Saturnalia. Saturnalia is devoted to Saturn, the God of Time, Agriculture, and Plenty and hearkens back to the Golden Age of Humanity where Gods, Peasants and Kings lived side-by-side. Saturnalia is celebrated by laughing, drinking of Spicewine, and feasting for all walks of life. 

The Merriment of Saturnalia

Ingredients:

• 500 Grams of Wheat Flour

• 300 Milliliters of Grape Must 

• 7 Grams of Aniseed

• 6 Grams of Cymin

• 6 Grams of Canella

• 70 Grams of Grated Ovinum Cheese 

• 100 Grams of Lard

• Bay Leaves

• Salt

• Olive Oil

Instructions:

Add the Grape Must into a small cauldron and heat over a fire for a fortminute until the Must begins to froth. Remove thusly from the fire and set aside. 

Make a dough from the flour, aniseed, cymin, and canella until a crumbling texture is acquired. 

Unite the Grape Must with the dough and knead henceforth for a quarter-hour. 

If dough is too dry, add water, if too wet, add flour thusly. 

Make the form of small spheres from the dough and lay upon a platter, brush with olive oil. 

Flatten the spheres with palm or pin into discs, anoint each cake with a single bay leaf and a pinch of salt. 

Bake in an oven for a forty-five minutes. 

Latin Spicewine

Latin Spicewine

Background: Latin Spicewine is a popular drink throughout Efenland. Most commonly served hot and consumed during Yulemonth it has become synonymous with Winter Holydays. It has become a favorite during the festivals of Saturnalia, Yule, and Midwinter. 

The Brewing of Latin Spicewine

Ingredients:

    • 2 Bottles of Red Wine

    • 25 Grams of Canella 

    • 25 Grams of Gingifer

    • 5 Grams of Galyngale

    • 5 Grams of Mooncloves

    • 5 Grams of Long Pepper

    • 5 Grams of Nutmeg

    • 5 Grams of Kingswort

    • 5 Grams of Cardamom 

    • 5 Grams of Spikenard 

    • 5 Grams of Paradise Seed

    • 5 Grams of Morningstar Anise

    • 100 Grams of Sugar

Instructions:

    1. Grind the spices with a mortar and pestle. 

    2. Heat the wine then slowly mix in the sugar into dissolved. 

    3. Mix the ground spices into the wine. 

    4. Let sit overnight. 

    5. Strain out the spices with a cheesecloth then heat the wine and serve hot.

Goblin Poliŭka

The Goblins are a unique race of hominids known as Homo Gobelinus, native to Central and Eastern Efenland. Standing about a meter tall, Goblins have large canine teeth along with abnormally long arms and large hands and feet similar to Gibbons. They were one of the main hominids of Eastern Efenland prior to the Great Thaw. Over the millennia they have been forced from their native homelands due to human encroachment, discrimination has also pushed many Goblins into crime and thievery in order to support themselves. 

Goblin Poliŭka

Background: Goblin Poliŭka or Psıxăpç'aw Dıš'ıps is a traditional staple of Goblin cuisine among the Goblin communities of Eastern Efenland, Ruthenia, and Muscovy. Forced from their native lands to the Great Marshes, their cuisine has adapted to the rugged environment. As traditional hunter-gatherers, Goblins opted towards fishing and when fish were scarce, they relied heavily on Marshprawns. Goblin Poliŭka is a hearty soup with a unique flavor that is often a bit off-putting to humans trying it for the first time. The stew matches the tender flesh of Marshprawns with hearty greens and turnips. The use of Mushroom Ale and Swamp Butter adds a unique earthy and pungent taste respectively. Many humans will opt to replace Bitter Root/Goblin Root Flour with more mild Wheat Flour. 

Live Marshprawns

Ingredients:

    • 1 Kilogram of Marshprawns

    • 200 Milliliters of Water

    • 200 Milliliters of Vegetable Stock

    • ½ Liter of Mushroom Ale

    • 30 Grams of Swamp Butter

    • 80 Grams of Stinging Nettles 

    • 120 Grams of Turnip (cubed)

    • 40 Grams of Sorrel 

    • 20 Grams of Bitter Root/Goblin Root Flour 

Instructions:

    1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

    2. Once boiling add the Marshprawns. 

    3. Cook for 5 minutes, then remove and run under cool water. 

    4. Remove the meat from the shells. 

    5. Discard the innards from the Marshprawn.

    6. Add the Swamp Butter to a pot and heat until melted. 

    7. Add the shells to the butter and let cook for 5 minutes. 

    8. Add the Mushroom Ale to the pot and let cooking until it starts to bubble up. 

    9. Reduce heat and add the Stinging Nettles and Turnips and cook for 10 minutes. 

    10. Add the Sorrel and Vegetable Stock and reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes. 

    11. Strain out the shells and whisk in the Bitter Root/Goblin Root Flour slowly until                     thickened to liking. 

    12. Serve hot with a side of Bitter Bread/Goblin Bread, for authentic Goblin Cuisine do not        season with salt or pepper 

Furry-Trout Fillet

Furry-Trout Fillet

Background: The Furry-Trout or Fur-Bearing Trout is a popular fish throughout Northern Markland specifically in New Anglia, Nouvelle-Gaulle, and Nieuw-Batavia. Despite being cold-blooded, the Furry-Trout developed unique thick white fur to retain heat in the icy rivers of the region. The Furry-Trout’s Occidental Cousin is the inedible red-furred Loðsilungur of Hrímland. Furry-Trout skin has become popular among pioneers and wildmen alike for making fur lined gloves and socks. 

A mounted Furry-Trout

Ingredients:

    • 1 Large Furry-Trout

    • 1 Large Onion

    • 30 Grams of Butter

    • 10 Grams of Maizemeal

    • Salt and Pepper to Taste

    • 120 Grams of Fiddlehead

    • 20 Grams of Sorrel

    • 250 Grams of Blackcap Mushrooms

    • 70 Grams of Pine Nuts

    • 1.5 Liters of Water

Instructions:

    1. Boil 1.5 Liters of Water in a large Cauldron.

    2. Add the Fiddleheads to the Cauldron and cook for 10 minutes. Then remove.

    3. Mince the Sorrel and heat over lower heat until reduced. 

    4. Pour some hot water over the Furry-Trout then using a straight-razor, shave the fur off          the fish. 

    5. Use your knife to gut the fish and butterfly it into two separate fillets. 

    6. Coat the fillets in the Maizemeal. 

    7. Add the butter to the pan and heat till melted.

    8. Add the diced Onions, Pine Nuts, and sliced Blackcap mushrooms to the pan.

    9. Add the fillets to the pan letting cook for 4 minutes each. 

    10. Once cooked on one side, flip and cook for another 4 minutes on the other side.

    11. Remove from heat and plate the fillets. Sprinkle the Sorrel over them then add the               Fiddleheads, Onions, Pine Nuts, and Blackcap Mushrooms on the side. 

The Farmhand's Friend: Posca

Posca

Background: Known as Posca to the Latins, Oxymel to the Hellenes, and Sekanjabin to the Parthians, Posca is a popular drink among the working class. Posca is a favorite among farmhands and peasants alike as those who had sweat greatly from hard work found themselves rejuvenated after partaking in Posca. Alchemists later discovered that Posca is high in Kalium which allows workers to recover much faster from work than just drinking water or ale. As such many plantation owners and overseers took to issuing Posca rations to their workers during the long summer days. Some even add citrus fruits for flavoring and vigor. 

A fresh glass of Posca

Ingredients:

    • 350 Milliliters of Red Wine Vinegar

    • 120 Milliliters of Honey

    • 5 Grams of Salt

    • 5 Grams of Coriander 

    • 5 Grams of Gingifer 

    • 5 Grams of Morningstar Anise 

    • 950 Milliliters of Water

Instructions: 

    1. Add all the ingredients to a pot and bring to a boil.

    2. Let boil until the honey has fully dissolved. 

    3. Strain out the Coriander, Gingifer, and Morningstar Anise.

    4. Let fully cool then serve. 

Hairy Turnip Stew

Hairy Turnip Stew

Background: Known as “Kheri Brukve Tsimes” in Ashkenaz, the Hairy Turnip or Kheri Brukve is an uncommon vegetable grown only by Abramites in Central and Eastern Efenland. The Hairy Turnip is a highly coveted vegetable for its unique properties when consumed, it neutralizes alcohol in the system sobering the person in minutes. The Hairy Turnip has also proven to cure hangovers as well as treat the symptoms of alcoholism. This has proven essential in the preventing Alcoholism within the Abramite community. While the Abramites were forbidden from owning farmland, they knew the secret of growing Hairy Turnips and quickly began selling them to local villages. Hairy Turnip Stew quickly became a popular meal purchased from Abramite merchants after a long night at the tavern. 

Freshly Picked Hairy Turnips or Kheri Brukve

Ingredients:

    • 3 Hairy Turnips/Kheri Vortsl

    • 1 Medium Onion

    • 2 Celery Stalks

    • ½ Head of Cabbage

    • 1 Large Earthapple

    • 2 Carrots

    • 2 Chicken Breasts

    • 20 Milliliters of Oil

    • 800 Milliliters of Chicken Stock

    • 50 Milliliters of Red Wine Vinegar

    • Salt and Pepper to Taste 

Instructions:

    1. Roughly chop the onions, carrots, and celery. 

    2. Cut the Earthapple into cubes. 

    3. Shred the Cabbage. 

    4. Peel and cube the Hairy Turnips.

    5. Heat oil in a pot then add the onions and cook for 3 minutes. 

    6. Add the Celery, Carrots, Hairy Turnips, Earthapple, and Cabbage to the pot. 

    7. Add chicken stock to the pot and let simmer for half an hour.

    8. While the pot is simmering, season the chicken with salt and pepper then cook                     separately for 15 minutes. 

    9. Mince the chicken and then add to the soup along with the Red Wine Vinegar then               serve. 

Fried Wolpertinger

Fried Wolpertinger

Background: Wolpertingers are small mammals native to Central Efenland, they resemble large rabbits with squirrel tails, deer antlers, large canine teeth, and bird wings. There are  numerous variants such as the Rasselbock of Thuringia, Dilldapp of Alemmania, Elwedritsche of Pfalzia, Raurakl of Norica, the Jackalope of New Anglia, and Skvader of Norðurland. Fried Wolpertinger was born in the foothills of the Weißerberg Mountains and quickly spread throughout Teutonia, Æstric, and Helvetia. Over time, Fried Wolpertinger or Gebratenes Wolpertingen has become a popular street food often paired with a variety of different sauces and spices. For easy consumption typically street vendors will only sell the wings and legs with the loin and ribs being sold in pubs and taverns for. What is presented here is Fried Wolpertinger in the Minga Style of Teutonia. 

An adult male Wolpertinger

Ingredients:

    • 1 Wolpertinger (roughly 3 Kilograms)

    • 4 Large Eggs

    • 10 Grams of Eyes of Newt/Mustard Seed

    • 250 Grams of Flour 

    • 200 Grams of Grated Bread

    • 30 Milliliters of Lemon Juice

    • 1 Liter of Oil

    • Salt and Pepper for seasoning

    • 250 Milliliters of Water

    • 200 Milliliters of Sugar

    • 350 Grams of Cranberries 

Meat Instructions:

    1. Using a cleaver separate the Wolpertinger’s wings, front legs, and back legs. Retain the        rest of the Wolpertinger for stock or to be cooked separately. 

    2. Season the wings and legs with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. 

    3. Crush the Eyes of Newt with a mortar and pestle and whisk together with the eggs and         then pour into a dish. 

    4. Coat each wing and leg in flour then shake off any excess flour.

    5. After the flour, dip each wing and leg into the egg allowing it to coat each limb evenly. 

    6. Then roll each wing and leg in the grated bread until it has covered the limb. 

    7. Heat the oil in a pan. Once hot place each wing and leg into the hot oil. Let fry for 10              minutes. 

    8. Turn each limb over and fry for another 10 minutes until golden brown. 

    9. Let cool for 5 minutes and then top with sauce and serve. 

Sauce Instructions:

    1. Wash the cranberries. 

    2. Pour the water into the pot and bring to a boil.

    3. Once boiling stir in the sugar to dissolve. 

    4. Add the cranberries to the pot and let simmer for 15 minutes. 

    5. Let cool and serve over Fried Wolpertinger.

Herbes d'Occitanie

Background: A popular herbal blend from the southern coast of Gaul. It incorporates many flavors and herbs from the Kingdoms of Latium and Hispania respectively. 

Ingredients of Herbes d'Occitanie

Ingredients: 

    • 10 Grams of Basilic Royal

    • 10 Grams of Fenouil

    • 10 Grams of Lavande

    • 10 Grams of Fleurs de Fée

    • 20 Grams of Marjolaine

    • 20 Grams of Plume de Cygne

    • 20 Grams of Sarriette

    • 20 Grams of Romarin

    • 20 Grams of Thym

    • 20 Grams of Sauge

Instructions:

    1. Mix the Herbs with a mortar and pestle and store. 

Western Catsup

Western Catsup

Background: Western Catsup originated as a Cathayan pickled fish sauce that was popular in the Minyue Region. Anglian Sailors who visited the Cathayan port cities quickly became acquainted with the sauce and brought it back to Anglia where it spread throughout Western Efenland. Many of the traditional spices used in Cathayan Catsup were unavailable in Western Efenland leading their substitution by more traditional Western spices. Culinary Historians are still puzzled regarding how fermented fish was traded for mushrooms in Western Catsup. Western Catsup is a popular condiment throughout Western Efenland and their colonies and is most commonly used as a sauce for meats, bread, potatoes, and savory porridges. 

Ingredients:

    • 1.5 Kilograms of Mushrooms

    • 90 Grams of Salt

    • 7 Grams of Black Pepper

    • 2 Bay Leaves

    • 6 Grams of Allspice

    • 1 Lemon (zested)

    • 12 Cloves

    • 230 Milliliters of Cider Vinnegar 

    • 1 Small Onion (finely chopped)

    • 2 Grams of Cayenne Chili

Instructions:

    1. Clean the mushrooms but do not wash. 

    2. Slice the mushrooms and add with the salt and bay leaves into a bowl. 

    3. Cover with a cloth and let sit for 12 hours. 

    4. Add the contents of the bowl along with the chopped onion and zested lemon to a large        pot. 

    5. Add the Black Pepper, Allspice, Cloves, and Cayenne Chili to the pot. 

    6. Add the Cider Vinegar to the pot and stir together. 

    7. Place the pot over medium heat and to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Let simmer for 10     minutes.

    8. Take off the heat and let cool. 

    9. Cover a bowl with cheese cloth and pour the contents of the pot into the bowl through the     cheese cloth. 

    10. Bundle up the cheese cloth and squeeze out as much liquid as possible from                     the mixture back into the bowl.

    11. Bottle the mixture and store in a dark and dry location. 

    12. Optional: Retain the leftover mushrooms and dry them up then grind them into a powder     to make Boleto, a savory spice to be sprinkled on food like salt. 

Four Thieves Vinegar

Four Thieves Vinegar

Background: Four Thieves Vinegar gets its name supposedly from the Brothers Moreau, four Gaulish brothers who earned notoriety by grave robbing and stealing from the bodies of deceased during the Red Death. Once finally the caught, the judge ordered that the Brothers reveal how they moved among the corpses of the sick without getting ill. Under threat of the gallows, the Brothers reluctantly revealed the concoction they had created. This concoction became known as Four Thieves Vinegar. Over time the Vinegar has transformed from an herbal remedy to a commonplace condiment for vegetables and salads. It is known as Vinaigre des Quatre Voleurs in Gaulish.

Ingredients:

    • 1 Liter of White Wine Vinegar

    • 30 Grams of Meadowsweet

    • 30 Grams of Marjoram

    • 30 Grams of Sage

    • 30 Grams of Rosemary

    • 30 Grams of Cloves

    • 30 Grams of Horehound

Instructions:

    1. Place the herbs into a jar then cover with vinegar. 

    2. Allow the herbs to marinate for 15 days in a cool, dark place.

    3. Strain the vinegar to remove the herbs then bottle in a new jar. 

    4. Store in a cool, dark place until ready to use. Put on vegetables or salad, or anoint your        wrists and neck if you plan to interact with the infected. 

Coquatrix Rôti

Coquatrix Rôti (Roast Cockatrice)

Background: The Coquatrix Rôti or “Roast Cockatrice”, despites its elegance is a relatively new dish to Gaul. Before the invention of Persean Tonic, the consumption of any animal capable of calcification was considered too dangerous. Whereas previously, Cockatrice was seen as the scourge of farmers, now it was considered an extravagant bird fit for kings and nobles alike. The cooking process of Cockatrice took a great amount of experimentation often resulting in slews in calcified peasants. The brining process is essential in neutralizing any remaining poison that might be remaining in the Cockatrice. Despite additional care being taken, nobles die each year from calcification due to the improper preparation of Cockatrice. The meat has been described as similar to Aethiopian Ostrich or Peacock with a unique gamy flavor. 

An Adult Male Cockatrice

Brine Ingredients:

    • 3 Liters of Vegetable Broth

    • 240 Grams of Sea Salt

    • 3 Liters of Ice Water

    • 45 Grams of Moly

    • 45 Grams of Rue

    • 235 Milliliters of Ichneumon/Aegyptian Mongoose Blood

    • 15 Grams of Rosemary

    • 15 Grams of Sage

    • 15 Grams of Savory

    • 15 Grams of Thyme

Dish Ingredients:

    • 1 Cockatrice (roughly 20 Kilograms)

    • 3 Oranges

    • 3 Lemons

    • 3 Onions

    • 12 Rosemary Sprigs

    • 12 Sage Sprigs

    • 12 Savory Sprigs

    • 150 Grams of Butter

    • 30 Grams of Herbes d'Occitanie

    • 30 Milliliters of Olive Oil

    • 15 Grams of Salt

    • 15 Grams of Pepper

    • 3 Liters of Pheasant Broth 

    • 155 Grams of Flour

Cockatrice Brine Instructions:

    1. In a large pot mix the vegetable broth, sea salt, rosemary, sage, savory, thyme, moly, rue,     and Ichneumon/Aegyptian Mongoose Blood. No substitutions can be made for the Moly,           Rue, and Ichneumon/Aegyptian Mongoose Blood which are integral for the detoxication of        the Cockatrice.

    2. Bring the brine to a boil while stirring. If the blood forms any clots break them up with a        spoon. 

    3. Once boiling, remove from heat and let cool.

    4. Once the broth is cool, stir in the ice water. 

    5. Wash your Cockatrice, cut off the wings and tail and remove the innards. 

    6. Place the Cockatrice into the brine. 

    7. Let sit for 24 hours. 

Dish Instructions: 

    1. Remove the brined cockatrice from the brine. Feed a small portion of flesh to a mouse, if     the mouse calcifies the carcass is still poisonous and must be discarded. 

    2. Cut the lemons, oranges, and onions into wedges.

    3. Insert the wedges and 4 sprigs of each fresh herb into the Cockatrice. 

    4. Tie the legs together. 

    5. Stir 60 Grams of Butter, the Herbes d'Occitanie, oil and the salt and pepper into a               pan. 

    6. Heat the pan until the butter has melted.

    7. Rub the mixture all over the Cockatrice. 

    8. Let stand for one hour.

    9. Roast the Cockatrice for 30 minutes. 

    10. Pour 1 and 1/2 Liters of broth into the pan with the Cockatrice and add the remaining           sprigs to the pan. 

    11. Roast the Cockatrice for one hour. Then pour 1 and 1/2 more Liters of broth into the            pan. 

    12. Continue to roast the Cockatrice for another hour basting the Cockatrice occasionally         with juices from the pan. 

    13. Remove from the oven and let sit for 30 minutes. 

    14. To prepare the sauce, strain the juices from the roasting pan, discard any solids and           skim off anything that floats to the surface. 

    15. Add 475 Milliliters of Pheasant Broth to the juices. 

    16. Melt the remaining butter in a pan and gradually whisk in the flour for 15 minutes. 

    17. Season with salt and pepper and serve over the Cockatrice. 

Persean Tonic

Persean Tonic will be included in future recipes and while not food is necessary whenever handling creatures capable of calcification such as Cockatrices, Basilisks, and Gorgons. 

Persean Tonic

Background: The Persean Tonic is the culmination of decades of research from the Zosimos College of Alchemistry. Named after the titular Perseus of Mycenae, the Persean Tonic proved to be a valuable asset in combating the poison of Cockatrices, Basilisks, and Gorgons. While it must be administered within twenty-four hours of the original poisoning, it has proven to be 95% effective in reversing calcification and any other effects of the venom. Due to its toxic ingredients, the tonic must only be administered when a person is verified to be suffering from calcification.

Ingredients – For 1 Liter of Persean Tonic:

• 200 Grams of Rue (Due to its toxic nature, pregnant women should never handle Rue)

• 200 Grams of Belladonna

• 150 Grams of Moly

• 100 Grams of Mandrake

• 600 Milliliters of of Ichneumon/Aegyptian Mongoose Blood (must be used within 24 hours of extraction)

• 1 Liter of Salt Water (1 Part Salt to 4 Parts Water)

• 235 Mililiters of Aqua Vitae

Instructions:

1. Add the Rue and Belladonna to the Aqua Vitae and let steep for 1 week to make a tincture. 

2. Add 200 Milliliters of the Mongoose Blood to the Salt Water and blend until homogenous.

3. Add the tincture, Moly, and Mandrake to the Salt Water. 

4. Slowly bring the mixture to a boil. 

5. Once boiling take off heat and strain to remove any particulates.

6. Once fully cooled, mix in the second 200 Milliliters of Mongoose Blood. 

7. Repeat steps four, five, and six.

8. Distill the solution over high heat letting it evaporate then condense back into a fluid. Should be a transparent dark reddish amber color.

9.  Keep this solution in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight or open flame.

Journeybread

Journeybread

Background: Journeybread is not a bread of pleasure but a bread of necessity. Journeybread was created to provide sustenance during times of war, on long voyages, and during great treks. Inexpensive, easy to produce, and long lasting Journeybread has become the boon and bane of soldiers, sailors, and travelers alike. Due to being extremely tough and flavorless, Journeybread would often be softened by adding tea, coffee, or soup. It could also be ground up and make into porridge or turned into flour. Journeybread’s awful taste was the spark for the Battle of the Bread, the largest mutiny in history that took place on the HMS Lotan during the Gaulish Wars. 

Twice-Baked Journeybread

Ingredients:

• 550 Grams of Flour

• 350 Milliliters of Water

• 18 Grams of Sea Salt

Instructions:

1. Mix the flour and salt together.

2. Add in the water slowing while mixing until you have created a very stiff dough. 

3. Leave the dough out for half an hour. 

4. Knead the dough by hand, adding more flour if it gets too sticky.

5. Separate the dough into individual portions 

6. Round these portions into spheres and knead into 1.5-Centimeter-thick circular patties. 

7. Poke holes in the biscuits so that it goes all the way through. This prevents the Journeybread from puffing up. 

8. Arrange the biscuits on a metal tray and place in the oven at a low heat for two to three hours. 

9. Let the biscuits cool overnight then the next day place them in the oven at low heat for an hour to further dry out the biscuit. 

10. Store in a dry and cool environment. 

Ciorbă de Fecioară

Ciorbă de Fecioară (Maiden’s Stew)

Background: The Ciorbă de Fecioară or Maiden’s Stew was invented in the 15th century by Dacian Peasants during the War of the Broken Tooth as a means to protect against Vampiric incursion. Based on traditional Dacian Blood Soups, the Ciorbă de Fecioară’s addition of Basil, Holy Wine, Holy Salt, and Holy Water has weaponized the soup against the creatures of the night. Anyone who consumes a serving of the soup will emit an unusual onion like odor which while mildly unpleasant for the living to smell is downright putrid to the undead. Count Bogdan of Timișoara described the smell as that of rotting corpses and was sickened by the sheer presence of someone who had partaken in the soup let alone drink their blood. A single serving of the soup grants this Stench of Death for roughly 12 hours after consumption, but their blood remains toxic to the undead for 24 hours. While the initial Dacian Recipe calls for a Mithraic High-Shepherd other religious professionals capable of banishing the undead will suffice. 

Ingredients:

• 1.5 Liters of Swine Broth

• 100 Grams of Wheat Groats

• 250 Milliliters of Raw Swine Blood

• 235 Milliliters of Holy Wine

• 14 Grams of Lard

• 1 Onion 

• 3 Cloves of Garlic

• 5 Grams of Kingswort

• 2 Grams of Basil

• 2 Bay Leaves

• 12 Grams of Holy Salt

• 1 Liter of Holy Water

• 1 High-Shepherd of Mithras 

• Season with Pepper for taste 

Instructions:

1. Boil the groats in Holy Water with 5 Grams of Lard.

2. Fry the Onions using the remaining lard. Then put aside. 

3. Crush the Garlic and set aside.

4. Strain the broth then bring to a boil.

5. Once boiling turn down the flame and stir in the blood.

6. Have a High-Shepherd of Mithras conduct the Rites of Evening Glory then personally stir in the Holy Wine.

7. Stir in the boiled groats, crushed garlic fried onions, bay leaves, basil, kingswort, and Holy Salt. 

8. Let the soup simmer for 5 minutes then serve. Season with pepper for flavor. 

Pickled Bishop-Fish

Pickled Bishop-Fish

Background: The Bishop-Fish is a vaguely humanoid fish about the size of an adult Bottlenose-Dolphin. This fish is unique for mimicking human facial features and hand gestures making it seem like it is almost intelligent. The Bishop-Fish has been the source of controversy over the past decades as activist groups argue for its protection under the Statute of Sentience. The Batavian Government in turn has cracked down on these protests arguing that the Bishop-Fish is not truly sentient and instead just mimics humans. The Batavian government has also funded numerous studies into how Bishop-Fish is nutritious and essential for childhood development, and that Bishop-Fish cannot feel pain. Whether this is true or not is up for debate. Bishop-Fish is touted for its shark like flavor. 

Illustrations of the Bishop Fish

Ingredients:

• 1 Bishop-Fish (only 5 Kilograms of meat are required for this recipe)

• 2 Liters of White Vinegar

• 1.5 Liters of Water

• 1.75 Kilograms of Sugar

• 42 Grams of Peppercorns

• 4 Large Onions 

• 250 Grams of Dill

• 750 Grams of of Capers

Preparation:

1. Kill the Bishop-Fish by slitting its throat, do not worry, Bishop-Fish cannot feel pain.

2. Use a bonesaw and cut off the Bishop-Fish’s head, arms, and legs. 

3. To avoid puncturing the belly make a shallow cut just below the mouth. Continue making shallow cuts down the belly making sure not to pierce the organs and stopping at the groin.  

4. Using the rib cage as a guide, start your knife near the neck and begin making shallow cuts to separate the meat from the bones. 

5. Continue these cuts until the meat from both sides of the Bishop-Fish is disconnected from the main carcass except for near the spine. 

6. Make vertical cuts along the spine to separate the two fillets. Dispose of the Organs (as they are foul smelling) but you can retain the remaining carcass for stock. 

7. Remove any blood or veins from the filets. 

8. If you like you can cut the filets into long thin strips and coat in salt before air-drying.

Instructions:

1. Rinse the filets and soak in water overnight if they were salted. If they were not salted, cut the filets length wise into long thing strips.

2. Fill the jars with the strips, onions, capers, and dill.

3. Boil white vinegar, water, sugar, and peppercorns then let cool.

4. Pour mixture into jars.

5. Seal the jars and keep cooled for two days before using.