A little expansion of lore for your Monday morning. Enjoy!
https://elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/Rakash_Menu
A Love of Strong Flavors
Traditional Rakash cuisine tends toward the hot or otherwise heavily spiced. This is true for both foods and drinks.
The spices, herbs, and other flavorings most closely associated with Rakash cuisine include:
* fennel
* various peppercorns
* various chili peppers
* sage
* garlic
* cinnamon
* nutmeg
* cardamom
* clove
* cumin
* fenugreek
* coriander
* turmeric
* gaisroka (A vine with many fine tendril-like leaves and a bright flavor reminiscent of citrus fruits. When roasted, it can take on additional depth that helps to balance the heavy spices used in Rakash cooking.)
* apples
NOTE: Apples are an extremely important part of even modern Rakash culture. This stems from the fact that they were a main food source in their homelands -- one which sustained the Pack even when hunting proved insufficient and other plants were scarce due to poor weather or seasonal changes. These fruit were considered so integral to Rakash life that many old stories, sayings, and traditions reference them heavily, and apple-based designs can still be seen to this day on Rakash clothing, tools, and home items.
Entrees and Sides
Rakash meals are equally likely to feature meat or veg as the main component, and fruit often is integrated into both main and side dishes as well. All types of meat and seafood are commonly eaten, but root vegetables, squashes, onions, and leafy greens are the most likely to become the star of a non-meat dish. Sauces and stews are highly favored, as are bread products baked or fried with fillings of meat, vegetables, nuts, and/or fruits.
Examples:
* sandwich of fennel-roasted pork slathered with savory sage and garlic aioli
* steamed red crayfish in a spicy Rakash sauce
* thick and spicy lamb stew scented with turmeric
* soft pocket of bread stuffed with heavily spiced potatoes and onions
Desserts
Rakash desserts are often extremely sweet, but it is important to note that these generally tend to include large amounts of spice as well, especially cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and/or clove. At times, various peppers also make their way into Rakash desserts, frequently in conjunction with a predominant fruit or chocolate flavor.
Examples:
* brandy-soaked apple
* cinnamon and apple turnovers
* apple fritters with a sweet glaze and spiced almond slivers
* rich carrot pudding studded with brandied apples and topped with cardamom syrup
* chocolates rolled in cinnamon and red pepper flakes
Drinks
Traditional Rakash drinks tend towards the fermented, as fresh water is otherwise preferred so as to refresh the body and not interfere with the flavors of the meal.
Fratvarit: A drink made from fermented apples sweetened with molasses and spiced with fresh peppercorns, it is aged in the bottle for the full flavor to develop. It is the most potent of the Rakash drinks by far. Fratvarit is also the most common celebration drink of the Rakash people and is highly associated with wedding traditions. Many variations exist of this most famous of the traditional Rakash drinks!
Examples:
* dark fratvarit - A variation that uses blackstrap molasses in its creation. Dark fratvarit has a particularly robust flavor, but a somewhat less sweet finish.
* ugun fratvarit - ("ugun" is Rakash for fire) A variation made with the addition of extra hot peppers along with the common peppercorns. More spicy than regular fratvarit, which is saying something!
* red fratvarit - a variation made using only red apples instead of a mix of apple types. Typically sweeter than regular fratvarit.
Ales: Served to young and old alike, most Rakash ales are low in alcohol as they were often made to drink when extra nutrition was needed to supplement meals. Such ales were also made at times when the safety of the available water was in question, such as during long explorations into new lands. These were typically created using the juices of whatever edible fruit or plants could be found in place of water on such trips. Some modern Rakash ales still incorporate the most beloved of these types of flavors, though the brewing process usually uses water now as well.
Examples:
* Rakash golden ale - uses golden apples, cardamom, and fresh wheat in conjunction with the dried grains of the malt
* Rakash peach ale - has undertones of sweet peach and cinnamon
* Rakash gaisroka ale - has hints of the bright, almost citrus-like flavor the gaisroka plant
* Rakash berry ale - has a melange of sweet berry flavors punctuated by hints of hot pepper
* Rakash spiced ale - has heavy, earthy notes with a fine clove-tinged finish
Kefir: An extremely nutritious fermented milk beverage, kefir has a natural tang similar to yogurt, but is thin enough to easily drink. The Rakash are known for mixing herbs, spices, fruits, and/or vegetables into their kefir to make many delicious and refreshing variations.
Examples:
* kefir flavored with cucumber and cilantro
* raspberry kefir with sprigs of mint
* cardamom-spiced kefir
-Persida
