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| =Obtaining Food=
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| *In their mountain top citadels the Ethrans have many greenhouses for growing the plants they eat. There are hives for the production of honey. Flocks of geese provide meat and eggs. Falconry is a popular sport and provides game for a change of taste.
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| * Although they occasionally eat reindeer, the Pyrans utilize their deer primarily for the production of cheese (séṙḑos) which constitutes a large part of their protein intake. They make a hard type (tiiṙsérḑos) for grating and a soft type (mèldyséṙḑos) for slicing and melting, but most of the milk is used to make a fresh cheese (ṁezséṙḑos). Excess whey (ĸónos) is used to make a curd (ténĸos) food. The deer milk is churned to make butter (qéṙtos) but it is never kept in this form. Instead, it is clarified. The liquid portion (ìsĸəqéṙtos) is kept for future use; the remaining solids are used immediately. The corrals are made from sloe (Prunus spinosa) hedges. These provide a readily accessible source of the sloe berries that they use for a number of purposes.
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| **Their gardens supply them with the vegetables they eat. Wild plants are gathered on occasion from the fields and river banks.
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| *The Hydorans exploit their water environment for their main source of protein, mainly fish, frogs, and crayfish. Fish are preserved by drying (mímços).
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| **The products of the cattail are a vital part of their diet and other water plants provide variety to their menu.
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| *Game taken ahorseback is the main source of the Humans' protein, especially with the aid of their golden eagles, although horse flesh is eaten as needed to keep the herds manageable.
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| **Their gardens supply them with the vegetables they eat. Wild plants are gathered on occasion from the fields.
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| *The various nutmeats consumed by the Xylans constitute their primary source of protein. They also have access to all sorts of fruits, leaves, etc. in their forests.
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| *The Lithans discovered that mushrooms would flourish in their caves and mines and they developed varieties of many sizes, colors and flavors. They are the main source of protein in their diet. Animal protein is provided by rabbits which they hunt with the help of their domesticated foxes.
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| **The Lithans also have gardens which provide them with the vegetables they enjoy.
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| Most common domesticated plants
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| *Onions (ĸǫ́ṙmis), garlic (ģángis), ramsons (leenáális) and leeks (péṙsis) are used by all the Peoples. Shallots were not part of the original food of the Peoples.
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| *Root crops such as carrots (meáácis), parsnips (nípis), beets (ṁṙáádis), radishes (tóṙbis), greater burdock (lápis) and turnips (túṙmis) are used by all the Peoples.
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| *Other common vegetables are celery (selínis), rhubarb (vṙìsĸəváális), cabbage (ĸaṙámbis) and cucumbers (ĸíĸis).
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| *The following herbs and spices are available to all the Peoples: celery seed (sèlinsééis), black mustard (ṙángis), white mustard (sinápis), capers (), caraway (vraqsééis), cumin (gamúnis), carrot (meáácis), wild rosemary (), dittander (), lovage (), lemon balm (), bayberry (), oregano (ǧòṙluqsámis), Swiss stone pine (), sage (), sweet violet (şúmes), thyme (), red clover (dóbis), and fenugreek (meþícis).
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| *The following greens (ðaalóes) are available for salads: bracken (ĸaqpáṙtis), angelica (čénðis), chervil (nuuváális), caraway (vraqsééis), celery (selínis), cardoon (), dandelion (núnis), turnip (túṙmis), black mustard (ṙángis), white mustard (sinápis), cucumber (ĸíĸis), poppy (mą́ĸis), sorrel (súǧis) and beet (ṁṙáádis).
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| *The Ethrans chose a grain, buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) (ȝ̇ólis), as the staple of their diet.
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| **They cultivate the dog rose (Rosa canina) (ṁṙódis) for its beauty, its fragrance, and its taste.
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| **Crocuses (Crocus sativus) are grown for their saffron (àṙisánis).
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| * The Pyrans chose a grain, rye (ṙúq̓is) (Secale cereale) as the staple of their diet. They cultivate the sloe berry (slííṁĸis) (Prunus spinosa) as their fruit of choice. Fennel (maðúṙĸis) (Foeniculum vulgare) is the sweet spice. Horseradish (ĸàvṙəṁééṙdis) (Armoracia rusticana) is the characteristic savory spice.
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| **They cultivate the sloe berry (slííṁĸis) (Prunus spinosa) as their fruit of choice.
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| **Fennel (maðúṙĸis) (Foeniculum vulgare) is the sweet spice.
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| **Horseradish (ĸàvṙəṁééṙdis) (Armoracia rusticana) is the characteristic savory spice.
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| *The Hydorans chose a reed, the cattail (ĸúṙðis) (reedmace) (Typha latifolia) that grows so abundantly in their ecosystem, as the staple of their diet. Because of the many uses of the cattail, it figures prominently in their culture and is known as "the gift of Neerus (neeṙdóóos).
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| **The cranberry (ĸitém̧is) (Vaccinium oxycoccos) is the favorite fruit of the Hydorans. **Water mint (ṁèfluqsámis) (Mentha aquatica), which grows profusely in water environments, is the characteristic sweet spice of the Hydorans.
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| **Water cress (àṁṙəðémnis) (Nasturium officinale) is used as a savory spice.
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| *Humans chose a seed, the lentil (edááĸis) (Lens culinaris), the planting and harvesting of which is the work of the women, as the staple of their diet.
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| **The springtime proliferation of poppies (maaĸénis) (Papaver rhoeas) enables the Humans to harvest the seeds.
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| **The cherry plum (slííṁis) (Prunus cerasifera) is the fruit of choice of the Humans.
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| **Wild basil () (Ocimum basilicum) is the savory spice that flavors their meat dishes.
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| *The Xylans chose a nut, the acorn (méðtos), the fruit of the ubiquitous oak trees, especially of Quercus robur, as the primary staple of their diet. The tannins present in acorns do not affect the Xylans and they seldom leach the acorns. Other nuts are also used. These various nutmeats constitute their primary source of protein.
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| **The Xylans enjoy the wild cherry (ĸɔ́nis) (Prunus avium) as their favorite fruit.
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| **Wild angelica (cunðónis) (Angelica sylvestris), with its licorice-like flavor, is their favorite sweet spice.
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| *The Lithans chose a seed, sorghum (ņúṙgis) (Sorghum bicolor), as the staple of their diet.
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| **In the caves of their ecosystem they discovered that mushrooms would flourish in their caves and mines and they developed varieties of many sizes, colors and flavors. They are the main source of protein in their diet.
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| **They grow flax (líínis) (Linum usitatissimum) to make linen.
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| **The Lithans enjoy the blackcurrant (ȝotíĸis) (Ribes nigrum) as their favorite fruit. **Lemon balm () (Melissa officinalis) is the sweet spice.
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| **Parsley is the characteristic savory spice. Parsley root, a favorite vegetable, is grown in the home gardens.
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| =Most commonly-eaten meats=
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| *The Ethrans’ special protein source is geese (ȝ̇ánses), raised domestically, and game birds, caught by their gyrfalcons (aṙgípes) (Falco rusticolus) for sport.
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| * Although they occasionally eat reindeer venison, the Pyrans utilize their deer primarily for the production of cheese (séṙḑos) which constitutes a large part of their protein intake.
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| *Their environment has determined the protein source of the Hydorans, various water animals, mainly fish and frogs. Fish are preserved by drying (mímços).
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| *Game taken ahorseback is the main source of the Humans' protein, although horse flesh is eaten as needed to keep the herds manageable.
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| *The Xylans are vegetarians.
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| *Although the many varieties of mushrooms that they grow are the main protein source for the Lithans, they do enjoy mountain hare (b̧éṁnes) (Lepus timidus), which they hunt with their foxes.
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| =Alcoholic beverages=
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| *Honey is available to all the Peoples and each of them uses it as a sweetener. All the Peoples, except the Xylans and Lithans, have bee hives in their settlements (ṁèicóes). The Xylans gather wild honey and the Lithans use sorghum syrup.
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| *Only the Ethrans, however, use it to make an alcoholic beverage known as mead (méð̬os). This mead is flavored with rose hips, a variety known as rhodomel (ṁṙodméð̬os). They also make a liqueur from the rose hips (ṁṙòðsulsógos). Their beer is made from buckwheat (ȝ̇ólis).
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| *The Pyrans brew rye beer (ṙuqál̬os), using rye bread and not malt, and make a liqueur from sloe berries (slèȝṁəsulsógos).
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| *The Hydorans make a fruit wine (ĸitèmïṁeínos) and a liqueur from cranberries (ĸitèmısulsógos). The Hydorans do not make a beer.
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| *The Humans make a fermented beverage from mare's milk (ècüáȝros) and a liqueur from cherry plums (slììṁsulsógos).
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| *The Xylans make a beer from the needles of evergreens, especially of the spruce. They do not make any other alcoholic beverage.
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| *The Lithans make their beer from sorghum (ņuṙgál̬os). The Lithans also make a blackcurrant liqueur (ȝotìĸsulsógos), often with a hint of lemon balm.
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| =Typical dishes=
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| *"Every culture tends to combine a small number of flavoring ingredients so frequently and consistently that they become definitive of that particular cuisine....It is these characteristic combinations of seasonings that clearly define each ethnic cuisine." from Ethic Cuisine:The Flavor Principle Cookbook by Elizabeth Rozin.
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| *As each of the loquent peoples was created they investigated their assigned ecosystem to discover which plants grew best and which ones they preferred. Thus they created the flavor principles that best suited their temperament. This eventually gave rise to the special cuisines associated with each people.
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| *This does not mean that there is no sharing of dishes, but each people has some signature ingredients (known as the culinary trinity) that they enjoy and which characterize their cuisines, similar to the ways in which special ingredients characterize contemporary human cuisines.
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| shortly after sunrise (suulm̧ácas). Supper (dóṙĸ̌os) is eaten at sunset (dúúas). There is a mid-day snack for those who want it, typically some fruit or some kind of bread with oil and herbs. These times take full advantage of daylight for work. The Xylans eat whenever they want.
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| =Ethrans=
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| *The Ethrans’ staple, buckwheat (ȝ̇ólis) (Fagopyrum esculentum) figures in the morning meal as pancakes (sĸòṙðəðóónos) or porridge (ȝ̇olĸúúzos) and in the evening meal as noodles (ȝ̇olvéndos). The buckwheat starch is also made into a "jelly" which is served as a side dish.
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| *Geese and game birds are most often served grilled or preserved in goose fat. A baked dish of goose and broad beans (vávis) (Vicia faba) is also a favorite. Goose liver is made into a pâté, flavored with goose fat, onion, garlic and fenugreek. This is frequently eaten spread on a pancake and rolled up. The fat of the birds is rendered for culinary fat.
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| *The Ethrans cultivated the dog rose (Rosa canina) (ṁṙódis) for its beauty, its fragrance, and its taste. The rose hip (ṁṙoðǫ́gos) is their fruit of choice. The rose pervades the Ethran culture, appearing as the emblem of the Ethrans. When entering an Ethran citadel, one immediately notices the rose fragrance. They make a rose hip tisane (ṁṙoðņúṙos) as their hot beverage of choice. They drink rose water (ṁṙoðpóóȝos) as a refreshing cold beverage.
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| *They make their vinegar (soṙmééðos) from mead. Pickled goose eggs (soṙóóȝos), flavored with beet juice, are a delicacy.
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| *The Ethrans use honey (mélnos) exclusively as a sweetener.
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| *Rose flavor is the sweet spice.
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| *Crocuses are cultivated, as well as roses, and saffron (Crocus sativus) (àṙisánis) is their characteristic savory spice.
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| *The typical dessert is a custard (ooȝṙúqmos) made from goose eggs, sweetened with honey and flavored with rose water, or unsweetened and topped with rose petal jam. The custard is baked in individual ramekins.
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| *As the only one of the Peoples with access to snow and ice year-round, they also make a rose or saffron sorbet, usually served together to experience the sharp difference in flavor. Using very thin buckwheat noodles they make a frozen dessert called frozen noodles (peùṙsəvéndos).
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| *The culinary trinity of the Ethrans is saffron, leek and celery sautéd in goose fat.
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| *Typically, the Ethrans eat their meals at communal tables seated on chairs. Each place setting includes a knife, a two-tined fork, a spoon, a plate and a bowl. Out of respect the dishes of food are placed on the table in front of the eldest, who then serves himself or herself, then passes the dish sunwise to the others. A typical dinner would include hot buckwheat noodles as the staple, perhaps with a saffron sauce or in a goose broth; a squab or other game bird, grilled and basted with its own fat, honey, and rose water; and cooked vegetables or a fresh salad. The typical dinner would close with an egg custard flavored with attar of roses or, perhaps, attar of roses over shaved ice. Pitchers of beer are placed on the tables. When the diners are finished, they are offered the choice of chilled rose water or a rose tisane. At gatherings away from the dinner table, rhodomel is sipped.
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| =Pyrans=
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| * The Pyran staple, rye (Secale cereale) (ṙúqis) is made into a flour from which many types of bread are made. The bread is usually flavored with fennel. Every meal is accompanied by rye bread (ṙùqxlaíbos) in some form.
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| *Fresh curds (sèṙdıténĸos) are saved. They are placed on top of fried parsnip slices and heated, a dish known as sèṙdınípis.
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| *Their culinary fat is goat butter, clarified so that it keeps better (ísĸos).
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| *When chevon is used, it is most often in the form of a fennel (maðúṙĸis)-flavored sausage (áļos).
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| *The Pyrans cultivated the sloe berry (Prunus spinosa) (slííṁĸis) as their fruit of choice, enjoying the fruit's astringency. Sloe hedges are used to make the folds where the goats are kept at night.
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| *A hot tisane is made from the sloe berries.
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| *A chilled sloe tisane is drunk as a cold beverage.
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| *The Pyrans make their vinegar (soṙĸónos) from whey.
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| *Sloe syrup, as well as honey, is used as a sweetener.
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| *Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) (maðúṙĸis) is the sweet spice. Fennel is used in many ways and the anise-like flavor pervades the Pyran cuisine. The bulb is eaten raw or cooked in a variety of ways. The dried or fresh leaves and seeds are used to flavor dishes.
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| *Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) (ĸàvṙəṁééṙdis) is the characteristic savory spice.
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| *The usual dessert is whey curd fennel-flavored or unflavored and topped with sloe syrup.
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| *The culinary trinity is fennel (or horseradish), parsnip, and onion sautéd in ghee.
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| *The Pyrans eat as family units at tables seated on chairs. Each place setting includes a knife, a two-tined fork, a spoon, a plate and a bowl. A typical dinner would include *roasted or grilled chevon, a cooked fennel dish (perhaps with a cheese sauce), a salad including fresh dill, accompanied by a warm or chilled sloe tisane, and the ever present vṙiiqȝ̇áṙlos or ĸìṙpəȝáṙlos. The dinner would close with fresh cheese sweetened with sloe syrup.
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| =Hydorans=
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| *The cattail (reedmace) (ĸúṙðis) (Typha latifolia) that grows so abundantly in their environment is the staple of the Hydoran diet. Because of the many uses of the cattail, it figures prominently in their culture. It is, therefore, the emblem of the Hydorans.
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| *Although tiny, the seeds of the cattail pose no problem to the Hydorans who press them for an edible cooking oil.
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| *Milk from the ponies is drunk whenever obtained. The Hydorans do not make cheese or butter, but do ferment the milk for drinking.
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| *The cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccos) (ĸitém̹is) is the favorite fruit of the Hydorans.
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| *Mint tisane is their hot beverage of choice.
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| *A chilled mint tisane is drunk as a cold beverage.
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| *The Hydorans make their vinegar (sòṙĸitém̹is) from cranberries. They also pickle fish in this vinegar.
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| *The Hydorans make a cranberry relish.
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| *Cattail syrup is used as a sweetener.
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| *Water mint (Mentha aquatica) (ṁèfluqsámis), which grows profusely in water environments, is the characteristic sweet spice of the Hydorans, appearing in many of their dishes.
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| *Water cress (Nasturium officinale) (àṁdəðémnis) is used as a savory spice.
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| IThe typical dessert is a dish of cranberries, sweetened with mint-flavored cattail syrup.
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| *The culinary trinity is water cress (or mint), garlic and onion sautéd in cattail oil.
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| *The Hydorans eat while seated on the floor. A rush mat is set before each of them on which are placed the various dishes of the meal. The Hydorans seldom use table utensils except for a spoon. The main dinner food is fish served in a variety of ways, perhaps grilled or, more typically, in a kind of chowder or bouillabaise (hence the spoon). This is eaten with cattail bread (ĸúṙðóónos) made from cattail flour.
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| =Humans=
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| *The Humans eat lentils as the staple of their diet. Most frequently they are served in the form of fried (vṙììgedááĸis) or steamed (nèmvedááĸis) cakes. When accompanying a meal, they are unflavored.
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| *The annual proliferation of poppies (Papaver rhoeas) (maaĸénis) enables the Humans to harvest the seeds and press them for an edible cooking oil. The poppy is the emblem of the Humans.
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| *The cherry plum (Prunus cerasifera) (slííṁis) is the fruit of choice of the Humans. A wall of these trees surrounds the Humans' compounds.
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| *The cherry plum is used to prepare a cold beverage, either the juice by itself or as an ade.
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| *The Humans drink mare's milk as a hot beverage. In the spring, when eggs are available from ground-nesting birds, an eggnog is made, sweetened with poppy syrup.
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| *Vinegar is made from the juice of the cherry plum.
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| *Distillation of the petals of the poppy produces a sweet red syrup.
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| *Sweet desserts are flavored with poppy seed.
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| *Wild basil (Ocimum basilicum) is the savory spice that flavors their meat dishes. A sauce is made from fresh basil for use in the winter. The floor of the home is strewn with basil leaves.
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| *When served as a dessert the vṙììgedááĸis or nèmvedááĸis batter is sweetened with poppy syrup and the cakes are rolled in poppy seeds or spread with cherry plum jam.
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| *The culinary trinity is basil, garlic and onion sautéd in poppy seed oil.
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| *When herding the horses on the steppes, the men take with them smoked meat and vṙììgedááĸis. Mare's milk is always available.
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| *The Humans eat while seated on the floor around a wooden table. A knife, fork and spoon are the utensils used. The typical meal consists of some cut of grilled meat, either horse or game. Lentil cakes are served, perhaps with a basil sauce. This is accompanied by an assortment of vegetables, raw or cooked. There may be fresh cheese made from mares' milk.
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| =Xylans=
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| *he Xylans chose the acorn (méðtos) as the primary staple of their diet. The tannins present in acorns do not affect the Xylans and they seldom leach the acorns. Other nuts are also used. The acorn is the emblem of the Xylans.
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| *The various nutmeats consumed by the Xylans constitute their primary source of protein.
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| *The Xylans press acorns and other nut kernels, especially the hazelnut (Corylus avellana) (ĸóslis) to obtain cooking oil.
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| *The Xylans enjoy the wild cherry (Prunus avium) (ĸɔ́nis) as their favorite fruit.
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| *The acorn, when dried and powdered and, in this case, leached, is used to brew a hot beverage similar to coffee. Alternatively, they brew a spicy tea from juniper berries.
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| *The Xylans make a cold beverage from the sap of various trees, most especially the silver birch (Betula pendula) (véṙqis).
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| *They make their vinegar from tree sap. Most of the time they flavor it with juniper.
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| *Tree sap, especially that of the various species of maple tree, is used as a sweetener either in liquid form or crystallized.
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| *Wild angelica (Angelica sylvestris) (cunðónis), with its licorice-like flavor is their favorite sweet spice.
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| *The fruit of the juniper (Juniperus communis) (elénis) serves as the Xylans' savory spice.
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| *Angelica candied in a tree sap sugar is their favorite sweet.
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| *The culinary trinity is juniper, garlic, and onion, sautéd in a nut oil.
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| *The Xylans are vegetarians who live isolated lives so their dining habits are individual. They eat sitting, standing, walking. They use whatever utensils are needed. Their jaws are powerful enough to crack open acorns. A good portion of their food is eaten raw. They do make a jelly from acorns. This is sweetened with sap and mixed with bits of cherries and crushed nuts before gelling. It is also made unsweetened and flavored with juniper, then served with an assortment of cooked vegetables.
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| =Lithans=
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| *The Lithans chose sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) (ņúṙgis) as the primary staple of their diet. This they make into an unleavened bread. The grains can also be popped like popcorn which is served with a sprinkling of oil, salt and crushed caraway seeds.
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| *Their cooking oil is obtained from flax seeds.
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| *The Lithans enjoy the blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum) (ĸɔ́nis) as their favorite fruit.
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| *They drink a hot tisane of lemon balm and/or caraway seeds.
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| *The same is drunk as a cold tisane.
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| *They make vinegar from blackcurrant juice. Pickled mushrooms are a specialty.
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| *Sorghum syrup is used as a sweetener.
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| *Lemon balm () (Melissa officinalis) is the sweet spice and thyme is the characteristic savory spice. The Lithans’ bees frequent the thyme flowers so that the Lithan honey is thyme-flavored.
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| *The culinary trinity is thyme, garlic, and onion, sautéd in flaxseed oil.
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| *The Lithans eat much like the other familial Peoples, on chairs at a table. A knife, fork and spoon are the utensils used. The typical meal consists of a mushroom stew, often supplemented with hare or even donkey or argali meat. Sorghum bread accompanies the meal. This is accompanied by an assortment of vegetables, raw or cooked, including caraway root, from the family garden. For drinking, buckwheat beer and/or a tisane is served.
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