Nectrose crystal

Nectrose crystals were a type of crystal used as a flavor-enhancer, infusing water they were dissolved into with a sweet and fruity flavor. As an impoverished child, the human Everi Chalis was given a packet of nectrose crystals out of sympathy by a Trade Federation vessel captain. Tasting the crystals was the most enjoyable experience she had known and made her realize the poverty of her homeworld. In 34 ABY, the Artiodac chef Strono Tuggs included a recipe for nectrose crystals in his work The Official Black Spire Outpost Cookbook.
==Description==
Nectrose crystals were a type of crystal that could be quickly dissolved in water to act as a flavor-enhancer. Resembling shiny gemstones, the crystals could be green, red, or yellow in color and infused water with a sweet and fruity essence. Some individuals used nectrose crystals to enhance the flavor of water that was not fresh, while others used the crystals to experience a boost in energy.
==History==
===Chalis's treat===
Prior to the Galactic Empire's reign, which begun in 19 BBY,Star Wars: Galactic Atlas the impoverished mother of the human Everi Chalis attempted to sell her daughter to the captainStar Wars: Women of the Galaxy of a Trade Federation exploratory vessel; however, at only six years old, Chalis was too small to be of use. Out of sympathy, the captain gave the child a packet of nectrose crystals.
Chalis did not know that the crystals were supposed to be dissolved in water, so she would stick her fingers into the crystals and then lick them, breaking out in hives every time she tried them. She rationed herself to eating nectrose crystals only once a week, with the packet of crystals ultimately lasting for months. Believing the crystals were the most wonderful thing she had encountered in her life so far, Chalis developed a new perspective on how poverty-ridden her homeworld was, with off-worlders being able to afford throwing items such as nectrose crystals to children as charity.
===Later uses===
In 5 ABY, a boy in the Children of the Empty Sun, a cult operating on the planet Catadra, ate raw nectrose crystals despite sweets being discouraged by the cult. The child then confessed his actions to other members of the Children of the Empty Sun during a disquisition their members had in groups three times a week.Shadow Fall
In 34 ABY, the Artiodac chef Strono Tuggs included a recipe for nectrose crystals in his work The Official Black Spire Outpost Cookbook, in which he also used the crystals as toppings for the desserts Mimbanese Mudslide and Nectrose Freeze. Tuggs claimed to have seen the crystals crushed and used to line the rims of ornamental cocktail glasses, and he wrote that he had also heard of soldiers eating the rocks undissolved on the battlefield for a boost of energy.
==Behind the scenes==
Nectrose crystals were first mentioned in Battlefront: Twilight Company, a novel written by Alexander Freed and published in 2015. Nectrose crystals were later pictured when they received a recipe in the 2019 cookbook Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge: The Official Black Spire Outpost Cookbook, which was written by Marc Sumerak and Chelsea Monroe-Cassel. The out-of-universe recipe combines sugar, honey, water, rock salt, baking soda, and citric acid with one of three different flavor combinations that each produce a different color of crystal.
The red combination uses vanilla extract, a dash of banana extract, and red food coloring; the yellow requires balsamic vinegar, strawberry extract, and yellow food coloring; and the green combines ground cardamom, orange extract, and green food coloring. In an interview, Cassel noted that the Nectrose Freeze was one of her favorite dishes in the cookbook, mentioning the nectrose crystals and other toppings as giving flavor. During the book's production, she and the photography team enjoyed eating the dish after acquiring the shots they needed for the cookbook.
==Appearances==
*Battlefront: Twilight Company 
*Shadow Fall 
==Sources==
*Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge: The Official Black Spire Outpost Cookbook 
==Notes and references==
Category:Crystals
Category:Food additives
Category:The Official Black Spire Outpost Cookbook recipes