The Definitive Guide to Cuisine: A Courrak Tongue

The Definitive Guide to Cuisine: A Courrak Tongue is a book discovered within the study of Otto's Opulent Observatorium.

## Description

A series dedicated to the cuisines of Ahlus intended to serve as a general overview instead of more in-depth studies performed by experts in specific disciplines, this copy of the Definitive Guide to Cuisine, the thirteenth in said series, focuses on the food and drink of Courrakey, a Realm of northern Ahlus.

## Reading

### Completed by Arnica

The frigid lands of the Hoarfrost Expanse are a far cry from the temperate grasslands that I call my true home, the place where my joy and delight in all manner of culinary pursuits was sparked. And yet, despite this, there is still a great deal to be learned from the lands of the Northern Tribes, whose approach to food may superficially exist as little more than a hunter-gathering styling but has depths of complexity - and flavour - to be found beneath the surface.

I must caveat this text with a disclaimer. Despite my efforts, I cannot say that I can detail all of the Courrak Tongue, for the peoples of the enigmatic Ger evaded my efforts to follow and study them. Though I paid good coin for a guide to take me to the tunnels of Geredw, I could not cope with the turmoil of their entry customs, and so resigned myself to add to this section only through secondary sources. Perhaps, given time to recoup and relax after on what has been a joyful but undeniably exhausting peregrination across the continent, I will attempt to do so again, and will publish an appendix to this tome to that purpose. It is therefore my understanding that the majority of their diet comes from one of two sources - either fishing in the coastal waters of the Allreach Sea for capelin, halibut, redfish, blacktongue, all of which are then packed in bags of sea ice and transported back to the colonies, or through cultivation of grains and mushrooms in the deep tunnels beneath Geredw. I have no desire to write a tome of the culinary appetites of the residents of the lands below, the Underdark, but I gather that the processes may be similar. Most notable however is that of Iqni, a soup or stew rich in starches from barley oats soaked overnight, and filled with meat from seals or whales, both of which are usually chased into shallow bays and butchered on the shoreline.

Although meats and other rich sources of protein like eggs serve as the mainstay of Courrak cooking, the other two major groups of folk in Courrakey, that of Lakutha's Kin from Llaber and the Sons of Bodun, based out of the defacto capital of the Realm Bodunoduron are often more diverse, accounting for the more varied terrains available, as well as some more favourable climates that allow for the cultivation, if still limited by Atral standards, of crops and other plants. Beyond being capable hunters that are skilled with bringing down vicious predators such as owlbears and wolves, or migratory herd animals like caribou and musk-ox. the tribesfolk of Lakutha's Kin are known for their talent for foraging, a knack that has compared them (not always favourably) to the boars utilised by the truffle hunters of the Greensong. Roseroot, fireweed and lousewort are all gathered when Highreign abates the ice from the soil, and the hardy cloudberry is collected near all year round - most of which is then fermented and distilled through intricate organic processes into the cider known as Cloudberry Mulch. Strong enough to get even the most grizzled ship captain swaying, its numbing and warming properties are more than welcome when the cold starts to draw close. Another fermented drink commonly consumed in the region - having supposedly originated from the goliath and giant colonies scattered through out the region is that of *Fjellengel,* a drink somewhere between a goat's milk and loose soured cream, and so delivers a wonderful tartness to accompany many dishes in the same way that one might select a crisp white wine.

Bodunoduron, serving as a bastion of trade with the lands of the north, is located on the southwestern tip of the Notchbark Woods, and so benefits greatly from trade routes operated with the Kingdom of Tulis. In doing so, food tastes and habits are more varied here than anywhere else in the Realm, although more traditional cuisine is still favoured by the majority of locals, particularly those that live outside of the settlement itself. The Notchbark Woods provide nesting sites for numerous species of birds and other flying creatures, which are both netted for their meat, and breed for the procurement of eggs, which are added boiled or poached to savoury and sweet dishes alike. Trade has also brought a number of spices to the Realm of Courrak, with those of bay, black pepper, cardamom and liquorice all growing increasingly popular. Salmon, eels, lampreys and other anadromous species utilise both the Last Gasp and the Weeping Water as spawning sites - and thus are enjoyed when seasonally appropriate. The Sons of Bodun have also started experimenting with brewing efforts, and I was blessed enough to try a number of brandies and ales during my visit to the city, including a particular blend heated through with a drop of remorhaz blood.