Adventurer’s food thread/blog

[Tadhg]

So, I’ve been thinking about doing a thread about food, since I like to cook and have been doing so for years. But, I thought I might bring it ‘round to adventurers and what they might eat, cook or find on their journeys.

At the same time, I thought forum members might be interested in reading and contributing to this thread – in pretty much anyway you want with regard to what you like to do. Such as:

Do you like to cook?
Grill?
Make the breakfast?
Sandwich king?
Anything else with regard to food?

I used the word “blog” which to me connotes – boring big mouth clown who spews nonsense or stupidity on the web!! Hehe, no offense to any bloggers here.
But let’s call this an interactive or contributing blog, if we must use that word.
Otherwise, forget blog and look at this as a free flowing, all over the place ~ thread

So, feel free to

Comment.
Pontificate.
Expound.
Blather.
Verbal vomit.
Your call . . .

Some other subjects . . do you like:

Hiking
Fishing
Camping
Hunting

I think we all have experiences which may influence our thoughts on adventurers on their journeys!

So, in between killing bad guys and taking their stuff, adventurers need to hike, camp, hunt and fish. And then most importantly have a decent hot meal from time to time when circumstances allow for such.

Other subjects that are fuzzing in my mind:

C&C style movies that feature or show food . . to wit:

Adventures of Robin Hood ~ early scene in Sir Guy’s castle when they are feasting.

OK, nuff said for the moment!

[Tadhg]

Gord would probably enjoy one of my favorite dishes to cook:

Slumgullion.

Been cooking it for years - basically a leftover meat stew.
I've seen some mentions about this:

goldrush inns
whaling towns
pirates
England
Ireland

But, I was pleasantly surprised to notice this dish on the menu at some Inn in the first or second Gord the Rogue novel. I'm pretty sure it was Saga of Old City. It really cracked me up when I read that.

[Treebore]

I like to make home made breads and yesterday I made my home made salsa with local Tomatillo's, several local peppers, onions, tomato, some spices, etc... Tastes pretty darn good if I say so myself. My family likes it better than anything we find in stores or restaurants. Same goes for my beef jerky, when I make it. I need to fix my dehydrator.

[Tadhg]

I like to make home made breads and yesterday I made my home made salsa with local Tomatillo's, several local peppers, onions, tomato, some spices, etc... Tastes pretty darn good if I say so myself. My family likes it better than anything we find in stores or restaurants. Same goes for my beef jerky, when I make it. I need to fix my dehydrator.

Excellent, Tree.

Oh, and when you have time I'd love hear various things about all you do on your farm. I was thrilled to hear about pretty much everything that you guys do - when you've spoke about it during intermissions in our online games.

Start with . . goat cheese!!!

[Treebore]

We got rid of the goats once I realized how much cheaper it was to buy the Goat Cheese at Costco than to keep the goats and have all the "gear" for milking them and making it into cheese, yogurt, etc... and do the upkeep and replacement costs of the gear. Much better to just spend $12/month at Costco.

[Jyrdan Fairblade]

For period recipes, I highly recommend Pleyn Delit: Medieval Cookery for Modern Cooks and Seven Centuries of English Cooking: A Collection of Recipes.

For fantasy cookery, Daniel Myers has done books on Dwarven and Halfling cooking. They're heavily informed by actual period recipes, and have some really tasty recipes.

[Arduin]

http://medievalcookery.com/etexts.html

[serleran]

I love to grill. In fact, so much that I waded through the snow to exhume the beast to cook. Now that I have added a smoker to it... I expect to grow much fatter.

[Tadhg]

For period recipes, I highly recommend Pleyn Delit: Medieval Cookery for Modern Cooks and Seven Centuries of English Cooking: A Collection of Recipes.

For fantasy cookery, Daniel Myers has done books on Dwarven and Halfling cooking. They're heavily informed by actual period recipes, and have some really tasty recipes.

Thanks, I'll check them out. I should think a halfling cookbook would be excellent (whole sections on 2nd and 3rd breakfasts)!

[Tadhg]

We got rid of the goats once I realized how much cheaper it was to buy the Goat Cheese at Costco than to keep the goats and have all the "gear" for milking them and making it into cheese, yogurt, etc... and do the upkeep and replacement costs of the gear. Much better to just spend $12/month at Costco.

Really, that's amazing. I seem to recall that you guys had fun caring for the goats, but my guess is - it's a lot of work (along with all the other chores you have).

[Tadhg]

I love to grill. In fact, so much that I waded through the snow to exhume the beast to cook. Now that I have added a smoker to it... I expect to grow much fatter.

Nice. I want to buy an outdoor smoker, might do it this year.

I have a stovetop smoker that was reasonably priced and works perfectly for small pieces of meat. I used it to smoke haddock for finan haddie (in cullen skink) and kedgeree.

[Tadhg]

Oh yeah, here is Seamus' recipe for slumgullion:

Slumgullion (leftover stew/hash) recipe by Seamus T. Cuttlefoot.

This is one of my favorite meals to cook. It’s very flavorful, healthy and easy to make.
I seem to make it differently every time I prepare this dish, utilizing whatever is available
in the pantry or leftover from the fridge!

The foundation of the recipe (chewy noodles, meat, chunks of tomato and mushrooms) along with the onion/garlic/spice background provide a gustatory and savory eating sensation that screams for bread to sop up the sauce remaining on the plate.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground chuck (80-85% lean)
1 ½ cups ditali noodles (small shell pasta or elbow macaroni work fine too)
3 Ts olive oil
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 green pepper, diced (half if using other veggies)
1 cup green beans, zucchini or eggplant
1 onion, diced
8 oz package white or baby bella mushrooms, whole or sliced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes
¼ cup red wine
1 T Hungarian paprika
1 ½ ts adobo seasoning
½ t pepper
1 T oregano
2 bay leaves

Parmesan cheese

Optional:

Fresh tomatoes instead of canned.
Use or substitute any fresh (carrots, celery) or leftover vegetables.
Use any leftover beef or chicken stock.
Any fresh herbs.
Leftover tomato paste or sauce.
For heat, I sometimes throw in a chipotle pepper in adobo sauce or
sprinkle a dash of cayenne pepper. I’ve use jalapeno and Thai peppers as well.
Dried guajillo peppers are good for lesser heat.

Method:

Cook pasta according to package instructions.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.

Pour in green pepper and onion; cook until they soften, about 4 minutes. Add parsley and heat for another minute.
Remove from pan.

Add another tablespoon of the oil to the pan; add the mushrooms and cook until softened and juices release, about 3.5 minutes. Remove.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to the pan, add the ground meat and cook until browned, about 7 minutes. Drain fat, except for 1 T.

At this point I transfer the meat to a 4 qt. dutch oven pot and add the cooked onions, green pepper and mushrooms.

Pour the canned tomatoes into the pot and heat to a boil while breaking up the tomatoes. Reduce heat to simmer and add other vegetables, garlic, parika, wine, bay leaf, adobo, and pepper. Cook stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes/sauce reduces slightly, about 20 minutes. Add cooked pasta, stirring until heated through ~ about 2 minutes.

Serve with parmesan cheese and rolls or crusty bread.

Wine pairing: Zinfandel or cabernet sauvignon.

Bon appetit.

[Tadhg]

Your halfling bard cook, Dilbo called in sick. Seems he was beat up a bit after last night's battle with those nasty gnolls.

No worries, he got in touch with his adventurer cook's guild and they are sending a temp.

Meet Reginald, he has a lot of experience!

[Lurker]

I love to grill. In fact, so much that I waded through the snow to exhume the beast to cook. Now that I have added a smoker to it... I expect to grow much fatter.

Nice. I want to buy an outdoor smoker, might do it this year.

I have a stovetop smoker that was reasonably priced and works perfectly for small pieces of meat. I used it to smoked haddock for finan haddie and kedgeree.

I've seen an old 1960's fridge converted into a big outdoor smoker. I have a fridge that will work on my place at the lake ... I just need to get the project going.

As for cooking. I have, somewhere, 2 cook books of ancient roman cooking.

For period recipes, I highly recommend Pleyn Delit: Medieval Cookery for Modern Cooks and Seven Centuries of English Cooking: A Collection of Recipes.

For fantasy cookery, Daniel Myers has done books on Dwarven and Halfling cooking. They're heavily informed by actual period recipes, and have some really tasty recipes.

http://medievalcookery.com/etexts.html

Cool, thanks for sharing!

[Jyrdan Fairblade]

I’ve got one of those as well. The use of fish sauce took a bit of getting used to, and I had a devil of a time finding some of the spices. But then there are recipes like honey glazed shrimp, which made it so worthwhile.

As for cooking. I have, somewhere, 2 cook books of ancient roman cooking.

[slimykuotoan]

I enjoyed BBQ until I got the Geroge Foreman Grill. Now, I used it exclusively.

There's no real clean up, I can grill indoors, and steaks are absolutely perfect every time.

[Tadhg]

I’ve got one of those as well. The use of fish sauce took a bit of getting used to, and I had a devil of a time finding some of the spices. But then there are recipes like honey glazed shrimp, which made it so worthwhile.

Garum?

Intense, stuff.

I used Asian fish sauce for a lot of recipes!

[Tadhg]

I enjoyed BBQ until I got the Geroge Foreman Grill. Now, I used it exclusively.

There's no real clean up, I can grill indoors, and steaks are absolutely perfect every time.

Nice to hear. Have thought about getting an indoor grill. Oddly, no one I know has the Foreman.

[mmbutter]

Just about everyone has an indoor grill. It's called a "broiler".

[Omote]

A non-stick grill pan is a nice accessory to have in the kitchen.

~O

[slimykuotoan]

The Foreman grill grills on both sides, so it's very convenient.

[Tadhg]

A non-stick grill pan is a nice accessory to have in the kitchen.

~O

For sure. I have a round one for bacon. And then I have this square one that came with a weight - actually it's a panini grill pan which does a great job and I use it to make quesadillas! I've been wanting to cook hamburgers in it during this winter, but forgot about it!

Having said that, I am a sucker for kitchen appliances, so that Foreman is beginning to interest me.

[Tadhg]

But, I was pleasantly surprised to notice this dish on the menu at some Inn in the first or second Gord the Rogue novel. I'm pretty sure it was Saga of Old City.

I still haven't found this passage, but did remember a mention in Gary's GFW World Builder - tavern section. He lists some soups/stews, here are some mentioned:

bisque
borscht
chowder
ghoulash (heh, my spelling - I do make a great Hungarian Gulyas which I will post soon)
gumbo
slumgullion
vichyssoise (hmm, that entry seems a bit hoity-toity unless yer adventuring party is in France!)

[Lurker]

I’ve got one of those as well. The use of fish sauce took a bit of getting used to, and I had a devil of a time finding some of the spices. But then there are recipes like honey glazed shrimp, which made it so worthwhile.

Garum?

Intense, stuff.

I used Asian fish sauce for a lot of recipes!

Rgr that on both counts

[Tadhg]

On the way to Mauve Castle, Curley Greenleaf, Chert and Gord the Rogue stop at a roadside inn to get a meal.

Here in High Gagaxian Prose is the detail:

“Soon the three were busy demolishing a roast capon, some egg and mutton-kidney pie, and various and sundry comestibles delivered in stages by the serving women. Finally, after the last bones were stripped of meat, the pie dish clean, and nothing but a few crumbs of bread to be seen on the table, Greenleaf sat back patting his round belly and Chert belched contentedly as he swigged down another pot of stout. Gord, having finished much sooner than his two companions, had been waiting impatiently for this event.”

Heh, roasted capon sounds delish. Not so much for the mutton pie with "kidney"!

Where's that barfing smilie when I need it? Not a fan of organ meats!

[Lurker]

On the way to Mauve Castle, Curley Greenleaf, Chert and Gord the Rogue stop at a roadside inn to get a meal.

Here in High Gagaxian Prose is the detail:

“Soon the three were busy demolishing a roast capon, some egg and mutton-kidney pie, and various and sundry comestibles delivered in stages by the serving women. Finally, after the last bones were stripped of meat, the pie dish clean, and nothing but a few crumbs of bread to be seen on the table, Greenleaf sat back patting his round belly and Chert belched contentedly as he swigged down another pot of stout. Gord, having finished much sooner than his two companions, had been waiting impatiently for this event.”

Heh, roasted capon sounds delish. Not so much for the mutton pie with "kidney"!

Where's that barfing smilie when I need it? Not a fan of organ meats!

Rgr that, but grilled deer heart and tongue actually is fairly good if cooked right!

[Tadhg]

On the way to Mauve Castle, Curley Greenleaf, Chert and Gord the Rogue stop at a roadside inn to get a meal.

Here in High Gagaxian Prose is the detail:

“Soon the three were busy demolishing a roast capon, some egg and mutton-kidney pie, and various and sundry comestibles delivered in stages by the serving women. Finally, after the last bones were stripped of meat, the pie dish clean, and nothing but a few crumbs of bread to be seen on the table, Greenleaf sat back patting his round belly and Chert belched contentedly as he swigged down another pot of stout. Gord, having finished much sooner than his two companions, had been waiting impatiently for this event.”

Heh, roasted capon sounds delish. Not so much for the mutton pie with "kidney"!

Where's that barfing smilie when I need it? Not a fan of organ meats!

Rgr that, but grilled deer heart and tongue actually is fairly good if cooked right!

Whoa, I could eat any shell fish or seafood but not that! I don't even like liver & onions anymore.

Hell, I would eat a cooked goliath tarantula (as witnessed on National Geographic some years ago by a aboriginal tribe in South America) before I would touch any organ!

[Tadhg]

The biggest GT measured over 11"!!



You hungry!!

[Tadhg]

OK, I finally found the slumgullion passage in Saga of Old City.

Gord accompanies Violet to the Wizard's Hat where she dines on a "fine" meal. Gord gets a bowl of slumgullion which the serving wench describes as "raw goo"!! Gord asks Violet about this and she tells him it's a ragout - "a foreign way of saying it's thin stew with more vegetables than meat. Slumgullion's better but don't say that here . . "

Poor Violet - Clyde Caldwell, page 36.

[Lurker]

The biggest GT measured over 11"!!


You hungry!!

I'd much rather have good grilled deer hear of roasted pig tongue! But, in a survival situation ... food is food no matter how big/evil it looks!