Lore:Imperial Cuisine

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Imperial cooks approach food the same way they face the rest of life: in a straightforward and proud manner. As shrewd diplomats and traders, they stock their larders with many of the best ingredients Tamriel has to offer. Cyrodiil's central location in Tamriel, paired with its wealth and power, assures that the Imperials eat well from a variety of meats, vegetables, and spices from across the continent.[1]:11 There are many culinary texts written about Imperial cuisine of particular regions such as the Niben Watershed.[2]

A high class Imperial feast will typically follow a set selection of courses. The first course may consist of introductory savories meant to enliven the palate while the second may consist of fish based dishes. As is custom the fish course is followed by a course of vegetables. Up next is a course of grain based dishes, this is typically the last course in less wealthy households who don't readily have access to meat and poultry. Otherwise, the fifth course will consist of game and poultry which is then followed by the main meat course. Finally, the penultimate course is made up of desserts and the feast is ended with a final course of digestifs such as cheeses and nuts.[3]

Baked Goods[edit]

Name Description Image
Bread Bread is eaten widely by Imperials in loaves and other forms such as bread rolls with butter and cream.[4] During the observation of "Saint Coellicia's Fast" it is tradition for only a single spoonful of crumbs to be eaten.[5]
OB-ingredient-Bread Loaf.jpg
Crumpets Crumpets with tea are known to be eaten in Anvil.[6]
Eidar Cap In order to prepare Eidar Cap one must hollow out a bread loaf, melt Eidar cheese in a pot, and pour it inside the bread. Once it is prepared one can dip the bread inside and eat it there, or let it cool and consume it whole afterwards.[7]
Wafers Religious wafers are eaten by Imperials to signify the end of a fasting period.[4]

Cheeses[edit]

Name Description Image
Blue Cheese A type of cheese eaten in Cyrodiil.[8]
OB-item-Blue Cheese.jpg
Cheddar A type of cheese eaten in Cyrodiil.[9]
OB-item-Cheddar Cheese.jpg
Lacquerweb Cheese Before curds are poured into molds, a web of spun sugar is painstakingly built within them. This shape resembles something like the blood vessels of a creature, and each of its branches are hollow. The curds are poured in and when the cheese is sufficiently hardened a most piquant vinegar is poured into the web. The web dissolves and the cheese is left with remarkable veins of flavor throughout. Known to be served with bay leaves.[10]
Marble Cheese A type of cheese eaten in Cyrodiil.[11]
Melonrind Cheese Firm and crumbly, this cheese is named for the curious pockmarking that occurs on the rind after two years of aging.[10]
Olroy Cheese A rare type of cheese produced in Southern Cyrodiil. It is described as being extremely aromatic.[12]
OB-item-Olroy.jpg
Sheep's Cheese Cheese made from sheep milk is known to be produced in Skingrad.[13]

Desserts[edit]

Cheydinhal is famous for its thirty-layered cakes.[14]:174 It was once customary for High end Imperial banquets to end with two courses of desserts. It eventually became more popular to end a meal with just one however.[10]

Name Description Image
Colovian War Tortes A torte originating from the Colovian Highlands.[15]
Colovian War Torte
Date and Berry Cake This dish is served with a frosting of sugared cheese. The cheese is woven in intricate and beautiful knots upon the cake's surface.[10]
Fireberry Tartlets Fireberry tartlets are tarts that are folded in such a way that they can be held and eaten without fear of leakage or soiled garments.[10]
Nord Milk Despite the name, this dish has nothing to do with Nords. Rather, chefs induce milk into a frozen, semi-solid state that is among the most delightful confections one can enjoy. However, it is only available to the extremely privileged given the expense that goes into creating it.[10]
Roasted Beehives Entire beehives filled with honey may be served with cinnamon after being gently roasted in an oven.[10]
Stewed Plums This dish is served with cream. The plums may be replaced with other fruits.[10]
Sweetcake A type of cake that is commonly eaten across Cyrodiil.[16]
Sweetcake
Yogurt Yogurt made of goat's milk is known to be eaten in the West Weald.

Fruits and Vegetables[edit]

Name Description Image
Almfingers This dish uses ovens of Akaviri design to puff saltrice grains to several times their size, which gives them a peculiar honeycomb-like texture. Honey mixed with mustard is placed in a bowl, allowing the diner to coat their hands in the sticky sauce, then in puffed saltrice. The puffed saltrice and sauce are then licked off the hand.[4]
Apples Apples are commonly grown and eaten by Imperials.[17]
OB-ingredient-Apples.jpg
Beet Risotto A dish of rice cooked in stock, in Bravil it is made with a beet stock.[18]
Blackberry Blackberries are grown by Imperial farmers. They also grow wild in the West Weald.[19]
Corn Imperial farmers grow corn as a crop. It is eaten on the cob with seasonings.[20] It is also baked into bread[21] or made into a corn and millet chowder.[22]
OB-flora-Corn Stalk.jpg
Cyrodiil Citrus Cyrodiil Citruses are tangy, thick-skinned oranges that have been a staple of Cyrodilic cuisine since time out of memory. The toughness and long shelf life make them a perfect addition to Imperial Legion rations.[23]
Eyes of Mara Eyes of Mara are balls of seasoned rice filled with a grape must. They are normally a confection for children.[4]
Garlic Carrots In Nibenay, carrots are often served seasoned with garlic.[24]
Garlic Radishes In the city of Kvatch, radishes seasoned with garlic are a common dish.[25]
Ground Nuts Ground nuts are served as a digestif after a meal.[10]
Imperial Mushroom Sauce This mushroom sauce has its origins in the outlying regions from which the auxiliary soldiers of the Imperial Legion are drawn, what was once a simple country dish has become a favorite staple on the tables of even Imperial Legion generals.[1]:37
Imperial Mushroom Sauce
Kelp Fritters Kelp fritters are made from tough kelp harvested from the islands of the Topal Bay. The kelp is steeped in tea for days to soften the leathery texture, then dredged in flour and then folded in the manner learned from bookmakers. It is then dipped in beaten egg and covered in breadcrumbs before being dipped in lard. The result is a complex assortment of textures. A crisp outer coating, chewy middle layers, and creamy inner ones. They are served with an aioli made of truffle oil.[4]
Leeks Leeks are used as an ingredient in soups.[6]
Melon Salad A fruit salad made from melons, in Bravil it is seasoned with garlic.[26]
Niben Braids Noodles prized for their length with some being over nine feet long. May be served in a sauce of stewed herbs.[4]
Pears Pears are eaten across Cyrodiil.[27]
Pears
Pumpkin Fritters Fried snacks made with pumpkin. In Cyrodiil they are also made with millet grain.[28]
Red Almonds Red Almonds are seen as a sign of good fortune. These nuts, which must pass through the digestive tract of certain badgers, are slow to mature in flavor and thus difficult to acquire.[10]
Strawberries Strawberries are grown by Imperial farmers. They also grow wild in the West Weald.[29]
Stuffed Banana Leaves Banana leaves are sometimes served with a filling of millet grain and various greens.[30]
Truffles Truffles are known to be eaten and made into oil.
Umber Persimmons This sweet fruit is often eaten on its own. The pith of the fruit can be pounded flat with a mallet and lightly brushed with garlic oil.[4]

Meat and Fish[edit]

Name Description Image
Bats Bats are frequently eaten across Blackwood's marshes. For many local fisherfolk, they represent an abundant source of meat when fishing is poor. Netted bats are skewered and roasted whole while being basted in a yogurt sauce and topped with chopped nuts.[31]
Beaver Tails Beaver Tails are rolled in flour and fried.[5]
Dolphin Calf Dolphin calf simmered in the milk of its mother is an Imperial perversion of a popular Nord feast, which similarly simmers a calf in the milk of a mare, though it is done with cattle, not dolphin. The richness of this dish cannot be overstated, as both the flesh of dolphin and the milk they produce are denser than any creature of the land.[5]
Dormice Known to be eaten by Imperial nobles, where the dormice are fattened on a diet of goose fat to the point that, when eaten, even the bones of these creatures dissolves on the tongue.[31]
Cured Eggs Chicken eggs are buried and cured in clay for months before being roasted in salt coals. Certain techniques can be used to turn these eggs into large egg puffs, a satisfying and aromatic dish.[5]
Jellied Beaks Beaks softened in brine before being made into an aspic and served with a cream sauce.[31]
Jugged Animals Jugging is when an animal has been left to stew for a period of time in a jug or other container, either in its own blood or other ingredients, often a combination of both. In Bruma, rabbits are commonly used for this cooking technique.[32]
Loaf of Tongue This is primarily a noble dish that is assembled from the tongues of whatever creatures suit the household, for example, duck tongues. It is served with a green sauce of mint and chervil.[5]
Lobsters Lobsters are eaten in a variety of ways, such as in stews or on their own as a meal.
Lobster stew
Lobster meal
Marrow and Tendons This dish is a favorite of the Imperial nobility. It fuses the culinary traditions of Imperial cuisine with Akaviri influence, particularly in the seasoning and preparation of the tendons, which are dipped in ox bones as implements for scooping marrow.[31]
Milt Milt from live mudcrabs is eaten by Imperials. While roe-laden female crabs are suitable for a pauper's table, nobles preferred to sup on the rich and milky milt of male crabs.[5]
Mudcrab Fries Potato fries made with mudcrab meat. On the Gold Coast of Cyrodiil this dish is served with melon.[33]
Niben Pike Stuffed with Creamed Sorrel This dish is a classic example of Niben river cuisine. Stuffing a fish with sorrel and other herbs is a common method of preparation. At his infamous feast, Emperor Brazollus served this dish with a twist: the pike was baked in a saffron crust.[5]
Octopus Octopus is eaten on its own and in pies by Imperials in Blackwood.
Octopus pie
Octopus meal
Oysters Oysters are served alive in their shell and shucked tableside. In traditional Niben fashion, diners use garnishes of olive brine in addition to a wine reduction fortified with minced onion.[5]
Rats Rats are known to be eaten by Imperials.[34] There was an attempt to create a rat-themed menu in the Cyrodilic city of Leyawiin. The restaurant was quickly shut down by the local guards, and its owner was forcibly expelled from the settlement, dishes they were known to serve include:
  • Deep-Fried Rat[35]
  • Lemon Rat and Wild Rice[35]
  • Rat Flambe[35]
  • Rat Necrom with Bonemeal Gravy[35]
  • Rat Ragu with Powdered Deer Penis[35]
  • Rats in a Cream Sauce[35]
Roasted Rat
Reman's Pottage A pottage made from the eyes of ducks.[31]
Roast Boar Boar meat prepared by roasting.[36]
Roasted Camel Roasted camel may be found at Imperial feasts. One extravagant method of preparation involves stuffing the whole camel with lamb, stuffing the lamb with chickens, then the chickens with eggs, with the eggs coated in nuts and having the whole dish spiced with cinnamon.[31]
Roast Turkey The meat of a large bird which is roasted before serving. In Colovia it is cooked alongside tomatoes and millet.[37]
Saints One historical practice among the Imperials involved the disinterring of Imperial saints who's skeletal remains where then ground and used as an ingredient. However, this practice of "saint-eating" was banned in the late First Era.[4]
Senche Heart Fillets The heart of a senche cut into fillets, often served with sugar cane. It is described as being tender when prepared.[31]
Shepherd's Pie This dish is eaten across Cyrodiil.
Shepherd's Pie
Slaughterfish Pie A flour crusted pie with a filling consisting of slaughterfish meat and various greens.[38]
Stuffed Piglet A young swine filled with a stuffing of grapes and radish before serving.[39]
Stuffed Swan A dish served at grand feasts that is stuffed with a variety of fillings.[31]
Topal Garnetbeak Topal Garnetbeak was a common feature of noble tables. Most often, these creatures were drowned in fortified wine. They were plucked immediately before serving, and diners ate these creatures whole, typically with cloths draped over their heads. Ostensibly this was to trap the vapors of the wine, but in truth, it was to contain the viscera and juices that often violently ejected from the bird as it was eaten. Years of this practice have left the Topal garnetbeaks extinct.[5]

Drinks[edit]

Name Description Image
Amber Ale An ale not uncommon in Colovia, it is brewed from wheat and enjoyed mixed with metheglin.[40]
Beer Beer is made with fermented grains. It is very common in Cyrodiil, where it is produced by fermenting starch. OB-item-Beer.png
Bitter Barley Beer Originating in Bravil, this barley beer is flavored with bittergreen and ginger.[41]
Colovian Brandy An expensive Imperial brandy made in Colovia. SR-icon-food-ColovianBrandy.png
Cyrodilic Brandy An expensive, but invigorating and stimulating alcoholic beverage with few unpleasant side effects. It is made in Cyrodiil and exported across Tamriel. MW-item-Cyrodiilic Brandy.png
Fifth Legion Porter Named for one of the Imperial Legions, This wheat beer is flavored with rose and ginseng.[42]
Flin An expensive and stimulating Cyrodilic whiskey popular in Morrowind. It has few unpleasant side effects. The flin trade is profitable and managed by the East Empire Company.[43] SR-icon-food-Flin.png
Ginger Beer Imperials brew a yeasty ginger beer, popular in Colovia.[44]
Grenache A red wine. Imperials in Kvatch have a unique spin on the style, blending it with coffee and seaweed for an energizing beverage. [45]
Imperial Stout Named for the race that brews it, this stout beer is made from barley and guarana which is then blended with metheglin.[46]
Kvass An alcoholic beverage made from fermented rye bread. Imperials make a red kvass flavored with rose and acai berry.[47]
Mead

Mead (also called Nord Mead, or Honey Wine by the Altmer) is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented honey and water, alternatively with molasses, and sometimes strained with mashed grains. It is a very popular drink that can be found primarily in the province of Skyrim, but it can also be seen across the continent of Tamriel, as brewing is the basis of any culture. Mead is very popular among the Nords of Solstheim, who usually import it from mainland Skyrim. Meaderies across the provinces have their own ingredients and recipes, mixing in their own spices and fruits like Juniper Berries.

SR-icon-food-HonningbrewMead.png
Mint Chai Chai tea brewed from mint leaves. Imperials sometimes add acai berries to a cup as well.[48]
Mulled Wine Popular with Imperial Legionaries stationed in Skyrim, this drink was invented when an enterprising garrison cook in the region sought to whip up a hot drink to ward off the cold. It is made by heating up wine, herbs, spices, and cinnamon in a pot.[1]:167
Muscat A style of red grape wine common in Skingrad where it is also made with comberries.[49]
Shadowbanish Wine Shadowbanish Wine is a notoriously rare collection of wine that was made for the Imperial Legion throughout Cyrodiil. The magic imbued in the wine gifted the drinkers with night eye, for late-night surveillance on cold nights.[50] In 2E 582, the Shadowbanish Vintners was a group active in the Interregnum who held wine-tasting parties in Trader's Cove.[51] In 3E 433, a wine collector from Weye tasked an adventurer to find the last of the wine in the various ruins throughout Cyrodiil. These locations span across the province, from Fort Grief to Fort Vlastarus. Eventually, six bottles of Shadowbanish Wine were recovered and added to the collection.[52]
Sherry A style of white wine. A type produced in Cheydinhal is made with honey.[53]
West Weald Wallop A tincture from western Cyrodiil, it is made from grapes and acai berries before being clarified with isinglass.[54]

Spices[edit]

Imperial artists produce ivory spice shakers in stylized shapes of Imperial Knights.[55]

Name Description Image
Cardamom Cardamom is made into a syrup for use on desserts.[10]
Cinnamon Cinnamon lends itself to many Imperial dishes.[3]
Imperial Seasoning Imperial seasoning is used by Imperial troops and their regiment cooks. It is a unique combination of savory flavors. Its bright citrus profile is lent by the coriander. It is used on vegetables and fish.[1]:11
Imperial Seasoning
Rubyblossom Extract Rubyblossom extract is a rare and robust sweetener that is used in Cyrodilic confections. It was originally cultivated by Nibenese alchemists.[56]
Rubyblossom Extract
Tarragon A spice available in Cyrodiil.[36]

Soups and Stews[edit]

Name Description Image
Beef Noodle Soup A soup enjoyed in Colovia, it is made from beef and tomatoes cooked together with flour noodles.[57]
Cabbage Soup In the city of Skingrad a soup made from seasoned cabbage is often found.[58]
Cioppino A fish stew made with pumpkin and corn. Supposedly popular with the Potentates of the Second Empire.[59]
Fricasseed Fawn A stew made with meat cooked in stock. In this recipe the meat of a young Deer is used. Nibenese cooks include apples and greens in their versions of this dish.[60]
Pottage A typical Imperial pottage consists of legumes or pulses simmered in broth.[31]

Notes[edit]

  • Topal Garnetbeak bears many similarities to the real-life ortolan bunting. Just as described in The Feast of Saint Coellicia, these birds were drowned in wine, roasted, plucked, and consumed whole, and diners would traditionally wear a napkin over their heads while eating them.

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d The Elder Scrolls: The Official Cookbook — Chelsea Monroe-Cassel
  2. ^ The Feast of Saint Coellicia IArfons Jellicandante, Expert on Nibenese Cuisine
  3. ^ a b The Feast of Saint CoelliciaArfons Jellicandante, Expert on Nibenese Cuisine
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h The Feast of Saint Coellicia IIIArfons Jellicandante, Expert on Nibenese Cuisine
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i The Feast of Saint Coellicia IIArfons Jellicandante, Expert on Nibenese Cuisine
  6. ^ a b Handbills in Oblivion
  7. ^ Madam Firilanya's correspondence in ESO
  8. ^ Blue Cheese in Oblivion
  9. ^ Cheddar Cheese in Oblivion
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k The Feast of Saint Coellicia VArfons Jellicandante, Expert on Nibenese Cuisine
  11. ^ Marble Cheese in Oblivion
  12. ^ Cheeses of Tamriel — Master Chef Gilbard Larocque
  13. ^ Uuras the Shepherd's dialogue in Oblivion
  14. ^ The Infernal CityGreg Keyes
  15. ^ Colovian War Torte recipe in ESO
  16. ^ Sweetcake in Oblivion
  17. ^ Apples in Oblivion
  18. ^ Bravil's Best Beet Risotto recipe in ESO
  19. ^ Blackberries in Oblivion
  20. ^ Chorrol Corn on the Cob recipe in ESO
  21. ^ Cyrodilic Cornbread recipe in ESO
  22. ^ West Weald Corn Chowder recipe in ESO
  23. ^ Cyrodiil Citrus in ESO
  24. ^ Nibenese Garlic Carrots recipe in ESO
  25. ^ Garlic Radishes A La Kvatch recipe in ESO
  26. ^ Bravil Melon Salad recipe in ESO
  27. ^ Pears in Oblivion
  28. ^ Cyrodilic Pumpkin Fritters recipe in ESO
  29. ^ Strawberries in Oblivion
  30. ^ Blackwood Stuffed Banana Leaves recipe in ESO
  31. ^ a b c d e f g h i The Feast of Saint Coellicia IVArfons Jellicandante, Expert on Nibenese Cuisine
  32. ^ Bruma Jugged Rabbit recipe in ESO
  33. ^ Gold Coast Mudcrab Fries recipe in ESO
  34. ^ Rat Meat in Oblivion
  35. ^ a b c d e f Weebam-Na's dialogue in Oblivion
  36. ^ a b Shopping lists in Oblivion
  37. ^ Colovian Roast Turkey recipe in ESO
  38. ^ Rumare Slaughterfish Pie recipe in ESO
  39. ^ Imperial Stuffed Piglet recipe in ESO
  40. ^ Colovian Amber Ale recipe in ESO
  41. ^ Bravil Bitter Barley Beer recipe in ESO
  42. ^ Fifth Legion Porter recipe in ESO
  43. ^ Generic dialogue on the subject of flin in Morrowind
  44. ^ Colovian Ginger Beer recipe in ESO
  45. ^ Kvatch Watch Grenache recipe in ESO
  46. ^ Imperial Stout recipe in ESO
  47. ^ Rislav's Righteous Red Kvass recipe in ESO
  48. ^ Blackwood Mint Chai recipe in ESO
  49. ^ Skingrad Muscat recipe in ESO
  50. ^ Nerussa's dialogue in Oblivion
  51. ^ Sacrament: Trader's Cove daily quest in ESO: Dark Brotherhood
  52. ^ A Venerable Vintage quest in Oblivion
  53. ^ Cheydinhal Sherry recipe in ESO
  54. ^ West Weald Wallop recipe in ESO
  55. ^ Matching Imperial Spice Shakers item description in ESO
  56. ^ Rubyblossom Extract in ESO
  57. ^ Colovian Beef Noodle Soup recipe in ESO
  58. ^ Skingrad Cabbage Soup recipe in ESO
  59. ^ Potentate's Supreme Cioppino recipe in ESO
  60. ^ Nibenese Fricasseed Fawn recipe in ESO