What's On The Menu: Vol. 1, Hammerfell

Casimar the Wayfarer

Hammerfell has earned its place over the years as my favorite travel destination, and one of many reasons why is the food. Varied, exotic, and very tasty, Hammerfell's taverns, inns, and restaurants, as well as its palaces and manors, all have something to offer for the discerning palate. I aim to take you, dear reader, on a brief but hopefully enticing culinary journey through Hammerfell.

Hammerfell is known for a few of its edible oddities, most famously Shrieking Cheese, and one of them can be found in the cities and towns bordering the Alik'r Desert: Snakeblood Ale. Brewed with barley grown just beyond the desert's reach, the ale would be fine on its own, but the unique ingredients really make it something special. In a number of areas, Snakeblood Ale is actually a misnomer - on the western side of the desert, real snake's blood is preferred, adding a rosy hue and a flavor similar to brandy, along with a cooling sensation purportedly coming from the alchemical properties of snake blood. On the eastern side, a splashss of blood may be included, but the ingredient that takes center stage is venom. A substantial amount is added - I was initially surprised that the ale was safe to drink in any quantity - and it cuts the natural sweetness with a note of sharpness and a peculiar, tingling numbness. If you find yourself in a bar near the Alik'r, try a mug or two.

A more conventional dish is Taneth Roast Boar, a meat dish known across the province but originated and most loved by the people of the Taneth border region. Boar are abundant in the tall grasses of the region, and boar hunting is a common social pastime; after the menfolk come home with fresh boar, the game is cleaned, butchered, seasoned with peppers and spices (some of which the unaccustomed tongue may want to be mindful of) and roasted on a spit for hours. When it comes off, the meat is juicy, savory, and gives your taste buds a kick. While it can be had just about anywhere in Hammerfell, the best is always the original - an honor which every Taneth restauranteur and grandmother have clambered for since before time.

A fine desert unique to Hammerfell is Shadymarch Cream. This pastry is not a staple of the weight-conscious diet, but it is a must; that said, it's a bit out of the way of the average traveller, so consider this a challenge to the more adventurous of spirits and palates. The town of Shadymarch is the only source of this desert, thanks to its unusual abundance of lemon groves; the dish consists of a whole one of these lemons covered with a healthy dose of caramelized sugar filling and wrapped in a lard pastry. The pastry is baked, and when it comes out of the oven, it's golden brown outside, with the lemon skin inside absorbing the flavor of the caramel sauce and becoming a heavenly candied delight.

That's all for now - get out and go someplace new!