Cuisine of Ykalon
It is no secret that the most ubiquitous dish in Ykaloni cuisine is corn (or bé, in Ykaloni Bretic) in any form, be it on the cob, grilled, roasted, chopped, smashed, creamed, and more. The predominate strain of corn is the native Ykaloni, but with the arrival of Imperial settlers mostly from the southern Nibenay in the late third era, other strains have gained popularity, such as the Nibense Country Gentleman, or the multi-colored Painted Hill.
A common dish served for dinner is vachat (’Herdsman’ in Ykaloni Bretic), a thick stew of meat and vegetables seasoned with paiv, a native spice distinguished by its bright red color and spicy flavor, and other spices.
Many Ykaloni have fond memories of growing up eating grossli (derived from the Daggerfellian Bretic word for ‘coarse’, ‘grossier’), a thick porridge of corn, for breakfast. Cheap and easy to make, grossli is often served with cheese, green onion, egg, and meat.
No Ykaloni get-together in the heat of Summer would be complete without a crawfish boil. Served with corn and potatoes, the crawfish are thoroughly cleaned and boiled live.
A cheap in-between meal snack beloved by university students and blue-collar workers alike, frut frit (literally ‘fried cheese’ in Ykaloni Bretic) consists of a thick slice of Champêtre cheese coated in breadcrumbs, fried in butter, and served between a soft Colovian roll. Champêtre is a native semi-soft cheese praised for its delicate flavor and smooth, creamy texture.
In the same vein as frut frit, poutine is another popular snack food which is little more than a mess of fried potatoes served with cheese curds and hot gravy. Despite its simplicity, poutine is extremely popular in Ykalon, with many restaurants devoted solely to poutine.
Pot de Pecheur (’fisherman’s stew) is a soup of fresh caught fish from any of the countless lakes which dot the landscape of Ykalon seasoned with hot pepper and paiv, with carp and other mixed freshwater fish the most popular variations.