Cooking in the Abode
Who cooks in the Abode?
Tomomi: Usually I do...
Breakfast:
Where people eat their breakfast depends largely on where they live in the Abode:
In the Wizards Tower Tomomi, often helped by the Shinju twins, will prepare breakfast for themselves and Old Magician, the style is sometimes European and sometimes Asian (Japanese). Sus visits from time to time depending on her mood, Tsuki will show up if she smells something nice (and ever posing the question why they can't have sweets for breakfast just for once), and Evaleigh will drag herself there to get some toast and tea, dressed in close to nothing and her hair in a sleepy mess, complaining about the early hour. Both Tomomi and Shinju (both) usually prepare bentos during the morning as well, chatting and enjoying themselves as they work.
In the Sylvan Pavilion it is usually Ren who prepares a healthy breakfast with porridge, fresh and/or dried fruits, fruit-juice, tea and bread, for himself and whoever shows up, normally that would be Lady Li and Sus (if she did not decide to join those in the Tower), Calandra and Palatyne sometimes join as well. Every now and then they will make a larger breakfast table and invite the others.
Shiomi takes care of breakfast in the Shrine, usually with help from either Shade or Calandra. Their early meal consists of various fruits, yoghurt, and freshly baked bread.
In the Hyperborian annex they seldom manage to get up in time for breakfast, at least nobody seems to care too much about it (probably trying to rest after a late night in the Lewd Unicorn, or something like that). When they happen to make breakfast (after fighting about whose turn it is to prepare it), it can be of the heavier kind with roast meat, greasy turnips, cheese and bread with thick butter, all downed with beer (or something like that), but far more often it is just a grey gruel, hard bread and tea. As you might guess the ladies, when they wake early, will try to freeload on the others (the Shrine excepted, if it is not a true crisis of morning hunger and no alternative is available).
Tomomi and Shinju have been experimenting with charms to get the squirrelcats that inhabit the kitchen to make the tea and toast, but so far they have not been very successful (even if it might be very funny to watch).
Lunch:
Even people in the Abode needs something to strengthen them during the day.
Tomomi's and Shinju's lunch-boxes/bento are coveted by many, there will usually be half a dozen of them: three for themselves, one for Old Magician and one larger for Shade (who usually shares it with Shiomi), Sus sometimes asks for one as well (if she's there for breakfast).
Ren and Lady Li take a simple snack at lunch, while Sus will scavenge the cooler for leftovers if she didn't get a bento.
In the Shrine both Opal and Calandra will eat fruits if they feel hungry, as mentioned elsewhere Opal will only drink pure spring-water, unless there is a very good reason to drink something else.
In the Hyperborian annex they would have reached breakfast (as described above), or would scavenge for leftovers of yesterdays dinner. If they did arrange a heavy breakfast they will probably sleep it of during lunch...
Afternoon tea:
Is often taken together, whenever possible, Opal will join occasionally, if not in deep meditation, Tsuki however is sure to be there scavenging for sweets.
Dinner:
Dinner is usually rotated between the Wizards Tower, the Sylvan pavilion, the Town house and sometimes the Hyperborian annex; occasionally it will be served in the annex to the Shrine or in the Avalon cottage.
Tomomi prefers to make dinner in the Town house, since she can get to the market from there, and get things delivered to the door if needed.
In the Avalon Cottage there are a cook and maids that come if called for to help with dinner preparations. The food is rustic and plentiful.
When dinner is served in the Shrine it is usually made from ingredients brought up from a nearby village and prepared in Japanese or Korean style (sometimes mixed local style). Opal will only eat fruit.
In the Sylvan Pavilion they usually prepare balanced meals, with choice ingredients provided by farmers close by and cooked to perfection.
In the Hyperborian annex the favourite food is whole roasted whatever-they-could-kill-today, hopefully not made to Alma's choice, which is charcoal on the outside and raw inside. To be honest they are skilled hunters and deliciously roasted venison or capercaillie is not unusual when visiting there, the meals tend to be on the sturdy side of things with lots of beer or/and mead served.
Fast food in the Abode?
Shade: There is no food fast enough to escape me!
The answer is "No", you will normally not find any fast food in the Abode, but it might be that Shade chased it all away...
Unless you consider Tomomi's bentos as fast food (its going fast enough)...
Eating out? Where to go?
Li NiChang: Whoever set up a direct portal to the "The Lewd Unicorn" of all places?
The Lewd Unicorn in the Great Kingdom is the place where the Hyperborian gang often ends up when they don't want to cook themselves (which is very often). Most of the adults in the Abode will occasionally go there for a beer, the food however is not overly recommended, if you are not particularly fond of stews and potluck. If you want something together with your beer it is recommended that you ask for some bread and cheese, which is usually much healthier (and fresher).
From the Town house you can reach several interesting inns, restaurants and pubs, as well as some nice takeaways.
About a mile from the Avalon cottage is a rustic inn that serves very good food.
About an hours walk from the shrine is a traditional inn that serves Korean influenced Japanese food. During festivals it is quite enjoyable to go down to the villages and other temples and shrines to enjoy the atmosphere and the mixture of foods from all the food stands. There is an on-going discussion with local authorities to re-instate, or create a new, festival associated with the new Kami (yes, that would be Opal) in the old shrine, they have even built a golden mikoshi (like a palanquin with golden drapes) to transport her down to and around the village at such an occasion.
And if none of the above is sufficient, and you are looking for something special, well you are in the Abode, and it is possible to reach more realities than you can imagine, so probably it is more down to how to choose where to go...
And what's for dinner?
The favourite dishes of the residents (as far as we know)
Tomomi likes Japanese food and is very fond of sushi
Sus is nuts for Yakult (and other types of pro-biotic yoghurt)
Alma likes steaks, well done (read burnt) on the outside and raw on the inside
Bel has a love for good cheese
Lir prefers fowl: duck and quail being her favourites, and lamb...
Ren, Li and Shinju all favours hot food
Opal is a fruitarian, more or less
Shade prefers - censored by Shade - that she - censored - herself. She also loves taiyaki
Evaleigh has an obsession with fruity wines and desserts
Erendil has a preference for vegetarian foods and dairy products but still eats lean meat of all kind on occasion - Fair warning: don't ever touch her yoghurt!
Tsuki prefers to have all sweets to herself
Both Calandra and Palatyne like Mediterranean cuisine (as does Kandra)
Wotatease has a thing for chocolate and her own mixed
potionsdrinks (a good advice: DON'T taste them even if they shimmer ever so lovely)...Saber loves roasted lamb chops
Old Magician prefers a balanced diet
Recipes:
Coming soon...
While waiting here is a not really a recommended recipe: