The Bosmer are bound by the terms of the Green Pact to not harm the Valenwood. The Bosmer do not eat anything made from plant life;[1] fruits are only allowed if they have already fallen from the tree, and the seeds must be replanted, lest they face the wrath of the forest.[2] As such, their recipes tend to include animal products.
The Green Pact is interpreted differently depending on the tribe—foodstuffs such as fruits that fell from the trees, dairy products, honey, mushrooms, and insects are eaten with zest by all but the most ultra-zealous of Pact Bosmer.[3] Ritualistic cannibalism is a part of Bosmeri culture and a requirement for the upholding of the Green Pact; they eat their dead and even their enemies as part of upholding the meat mandate. The practice of cannibalism has fallen out of favor in Valenwood during the Second Era, and is only practiced by the most zealous upholders of the Green.[4][5]
Meats and FishEdit
| Name | Description | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Bantam Guar Eggs | Bantam Guar Eggs are sometimes poached.[6] | |
| Bosmer Bites | Bosmer Bites are thinly sliced cured meat pieces that contain slices of fruit and cheese. This basic recipe works very well with a variety of tree fruits and assorted meats; the Bosmer use whatever freshly cured meat they have on hand.[2] | |
| Frogs | Once skewered, frogs are eaten as frog-kebabs.[7] | |
| Jagga Tarts | Jagga Tarts are a Wood Elf delicacy consisting of fermented pig's milk and squirrel preserves.[8] | |
| Jugged Venison | Jugged Venison is a Bosmer meal typical for the region of Greenshade.
In order to prepare the meal one needs: 1 Venison Haunch, bloody Stock 1 Imported Onion, finely chopped Hang the Haunch for 5 days, until it is tender to the touch. Heat the haunch in over a medium flame. The oil will give the meat a nice crisp outside. When the meat starts to pop, remove it from the heat. Seal the hot meat in a vase or jug with the stock and the onion. Let it stand for another fortnight. To serve, open the jug and pour the tender haunch onto the table. It is so tender no knife is required.[9] |
|
| Kollopi | Kollopi are arboreal rodents that are cooked into delicious little balls of flesh, thick with spices and juice, it is considered a peasant dish. The kollopi mainly live in Graht-oak trees and are harvested by Imga.[10] | |
| Live Bugs | Live Bugs are caught and eaten with tweezers.[11] | |
| Scorpions | The meat of Scorpions is eaten by Bosmer.[12] | |
| Timber Mammoth | A woodland dwelling species of Mammoth. It's meat is served grilled and seasoned on kebabs.[13] | |
| Unthrappa | Unthrappa is a ceremonial meal made from human or elven flesh, its name roughly translates to "atonement".[14][15] |
DrinkEdit
| Name | Description | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Arenthian Brandy | A rare example of a Bosmer spirit that isn't meat based, this brandy is made from grapes and lemon.[16] | |
| Beetle Tea | Tea steeped from beetles.[17] | |
| Jagga | Jagga is an alcoholic drink made from fermented pig's milk which is popular in Valenwood.[14] In order to prepare it one must: Set several shallow pans of boiled pig's milk cream where the cat can't step on them and leave alone for a day, then stir several times per day thereafter. Strain the whey into a separate vessel, keeping the curds in their pans. Break the curds apart with a spoon, then allow the curds to dry into shards. Stir daily to keep them from spoiling. Once dry, use these shards to thicken skimmed pig's milk, or to add more cream to plain pig's milk. Bottle and let ferment for 3 weeks. One can drink the whey immediately, or use it in other recipes.[18] |
|
| Sun's Dusk Ale | Sun's Dusk Ale is a Bosmer Ale made from meat, crosswings, mimics, and green mold. It smells like "juicy steak marinated with plum wine and coriander". Imga dislike the taste of the Ale.
To make it one must stretch seventeen strings of Alfiq-gut over each barrel, then fresh (or perhaps just aged but not yet "properly" rotted) boar meat is pressed onto the strings, with the brewer being careful not to let any fall before it has properly rotted. Then the meat is dusted with the finely chopped skins of the red-striped frog to make sure the crosswings are happily drunk when they fall. This is done every month for three or more years, until there is enough meat and bugs to fill the barrel. Then it is sealed for about nine years or even longer for the growth of green mold to complete. Enchantments and spells are used in the process as well to attract the crosswings and mimics, spells to keep out the flipbacks, tree-hoppers, and hoarvor young and spells to encourage the green mold and prevent the brown and white molds. [19][UOL 1] |
|
| Root Liqueur | Root Liqueur is a rare Valenwood delicacy that was created by a group of Bosmer in secret using Elden Root clippings, which is considered blasphemous against the Green Pact by the Bosmer.[20] | |
| Bloodfroth | Bloodfroth is a Bosmeri drink.[21] In order to prepare the drink one must:
Pour fresh blood into shallow pans and place in the cold cave till nearly congealed. Meanwhile, whip together a couple of chicken egg yolks and melted tallow. Using a sharp knife, slice the blood into chunks, then dice. This is why you let it congeal first—it's impossible to dice fresh blood! Whip the blood slivers with the yolks and tallow, adding more tallow if needed to thin into a beverage. Add salt to taste. Set aside for a month to allow it to ferment.[18] |
|
| Fermented Honey Liquor | In order to prepare this liquor one must combine two hives' of strained honey with twice the amount of water, and a handful of hops, cover and let it ferment for a season before tasting. Afterwards it needs to be ladled into bottles which are then sealed with beeswax and put away. It tastes better with age and as such it is advised to let it unopened for significant amount of time.[18] | |
| You-Know-What Whiskey | You-Know-What whiskey is popular among the Wood Elves. It is often distilled in the comfort of their homes. [22] |
DessertEdit
| Name | Description | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Jagga-Drenched "Mud Ball" | Jagga-Drenched "Mud Ball" is a Bosmer seasonal dessert of sticky consistency traditionally enjoyed during the New Life Festival. It is made with bone flour and senche-passed coffee beans.[23] |
 |
Fruits and VegetablesEdit
| Name | Description | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Forbidden Fruit | The Green Pact makes consumption of fruits and vegetables difficult for the curious Bosmer. In cities such as Falinesti however, one may get away with a small serving of these items, such as seasoned melons and radishes.[24] | |
| Taboo Salad | A Pact-violating salad consisting of melon, beets, and saltrice.[25] |
Soups and StewsEdit
| Name | Description | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Jaqspur's Slumgullion | A stew of various ingredients, one example is known as "Whatever-We-Caught-Soup."[26] |
ReferencesEdit
- ^ Green Pact Bosmer: Observations — Dinycthus Precis
- ^ a b Bosmer Bites recipe description in The Elder Scrolls: The Official Cookbook
- ^ Gwaering Answers Your Questions — Gwaering
- ^ Pocket Guide to the Empire, 1st Edition: Aldmeri Dominion — Imperial Geographical Society, 2E 864
- ^ War Customs of the Tribal Bosmer — Mistral Aurelian Teriscor
- ^ Set of Four Guar-Egg-Poaching Ramekins item description in ESO
- ^ Set of Six Frog-Kebab Skewers item description in ESO
- ^ Jagga Tart Fluted Ring Pans item description in ESO
- ^ The Wood Elf Gourmet, Ch. 1
- ^ The Red Kitchen Reader — Simocles Quo
- ^ Set of Monkeybone Bug Tweezers item description in ESO
- ^ Scorpion Shell Peeler item description in ESO
- ^ Grilled Timber Mammoth Kebabs recipe in ESO
- ^ a b A Dance in Fire — Waughin Jarth
- ^ Treethane Ranneth's dialogue in ESO
- ^ Arenthian Brandy recipe in ESO
- ^ Royal Camoran Travel Teapot item description in ESO
- ^ a b c Aunt Anela's Cookbook — Aunt Anela
- ^ On the Brewing of Dark Meat Beer — Anonymous Bosmeri Brewer
- ^ Brengolin's dialogue in ESO
- ^ Finnegil's dialogue in ESO
- ^ You-Know-What Distiller item description in ESO
- ^ Jagga-Drenched "Mud Ball" in ESO
- ^ Falinesti Forbidden Fruit recipe in ESO
- ^ Spinner's Taboo Salad recipe in ESO
- ^ Troll Skull Slumgullion Serving Bowl item description in ESO
Note: The following references are considered to be unofficial sources. They are included to round off this article and may not be authoritative or conclusive.
- ^ The Dreadful Theft of the Sun's Dusk Ale — Rascien Wickersly