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Description

OVERVIEW

Matuzu Kingdom is very expansive, its borders stretching across most of Serkel. This bountiful land has much food to offer and its diverse population has devised many clever ways of preparing this food. Today Matuzu Kingdom is facing an obesity epidemic, but it’s no wonder why when such a bounty of high-fat, high-sugar cuisine is so readily available.

PALM WINE

Palm wine is an ancient staple of Matuzan cuisine. While it originated in the Midland Jungle, it quickly found its way across the entire continent. It is less popular in other parts of the world, but in its homeland this wine is enjoyed by all classes and species of people. It is made from the sap of various palms which are native to the continent. Its flavors and variations extend into the thousands.

DOLPHIN STEAK

Serkel’s rivers and coastlines are rich with fauna. Dolphins are regarded by locals both as pets and cuisine. Their meat was once considered peasant food, fit only for dock workers and poor fishermen. In more recent times, it has found its way to the tables of the wealthy, usually served alongside fresh vegetables. This cuisine is particularly popular with Aquarian peoples like sirenes and cecaelia.

GOAT’S MILK

Milk is an important staple for all people in Matuzu Kingdom. It is dense in calories and fat, sustaining the kingdom’s hard-working laborers. Goat’s milk is less popular for the wealthy, as goats are a symbol of poverty, easy to keep and abundant throughout slums and rural villages. Cow’s milk is preferred by the rich.

HOG ROAST

Serkel’s wild hogs are large, aggressive, and highly dangerous creatures. To hunt and kill one is considered a great accomplishment worthy of celebration. For this reason, the hog’s head is traditionally decorated before being served. This may be done by painting its face or placing a wreath of flowers on its head. To waste any part of the hog is considered disrespectful to the hunter and the host.

SUGARED LOCUSTS

Every summer, locusts plague crops all around the Midland Savannah. They come in great swarms to eat, mate, and die. However, the local farmers cut their losses by capturing the locusts and eating them instead. They may be roasted or eaten raw, but to preserve them for later, they are painted with honey and rolled in sugar. Sugared locust is considered candy, popular with adults and children alike. They are a good "travel food" that one can take with them on long journeys, providing a lot of protein and carbs in a small package.

HONEY CAKE

This dish originates in Dryad’s Wood, Serkel. Originally, elven locals made it by layering tree pulp and honeycomb, then baking it into an extremely sweet cake. But as the recipe spread across the land, other peoples changed it to suit their tastes. Today, the most popular variant of Matuzan honey cake is made with wheat flour, honey, chocolate, and topped with berries. Its signature is the honey and chocolate layering in the center, resembling stripes on a bee. Sometimes actual bees are added as a topping.

EKUMELA PIE

Ekumela pie is native to Uekoro and the surrounding region. In recent times it is enjoyed by all in the Midland Jungle. It is an easy and versatile dish made from flour and the nutritious ekumela fruit. This pie is quite versatile, and depending on what other ingredients are used, it can be enjoyed as breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert.

CHICKEN’S EGG

The humble chicken’s egg sustains many peoples all over Looming Gaia. But in Matuzu Kingdom, it is a favored dish for all holiday events. On special occasions, the eggs are hardboiled and the shells are painted to honor the gods before being eaten. Traditionally they are served in a colorful cup and eaten with a utensil.

SETSIKI BRAIN SOUP

Setsiki are small monkeys native to Uekoro and the surrounding region. Their meat is not very popular elsewhere, but it is a sacred food for the Uekorans, enjoyed only by nobles and the wealthy. Peasants who kill a setsiki will face jail time, even if they do so out of desperation. All parts of the setsiki are eaten, but the brains are considered the tastiest and most nutritious part. While soup is the most common dish, they can also be enjoyed roasted or raw.

*

This cuisine played a part in a short story I wrote called "Evangelites Skip, Matuzans Sway". That story (and the rest of the Looming Gaia series) can be read for free here: archiveofourown.org/series/833…

If you want to check out the rest of my lore, you can find a huge directory here: loominggaia.tumblr.com/post/17…

And if you have any questions I will do my best to answer. Thank you!

Description

OVERVIEW

Matuzu Kingdom is very expansive, its borders stretching across most of Serkel. This bountiful land has much food to offer and its diverse population has devised many clever ways of preparing this food. Today Matuzu Kingdom is facing an obesity epidemic, but it’s no wonder why when such a bounty of high-fat, high-sugar cuisine is so readily available.

PALM WINE

Palm wine is an ancient staple of Matuzan cuisine. While it originated in the Midland Jungle, it quickly found its way across the entire continent. It is less popular in other parts of the world, but in its homeland this wine is enjoyed by all classes and species of people. It is made from the sap of various palms which are native to the continent. Its flavors and variations extend into the thousands.

DOLPHIN STEAK

Serkel’s rivers and coastlines are rich with fauna. Dolphins are regarded by locals both as pets and cuisine. Their meat was once considered peasant food, fit only for dock workers and poor fishermen. In more recent times, it has found its way to the tables of the wealthy, usually served alongside fresh vegetables. This cuisine is particularly popular with Aquarian peoples like sirenes and cecaelia.

GOAT’S MILK

Milk is an important staple for all people in Matuzu Kingdom. It is dense in calories and fat, sustaining the kingdom’s hard-working laborers. Goat’s milk is less popular for the wealthy, as goats are a symbol of poverty, easy to keep and abundant throughout slums and rural villages. Cow’s milk is preferred by the rich.

HOG ROAST

Serkel’s wild hogs are large, aggressive, and highly dangerous creatures. To hunt and kill one is considered a great accomplishment worthy of celebration. For this reason, the hog’s head is traditionally decorated before being served. This may be done by painting its face or placing a wreath of flowers on its head. To waste any part of the hog is considered disrespectful to the hunter and the host.

SUGARED LOCUSTS

Every summer, locusts plague crops all around the Midland Savannah. They come in great swarms to eat, mate, and die. However, the local farmers cut their losses by capturing the locusts and eating them instead. They may be roasted or eaten raw, but to preserve them for later, they are painted with honey and rolled in sugar. Sugared locust is considered candy, popular with adults and children alike. They are a good "travel food" that one can take with them on long journeys, providing a lot of protein and carbs in a small package.

HONEY CAKE

This dish originates in Dryad’s Wood, Serkel. Originally, elven locals made it by layering tree pulp and honeycomb, then baking it into an extremely sweet cake. But as the recipe spread across the land, other peoples changed it to suit their tastes. Today, the most popular variant of Matuzan honey cake is made with wheat flour, honey, chocolate, and topped with berries. Its signature is the honey and chocolate layering in the center, resembling stripes on a bee. Sometimes actual bees are added as a topping.

EKUMELA PIE

Ekumela pie is native to Uekoro and the surrounding region. In recent times it is enjoyed by all in the Midland Jungle. It is an easy and versatile dish made from flour and the nutritious ekumela fruit. This pie is quite versatile, and depending on what other ingredients are used, it can be enjoyed as breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert.

CHICKEN’S EGG

The humble chicken’s egg sustains many peoples all over Looming Gaia. But in Matuzu Kingdom, it is a favored dish for all holiday events. On special occasions, the eggs are hardboiled and the shells are painted to honor the gods before being eaten. Traditionally they are served in a colorful cup and eaten with a utensil.

SETSIKI BRAIN SOUP

Setsiki are small monkeys native to Uekoro and the surrounding region. Their meat is not very popular elsewhere, but it is a sacred food for the Uekorans, enjoyed only by nobles and the wealthy. Peasants who kill a setsiki will face jail time, even if they do so out of desperation. All parts of the setsiki are eaten, but the brains are considered the tastiest and most nutritious part. While soup is the most common dish, they can also be enjoyed roasted or raw.

*

This cuisine played a part in a short story I wrote called "Evangelites Skip, Matuzans Sway". That story (and the rest of the Looming Gaia series) can be read for free here: archiveofourown.org/series/833…

If you want to check out the rest of my lore, you can find a huge directory here: loominggaia.tumblr.com/post/17…

And if you have any questions I will do my best to answer. Thank you!