Circus of Shadows/Dark Carnival Food
Out of all the troupes in Altairus, none are as ubiquitous as the Circus of Shadows. Established in 1306 G. E., the Circus of Shadows is known in part for its food and drink, which is much unlike anything else in Altairus. Commonly served during the Circus of Shadows or the associated Dark Carnival, this food is not known for being particularly healthy, but it certainly adds to the festive atmosphere the circus brings.
Food
Deep-Fried Spider Legs
Deep-fried spider legs are practically synonymous with the Dark Carnival. They were first created when the Circus of Shadows first happened upon the Arachno Swamp, a wetland teeming with an abundance of giant spiders. One clever harlequin gremlin harvested the legs from spiders the circus killed. Using some leftover maize flour and various spices he had in his trailer, he battered and deep fried the legs. The cooking process softened the shell and gave the meat a distinctly crab-like flavor.
Today, it is almost impossible to find a food stall at the Dark Carnival that doesn't serve deep-fried spider legs in one form or another. While individual recipes differ somewhat, the base recipe remains the same; giant spider legs rolled in maize flour and deep fried, with various spices (usually various chilies and dessicated onion) added on top. This is one of the most popular items at the Dark Carnival.
Espresso Apples
Espresso apples are a take on chocolate-covered apples. The difference is that ground coffee that is made in a similar way to espresso powder is added to the dark chocolate dip beforehand. Then they are garnished with almonds and walnuts before being left to dry. These treats are a nod to the autumnal season the Dark Carnival takes place in.
Pumpkin Spice Corn/Yule Goat Corn
Pumpkin spice corn and Yule goat corn are two uniquely-spiced popcorn blends sold at the Circus of Shadows and the Dark Carnival. The former is sold at the Dark Carnival and at performances occuring in the fall, while the latter is sold exclusively around the Winter Solstice.
Both are prepared with butter and salt. The difference between them is the spices they use. Pumpkin spice corn, as the name suggests, is seasoned with autumnal spices. Ground cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger are added to the popcorn. Pumpkin flavoring is also added to give it that extra pop. Yule goat corn has a more savory flavor. It is seasoned with rosemary, thyme, sage, onion, and garlic.
Unusual Ice Cream Flavors
Ice cream in small bowls is sold at the Circus of Shadows and the Dark Carnival. Many of the flavors are similar to what one would expect from any other ice cream shop. However, there are a few unusual yet popular flavors that deserve attention. These are listed below:
- Vanilla Rooibos: Vanilla ice cream infused with red rooibos tea (both liquer and leaves). Has a light reddish color.
- Arachno Crunch: Vanilla ice cream with giant spider meat and chocolate syrup mixed in. The spider meat stains the ice cream light pink, and the chocolate syrup swirls throughout.
- Amberjack Cider: Apple Cider sorbet with pumpkin pulp, crushed almonds, and cranberries. Non-alcoholic, does not contain actual Amberjack Cider. Deep red with swirls of pumpkin pulp.
- Peanut Butter & Banana Sandwich: Banana ice cream with swirls of peanut butter and honey graham crackers. Yellow with brown peanut butter swirls. Maple bacon may or may not be added.
- Sheep's Blood Sorbet: Sorbet made with blood from a sheep or goat. Has a bright red color and a savory, somewhat ferrous flavor.
The ice cream served at performances and the Dark Carnival is made from goat's milk.
Drinks
Fireball Soda
Contrary to popular belief, Fireball Soda doesn't contain alcohol. Rather, it uses various chili peppers and a dash of Fire magic to give it its mouth-burning properties. This bright-red soda is very popular amongst Fire elementals, unsurprisingly.
"Fancy Lemonade"
Fancy lemonade is not actually lemonade, but rather a smoothie. Strombolio just gave it that name because he didn't know how else to describe the flavor. It has a light orange color and is made by combining lemon juice, lime juice, orange juice, mango, starfruit, and papaya and blending them all together. The result is a tropical treat that tastes great in the summer.
Discontinued/Special Items
Caramel Onion on a Stick
One well-meaning but short-sighted nekomata at the Circus of Shadows once had the idea to cover raw onions in caramel and serve them like caramel apples on sticks. Unfortunately, most folks don't really like the idea of biting into a raw onion like you'd bite into an apple. Caramel onions on a stick valiantly lasted for one single show before their untimely demise. Needless to say, that nekomata is not in charge of recipe management anymore.
23-Meat Kabob
This treat is infamous amongst Dark Carnival goers. It consists of 23 meats on a stick, each a different cut or animal. Beef steak, pork chop, sausage, and chicken are some of those meats, but so are raw salmon, scallops, chitterlings (intestine), and even giant insects. The entire thing is served on a wooden stake the size of a small sword. Eating it all in one sitting is considered a considerable achievement, and those who do in an hour or so are commemorated through the Dark Carnival Hall of Fame.
As one may expect, the 23-meat kabob is one of the more expensive items the Dark Carnival has to offer. Due to the cost of production, it is not available every year. Its appearance at the carnival is much like that of the McRib, only coming back every so often. This is mainly due to the fluctuating price of meat; when meat is fairly cheap, the 23-meat kabob comes back.
This was The Amazing Magnus's favorite before he passed away.
Adamantine Candy
This item was introduced back in the early Silver Era. Adamantine candy was much like a jawbreaker, taking the form of a rocklike candy that had crystalline sugar on the inside, much like a geode. The idea was that sucking on it long enough would cause the outside to dissolve, revealing the sugar core.
Customers were warned that trying to bite or chew the candy could cause injuries. Unfortunately, many took this as a challenge. The Circus of Shadows was swamped with medical bills resulting from Altairians trying to crunch the candy and breaking their teeth or jawbones. It was rather easy to choke on the candy once one had been sucking on it for a while, too. Needless to say, Adamantine candy had to be discontinued only a few months after its debut.
It has since been brought back, but those who purchase it are made to sign a waiver beforehand.
Endless Kettle Corn
Endless kettle corn sounded like a good idea in theory. Kettle corn with a spell put onto it to multiply whenever the carnival needed more. Unfortunately, no one actually knew how to turn the spell off. A circus performance at the Dark Carnival had to be cut short because the kettle corn flooded the tent. The tent exploded, scattering endlessly propagating popcorn all across the fairgrounds. Strombolio figured out how to deactivate the spell, but he was never quite able to get the kettle corn smell off him. Even to this day he reeks of stale kettle corn.
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