Skyland Harvest

Skyland harvest refers to the cuisine originating from and primarily used on the Nebula Isles. The cuisine heavily relies on hardy crops and rare ingredients that can survive the high altitudes. Dishes feature unique aerial plants such as zephyr greens and skyroot tubers, along with alpine herbs and fungi like airbone spice blossoms and etherbell caps.

Common Ingredients

Aerial Flora

As previously stated, skyland harvest revolves around utilizing hearty crops and unique aerial plants that can thrive and survive in thin air and potentially extreme weather conditions. It primarily uses a combination of berries, ferns, and blossoms, which each add distinctive flavors and colors to the dishes. Some examples of used plants in addition to the aforementioned are cloudberries, nimbus leaves and celestial sprouts.

• Skyroot tubers are only found on the Nebula Islands and are rich in nutrients with a crisp texture.
• Cloudberries are delicate yet resilient berries often used to add sweetness to dishes.
• Nimbus leaves are large and broad, resembling translucent clouds suspended in the air. The leaves have a subtle sweetness with floral undertones and are often used to wrap savory fillings.
• Celestial sprouts grow in clusters suspended in the skies. They have a crisp texture and feature a slightly nutty flavor. The sprouts are primarily used in salads, pickled dishes, and as garnishes.

Skyland Herbs and Fungi

Herbs and fungi play a vital role in the skyland harvest cuisine. They are used to enhance the natural ingredients' natural flavors and add further flavors to create unique tastes. These plants are often also used to soothe various symptoms. A further example of an herb in addition to the aforementioned is the aetherian blossom.

• Zephyr greens have small delicate leaves and are known for their refreshing taste and herbal notes. They are often used in teas, salads, and herbal infusions that are believed to invigorate and uplift the spirit.
• Airbone spice blossoms are vibrant and aromatic flowers that can only be found in the thin air of the sky islands. They have a pungent, spicy fragrance that infuses dishes with a delightful kick of heat. The flower petals are used in spices, sauces, soups, and stews.
• Aetherian blossoms bloom in the early dawn hours and have a delicate and ephemeral sweetness. The flowers are primarily used for syrups and sauces that accompany desserts and beverages.
• Etherbell caps are unique mushrooms that grow in areas with cool, humid air. They have a rich flavor and are often used dried and ground into a fine powder as seasoning to add an earthy depth to dishes.

Protein Sources

Protein is mainly delivered by the meat of sky and land creatures that are native to and around the Nebula Isles. These creatures have adapted to the heights, providing lean and tender meat that is often prepared through smoking, roasting, or marination to preserve their natural flavors and textures.
A delicacy among the skyland harvest that is occasionally enjoyed at the tables of celebratory feasts are skyclaw pigeons and cloud-soaring fish.

Culinary Preservation

The most common preservation methods are smoking and drying for meats and aerial produce. In addition to that, fermentation is employed to create unique and flavorful condiments that can be integrated into dishes later to add a layer of complexity.

Key Dishes

Some key dishes of the skyland harvest are cloudberry sky salad, skyroot tuber pie, grilled skyclaw pigeon, nimbus leaf-wrapped aetherfish, and floating island sundae.
Cloudberry sky salad consists of cloudberries, celestial sprouts, and zephyr greens. It is drizzled with a light dressing made from airborne spice blossoms and a skyward vinefruit juice.
Skyroot tuber pie is a hearty dish cherished as comfort food, especially during chilly nights. It features a golden crust made from finely ground skyroot tuber flour, encasing a filling of tender meat, etherbell caps, and nebula blossoms. The dish is often seasoned with various herbs based on the cook's preference.
Grilled skyclaw pigeon is marinated skyclaw pigeon meat grilled over an open flame. The marinade consists of various delicate spices and aetherian blossom syrup. The grilled meat is often served with rather plain root mash, only seasoned with salt.
Nimbus leaf-wrapped aetherfish is cloud-soaring fish seasoned with a blend of herbs and skyward vinefruit zest, wrapped in a nimbus leaf, and steamed afterward.
Floating island sundae is a delightful desert that consists of several scoops of ethereal ice cream made from nebula blossom-infused milk topped with a cloud of whipped cream and drizzled with shimmering aetherian blossom syrup. The desert is garnished with crystallized blossoms and served in a skyroot tuber waffle cone.

Primary Related Location

Nebula Isles