Lartasian Cuisine

A Feast of Color

Lartasia is well known for its oddities. The coexistence with Universal Mania has developed a strange culture with stranger customs. I spent a week in jail for skipping a halfstep on the way to see the Daimyo of the court of spiders.
While some customs seem unfair, others are a delight to experience. Their food, in particular, is a rare treat. When its not trying to kill you...

— A Feast of Color, by Dimitris Ivyhollow, The Ivyhollow Legacy

The food of Lartasia is unique in more than one way. The food is colorful and vibrant, having an assortment of textures and flavors not found anywhere else. It also happens to have a habit of being toxic if not prepared correctly. There was a time when more people died every year from poorly cooked food than war and disease combined. The mercury thermometer was invented for and the Daimyo established Lixuo, an organization of culinary experts who are responsible for training and liscensing of all chefs in the nation.

The story goes that back in the age before slavery was abolished, the greatest chefs of Lartasia took a hundred slaves of there own, or those donated by the Daimyo, and gave them a choice.
"You could die from eating our food, but if you choose to do so and survive, you are free." Many slaves jumped at the chance, and many of them survived. These experts knew their craft well, and created many dishes that were safe and enjoyable. They kept their recipes and expiriements in the Lixuo Scrolls, which gave the organization of chefs its name. Since the abolishment of slavery, it is said that many use this very process to settle debts and unpayed tabs.

— A Feast of Color, by Dimitris Ivyhollow, The Ivyhollow Legacy

Daimyo Testing

Every Daimyo has a man or woman who is paid more than anyone else. This person is the taste tester for all food presented to the Daimyo. They are a select few as it takes a certain natural resistance to survive the job. Needless to say, they have a low life expectancy as some use the food to assasinate rivals and even the greatest chefs make mistakes.

The Kitchens

On a Daimyo's estate, the most serene environment one can find is the kitchens. It is also the most guarded save for the living quarters of the Daimyo. The kitchens are heavily defended and serene to avoid poisoning of the food and to give the chef a calm and peaceful environment to work in. Stress makes it easy to make mistakes. Usually it has good ventilation, even a private musician to play soft music for the chefs while they work.