Quellar Grain (kwell-are)

Quellar grain is a genetically-modified variant of quinoa, a grain of Earth origin which has been grafted with Tahat'kar, a grain brought with the Vasgarth from their homeworld. It was originally created by Earth Empire scientists in an attempt to create a fast-growing, hardy, and highly-nutritious cereal grain that would be able to feed both humans and Vasgarth in military service. Its use quickly spilled over into the civilian sector, with Quellar being the most popular foodstuff to grow in new colonies. On Arcadia, it is the most commonly available foodstuff grown on the planet, eaten for its high nutrient content and slow energy-release. Quellar serves as the basis for a huge variety of culinary recipes, even substituting other grains typically used by other cultures due to its versatility in cooking. 

Properties

Material Characteristics

Quellar grains have the appearance of a barley or wheat grain on first inspection, with the notable difference being that the grain husk is entirely black and somewhat larger. The husk is tough and starchy, but easy to break away between the fingers when sufficiently dry. Inside is a dark brown seed (often mislabelled as a grain, but due to its origins as quinoa, is actually a pseudograin) that is almost ellipsoid in shape and perfectly smooth. Breaking that apart reveals a yellow-white, fibrous interior that grinds down to a coarse flour quite easily. 

Geology & Geography

As the product of a plant that is not naturally cultivated, Quellar can only really be found growing in hydroponic facilities. It is specially designed for the purpose, in fact, being genetically tailored to yield the maximum amount of grains in the smallest of spaces. The stalks of the grains do not grow especially tall, and there are three separate ears of grain per stalk which must be protected from the water they are growing in, as the weight of the ears tends to droop downwards. Some settlements that do not possess hydroponic facilities grow Quellar in soil, although it is by far more difficult to stop the grain spoiling on the ground, and requires rich nutrients to flourish. There are no known instances of Quellar growing wild for this reason; it cannot naturally grow efficiently without supervision.

Origin & Source

Quellar was genetically cultivated from quinoa (an Earth seed) and Tahat'kar (a Vasgarth grain), combining the best qualities of both plants into one high-yield staple food that could be eaten by both species. As such, it has its origins in a laboratory, with its parent plants originating from South America on Earth and the semi-arid river basins of equatorial Vasgarthia respectively. Quellar was designed and cultivated by gene-editors at the Earth Empire Scientific Institution (EESI) over 300 years ago, with the intention of making nutritionally-complete foods suitable for military rations and, later, colonisation efforts. The versatility and flavour have made it more popular and enduring than the scientists initially thought it would be, however, and it is now a staple across human and Vasgarth space.

Life & Expiration

The Quellar grains were designed to have a long shelf life, especially when kept in their husks, but this is largely dependent on the environment in which they are stored. Most factions across Arcadia prefer to de-husk the grains and send them straight to processing to be made into a variety of foodstuffs, especially flour and par-cooked grains for basic dishes. However, doing so drastically shortens the shelf life; flour lasts a matter of six months or so and par-cooked grains roughly a year. Whilst kept in their husks and stored in a cool, dry place, Quellar will last for five or more years before starting to degrade in quality, rather than becoming inedible. When frozen (something which is not commonly practiced as it is considered a waste of freezer space and affects the final flavour of the product), it can be kept for decades. Exposing Quellar to damp conditions encourages the growth of mold, which although it is resistant to, will ruin the crop in time.  

Type

Organic

Rarity

Common

Odor

When cooked, smells mildly like burnt caramel

Taste

Nutty and mild with caramel undertones when cooked

Color

Dark brown seeds contained in a black husk

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:VI-0679 'Alexandria': (CFAS Archiving Virtual Intelligence)