The First Taste of Picros

Picros Tea and Its Benefits

For most young Arcadians, their 'first taste of Picros' is really a taste of what they can expect their future to be like from now on. The phrase itself comes from Picros tea, a strong beverage made from the bitter Picros berries, water and sweetener, which is boiled and served hot. The brew is renowned for its energising and hydration qualities, not to mention its sharp taste and likeliness to make the drinker gag. Commonly consumed by travellers, especially those on expeditions and trade missions, it has become a staple drink for those who need to keep going for long periods of time, and has wormed its way into popular culture among many of the factions as something of a coming-of-age symbol. Those who drink Picros tea for the first time are likely to be those who are leaving the nest and starting their career, whether it involves travelling or not. Many customs which vary from place to place have sprung up around the drink, from drinking it unsweetened before a journey for good luck to raising a cup at momentous life milestones.

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History

A History of Picros, Boiled and Condensed

Picros tea is almost as old as the discovery of the berries themselves; the name 'Picros' comes from the Greek for 'bitter', as the scientists who first catalogued the forest fruit found out when they dared to taste it. Almost unconsumable on its own, with most likening it to the intense bitterness of chewing on a coffee bean, people quickly realised that the only way to truly get any kind of nutritional value from the foul little berries was to squeeze the juices from them and turn it into a brew that could be drunk hot or cold. This practice first started among The Northern Alliance, who noted that the berries were adaptogens that balanced the hormones of the body whilst supporting adrenal function and aiding mental focus, not unlike Maca or Rhodiola from Earth. As an excellent alternative to caffeine-based drinks, Picros tea became overwhelmingly popular with many factions in a very short space of time despite its bitter taste; sweetener removes the edge, but the beverage is still considered an acquired taste and something to be drank for a purpose rather than for pleasure. Now, Picros berries are grown in all hydroponic and aeroponic facilities as standard, testifying to the popularity and importance of the drink.

How to Drink Picros

Unsurprisingly, Picros tea is drank in relatively small quantities at a time. Although brewed in the concentration that is to the drinker's taste, the typical proportion is two 5ml spoonfuls of Picros syrup to 250ml of water. This recipe provides a mid-strength solution of tea that is generally to most people's tastes. Any stronger and sweeteners become ineffective at dulling the tea's bitterness and weak solutions do not provide the energising 'hit' that drinkers are looking for. Even so, very few people drink the tea for pleasure; the idea is to get the benefits and run, so to speak, although it is not unheard of for people to drink the beverage with every meal, savouring the sharp, crisp flavour. These people are considered very strange, even eccentric, in most Arcadian societies. :REDACTED:

Subjective comments are not permitted in the archive's articles. I know this is under the Culture category but please can we keep this factual? -- Dr. F. Azhad, Endeavour Archive Author & Moderator: posted 05/03/2650, 14:38:02 CLT.

It's true though, isn't it?!? -- C. Plover, Endeavour Archive Content Reviewer: posted 05/03/2650, 14:56:36 CLT.

Yes, but that's beside the point. Redacting submission. -- Dr. F. Azhad, Endeavour Archive Author & Moderator: posted 05/03/2650, 15:02:41 CLT.

Picros syrup is typically poured into a cup of boiling water and stirred along with the sweeteners, whereupon it is either left to go cool before drinking or consumed immediately afterwards.

Customs of Picros

Besides its obvious medicinal uses, Picros tea has found its place among many of the customs and traditions that have flowered from the various factions across Arcadia. It is regularly seen as a coming-of-age symbol, as the drink is often detested by children and tolerated by adults who enjoy its benefits. The Northern Alliance are one of the top exporters of Picros syrup. The Eco-Isolationists among them enjoy the tradition of drinking the tea unsweetened before a long journey for good luck; it is believed, rather superstitiously, that drinking the tea at its absolute worst will mean that you've already got all the bad of the expedition over and done with, and that anything that comes next will be nothing compared to that. Further south among the CFAS and AEU Isolationists, Picros tea is more commonly used purely for its benefits during journeys, but home life is permeated with life milestones (birthdays, weddings, gaining a doctorate, etc.) that are celebrated with everyone raising a cup of Picros to the person of note. This is especially true of people who have just come of age at 18, with their rite of passage being determined by whether they can - like their Northern Alliance counterparts - down a whole cup of unsweetened tea in one go. It is customary for those scientists starting their careers to get their 'first taste of Picros' (whether this actually be their first time trying the drink or not) to celebrate with the tea, especially if they are heading out into the world on an expedition for the first time. It is not entirely known whether the Exodist factions treat Picros tea with any kind of special reverence, although they almost certainly grow the berries and drink the beverage themselves. They probably drink it unsweetened all the time like the hard-as-nails mech-heads they think they are. :REDACTED:

Please stop. Final warning, Plover. Redacting submission. -- Dr. F. Azhad, Endeavour Archive Author & Moderator: posted 05/03/2650, 18:12:07 CLT.

Sorry doctor, really couldn't help myself there. Will be good from now on. :) -- C. Plover, Endeavour Archive Content Reviewer: posted 05/03/2650, 18:15:45 CLT.

Interestingly enough, my father is an Exodist and he definitely drinks Picros unsweetened. I've seen him make it. -- Dr. A. van der Rijke, Endeavour Archive Author & Moderator: posted 05/03/2650, 18:22:21 CLT.

:O -- C. Plover, Endeavour Archive Content Reviewer: posted 05/03/2650, 18:24:18 CLT.

Don't encourage him, Alicia. You should know better. -- Dr. F. Azhad, Endeavour Archive Author & Moderator: posted 05/03/2650, 18:25:39 CLT.

Related Organizations

• The Northern Alliance

Related Ethnicities

• Eco-Isolationists

-PLEASE NOTE: This archive entry is still a work in progress and some of the information within may be missing or incomplete. Only verified information is permitted to be entered into the archive. Thank you for your understanding.-

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