Magi-bites (ma-jē bīts)

Try this one-- an absolute explosion of flavor!

Magi-bites are tiny cakes, tarts, or pastries served at commencement parties for those have ascended from fledging to witch status, an accomplishment that demonstrates years of learning, practicing, and mastering magic use. They can also be served to celebrate other magic achievements.
While the Eldahi people adore rustic, homemade desserts for most occasions, this is one in which the small confections should be tidy and elegant. Sometimes they feature tiny, edible decorations.

The magi-bites should show care and attention to detail. They take a long time to make, and rightly so! The whole point is to mirror the dedication, skill, time, and practice it takes to properly wield magic.

— Owner of a long-celebrated magi-bites bakery

Primary Related Location

Nolari Forest

Related Organizations

• Eldahi Nation

Magi-bites require great skill and patience to create, and therefore many in Eldahi prefer to order them from bakeries. Homemade magi-bites are perfectly acceptable, but care and attention must be paid to making them beautiful and tasty. No one wants stale cake!

Cake by Engin Akyurt from Pixabay

In some families, this may mean that several members of the immediate and possibly extended family come together to source ingredients, gather materials, bake, cook, assemble, and decorate the tiny desserts.

"These are the tastiest magi-bites I've ever had! Which bakery are they from?"

"Dana made them herself. Stayed up all night."

Magical Bites

Magi-bites are not imbued with any sort of magic, potions, or mystical ingredients. However, party goers may jokingly blame the bites for their over-indulgence.

I don't know what enchantments these have, but I've already eaten six!

I should slow down on the magi-bites. I'm feeling a bit dizzy and giddy.

Handle with Care

Magi-bites are traditionally served on magimandus scales which have been collected, cleaned, and sold or traded from within Nolari Forest. Magimandus scales can sometimes be pointed and sharp. Dropping a scale and/or magi-bite is considered poor manners and to some it is a sign of bad luck.

Special wooden trays with carved divots hold the scales and desserts and may be left on a display table and/or passed around to guests. Guests may gather just the magi-bite from the tray or hold the scale as a small tray. Scales are expected to be returned, though occasionally they are gifted to the attendees.
Some believe the magical qualities of the scales may leach into the magi-bites with unexpected results.
Others believe any side-effects of eating the delicacies to be little more than the power of suggestion coupled with too much wine.

Cakes by Jason Goh from Pixabay

Changing Tastes

Traditionally, the desserts are made from ingredients local to Eldahi, and feature fruit or berries and sometimes walnuts and can vary based on what is in season. The earliest ones were made with a very basic cake recipe, a fruit or berry jam center, and were covered in a thick icing and decorated with berries, dots of thickened jam, small edible flowers, and/or fondant decorations.
Bite-sized tarts and other small confections gradually made their way into the list of acceptable desserts, but they too must be elegant and should feature fruit or berries. Another trend is for larger desserts, though support for this is divided with some essentially arguing that smaller = more elegant.
While Eldahi does grow some cacao, chocolate is not a traditional flavor. However, it is becoming more and more popular these days. Some bakers prefer to work with chocolate ganache to coat the cakes and are able to create elegant decorations with different types of chocolate.

Creamy, decadent, and sweet with a tart berry filling. The little chocolate cakes are divine!

Cakes by Thorsten Schulze from Pixabay