Baron's Point Food Experience

B

aron's Point, in the Kingdom of Felisia, is well known as the most cosmopolitan city on all of Cartyrion. Here, Folk of all types mingle as they live and work side by side. About as far from the xenophobic attitudes of the First Kingdom of Humankind as can be, Baron's Point is a true melting pot. This is not to say that individual communities do not maintain their own customs and cultures, though, and this means that the food experience to be had in Baron's Point is also unsurpassed anywhere on Cartyrion. If it's eaten somewhere in the world, it's probably being prepared in some Baron's Point eatery as well.

The food experiences that a visitor to the city may pursue are quite varied, and range from everyday commoner comfort food to elegant dining on cultural delicacies. While it would be impossible to itemize every opportunity here, there are a few that stand out enough to be worth mentioning - and which are representative of the range of choice available to the adventurous.

Chili House Row

If one arrived at Baron's Point by sea (and most do), one of the first things that will assail your nostrils as you leave the docks is the intriguing aroma wafting up from the street that leads from the piers to the center of the city. The first part of this street is commonly called Chili House Row due to the number of establishments selling variations on a stewlike dish that has evolved over the years into many distinct forms and flavors. As best as can be determined, there were two original source dishes: one of Goblin and the other of Orcish origin. Today, though, every culture boasts their own version of the dish, and every one of them can be purchased somewhere on Chili House Row.

Visiting the shops on "the Row" is a common ritual for sailors arriving at port anxious to have a meal that did not consist of dried fish and hard tack. Whenever a crew contains a new hire - a first-timer in Baron's Point - they are invariably led to what the veteran sailors call the Sailors' Challenge. This consists of visiting as many of the chili houses on the Row as possible, but the Challenge always must end with a bowl of Original Goblin Chili at Grazz's Original Kitchen at the farthest end of the Row. Survivors of the Challenge are usually treated to an evening of drinking at the expense of companions.

Market Square

The Market Square of Baron's Point is actually a linked group of four different "squares" - three above ground and one in the Undercity below. Anything that can be paid for in coin is available somewhere in this market complex. Scattered among the shops and stalls selling everything from spices to textiles, from trinkets to fine jewelry, from poisons to beneficial elixirs, one can find food carts selling all sorts of familiar and unfamiliar things to provide sustenance and refreshment to the shoppers.

There are very few sit-down establishments in the Market Squares; most are small carts that sell "carry away" food. But it is the variety of things available that is the most marvelous thing of all: everything from brightly colored exotic fruits imported from the Dark Forests south of Tyrnabay to the grilled rat-on-a-stick that the goblins of the Farsea cities enjoy so much.

Fine Dining

There are several high-end restaurants in the city, but the one most spoken about is Triznugget's, an emporium owned and operated by renown Gnomish Chef Trizznugget Samoblammet. Trizznugget claims to have spent over a hundred and fifty years traveling the world to obtain the most elegant, yet representative dishes from every cuisine she could find. Many of these dishes appear on her menu.

The most notable dining experience at Triznugget's is the Foods of the World Experience. This is a eleven course meal that takes approximately four hours to complete. Each course is representative of a different culture from around the world, and they are arranged by Triznugget to ensure maximum enjoyment of the entire experience. Because of the cost of importing and (magically) preserving the necessary authentic ingredients, reservations for "the Experience" must be made at leas six months in advance, and only a limited number of reservations are accepted. Nonetheless, anyone in the world that considers themselves a food expert takes the time and effort to journey to Baron's Point at least once for "the Experience".

A Review of the Foods of the World Experience

Recently, Tarleton Quilmaster, the renown Food Critic of the Endmere Food Quarterly, returned from a year-long pilgrimmage to try the Foods of the World Experience for himself. His review, which recommends that anyone and everyone who can afford the time and coin should make the journey to Baron's Point for this meal, can be read here.

Grizz's Original Goblin Chili

Ingredients (serves 4):

Two (2) pounds of ground rat or other rodent

Two (2) pounds of large halfling pod-beans

Eight (8) crushed, red-ripe tomatoes

Four (4) tablespoons of "Dwarfkiller" Horseradish

Four (4) tablespoons of Dried Orcish Mustard seed

Sixteen (16) White Ghoul Goblin Chilies, seeds and ribs intact, chopped

Pinch of Cumin (to taste)

Directions: Mix all ingredients in a large cauldron and place over low heat to simmer and blend for at least four hours. Serve hot.

It is recommended that first-timers also be served a pitcher of buttermilk on the side.

Note: Grizz explains that the original recipe calls for ground cat, not rat. The recipe has been changed out of respect for the gracious Feliseans in whose country he has settled to establish the food shop he always dreamed of. He claims the substitution is a reasonable one, though he suggests (with a sigh of longing) that true connoisseurs keep their eyes out for a truly original rendering of the dish in their global travels. Grizz insists (perhaps too vehemently?) that cat is never on the menu at his shop!

Foods of the World

This is the course list for the Foods of the World Experience available at Triznugget's:

1. Halfling Poached Cockatrice Egg over Dwarven Bacon with Traditional White Kafay (Cream and Sugar)
2. Elven Snowcap Mushrooms in Light Vinegar
3. Felisean Grassleaper Tartare with Sliced River Tubers
4. Awkwana Curried Goatleg Kabobs
5. Chittiki Kafay-coated Roasted Sand Beetles
6. Taxlatl Giant Frogleg Bitterfruit Juice Ceviche
7. Fired Meat Platter: Kobold Flame-seared Tunnelworm Strips and Orcish Spiced, Grilled Wild Boar, served with an Elvish Salad of Sorrel and Dandelion with Balsamic Vinegar and Acorn Oil
8. Chilled Platter of Cold Dwarven Sea-spider Sausages with Gnomish Marshwater Green and Cave-Cured Blue Cheeses
9. Human Frontier Venison, Turnip, Parsnip, and Carrot Stew
10. White Ghoul Chili Stuffed with Seasoned Meat and Icefell Kelp
11. Spudbarrow's Finest Halfling Strawberry Ice Cream with Icefell Bay Iced Kafay