Tea Cakes (âdétíbarír)

Tea is arguably the quintessential Aeldvaren drink. It may be served hot, warm, or iced; may be floral, herbal, or spiced; may be a morning stimulant or an evening relaxant. The varieties of tea available differs widely from region to region, and most places where tea is offered boast a unique blend of their very own.
It is no surprise, then, that one of the most common "comfort" foods for Aeldvari is a tea cake. The cake base (âdétíbar in High Aeldvaren) are small, moist, soft pastries, usually served plain but occasionally topped with honey or sweetmilk drizzle. Unsurprisingly, tea cakes (âdétíbarír) derive their primary flavoring from a particular blend of tea, which is powdered and mixed with other dried spices and/or sweeteners. Some tea cakes include brewed tea as their liquid ingredient instead of fresh water. Many tea cakes boast subtle, fragrant flavors that linger on the palate and can be enjoyed with complementary (but never the same) tea.
Whether a tea cake is sweet, savory, or spicy depends largely on the Aeldvar making it. Sol'Aeldvari tend to enjoy spicy and spicy-sweet cakes, while lun'Aeldvari prefer sweet cakes, usually with a high dairy content. Places that serve multiple races will frequently offer a gently savory tea cake (similar to what we would consider chai) alongside a sweeter, often fruity option. Tea cakes are popular enough that they can occupy a high percentage of a bakery's standard offerings, and in larger cities, entire cafes may be dedicated to tea and tea cakes.
More extravagant tea cakes may be made with fresh fruit to complement floral tea blends; the fruit component may be mashed into a dipping sauce, baked into the center of the cake, or sliced and placed atop the cake as decoration and flavor both. Larger "party cakes" for sharing amongst a group can also be tea cakes, though it is less common than traditional cake flavorings.
Tea cakes can also be made with mana-infused tea or with mana sugar, making these tiny treats an important part of an Aeldvar's daily mana intake.

Item type

Consumable, Food / Drink

by Ty Barbary with Midjourney