Lore:Argonian Cuisine

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A meeting with traditional fare on the table, including bowls of grubs and guts

"When I was small, I made soup in mud puddles with the wings of flies. I have since grown as a cook. While mud has its place and flies do add a lovely texture, my palate of ingredients has increased.
Flies do add the perfect amount of crunch though."
—Makes-Many-Soups, an Argonian cook

Argonian cuisine is perhaps the most impenetrable for outsiders. Composed largely of raw fish and swamp plants collected throughout the marshes, Argonian dishes are often difficult for outsiders to acclimate to. Argonian chefs make use of ingredients that cooks of other cultures would shy away from, such as maggots and fermented pond scum. Fish and small creatures that are harvested in nets and traps are often seasoned with spices and rich sauces, then eaten raw.

It is considered polite to gargle one's drink in Murkmire. Some Argonian chefs cook with snail slime.

Baked Goods

Name	Description	Image
Beetle Puffs	Beetle Puffs are sweet pastries that are cooked in specialized pans. A delicacy in Dhalmora, these little puffs are usually cooked in dozens and made from beetles.
Fungus Omelet	An omelet containing fungi. It was commonly served in Gideon.
Savory Cornbread	Originating from the city of Thorn. Saltrice is a companion grain to the corn in this recipe.

Fruits and Vegetables

Name	Description	Image
Baked Bananas	Bananas that are baked before being eaten. In the city of Stormhold they are served with cheese.
Dragonfruit	Dragonfruit is a type of fruit that is native to Murkmire and eaten by the local Argonians.
Mint	Argonians harvest potent mint plants for use in food.
Nectarine	Nectarines grow in Black Marsh.
Lizardfruit	Known as "plums" to the Imperials, lizardfruit grows at White Rose. The fruit is somewhat bland, but it numbs the tongue when eaten. A hearty gulp of rosewater will reverse the effect.
Fire Apple	A subspecies of apple that grows on trees in Black Marsh.
Stormberry	A berry that grows on bushes in the swamp.

Meat and Seafood

Name	Description	Image
Aojee-Sakka	A meal consisting of two dishes served simultaneously and is among the most dangerous meals in Tamriel. The primary dish is sliced and seared Aojee Toad laid over caramelized figs and cinnamon-grass. The second dish is a bowl of cold hosh, a dark and viscous soup. Neither of these can be consumed alone, as they are a deadly poison; they must be eaten simultaneously because they serve as an antidote for each other's poison. Eating too much toad causes violent tremors and mouth frothing, which leads to death. Too much hosh induces searing intestinal pain and vomiting, then death. Aojee-Sakka is very difficult and time-consuming to prepare. Precise tools are used to prepare the toad. It is deadly when prepared incorrectly or eaten improperly. Specialized vases are kept at tables where Aojee-Sakka is being served in case the toad is prepared improperly.
Black Cockerel Served in Tortoise Shell	The black cockerel of White Rose eats poisonous beetles, which stain its flesh black and render it too toxic for consumption. To get around this, the Argonians have a common painted tortoise eat the bird's flesh. The tortoise negates the poison. It should be killed before it fully digests its meal, then roasted. The tortoise itself isn't much to write home about, but the black cockerel flesh in the reptile's gut is savory and decadent.
Bog-eels	Hunted for their meat, skin, and eggs. The eel-leather is very supple, but crispy when roasted. Argonians trap the bog-eels before they root their way into deeper muck.
Brined Leeches	Eaten by the Bright-Throat Tribe at bonding season feasts. The taste improves as the leeches are digested, and some Argonians enjoy regurgitating it from their crop a few hours after initial consumption.
Broths	Swamp eel broth goes well with vegetables, fish, meat, and maggots. Argonian chefs aren't afraid to cook up a soup that wriggles. Crawdad tails in a saltrice infused broth is quite a salty combination, but it suits the palate that doesn't appreciate a wriggling soup. Bones can be added to a soup or broth to add flavor. Ripe roots can also be added to soup.
Butterflies and Moths	Butterflies and Moths are a challenging but rewarding culinary experience. Most non-Argonians who are brave enough to sample them remove the wings before consumption. They are served in a traditional "ajum": a woven tray with a netted lid. Some of these delicate trays are made of swamp grass. A truly satisfying butterfly dish hinges on the delicate art of "Iuheeez," or "wing folding." Argonian master chefs use their claws to bend and fold the wings into tiny but ornate edible sculptures. However, local custom dictates that outsiders fold their own wings. Green Slipper-Tails are perhaps the sweetest of the Slipper-Tail species, tasting of honey-grass with a sweet but chalky finish.
Crayfish Salad	Argonians search tide-pools for crayfish, which they then boil for a short time in seasoned water. The crayfish are then removed from their shells and their heads cut off: when the meat is sufficiently cooled, Argonians add it to the greens and top it with a choice of fruits, vegetables, seeds, or meat.
Fen Hen	Birds that live in Black Marsh. The taste and crunch is reminiscent of crows.
Garlic Hagfish	Hagfish served with garlic.
Giant Wasp Gizzards	Giant wasp gizzards are roasted and seasoned before consumption.
Grubs	Grubs are commonly eaten in Black Marsh. Some Argonians keep carved amber grub-cages by their bedside to hold live snack-larvae.	Grub kebabs A bowl of grubs
Hermit Crab	Hermit crabs make a convenient snack. The meat within their large claws is juicy like ripe fruit, and their eyes are delicious.
Kraken Barnacles	Kraken barnacles are native to the seas around Lilmoth, they are described as being smooth and dark green with a tube-like appendage that sticks out the wide end. They are eaten by squeezing the shell until it cracks, then the soft edible mass inside is pulled out by the appendage.
Marsh Centipede	Argonians hunt and eat these thick insects of ill-temperament.
Marsh-Hen	Birds that live in Black Marsh.
Mudcrab	Argonians eat mudcrab meat, which can be made into mudcrab cakes. Mudcrab is also eaten steamed.
Mud-Hopper Stew	Mud-Hopper Stew is a stew commonly served in Gideon.
Nagahssee	Nagahssee, which roughly translates to "snake roll" uses a wasso hedge snake. This meal is risky as the wasso hedge snake looks almost exactly like the red hooped tree-viper. Eating the former will give you a full belly, while eating the latter will kill you before you leave the table. Once the chef has acquired a snake, he or she goes to work disemboweling it. The snake's interior is used in a number of other dishes, but nagahssee only requires the skin. The empty skin is packed with a mix of wild marsh rice, dried parsnips, sliced bark-ear mushrooms, and a live mouse. Those who choose to eat the dish when it is first prepared are treated to the fresh vegetable medley and the lean, wriggling meat of the mouse. But those who choose to let the dish rest for a few hours (or even days) are richly rewarded for their patience. The longer the dish rests, the fatter the mouse becomes. It can spend a great deal of time feasting on the rice and parsnips before finally expiring. An average nagahssee takes about five days to "ripen."
Pukta Snakes	Pukta Snakes are commonly covered in honey and then roasted in a firepit.
Saddle-Cured Rabbit	Cured rabbit meat, eaten with saltrice.
Slaughterfish Liver	Slaughterfish liver is usually avoided because it is difficult to serve without first negating the toxins within it. The Argonian tribes know how to prepare this dish in a way that negates the toxins.
Slugs	Slugs are frequently served raw and often with a sprig of salt-meadow leaf. Slugpaste is a uniquely Argonian culinary item. Bearded Blue - This indigo slug is quite common. It's roughly the size of a Nord's thumb and features a shaggy clump of tentacles beneath its long eye stalks. The slug features a subtle aroma, but it also has refreshingly citrusy undertones. The extra tentacles give the Bearded Blue a unique texture that can be a little distracting (particularly when consumed alive), but it tastes simply divine. The flavor is earth-driven with subdued loamy notes hidden below a firm citrusy bite. Black-Banded Slider - The Black-Banded Slider is a local staple of southern Black Marsh. It is often smoked and eaten on a bed of weevil larvae and orange-grass. The slug excretes an acrid black oil when disturbed, but it is easily wiped away to reveal a long body with a series of broad black stripes across a pale, creamy mantle. Even washed, the Black-Banded Slider presents a chewy, tannic flavor that must be endured to reach the clean and nuanced aftertaste that the Argonians relish. It's a mellow, almost floral flourish to an otherwise imposing meal. King Yellow - The King Yellow is a massive creature covered in a vast forest of fleshy, undulating bristles. They are often wrapped in a wasso nut leaf with an indigo lily garnish. The King Yellow has a rich bouquet of mossy, herbaceous scents. The tail is described as being brooding and nutty, the mantle is described as being thick, oily, and bitter. The head has a cloying, buttery taste that swings wildly toward a dry, mustardy finish.
Swamp Eel	Large, ornate platters are traditionally used to serve them at feasts. In Gideon, they were served in a blackberry wine sauce and considered speciality of the house of the local Egg and Hammer inn.
Swamp Jelly	Swamp Jellies are often eaten by Argonians. They are prepared at first by removing any tentacles from the body, they are then laid out straight across a cutting board and sliced across. Once the limbs are removed, the body is split straight down the middle. After this, the body cavities are washed out and the jelly is ready for roasting over an open fire or in an oven. Over red coals you'll get a firmer jelly with a bit of crisp on the outside. The tentacles of the jelly can be cooked in the body and pair well with eel broth, but some Argonians roast them on skewers for a salty treat. Swamp jelly also makes a good substitute for brain or scrib jelly in recipes for individuals who are looking to lose weight.	Swamp Jellies
Swamp Shrimp Boil	A type of seafood boil. The Argonians prefer to use swamp shrimp, but any kind of prawn can be used to make it.	Swamp Shrimp Boil
Trodh	Trodh are tiny, crunchy fish that have to be eaten alive; if they are cooked, they become poisonous.
Wamasu Loin	The loin meat of the Wamasu is sometimes flavored with grapes and various seasonings.
Worm and Marsh Moss Stew	A type of stew eaten by Naga. Does "terrible things" to an uninitiated outsider's internal organs.

Beverages

Some Argonian drinks are brewed with eel-paste, which is boiled during the brewing process.

Name	Description	Image
Bile Beer	Bile Beer (or bile-beer) is a bitter alcoholic beverage. A guar that consumes bile beer will become sick to its stomach.
Fish-Eye Rye	A foul smelling Argonian concoction typically enjoyed during the New Life Festival. Originating from the village of Hissmir, it consists of rye alcohol, corn flowers, and lemon. Fish is also included in the brewing process, earning the drink its name.
Mud Nectar	An alcoholic beverage made from rice and seaweed.
Phlegmwine	A strong-smelling Argonian beverage alcoholic beverage that is usually imbibed during celebrations. It bubbles due to the bog gasses that are used in its creation. It is best consumed while it's still bubbling, before the bog gasses run dry. A good phlegmwine has just the right amount of skin forming at the top.
Six-Ooze Parfait	An Argonian delicacy often served to end the meal. It was served in some Nordic taverns.
Snail-Gin	Snail-Gin is a gin brewed in Black Marsh that has a reputation for killing those who drink it. A pair of Argonian siblings from Murkmire worked on making non-lethal Snail-Gin in 2E 582.
Sweetbile	A beverage typically consumed during celebrations. Quality sweetbile trembles ever so slightly in the stomach.
Snake Sweat	A beverage enjoyed by the Argonians of Dhalmora.
Theilul	Theilul is a dark Argonian rum made from sugarcane. Theilul is more profitable and easier to transport than the cane itself.
Xanmeer Brandy	Grape brandy flavored with bittergreen and ginkgo bark.

Meals Abroad

Argonians living abroad may not have access to the more exotic ingredients endemic to their homeland. The following is a list of foreign food given an Argonian spin. This list is not exceedingly comprehensive; some preparations, such as braised or stewed rabbit, are common wherever the animals are native; the point of this section is to denote culinary practices that exceed or toe the boundaries of the culinary norms of other races, or are uniquely Argonian.

Name	Description	Image
Crow	A crunchy bird from Skyrim that can be seasoned with bamphor; bamphor squeezings are an essential oil with a very high alcohol content that can be used for disinfecting wounds and calming a patient.
Dog	Argonians abroad would not shy away from eating dog in places where it isn't taboo; in Skyrim, it very much is. Furry animals like dogs do not typically live in Black Marsh—at least not among the tribes.
Cat	Similar to the dog, some Argonians would have no trouble eating cats, were it not taboo. The idea of doing so is reviled in Skyrim, where they prefer to pet their small mammals.
Wharf Rat	Wharf rats are delicious when basted in bile beer.
Monkey	The gamey meat of the monkey can be smeared with dragon's-tongue sap and basted in Theilul.

Soups and Stews

Name	Description	Image
Pumpkin Stew	An Argonian stew made with pumpkin, fish, and saltrice.

Gallery

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  Argonian Fishing rod (Skyrim)

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  Bowl

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  Ramekin

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  Bowl

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  Dish

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  Jug

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  Mug

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  Fish and frogs

Chefs

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  Makes-Many-Soups, a well-known Argonian cook (ESO)