A Game of Thrones discussion

I'm kind of overlapping with another forum, which dealt specifically with breakfast in the series, but I thought a big, open forum on how food and drink come up would be fun. Much like in Tolkien's universe, what the characters sup on, what they drink, and how dishes differ from culture to culture plays an important role.

What sticks out in your mind? What were the meals that sounded particularly good? And what would you wash it down with if you had the chance?

Roast pig, pheasant, sausages, new potatoes, fruit, warm bread, and red wine always sound scrumptious to me.

A glass of Arbor Gold would be nice right now.

Funny how after reading pages and pages of descriptions of meals and drinks i can't seem to remember any of it. but i guess a glass or two of Arbor wine would be nice for me too.

What, nobody drinks Dornish red anymore? ;) However, this puts me in mind of the Dornish breakfast. Eggs with spicy peppers! That would go good right now.

Lemon cakes!

Bread and cheese, and most of them seem to have porridge for breakfast. At least that's how I remember.

I skip the meal descriptions for the most part. They really don't add a lot for me.

I understand there's a cookbook out. I thought about picking up a copy, actually.

Seriously?

Oh yah, I read about that cookbook. They really researched the crap out of it I guess and even met with Martin to discuss some of it.

I mean, they have the recipes for the foods, but they also have you cooking them straight up medieval style from what I understand.

That was what stopped me. xD It's difficult to cook medieval style on an electric cooktop. I can barely make spaghetti without setting things on fire.

Amber wrote: "Oh yah, I read about that cookbook. They really researched the crap out of it I guess and even met with Martin to discuss some of it.

I mean, they have the recipes for the foods, but they also ha..."

Wow! That is something newsworthy. Excuse me... Yep,
here's the link to the blog of those responsible:
http://www.innatthecrossroads.com/
And here's the book itself:
http://www.randomhouse.com/book/21799...

For me, the food does add to the experience of the world. There are too many fantasy authors who have no idea of what is possible over an open fire, or what might be in season - as Diana Wynne Jones makes fun of in The Tough Guide to Fantasyland.

Nory wrote: "Bread and cheese, and most of them seem to have porridge for breakfast. At least that's how I remember."

And don't forget the stewed apples and prunes. Or the fried bacon served over warm bread with the grease poured right on top. Nummmmm!

Wow! That is something newsworthy. Excuse me... Yep,
here's the link to the blog of those responsible:
http://www.innatthecrossroads.com/
And here's the book itself:
http://www.randomhouse.com/book/21799...



Hey - thanks for finding those pretty interesting actually. Though I agree, Medieval cooking is way beyond my level. I didn't put skill points in cooking.

:)

If you guys like blogs and ASOIAF, you should follow my reread, I just posted the first chapters tonight.
www.ivorydooms.blogspot.com (I really wish they just let us have signatures on goodreads...)

Each and every description of a feast is pure gastronomic pleasure in the Song of Ice and Fire books. My choice would also be roast pig and sausages in a combination with Arbor Gold, or even better a pint of cold beer.
Lesley and Matthew, THANK YOU for the Tough Guide to Fantasyland and the links to the Feast of Ice and Fire!

Dimitris wrote: "Each and every description of a feast is pure gastronomic pleasure in the Song of Ice and Fire books. My choice would also be roast pig and sausages in a combination with Arbor Gold, or even better..."

COLD beer? They do that in this world because I thought all the ale was room temperature. Sounds great though!

I also forgot to mention that the heavy use of onions is an extra bonus for me. Them Westerosi sure love their onions!

Speaking on onions...

Here is the recipe for white beans and bacon, which of course includes sauteed onions! They throw in some greens to be modern and healthy too, personally I'd have gone with chard or kale. Still rocks!
http://www.innatthecrossroads.com/201...

You're welcome, Dimitris! Always glad to introduce another reader to one of my favourite funny books.

Matthew, that seems delicious and simple! I think I'm gonna try it one of these days.

Lesley, the book is hilarious and very true. Howl's moving Castle is one of my favourite anime movies but I had no idea it was her book. By now, two of my best friends started reading the Tough Guide too!

The food descriptions in ASoIaF are certainly fun to read, though personally, they are not that tempting, since I'm a vegetarian, and all the meals seem to be pretty meat heavy. But there are still plenty of dishes that make my mouth water, such as tarts 'stuffed with chopped nuts and fruit and cheese, the crust flaky and still warm from the oven'. Yum!

Whenever he describes what Dany eats I always feel like I waaayyyy overeat and inspires me to stick with my diet.

Bonnie wrote: "Whenever he describes what Dany eats I always feel like I waaayyyy overeat and inspires me to stick with my diet."

What, you mean like olives, figs and cheese? Because I seriously don't recall much else mentioned in the whole Mereen diet.

Oh, which reminds me, who here thinks lamprey or pigeon pie could be appetizing? Keep in mind that these creatures weren't nearly as filthy in pre-industrial times ;)

I would try pigeon for the experience, lamprey I don't know. Even dead it looks scary.

I had pigeon pie but didn't like it (was chewy). The book characters can have it all. :)

Pigeon is very tasty - I've had it in Italy with a family who kept the pigeons in a coop in their garden. It all depends on how it's cooked.

Lesley wrote: "Pigeon is very tasty - I've had it in Italy with a family who kept the pigeons in a coop in their garden. It all depends on how it's cooked."

Interesting. I imagine the kind you raise yourself would be way tastier than the one we encounter in the city ;). As for lampreys, they are blood-suckers and kind of terrifying, but they're also an English delicacy since they are part of the eel family. I guess if you cut their heads off, the meats all the same right?

Nothing wrong with English delicacies. Hell, the first thing that popped in my mind was bangers and mash with onion gravy Matthew, but lampreys? That's the stuff of nightmares. Kinda like okra :)

Sisters stew with heavy cream.

Falco wrote: "Sisters stew with heavy cream."

"She served it in a trencher hollowed out of a stale loaf. It was thick with leeks, carrots, barley, and turnips white and yellow, along with clams and chunks of cod and crabmeat, swimming in a stock of heavy cream and butter. It was the sort of stew that warmed a man right down to his bones, just the thing for a wet, cold night..."

Someone's been reading A Dance With Dragons And yes, sounds like Clam Chowder and makes me want some!

What I always remember from A Song of Ice and Fire is the iced milk with honey (Which Eddard finds too sweet). I'm thinking about trying it with plain soy milk since my stomach doesn't take too kindly to regular milk.

I wander what the milk of the poppy tastes like;)

Falco wrote: "I wander what the milk of the poppy tastes like;)"

Chicken. Naw, just kidding. It tastes like Opium, which if I understand right tastes like numbing, euphoria, and has profound notes of horrible addiction. Ha! ;)

There are some references to food made of: dogs, cats, horses and what was it that Strong Belwas was eating when he got poisoned? Was it spicy locusts?

Falco wrote: "There are some references to food made of: dogs, cats, horses and what was it that Strong Belwas was eating when he got poisoned? Was it spicy locusts?"

Ah! Beware of spoilers! Can't speak for everyone but some of us are still only part way through book five. Then again, I could be forgetting something that happened in a previous book. Either way, spoiler free you ;)

Matthew wrote: "Falco wrote: "There are some references to food made of: dogs, cats, horses and what was it that Strong Belwas was eating when he got poisoned? Was it spicy locusts?"

Ah! Beware of spoilers! Can't..."
Sorry I am new to the "forum" thing.

Falco wrote: "I wander what the milk of the poppy tastes like;)"

Though I couldn't tell you what it tastes like, milk of the poppy is real - as mentioned before, it's a fictional term for the fluid that comes from the actual opium poppy plant, the same plant we get poppy seeds and poppy oil from - and of course, opium (as a recreational drug, the fluid is typically dried, then smoked while "milk of the poppy" in the novels is the original fluid). This is an image of the plant showing some of the fluid seeping out: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia... - as you can see, it has a milky appearance, hence the terminology. It is one of the most addictive substances on the planet but still used today as a powerful pain reliever in forms of morphine and codiene. In history, it was often taken in diluted liquid form known as Laudenum, which is said to be extremely bitter tasting, though I don't know if this was from the opium or whatever else was put in it.

Robin wrote: "Falco wrote: "I wander what the milk of the poppy tastes like;)"

Though I couldn't tell you what it tastes like, milk of the poppy is real - as mentioned before, it's a fictional term for the flui..."

Yeah, we were just kidding around, pretty sure people here understand the actual historical reference to opium and it's derivatives. However, this puts me in mind of another southron treat: Dream Wine! That'd be wine with the addition of some opium! Puts you right to sleep, gives you fancy dreams!

Also, came across an interesting article from Huffington Post where the author claimed that food is used to set the tone and foreshadow events. For example, people at the Red Wedding (bit of a spoiler here!) were served inedible food to forecast events.

For example, the main dish was pink lamb... might indicate it was undercooked. I remember talk of stringy meat and bland things, not much else. And of course, copious amounts of wine to numb everyone. Anyone else remember what they ate?

I always get a kick out of reading the list of foods at all the banquets. Am I the only one who thinks blood-anything sounds gross? Blood sausage, blood oranges, blood at the beginning of any food just sounds nasty. I'm gonna serve my kids a big plate of bloody grilled cheese sandwiches later.

Matthew wrote: "Yeah, we were just kidding around, pretty sure people here understand the actual historical reference to opium and it's derivatives."

Sorry, I didn't realize you spoke for everyone who is reading this including the person I was responding to.

Robin wrote: "Matthew wrote: "Yeah, we were just kidding around, pretty sure people here understand the actual historical reference to opium and it's derivatives."

Sorry, I didn't realize you spoke for everyone..."

I was not, I was just pointing out that they were joking and weren't asking a serious question. And I was also stating that I'm sure people understand the reference to opium, seeing as how its a well known fact that opium comes from poppies. I meant no offense, so please take none.

C. Michael wrote: "I always get a kick out of reading the list of foods at all the banquets. Am I the only one who thinks blood-anything sounds gross? Blood sausage, blood oranges, blood at the beginning of any food ..."

Oh but blood oranges taste so good! Blood sausage... kind of an acquired taste. Blood pie, haven't had the chance to try it and I am NOT adventurous enough to seek it out.

Matthew wrote: "I was not, I was just pointing out that they were joking and weren't really wondering what it tastes like. And I was also stating that I'm sure people understand the reference to opium, seeing as how its a well known fact that opium comes from poppies. I meant no offense. "

You don't know that though - I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who don't know opium comes from poppies. Until I looked it up, I was unaware that the opium fluid looked like milk and until I got into historical fiction, I had never heard of Laudenum. So I was just putting some additional info on it out there.

Robin wrote: "Matthew wrote: "I was not, I was just pointing out that they were joking and weren't really wondering what it tastes like. And I was also stating that I'm sure people understand the reference to op..."

Point taken, but by that same token, it would be wrong to assume that because you didn't know, others didn't either and needed to be informed of it. I can't speak for everyone, but I know that for some people, it's a pet peeve to be told something you already are intimately familiar with as if it's something new. And since Falco clearly was asking facetiously, it would seem to indicate that they knew what "milk of the poppy" referred to.

Now, would you like to make any additions to the menu?

Matthew wrote: "Point taken, but by that same token, it would be wrong to assume that because you didn't know, others didn't either and needed to be informed of it."

But I did know that it came from poppies, I just didn't know what it looked like. And isn't it better to assume someone out there might not know and perhaps enlighten them than it would be to assume everyone knows what you know and never help anyone out?

"I can't speak for everyone, but I know that for some people, it's a pet peeve to be told something you already are intimately familiar with as if it's something new."

For starters, I wasn't telling you anything - I quoted Falco and I was also just putting the info out there for the general public, for whoever happened to be reading.

But secondly - since I'm not psychic, how do you propose I know what you (or anyone else) are or are not intimately familiar with? Honestly, if everyone withheld from speaking up about info that someone else MIGHT already be intimately familiar with, we'd never be able to have a conversation about anything.

"And since Falco clearly was asking facetiously, it would seem to indicate that they knew what "milk of the poppy" referred to."

You may be right but sarcasm doesn't always translate over the internet and I wasn't aware it was so obvious that he was speaking facetiously. I apologize since you are clearly an expert on understanding what people are or are not already aware of and obviously find it annoying that I am not.

"Now, would you like to make any additions to the menu?"

No, I wouldn't want to risk saying something else that you're already intimately familiar with.

I'm with Robin here - I'd rather be told something I already know than have someone mention a thing as if it's common knowledge when I don't know what they're talking about.