Seann mheur

In many settlements speckled around the valley of the river Láita and especially in the capital of Tæn, there persists a peculiar fondness of adding a withered branch of a Mountain shrub pine to the pot dish called Poit láita. It does not affect the flavour profile as much, adding a faint depth and a bit of astringency. Some say the dish pulls the hungry soul deeper and deeper into the blissful satiety, until nothing is left to eat. I say, that after the bugs were gone, this is not the same.

— A disgruntled Tæn citizen talking about ye olde days

Summary

Seann mheur is a tradition which stemed a long time ago, when the first settlers arrived into the region and began exploring the nearby valleys. One of the discoveries was made in the Coire àrd, where people discovered patches of Mountain shrub pine withered and covered in black, glistening droplets. As curious souls, the first Tænian settlers experimented with the drops and found them a very potent spice. However, the patches were very rare and the weather window to approach Coire àrd very narrow, so it made the "black branches" a delicacy. Since people had only started settling in the area, there became a need to comfort themselves in the harsh climate. Over the years, the "black branch" was added to the winter hot pot, called Poit láita, traditionally prepared around the winter solstice. It was a treat that reminded people of the warmth and plentiful and filled both their stomachs and soul.

The oldest recipe would advise the cooks to add the "black branch" a week before serving, then slowly heating to let all the ingredients blend together. After the winter solstice, when the annual feast was held, the branch would be left inside and new ingredients added as needed. Thus, slowly, day after day, week after week, the rich and deep flavour provided by the branch would slowly fade away, hopefully aligning with the beginning of the spring.

Good times gone

Following the introduction of the high-mountain choughs by some black branch foragers the tradition began fading as the patches of withered branches became scarcer with every season. In the years following the said extinction of the pine beetle some people began saving the "black branches" for better times some going as far as leaving them to their relatives on par with precious stones and metals.

Nowadays

With the "black branches" not being seen in several decades, people tried to replace the ingredients with other spices, which would bring back the memories of old. As a reminder of the "old times" some older folks still add a withered branch to the Poit láita. Not only does it not add significantly to the dish but in many cases it is the same branch added over and over for several years with no taste left at all. Many agree that it instead serves as a placeholder for the fond memories of the cook and their recipients. Younger generations, to whom the famed "black branch" is but a tale look at this addition as an unnecessary and a sign of being "old-fashioned", and usually in a weird sense.