blood crackers

a journey of a thousand miles begins with a pack full of blood crackers

This basic staple food has many names accross Yatan'aa. Taloo crackers, walking bread, travel rations, pilgrim's biscuit, red bread, or often simply 'crackers', the blood cracker is as simple and common as it is varried. The cracker is incredibly dense, dry, and nutritious, and though it may eventually go stale or attract weevils, they are too dry to mould easily and will typically be safe to eat for weeks or even a whole season.
At it's most basic, the crackers are made from taloo root flour, water, and salt, then spread about a half fingers width on a metal or ceramic sheet, cut into large hand sized squares, and baked until dry and crispy. Despite this seemingly simple formula however, the size, shape, and additional ingredients can change from village to village, nevermind from nation to nation. Some 'fancy' variations will include herbs, spices, or occasionally cheese. In some places in the south, ingredients like butter, redleaf, or even honeydrop juice will be added, but most would consider these overly decadent variations or even cakes, and not class them as proper 'blood crackers'.

Significance

Though eaten by almost everyone in Yatan'aa, their long shelf-life, low cost, and easy storage make blood crackers typically considered a travellers food. Even more specifically, the crackers are associated with going on pilgremage, since the majority of travellers accross the five nations are pilgrems on their way to or from Xien vi'Tyaana.

"Did you put rockfish in the crackers woman? I'm just going to my brothers, not the brothels. I don't need to smell like the foreshore after a storm!"

- a Hanchuu farmer before a trip to the brothels in the next town over (762 AS)

Raw materials & Components

• taloo flour

• water

• salt

• herbs (optional)