Every Traveler Their Own Cook: Recipes for the Weary

Ozim Laila collected thousands of recipes over the course of her extensive travels on the planet of Kivria. She stored them in diaries that she would then preserve, to ensure that she would always have access to her many experiences, observations, and tidbits of knowledge.
Although much of the information within her travel diaries is strictly private, she eventually published many of her recipes in a book titled Every Traveler Their Own Cook: Simple Recipes for the Weary. The original book was addressed to travelers of the time period in which she published her work, but many others have found her recipes helpful over the years. In fact, she regularly releases updates and edits for her evolving audience, especially to keep up with changes in measurements and kitchen technology.

Significance

Public Significance

"Wait, this was published by the Laila? My literal Goddess? She could publish anything, knowing that we would eat it up, and she chose a cookbook? ... Wait a minute, did she do that on purpose?"

"A fascinating deep dive into historical cookery of the common folk... yet so well adapted that even a modern cook may follow easily in their own kitchen."

Every Traveler Their Own Cook is more than practical cookbook. It is a historical document, a massive work of preservation. Oz collected recipes for thousands of years before she published her first edition. Recipes that would have otherwise been lost to time are preserved within these pages. Not to mention the names of individuals and descriptions of the communities that gifted her some of these recipes!

It is also valuable as a practical cookbook because of its ubiquity in Lainist households. Ozim Laila may not like it, but she is a God and that lends her a significant amount of authority and influence. Entire restaurants exist that are dedicated to serving her recipes.
Who knows what she could do if she published something more philosophically substantial?

"It'll keep you from starving, I guess."

— Oz printed out this review and taped it to her desk.

Private Significance

Every single recipe in Every Traveler Their Own Cook has a story behind it, whether she elected to put it in writing or not.

Example Recipes: A Traveler's Supper

"I'm sorry I'm always so poorly."
"Please don’t apologize. Our hearth is yours as well. We'll always keep watch while you rest.”
Areta startles at Oz's turn of phrase, but Maikir welcomes it with open arms.
"Please," Maikir gasps.
Maikir has already hijacked their body and crawled into Oz's lap before Areta can snap out of it.
"Take a break, Areta," Esther urges, driving the point home for the elder. "No matter where they are, they're not going anywhere fast, right?"
"... Right..."
"Exactly. Stay with us for a while, save your energy so you can celebrate when you see them again."
Maikir sighs contentedly, cheek on Oz's shoulder to gaze at Esther.
"We'll see," Areta says. Ve already knows that Maikir won't allow them to go anywhere fast, now that Oz and Esther's embraces have been offered. "I could use a breather, anyhow. Gather intel."
Areta yawns, lulled by the drone of ver companions' voices. Something about a city... This is a shoddy hamlet, how long have they been living rough? ... Making money ... Weird, since when does the Laila and her Queen care for money? ... a few acres of land ... Oh, ok, maybe they want to buy that poor Antonia girl a farm? Does she even know how--?... With that last thought, Areta allows the darkness to pull ver under, weary to the bone.

Basic Roast Duck

Ingredients

• One duck ready to cook
• Two teaspoons of paprika
• Two teaspoons of salt
• 1/2 cup of butter, melted + divided
• One teaspoon pepper
• Garlic to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F
2. Combine desired herbs and spices in a small bowl
3. Rub mixture into skin of duck
4. Roast duck for one hour
5. Spoon 1/4 cup melted butter onto duck
6. Continue cooking until golden brown
7. Spoon remaining butter onto the duck
8. Serve

Cooking Notes

The duck is often finished after an hour, but if in doubt, cook for ten more minutes before serving. I often also stuff the inside the bird like I would a turkey, but this is an optional step.

Traveler's Note

Orange Sherbert Ducks provide the best meat out of any wild ducks but any duck will do in a pinch. If a duck is hunted in the wild rather than culled from your own flock, take extra care to drain excess fat and to season the duck well. This will help reduce any fish-like taste that these birds may have.

The day after the first major frost, Oz and Esther bundle all of their belongings, Areta, and Kiana into the back of a small, rickety covered wagon.
Kiana has none of it and leaves the bumpy ride immediately.
They smell him before they see him again, campfire smoke thick in the air.
When they turn the corner, Kiana sits by a small fire with a duck next to him, ready for Oz to process. 
He points and Oz gets to work cooking while Esther prepares the rest of camp.

Quick Bread

Ingredients

• Two cups of flour
• Four teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 1/2 cup of whole milk
• One large egg
• Four tablespoons of butter, melted
• One tablespoon of sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Whisk together all dry ingredients
3. Add milk, egg, and butter
4. Whisk quickly, just until batter thickens
5. Place batter into a greased cast iron skillet
6. Bake for 45 minutes
7. Remove from oven and allow to cool... or serve immediately, it won't hurt anything.

Cooking Notes

This is a base recipe upon which people can create different flavors of quick bread. Add garlic to taste for a nice garlicky bread.

Traveler's Note

Bread is typically baked in the morning and munched on throughout the day. The bread available at suppertime is whatever is leftover from a long day of traveling. At this point, its best use is for mopping up the plate.

Neither Areta nor Maikir bothers asking anyone where they are going or why. Ve is too preoccupied shivering under piles of blankets and furs. After the first week, Kiana joins ver out of spite for the cold.
"How much for a place by the fire?" Oz asks the innkeeper.
The innkeeper smiles, all teeth.
Oz nearly cries.
Ve also nearly cries when they stop at an inn for the first time. Even though they only have enough money for a place on the floor to sleep and a bowl of soup, ve feels like royalty. Real warmth, finally!
Oz divides the last of the bread from that morning between Esther, Areta, and Kiana.
Kiana grimaces and says, "Bleh. No good."
Oz raises a brow. "Stop wasting time in the wagon and get hunting, then, baby Sikna. We can't afford to butcher any more hens."
"Oz!" Esther chides.
"What?! It's true!"
Kiana devours the bread without further comment.

One, Two, Three, Four Cake

Ingredients

• One cup of butter
• Two cups of sugar
• Three cups of flour
• Four chicken eggs or three duck eggs

Instructions

1. Combine ingredients together very well
2. Bake in small buttered pans (or cast iron skillet) with moderate heat (approximately 350° - 375°F)
3. Bake for 20-30 minutes
4. Allow cake to cool for ten minutes, then serve

Cooking Notes

The cake dough should have a consistency similar to cookie dough rather than a smooth batter. Regardless, it will bake just fine. Do not bake the cake in a tall pan, not even a bread pan. Use a wide skillet, instead, because the middle will not bake properly.
This is the perfect cake to use as a base for experimenting with different flavors and adornments, such as cinnamon or icing. Add these to taste if desired.

Traveler's Notes

As tempting as it is to eat some of the dough raw, please abstain. Raw eggs have the abililty to cause significant illness, which is the last thing anyone wants, least of all while on the road.

When the weather takes a sudden turn for the worst and they find themselves stranded, Oz fills cans of hot water left over from meals and carefully tucks them into Areta's blankets.
Thankfully, they're not alone. Two other families had been traveling behind them, and so they shared the burden of an entire week's delay.
An entire goddamned week's delay when we're only two days away from Oseka! Oz writes in her travel diary, and cries.
Afterwards, Oz collects herself and gets back to work.
"One cup, two cups, three cups, four..." Oz sings tunelessly to herself, lost in memories. "Butter, sugar, flour, and eggs, that's all you need for a--"
"A cake?!" A little girl screams in agreement.
"You got it! C'mon, let's sing it together!"

Item Type

Cookbook

Author

Ozim Laila

Publication Date

First published 300 years ago, last updated five years ago

Medium

Hardback or paperback book, also available digitally and as an audiobook

Price

• Recent editions and their translations are freely available to the public. These newer books are common household items because of it.
• Special editions may be printed and sold.
• The oldest editions of the book are highly guarded and revered historical artifacts.