Ilysian Cuisine

On the continent of Ilysia it is not uncommon for their often vegetable-based dishes to be highly spiced with fragrant herbs and potent peppers. The reason for this abundance of spice is, well, because things like thyme, cilantro, mint, rosemary, and other herbs grow in abundance in the areas surrounding the many mineral-rich hot springs. In spite of this, there are not many animals that live in this area that are raised for their meat, and common livestock have a harder time acclimating to the tropical-like environment.

History

For centuries, Ilysia has utilized very similar methods of cooking and food structure. Titan Carrots, much like other regions in the eastern hemisphere, are a food staple and make up the bulk of many dishes, especially so due to their more savory flavor. Potatoes, parsnips, and Ilysian squash are the other commonly used vegetables, and as stated before, are often highly spiced with various herbs, peppers, and/or seasoned salts. Occasionally, one may find a meal of fish or poultry, though these are mostly seen on the coastline and not inland. With the advent of more modern technology arising from ARIDS, these dishes haven't changed much, but have seen more interesting executions, including dried foods, or highly customized spice blends. One should remember though, if planning on a trip to Ilysia, that this technology is still very small regions in the area, and most concentrated near the Font of Flames.

Execution

Many times meals are cooked slowly, inside thick cookware and placed underground, beneath the embers of a fire, or even in some regions, on top of cooled volcanic rock. Other regions closer to the ocean may cook their fish on top of super-heated salt crystals, imbuing it with flavor as it cooks.

Components and tools

Often herbs and spice blends consist of some combination of: parsley, cilantro, thyme, marjoram, mints, rosemary, peppercorns, salt, dehydrated garlic, dehydrated onion, and fallharvest (a more savory spice similar to cumin). As for the peppers, pea pod peppers, dragon fang chili, sweet peppers, bell peppers, and redstem peppers are all commonly cultivated and used. Dragon fang chilis are considered one of the hottest peppers on Folterra, and are only used in small quantities.