Culinary Ethnography

Elves

These are the footnotes of my longer writeup on the culinary ethnograpy of Elves, which can be found here. This document is designed to be a simpler reference tool for DM’s and poses the information in question/answer format for quicker navigation of the text.

Where does their food come from?

For many Elves, all food comes from foraging and stewarding the land they live on. Agriculture does not occur as it does in the Human realms. Rather than try to manage the growth cycles of different domesticated animals, they simply take from the land whatever it offers to them, such as surplus game animal populations.

Because of this, there is a truly vast array of Elven dishes based on everything that may roam or grow on their lands.

Do Elves Eat Meat?

Many don’t, deciding not to cut short the lives of any animals. Some do, but only specific animals. Most Elves are fine with eating meat, but only that which is in surplus from the land. They would find animal husbandry or intensive hunting past what a population can bear to be disgraceful, and can even lead to exile. 

What is the general Culinary style of Elves?

Elves enjoy a large amount of variety in their meals, and opt for a multitude of small dishes, instead of single large plates. Generally this averages out to 1 to 2 dishes per person at the table, which everyone then shares from. 

Elves seldom eat to the point of overstuffing, and Elven flavors are generally rather light, whether that is due to inherently less intense flavors, or as an effect of being brightened with sharp acidity or herbaceous greens.

What are some Elven Vegetable Dishes?

Elves quite enjoy salads, whether made from leafy greens to vine ripened tomatoes, types of onions, or “new shoots”, the first leaves and shoots that develop on plants. A good example is “onion salad four ways” which utilizes thinly sliced spring onions, chunks of roasted leek, dressed with a wild onion vinaigrette, and topped with crunchy fried onions.

Vegetables are often roasted to bring out the sweetness. There are also many different soups and stews that focus on vegetables or mushrooms as the forefront.  Most commonly however enjoy vegetables completely raw, not even roasted or dressed.

How do Elves eat meat?

When meat is consumed, it is based on whatever animals are necessarily hunted so Elves have specific dishes for dozens if not hundreds of different animals. Some of the most commonly seen on the dinner table are boar, deer, owlbears, rabbit, small fowl, and different types of fish. But keep in mind this is far from all you might be eating if invited to a Faewild party. Be ready for moose, snake, beaver, dragon, muskrat and whatever else was hunted that day. Yes I said dragon. Anything that is currently being a nuisance to nature can be considered for the hunt, and then for the dinner table.

Elves primarily employ four main cooking methods for meats: spit roasts, pot roasts, soups, and sears. Different categories of meat are generally cooked the same way. One thing is true for all animals, and that is to leave nothing behind. While Elves may be considered picky eaters based on their choices of ingredients and flavors, they are not going to shy away from the parts of an animal that other races may find a bit more unappealing. If you’re going to use an animal’s sacrifice, then honor it by using it all

What are some Elven Fruit Dishes?

While vegetable dishes are the basis of the meal, fruit dishes are often the highlight, and are usually served last, or are the focus of their own meal or gathering. Roseapples, along with other fruits, are prepared in a variety of ways. Jams and jellies are some of the most popular.

Another method of preparation is drying, and any Elven home will have jars of different dried fruits and berries. Fruits are also often juiced to make different drinks.  Many Elves believe that no amount of culinary prowess can truly exceed the taste of fruit as nature intended, so the most common way that fruit is consumed is simply raw.

Do Elves like baked goods?

As much as Elves truly love fresh and simply prepared bounties of the wild, many have a large sweet spot for, well, sweets. Elven flours utilize many different wild grain and nut flours, they are not as consistent as the wheat and barley flours in other realms. 

Sweet goods are commonly accompanied by a special type of cream, known as “glossia”. Elves don’t commonly consume dairy as they do not keep the requisite beasts of burden to harvest it from. Glossia instead is processed from the viscous liquid of the glossus plant. This sap thickens quickly with heat and then holds that consistency even after cooling. Elvish cooks mix in sugar and other flavorings into sap, then spread it on cakes and tarts.

One specific Elven bread is worth a spotlight however: Elf Bread. This is, admittedly, terrible nomenclature. Elves make plenty of types of bread, but if you mention Elf Bread in a city outside of Elven realms, the assumption is the shortbread-like travel bread they make. It lasts fresh for weeks while wrapped, and can fill up a man for a whole day with a few bites.

One final note on pastries is the lack of truly flaky pastries in Elven culture. This is due to the lack of butter or many animal fats used in the baking process. The plant based oils that Elves used doesn’t have the exact same effect. Because of this, many Elves have found great interest in the incredibly flaky and buttery pastries of the Halflings and Humans, taking true joy in the new experience. 

Elven Drinks?

To Elves, the drinks accompanying a meal are often just as important, if not more important than what’s on the plates. Many meals are just excuses to have small treats while savoring a well made drink. “Tea time” as it is called, is a very important ritual when it comes to community, even if tea is not always served. Rather it is an excuse to converse with a friend or two while sipping on something tasty and having a few snacks.

Water is very important to Elves. While Dwarves care about the mineral content of their spring water, Elves want completely pure and mineral free water. This can cause disputes between Dwarves and Elves on drinks.

Elves also drink “slakes”, spring water that is filled with a fresh ingredients such as lightly crushed fruits, vegetables, or even pine needles and tea leaves. Elven tea is common, and often made from things other than tea leaves, such as pine needles, tree barks, or wild grains. 

Elves are known as the masters of wine. One such wine is Elverquisst, made of resmers and orosks, fruits from the Faewild. Another name for Elverquisst is “sunshine distilled mead”.

Some important notes on Elven food culture

The life of Elves influences their consumption of food very strongly. Their choice of ingredients is completely determined by their connection to nature and belief in stewardship.

Food is a very communal experience for the Elves. It is also one tinged with prestige. In many circles, eating is about what amazing things you can show off to your guests.

This communal nature is not just a matter of eating in one on one or small group settings. Elves are famous for their absolutely enormous festivals.  These are commonly held at the ends of seasons, when the growing seasons of specific plants are about to come to an end, and as a way of utilizing the large amount of produce and ingredients that will go bad unless used quickly.

 While Dwarves drink more commonly, when Elves do, they drink until they can’t see straight and then pass out. Then they wake up and continue in the revelry. Needless to say, these are amazing parties.