Entertaining and Dining!

The Taphouse

Located on The Path of Peace, just south of Euphoria Park, the Taphouse is the major location for Tow's drinking and gossip.  Generally the clientele tend to be of common blood, but the nobles do stop in to make contacts and for a commonly less political atmosphere.  The Taphouse occasionally offers concerts for their patrons, but by and large, it's not necessary.  The air of the pub is enough to entertain.  The back rooms of the pub offer both news and a common sleeping area for those in need.  The Taphouse is owned by House Tokkan, purchased by Somnium Clear Tokkan in 311 A.C.

Tufleet's Tavern

Tufleet's Tavern is one of the oldest and most respected alehouses and restaurants (The Emperor's Delight is connected) in all of Tow.  Owned by the Kondei family since it opened in 100 A.S., the establishment caters mostly to those of Emperial or Noble stature.  Those of high ranking churches may also be found here, rubbing elbows and working on new laws and sealing political deals.  Commoners may, of course, attend, but the coin standard is gracchi and the prices are high.  The nobles themselves tend to be entertainment enough to watch, and the view from the porch, overlooking the lake is priceless.  There is a more quiet, subtle back room, where news is left, and the upstairs holds suites for all of the noble families, and a few rooms that may be rented for a more than hefty price. Tufleet's is worth it, and luxury costs.

The Manor House

The Manor House, located in the village of Thraille, is a popular attraction, not only for its romantic ambiance, but for its splendorous deserts.  Consisting of a main dining room and a rooftop view that overlooks most of Thraille and Tow itself, it is a getaway for lovers looking for a quiet place to talk and fall into dreams of romance.  Since The Manor House is located in Thraille, it is far more quiet than the previously mentioned taverns, all part of it's irresistible charm.

The Starlight Cafe

Recently acquired by House Tokkan, the Starlight is looking forward to a major overhaul.  For now, however, it caters to the common man, on the southern side of Tow's main gates and battlements.  It serves full meals and light wines, milk, and water.  The have a small number of deserts, and a lovely terrace view of Willow Park.  It is a family locale, and from time to time has a small band or a singer with piano for its clientele.

Fisherman Silver's Pub

Saelonna's only restaurant, the Pub serves a wide variety of seafood, all of it fried in wonderfully spiced oils.  Ales are the favorite of the pub, but rum and tequila are always available to liven things up.  From the salt air, to the slowly spinning blades of the overhead, mechanical fan (a rustic piece of an old ship), Silver's Pub is a wonderful getaway to be a common man, to drink, to carouse, to enjoy the beach and the allure of the beach dress.  For men and for women, the sights are delectable, and the food, almost as good.

The Salty Elfin

Located in Schae on the 'not so nice' side of town, The Salty Elfin not only offers a wide variety of liquors from rum to tequila to vodka, but also offers lagers and beers to tempt the palette.  To tempt the eyes, one need only look around, for The Elfin surely lives up to her name.  With scantily clad elfin, shimmering from the heat of Schae that wait tables and entertain the hardworking men of the city with delicious whispers and soft bites on the ear...  oh the horror!  The women need not lose hope though, there are enough shirtless servers of the male variety to cater to the women who wear their hands as equally as the men in the city, who do not mind giving and giving, as long as they, like their female counterparts are well tipped... evars, dears, evars.

The Sea Breeze

The Sea Breeze is located on the northeast side of the city of Schae, and is considered a well-dressed establishment.  The bar on the main floor sells wines of all kinds, and conversation abounds from those who own the city's shipping and trading companies.  Downstairs, a first class thuja-bar, run by House MendiKu, thrives in its Tokkan home.  It is dark and dreamy and hazy, and full of elves coupled in slow, erotic kisses and light, gentle speech.  Upstairs a first class restaurant guarantees pleasure to the palette, from wine to scrumptious tastes of the sea.  A wall of paneled windows looks out over the city and ocean, giving it a pristine view that can only truly be captured at such a distance.

A Brightly Lit, Stone Lodge

Short of a name, this lovely little lodge in Bhydall serves ale and food to all who live there and come to visit.  The dwarves are a lively bunch, and singing and passing out are their local hobbies in the evenings.  Charming to the last, the barmaid, Shavia, will tend to your every single food need, desire, or want.  She'll want to fatten you up, and in the darkened, stone room, lit only by an enormous fireplace, with everything you've never tried that side of the mountain.

Foods

Soups: Stews are traditional towskish fare, with the rare thin, brothy soup. From chicken, to beef, to lamb, all forms of meat and vegetable are used. Chowders are not unusual, from seafood to vegetable.

Salads: Bowls of multicolored peppers are the traditional towskish salad, but also, various greens are tossed with many varieties of meats or cheeses and flavored with oils, vinegar, and milky dressings. All salads though, hold an inherent spicy flavor in both the peppers and greens used.

Pastas: From tangy pesto, to beefy marinara, pasta is a huge part of Towskish cuisine. From spaghetti, to spinach spirals, every form of pasta has been invented and improved by Towskish families. Most noteably MendiKu.

Other side dishes: Roasted, boiled, fried, baked, sauteed, and grilled vegetables are common quisine. Fruits are served as well, as listed above.

Meats: Venison, beef, chicken, lamb, bear, and fox are regularly served meats in all walks of Towskish life.

Seafood: Bass, salmon, trout, and other various fish are available for easy catch in the lakes and streams and rivers of Tow. Crabs are an easy hunt on the sandy beaches, as are crawfish and turtle.

Desert: Brown sugared banans are a favorite. Many fruits served in many ways make up Towskish desert. The magickally based fruity ice shoppe in Euphoria park does not reveal it's secrets, but provides many flavors of shaved ice. Candy stores serve everything from hard candy to fudge and taffy. Pastries are not uncommon, in many forms, from pies to tarts, and from cakes to muffins.

Drinks: Every alchohol you can imagine is available in Tow, but certain flavors stand out as traditional Towskish fare, from endigman lemonade to solgrim rum. Endigman and Solgrim are rare roots that cause faintly dizzying effects when ingested. Fruit juice is very popular, and while available, goba milk is a rare ingestion for elvenkind after a year of age.

Delicacies: Anaconda are caught and captured, generally by the Kondei family, killed, seasoned, basted, and soaked in various alcohols. The flesh is poisonous unless properly prepared by a skilled chef, making anaconda a rare and exciting treat.

Thuja watermelon was created by MendiKu, the thick husked melons injected with liquid thuja. Used for baking or eating raw, thuja watermelon is indeed an expensive delicacy because of the amount of preparation necessary for each melon to be 'just right'.

A'li'amon is a Sole cuisine. While none are sure of the contents, all agree that this fare is superb beyond compare in the way of deserts. Sweet and rich in flavor and texture, this desert emits a dizzying and tempting aroma.

Oeta'leglasse was created by a Lord of Kondei. The fruity, yet minty desert is created with milk, fruit juice and many other flavors that entice the taste buds. The recipe has never been released to the public.

Sushi was developed in the village of Saelonna in various forms, and until recently was available
for purchase in Belre's Market. Recent political changes, however, have closed the shop and
returned the merchants home.

***Cultural Variations:

Tow: The city's cuisine, over time has become awash with various cuisines from all of the outlying villages. Throughout the city, examples of the cuisine of all tribes and cultures is represented in one way or another. From pastas developed in the MendiKu kitchens to variations of on fruit recipes
derived from Thraille, Tow is the cultural center for dining.

Thraille: The farming village, mostly run by the Nicolo family consists of every imaginable fruit farm, vegetable farm and orchard within the Southlands. A few families still run private farms, most noteably the Amyndel family, who have run the cocoa bean farm in the same location for well over one hundred years. Food within the village tends to consist mostly of grown items, traded between for variation of diet.

Saelonna: Most of the food from the village of Saelonna is fried in oil, in a cast iron skillet, over an open flame. Fish, chicken and even balls of fried bread are common fare, as well as broiled or boiled hard-shelled crab. Sushi is also highly sought after, and was created within the village. Considered a delicacy elsewhere, within the fishing village, it is common cuisine.

Daga: Most of the food in Daga'Suut is served quite rare, if not raw. Fruits and vegetables are common fare, farmed from their own fields started by Rhylla Dedaga. Also, meat is served after cleaning, often raw, with strict observance of time since catch. The Daga have a system of strict rotations, so that their kin do not fall ill of worms. Cooked meat is generally done quite rare, which is why it is rarely used for travel or on a hunt. During those times, fruit is used as a main course, though it is rarely cooked, save for apples, which Daga love in a sweet stew.

Zuntohki: The crafting village is not generally well known for it's fine cuisine. Because most of Zuntohki is fairly poor, they tend to eat things they can forage for or hunt for. Berries and juices, deer meat rabbit meat, and the like are common fare. Zuntohki did manage to invent jerky, which, while not a delicacy, has it's own appeal for those who like salty food, or who need a preserved meat for travel. They have managed to craft every type of meat known to elfkind into jerky, from fox to bear, and even on occasion dog. The common joke about the city of Tow, is to prod at those who might buy jerky in Zuntohki. 'Sure that's rabbit, kin?' *wink wink nudge nudge*

Kondei: The family Kondei is fairly well known for their eating habits. Aside from their fondness for the very rare and sometimes deadly anaconda, they tend to prefer their meat very, very raw. Kondei
have been known to eat just about anything, from human to goblin, and from fish to fowl. As long as the meat is richly seasoned and cooked rare, they will likely approve. Kondei tend to
eat meals that are heavy on meat, with a side of potatoes or pasta (generally potatoes) and of
course, another vegetable and a petite salad to accompany the course. Kondei despise bread of
all kinds, seeing it as mindless filler, void of the flavor they so richly deserve. Another thing they
are well known for is their ale and lager, brewed with a rich, heady scent and flavor, it has
been known to knock out and elf or two. Kondei tend to order this particular item by the tankard, though by the barrel is not unheard of.

MendiKu: Over the years, house MendiKu has brilliantly perfected the art of pasta. They have designed it in all shapes, sizes, flavors, and colors. House MendiKu's fondness for eating is thought to havebeen developed from years of using the blessed thuja, which often inspires people to taste and eat in vast quantities. Pasta has helped the MendiKu to enjoy this, and from it gain the energy to
continue running day to day operations. MendiKu love deserts, from cinnamon baked apples in
cream, to watermelon spiced with thuja. Nearly every fruit is served, on a constant buffet available in the MendiKu estate. Family often sit about, eating and smoking as they make house decisions, growing close over their common love of the weed and cuisine.

Sole: While MendiKu have developed Pasta over the years, their close friends, the Sole, have developed amazing sauces. From rich marinaras to creamy pestos, the sauces applied to the MendiKu pasta have turned something that was once just flavored with a hint of butter into gourmet feasts. Sole also have a fondness for flavored crackers and varieties of cheese, created especially for them by the family chefs. Wine is an indulgence that Sole rarley go without, not only for meals, but while studying, walking, pondering, reading, writing, dancing.... you get the idea. It is said among common men that the reason for this is that it slightly calms the Sole madness, so that they may more freely function within society. Sole, of course, would scoff at such a notion, pointing the custom to mere indulgence based on station.

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Last modified: 07/12/07.