One of the many things that I tend to neglect a bit (only if there’s a need to mention it) is food from various nations.
I did in the old Red Reign and some other stories, but of course I didn’t dive further.
Long story short, I made everything up on whim and I do want to do like a recipe of different Alagossian dishes varying from different countries, in terms of the more popular foods for the future.
Yet the meats, vegetables, grains, and other staples for food are HIGHLY different from anything on Earth, but I could always do something similar to Earth, but not too similar that it is identical.
So, yes, it won’t matter unless food ties in with the plot. Yet food plays a part, because characters need food to eat and thrive in various ways.
Idk if this is relevent, but Whenever I think of food in books, I will always think of Amy Tan’s books and Brian Jacque’s Redwall books. Their writing always made me drool with how beautifully described all the food in those stories was. Food always had a significant importance in Tan’s stories, culturally.
Some races in Alagossia don’t need food, but honestly that would be all of the races, because they are all immortal (it is a bizarre immortality though) yet they are still in need of food.
I always have some kind of eating scene in my books because it’s how characters connect. What’s the same? What’s different? How about etiquette? Culture shock? Comfort food? Meal scenes are the best.
I have characters who didn’t know each other AT ALL, but they find a common favorite sweet treat and bond for the first time.
Of course, meal time isn’t just good vibes. Culture differences brought conflicts over the table in one story and another character had to come in and stop them.
The way you can find dishes is to think about what they can grow or find in the wild (which depends on the environment they live in), and what types of animals they might hunt. If there are no common Earth-type animals or plants, think about what those might be similar to.
So, your first step is figuring out the specific nature environment and then what might be edible in there. Also, seasonal things. You might be able to catch one creature in the summer, but not in the colder days because they hibernate, for example.
The latest books I’ve written are all reality based so I didn’t use any fictional food; in fact, food is barely mentioned at all. But years ago I wrote a medieval fantasy where the pope ate things like braised unicorn and peacock. Well, okay…peacock isn’t fictional. Actually, everything she ate was real except the unicorn. Here’s a list of things she served at a dinner party:
cock-a-leekie soup
quince bread
onion and parsley salad
squirrel pottage
jugged hare in juniper berries
venison sausages
roast stag with acorns
swans in pomegranate glacé
stewed pigeons and hummingbirds
baked eels
mushroom pasties
toasted rice
mashed beetroot
parsnip pie
pickled chard
rose petal pudding
poached pears in red wine
fruit and cheese platter
almond milk
mulberry gin
buttered beer
wine
To which the main character says, “What? No cheesecake?”
Food always had a significant importance in Tan’s stories, culturally.
