Dishes at the Tavern

[The Grackle]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medieval_cuisine

Was on their front page this morning so thought I'd throw it at the wall.

I saw this yesterday. It was actually a pretty interesting article. The neatest part is how the mideval theory of the four humours influenced dietics. Fish are cold and wet, so they should be baked (dry and hot). It makes total sense, man.

It also says the common idea that europeans used spices to cover up the taste of rotting meat is bunk. No one would waste spices that were worth more than gold on rotting meat.

 

[Ravilah]

Not to be pedantic, but since we are talking about DnD land, the problem of rotting meat can be easily obviated with a Purify Food and Drink spell. A wealthy inn keeper (the kind that would be serving honey glazed owlbear with saffron reduction) would be willing to tithe loyally to the local priest in exchange for such a minor favor.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I would think there would be cantrips and orisons that wouldn't make the PHB, since they're not useful enough for killing things and taking their stuff, that would specifically address these sorts of issues in a typical D&D world.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

See Keep on the Borderlands.

My first-ever DMing session went haywire when I asked the players what they were ordering at the tavern, and had to go down the included menu line-by-line!