Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="ElectricDragon" data-source="post: 7182066" data-attributes="member: 10778">Eric,Here is a copy of the pages from the merchant that escaped to the island nations. My agents caught up with him and offered to buy the original. He said he had already sold it and several copies to other customers. He offered as many copies as we wanted, saying he could whip up a few more in just a couple of days if we wanted to wait. Seeing as there was no secret information on the document, I told most of my agents to continue in their search for the other carriers of other purloined pages who had traveled with this merchant and his caravan. If you wish me to instruct them to acquire the original of these pages, I need to know soonest, so I can assign them otherwise if not needed there.AmbroseTHE SPICE OF LIFESpices and HerbsAnise: Belonging to the celery family, this plant comes from the southern lands. Anise has a licorice flavor.Cook's Note: Sweet rolls, cookies, pickles, and candies.Basil: Belonging to the mint family this herb is one of the most widely used.Cook's Note: Great for tomato sauces, pesto, vinaigrettes, and griffon dishes. Bay Leaves: Dried leaves of the laurel shrub. Cook's Note: In soups, stocks, sauces, marinades, and such.Caraway Seed: Dried aromatic seeds from a herb of the carrot family. Cook's Note: In rye bread, sauerkraut, cakes, and cookies, also in cheese. Introduced to me by a halfling cook.Capers: Pickled flower-bud of a shrub that grows best in hot dry areas like the western parts of the empire.Cook's Note: Sauces for fish and seafood. In fish, chicken, and potato dishes.Cardamom Seed: Seeds belonging to the ginger family. Cook's Note: The seeds are used for pickling, and assorted pastries.Cayenne: Cayenne pepper is very hot and should be used only in small quantities (pinches or less). This pepper is usually red or yellow, and long and slender. It can be dried and ground. Cook's Note: Meats, soups, sauces, chili, and seafood. Unusually, this is an elven specialty, though I do not know of any elven meals that specifically use this spice. It grows hardily in most areas; but the elvish-grown ones are especially hot. The elven ambassador explained it to me, but something must have gotten lost in the translation as I could swear he said to ash the plants, and I am not sure how burning the plant would help.Chives: Fresh. Has a mild onion-like flavor. Cook's Note: As a garnish, in soups or sauces, in salads, egg or potato dishes.Cinnamon: Bark from various trees of the cinnamon family. Cook's Note: Ground for bake goods or whole for pickles, hot drinks, and preserves.Cloves: Rich and pungent in flavor. Dried flower bud of the clove tree. Cook's Note: In pickling, baked hams, stocks, desserts, marinades, and spiced drinks.Cumin: Member of the carrot family. Aromatic seeds. Warm bitter flavor. Cook's Note: In pickles, spare ribs, and other meat dishes.Coriander Seed: This herb of the carrot family, has the flavor of sage and lemon peel. Cook's Note: Pickles and meat dishes.Dill Seed: Dried fruit of the dill plant. Pungent in flavor. Cook's Note: Great in pickles.Dill Weed: Aromatic herb pertaining to the carrot family. Cook's Note: Good with fish, potatoes, soups, and sauces.Fennel Seed: Resembling dill, this aromatic herb of the carrot family has a distinct flavor all of its own. Cook's Note: In rye bread, tomato sauces, bean, and lentil soups.Garlic: Flavored bulb of the onion family. (used powdered, minced, or chopped) Cook's Note: Used in almost any type of sauce for meats, seafood, or poultry. Great for pastas, soups, etc...Ginger: Dried pungent root of a plant grown in the far eastern provinces. Cook's Note: In pickles, chutney, and preserves. Imported from elvish lands. Horseradish: Pungent perennial herb. Cook's Note: Horseradish sauce, or grated as a condiment. At least this herb now grows in my gardens and no longer do I have to pay the exorbitant prices of the dwarven venders.Licorice Root: The root of a woody bush with central flowers, imported from the island nations.Cook's Note: Sweet, useful in candies, a bit put in your mouth relieves thirst. Also useful for coughs and colds.Mace: The covering of the inner shell that holds nutmeg. Cook's Note: Whole in pickling or ground in baked goods. Only found at Gnorri's Wares. Owned and operated by Gnorri, a gnome merchant who refuses to name his source. Marjoram Leaves: This herb belonging to the mint family is potent in flavor. Cook's Note: Poultry stuffing, sausage, stews, sauces, soups, veal dishes, meat dishes, and potato dishes.Mint Leaves: Cool pungent flavored herb. Cook's Note: As a garnish, used in lamb dishes.Mustard Seed: Seed of the mustard plant. Cook's Note: Pickling, sauces, and gravies. Another dwarven specialty, hopefully the banquet will lower the prices, though Eric says the mustard planting project is doing well just not producing yet. Ground into a powder, mustard is a necessary ingredient for dishes containing cockatrice eggs.Nutmeg: From the nutmeg tree (I have no idea where it grows) this kernel of fruit is one of the oldest of known spices and also one of the most rare.Cook's Note: In cream soups, and sauces, and a wide variety of desserts. Only found at Gnorri's Wares, a merchant's shop in the central capitol. Eric has dispatched spies to follow him and learn his source. His prices are especially atrocious.Oregano Leaves: Wild marjoram. Cook's Note: In soups, sauces, meat stews, and in bean dishes.Paprika: A form of red pepper; the method of grinding determines the flavor.Cook's Note: For mild flavor and coloring of seafood, egg dishes, sauces, and salad dressings.Parsley: Fresh or dried. Cook's Note: To garnish or season stocks, soups, sauces, salads, egg, and potato dishes.Pepper (Black or White): Black pepper is the immature berries. White pepper is the mature berries with the hull removed. Cook's Note: Whole in stocks, and pickling. Ground in most other dishes. Black pepper is an important spice for meals containing griffon meat.Pimiento: Ripe fleshy fruit of a sweet red pepper plant. Cook's Note: Garnish for salads, soups, or entrees. Mild flavor for soups, salads, stews, and vinaigrettes.Poppy Seed: Very small seeds of the poppy plant. Cook's Note: In baking of breads, rolls, cakes, and cookies.Red Pepper: Whole, ground, or crushed hot red peppers. Cook's Note: A variety of uses where heat is desired; such as in sauces, soups, egg dishes, etc...Rosemary Leaves: Belonging to the mint family. Cook's Note: Stuffing, roasted dishes such as lamb, pork, beef, poultry, and wild game.Saffron: From a species of the purple crocus this is the dried stigma. Imported from the island nations.Cook's Note: For mild flavor and yellow coloring. Dishes using dragon eggs taste better with a bit of saffron added.Sage: A dried leaf of a shrub belonging to the mint family. Cook's Note: Strong in flavor. Used to season stuffing, pork, poultry, and veal dishes.Sesame Seed: Creamy white in color with the flavor of toasted almonds. Cook's Note: In baking such as rolls, and breads. I am still experimenting with the oil of these seeds. I am hopeful I will find something spectacular.Shallots: Fresh. A type of small onion. Cook's Note: Like garlic to flavor a variety of dishes. Great in vinaigrettes, and sauces.Tarragon Leaves: Aromatic leaves of a bitter flavor. Cook's Note: Egg, seafood, and poultry dishes.Thyme Leaves: A rich flavored herb. Fresh leaves or dried and ground.Cook's Note: Seafood chowders, sauces, stocks, and meat dishes.Turmeric: Mustard flavored, root plant of the ginger family. Cook's Note: In food coloring (egg shade), meat, and egg dishes. Dwarven spice, so, important banquet coming up; must impress them.</blockquote>

Verification