TEXT - UID: dakkisigal | Shortly Before Departing to Amegahara

[castcure]

Hello everyone,

I've found that I've had more time to spend working on the culinary arts, as of late, and this has given me the chance to use many ingredients that are new and unfamiliar to me... or at least oddly named. I'm looking for some advice in regards to the following fruit:

[Attached is a picture of an avocado.]

What would you call this? Where I'm from, I've always known it as an alligator pear. I've only ever seen it used for a particular sort of salad... or simply eaten on bread. Is there anything else to be done with it?

Also, since the subject is somewhat related, why would the people here call a rolanberry a strawberry, of all things?

I look forward to your responses!

-Dakki Sigal

Comments

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[sifukatara]

[From the outside that... looks, suspiciously like a darker papaya. The mention of "Alligator pear" catches her attention, though, as does the conundrum over berries.]

You'll get used to it eventually. In my past experiences different worlds usually have pretty strange names for things. I can't tell you how many times I've had to explain turtleducks.

[Yes, she is well aware that may very well raise the question of "What IS a turtleduck??" again. Too bad her grin can't be conveyed over text.]

But about that fruit, it looks similar to something we have on my world called "papaya", but the seed is all wrong. What kind of consistency or texture does the meat have?

[castcure]

I'm adjusting, that's true. It's hard not to be curious about the differences, though! It's interesting to find the same thing, but see that it has a different name.

Is a turtleduck both a turtle and a duck? That seems straightforward enough.

[...papaya? Now she's suddenly having visions of painted eggs and frolicking spriggans...]

I'm not sure what a papaya is... the fruit's flesh is soft, when it's properly ripe. It's very rich and fatty, and sort of savory. Some Gridanians also call it "shroud butter", if that makes the texture clearer? What's a papaya supposed to be like?

[sifukatara]

I agree. I think that's been my favorite thing about ending up stuck on these other worlds is getting to learn about them and the places people come from.

And yes, that's exactly right! At least from what I've been told. I have some pictures if you'd like to see?

[She gives it a bit of thought, if she thinks back hard enough she kind of remembers seeing some avacado dishes around Ourana.... maybe.]

Well... honestly I don't personally care for papaya, but it sounds like the texture might be a little similar. Butter is probably a great use for it. You could probably compliment the flavors to taste? Maybe instead of just a spread you could use it in a layered dish? I'll admit I'm really curious now.

[castcure]

Other worlds? Then this isn't the first one you've found yourself brought to, as well?

If you have pictures, I would be very happy to see them!

Perhaps slicing it and putting it on a sandwich...? When it's less ripe, it's firmer... though much less pleasant to eat.

[unhappy]

That's an avocado. Look up guacamole. :d

[ This is weirdly not the.. first conversation she's had with someone about avocado...

Why are so many people confused about avocados?? ]

[castcure]

[Squishy, savory fruit is perhaps inherently perplexing?]

Avocado? I see.

[And there is a slight delay while she does just that. What results she receives!]

Guacamole sounds as though it would be good! Lots of sharper flavors, held together by the softer fruit. Have you had it before?

[unhappy]

Yeah, it's easy to make. I only started learning to cook in the last couple years so I'm no expert, but it helps liven up a lot of bland dishes.

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[dereban]

Avocado. Yeah, it's also known as like an 'alligator pear' or a 'butter fruit'. Guacamole is the most common thing to be used for it, but you can have them in soups, too as well as sushi.

[castcure]

[Some of those, she's had the chance to go over... but not all of them. Her curiosity is certainly piqued.

In sushi? I wouldn't have expected that! I'm more familiar with it involving fish. It's an eastern dish, where I'm from, and I know they're not a native plant there.

[dereban]

Yeah. Most sushi involves fish, or shrimp after all.

un: otacon

[codecmoment]

That's an avocado! It's the fruit of a tree originally from Mexico. "Alligator pear" is another word used for it on Earth, but it's not nearly as common as "avocado." It has a higher fat content than most other fruit, so it's an important staple in the diet of people who have limited access to other fatty foods. It's used as oils for cooking and on salads, and used in a lot of vegetarian and vegan diets to substitute meats. The most popular use for avocados is guacamole, a dip that also originated from Mexico.

[castcure]

Thank you so much! That's very interesting! I know that Gridanians are mostly vegetarians and very fond of it, and it grows in the southern part of the forest that Gridania is in, but I did once hear that it's not a native plant.

I will definitely be trying to make guacamole. Have you had it before? Do you have any other advice about it?

[This person must be some sort of culinary expert, after all.]

[codecmoment]

I've had it before! It's soft and nice on certain types of food. I have no other advice, since I'm not... a cook.

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[hunksmash]

Oh! "Alligator pear" is so cute! But nah that's an avocado, like the other folks said. Somebody's already mentioned guac, too... Avocados are really versatile, though! I like just eating them with balsamic vinegar or soy sauce.

It's got a mild flavor and a great texture, so it blends well with other things. It can become a condiment, a dressing... You can use it in baking in place of, like, shortening or butter or eggs... They make rad brownies!

[castcure]

The skin is bumpy like an alligator's, so I imagine that's where the name came from?

I hadn't thought to bake with them! Though that makes a certain sort of sense. Some Gridanians call it 'shroud butter'. I suppose baking isn't my strong suit, though. What are brownies, if you don't mind me asking?

[hunksmash]

Kinda like cake, but more dense. I guess they're like if cake and cookies had a baby. Mostly, they're chocolate, too, but there's variations.

It's just occurred to me that the question means you haven't had brownies. That's a huge shame. You should try 'em!

( text )

[infiltrar]

one, i don't want to admit it but alligator pear is probably the cutest damn name you could ever give an avocado, so i'll have to remember that one

two, if you want to know what you can do with avocados then boy there isn't enough time in a day and night cycle to tell you how many ways you can eat them. then again that's typical of hispanic cuisine. we find something we dig? time to put it in everything

we even one-upped ourselves by getting rid of utensils and just using food to eat food. tortillas, man. it's like magic

[castcure]

I'm glad to know that there are so many things to do with them! I have quite a few to use up. A friend turned up a small basket worth, and said they'd been on sale. Now that I have a proper name for them, I'm sure I'll be able to find some recipes.

Though I don't suppose you'd be able to tell me what a tortilla is?

[infiltrar]

ok abrochate el cinturon because this is going to blow your mind

sometimes you've got certain kinds of food that are just so good you got to eat with your hands. forks? spoons? forget that. but that's messy, and if you're not prepared and you don't have a napkin or towel around you're kind of screwed, all you got is your pants or your nice blusa that are ready for nasty stain central

introducing the revolutionary eating utensil that, listen to this

you can eat also

welcome to tortillas



think of it like bread, but flat. and like a hundred times better. beans? eat it with a tortilla. soup? eat it with a tortilla. carne asada (basically grilled beef, like a steak)? damn right you better eat that with a tortilla! salsa? cut it up in triangles and toast those tortilla triangles now BAM you got chips. want bigger chips? toast it whole BAM you got a tostada. they're made of flour, either corn or wheat. granted there's other kinds too like blue corn which is probably really weird to look at for a stranger since it's like que chingado es eso that bread is BLACK but trust me its safe

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[bratworth]

In my culture, it is also known as an avocado.

As for what can be done with it ... 'avocado toast' was a dish gaining popularity back home.

[castcure]

Is it, now? How is it prepared?

In Gridania, it's often simply spread on bread, toasted or not. Is there more to it?

[bratworth]

There is usually lemon, herbs and spices involved. They are mixed together before being spread on the bread. Sometimes, people may elect to add vegetables.

text; un;sharax

[soulburningfights]

Call it alligator pear, it saves the trouble.

Rolanberry strawberry? Important question! Does it taste just as any rolanberry?

[castcure]

But if I don't know the name of it here, I can't find recipes for it! The device wants me to use exact words.

It tastes the same. Strawberry doesn't sound very appetizing, though.

You like rolanberries, do you? 🍓

[soulburningfights]

Bugger. I suppose, their land and law.

Better than strawberries.

Lowland grapes are my personal favorite.