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

text;

[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.

[sifukatara]

No, the third, if I'm honest. The same beings were responsible the first two times, though. It's a long story.

[Attached to this message is a picture of a friend's turtleduck taken from a camera not that different from a modern phone.]

Hmm... there must be a way to make it taste better. Maybe pickling it, or marinating it, or soaking it in some type of brine?

[castcure]

That's alright. I have some long stories of my own. Maybe we could talk them over sometime over lunch?

[This person already sounds pleasant. And oh, there's the image...]

Oh! It's so adorable!

[And now she sort of wants one. For a fleeting moment, before reason kicks in and she realizes she'd have no way to care for the creature. Alas. Back to matters of produce.]

Well, I've seen it tossed in a dressing made of vinegar, as part of a salad... I didn't care much for it that way, though.

[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.

[castcure]

More of an expert on this particular food than I am! I know a fair bit, but I think I'm limited by having mostly studied in one city. I know that they didn't teach how to prepare some of the Ul'dahn dishes I grew up eating and cooking.

[unhappy]

I'm really good at grilling and tofu (someone I know is obsessed so I get a lot of practice). What kind of dishes do they have in Ul'dahn?

[sifukatara]

That sounds great! Maybe we could experiment together a little with the avacado, and make our own lunch?

They are, aren't they? [Which just made the fact that this particular turtleduck belonged to Zuko that much more hilarious.]

[castcure]

Ul'dah's the name of the city, actually. There are a lot of very fancy simmered meat dishes, and very complicated pastries that the rich eat, but the common fare is very focused around popotoes and lentils.

[Oh hey, more funny food words.]

So I grew up cooking a lot of vegetable curries, and learning how to make proper flatbread. Oh, and then there are ground meat dishes, too... a meatball or a loaf is more appetizing than being able to recognize whatever scrambling animal the meat actually came from, after all.

[castcure]

That's a lovely idea! Although it might have to wait until after the mission to Amegahara... I'm set to head out with everyone else. Will you be staying or going?

I would love to have so adorable a pet! But I'd want to be sure I could take proper care of it, first.

[sifukatara]

I hope it goes well. I considered going along, but... I don't think I could handle having to "pilot" one of those metal suits so I've decided to stay behind this time around.

But you may be surprised! They don't really need a lot of upkeep. A good friend of mine took care of this one, and he didn't even know how to cook for himself. Just keep them fed and have somewhere they have plenty of room to swim. We had a pond on the grounds where we lived when my friend had this little guy. Oh, but he did follow him around everywhere.

[castcure]

It's certainly not for everyone. It'll be a challenge, but I think that I'm up for it. I'm only disappointed that so many of my friends are staying behind. But at least I know the city will be safe in our absence.

The pond might be the sticking point... I'm in one of the little apartments on the second level. There's nowhere like that near enough, sadly. It's the same reason I haven't tried to bring my chocobo here. I certainly couldn't keep him in my apartment, and there are no stables!

text;

[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.

[sifukatara]

I think between your friends, the Knights, and the rest of us we can probably manage to keep things from falling apart. I promise, no burning buildings when you get back.

Does the apartment have a rooftop garden? If it does, I can help you out with- wait, did you just say your chocobo? You have chocobos on your world??

[OH BOY. Maybe a friend of Cloud's??]

[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.

[castcure]

I'll hold you to that promise!

[Oh dear, did that come across as more serious-sounding than she intended? She hopes not...]

It has a rooftop, yes, but no garden. I've seen buildings that offer that! But I wouldn't be able to afford a place like that right now.

I do! They're not common on yours, are they? I think I recall someone from a different world than mine having gotten himself a chocobo from his home, somehow, come to think of it.... but I don't know how that ended up working out, in the end.

[dereban]

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

[castcure]

True enough. Though isn't a shrimp sort of a fish...?

This is suddenly making me want to have sushi again. It's been so long!

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.