It's just as well Caramon's not here. Can you imagine the bellyaching we'd hear about missing a couple of meals?
No people within the multiverse are as determined and adaptable as the human race. Their thirst for knowledge, their penchant for adventure, and their indomitable spirit have rendered them a force to be reckoned with. Along with this assertive culture comes a hunger for adventure, technological advancement, and creative experimentation. It is often said that humanity is a melting pot of ideas, and the same is certainly true of its gastronomy. With such diverse people, it is difficult to define the similarities across each culture, except for perhaps this: the only constant is change; the only characteristic is variety.
A Broad Spectrum
Humans of the planet Toril alone boast nine major ethnic groups, with basic physical attributes such as height and skin tone varying greatly by region. In short, there is no typical human. Seemingly undaunted by climate and topography, human civilizations have thrived in all manner of environments, and with this diversity comes an eclectic array of culinary foodways. As by far the most common people throughout the multiverse, humans and their preferences tend to set the standard at taverns and other public eating establishments when it comes to portion size, flavor, and even the very design of the tables, seating, and flatware—most of which are made to accommodate human size, human hands, and human sensibilities (sorry, halflings!). While dining etiquette, presentation, and ingredients used can vary wildly across the mélange of human cultures, one general constant seems to be the speed at which humans eat: fast. Among the most short-lived within the multiverse, humans generally seem to be in a rush while dining, no doubt eager to get back to ambitious plans of adventuring, or cultivation. This haste carries over to all aspects of their food preparation as well. Elves and dwarves, with their longer lifespans, might marinate their foods for weeks and braise their meats for days, but "slow-cooking" for humans means just a few hours, with most preparations completed in under an hour. However, this hurried nature does have its advantages; most culinary innovations, whether of physical or magical means, occur under the direction of a human, often in search of new efficiencies in preparation, or new dishes to concoct from whatever local ingredients are available.
Among the youngest of cultures in the multiverse, humans in general are far less principled or traditional about their meals. Thus, their menus abound with variety in ingredients, preparation, and presentation. For example, humans of the coasts readily dine on trout, shrimp, squid, scallops, and mussels in a medley of soups, stews, and pastas, but it's not uncommon to also find the exact same ocean-sourced proteins grilled, beer-battered, baked, spit-roasted, pan-seared, smoked, sautéed, flambéed, or even served raw. Similarly, these meals can just as easily show up on the finest porcelain and silver platters of castles and palaces as they do on the tin and wooden dishware of taverns located throughout the various worlds.
Variety is the Spice of Life
Most current human civilizations evolved out of ancestral nomadic cultures, and even today, humans are among the most well-traveled, capable of finding purchase in all types of environments. Accordingly, humans are just as likely to be hunters or adventurers as they would be farmers or foragers, and they do not tend to be fickle eaters. Animal-based protein is traditionally the desired focus of main courses, with beef, pork, lamb, fish, or chicken comprising the list of staples. However, meat is costly to procure or raise, so grains, vegetables, and fruits make up the bulk of most human meals. Human palates are far more a function of local availability than of any innate predisposition toward tastes. Humans bring their bravado to food, with adventure frequently taking precedent over tradition and function. In metropolises such as Waterdeep or Greyhawk, affluent urban dwellers might even sample monster meats such as baked stirges, roast manticore, or wyvern steaks purely for boasting rights. All flavors find their favor when the human palate is concerned. So, do humans prefer spicy or sweet; sour or salty; bitter or briny? The answer: Yes.
Ingredients of Ambition
Barring magical means, food preservation is rudimentary and a common challenge for most of these transient people. Members of the higher classes have better means to keep ingredients fresh and thus more varied options for food preparation. Salted and dried meats, soups, stews, broths, and rations are stalwarts for the majority of human society. Most meals revolve around a protein, complemented with a starch of some sort, the usual being bread (wheat or rye) or rice, which is then paired with a local vegetable. Commoners will usually imbibe a form of beer, ale, or port, while the gentry generally favor whiskey or wine. Clean water is often a luxury, so alcohol serves as a safer beverage that also travels well.
Larger human-constructed cities are typically melting pots of cultures. Fragrant spices and far-off ingredients commonly populate bustling marketplaces, commanding premium prices. As a result, the human cupboard becomes that of the multiverse itself. With its strong agrarian roots, harvest is widely celebrated among human communities, with seasonal components providing a welcome source of change for these omnivores. Consequently, holidays such as Trolltide or Liars' Night on the famed Sword Coast or Yule Welcoming on Krynn are less religious in nature, serving to anchor the changing seasons and inform their respective menus.
Whether coastal or inland, on the trail or in the tavern, the recipes that follow are but a small sample of the diverse dishes, ingredients, and flavors that commonly show up on the human table.
Traveler's Stew
Nothing is more welcoming to the battered, trail-weary adventurer than the unmistakable scent of beef and ale wafting from a bubbling, flame-licked cauldron. Find a seat near the inn's blackened hearth and take a load off—warmth and safety are finally at hand. This earthy, slow-cooked concoction consisting of beef (or rothé), carrots, potatoes, and onions in a dark beer-infused broth is served in eating establishments everywhere, from the Green Dragon Inn and the Yawning Portal to Ellfate's Eatery and the Inn of the Last Home. Be warned traveler, it won't taste right without a wooden bowl and spoon.
Iron Rations
You won't last long anywhere in the multiverse without a few basic things: a trusty sword, a full waterskin, and some iron rations. Sometimes referred to as "journeyfood," this staple provides essential nourishment for adventurers of all sorts, from the trail-tested travelers of Ansalon to the dungeon-delving explorers of the Flanaess. While ingredients frequently vary depending on region, these rations tend to be lightweight, protein-packed, and preserved to last days or even weeks on the road, featuring ingredients such as cured meats, dried fruits, nuts, and cheeses with biscuits, crackers, or hardtack. Godspeed and good eating fair adventurer.
Sword Coast Seafood Bouillabaisse
You don't need to frequent Faerûnian ports such as Neverwinter, Waterdeep, or Baldur's Gate to enjoy this stewed ocean-meat medley. Served in taverns, in homesteads, and on seafaring vessels across countless realms, this eternally popular nautical dish consists of cod, or haddock, clams, and mussels simmered in a light fish and tomato stock with a licorice-flavored aperitif and a pinch of fennel. Some taverns even make theirs with an impressive serving of aldani—if they can manage to defeat one! A rouille—a nippy red pepper, garlic, and olive oil blend—helps complete the aromatic dish served year-round. The flavorful broth is also perfect for soaking toasted herb breads. Swashbucklers and sea rogues alike never turn down a ladleful.
Pan-Fried Knucklehead Trout
There isn't much to see and even less to eat in the frozen tundra that is Icewind Dale...unless you know where to look. North of the Spine of the World and hidden in the windswept shadow of Kelvin's Cairn, stand three freshwater lakes that support the ten villages that dot their shores—a region aptly known as Ten Towns. The lakes of Ten Towns are unremarkable, except for one feature: they are the only known location of the storied knucklehead trout. Named for their thick, knuckle-shaped skulls, these fish have become the region's most lucrative export, not for their culinary value but rather for the finely crafted scrimshaw that local artisans make with the ivory-like headbones. Merchants from Luskan and beyond pay top dollar for these curios, which have become all the rage throughout the cities of Faerûn. As a result, lakes of Ten Towns often run red with the blood of local fisherman competing for the day's catch. However, what's less known outside of the region is that these rare fish are as delicious as they are valuable, especially when pan-fried with shallots, lemon, salt, pepper, and paprika. If you can't source fresh knucklehead trout from the lakes of Ten Towns, don't dismay. Trout from Nyr Dyv near the City of Greyhawk or Crystalmir Lake close to Solace will suffice as substitutes.
Amphail Braised Beef
The Dessarin Valley region of Faerûn offers far more than fertile land and majestic sunsets (and wandering monsters). It's also home to some of the finest cattle farming in all Toril. This succulent, slow-cooked beef chuck roast, inspired by a popular regional recipe that originated with the Oglyntyr family in the village of Amphail, is prepared with cider, pear, and ginger—all of which help to activate the full flavor of the meat. The ginger offers the dish a pleasing warmth and an unexpected nuance, more than an overt gingery flavor, while the fermented hard pear cider provides a touch of residual sweetness, albeit dry and earthy. Don't fret, if you can't track down hard pear cider (sometimes called "perry"), then apple will do just fine! Roasted sweet potatoes or winter squash make a savory accompaniment and taste wonderful with a ladle or two of sweet au jus.
Hommlet Golden Brown Roasted Turkey with Sausage Stuffing and Drippings
What else makes the mouth water but a plump bird roasting on a spit above an open hearth? One particular style of this dish was made famous in the Village of Hommlet, on the far side of Nyr Dyv from the City of Greyhawk, where geese are plentiful in the warmer months and turkeys abundant in the winter. This turkey is served with a chunky gravy made from the bird's juices and brimming with bacon. The sausage stuffing comprises a pan-fried spicy ground pork, seasoned white-bread croutons, finely chopped onions, and small chunks of celery all folded into warm broth. A whole bird can be had in Hommlet for a gold piece, but too much turkey can hit you like a well-timed sleep spell, so it's better to stick to the legs.
Gurdats
If you love mushrooms and cheese, then this is the dish for you! Gurdats are a cheap and filling side dish prevalent on many a Sword Coast tavern menu. Some of the best examples of this appetizer "in the wild" are found at A Pair of Black Antlers in Elturel, which doesn't shy away from the cheese, or at The Seven-Stringed Harp in Secomber, where the chef goes heavy on the pepper-spice without overpowering the earthy fungal flavors. The version presented below is a classic interpretation of this traveler staple.
Hand Pies
These palm-size pastries are as near a tavern staple as you can get. From town to town, you can find them stuffed with an astonishing variety of ingredients, ranging from venison or minced chicken to beef, minted lamb, or peacock (though usually just with leftovers from the meal before). Hand pies take on many forms and flavors and travel particularly well, making them adventurer-friendly fare. The variety presented below, made famous at Cuttle's Meat Pies located in Waterdeep's Trades Ward, is flavored with bacon and leeks and is extremely popular across the Heartlands, the Dales, and even the Savage Coast north of Faerûn, where hungry adventurers simply can't get enough of them.
Dark Molasses Nutbread
From Silverymoon to Sharn, variations on this classic loaf (sometimes referred to as Amn Blackbread) are plentiful, but most agree that this baked treat is at its best when crafted from the sweetest, strongest molasses in Amn. Traditionally served by the slice, it is slathered with whipped, salted butter—on both sides for the brave! This dense and delicious bread, which accompanies many a main course at inns across the land, is often filling enough to be a meal by itself.
Trolltide Candied Apples
Troll or treat! Held on the first day of every Kythorn, the Trolltide holiday commemorates the City of Waterdeep's victory during the Second Trollwar. Dressed as the pesky troll invaders, children scamper from door to door demanding tasty tributes, such as candies, fruits, and salted meat sticks. Shoppes and homes that come up short are sure to face the consequences at sundown: mischievous pranks that range from late-night troll scratchings at the door to far more insidious missile attacks that involve raw eggs on unprotected entryways, windows, and signs. These delicious candied apples, often carved with silly or spooky troll faces, serve as the perfect ransom to ward off ill-tempered trolls, ensuring peaceful Trolltide evenings for well-prepared Waterdhavians.
Vedbread
Popularized in Khorvaire's frigid northeastern nation of Karrnath, this savory dinner bread has staved off numerous famines and sometimes served as an all-in-one ration for the country's living soldiers (don't ask what the non-living soldiers eat). Traditionally prepared with sharp, "ved" cheese and presented with onion butter, these crusty buns are best served warm, but can sometimes last for days on the shelf without the use of magical means or preservatives. Unsurprisingly, this tasty staple has migrated to many different worlds, each adding its own local flourish and embracing it as their own. This particular recipe comes from Lorren's Bakery in Faerûn's Village of Red Larch, and features mushrooms and cheese from local, outlying farms. Pair it with some drippings and skewered capons or golden brown roasted turkey from Drouth's Fine Poultry nearby, and you've got yourself a meal.
Otik's Skillet-Fried Spiced Potatoes
This famous side dish, comprising chopped potatoes, served spiced and fried, is derived from the personal recipe of Otik Sandath, proprietor and chef of the Inn of the Last Home, located in a remote Krynn city called Solace in Ansalon. Otik's personal blend of garlic, paprika, pepper, cayenne, and a sizeable scoop of local salted butter is often emulated but tough to beat; however, the recipe featured below is widely thought to be the closest that one can come to the feeling of sitting atop the famed vallenwood tree tavern with one of his homebrewed dark ales in hand. These potatoes pair well with any braised meats on the menu or with eggs as a day starter.
Yawning Portal Buttermilk Biscuits
These unassuming buttermilk biscuits will melt in your mouth. Rumor has it that the esteemed Lady Alustriel Silverhand provided the Yawning Portal's famed former-adventurer-turned-proprietor, Durnan, with her very own recipe for these savory, flaky cakes, now served by the basket "round the clock." While the inn's undisputed main attraction is the cavernous portal that descends straight into deadly Undermountain dungeon, these famed biscuits are a close second. Whether slathered with a softened rose-apple butter spread or graced with elderberry preserves or brackleberry jam, you can't go wrong with this irresistible quick and easy human staple. And now you can make them in the warm confines of your own humble abode with this coveted recipe. Weary travelers (and excessive drinkers) take note: it is claimed that nothing helps shake off fatigue or an ale-induced hangover quite like one of Durnan's made-to-order morningfeast biscuit sandwiches, composed of easy poached or scrambled eggs and your choice of freshly fried thick-cut ham or pork roll.
Kara-Tur Noodles
Few nations on the planet Toril are as powerful or influential as the human empire of Shou Lung, found in the vast region of Kara-Tur. While this region boasts distinct religions and a proud culture, it also possesses an equally strong culinary tradition. Although there is sparse interaction or conflict between the city-states of the Sword Coast and Kara-Tur, many of its tea leaves, such as Pale Jade, Fim Fim, Dragon's Eye, and Long Jing, are imported in significant quantities by Faerûnian traders, and certain dishes, including various noodles, have made the long migration west as well. While you won't find this stir-fried entrée on just any tavern menu, it has found its way into the more modern eateries of cultural epicenters such as Waterdeep. A heaping bowl of noodles flash-cooked in a deep, oil-drizzled skillet along with chunks of chicken, vegetables, and a salty soy sauce or garum (a fish-based sauce) has become a popular change of pace from the traditional roasts and soups of the Sword Coast.
Sembian Honey-Glazed Rothé Ribs
Whether you choose beef, pork, or rothé ribs, you can't go wrong with this delightful recipe. Multiple layers of a syrupy, honey-based glaze (the preferred varietal of honey is that of the Faerûnian nation-state of Sembia) are copiously slathered on large racks of ribs, before being delicately roasted over an open flame for careful charring. When prepared properly, this slow-cooked sweet meat falls off the bone easier than the head off an unarmed kobold!
Reghed Venison Pot Roast
The frozen and unforgiving tundra of Faerûn's North are tested by a brave few and tamed by nearly none. However, the Reghed barbarians, a collection of hardy and superstitious totem-based nomadic tribes, wander the lands with comparable ease, harnessing its sparse potential for the benefit of their relatively small clans. To endure the arduous cold of Icewind Dale, the Reghed and other similar groups, such as the Uthgardt of Northern Faerûn, must maximize time and energy to thrive. Communal meals at winter camps (constructed seasonally to survive the exceptionally long winter) are as central to their dignified warrior culture as their deep religious traditions. Venison (the meat of antelope, deer, or elk) is the most readily available, and thus coveted, finding various uses for these resourceful nomads, but beef or rothé is completely acceptable in other realms. One ceremonial dish (to which the Reghed stake proud claim) that marks the beginning of the long winter is pot roast. A tender flank of beast, chunks of dried apricots, halved gold potatoes, and branches of seasonal herbs intermingle with the natural wild meat juices to make this an especially aromatic and practical single-course meal.
Castle Amber Onion Soup
A rich and hearty soup can be made by following the old recipe of the mysterious d'Amberville family, rogue sorcerers and interdimensional travelers famous for their elaborate banquets. By tradition, the first course would be this onion soup served with peppered croutons and melted Gruyère cheese, usually paired with a mellow amber wine. While most believe the d'Amberville bloodline to be extinct, it is rumored that on certain nights their spirits return to their ancestral manse, where they will fête adventurers brave enough to dine with the dead. Those who partake of the original dish, fortified with its creator's magic, are said to emerge with heightened resilience!
Tavern "Steak"
Quick to prepare and highly flavorful, these juicy patties are made of mixed ground meats (both pork and beef or beef and lamb are popular combinations) kneaded together and are chock-full of rich seasonings. Tavern "steaks," as many refer to them, are grilled upon an open flame to help seal in the savory flavors. Often served sans bun with a variety of mild spreads, including fresh creamed dill-yogurt sauce, crushed tomatoes, or a black olive and fig sauce, tavern steaks are a fast dinner option for the hurried tavern hopper.
Gingerbread Man
A traditional treat served in the waning light of the month of Sunsebb in Greyhawk, this style of gingerbread man memorializes a legend about the ancient ruins of Castle Greyhawk. There, it is said, all sorts of confections could come to life and harry adventurers, including a fearsome cookie whose description inspired this recipe. The arms and legs of the gingerbread man are ringed with icing, but the body is covered in a protective armor of chopped nuts and raisins. Skewering the plumpest raisin could slay the fiend instantly—so a fat raisin is usually reserved for the cookie's mouth. It is customary for children to pluck and eat that one first, to make sure the cookie doesn't come alive!