Some commonly used words are after the list of characters. Replace th on end of words with ness and t with d or ed and most of the rest are obvious if sounded out aloud. Some words with n or en on the end can be easily understood if the n is replaced by a d. Only difficult words and words that do not exist in English are now referred to specifically at the end of the chapter. Appendix 1 Folk words and language usage, Appendix 2 Castle places, food, animals, plants and minerals, Appendix 3 a lexicon of Folk and Appendix 4 an explanation of the Folk calendar, time, weights and measures. All follow the story chapters.
21st of Luval Day 260
At the difficult end of the scale in terms of quantity was tripe. Iola was skimming stock when Dabchick came into her kitchens and asked, “What can you do with tripe, Iola?” Dabchick looked hopeful after asking the question.
Iola laught and replied, “You should already know the answer to that, Dabchick, since the only tripe I’ve ever had aught to do with was from you. Those stufft, smokt pieces we chopt into the Storekeepers’ Smoking Stovie are my entire experience. All the rest you’ve dealt with by putting it into the meatballs, sausage, sayal(1) and mince. Why?”
“The butchers have just delivert three aurochs. There must be two hundred may hap two hundred and twenty weights of tripe. We’ve never come to any major decisions regards tripe, and though we’ve managt to use all that has been delivert since you taekt over the soup makers this is overwhelming. The mince won’t take enough to help. We could use it in meatballs, but that would give you another fiveteen hundred weights of meatballs at least, and we already have three times that in store, and we’d still have other things we have to use to make them with. We could preserve it, but we suspect it would be taking space for a long time because we already have twice that much that prepaert for the cooks, and they don’t use it oft, or much of it when they do. The options are make meat balls with it, preserve it, or the dogs, none of which is satisfactory since Gage says he is receiving enough dog food for the foreseeable future without it. We’ll preserve it if you say so, but we don’t wish to, for the work will probably be wastet. If it’s going to be dog food we’d rather it was decidet now rather than in a year, even if we have to freeze it till Gage requires it. So as I askt, the question is what can you do with it, or what do you wish us to do with it?” It was a measure of Iola’s success at allowing naught to go to waste that could feed the Folk that Dabchick, the Mistress provisioner, was prepared to abide by Iola’s decision.
Dabchick looked ill at ease, and Iola understanding she felt she was in a difficult position, taekt her time before replying. “I won’t see it wastet, Dabchick, if needs must we can make meat balls with it and I’ll find another soup to use them in. Perchance I need to be thinking of another substantial soup to manage this kind of situation, or better, see Fulbert regards making a sauce to serve with meatballs and noodles or possibly white wheat.(2) But whilst times, I could produce an accompaniment to a thin fish broth using may hap four parts small meatballs with one part of tripe cut into squares a wiedth across all cookt in a sweet sticky sauce with yellow sour juice addet. Sweet and sour Meatballs with vegetables addet could be a main meal for Eudes if servt with white wheat or may hap noodles. I’ll have spaech with him. But as for what I can do to use a significant quantity let’s start from what we know. I can use smokt stufft tripe in a gourd soup when I’ve some salty fatty meat to go with it. What was the tripe stufft with?”
“There would have been crumbt stale bread, sage or thyme or possibly even rosemary, probably onion with garlic or leek tops, and I remember it had large beast kidneys in it, but I don’t know which large beast, some throat tube meat, chopt lungs and what ever trimmings we had to hand too. Since I doet it there would have been extra fat, salt and something mildly hot to flavour it too, but I don’t remember what now.”
“Right. That’s all we need to know to use it. We don’t need to go to the trouble of stuffing it. Just gather the stuffing materials. Can you smoke it like the other pieces?”
Dabchick was looking much happier now, “Yes. We wash tripe and simmer it in several changes of seawater to clean it and at each step remove any undesirable material. Since you’ve authoriest us to send the waste to the dogs and the composters as we will it’s all dealt with quite quickly. It can be smokt with aught after cleaning as it has no odour by then. Can we cut it into convenient to handle pieces, Iola? Because it is much easier to clean in smaller pieces.”
“As small as you like because I’ll have it chopt fine in the end. You collect the stuffing materials in the appropriate quantity, and at least twice the weighth of the tripe in fatty, saltt meat, but it doesn’t have to be all the same, and if you wish to use something strong tasting include some. Put extra fat to any lean meat you wish uest. I’ll cook some mixt roots including some sweetroot(3) and a bit of pinkstem(4) to mush, all of which Coaltit will be glad to see uest, and that’ll do for the gourd. That should do it. When will the tripe be ready for me?”
“It will be two days acleaning and acooking before we can smoke it. A tenner in the smoke will give you a deepth of taste similar to the other pieces. A tenner and a half and I’ll have everything ready. Is that all right?”
“Yes. What will all that have a weighth of?”
“The tripe will be down to between a hundred and fifty and a hundred and eighty weights after cleaning, salting and smoking. The same of stuffings and however much fatty saltt meat you wish. Would you like us to mince it all together for you, to save your crafters chopping it?”
“Yes please, and berount three hundred and fifty weights of meat and fat will do, I’ll leave it to you to use what you will. Don’t worry regards the salt, we’ll adjust that at the end. So that’s somewhere near seven hundred weights. I’ll probably need eighteen hundred weights of the vegetables, which will make Coaltit happy as she can add at least a hundred and fifty of what ever she wishes most to have uest, fruit or vegetable. Two and a half thousand weights will make over four thousand gallons of soup, say four and and a half thousand, which is fiveteen full two day batches, which will take a while to be uest, so after you mince it, mix it and divide it into fiveteen portions, fourteen of them will have to go into your freeze chambers. I’d like to prepare the roots for all fiveteen batches at the same time and put fourteen of them in the freeze chambers with the tripe mix. Are you happy with that, Dabchick?”
Dabchick, like many others, was always impressed by Iola’s ability to calculate quantities almost instantly, and she replied, “Very.” It was all done as discussed and Storekeepers’ Smoking Stovie was back on the menu.
22nd of Luval Day 261
Iola was taking leaf with Dabchick discussing their mutual pressing wants when the barrels were delivered. “What’s in the barrels, Dabchick?”
“Seawater. Tripe uses a lot in its preparation, so we’ve used a lot recently and need more, but we use it for all sorts of other things too. Burnet and his crafters deliver it. Why?”
“I just wondert.” There was a nagging thought at the back of her mind that Iola couldn’t identify and she kept thinking of the huge forty gallon barrels and the effort it had taken to manœuvre them. It was a few days before her thoughts finally coalesced into an idea she could envisage. Iola not only managed her office’s cooking closely, she and Adela kept a close watch on the office’s finances, which included estimates of their savings, not just savings to the soup kitchens but to the kitchens as a whole. Salt was an expensive commodity, it taekt time to produce in the calt climate of Castle, and though her office didn’t use as much of it as Dabchick’s it was a major expense to the soup makers. It beseemt her that though to add a small quantity of salt rather than a lager quantity of brine to a soup at the end of cooking to adjust the seasoning may be sensible it was flaught to add a large quantity of salt to the water at the beginning of cooking when seawater, which was virtually free and Burnet said was three and a half parts per hundred salt, would be just as acceptable. She knew she could easily calculate how much sea water and how much fresh to use to achieve any desired salt content. However she didn’t wish to have any crafters, certainly not any of hers, wasting their time handling barrels when it could far more easily be delivered via a pipe. Sippet didn’t even blink at her request for piped seawater.
“We maintain numerous large stone tanks of it all over the Keep for various purposes, Iola, mostly for the ingeniators’ use in case of fire. We can easily empty and clean a nearby one and repump it full again with fresh seawater. We’ll put the water through filters so the water will be suitable for cooking with. Burnet’s barrelt sea water is thus filtert. After that it will remain full till you will the tank and filters cleant. It will take may hap two or three days. I’ll have some apprentices start nextday. It may be best to use two then when one is being cleant, I suggest once a year, brine is still available from the other. I can provide you with any number of smaller outlets and some flexible pipe such that you can fill any kettle you desire by turning a spigot.”
“That seems sensible and convenient too. Gratitude, Sippet. Will you also provide Dabchick and Coaltit with a supply too?”
“Certainly. It will be little extra effort for we’ll take their supplies off your main supply pipe. Bethink you many others would wish a supply?”
“I don’t know. Why?”
“I’m just trying to decide how big a main supply pipe we shall need and exactly where to run it. May hap it’s best to assume all will eventually wish a supply and use a full span pipe running centrally across the entire kitchens. Then there will never be a need to replace the pipe with a larger one and extra connections can be maekt with minimal effort and cost. I know it doesn’t make sense when you first consider it, but a pipe four times as wide is capable of delivering sixteen times the water and only costs twice as much to make and the same to install. So if that’s acceptable that’s what we’ll do.”
Iola smiled and said, “I’m a cook, Sippet. I’m certainly not going to tell you how to perform your craft. You do as you consider best, and leave me the worry of my office’s costs and how to make soup.”
Sippet, relieved that there had been no antagonism from Iola as a result of his previous reluctance to supply her hot water without Milligan’s authorisation, which Milligan had not given him, smiled and left.
Dabchick was amazed when Iola telt her of it. “What will it cost, Iola?”
“I’ve no idea, but it will cut down my salt costs and pay for itself within the year I imagine. Your supply will be little extra and though it may not decrease your salt costs by much it will eliminate your barrel delivery costs and you’ll never have to await delivery. Your only immediate cost will be for an air pump to concentrate seawater for making salt gris(5) and the like. If you tell me how much salt you will for any particular purpose I can tell you how much water the pump has to remove from a full barrel. I’ll explain how to work it out for yourself if you like.”
Coaltit, whose crafters used moderate quantities of brine to produce ocean pickles,(6) already had an air pump. Her seawater had been delivered in barrels and Burnet managed its concentration in the barrels for her. Now once emptied the barrels were simply refilled from the supply and the dangers of moving the heavy barrels had been eliminated. Coaltit had said, “My gratitude, Iola, for it always taekt days to have a new supply of seawater delivert, then there was the delay whilst it concentrated. Oft what we wisht to pickle had to be uest straightforth or given to the hens, for it would have spoilt before the brine was ready. Now there will constantly be some ready, some concentrating and some awaiting the pump.”
Storekeepers Smoking Stovie was good soup, and it had given Iola much to consider in terms of using difficult materials. As a result of her thoughts she went to see Fulbert and explained her problem, “I need something that is able to use a lot of meatballs containing a small quantity of tripe as a main meal and I wondert if you could help, Fulbert. For the idea to work the dish has to be popular. I was thinking of meatballs in a herbt vegetable sauce servt with a staple, but if you have a better idea I should be happy for you to use it.”
Fulbert said, “We cook masht starchroot(7) and a green vegetable when Eudes’ cooks cook meatballs in gravy. The meatballs have always been maekt specially for the meal, but now Dabchick is making them for you, near enough every day I understand, Eudes should be able to help you use meatballs too because his meal is popular. But of your idea of serving them in sauce, have you aught in mind we could cook? Something whence you came may hap?”
“I know of a number of receipts that should work, all are somewhat similar and involve onions, garlic, a mix of herbs, loveapples,(8) oft bellfruit(9) and mushrooms, stock and seasoning, and are servt with noodles or white wheat, though starchroot could be uest. Best not starchroot though if that’s what’s servt with Eudes’ meatballs. The sauce is baest on poundet loveapples and the onion and garlic softent in something callt olive oil which we have replacet with dairy oil, a seed oil and clarifyt butter blend that my crafters and the dairy crafters make. The dish was servt with a gratet, hard, pungent cheese sprinkelt on top.”
Fulbert thought for a while and asked, “What are the things that really matter to the character of the dish, Iola?”
“Poundet, ripe, red loveapples aplenty reducet to thicken the sauce, though I suppose a thickener could be uest, but reduction would be better. Some texture left in the onions for bite and the herbs. A lot of receipts uest mincet meat rather than making meatballs, but meatballs give a better appearance, for they give the dish substance rather than just being a sauce which is all mince provides. Traditionally, a selection from marjoram, oregano, thyme, basil, parsley, sage and bay as well as what ever else was available were uest. I findt a receipt once that had a small amount of lavender flowers and mint in it, but were I cooking it I’d use flour and possibly egg as binder for the meatballs and ask Spoonbill for help with the herbs.”
Fulbert nodded and remarked, “So shall I. What would be your choice of staple? I mean what would you enjoy most to eat it with?”
“Long round thin noodles, they were callt spaghetti, and the best were a stride long.”
“A stride long‽ How do you eat them? And how thin is thin?”
Iola explained the technique of twirling them berount a fork with its end placed in a spoon. “Between a fifth and a tenth of a wiedth would be acceptable.”
Fulbert was shaking with laughter. “That should cause no end of entertainment. I’m already looking forward to seeing what folk make of the noodles, but I may try it in private first, probably wearing a large bib. Stride long, round, thin noodles it is then. The bakers are are going to really enjoy the results of making those. What do we call it and how soon can I do it? And how big should the meatballs be?”
“The meatballs could be from two to three wiedths across, but you could make them larger or smaller just for a change. If you tell Dabchick what weighth of meatballs you wish, she’ll be able to provide them immediately at two and a half wiedths, either fresh or freezen, but you may have to wait a day for freezen ones to thaw before you could use them. The only naemt version I can remember like it would be Spaghetti Bolognese. The noodles were callt spaghetti and the sauce was callt bolognese because it originatet in a place yclept Bologna.”
“What would you do for the cheese?”
“I’d accept the strongest flavourt cheese firm enough to grate I could find, and not worry regards the hardth for the cheese softens with the heat from the dish any hap.”
“I’ll meet with Dabchick and Spoonbill, and Coriander regards the noodles. I’ll have spaech with Fennel regards the cheese. We’re kin.” Fulbert smiled, “I would appreciate it if you wrieten the receipt, along with suggestet variations, for me and telt the kitcheners how the name is spelt so they can write it properly on the menu boards. How oft bethink you it should be cookt to assist the provisioners?”
“Dabchick would be better able to tell you, but I imagine once a tenner would be helpful.”
“Is there aught else I could use the meatballs with?”
“I’m not sure, but there is a dish callt Spaghetti Carbonara which uest salt gris and cheese in the sauce. I suppose meatballs could replace the salt gris. I know it had cheese, egg, butter, garlic and seasoning in the sauce, but I have no idea of quantities. I would imagine it would be best with small meatballs, may hap a wiedth across, and you would have to experiment with quantities and how much sauce the spaghetti would need. The major taste came from the cheese and the meat so I suppose you would need a strong cheese. I have no idea what carbonara means. My sorrow Fulbert, but you’ll have to try it and see, but may hap it’s not worth it, for I have telt you little. If I can call to mind any more I’ll tell you of it.”
“No, Iola, you have telt me a lot. I’ll have one of my crafters try it, but I’ll ask Dabchick to make the small meatballs for it from a mincet mix of salt gris and tripe. We know how to prepare sauces based on eggs and butter, so with some cheese with bite, garlic and seasoning the dish should even on the first attempt be acceptable. Gratitude. If you’ll write down how to spell it for the kitcheners we’ll have it on the menu within the tenner.”
The pair parted, Iola happy the tripe situation had another partial solution, and Fulbert happy he had another couple of interesting meals to present. That it involved meat cookt by his crafters would once have been a source of acrimony with the meat cooks, but Iola’s influence, resulting in Eudes’ willingth to coöperate, meant that was a thing of the past, but he would inform Eudes as a matter of courtesy, as Eudes had informed him over the onions in the liver and onions.
“That is going to mean your crafters will be sore presst awhile, Fulbert. I am willing to assist by having my crafters aid with some of the cooking of both dishes, as yours helpt me, if you will? May hap we should do each in turn, you cook the meatballs in sauce with noodles, then the salt gris cheese dish and then I cook the meatballs in gravy with masht starchroots and greens, perchance at half tenner intervals? That way we use as much tripe in meatballs as we can, but we present as much variety as possible.” Fulbert contained his surprise at Eudes’ offer of help, but gratefully accepted it because what Eudes had said regards his crafters being presst was true. The arrangements were maekt, and it was subsequently agreed by the two men that some of their junior crafters should alternate between their two offices, a lune at a time, so they could better assist each others’ offices when presst. Fulbert thought Eudes’ suggestion to cook the three meatball dishes in turn was sensible, and he thought much better of Eudes than he had before as a result of his suggestion their younger crafters should share experience.
Dabchick, thinking of how they would produce the meatball dish, suggested to Coriander if they put the noodle dough into the sausage filler with a fine mincer screen replacing the casings tube they could save a lot of time and effort by extruding the noodles. Knapps maekt an adapter so the screen was a good fit. When they tried it they discovered the moisture content of the dough was more critical than with hand maekt noodles, but eventually the technique worked. Coriander was impressed and said, “If we use screens with different shaept holes we could make all kinds of noodles and probably the gnocchi too. It’s probably not worth it with the dumplings, but I’ll try it to be sure. I’d hate to discover we’d doen a lot of work needlessly. I’ll have spaech with Knapps.”
Spaghetti Bolognese and Spaghetti Carbonara were not just popular meals they were a source of amazement to Milligan and his mangers when the coöperation between the meat cooks and the vegetable cooks became known. The kitcheners had written instructions on the menu boards concerning the use of a fork and spoon for the spaghetti, and once a few newfolk had been observed eating, the cutlery was no problem to adults. The meals were especially enjoyed by children for whom eating the stride long noodles with a fork and a spoon was challenging, messy and hence thoroughly entertaining. Struggling with the cutlery was almost as enjoyable as seeing who could suck in a single noodle fastest, and in consequence put most sauce on her face as the last span or so wavered berount before disappearing into a very satisfied child. It taekt the kitcheners no more than a few minutes to realise damp clouts and bibs were essential at tables where there were children.
23rd of Luval Day 262
A tenner since Llyllabette’s body had forced her to consider what Cloudberry had said concerning pregnancy. Her usual cyclical bloat had not gone after a few days and her breasts had become increasingly tender. She’d still had no vertical dark line that some women had and no sickness in the forenoon, for which she’d been grateful, but she’d been aware she felt different, though she’d not been able to explain even to herself how. Now she had a bump that was growing by the day, and her breasts were fuller and more sensitive. Her areolae had enlarged and darkened and were topped by a pair of now dark, permanently hard and sore to the touch nipples which reminded her of her sewing thimbles. As they were dressing before braekfast Llyllabette said, “Just look at me. There doesn’t seem to be any doubt any more, Yoo, does there? I’m pregnant. How do you feel regards it?”
“As long as you are happy with it, so am I. It’s something you prayt for for so many years, but now it has happent are you sure it’s what you still wish?”
“Oh yes. I suppose I don’t need to tell Cloudberry and the others, for she’s known for nigh to a lune, but I shall. She said that having a first at my age means I need to be at das Wasserschloß(10) with the midwifes, and at least the weather will make for easy travelling when we need to go. I hope my breasts don’t get much bigger before we return, so I can buy a proper supportive büstenhalter(11) from the seamstresses. What bethink you?”
“I agree regards the advisability of you being near the midwifes, and am glad the weather will be fine. I know nothing of die büstenhalter,(12) proper or otherwise, but your bigger breasts and changing shape make you very desirable, my Love.” As he spake Yoomarrianna stroked his right index finger through her cleft up over her navel and into her cleavage. “Yes, very desirable indeed. It’s a pity we don’t have a little more time before braekfast.”
Llyllabette held his hand to her breast and his left to her cleft saying, “Yoo, you are becoming a dirty old man and a dirty old man with a Folk man’s views concerning women at that. It’s rather nice actually. I know if I’m already pregnant you can’t make me pregnant again for a while, but if you keep saying and doing nice things to me I’ll make it worth your while, for you should keep practising just in case we can have a family. If we hurry we shall only be a little late for braekfast, and I bethink myself I need you as well as will you.”
A not too long while later, Llyllabette said, “I’m so happy, Yoo. I wonder if the healers will inoculate me against the fevers if I’m pregnant. Despite the calt, whilst the weather is settelt, a group of healers is being taken by the waggoners to call on all the nearby holdings. They are hopping from one holding to the next during daylight and should be here early this afternoon to inoculate us all. They will be spending the night here ready to go to the next holding in the late forenoon nextday.”
“How did you know that?”
“A messenger has been running from holding to holding telling the holders to have all prepaert for the healers. Smockt telt me, but keep it to yourself. The children don’t know and the healers recommendet they not be telt till the last minute. That way by the time they realise what is involvt it will be over.”
It was nearly two when Wheatear arrived conveying the healers Sanderling and Scree with apprentice healer Eve who was newfolk. After the healers had warmed up, eaten and taken leaf the three of them had the younger children inoculated within two minutes and everyone else within fifteen. Wheatear had joined the men for a drop of Sledge’s home maekt brandy. “Something to warm you, Wheatear,” Hubert had said. Sanderling had telt Llyllabette that the pregnant had been inoculated for lunes at the Keep with no ill effects and it was the craft’s opinion that giving the protection to a mother and her unbirtht babe was a lesser risk than taking a chance on surviving the fevers. However she added that babes under the age of fourteen lunes were not being inoculated though that was betimes to be reduced to babes under the age of ten lunes. Yoomarrianna was more concerned for Llyllabette’s weäl than was she, but she overrode him and had the treatment.
Sanderling asked, “I am not a midwife, Llyllabette, but like all healers I have had the routine midwifery training including that concerning the recent advances bringen by the Mistresses midwife Irena and Suki who are newfolk like yourself. Would you like me to examine you?”
Llyllabette wasn’t concerned, but clearly Yoomarrianna was, so she agreed. Eve asked if she may examine her and use the listener, which was part of the equipment they routinely took with them when travelling away from the Keep. Llyllabette agreed and Sanderling telt Eve to examine Llyllabette first whilst she watched her do so. Llyllabette was stunned when Eve said, “I hear the heartbeats of twins. It is very clear. I don’t bethink me I can be mistaken.”
Sanderling listened and said, “Eve is correct, and it is exceedingly clear. There is no possibility of one being an echo of the other for one is beating slightly faster than the other.”
“Yoomarrianna. Come join us, this calls for proper drink before your endeavours at the forge later this afternoon,” Burgloss shouted as soon as the news had spread.
“Go, Love. I’ll celebrate with the women in ways appropriate to women. You should be with the men, but don’t get too drunk, for you’ll regret it nextday.” Llyllabette pushed him towards the door and it was a sheepish Yoomarrianna who went for his drink grateful for the understanding of his wife.
24th of Luval day 263
Since the making of the Storekeeper’s Smoking Stovie, Iola hadn’t been able to stop thinking of tripe. She’d been convinced there had to be something she could use it in that wouldn’t just use large quantities, but produce something tasty folk enjoyed eating without having to have it smokt. Days later, to her chagrin, she, a McDonald, remembered that Haggis was traditionally maekt of a sheep’s pluck: heart, liver and lungs. It also uest suet, onions, oatmeal and seasoning, but most significantly before the advent of artificial casings the mix had traditionally been stuffed inside the sheep’s stomach, or a beast’s(13) caecum, which were essentially tripe and subsequently eaten too. She also remembered something that Melanie’s mum, who was an English, had maekt that she referred to as Savoury Ducks. Melanie had insisted on calling them by their alternative name: Faggots, and she lothed them as much as she lothed haggis. Too, Iola recalled reading an article in a magazine of economical receipts cooked during the wartime rationing and other times of hardship which had featured them containing some tripe. They were herbed, pepper-seasoned meatballs maekt with liver, fatty pork, onion, crumbed stale bread and uest egg to bind them. They were traditionally round, cloaked in pork caul,(14) baked in an oven and served with piping hot gravy, all in all not that dissimilar from haggis.
She’d considered her options for days and concluded she would blend both receipts to suit what she had and her circumstances and try cooking the mixture as a tray bake for subsequent slicing into cubes to be served with a substantial gravy and kail like savoury ducks and with basht(15) neeps(16) and tatties(17) like haggis. Harle suggested they provide a meal for the soup crafters as a trial. She discussed the idea with Dabchick who telt her they had enough tripe for such a trial but they would have to wait till a whole tripe was delivered for a Refectory meal. She added the provisioners and storekeepers would probably like to try it too. Iola had spaech with Eudes who, now accepting she was a rapidly rising cook, wished to be seen as one of her supporters rather than one of her detractors. Thus he was happy to cook her trial for her, as long as she prepared enough for his crafters to try too. She also had spaech with Fulbert who was happy to cook and mash the winteroot and starchroot for her on the same terms as Eudes, but without any ulterior motives. In the end the entire kitchen staff, the firekeepers and numerous others connected with the kitchens, and their families too, were involved in the trial.
The trial had become a banquet threwn by the kitchen staff and was going to be managed by Polecat and his staff, since there were going to be over a thousand diners. Iola discussed the event with Dabchick who realising, if successful, and she had no doubt it would be, Iola’s haggis could use huge quantities of tripe and similar amounts of oddments in the process, said, “We’ve enough tripe for the trial, but let’s keep the proportion of tripe quite low rather than using it all, Iola, because when it is cookt as a main meal there will be no need to include much to use it all. If only a tenth of the Folk who eat in the Refectory choose to eat it, it will use huge quantities of tripe even if the haggis contains only one part in twenty of it, and of course it will use any amount of offal and trimmings too.”
Iola, who had originally been thinking in terms of a mix containing a substantial proportion of tripe, agreed and said, “How does equal quantities of liver, lung, suet, meat and trimmings, tripe, onion and oatmeal with mixt herbs, salt, and trace of mercyfruit(18) with enough oat flour to bind it sound? The original would have been the liver, lungs and heart of a sheep, onion, coarse oatmeal, salt and seasoning stufft in the sheep’s stomach. It would have uest a hot spice callt pepper, not mercyfruit, but unfortunately that’s the best we can do. I don’t wish the mix too fatty so may hap a bit less suet than I suggestet.”
Dabchick thought on it and replied, “As you have oft telt me, we have to start somewhere, and this would certainly use as much tripe as we could possibly ever receive. Could we add some extra lung too this time? We’ve maekt a huge batch of lightwurst,(19) yet we’ve still an embarrassment of them at the moment, or of course we could freeze them for later use as stock or sausage.”
“I don’t see why not since lung has no weighth, but no more fillth(20) of lung before mincing than there is of the liver and meat together. Any more we can freeze till we’re ready to use it. I know you sayt you could freeze tripe for the dogs, but will it freeze successfully, after preparation, for the Folk to eat, Dabchick? Because if it does, in future, after you’ve processt it we could do the same with tripe we do with other offal not requiert immediately, and when we have enough of everything we could mix a haggis batch.”
“Tripe will freeze successfully, but it’s not something we have ever willen to do before. That would provide a way of using it avoiding the work involvt in smoking it.” Dabchick paused and then suggested, “I suggest we cook a weight or so of the mix on one of your stoves for an initial idea of what you wish to do regarding seasoning. Though low to start with, I imagine the proportion of tripe will decrease with time. Shall I mince the onions with the meats? I could of course mix the seasoning and flour with the oatmeal and mince it all to mix it if you like, which would save your crafters a lot of work. What bethink you?”
“Yes. Gratitude, Dabchick. But we’ll have Spoonbill taste the cookt sample. What bethink you? After the dram of whisky, a robust red to go with it? Since it’s turning into a kitchen celebration event.”
Dabchick smiled, “At the very least. I’ll have spaech with Gibb and see what we can prise out of him.”
Iola had acquired the whisky from Gordon and Douglas. When Douglas had heard what she wished it for he’d explained regards haggis to Gordon and asked for invitations for Lunelight, Lovage, Gordon and himself. Iola had been happy to invite them and explained to Douglas that the haggis was being prepared as a tray bake, but that she hoped to do better in future. The men had tapped a barrel, and tasted the whisky straight from it. Gordon had agreed with Douglas that it had a long way to go, but it was acceptable if only just. Douglas asked Iola if she knew of Burns suppers. She telt him she was a McDonald of the High Glen and was surprised he couldn’t tell from her voice. He said, though he was a Fraser and his family came from Porshaness in the north-west, he had grown up in Wenwath and as she must be aware, he had the heavy accent and dialect of the city, and he was poor at recognising where others cam frae.(21) He telt her he knew it was a bit late for a Burns supper and that it was a tray bake, but asked if naytheless he may gie(22) the address to the haggis, and Iola, delighted to know he could, agreed immediately. Gordon, an intelligent man, recognising the cultural importance of, though not understanding the significance of the nuances of, their exchange, said, “I shall regard the whisky to be a sample under test and as such subject to no charge. I suggest ten, or better twelve, then again may hap fiveteen just to be on the safe side, one gallon bottles of the fifty hundredths should provide a dram, I believe you call it, for a thousand folk, and give us a reasonable test. What bethink you, Douglas?”
Douglas without a trace of a smile replied, “That should do it I suspect, Gordon.”
Knapps had maekt the required screens for the sausage filler to extrude several different shaped noodles: two different siezt tubes, flat ribands of four different wiedths and three different diameter solid cylinders. The gnocchi were extruded through the sausage casings tube and finished by hand, or may hap it would be better to say cut to longth with a roller knife and given a thumb print in the middle, and much to every one’s surprise the dumplings extruded at two wiedths in diameter could simply be cut to the same longth and after cooking they looked exactly the same as they had when rolled into balls by hand. As a result of the success of the dumplings, the large meatballs for Eudes’ and Fulbert’s dishes were now extruded at two wiedths diameter too.
In order to make his two meatball dishes different Fulbert decided to use a two foot long, one wiedth wide flat noodle with the carbonara, which Iola telt him should be callt Tagliatelle Carbonara. Francis had maekt roller knifes with a wide range of blade separations which sped up production of many of the provisioners’ and bakers’ products. The bakers wished a sausage filler making, but Dabchick asked Coriander if the provisioners’ filler was acceptable because she wished to order a bigger one with two extrusion tubes as they were now making far more sausages because more than half of what they maekt were caseless. It was, and when the smiths delivered the new one the firekeepers taekt the original one, with its screens, to the bakers’ kitchens.
27th of Luval Day 266
Milligan opened the meeting by saying, “Piept seawater for her, Dabchick’s and Coaltit’s kitchens! And I’m telt by Pleasance it will pay for itself in a hand full of lunes due to our much lower use of salt, and there will be little extra cost to pipe it to any who wills it any where in the kitchens. There will also be no more accidents from the handling of heavy barrels. Coriander wills a connection and opines that she will no longer need to buy salt, for she’ll just use the appropriate amount of strong brine and add water as requiert to her doughs.” The managers were thoughtful at that as folk had been seriously hurt by the barrels and all had hearet the tale of Gunnar who’d been killt by a runaway barrel some sixty years over. “Sippet telt Pleasance that because Iola had telt him to design the pipework as he considert best the cost had been a little more than it might have been, but it would be minimiest over the long term if any else requiert a supply. Apparently Iola telt him as long as he had no intention of telling her how to make soup she had no intention of telling him how to put pipes together.”
Gibb said, “There seems to be no stopping her, Milligan. I know you sayt she should be given no more responsibility till she had reorganiest her office to her satisfaction, but I doubt she ever will, for she’s constantly innovating, and to incorporate Siward’s office with her own took her less than two days. Mercy knows what it’s costing us for the now, and I’m not sure I will to know, but Pleasance telt me Iola will have savt us far more at the far end of a year or two than she’s spending just now. She also telt me Grangon has ordert twelve of those huge fish kettles with the strainers, and Iola has ordert another pair of square stock kettles and four more of those frying pans half the size of a stove. Pleasance also sayt that accidents throughout the entire office have dramatically reducet in frequency and severity due to our significant cooks use of Iola’s ideas. That means no reduction in the total remuneration payt by the office, but it does mean for the same consideration we have more crafters crafting rather than being in the infirmary. Qvuine has sayt it appears that since taking her office Iola has savt us a tenner’s worth of food, somewhere between a sixth and an eighth of what was eaten before is savt due to the reduction in waste and better use of resources.”
Polecat laught and said, “Despite the mess, my kitcheners consider those spaghetti noodles to be the best thing they know of to keep toddlers behaving themselfs in the refectory, they’re fascinatet by them. The mess we’ve solvt by ordering more bibs and clouts from the seamstresses. Even older weäns have no objection to wearing a bib when eating them since a lot of adults consider the loss of dignity caust by wearing a graill bib(23) is more than compensatet for by that gaint as a result of not putting half their meal on their clothes. We’ve also ordert some more of those wide mops from Emma and Embrace.”
Ashridge added, “They’re the best thing I’ve come across to create coöperation between the vegetable cooks and the meat cooks. Fulbert and his crafters have always been an organiest and tightly run office and he telt me the shaert crafting requiert by the spaghetti meal as well as others is maturing Eudes and hence enabling his crafters, who of course model their behaviour on their Master cook, to mature in outlook too.”
Abigail was thoughtful as she said, “It’s hard to say how far Iola’s influence extends. Though it was at Dabchick’s suggestion Coriander first askt Knapps to maekt a screen to extrude the spaghetti noodles using the sausage filler it was Coriander who conceivt of different screens for other products and it was Francis and his son who conceivt of and maekt the roller knifes that cutt them to size, which in combination enable thousands to be maekt rapidly, it was Iola who introducet the noodles in the first place. It beseems me once her ideas are given freedom they take on a life of their own as others develop them in ways that Iola never considert. That she is happy concerning that just adds to her reputation. Those vegetable peelers are to be findt by the score every where in the entire office now, and that new leaf vegetable she askt the growers to provide from strewing herb plants is finding its way into all sorts of food in every office in the kitchens, including raw in salads. They are popular in spicy soup rolls for packt meals too. The growers say they’re going to have to wait till a new batch grows from the cut and come again plants growing inside under lights before they can provide any more.”
“So we are in agreement? We need offer her no help and just enjoy the improvements?” As he askt, Milligan looked berount at his managers, who all nodded in agreement.
It was Abigail who spake first. “She is a remarkable young woman, both as a cook and a person. But what makes her so exceptional is that she enables others to be remarkable too. She is beginning to achieve without effort what we five have striven so hard to achieve, without much success, for so long. She has enabelt those of less forceful personality who have been belittelt and bullyt for so long by those of more forceful nature to stand together and put the malcontents, who do not truly live by the Way, on the defensive. Which is all the more remarkable because she is not at all of a dominating nature. She never tells her crafters what to do. She politely asks them and is always willing to listen to their opinions and suggestions. As Alice sayt it’s just that she can not be cowt.(24)
“And who would have imagint the firekeepers telling the malcontents to cease their unacceptable spaech and behaviour or face the consequences, and I have been telt it was some of the more limitet firekeepers, not their gangers, who initiatet that. Though once unimaginable, I can see how it came to be now, for the more limitet are the ones who benefit the most from her behaviour. They are trett(25) tightly in her kitchens where they are always well come, and there is always leaf, and snacks too, for them. They feel valuet and that they have some thing to offer, not least because Iola has never had any hesitation in asking them for favours which has maekt them feel of much greater worth. Basil has sayt the difference in them is obvious, they are less diffident and more prepaert to make suggestions regards their crafting. He has telt them if they will to help Iola in exchange for her allowing them to take their meals and leaf with her crafters in the soup kitchens he regards that as a fair exchange.
“Without doubt we allow her to continue without being seen to assist her directly since it is through her we are beginning to attract crafters in numbers we have never been able to before. That also means we shall soon be in a position to dismiss those of an unhelpful nature which won’t be seen as helping her but as us enforcing discipline which I suggest is some thing we should not be reticent to make clear. After all if Iola is helping us the least we can do is help her to help us isn’t it?” Abigail asked the last with a decidedly stony look on her face.
Polecat said, “And I bethinkt me it was Gibb who was the subtle one.”
It was amidst a great deal of laughter that Milligan reached for the brandy and glasses with which to continue their meeting.
28th of Luval Day 267
Iola’s Kitchen Banquet Menu – the Burns Supper – the Winter Supper
Chillt Rosé and Liquid Gold(26) to drink before the meal
Cock-a-Leekie Soup
Ide(27) Smokies with Red Seagreen(28) in Clear Sagon(29) Sauce with Coaltit’s Quality(30)
Haggis Traybake wi’ Gravy, Kail, Basht Neeps and Tatties, a Dram and Robust Red
Spicet Ceël(31) in Brandy Sauce with Thick Cream and Birch Syrup with Plum Brandy and Gær(32) Liqueur
Spicet Leaf with Brandy and Pennyroyals(33)
The first tiny test batch of haggis cooked on the stove was tasty, but short on seasoning, and Spoonbill maekt the necessary adjustments. The second batch was excellent, and they maekt the rest of the mix for Eudes to cook in his ovens at half a span deep in the trays. Adela remarked to Dabchick, “You know after this, tripe is going to be permanently in short supply. The Storekeepers’ Smoking Stovie, the meatballs going into Iola’s soup and her accompaniments, Eudes’ gravy and Fulbert’s noodle dishes, the mince, the sausage, the sayal and the haggis will use everything we could ever receive, and it’s good to know that none of them will suffer if there is no tripe available, for none contain much. I opine we can truly say that Iola has now completely solvt the problem of kitchen waste and spoilage. And in the process maekt crafting much easier for many of us. All we have to do now is keep it that way.” She paused and then added, “But I doubt if the malcontents will be able to cause any further disruption.”
Dabchick nodded in agreement and said, “Not that is unless they wish to upset the firekeepers.” She in her turn paused before adding, “Milligan askt Basil to have spaech with the firekeepers asking for restraint. Amazingly they refuest to give Basil any assurances, but sayt Iola was close kith and they would have a care to her as beseemt them best. Basil had spaech with Aaron, and Nigel telt me Aaron has askt them to have spaech with him before they take matters into their own hands, which they agreen to do. The firekeepers seeën no reason to keep that to themselfs, and as a result there are some nervous crafters in the kitchens who I doubt will ever be a problem to any again. Some are seeking new crafts. Whilst Milligan is happy the firekeepers say whatsoever they will to whomsoever they will he would rather the tale is only repeatet by kitchen staff to those of significance and its dissemination is left to the firekeepers and chance.”
Adela smiled in understanding of Dabchick’s remark, and added, “Iola will eventually have createt hundreds of thousands of weights of food out of naught over the year. The winter has been quite mild so far, but eventually a long, calt winter will come when we shall be exceeding glad to have her managing food the way she does.”
That eve the cooking staff helped the kitcheners to clear and clean the Refectory after they had finished serving the eve meal, and the kitchen staff dined late with their colleagues, friends and relatives feeling more kindly disposed to each other than any could remember. A drink before they sat down to eat helped the spirit of camaraderie. Iola’s exquisite Cock-a-Leekie soup, maekt with slew,(34) was followed by Ide Smokies with Red Seagreen in Clear Sagon Sauce, a delicious, new, and expensive dish created for the occasion by Grangon. Douglas gave the address to the haggis, he’d had the archivists provide translations to pass berount for those who wished to understand. For most of the thousand or so dining it was their first taste of the as yet very immature and pale whisky, but it was agreed by all it was a fitting accompaniment to the Haggis. Douglas’ seriousth as he recited was impressive and solemnised the occasion. Lunelight knew her husband could be delightfully romantic, but she had never considered him to be in the least poetic and was astonished at his ability. The Spicet Ceël dish cooked by Hville’s crafters that followed, was a surprise to most as it too was costly and rarely produced, but all who knew that thought it befitting that Ashridge had asked it be maekt for the event. The meal was considered to be excellent, and the robust red Gibb had been happy to supply unstintingly complemented it admirably. When the diners were enjoying their spicet leaf, brandy and pennyroyals, Milligan insisted that Iola gave a spaech.
“The only proper connections this meal has with my office are my ancestry, the soup, the stock we supplyt for the gravy and the fish powder we supplyt to the fish cooks. But being responsible for minimising waste, and thus feeding the Folk, I am pleast to know haggis, a defining dish for those of my heritage, when cookt for the Refectory, will use large amounts of tripe, a nutritious but difficult to use meat, in an agreeable meal. My gratitude to Dabchick, Coaltit, Eudes, Fulbert, Grangon, Hville and Spoonbill for their aid and coöperation and to Douglas, Gordon and Gibb for the whisky and the wine. I should also like to express my gratitude to Douglas for his address to the haggis which I findt comforting in its familiarity. In future, Dabchick and I shall be happy to plan and mince the haggis mix, and as usual I shall of course supply the soup and gravy stock. We are happy to provide fish powder to any who wills it, providing of course we have some.”
As Dabchick nodded her agreement and Iola sat down, Milligan rose to propose a toast, “It is to my honour to propose we drink to one who has addet yet another delicious and completely novel meal to our menus and who has maekt us all that much safer by reducing food waste to nearly naught and thereby increasing our reserves of food in storage ready for harder times, but most of all to one who has given us, the kitchen staff, the crafters we work closely with and our friends and families, thiseve to enjoy. To Iola.”
The roar of “To Iola,” was deafening.
An emotional Iola, sitting next to Heron, watched by her proud and tearful mum, her equally proud dad, grandparents and siblings, had never been as happy, and she responded by standing and proposing a toast. “I should like us all to drink in appreciation of all the hard working crafters, especially mine and Dabchick’s, who maekt it possible. To the crafters.”
“To the crafters,” was almost as loud as the previous toast and there were tears in the eyes of many of her crafters.
Over a large brandy, Milligan remarked to Gibb, “I believe we should do this four times a year, probably midway between Quarterdays. It is I believe good for coöperation within the office.” He paused and muttered under his breath, “And it puts us another one in front of the chamberers.” At Gibb’s laughter, Milligan had to explain to those dining on his table what he had just said, though he didn’t repeat or explain his last remark as many of Basil’s staff were dining with them. All agreed a regular kitchen banquet was a good idea.
As at any celebration, the banquet was followed by music, dancing and singing too, and all agreed it had been a very enjoyable way to spend an eve at a time of the year when there was usually little to do.
29th of Luval Day 268
Dabchick was thoughtful as she helped Nigel prepare braekfast and when they finally sat down to eat she poured them both leaf and said, “I’m not sure how much was due to the drink lasteve, Love, but I’ve never seen such harmony and accord twixt kitchen crafters afore. There were groups of folks mixing, chatting, laughing and even dancing together who I’m certain haven’t spaken other than insults to each other for years. Now there is saught(35) in the air.” Dabchick was clearly amazed at her recollections of the banquet the lasteve.
“I was aware of a lot of nervous interactions mongst the crafters, and I suspect many were beginning to realise a lot of their old animosities were due to events they no longer recallt and had simply become habit. It is much easer psychologically to get on with folk than to be at daggers drawn with them.”
“What does that mean, Nigel?”
“It is less stressful to have kith than enemies, more or less. I really need to have spaech with Aaron concerning the banquet, so I’ll go as soon as I’ve finisht my braekfast unless wish me to do anything?”
Dabchick knew Nigel would not rest and would not be able to concentrate on aught else till he’d discussed with Aaron whatever it was he willen to clarify in his mind, so she telt him to find Aaron and put her requirements for herself and the babe to one side for a little while. Nigel she knew couldn’t help the way he was and when not concerned of aught as he clearly was the now was a loving and attentive man. Most importantly he was her man and gladly so.
Nigel spent two hours with Aaron and conveyed every nuance he’d been aware of the eve before. “You believe things will continue to improve, Nigel?” Aaron asked.
“I don’t see how after the easing of tensions lasteve, things can return to where they were. You can’t enjoy laughing, joking and dancing with someone in the eve and then hurl insults at them the following forenoon. It’s just not the way folk behave. Dabchick sayt some of those enjoying each other’s company have only tradet insults for years, a few of them Bluesher telt her had done so for decades. Milligan sayt he was planning on having four such events a year midway twixt quarterdays. So, yes I believe things will continue to improve.”
“It would seem to be a good idea to keep our feet firmly on the necks of the serious malcontents so as to ensure they can’t disrupt the fragile state of affairs.”
“Have you any ideas as to how we do that, Aaron?”
“Yes, but we don’t need to do aught other than spend a little more time with the kitchen firekeepers. Smiling all the while. If the malcontents see or hear of that the conclusion they will draw will be that we approve of the firekeepers threats. I imagine that will be enough. What bethink you?”
Nigel smiled and said, “More than enough.”
29th of Luval Day 268
Musk, who had dined with his wife, Michelle, at the kitchens the eve before, came to see Milligan in the forenoon. Musk and Milligan had been friends for years, and Milligan was not surprised when Musk said, “You need to do it again, Milligan. If you have your staff banqueting together several times a year, the frictions will lessen. My sorrow, because I should have bethinkt me of it years over.”
“May hap, but I’m not sure it would have workt till sincely.(36) I said to Gibb, last eve, that I believt we should do it four times a year, between Quarterdays, because it was good for coöperation in the kitchens. My gratitude for telling me you agree.”
Musk, not just an epicure, but a noted proponent of dining as a unifying social activity for the Folk, smiled and said, “You can express you gratitude by inviting me to your future celebrations.”
“Of course, but as Michelle’s agreän, you would be expectet to dine with us. I should though be pleast if you would share your thinkings with my significant crafters concerning what to drink at our banquets.”
“Gratitude, Milligan, I should like that.”
Milligan wryly smiled and said, “I advise you not to enter into argument with Iola and Spoonbill, not that is if you will to escape unscaetht. They are a formidable combination and have sensitive palates. But it’s up to you.”
“If they are that good, I should like to have spaech with them. Doubtless we should learn from each other. I take it from what I have hearet Iola is a crafter of significance?”
Milligan almost smiled again and replied, “Definitely. None of us need any justification other than her performance in the kitchens, but I hearet Spoonbill telt some cooks who were complaining regards her, ‘I craft extensively with her and we have an average age of thirty-seven. You have a lot of growing up to do to reach her level of maturity.’ ” Musk smiled. He could almost hear Spoonbill’s soft but firm tones saying it. Spoonbill was a quiet man, but he had been a major force keeping younger kitchen crafters under control for years.
Joseph, who had dined with Coaltit the eve before, had been impressed by the meal and especially by the haggis. When Gordon had telt him he had provided the whisky at no cost as a sample, he’d said, “A good idea, Gordon. It can’t but help create a taste for it, for that it drinks so naturally with such a fine dish as the haggis will give it much prominence. We need to see if we can help some of the early batches to mature a bit, just to take some of the bite off so we can start selling it a bit earlier. Have you any ideas?”
“Douglas has askt the foragers and waggoners if they can locate a source of strong smelling peat for him and bring him samples. When he finds a good peat I’ll ask the growers to stack twenty or so waggon loads to dry for the waggoners to subsequently bring back. We wish to dry the next batch of maltet grain using peat as the fuel to produce a peaten(37) malt which we could use for blending. It may or may not work, but any hap he sayt a peaten whisky is a unique taste that will be appreciatet by many. I’m going to ask the mammoth hunters to bring back samples from the far north Boglands. He also wishes a source of peaten water to drink whisky with. I know it’s a goodly whilth from here, but it occurt to me the water in some of the smaller tarns berount Aqueduct Tarn may be perfect. I’ll arrange for delivery, after all we’ll only need a few waggon loads. The only thing that concerns me is it can’t be selt, but may hap we can rightly recover it’s delivery cost, for ice from the Far North Glacier can be selt and that has not been freezen by any it just is, so I’ll have spaech with Aaron regards that. It may be easier to give it away but absorb its cost into the whisky production costs. Douglas suggestet we try adding oak sawdust or shavings to a sample to see if that would smooth the taste, so we’ve tryt both. He also sayt that he was not sure if that would have been permissible whence he came, but that he could see no justification were it not as the barrels uest were oak. Whilst times I intend to have spaech with Spoonbill and Ivy. If mongst the three of us we can’t bethink us of aught none can.”
Joseph nodded in approval especially regards having spaech with Ivy, who had a sensitive palate and was an expert on techniques to improve the drinking qualities, and hence saleability of aught that was not too good.
29th Luval Day 268
Bruana had reluctantly accepted invitations for herself and Noah to the kitchen banquet. She’d been reluctant because she didn’t feel she was entitled to be there, but Milligan had insisted and Noah persuaded her. They’d both enjoyed themselves and slept late the following day. Noah was awakened by Bruana who’d been awakened by her babe announcing that it was time to make an entrance. Ianto arrived during the mid afternoon and he was a healthy babe of two and a half weights [5 pounds, 2½KG]. He was named after Noah’s father Evan who’d been known as Yanto. Glad at the prospect of regaining her former mobility, happy to be nursing a babe again, Bruana’s only unease was wondering regards her new craft and her consequent remuneration.
Index of significant characters so far listed by Chapter
1 Introduction
2 Jacques de Saint d’Espéranche
3 The Folk and the Keep
4 Hwijje, Travisher, Will
5 Yew, Allan, Rowan,Siskin, Will, Thomas, Merle, Molly, Aaron, Gareth, Oak, Abigail, Milligan, Basil, Vinnek, Iris, Margæt, Gilla, Alsike, Alfalfa, Gibb, Happith, Kroïn, Mako, Pilot, Briar, Gosellyn, Gren, Hazel
6 Chaunter, Waxwing, Flame, João, Clansaver, Irune, Ceël, Barroo, Campion, Limpet, Vlæna, Xera, Rook, Falcon, Cwm, Sanderling, Aldeia, Catarina, Coast, Elixabete
7 Mercedes, Spoonbill
8 Lyllabette, Yoomarrianna
9 Helen, Duncan, Gosellyn, Eudes, Abigail
10 George/Gage, Iris, Waverley, Belinda
11 Marc/Marcy, Pol
12 George/Gage, Marcy, Freddy/Bittern, Weyland, Iris, Bling
13 Thomas, Will, Mercedes, Llyllabette, Yoomarrianna
14 Kyle, Thomas, Will, Angélique
15 Mercedes, Morgelle, Gorse, Thrift, George/Gage, Chris, Iris, Thrift, Campion
16 Bling
17 Waverley, Mr. E
18 George/Gage, Larch, Mari, Ford, Gorse, Morgelle, Luke, Erin
19 Will, Pilot, Yew, Geoge/Gage, Mari, Ford, Gosellyn, Cwm, Cerise, Filbert, Gareth, Duncan, Helen, Thomas, Iris, Plume, Campion, Pim, Rook, Falcon, João, Hare
20 Yew, Rowan, Will, Thomas, Siskin, Weir, Grayling, Willow
21 Brook, Harrier, Cherry, Abby, Selena, Borage, Sætwæn, Fiona, Fergal
22 Yew, Thomas, Hazel, Rowan, Gosellyn, Siskin, Will, Lianna, Duncan
23 Tench, Knawel, Claire, Oliver, Loosestrife, Bramling, George, Lyre, Janice, Kæn, Joan, Eric
24 Luke, Sanderling, Ursula, Gervaise, Mike, Spruce, Moss
25 Janet, Vincent, Douglas, Alec, Alice
26 Pearl, Merlin, Willow, Ella, Suki, Tull, Irena
27 Gina, Hardy, Lilac, Jessica, Teal, Anna
28 Bryony, Judith, Bronwen, Farsight
29 Muriel, Raquel, Grace
30 Catherine, Crane, Snipe, Winifred, Dominique, Ferdinand
31 Alma, Allan, Morris, Miranda
32 Dabchick, Nigel
33 Raquel, Thistle, Agrimony, Benjamin, Ian, Phœbe
34 Eleanor, Woad, Catherine, Crane
35 Muriel, Hail, Joan, Breve, Eric, Nell, Mayblossom, Judith, Storm
36 Selena,Sætwæn, Borage, Grace, Gatekeeper, Raquel, Thistle
37 Siân, Mackerel, Winifred, Obsidian
38 Carla, Petrel, Alkanet, Ferdinand
39 Dominique, Oxlip, Alma, Allan, Tress, Bryony
40 Agrimony, Benjamin, Ian, Ella, Kestrel, Judith, Storm
41 Ella, Kestrel, Tress, Bryony, Tunn, Whin, Plane
42 Weights & Measures and Sunrise & Sunset Times included in Ch 41
43 Ella, Kestrel, Serenity, Smile, Gwendoline, Rook, Tress, Bryony, Tunn, Whin, Plane, Sapphire, Mere
44 Pearl, Merlin, Rainbow, Perch, Joan, Breve, truth, Rachael, Hedger, Ruby, Deepwater
45 Janet, Blackdyke, Janice, Kæn, Ursula, Oyster
46 Janet, Gina, Alastair, Joan, Breve, Truth, Bræth, Mayblossom, Judith, Storm
47 The Squad, Mercedes, Fen, Judith, Storm, Iola, Alwydd, Heidi, Rock, Stephanie, Matthew
48 Bronwen, Forest, Opal, Spice, Vincent, Kathleen, Niall, Bluebell, Sophie
49 Janice, Kæn, Ursula, Oyster, Imogen, Wryneck, Phœbe, Knapps
50 Erin, Nightjar, Eleanor, Woad
51 Gina, Jonas, Janet, Gerald, Patrick, Tansy, Craig, Barret, Ryan
52 Constance, Rye, Bling, Bullace, Berry, Jimmy, Leveret, Rory, Shelagh, Silas
53 Rachael, Hedger, Eve, Gilla, Mallard, Fiona, Fergal, Tinder, Nightingale, Fran, Dyker
54 Pamela, Mullein, Patricia, Chestnut, Lavinia, Ophæn, Catherine, Crane
55 Susan, Kingfisher, Janet, Gina, Jonas, Ruth, Kilroy, Judith, Storm, Iola, Alwydd, Heidi, Rock, Stephanie, Matthew
56 Gina, Jonas, Patricia, Chestnut, The Squad, Hazel, Janet, Blackdyke, Swift, Clover, Vetch, Mangel, Clary, Brendan
57 Erin, Nightjar, Xera, Josephine, Wels, Michelle, Musk, Swansdown, Tenor
58 Timothy, Axel, Nectar, Waverley,Yvette, Whitebear, Firefly, Farsight, Janet, Blackdyke, Swift, Clover, Vetch
59 Lilac, Firefly, Farsight, Lucinda, Gimlet, Leech, Janet, Blackdyke
60 Douglas, Lunelight, Yvette, Whitebear, Thrift, Haw, Harebell, Goosander, Judith, Storm, Iola, Alwydd, Heidi, Rock, Stephanie, Matthew, Matilda, Evan, Heron
61 Brendan, Clary, Chloë, Apricot, Llyllabette, Yoomarrianna, Otis, Harry, Gimlet, Leech, Jodie
62 Gimlet, Leech, Lark, Seth, Charles, Bruana, Noah, Kirsty, Shirley, Mint, Kevin, Faith, Oak, Lilly, Jason, Gem, Ellen
63 Honesty, Peter, Bella, Abel, Kell, Deal, Siobhan, Scout, Jodie
64 Heather, Jon, Anise, Holly, Gift, Dirk, Lilac, Jasmine, Ash, Beech, Ivy, David
65 Sérent, Dace, Opal, Spice, Vincent, Clarissa, Gorse, Eagle, Frond, Diana, Gander, Gyre, Tania, Alice, Alec
66 Suki, Tull, Buzzard, Mint, Kevin, Harmony, Fran, Dyker, Joining the Clans, Pamela, Mullein, Mist, Francis, Kristiana, Cliff, Patricia, Chestnut, Timothy, Axel, Nectar, Waverly, Tarragon, Edrydd, Louise, Turnstone, Jane, Mase, Cynthia, Merle, Warbler, Spearmint, Stonecrop
67 Warbler, Jed, Fiona, Fergal, Marcy, Wayland, Otday, Xoë, Luval, Spearmint, Stonecrop, Merle, Cynthia, Eorle, Betony, Smile
68 Pansy, Pim,Phlox, Stuart, Marilyn, Goth, Lunelight, Douglas, Crystal, Godwit, Estelle, Slimlyspoon, Lyre, George, Damson, Lilac
69 Honesty, Peter, Abel, Bella, Judith, storm, Matilda, Evean, Iola, Heron, Mint, Kevin, Lilac, Happith, Gloria, Peregrine
70 Lillian, Tussock, Modesty, Thyme, Vivienne, Minyet, Ivy, David, Jasmine, Lilac, Ash, Beech
71 Quartet & Rebecca, Gimlet & Leech, The Squad, Lyre & George, Deadth, Gift
72 Gareth, Willow, Ivy, David, Kæna,Chive, Hyssop, Birch, Lucinda, Camomile, Meredith, Cormorant, Whisker, Florence, Murre, Iola, Milligan, Yarrow, Flagstaff, Swansdown, Tenor, Morgan, Yinjærik, Silvia, Harmaish, Billie, Jo, Stacey, Juniper
73 The Growers, The Reluctants, Miriam, Roger, Lauren, Dermot, Lindsay, Scott, Will, Chris, Plume, Stacey, Juniper
74 Warbler, Jed, Veronica, Campion, Mast, Lucinda, Cormorant, Camomile, Yellowstone
75 Katheen, Raymnd, Niall, Bluebe, Sophie, Hazel, Ivy, Shadow, Allison, Amber, Judith, Storm Alwydd, Matthew, Beatrix, Jackdaw, The Squad, Elders, Jennt, Bronze, Maeve, Wain, Monique, Piddock, Melissa, Roebuck, Aaron, Carley Jade, Zoë, Vikki, Bekka, Mint, Torrent
76 Gimlet, Leech, Gwendoline, Georgina, Quail. Birchbark, Hemlock, Peter, Honesty, Bella, Hannah, Aaron, Torrent, Zoë, Bekka, Vikki, Jade, Carley, Chough, Anvil, Clematis, Stonechat, Peace, Xanders, Gosellyn, Yew, Thomas, Campion, Will, Iris, Gareth
77 Zoë, Torrent, Chough, Stonechat, Veronica, Mast, Sledge, Cloudberry, Aconite, Cygnet, Smokt
78 Jed, Warbler, Luval, Glaze, Seriousth, Blackdyke, Happith, Camilla
79 Torrent, Zoë, Stonechat, Clematis, Aaron, Maeve, Gina, Bracken, Gosellyn, Paene, Veronica, Mast, Fracha, Squid, Silverherb
80 George/Gage, Niall, Alwydd, Marcy/Beth, Freddy/Bittern, Wayland, Chris, Manic/Glen, Guy, Liam, Jed, Fergal, Sharky
81 The Squad, Manic/Glen, Jackdaw, Beatrix, Freddy/Bittern, Fiona, Fergal, Wayland, Jade, Stonechat, Beauty, Mast, Veronica, Raven, Tyelt, Fid
82 Gimlet, Leech, Scentleaf, Ramsom, Grouse, Aspen, Stonechat, Bekka, Carley, Vikki, Morgelle, Bistort, Fritillary, Jed, Warbler, Spearmint, Alwydd, Billie, Diver, Seal, Whitethorn
83 Alastair, Carrom, Céline, Quickthorn, Coral, Morgelle, Fritillary, Bistort, Walnut, Tarragon, Edrydd, Octopus, Sweetbean, Shrike, Zoë, Torrent, Aaron, Vinnek, Zephyr, Eleanor, Woad, George/Gage, The Squad, Ingot, Yellowstone, Phthalen, Will
84 Morgelle, Bistort, Fritillary, Alsike, Campion, Siskin, Gosellyn, Yew, Rowan, Thomas, Will, Aaron, Dabchick, Nigel, Tuyere
85 Jo, Knott, Sallow, Margæt, Irena, Tabby, Jade, Phthalen, Yumalle, Stonechat, Spearmint, Alwydd, Seriousth, Warbler, Jed, Brett, Russel, Barleycorn, Crossbill, Lizo, Hendrix, Monkshood, Eyrie, Whelk, Gove, Gilla, Faarl, Eyebright, Alma, axx, Allan, daisy, Suki, Tull
86 Cherville, Nightshade, Rowan, Milligan, Wayland, Beth, Liam, Chris, Gage
87 Reedmace, Ganger, Jodie, Blade, Frœp, Mica, Eddique, Njacek, Whiteout, Sandpiper, Serin, Cherville, Nightshade, peregrine, Eleanor, Woad, Buzzard, Silas, Oak, Wolf, Kathleen, Reef, Raymond, Sophie, Niall, Bluebell
88 Cloud, Sven, Claudia, Stoat, Thomas, Aaron, Nigel, Yew, Milligan, Gareth, Campion, Will, Basil, Gosellyn, Vinnek, Plume
89 Llyllabette, Yoomarrianna, Silverherb, Cloudberry, Smokt, Skylark, Beatrix, Beth, Amethyst, Mint, Wayland, Bittern, Fiona, Fergal, Joan, Bræth, Nell, Milligan, Iola, Ashdell, Alice, Molly, Rill, Briar
90 Morgelle, Tuyere, Bistort, Beth, Beatrix, Sanderling, Falcon, Gosellyn, Gage, Will, Fiona, Jackdaw, Wayland, Merle, Cynthia, Jed, Warbler
91 Morgelle, Tuyere, Fritillary, Bistort, Jed, Otday, The Squad, Turner, Gudrun, Ptarmigan, Swegn, Campion, Otis, Asphodel, Jana, Treen, Xeffer, Stonechat, Bekka, Vikki, Carley, Beatrix, Jackdaw
92 Turner, Otday, Mackerel, Eorl, Betony, The Council, Will, Yew, Basil, Gerald, Oier, Patrick, Happith, Angélique, Kroïn, Mako
93 Beth, Greensward, Beatrix, Odo, Morgelle, Tuyere, Bistort, Otday, Turner, Gace, Rachael, Groundsel, Irena, Warbler, Jed, Mayblossom, Mazun, Will, The Squad
94 Bistort, Honey, Morgelle, Basil, Willow, Happith, Mako, Kroïn, Diana, Coaltit, Gær, Lavinia, Joseph (son), Ruby, Deepwater, Gudrun, Vinnek, Tuyere, Otday, Turner
95 Turner, Otday, Waverly, Jed, Tarse, Zoë, Zephyr, Agrimony, Torrent, Columbine, Stonechat, Bekka, Vikki, Carley, The Council, Gage, Lilly
96 Faith, Oak, Lilly, Fran, Suki, Dyker, Verbena, Jenny, Bronze, Quietth, Alwydd, Evan, Gage, Will, Woad, Bluebell, Niall, Sophie, Wayland, Kathleen, Raymond, Bling, Bittern
97 Jade, Phthalen, Yumalle, Margæt, Tabby, Larov, Morgelle, Tuyere, Bistort, Fritillary, Brmling, Tench, Knawel, Loosestrife, Agrimony, Jana, Will, Gale, Linden, Thomas, Guelder, Jodie, Peach, Peregrine, Reedmace, Ganger, The Council, Faith, Oak, Lilly, Ellen, Gem, Beth, Geän
98 Turner, Otday, Anbar, Bernice, Silverherb, Havern, Annalen
99 Kæna, Chive, Ivy, David, Birch, Suki, Hyssop, Whitebeam, Jodie, Ganger, Reedmace, Whiteout, Sandpiper, Catherine, Braid, Maidenhair, Snowberry, Snipe, Lærie, Morgelle, Tuyere, Bistort, Fritillary, Ælfgyfu, Jennet, Cattail, Guy, Vikki, Buckwheat, Eddique, Annabelle, Fenda, Wheatear, Bram, Coolmint, Carley, Dunlin
100 Burdock, Bekka, Bram, Wheatear, Cranberry, Edrian, Gareth, George, Georgina, Quail, Birchbark, Hemlock, Bramling, Tench, Knawel, Turner, Otday, Ruby, Deepwater, Barleycorn, Russel, Gareth, Plantain, Gibb, Lizo, Thomas, Mere, Marten, Hendrix, Cuckoo, Campion, Gage, Lilly, Faith
101 Theresa, Therese, Zylanna, Zylenna, Cwm, Ivy, David, Greenshank, Buzzard, Zeeëend, Zrina, Zlovan, Torrent, Alastair, Céline, Meld, Frogbit, Midnight, Wildcat, Posy, Coral, Dandelion, Thomas, Lizo, Council
102 Beth, Beatrix, Falcon, Gosellyn, Neil, Maple, Mouse, Ember, Goose, Blackcap, Suede, Gareth, Robert, Madder, Eider, Campion, Crossbill, Barleycorn, George, Céline, Midnight, Alastair, Pamela, Mullein, Swager, Msrgæt, Sturgeon, Elliot, Jake, Paris, Rosebay, Sheridan, Gælle, Maybells, Emmer, Beauty, Patricia, Chestnut, Irena, Moor
103 Steve, Limpet, Vlæna, Qorice, Crossbow, Dayflower, Flagon, Gareth, Næna, Stargazer, Willow, Box, Jude, Nathan, Ryland, Eller, Wæn, Stert, Truedawn, Martin, Campion, Raspberry
104 Coolmint, Valerian, Vikki, Hawfinch, Corncrake, Speedwell, Cobb, Bill, Gary, Chalk, Norman, Hoopoe, Firkin, Gareth, Plover, Willow, Dewberry, Terry, Squill, Campion, Tracker, Oak, Vinnek,
105 Council, Thomas, Pilot, Vinnek, Dale, Luca, Almond, Macus, Skua, Cranesbill, Willow, Campion, Georgina, Osprey, Peter, Hotsprings, Fyre, Jimbo, Saxifrage, Toby, Bruana, Shirley, Kirsty, Noah, Frost, Gareth, Turner, Otday, Eorl, Axle, Ester, Spile, David, Betony
106 Jodie, Sunshine, Ganger, Peach, Spikenard, Scallop, Hobby, Pennyroyal, Smile, Otday, Turner, Janet, Astrid, Thistle, Shelagh, Silas, Basalt, Suki, Robert, Madder, Steve, Bekka, Cowslip, Swansdown, Susan, Aqualegia, Kingfisher, Carley, Syke, Margæt, Garnet, Catkin, Caltforce, Council, Thomas, Briar, Yew, Sagon, Joseph, Gareth, Gosellyn, Campion, Will, Qvuine, Aaron, Siskin, Jasmine, Tusk, Lilac, Ash, Beech, Rebecca, Fescue
107 Helen, Duncan, Irena, Scent, Silk, Loosestrife, Tench, Knawel, Bramling, Grebe, Madder, Robert, Otter, Luval, Honey, Beth, Beatrix, Falcon, Amethyst, Janet, Lilac, Jasmine, Ash, Beech, Fiona, Blackdyke, Bittern, George, Axel, Oak, Terry, Wolf, Vinnek, Dittander, Squill, Harmony, Jason, Lyre, Iola, Heron, Yew, Milligan, Alice, Crook, Eudes, Abigail, Gibb, Melanie, Storm, Annabelle, Eddique, Fenda, Lars, Reedmace, Jodie, Aaron, Nigel, Thomas Will
108 Aldeia, Coast, Chris, Wayland, Liam, Gage, Fiona, Fergal, Beth, Greensward, Jackdaw, Warbler, Jed, Guy, Bittern, Spearmint, Alwydd, Storm, Judith, Heidi, Iola, heron, Beatrix, Harle, Parsley, Fledgeling, Letta, Cockle, Puffin, Adela, Gibb, Coaltit, Dabchick, Morris, Lucimer, Sharky, Rampion, Siskin, Weir, Alsike, Milligan, Gosellyn, Wolf, campion, Gareth, Aaron, Nigel, Geoffrey, Will, Roebuck, Yew
109 George, Lyre, Iola, Milligan, Gibb, Adela, Wels, Francis, Weir, Cliff, Siward, Glæt, Judith, Madder, Briar, Axel, Molly, Coaltit, Dabchick, Bluesher, Qvuine, Spoonbill, Ashridge, Morris
110 Nectar, Cattail, Molly, Floatleaf, Timothy, Guy, Judith, Briar, Axel, Storm, Beatrix, Iola, Coaltit, Siward, Cockle, Gibb, Lune, Manchette, Gellica, Dabchick, Morris, Sycamore, Eudes, Fulbert, Abigail, Milligan, Ashridge
111 Iola, Turner, Otday, Alwydd, Will, Dabchick, Sgœnne, Coriander, Saught, Ingot, Molly, Vivienne, Michelle, Nancy, Fledgeling, Letta, Milligan, Spoonbill, Knawel, Beaver, Cnut, Godwin, Ilsa, Holdfast, Jeanne, Tara, Lanfranc, Furrier, Joseph, Crag, Adela, Jason, Judith, Gem, Wolf, Storm, Terry, Axel, George, Oak, Coaltit, Posy, Gage, Bluesher, Nigel, Heron, Aaron, Orchid, Morris, Russell, Thomas, Eudes, Ashridge, Polecat, Redstart, Herleva, Fletcher, Jasmine, Ash, Beech, Lilac, Elaine, Kaya, Fulbert, Buzzard, Raymond, Firefly, Roebuck, Francis, Cliff, Odo, Alice, Grangon
112 Council, Bruana, Iola, Kirsty, Glen, Shirley, Wormwood, Noah, Aaron, Dabchick, Nigel, Judith, Milligan, Campion, Gibb, Morris, Polecat, Ilsa, Glæt, Braun, Turbot, Voë, Llyllabette, Yoomarrianna, Sledge, Cloudberry, Smockt, Burgloss, Hubert, Skylark, Srossa, Cygnet, Uri, Cnara, Sexday, Luuk, Slew, Quinnea, Roach, Vosgælle, Siward, Adela, Bluesher, Olga, Amæ, Helen, Odo, Wels, Camomile, Fulbert, Ashridge, Swaille, Gren, Spoonbill, Alwydd, Puffin, Chub, Gage, Ivy, Sippet, Orcharder, Knapps, Eudes, Fledgeling, Cnut, Letta, Nightjar, Greensward, Saught, Carver, Wlnoth, Flagstaff, Coaltit, Thresher, Parsley, Harle, Coriander
113 Aaron, Glæt, Braum, Sandpiper, Ellflower, Abigail, Nigel, Morris, Iola, Ivana, Zena, Trefoil, Comfrey, Scorp, Milligan, Ashridge, Polecat, Gibb, Basil, Knapps, Sagon, Pleasance, Posy, Woad, Will, Gage, Strath, Eric, Ophæn, Coriander, Vivienne, Michelle, Camilla, Odo, Siward, Swaille, Fulbert, Adela, Coaltit, Dabchick, Eudes, Harle, Matthew, Grangon, Hayrake, David, Gellica, Biteweed, Heron, Qvuine, Hjötron, Fledgeling, Parsley, Spoonbill, Greensward, Bluesher, Beatrix, Roebuck, Sagon, Letta, Carver, Wlnoth, Beaver, Saught, Swegn
114 Iola, Dabchick, Gage, Fulbert, Eudes, Coaltit, Burnet, Adela, Sippet, Milligan, Spoonbill, Coriander, Fennel, Knapps, Llyllabette, Yoomarrianna, Smockt, Wheatear, Cloudberry, Sanderling, Scree, Eve, Sledge, Hubert,Irena, Suki, Burgloss, Harle, Polecat, Gibb, Gordon, Douglas, Lunelight,Lovage, Francis, Pleasance, Siward, Grangon, Qvuine, Ashridge, Abigail, Alice, Emma, Embrace, Basil, Aaron, Nigel, Hville, Heron, Bluesher, Musk, Michelle, Joseph, Ivy, Bruana, Noah, Ianto
Word Usage Key
Some commonly used words are below. Replace th on end of words with ness and t with d or ed and most of the rest are obvious if sounded out aloud. Some words with n or en on the end can be easily understood if the n is replaced by a d. Only difficult words and words that do not exist in English are now referred to specifically.
Agreän(s), those person(s) one has marital agreement with, spouse(s).
Bethinkt, thought.
Braekt, broke.
Cousine, female cousin.
Doet, did. Pronounced dote.
Doetn’t, didn’t. Pronounced dough + ent.
Findt, found,
Goen, gone
Goent, went.
Grandparents. In Folk like in many Earth languages there are words for either grandmother and grandfather like granddad, gran, granny. There are also words that are specific to maternal and paternal grandparents. Those are as follows. Maternal grand mother – granddam. Paternal grandmother – grandma. Maternal grandfather – grandfa. Paternal grandfather – grandda.
Heartfriend, a relationship of much more significance than being a girl- or boy-friend is on Earth. Oft such relationships are formed from as young as four and they are taken seriously by both children and adults. A child’s heartfriend is automatically one of their heartfriend’s parents’ children too, and a sibling to their heartfriend’s siblings. Such relationships rarely fail and are seen as precursors to becoming intendet and having agreement.
Intendet, fiancée or fiancé.
Knoewn, knew.
Lastdaysince, the day before yesterday.
Loes, lost.
Maekt, made.
Nextdaynigh, the day after tomorrow.
Sayt, said.
Seeën, saw.
Taekt, took.
Telt, told.
Uest, used.
1 Sayal, meatloaf, usually heavily herbed.
2 White wheat, a colourles wheat that serves the Folk in place of rice.
3 Sweetroot, parsnip.
4 Pinkstem, rhubarb.
5 Gris, wild – ferral swine. Salt gris, bacon, ham or gammon.
6 Ocean pickles, salt femented pickles.
7 Starchroots, floury potatoes. Waxy potatoes are referred to as waxroots, though the distinction is neither absolute nor always adhered to. Solanum tuberosum.
8 Loveapple, small hardy tomato.
9 Bellfruit, sweet pepper, oft used as a pudding.
10 Das wasserschloß, the moated castle. Wasserschloß is a neuter noun in German. Llyllabette is referring to the Keep.
11 Büstenhalter, brassière. Büstenhalter is a masculine noun in German.
12 Die Büstenhalter, brassières.
13 Beast, in this context refers to a cow.
14 Caul, the lacy, fatty membrane encasing the internal organs of an animal.
15 Basht, bashed, in this context mashed.
16 Neeps, swede, rutabaga, winteroot.
17 Tatties, potatoes.
18 Mercyfruit, hot pepper, chile or chilli.
19 Lightwurst, lung sausage.
20 Fillth, volume or capacity, Fullth is similar but used to refer to a specific volume, e.g. ‘it has a fullth of two gallons’.
21 Cam frae, dialectal came from.
22 Gie, dialectal give.
23 Graill are eaten with the hands and large bibs are required. Graill, a giant isopod that lives in the sea and uses the tideline possibly to breed between two and four nights a year. They can reach three feet long and forty weights. The plural of graill is graill.
24 Cowt, cowed.
25 Trett, treated.
26 Liquid Gold, a light dry hoppy ale reminiscent of lager.
27 Ide, Leuciscus idus a member of the carp family. Usually cool smoked. However, Ide smokies are hot smoked for less than an hour and derive their name from an incomer from Arbroath many years over who had been a producer of Arbroath smokies, a smoked haddock.
28 Red seagreen, a red form of sea lettuce, Ulva lactuca.
29 Sagon sauce, a sauce containing powdered sagon nuts and sagon honey – the sagon tree is unique to Castle and all sagon products, including honey, are mildly narcotic.
30 Coaltit’s Quality, equivalent to a vintage Champagne often drunk with fish on Castle.
31 Ceël, pronounced sea + ell, (si:ɛl), a small sweet pear-like fruit unique to Castle, often dried and powdered unripe as a vanilla like flavouring. Pyrus fragrans.
32 Gær, a highly aromatic spice, both nut and bark are uest, gær is unique to Castle and tastes and smells vaguely like cinnamon or cassia, (geir).
33 Pennyroyals, a mint flavoured confection served with the spiced leaf usually after a formal dinner.
34 Slew, a close relative of pheasant. Slew are twice the size of pheasant. The cocks have characteristic dark green, bordering on black, metallic plumage and make a distinctive rattling sound. The silent hens have non-metallic, mottled, pale buff plumage enabling them blend in with the background even when not trying to be unobserved.
35 Saught, in the context peace but especially reconciliation.
36 Sincely, recently.
37 Peaten, peated, with the aromaticity and flavour of peat.
Comments
Spaghetti and meatballs
Now that the kitchen is serving spaghetti and meatballs, how long mightit be until one of the older incomers remembers the old children's song that starts: 'On top of spaghetti, all covered in cheese...' and teaches it to his/her new grandchildren?
For a refresher, see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yU2GqcjJcdM