Thursday, March 27, 2025

This is the ninth installment of West Wind, your daily drop of thoughts, ideas, and info for this Season.

After yesterday's more serious topics, let's take things in a lighter direction. Food is a very important part of all of my stories, as I judge it to be one of the best ways to show a character's personality. What they eat is determined largely by who they are (and vice versa, or so I hear), so I make it a point to incorporate not only eating but also cooking whenever possible. So let's go!

In Octave of Stars, the characters are all constantly eating. Ash is a cook (not a chef), so he's always got a new recipe to try. Cascadia is pretty adventurous when it comes to food, having been exposed to a lot of different cuisines by her parents, and by being involved with Ash. Gayle works in a diner, serving people food all day, and she even takes over the kitchen from time to time. Azalea is not only a teenager but also has an uncanny ability to never get sick, so she exasperates everyone with her junk food intake. Lumina is fine with bread and cheese for the most part, but enjoys a fine meal when it's offered. Rand and Yin usually have to eat quickly while on the job, but still make sure to share meals together. That leaves Frost, and did he actually eat anything during the story?

In the cozy, intricate world of Euphony of Seasons, showcased in Paper & Feathers, there's no globalization of trade, so foods are all sourced locally and Seasonally. Not only that, but dietary requirements differ between different kinds of people. The Veliagos and Gyserada can only eat meat, while the Lehvoki and Cervinaeus can only eat vegetables. The other peoples come in at varying degrees of omni-voracity, so a balance is always needed. There are just as many cattle ranchers and fishers as there are vegetable farmers, though most people also grow or hunt for themselves, since independence is important for them.

That balance is also important in the modern world of Vivi & the All-Lands Tournament, too, with the different range of creatures that people bond with. Some eat meat, some veggies, some screws and bolts, and others nothing at all! Vivi herself has to watch what she eats also, but that's the kind of thing you get used to after a while.

Florabeasts don't eat anything other than sunlight, water, and dirt, but that doesn't mean nothing wants to eat them. An ecological disaster of some kind gave rise to the Gasts, horrible monsters made of discarded food that seem to seek out Florabeasts specifically and turn them into compost. That makes the Frontier a lot more dangerous than it already is, but pioneers quickly learned that fire and salt are excellent ways to take down those menaces. Not to mention the help of the Gastrologers, skilled cooks who use special ingredients and techniques to produce a variety of effects from their dishes.

Hungry yet? I know I am. Food week will wrap up tomorrow.

What are some of your favorite foods or cooking in stories?