Heyo! I adore the food recommendations you make and I want to ask you if you could maybe make some for a winged wyvern like this one in the picture below? Think huge, feathery and just really nimble. They're one of my more present kintypes :)
Of course, not forcing. Please and thank you! :D
Hi! Thank you for the compliment! This was certainly an interesting request. Without a ton of details, it was really fun to try and figure out some directions to go with this. The long, feathered, nimble frame of the wyvern in question made me think of more of a swift, hit and run kind of creature. A terror of the skies certainly, but maybe not necessarily the apex predator.
If I had to make a comparison- this wyvern strikes me more like a cheetah. A predator, and certainly a fast and maneuverable one, but not at the top of its respective food chain. So it was with that in mind that I started looking for inspiration. The first thing that struck me was the tail- it reminded me of creatures like a lyre tailed nightjar, or a resplendent quetzal. This ended up making the list a bit more omnivorous- as the quetzal, besides eating insects and small prey, mostly eats fruit.
Another consideration came in the fact that wyverns lack additional legs. Depending on your interpretation of the body plan, this can lead to more awkward movement on land, be it a very top heavy waddle or a more snake like movement. Either way- the legs donât seem to be in a great position for usage in hunts- hence the hit and run thoughts, or perhaps more of a scavenger approach. While scooping something off a mountainside is certainly possible, another direction I could take is in birds like sea skimmers. So that added another dimension to the types of protein I had in mind.
With all this in mind- I hope you enjoy what I picked out!
To start off with, I wanted to tackle the more scavenger approach. Sometimes you end up craving certain textures or experiences- so Iâm opening this section with bones.
Bone marrow is a rich treat hidden within a tougher shell- cracking the bones apart to reach it can be very satisfying, but bone shards and quantity can leave something to be desired. Yet, it can be a delicacy- and youâll find there are places like butchers where you can buy large, already cut and prepared bones for roasting. If you want a more accessible rich, nutty; buttery smooth and spreadable substance- and possibly more applicable, roast garlic is a lot easier to make.
If itâs the idea of texture, of cracking and crunching something- I thought biscotti, while a more sweet option, could fit the bill. The flavor and additions are entirely customizable too.
For a more substantial option, my mind first went to pulled pork for the experience- and this brings a couple options for method. A slow cooker bbq recipe is available here- but you may find this oven roasted pulled pork a little more accessible.
Additionally, these Saint Louis style oven baked ribs might also be a rather fulfilling experience.
If we take a couple steps back, broaden our options a bit- breadsticks are always fun, and can be shaped however you desire. While a store bought pizza dough can be used for a quick time saver, this recipe here is from scratch if you want to spend the time making it yourself.
Our next option is eggs, a rather popular thing for many omnivores and scavengers to steal. This first recipe, Äimbur, is an interesting Bosnian dish involving poached eggs and ground meat. The second is a take on itâs North African cousin shakshuka, in these shakshuka stuffed peppers. I felt it would add some interesting variety.
Our second stop is the sea. Thereâs some interesting options in fish, crustaceans, and even squid when it approached the surface at night for both scavengers and sea skimming creatures. To keep on theme with the richer options so far, lobster is also juicy and buttery when prepared right. This broiled lobster tail recipe may serve you well.
Our next option is cod, another common fish popular with sea skimmers and humans alike. This Cod Piccata is a quick and easy option that can be made in the pan.
Another popular fish is salmon, these salmon tacos catering to a more omnivorous diet with the inclusion of a delicious mango corn salsa to balance the spicy fish with just the right amount of sweetness.
If soup is more your speed, this Caldo de Mariscos certainly offers a variety of seafood with fish, shrimp, crab and crawfish within the traditional creamy tomato broth.
If a lighter option is more your speed, this calamari, avocado and grapefruit bruschetta is an interesting appetizer, where the inclusion of garlic can offer interesting pairings with the roast garlic recipe above.
Finally, this Italian stuffed calamari recipe caught my eye as an interesting way to use squid beyond simple fried rings. (Though youâre also free to give those a try!)
Next we take on our solidly more terrestrial options. I found myself leaning heavily towards goat and sheep as a prime target for meat, though I couldnât help but think these southwestern style barbecued quail looked too good not to include.
While this birria chili goat stew is certainly a delicious take on mountain goats, I thought it would be interesting to include a recipe from the mountainous region of Valtellina Italy as well. While lacking meat itself, pizzoccheri alla valtellinese combines local cheeses and ingredients into a rich flat buckwheat pasta dish.
If goat is too gamey, then the options of braised spicy lamb meatballs, or Shepardâs Pie may be more your speed. Both are great options, and can be stored and used for meals later.
Calling back to the resplendent quetzal, I thought some recipes focusing a bit more on fruit would be a good way to diversify this recipe list. While their primary food source is actually avocados, I broadened that idea just a bit further. But while weâre here⌠this avocado salad with tomato, cucumber, fresh herbs and lime looked like a bright and fresh option, while this cheesy baked avocado made it in simply by being interesting and unique enough among the avocado toast options to pique my interest.
The next option I picked out was a mango and papaya pavlova, combining both tropical fruits with a fluffy whipped egg meringue. I had briefly considered something like an ĂŽle flottante, for the eggs combined with the fluffy cloud like meringue seemed fitting for such a graceful creature flying through the skies. But poaching meringue in custard is a bit complicated for a more casual recipe list. So I home this pavlova, and papaya lemon meringue tart are at least a little more accessible, if not equally delicious.
Lastly, I wanted to include a few drinks. The first is called Chamoyada, which blends sweet, tangy and spicy in a frozen mango treat. The second being a hot mulled apple cider, for some classic autumnal comfort on a cold evening.
I hope you enjoy the list!
