Names of dishes

Ellieporter

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So, I've been looking up a lot of dishes lately for writing material but how do you come up with dishes for fantasy novels where there are pubs and taverns.
 
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Deleted member 45782

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So, I've been looking up a lot of dishes lately for writing material but how do you come up with dishes for fantasy novels where there are pubs and taverns.
Google dishes pubs and taverns often serve. Then either use that or use it as a basis to model for food dishes from your fantasy world.

Fish and chips. --> Aelsogi and & Bralnsins (Grilled Octopus legs and Rasins in ranch dipping. Random idea. Idk how I connected it but eh).
 

Snusmumriken

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Imo concentrate on how it looks/smells/tastes rather than their names. especially fantastical ones. If you do want fantastical names make them easily understood to a modern reader "Griffon Wild Wings" "Smoked Dragon flank" "Dragon-fried lamb" "scrambled eggs of a basilisk"

As a reader I don't want to be confused by unpronounceable or overly artistic names - I want to imagine a steaming plate with my mind - help me with that instead.

Edit: if your issue is with coming with new types of dishes, and not their names I would expect pubs and taverns to have stuff that doesn't spoil fast or you can cook a lot of. So smoked meats, preserves, ferments, cheese, bread, alcohol, stews, porridge, occasional freshly roasted animal from the backyard if the patrons are willing to pay. farm produce like eggs etc etc
 

moeforsushi

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Try reading Dungeon Meshi for inspiration. The food there seemed like it would fit in a tavern. It is made mostly out of monsters so it would work well in a fantasy setting.
 

AliceShiki

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For the most part, stick to the name of dishes of RL food. At most substitute the name of an ingredient or two by the fantasy equivalent (Like, instead of chicken thighs, you can have griffon thighs).

You have to remember that, unless you're writing a cooking novel, your readers won't pay any attention to what dishes you're writing about and they'll forget about them in 5s. And the more fancy and creative you are with your names, the higher the chances your readers will skim through and be unaware of what dish you're even talking about... Because it's just not worth their time to pay attention to that.

Put your time as a writer by developing your characters/plot/world and stuff. Those trivial details can just be taken directly from RL equivalents (unless of course, they're meaningful for your characters/plot for some reason... Or if you're in a cooking novel).
 
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Garsh darn it. Where is that thread where we were making names of dishes you may see in novels? Or making fantasy dishes...Would be good to link it here.
 

RepresentingCaution

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BenJepheneT

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fuck those fancy names. i'd have one menu dedicated entirely to bread and it'll be labeled as frank as possible.

bread

bread with cheese

bread with honey

bread but more

bread but more with cheese

bread but more with honey

flour (make your own bread)

flour and honey (make your own bread with honey)

flour and cheese (make your own bread with cheese)

more flour (make your own bread but more)

etc.
 

Agentt

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Choose names from a different language, or use a word jumbler
 

hyperkvlt

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How to name a dish:

Ingredients
Cooking Technique
Food Shape ie. Representation
Neat, I recall all the dishes on Etrian Odyssey all named based on those the three factor.

But with addition of the dishes original name, Ie: Steak, Jelly, etc. The name of the place where it sold or its origin, ie: town's name, the pub's name, the country's name, etc. And the name of its cooks. Ie: Brandon's special pasta.


Though, if you want some if you want inspiration you can check out Etrian Odyssey Cookings. (it kinda dominated by japanese dishes, tough) Just scroll until you see the foods or drinks pictures and its descriptions.

 
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