The Foods of Offworld

The planet of Offworld sports a wide and diversified fauna of plants, animals, fish, bugs and more that are unique and native only to that planet, and yet they are derived from lifeforms found on Earth, and adapted to live on Offworld through unique genetic modifications and adaptations done by the controllers when they were originally terraforming the planet. Some of the well known, and most commonly discussed foods on the planet are as follows:

• Shiotine is the Offworld equivalent of Oats, and is a staple crop for feeding livestock, although it is occasionally used for human consumption. But it's primary purpose is to feed cattle, chickens, and other livestock.

• Gastons are a green bean like legume known to grow in every region across the entirety of Offworld. They are most commonly found and consumed in the northern regions of both the continents of Contina and Nustrun as they are a plant that best thrives in temperate climates.

• Naslet is a crop unique to Offworld and is one of the many unique and varied foods found on the planet, and grown by many farmers the world over. The typical naslet looks like a cereal crop, but is not actually a cereal crop, although it shares some similarities to them. It is typically planted in late spring, after all the other crops are planted, due to needing warmer temperatures to properly germinate, and grows quickly, allowing for harvesting as early as late summer, or even late fall depending on what purpose the crop is being planted for. This is because Naslet shares more things in common with strawberries and raspberries than wheat or oats, although it does share similarities to each of these plants. Technically, by botanical standards, it's a berry, and yet it grows like a grain.

  The plant grows a thick, heavy stalk, on top of which emerges something equivalent to a bumpy strawberry. If allowed to ripen, it can be picked and turned into a delicious jam or preserve. However, if allowed to go past the point of ripeness, the head changes and becomes grain like, resembling an oversized head of wheat, at which time, if allowed to dry out, the heads can be ground into an amazing, sweet flavored flour that makes the most incredible pastries you've ever tasted which have a very naturally fruity flavor.

• Spunions are a potato like root vegetable native to the planet of Offworld. While they are grown everywhere on the planet, they are most commonly grown and eaten on the continent of Contina. They are a very large, starchy root vegetable and somewhat represent a red potato in flavor but look like an Idaho in size and appearance. They are most often eaten either baked, sliced, boiled or pan fried with butter and a variety of spices.

• Debonate is one of a numerous variety of coffee like beverages that are common to the planet of Offworld. It is created, not from a bean, but from a cereal grain similar to corn, which is dried, shelled, dark roasted, then ground into a light meal that is then steeped in hot water to produce the beverage. While not everyone prefers to drink it this way, most connoisseurs of the beverage prefer to brew it strong, and unfiltered, with the ground meal still in the cup. Debonate is also a popular beverage with all social classes, from the richest of the rich, down to the poorest of the poor. It's flavor is considered to be similar to that of a Latte, with a hint of caramel. It's detractors, however, consider it's flavor to be that of burned soup.

• Quoll Tetra is a rice like grain that grows natively on the planet of Offworld as it does not easily spoil, and naturally resists the intrusion of salt water into its kernels, making it the perfect grain for those navigating on the sea, as will not easily become engorged with salt water should the ship leak and the Tetra become soaked or otherwise immersed in salt water. Due to its naturally salt-phobic nature, should such happen, it is an easy task to simply remove the soaked Tetra from the salt water, rinse it with fresh water, and then cook it. Quoll Tetra is often fixed using a unique cooking method that includes a rum like liqueur, as well as beans, dried salty pork, keptlet and a variety of herbs and spices. Prepared, cooked Tetra pottages are also very shelf stable and can be eaten cold or reheated for several days without risk of spoilage, thus again making it an excellent food staple for mariners of all stripes.

• Keptlet is a bush like cereal crop that creates a seed similar in nature to corn in size and texture, although it grows within a pod like a pea rather than on an ear like regular corn. Keptlet is grown and harvested in most locations across Offworld. It's uses are pretty numerous, although the most common is as an animal feed, a common vegetable, and even the ingredient in certain beers and alcoholic beverages. When making beer, the beverage it creates has somewhat of a fruity, yet earthy flavor.

• Barnicorn is a cereal crop unique to Offworld and is wheat like in nature, including the stalk, head and kernels. Barnicorn is most commonly used in making breads, as an animal feed, or the foundation for such things as paint, glue and other household necessities. It is also a primary food staple for many people, and can also be converted into alcoholic beverages through common fermentation. The crop is typically planted in the fall, and harvested in late summer.

These are most commonly used to make a variety of food products that are consumed on Offworld. But these are only scratching the wide variety of plants, animals and fish that are grown, harvested and processed into food commonly eaten on the planet. The total list of all that is made and consumed on Offworld is very long, and sometimes is regional, but this does cover some of the most commonly consumed items across the planet. Foods can also be divided by continent in their availability. Some foods are also divided north and south, with those in the area of the main racing trail being plants and animals most commonly found in temperate climates, whereas those to the south being adapted to more tropical climates.