Oakenbloom

In some places, predominantly thick oaken woods of northern Cymru people come and enjoy the pastime of collecting the fallen bloom, typically the size of a small nut. The thing is barely edible on its own but with a good deal of seasoning and a winter or two in vinegar... It's a crunchy and astringent delicacy that even the poorest people enjoy and some homes cannot imagine a dish without an oakenbloom topping.

— excerpt from "Travelling the Savenian Lands. The memories of a Brudhean merchant Calath Æsasaoin."

General description

Oakenbloom is a general name given to a particular condiment, which is extremely popular in Cymrean woodlands and adds a necessary astringent touch to the most of the dishes. It resembles a barely budding flower with tough, greenish petals softened through innumerous months of soaking in vinegar or salty brine. There are literally hundreds if not thousands of recipies as each household is said to have their own recipe, passed on by previous generations.

Oakenbloom is one of those rare cases that have survived unscathed through the Age of Forced Oversight. Why is that the case is anyones guess. Some skalds speculate that the very strong cultural rooting of oaks as a symbol of strength and integrity played a huge role. Others reflect the argument noting that no clear connection was found by the Tamers of Æter.

Varieties and lazy preparation

While recipies vary in details some varieties are more popular than the other and one can identify three categories: brined, pickled and dried. On their own, the names can be misleading though, as these are the three consecutive steps people take to prepare the oakenbloom.

Brined

The brine is often infused with herbs and in places where salt is present it is added in fair amounts. The blooms are kept in brine submerged, often without the light and some people go as far as sealing the jars with clay and depositing them one foot below the surface. These types of condiments are ready to use after a year or two, but in plentiful years can be left for five to ten at ease. After taking out they are swiftly rinsed with clear water if the brine was salty and torn apart. The petals are left to dry and develop a blanket of salt and herbal additives, then placed in smaller jars, packed tightly and submerged under brine ready for consumption.

Pickled

After being torn apart, the petals are mixed with a variety of herbs, flowers and dried fruit and swiftly placed into a thick clay jar, where they are relentlessly pressed into a confined space untilmost of the air is pressed out. To assist the process, some brine is added to keep the mixture away from the air and light as much as possible. A large stone, fitting the exit of the jar is placed inside to keep the mixture packed, then a piece of rope is tied around it, hammered in and sealed with wax. Pickled oakenblooms are good to consume at the start of the next season, but not before 3-4 months.

Dried

After several years of brining and another of pickling, comes yet another step, which involves creation of crunchy layers. The mixture is taken as is or ground into a paste before being covered in a herb of choice. Dried berries are by far the most common ones and create a dark red fluffy crust (when a single layer is used) or a gradient of night sky blue to red slowly changing towards the center. The brine is thickened with grounded starchy roots to help the powder stick. It smoothes out the surface, making it look more delicate and fluffy. Mane shapes are used to form the oakenbloom, from nut-sized spheres to thick flat leaves.

Dried version are oftentimes very symbolic as their preparation takes a great deal of dedication and time. To be presented with a dried oakenbloom is a great honour and sign of respect and gratitude from the host.