Collo

Collo is a gelatinous agar produced from a red algae, used as a culinary condiment or topping. It is considered a delicacy in Tira Vellan cuisine, where it is often used as part of hors d’oeurves. Unlike other agars, collo has a distinct sharp, pungent flavour, but it is most well known for its numbing and tingling properties caused by the presence of spilanthol.  

Name

The name collo is from Tira Vellan “κόλλον”. The word refers both to the finished substance and the algae it is made from. The word of unknown, likely pre-Tira Vellan, origin. A connection to Ald Duekmen “kolo”, meaning wheel or circle, has been postulated, due to the wavy appearance of the algae, as have various possible connections to Arxian, but all are unlikely given its history.  

Description

Collo is a dense, gelatinous substance produced by the rendering of collo algae, a type of red algae native to the shallow waters off the coast of Notachora in Tira Vella. It has a faint red to yellow colour, with clearer and less coloured samples being considered over-refined and of lower quality. It has a sharp taste which has been described as both sour and savoury, and reminiscent of bay leaves. As such it is generally paired with other savoury foods. It may or may not be salted. Besides its flavour, its most famous attribute is its parasthetic sensation, caused by the presence of spilanthol. It causes a numbing and tingling sensation in the mouth and especially tongue, while also causing a cooling sensation in the throat, similar to mint.   It is prepared in moulds, most commonly rectangular, but ornamental shapes are also common, especially when the collo is meant to be served as a whole block from which diners will carve as opposed to being pre-cut for serving.   It is used and consumed in a similar manner to caviar, being used as a garnish or spread, or eaten unaccompanied. Similar to caviar, when eaten as-is, a spoon made of nacre is often used to avoid affecting the taste with metal.   Collo is composed primarily of polysaccharides, mostly agarose (~70%) and agaropectin (~30%). Lower grades contain mostly these compounds, with fewer of the flavour compounds that differentiate collo from other agars or gelatins. Higher grades contain more “impurities”, mostly fatty acids, including spilanthol, the fatty acid amide which gives it its parasthetic properties, and amino acids, particularly glutamates, which cause its savoury flavour. Collo is also high in manganese, and excessive consumption can lead to manganism.  

History

Collo appears to have been made by the natives of Notachora before the Tira Vellans began colonising the area, as it appears in Tira Vellan records beginning in the 13^th century as a food produced by the natives of the area. It does not appear in Arxian records, however. While some take this to mean it was not created until after the fall of the Arxian Empire, and thus posit an origin for collo between the 11^th and 3^th centuries, the lack of records should not be taken as definitive.   The Tira Vellans quickly took a liking to the substance when they encountered it in Notachora, noting both its strong flavour and unique oral sensation. It quickly became a favourite of the upper class in the Gold Coast, and thus became an important trade commodity which helped drive Tira Vellan expansion and colonisation into Notachora.   It remained a symbol of wealth and affluence, even as algae cultivation increased and spread up the coast of Notachora. Attempts to cultivate the algae outside of Notachora historically failed, and it was only recently discovered that the collo algae requires the slight acidity and high manganese concentration found in Notachora’s coastal waters to thrive. Today, collo algae is cultivated outside Notachora using hydroponics and manganese chloride. Tira Vella maintains a controlled designation of origin for collo, and while other countries do allow non-Tira Vellan collo to be labelled as “collo”, sea-grown collo from Notachora is universally considered the best.   Less refined, higher grades of collo go bad faster than more refined ones, due to fatty acid oxidation driving rancidity, making transport easier for lower grades. This made collo difficult to export past the Gold Coast and Gyaros. Even within the Gold Coast, it was traditionally less common and more expensive in West Vellia and northwestern Heprous. It began to be exported on ice in the mid-28^th century, where it became quickly popular among the upper classes across @Oecumene and causing a shortage and rapid price inflation for over a decade before supply stabilised. Today, modern refrigeration allows for even easier transport and storage, leading to reduced prices.