On the cuisine of the River Delta

The [[River Delta]] is the traditional home of Idiari's old money; nobles and landowners and those who serve them. The culture's age and prestige has lead to the peculiarities of its food becoming deeply entrenched. The cuisine of the River Delta is defined by three significant features.   Fish   The Delta sits at the mouth of the gentler and richer of Idiari's major rivers, and centuries-old efforts to conserve the vast and diverse population of its fish were a large part of how the land became so valuable (due to limits on its population and density), and thus the wealth of many of its citizens.   The diet of the River Delta consists almost exclusively of fish. Among upper- and middle-class families, it's commonly eaten for three meals a day, every day, with formal banquets sometimes serving fish for both appetizer and main course. Working families will more often only eat fish once or twice a day, with their other meals centering on easily-harvested shellfish, mollusks, or tubers. A select few organs are delicacies of the rich, while the rest are eaten by the poor.   Mild fish like cod and tilapia are eaten for breakfast; flavorful but still light fish like trout for luncheon; and rich, filling fish like salmon for supper. The selection varies seasonally, with more ocean fish being eaten as they come to the river to spawn, then returning to freshwater fish as the annual bounty runs out. There are also a wide variety of preparations, recipes, and garnishes.   Despite this, the fish-heavy diet takes its toll on visitors and newcomers to the Delta. After a few days it can result in nausea and indigestion, frequently enough to earn the nickname "river sickness," for which there are a number of folk remedies. Depending on whom you ask, the solution may be either bread, any of a variety of spice, or even more fish.   Meatless meals aren't unheard of, but are certainly not the norm, even during wartime rationing. Most of the crops grown in the River Delta region are either spices or fruits grown for juicing and fermentation, with onions being the region's closet thing to a staple crop. The only other meats with any major presence in River Delta cuisine are poultry, chevon, and various game birds generally caught in autumn hunting trips. Meats common elsewhere like pork, beef, and mutton are thought of as novelties.   Salt   The River Delta is hot and humid all year round. Heat and humidity means sweating, and the city and culture have adapted to this in a number of ways. Every child of the River Delta learns to swim, and swimming water access is considered nearly tantamount to drinking water access. The clothes of the Delta are lightweight and breathable. Walkways are never far from flowing water which draws heat from the air. Baths are traditionally taken twice a day. Sweat rags are as much an accessory as handkerchiefs elsewhere. And the food contains an enormous amount of salt to replenish what's lost.   Meat may be salted multiple times in the course of its preparation. Table salt is not provided in shakers, but in shallow dishes for each diner so they may hand-sprinkle it, or even dip their food¹, during the meal. Salt-frying is a method of preparation endemic to the River Delta which leaves foodstuffs coated in coarse salt crystals. Naturally this diet makes people thirsty, but the climate ensures people are drinking plenty of water anyway. Alcoholic beverages like wine tend to be very low proof.   Salt has the additional benefit of preserving food, which would otherwise quickly spoil in the Delta heat. Ice houses are rare, since the soil conditions discourage digging too deeply.   Butter   Butter is the defining cooking fat of the River Delta. This is a fairly recent trend, dating back only a few decades to when newly laid rail lines could easily import distant products. Previously the region had used olive oil, which remains somewhat prominent, especially among middle-class families.²   Nearly every family with any amount of land soon started raising goats on their property to ensure access to a fresh supply.³ Goatherds from the Idiari and Colan tribes were briefly in high demand, and many of them (and their children) remain in the profession.   The rich taste of butter is known to contribute to river sickness.