The Fabulous Feast Of Prince Profundus Vorago (Part 4)

Earl Tyrant from Final Fantasy Unlimited

Earl Tyrant from Final Fantasy Unlimited

The next dish is from the deepest of seas.
A lobster so big it brought fishermen to their knees.
This dish was a trial that required a vote
To boil it in the pool or use part of the moat.
Armored body cracked open revealing the meat
The shell was so thick that we had to cheat.
It has been cracked open by thirty knight swords
Most of which shattered to the fret of our lords.
No butter or sauce has been poured on the dish
The gigantic lobster’s meat is naturally delish.
It has left the prince staring with his jaw on the floor.
This should give us some time to cook up some more.

Twenty carts full of dumplings made round and moist.
It is said that these recipes have made kings rejoice.
Dumplings of cheese and others with fruit.
One tray with dumplings of candied pine root.
The prince loves the type that is bursting with jelly.
He joyfully eats them as they stick in his belly.
Now I must praise the chefs who worked hard on this food.
For they made enough for us all, to lighten our mood.

It is time for the final entrée to be eaten.
Various pastas with sauces to sweeten.
Shapes of funnels and animals and old-fashioned clocks.
There is even a set of pasta building blocks.
We have sauces for dipping and others to pour.
I fear that the clean-up will be such a chore.
The prince is making a mess throwing pasta about.
At least the fun he is having is wearing him out.

We are nearing dessert that needs some more time.
So we have some fresh fruit that is truly sublime.
Bouncing cherries that hop as you try to eat them
And a diced opal watermelon that shines like a gem.
Apples with herbal worms and bananas au gratin
Our fruit farmers have made sure that nothing is rotten.
Some items are chilled and others are heated
I believe a few extra napkins are needed.

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The Fabulous Feast Of Prince Profundus Vorago (Part 3)

Earl Tyrant from Final Fantasy Unlimited

Earl Tyrant from Final Fantasy Unlimited

Our first meal of meat has come out of the kitchen.
It is a roast fowl that is juicier than chicken.
The bird has eight legs that glisten with meat
That has been cooked with intense red heat.
I heard that this bird lives out in the forest
Where it only eats berries that grow in thick mist.
This diet gives it a natural sweet flavor
Which the prince is eating too quickly to savor.

The potato is done and it’s the size of a house
It was originally grown to share with a spouse
And children and pets and a visiting neighbor
To eat one alone is said to be a great labor.
It is dripping with butter and some type of chives
Said to be grown by a far sultan’s wives.
But the prince carries on without a complaint
He eats this large dish and half of the plate.

You need a bib for the next stage of the feast
The grillers and roasters have cooked every beast.
Cows and pigs and lamb are lame game
This barbeque has animals not nearly as tame.
Giraffe neck and cougar flank bathed in sweet sauce
That sautéed ribs of a boar that ate only moss.
Loins and thick steaks cooked with perfection
Releasing aromas that cannot be rejected.
The prince eats them all leaving only the bone
Which he throws in a bucket at the side of his throne.

The next dish is simple and makes less of a mess.
It is a stacked sandwich made by Chef Von Cless.
Made with tarty-dough bread and tomatoes dyed teal
He added some lettuce that he hand-washed with zeal.
We have unscented onions grown at a rapid river’s edge
Sliced and combined with berries from the royal hedge.
Thin slivers of secret meat finish the edible tower
That our bottomless prince will quite easily devour.

Fresh from the rivers and oceans afar
The cooks have made seafood that is quite bizarre.
A broiled trout that is coated in mint caramel sauce
And a plate full of halibut that were fed cherry gloss.
We have shark and salmon and three kinds of ray
Each with an odd dressing that we just learned of today.
This course is quite rocky as the prince turns up his nose
But he eats every bite while a servant holds his snoot close.

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The Fabulous Feast Of Prince Profundus Vorago (Part 2)

Earl Tyrant from Final Fantasy Unlimited

Earl Tyrant from Final Fantasy Unlimited

The bakers have finished and left the ovens on fire
But a basket of bread, I have never seen higher.
Accompanied by a tub of fresh apricot spread
These breads are warmer than a freshly used bed.
Rolls and bagels and loaves of all shapes
Pumpernickel, wheat, and one filled with grapes.
Every slice releases the bread-makers’ spell
As the dining fills with such a wonderful smell.
The prince eats it all from biscuit to baguette.
Not a crumb will be left of this leavened banquet.

I believe it is time for a main course to arrive.
Cooked to perfection by Mrs. Honey D’hive.
Who lives at the end of Kesseldog Street.
She has whipped up a stew with one chunk of meat.
This chunk is not big, but is swelling with taste.
The fun of this dish is searching with haste.
Chewing through yams and sucking down broth.
Never eat this meal with the speed of a sloth.
For if you are too slow, the meat won’t be there.
Thankfully the prince does not have to share.

The prince is still hungry and starting to stomp.
It is time to bring out a breakfast to chomp.
We know this is late and should have been first
But trust us to rush this would have been worst.
The omelet is perfect with peppers and prunes.
Made from the eggs of a tamed flock of loons.
Pancakes with butter and waffles with jam
Followed by succulent slices of elephant ham.
The prince washes it down with milk by the glass
Milked from the cows that eat the best grass.

A cheese platter is coming to keep the meal going.
We must make sure that this feast keeps on flowing.
The cheeses are made from the entire world over
We have hippopotamus brie to cheddar of plover.
The tiger gouda is spicy and the finback feta is mild.
I hope these are enough to keep filling the child.

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The Fabulous Feast Of Prince Profundus Vorago (Part 1)

Earl Tyrant from Final Fantasy Unlimited

Earl Tyrant from Final Fantasy Unlimited

Attention! Attention! We need all you meal makers.
We need all the cooks and the chefs and the bakers.
All whippers of cream and pounders of steak.
We are asking for anyone with a great dish to make.
Come on fryers and butchers and roasters and grillers.
We even have need of the fruit juice distillers.
Please answer the summons without much of a hassle.
Everyone is required to come to the castle.

If you are wondering why we are making a racket
Please look at your calendar hanging next to your jacket.
It is the first of the year and you know what that means.
Prince Profundus Vorago is awake and causing some scenes.

He is cranky and hungry from sleeping all year.
His cries are so loud, they will shatter an ear.
This royal toddler needs food as soon as can be.
We hope that you help us and answer our plea.

The first course has arrived! We hear it’s a soup.
Made from ostrich stock, cabbage, and Chef Lyte’s secret goop.
The smell is amazing, but only one gets to eat
And he is very busy getting drool on his feet.
He gulps down the soup without using a spoon.
We are sorry that he acts like a starving baboon.

The second dish has been made and is on the way out.
Chef Parker has made her famous salad of kraut.
Several herbs have been gathered from far and from near.
They are combined with chopped lettuce and a sea turtle’s tear.
She adds carrots and tomatoes and acorns fine ground
For the crunchiest, tastiest salad around.
The prince dives right in with toy fork at the ready.
Getting splatters of salad all over his teddy.

The prince needs a drink to recover from crying.
Throwing such a tantrum can be very trying.
His tears have used up precious water and energy.
Bring the brews now while he’s chewing on celery.
The distillers have made fresh batches of juice.
Liquids ranging in taste from apple to moose.
Each drink kept in a glass with a long bendy straw
With ends dangling near the small prince’s maw.

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Entrails, Omens, Eggciting News and Eggstraordinary Matters…

Latest book of the K’Barthan Trilogy is out today!

M T McGuire's avatarM T McGuire Authorholic

Well, OK, not entrails. Moving on.

Big is the order of the day, it seems. Our garden has been surprisingly free of random cats this week, not because of Harrison, who hasn’t had his shots and isn’t allowed out yet. Nope, not Harrison but because of a new random cat arrival.

Big Merv, as I am calling him is a monster of about the size and build I’d expect from the Beast of Bolsover. A true juggernaught of a cat, he is a little lardy but mostly he is just built like a brick shit house. He is a dark brown tabby with a white tummy which he likes to show me at every available opportunity. He is clearly very loved by someone somewhere because he’s a sweetie. He’s also confident, placid and yeh. Huge.

Meanwhile this morning, I encountered another enormity. With the preparation of a birthday cake in…

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Shameless Promotion

Looking for a book of love. Check out #100 on Amazon’s Top 100 Love Poems.

Pamela Beckford's avatarPoetry by Pamela

I have the formatted version of my upcoming book ready to go – just waiting on a friend to finish up the picture for my cover. I really need to learn how to use Photoshop so I can do my own stuff. The cover will be from what I had in my head but I needed someone else to execute the work. I’m excited to get this collection published and a wee bit impatient right now.

But, in the meantime, have you already read Dreams of Love? It is a short collection of poems for lovers. They are short and meant to be shared. The Kindle version is only $.99 so it is just 1-click away from being yours. Or you can purchase a paperback copy for $7.19. Dreams of Love is currently #100 but that changes regularly.
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #503,394 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100…

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Uses for Food in Fiction

The Avengers post-credits scene

The Avengers post-credits scene

I think many authors overlook the versatile uses that food can have in a story.  It doesn’t have to be the central focus like in the manga ‘Toriko’ where the entire story revolves around discovering new foods and recipes.  (Great series by the way.)  Now that series is an extreme use that doesn’t have to be added to every story.  Like in the above scene that occurred after the credits of ‘The Avengers’, you can make a food scene mild and simple.  Though, I have yet to figure out what shawarma is or even try it.  Staying on topic, here are a few non-central uses for food in fiction:

  1. Cultural Depth–  Every region and culture has its own culinary identity.  Think of any group and you’ll probably touch on an associated food within the first minute or two.  I just thought of Jews and Matzoh Ball soup and Russians and vodka.  Yes, these tend to be stereotypical in our world, but it makes the point.  In a fictional world, you can create local cuisine that is unique and strange.  This can relate to the type of land that the culture comes from too.  For example, in Allure of the Gypsies you learn that Luke Callindor’s hometown is a big supplier of honey-based products because it is in an area that is perfect for raising bees.  Bor’daruk has a lot of flat breads and giant scorpion meat is a local delicacy.  So think of implementing a food scene when characters reach a new location.
  2. Dialogues–  This is one of my big uses for eating scenes.  Characters need to talk about events and they commonly do so over either a meal or drinks.  This allows me to have them do something while talking.  Otherwise, it’s a back and forth chat where you get an image of the characters standing like mannequins.  Also, I’ve found that how people eat tells a little about their personalities and you can see it when compared to each other.  For example, in my series Timoran Wrath eats piles of food and takes his time.  Sari snatches food off people’s plates.  Delvin is rather simple and casual.  Fizzle sits in the apple basket.  All of this in one scene paints a bigger picture.
  3. Conflict–  Nothing to declare war on, but characters can fight over food in some situations.  This can bring in some amusement and development.  Yes, I know this sounds odd.  Just imagine your heroes ordering a pizza or anything where you can pick toppings.  You can go the simple routes with everyone getting their own pie, they decide to order a plain pizza, or have a group of people unrealistically agree on toppings.  That last one is severe fiction.  Now you can also take a little time to have them argue over what to get.  Again, this can demonstrate personalities and roles within the group.  It can even lead to some pent up aggression coming to the surface.  Maybe that warrior is still angry about his favorite sword being lost by the caster’s clumsiness.  Well, they fight over the dipping sauces for the chicken and the rage bubbles into a real problem.  Sounds strange, but this happens in real life.
  4. Threats and Villainy– Ever see a movie or read a book where the villain is eating something strange?  Maybe all their threats involve eating organs.  This relates to one of my favorite parts of a Spider-Man story is in a novel called ‘The Venom Factor’. I don’t remember it exactly and the book is buried in my library, but the gist is Venom threatened to eat Spidey’s spleen.  After years of being threatened with brain eating, Spider-Man says he doubts Venom even knows where the spleen is.  The villain’s retort, “We can find out.  It might be fun.”  This may be a minor use of food and a stretch of the topic, but you can also have villains physically eating disgusting things.  Vampires are a good one where they’re draining a person while talking.
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Victory RUN 1 is ON SALE NOW!!

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Voices of Poetry & Prose is published!

Check out the 1st Issue of Voices of Poetry & Prose!

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Ye Fresh Grocer

Yahoo Image Search

Yahoo Image Search

Welcome to ‘Ye Fresh Grocer’ where everything is fresh and delicious.  All products are replaced after three days.  We either donate them to charity or feed them to the goat packs that prowl the night.  Actually, that reminds me of something.  Excuse me while I use the intercom.  EVERYONE, ONE HOUR UNTIL NIGHT! REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED TO JULIUS LAST WEEK WHEN HE TOOK TOO LONG!  Poor guy was devoured along with his steaks, peppers, and a watermelon.  Like I said, we have a goat problem.  So, what can I help you with?

We are known for our wide variety of produce.  Everything is delivered by magic portal, so we get it directly off whatever it is they grow on.  There are grapes, oranges, apples, various nuts, and anything you can think of.  Yes, we just got a shipment of Lycan Berries this morning.  We don’t have a full moon for a while, so you have plenty of time to use them before they turn toxic.  You want them to be toxic?  Are you sure you want to be talking to a grocer? Assassins Emporium is down the block.  True, that is the first place your enemies would look.  I’ll get you some of the berries.  A fanged cabbage too, but you’ll have to use that in the next three days.

I’m guessing you want some dangerous cereal like Poison Frosted Flakes or something with bran in it.  Fruit Rings?  Those aren’t lethal, so . . . I do agree that an assassin is allowed to indulge in sugary children cereals.  We have a sale where you buy three boxes of cereal and get a gallon of milk free.  It only covers mermaid, dragon, goat, and camel milk.  All others are half off because of shortages.

I need to ask what you’re planning.  Not that!  The type and location of the meal.  No sense in selling you a cheese wheel when you’re going to be out in the sun all day.  You ever smell cheese that’s been out for too long?  You’ll get a kobold infestation in no time.  Those buggers are hard to get rid of because they breed like termites.  So no on the dairy products and yes to breads and meats.  Let’s take a look at the butcher then.

I’d be remiss if I don’t try to convince you to buy some freshly slaughtered goat.  Think of every bite as avenging our fallen friends.  Allergic to goat?  Then I suggest you move out of the area.  As for meats, we restock every morning from our underground storage units.  We built the store over an ice cavern, which is perfect for keeping meats, frozen foods, and the ice golems that guard the store after closing.  We recently brought up some troll filets, which are a little tough.  Marinate them for three days in a strong sauce and they’ll be perfect.  I do warn you that troll meat slowly regenerates as you eat it, so you have to eat rather swiftly.  Otherwise, you’ll find yourself full after not making a dent in it.  What about the meat once ingested?  It’s fine unless you have an ulcer.  Then you might wake up with a bad case of Trollism, which is curable within the first day.

So, anything else I can get for you?  Seems like you have an interesting meal set up to either celebrate or crush your enemies.  Do you want any desserts?  Cream puffs.  You are an odd, sweet-toothed assassin.

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