Meó Cuisine

Food

Meal at dawn ish (breakfast), meal at dusk (dinner), then just eat whenever you're hungry for the rest of the day. Food is very communal and important.

Breakfast: a traditional Meó breakfast consists of a Cheese Omelette type thing made with Mamona cheese, and some spices and occasionally cabbage - these omelettes vary in thickness, sometimes they are crepe-like, sometimes they are close to an inch thick. This is served alongside Cocotato Bread (made with milk in the batter, and fried in its oils) that is then slit and stuffed with purple avocado paste, and possibly a diverse array of fillings such as meat, cheese, vegetables, fruit, beans, and/or mushrooms (like an arepa). In addition to this is a bean dish that may also contain vegetables, spices, and sauces - this is served on the side, but may be stuffed into the cocotato bread itself. Breakfast is served with whistlefruit and [tea analagoue].

Dietary Norms

Meó dietary norms result in some forms of animal being taboo to eat, or some foods taboo to eat together. The general rule for meats acceptable to eat are spiders, ants, flying insects (including their larvae/eggs), most aquatic animals (except for Fishing Cats or other aquatic animals with fur), and flying birds, excluding birds of prey. Snails and some reptiles & amphibians (or the Pavalan equivalent) are eaten as they are considered aquatic under dietary norms. In general - if it flies or swims, it's good to eat. All other forms of animals are taboo to eat. Additionally, eating fruit and fish together or sequentially is generally frowned upon. Raw fish is commonly eaten, but the most common form of consumption of meat (including insects) is lightly fried, usually in cocotato oil and a blend of aromatic herbs and spices. Many cooking techniques have been developed to suit each form of meat. Raw milk is generally avoided, as it is seen as a harbinger of ignorance and wickedness, so processed products from milk such as cheese are much more common. Milk is usually treated as an ingredient rather than consumed by itself for this reason. Meó cuisine generally is meat-averse, using it as a complement to a meal rather than the main component, preferring to get proteins from other sources such as eggs or cheese - many dishes are therefore vegetarian. The exception to this is the heavy use of insects in some regions - a particular favourite being the Giant Kiyawasp for its nutty, delicate flavour and pleasant texture.

The consumption of crab meat is often seen as political.