A PREVIEW OF THE SECOND BOOK OF “THE FANTASTICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE IMAGINED WORLD OF FISTBUMP THE SKY” SERIES
PIAO-MEI FROM IAB-MUM
Piao-Mei cakes are reserved for special ceremonies focused on longevity. This can be attributed to the dangers of retrieving the ingredients, which can only be found in the Forests of Colour, the main ingredient coming from the deadly Pink Forest. The cakes are made by crushing Kissing Flowers from the Blue Forest until soft, white flour for the dough. The dough is traditionally shaped into a flower for aesthetic reasons. Once shaped, syrup from the Pink Forest’s Merry Mary plant is poured inside. The cake is then baked over a low fire for about three hours. It’s important to know that what makes the Piao-Mei cakes significant to the Iab-Mums is not the sweet taste and fluffy texture but the effects.
The original Iab-Mum discovered that combining the healing benefits of the Kissing Flowers with the fleshy nature of the Merry Mary plant* could enhance the vitality of one’s skin and, if enough is consumed, even prolong life. Due to its disgusting taste, this concoction was later turned into a cake. Unsurprisingly, it became the ceremonial dish of the vainest of all the creatures in Fistbump the Sky.
*Merry Mary plants and their effects are discussed in Chapter One
YOU WILL NEED
20 Kissing Flowers from the Blue Forest.
1 Adult Merry Mary plant.
1 Stone grinder.
1 Fire Place.
1 Pair of gloves.
16 Honeycombs
2 blocks of butter.
5 teaspoons of salt.
4 Eggs.
STEPS FOR MAKING PIAO-MEI CAKES
1. Put on the gloves and chop the Merry Mary plant into equal pieces.
2. Place the pieces in a pot of water. Add the honeycombs and place the pot over a fire for 4 hours. Wear gloves and stir the liquid every 30 minutes. Let the fire naturally die down, as the coals will be required later.
3. While the Merry Mary plant is boiling, grind the Kissing Flowers until flour.
4. Add the eggs, salt, and butter to the flour and knead until it has become thick.
5. Shape the dough into a flower. Make sure to leave enough space to pour the Merry Mary syrup.
6. After 4 hours, remove the pot of Merry Mary syrup from the flames and use a spoon to pour the syrup into the dough. Do not let the syrup drip on the outside to avoid discolouration.
7. Once filled with syrup, pinch the opening closed.
8. Gently place the cake inside the pot and over the coals for 2 hours.
9. Once the time is up, eat and enjoy.
STARBALLS FROM INTERSTELLAR
Starballs are Interstellar delicacies enjoyed by all creatures of Fistbump the Sky. Its adequate documentation and popularity are why it has been added to this chapter, even though it can only be made in Interstellar and by its inhabitants. We have not yet determined the source of Starballs’ citrusy taste as the ingredients are as far from citrus fruits as can be.
The founder of Interstellar was charged with taking care of the stars, and this duty has been passed down to all Interstellans until today*. Due to this connection, Interstellar became a hot spot for stars and a hospital for those injured, dying, or pregnant. Gatherings of any living things always leave remnants, and the stars are no exception. Whether it was the only way to keep their territory clean or a morbid curiosity, the Interstellans decided to use these remnants as fertilisers and include them in their cuisine. That, as far as we know, was how Starballs were invented.
* The Interstellans’ duty and connection to the stars are discussed in “The Map Maker.”
Once a star is born, its amnion sack falls to the ground, the low temperature and speed causing the sack to become solid. When it reaches the ground, you have a ready-to-eat Starball, entirely white and filled with yellow liquid, possibly the remaining star liquid. These Starballs have a citrusy taste and chewy texture, but the best part is the liquid inside, which fills the heart with joy and hope. Starballs can be eaten as is, but the Interstellans added a little twist – deceased stars.
To avoid their territory becoming a giant cemetery, Interstellans used deceased stars for fertilisation, star powder, and as decoration for Starballs. Dead star grinds are mixed with crushed blue flowers and moulded into stars placed on the Starballs.
It’s impossible to make Starballs unless you are an Interstellan living in Interstellar.
UMHUR FROM HAI-KYUN
Home to writers, artists and philosophers, Hai-Kyun is famous for its vast grasslands and multi-coloured lakes, as well as its winters that are literal depression. Stretching from the beginning of the seventh month to the end of the eighth, winter in Hai-Kyun has no drastic temperature drops but an incredible sadness where every tree, animal, lake, and mountain turns black before crumpling into the earth. The only remaining things are the barren, black surface and the Hai-Kyuns. Hai-Kyuns religiously consume bowls of Umhur stew made from tree hyperactivity each night of the sixth month in preparation for winter.
Unlike the rest of the trees in Fistbump the Sky, Hai-Kyun trees are alive and frequently communicate with the inhabitants, especially the philosophers. They are the first to succumb to the winter sadness but the most energetic of everyone during summer. Some become hyperactive to the extent that their energy transforms into Umhurs – yellow animals with black stripes and long necks. These animals cause chaos wherever they go and are hunted for Umhur stew. Each part of the hyperactivity is used, except for their hair and teeth. Making Umhur stew is a long, tedious process but necessary for the Hai-Kyuns to survive the barren winter while keeping the hyperactivities under control in summer. Umhur stew is incredibly filling and tastes like wild roses.
YOU WILL NEED
1 Hyperactivity animal.
5 Bags of winter spice. Any brand will do.
STEPS FOR MAKING UMHUR
1. Hunt and kill a hyperactivity animal born from a tree.
2. Skin the animal, ensuring it does not ruin the meat underneath.
3. Once skinned, gouge out the eyes and place them in a large pot.
4. Cut the meat into equal pieces and place them in the same pot as the eyes and internal organs. Remove the gallbladder and teeth.
5. Add water to the pot until full and empty the bags of winter spice.
6. Place the pot over a fire. Stir slowly and continuously until it has become a thick stew.
7. Remove the pot from the fire, pour the stew in a bowl and enjoy. Save the rest for later.
END OF PREVIEW
