What to Eat in Skyrim?

[Cordelia]

The list of things you can conceivably cook in Skyrim has increased with the release of various DLC, but there are as many things implied about what is edible in Skyrim as there are examples of things you can eat, but can't make yourself. If you head off to the Bee and Barb, for instance, you can purchase a drink (categorized as a potion rather than food in your inventory) from Talen-Jei called the Velvet LeChances, a drink made with Nightshade, though Talen-Jei is quick to assuage any fears of poisoning from the unusual ingredient. So that got me thinking: What else could we potentially eat, from a more realistic standpoint that doesn't depend as much on game mechanics?

I put together a little list of the herbs and ingredients I think are most obvious, and will include it here, but I'm curious to see what others have come across and feel should or could be edible (including things that should be poisonous, like Nightshade, but may not be if used sparingly, or when combined with something to negate its lethal properties), and why.

Some of the things I've left off my list (taken purely from Ingredients) are excluded because of their "Damage Health" properties. For my own calculations, I figured anything with a "Damage Health" property would, indeed, damage health when eaten, thus many of the mushrooms in Skyrim I would consider poisonous, as are, surprisingly, the little fish you can catch for Alchemy.

Regardless, here is what I've sketched out. Feel free to agree or disagree, or add or subtract from the list. I'd also love to see any recipies people might have concocted using ingredients the game mechanics won't let you cook with.

Edible Ingredients:
Blisterwort
Charred Skeever Hide
Chicken's Egg
Dragon's Tongue
Elves Ears
Fire Salts
Frost Mirriam
Garlic
Glowing Mushrooms
Honeycomb
Juniper Berries
Lavender
Moon Sugar
Nightshade
Rock Warbler Egg
Salt Pile
Scaly Pholiota
Snowberries
Wheat

I'm undecided about:
Deathbell
Pine Thrush Egg
Thistle Branch
Troll Fat

They seem like ingredients that could go either way. What ingredients logically seem like they should be edible, and why?

 

[orca45]

I do like mammoth cheese or fat ( whatever it is ), fish and meat ( deer / elk / cow / rabbits ) ... I never had the need to taste any of those ingredients but I would not mind at all to have Chicken Eggs, Wheat, Honeycomb, Snowberries and Salt Pile. Just my 2 pennies lady.

 

[Invader Vin]

Neloth from the Dragonborn DLC mentions that he has a fondness for Canis root tea. This suggests that much like the nightshade ingredient in Talen-Jei's Velvet Lechance it is an ingredient with harmful properties that could be ingested in certain quantities or at least safely drunk in tea form. Ordinarily it has damage stamina and paralysis properties but also two beneficial properties--fortify one handed and fortify marksman. So it would seem this ingredient in the right amounts has properties that allow one to enhance their focus but at the same time it could be fatiguing and even paralyzing if used improperly.

 

[Cordelia]

I love your observation, Vin. I will definitely enjoy going through the properties of each ingredient to interpret a real-world effect. How fun. ^__^

 

[Alissa DeWitt]

I would think Jazbay grapes would be on the list too. I'd imagine that's what they are using to make wine.

 

[Cordelia]

Let's see. The properties of Jazbay Grapes are: Weakness to Magic; Fortify Magicka; Regenerate Magicka; and Ravage Health.

I wouldn't put it out of the realm of possibility, but between the "Ravage Health" property, and their scarcity, I don't think they're a viable source for commercial wine making. I think, as Vin points out, almost anythhing can be used in an edible concoction, even if it's a known poison, if used sparingly or, as I stated in the original post, perhaps balanced against other ingredients. Jazbay Grapes might be used to flavor personal brews, the way Juniper Berries are mentioned in the opening sequence (btw, juniper berry mead would be VERY strange in reality), but I doubt they could be gathered in dependably high enough numbers to support making much wine.

 

[Lady Redpool the Unlifer]

Jarrin Root ;p

 

[Cordelia]

There is nothiing at all friendly about Jarrin Root. That would be one hell of a drink if you used it. Sort of a "one drop too many in the Kool-Aid and this bachelor's party is a cult" kind of situation.

 

[Lady Redpool the Unlifer]

I dunno, it seems like it would make a great stew.....

 

[Alissa DeWitt]

Let's see. The properties of Jazbay Grapes are: Weakness to Magic; Fortify Magicka; Regenerate Magicka; and Ravage Health.

I wouldn't put it out of the realm of possibility, but between the "Ravage Health" property, and their scarcity, I don't think they're a viable source for commercial wine making. I think, as Vin points out, almost anythhing can be used in an edible concoction, even if it's a known poison, if used sparingly or, as I stated in the original post, perhaps balanced against other ingredients. Jazbay Grapes might be used to flavor personal brews, the way Juniper Berries are mentioned in the opening sequence (btw, juniper berry mead would be VERY strange in reality), but I doubt they could be gathered in dependably high enough numbers to support making much wine.

Meh, there is a recipe for Jazbay Grape Crostada in the Heartfire DLC, so I thought they'd be used for other things too. I imagine juniper mead tasting a lot like gin.

I've always thought it was weird that people have bunches frost mirium and elves ears hanging in kitchens but they aren't part of any cooking recipes. I did make a couple of recipes in the editor using some modding resources for the models. Among other things I added snowberry pie, tea leaves (and tea), eggs in a basket and stewed gourds. I wasn't sure if that was what you were asking in your original post.

 

[Cordelia]

From a narrative standpoint, there are so many ingredients out there that have no expressed purpose except for what they can bring to a potion. For a writer, that's supremely unhelpful, so in addition to what thinking of ingredients in terms of cooking and other activities can bring to the RP aspect of playing, it also lets me put a little something extra into the prose. So I was curious to see what others thought would be viable ingredients beyond alchemy, why, and maybe a lilttle about what they'd use them with.

 

[electricskies]

I'm a big fan of honey and honeycomb. Why didn't they include Mint, Parsley, Cinnamon and other popular herbs.? I'm tired of garlic and salt flavoured food. Shame sugar cane doesn't grown in Skyrim too to make sweeter dishes.

 

[Cordelia]

Well, there is Moon Sugar. Given Moon Sugar's other uses, though, it seems like it would could be as great a risk to use as Nightshade, though, for different reasons. Without knowing what the Khajiit do to make Skooma, it's hard to say how addictive, for instance, Elsweyr Fondue would be for the average person.

That said, it's probably safe to assume that mint, parsley, cinnamon and other popular/standard herbs exist, we just don't get to play with them.

 

[Daelon DuLac]

I guess I'm just not up on the realism part (I'm on PS3 after all). Frankly, I don't really eat (unless I'm doing some healing and with magic, that's pointless), don't drink and, apparently don't go to the bathroom (although I guess that's an issue of not eating eh?). I do sleep, but usually only because I prefer my adventuring n the daytime (I don't want to go after werewolves or vampires in the dark, although daegers, bandits & the forswarn don't bother me). I keep expecting there to be some adverse affect to not eating and not sleeping for 2 or three days, but so far, nothing.

 

[Invader Vin]

I guess I'm just not up on the realism part (I'm on PS3 after all). Frankly, I don't really eat (unless I'm doing some healing and with magic, that's pointless), don't drink and, apparently don't go to the bathroom (although I guess that's an issue of not eating eh?). I do sleep, but usually only because I prefer my adventuring n the daytime (I don't want to go after werewolves or vampires in the dark, although daegers, bandits & the forswarn don't bother me). I keep expecting there to be some adverse affect to not eating and not sleeping for 2 or three days, but so far, nothing.

True, it's a bit of a let down that food doesn't play a more important role in the game or that there isn't at least an option to toggle necessities on if a player wants to add a more survivalist aspect to the game. So unless you want to make use of the regeneration aspects of certain dishes there isn't much reason pay attention to food in this game. Aside from the regenerative effects, the only other purpose one could make out of food items would be for roleplay purposes or self imposed requirements.

PC users fortunately have options with mods that allow you to make eating essential. I personally enjoy using "realistic needs and diseases" which allows you the option to toggle whether or not you want a character to be required to eat, drink and sleep. It's nice having the option to toggle this feature on or off as some characters I like having a more intensive and immersive game while others I like to play without having to worry about it. Before I used this mod, I largely ignored food items except for early game healing when potions weren't available (and I was avoiding using the stock healing spell). Now it's as if an entire aspect of the game has been reopened and I actually pay attention to collecting food by hunting or purchasing it from vendors in the game.

For console users you can sorta get the same experience by imposing your own requirements and restrictions. Of course it just requires work on the player's part to track everything and a commitment to the playstyle to keep with it and not everyone is up for that but a few folks who like to roleplay do this from what I hear.

 

[Daelon DuLac]

Don't get me wrong though. I still love my hunting. While I can get venison (I don't hunt the goats, I happen to like them - see the thread on the subject) and it's a great way to make some money, I regret that you can't have bear and sabrecat steaks. I understand that dems good eatin' from some of my troll buddies. As a cross country kind of guy, I usually end up with so many skins, pelts and meat, I can keep Whiterun in groceries for a year.

I wonder who's leaving all the food around though. I can understand bread cheese and vege's in a bandit stronghold, but in a dungeon or barrow?

Anyhow, what about skeevers. Why are you people eating them? They've got diseases! Yuck... I wouldn't eat a rat in real life, so why would I eat a huge one in my game.

 

[Hargood]

This is a Great Thread, but I'm not sure that game world effect's (even just the initial ones you uncover eating it the first time) really show that it's "Meal" worthy. I get the Tea idea mentioned above but what about things like Flowers? Could I really eat a Meal of Mountain Flowers even though the effect are positive? Also jazbay Grapes have negitive effects, but I see them in Bowls on peoples dinner tables all through out Skyrim.

Funny....This reminds me of what inspired "Cooking" in Skyrim. It actually came from Oblivion. It was a thing that came from people making Health Potions from Food Items because they all had Retore Health as an effects. You could mix Ham, Cheese, and Bread to make a Health Potion.... but infact it should have been called a Ham Sandwich Potion. (I used to mix Banannas and Strawberries, ..Not THATS a health Potion!!!)

 

[Cordelia]

I didn't include the flowers on the initial list because, generally speaking, you -wouldn't- want to eat flowers, so it made sense not to mention a Mountain Flower salad. That said, there are plenty of jams, jellies, and teas made out of flowers, so saying they would have no edible properties would be inaccurate as well.

 

[Nocte Aeterna]

The Jarrin Root would've been my idea, but...

Jarrin Root ;p

>_>

In all honesty, Elsweyr Fondue is damn good.