Elder Scrolls Cookbook

If you used to be an adventurer, but took an arrow to the knee, then this is the cookbook for you…

I am so excited to announce that I’ve finished writing a cookbook that will take readers on a culinary journey through Skyrim and beyond; just as the Elder Scrolls games transport players to another world, this cookbook will be an epicurean adventure through the regions those same players have grown to love.

Whether you side with the robust Imperial army or the rebellious Stormcloaks, there should be something for everyone in this collection. Although largely focused on the excellent and much loved cuisine of Skyrim, the book also touches on the foods of other races from Tamriel, such as the noble Redguards, wily Khajiit, mercurial Altmer, and even the watery Argonians. Recipes for longtime favorites such as Apple Cabbage Stew, Baked Ash Yams, Honey Nut Treat, and of course, the much-coveted Sweetroll are all included.

Keep checking in for new updates on the Skyrim Cookbook, and guard your knees against arrows! Due to be released in March 2019, this promises to be a delicious collection of recipes.

About the Book

I am a long-time fan of fantasy, so I find any immersive game world very enticing. If that world happens to involve food and cooking, so much the better. After all, the details are what make a setting come to life. The cuisine of Tamriel is as varied the races that inhabit its distinctive regions. Each dish reflects the culture, geography, and economic realities that have shaped the peoples who created it. Add to that a dash of history here, plus a pinch of ancestral pride there, and you’ll find a rich and flavorful array of recipes to delight the senses. Ever since their first encounter with a Sweetroll, fans have longed to try the enticingly named recipes: Jazbay Crostata, Apple Cabbage Stew, Honey Nut Treat.

With around 100 recipes, this cookbook includes a wide array of dishes drawn directly from the Elder Scrolls games, but also inspired by the rich settings and cultures. I put a lot of effort into making the recipes feel grounded in those worlds, and into making the photos look like they were pulled right from a tavern in Whiterun. The new recipes use ingredients found in the games, like Nordic Barnacles and Snowberries, and are largely inspired by Scandinavian cooking and historical recipes.

Like the Warcraft cookbook, this collection of recipes has a helpful listing in the back to help you choose gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan recipes, so that everyone can get a little closer to Tamriel. While it is predominantly drawn from the original games, there is a wealth of dishes from Elder Scrolls Online still unrepresented. If there’s an ESO dish you’re dying to make, just let me know and I’ll post them on the blog when I can!

The Process

Fans often ask me how I managed to create real recipes from game items. The short answer: it’s complicated.

Whenever I start research for a new cookbook project, I begin with a deep dive into the lore and With the Elder Scrolls cookbook, I started by pulling any and all references to food and drink in the games, which gave classics such as Sweetrolls, Elsweyr Fondue, Long Taffy Treat, etc. Then I made an additional list of any ingredients that could theoretically be used in cooking, although not mentioned specifically in a recipe: Saltrice, Horker Meat, Fennel Seeds, etc. A third list included everything else, mostly used for alchemy, but possibly useful as garnishes: Nirnroot, Void Salts, etc. Visual references were also a key part of the process, so I spent hours moving around the game, taking screenshots of dishware, walls, scenic vistas, plants, and anything else I though might be useful for staging convincing photos. For a number of items, like the backdrops, I polled fans online about which they felt really conveyed the feel of being in the game for them.

Next came the creation and purchase of props, which was one of the most enjoyable parts of the whole process for me. It involved a lot of auctions and long hours of crafting some pretty weird stuff. I mean, who else now has a mudcrab trophy hanging on their wall?

Having a pretty wide assortment of very real looking props, backdrops, and dishware really helped bring the feel of the whole thing together. Of especial note were the horn candleholders, some soul gems, and a snowberry wreath. I also crafted a couple of new backdrops just to better match the settings from the games:

And luckily for me, the harsh, snowy winters of Vermont were perfect inspiration for some amazing Skyrim outings and full days of cooking.

So I hope that you all enjoy cooking your way through this collection of recipes as much as I enjoyed creating it!

My Favorite Recipes:

Rye Crisps, White River Salmon, Long Taffy Treat, and Sweetrolls, of course!

What People are Saying:

Insider – 10 April, 2019 – article and review

Destructoid – 18 March, 2019 – Review

Collider – 12 March, 2019 – Review

Unofficial Elder Scrolls Page – 5 March, 2019 – Interview

Polygon – 28 February, 2019 – Interview

Nerdist – 27 February, 2019 – Skooma and more

IGN – 8 January, 2019 – reveal

Elder Scrolls Wiki – pertinent info

Have a question?

Get in touch!