Welcome Dungeon Dwellers, and soon-to-be fans of D&D podcast Audio Dungeon!
For those just joining us, Audio Dungeon is a weekly live-stream Dungeons & Dragons podcast run, and DM’d by Tony Hanson of Staten Island’s Fenix Studios. With his six friends, plus a team of seasoned audio/visual techs, Hanson creates a show marked by a unique and fully-fleshed campaign setting, an audience-interactive story, and the most consistently hilarious roleplay I’ve ever seen in a weekly live show.
If you’ve already read all of this and want to get cooking my recipes for Ironstone Tacos and Maggie’s Sweet Tea Cider, then click below. If not, continue onward, Dungeon Dweller!
- Click here to skip to the recipe for Butchy’s Beerhouse’s Ironstone Tacos.
- Click here to skip to the recipe for Maggie’s Sweet Tea Cider.
Audio Dungeon & The Celestial War
Audio Dungeon’s primary campaign, The Celestial War, introduces Hanson’s world of Andaria, “A world where city-states loyal to their gods, known as ANCIENTS, fight for supremacy.” The story begins as six adventurers, forced into captivity, find themselves in possession of a magical rod that will then sweep them into a war between the gods and an adventure of a lifetime.
Our cast of characters starts with the elvish wizard, Finndelar Lochaven, played by Tom Coccoza of the Wheel of Time podcast, Talk’aran’rhiod. A real estate agent turned wizard of the Elven Kingdom’s tower, Finn has an uncanny talent for spell-casting and deal-making.
Joining him is the half-giant ranger Hogar, played by voiceover artist Dan Isgro, a man with a small name and a HUGE..heart, both figuratively AND anatomically!
Then we have Rob Spataro playing Arkie Flint, a gnomish gunslinger and master craftsman. The only things scarier than this flamethrower and Iron Man-style super-suit are his attempts at first aid.
Next up, we have musician Damian Scro playing Botaurius Lowbridge, son of Godin. Not only is he a dwarven fighter, but he is the very modern model of a mining middle manager.
After that, slinging songs and sandwiches, we have Abyssia Blackwater, the human bard played by vocalist and voice actress Brooke Armstrong. No songbook can contain Abyssia as she belts tunes from across the planes of reality from “Crazy Train” to “Die, Die, Die, My Darling.”
And finally, last but certainly not least, we have Vinny Pro playing the halfling thief Thistle Lightfinger Burr. Though a little young to be fighting a god, for what Thistle lacks in years, he more than makes up for in a talent for misdirection.
Don’t forget to tune in to the live streams on Wednesday evenings, 8:30 pm EST. Every week viewers have the chance to enter in giveaways with the show’s sponsors and PLAY IN THE SHOW!
That’s right. Viewers have the opportunity to influence the game through live polls, tipping to bestow re-rolls, and suggesting actions for Lump the half-orc gladiator (introduced during my episode) — the audience’s player character.
Want to see more or get caught up on the story first? Pick your viewing method!
- Click here to access the audio-only version on Apple Podcasts.
- Click here to access Seasons 1,2, and 3 on Youtube.
- Follow the Audio Dungeon Facebook Page for live broadcasts.
- Follow the Audio Dungeon Twitch Channel for live broadcasts.
- Check out their website for show and character info.
Dining with Dungeon Dwellers
I first found about Audio Dungeon when they contacted me, asking if I’d be interested in collaborating. If it isn’t apparent already, I LOVE RPGs! Of course, I said yes. I had only one requirement, though: let me play on the show.
So after listening and laughing my butt off to several hours of Audio Dungeon’s first and second season, testing and photographing my recipes, and stressing over a last-minute flight cancellation, I finally arrived in Staten Island.
I had been up since four that morning, and I was determined to carry out my mission of cooking the things, serving the things, and roleplaying…the things? Did I already mention that I had been up since four that morning?
Knowing that I would have a limited kitchen and packing space, I wanted to make a recipe that I could make with as little clean-up as possible. When I heard the episode when the party reaches the Dwarven underground farming village of Ironstone, I knew I had to make some bar-food worthy of Butchy’s Beerhouse and its famous “root beer.”
So with that, I braised pork loin in root beer with turmeric and ginger (both root-based spices) as the base of some dwarven-inspired tacos. Why tacos? Because if you want authenticity, you can make up or buy some potato or cassava flatbread or tortillas. In a pinch, though, corn or flour tortillas will do just fine.
For a little crunch and caramelization, I also roasted up some carrots, red potatoes, red onions, and mushrooms to go along with our underground theme. I then topped the whole mess with some blue cheese crumbles because a taco without cheese is like an RPG session without humor. I mean, sure, you can do it. It just won’t be nearly as satisfying.
Now it didn’t make sense for me to serve up all that hearty goodness and not have something to wash it down with. That’s why I made another recipe, this time based on the character I was bringing that night, Magnolia “Maggie” Maeberrie. When the party finds themselves back in the Sunken City, they come to Maggie’s tavern, The Steel Magnolia — named for her gladiator title.
You heard me correctly. Maggie is a former gladiator who made enough money to retire early, tour the halfling villages, and start a Southern-style tavern with Sweet Tea Cider, biscuits and gravy, and a weekly “Brunch-and-Brawl.” That’s right, my Southeast-dwelling friends. I’ve made your favorite hard cider taste like sweet tea.
You’re welcome.
So roast up some pork, warm up some tortillas, and brew up a batch of cider to watch my episode below.
Shall we get cooking?
Sing for your Supper!
If you plan to cook the recipes off the site, keep scrolling. However, while access to recipes on the blog will always be free, I now have printable PDF recipe cards and thematic cook-along Spotify playlists as rewards for those who choose to support the blog.
If you already happen to be a member of Audio Dungeon’s Patreon Community, though, you’re in luck. I’ll be sending both the cards and playlist link to the powers that be to distribute as my gift to you.
Otherwise, the printable recipe cards and playlist for Ironstone Tacos and Maggie’s Sweet Tea Cider will be available as a $2 donor reward on my Ko-Fi page until Wednesday, April 22nd, 2020, at 8 pm EST.
-OR-
You can instead join my Patreon community at the “Sing for your Supper” level ($1/month) for access to the playlists or the “It’s All in the Cards” level ($5/month) or higher for access to ALL of my blog recipe cards and playlists. Patrons of all reward tiers will even receive a welcome gift of my Lord of the Rings recipe cards and playlists from January 2019 to get you started.
recipe 1
Bites from Butchy’s
Ironstone Tacos
Equipment: Oven, large roasting pan, baking sheet with tall sides, aluminum foil, slotted spoon, mixing bowl, two serving dishes, wire whisk, ladle, two forks.
Ingredients:
- 3.5 to 4 lb pork loin cut into 1-inch cubes, fat cap removed
- 2 cups root beer
- 1/4 cup potato flakes
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 1 cup red potatoes (1 large or 3 small), 1/2″ diced
- 2 carrots, 1/2″ diced
- 1 red onion, 1/2″ sliced
- 10 oz. baby bella mushrooms, 1/2″ sliced
- blue cheese crumbles for serving
- 30 taco-sized corn or flour tortillas
- olive oil
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 250°F.
- Make the spice mix by blending the salt, ginger, and turmeric in a separate dish. Set aside.
- Arrange the pork cubes in the roasting pan in an even layer. Whisk the root beer, potato flakes, and two and a half tablespoons of spice mix in measuring cup then pour over the pork.
- Seal the top of the roasting pan with foil and bake in the oven. After 30 minutes, lower the temperature to 200°F and braise another 3 hours.
- Remove the pan from the oven to cool. Then crank up the heat in the oven to 425°F.
- While waiting for the oven to reheat, toss the vegetables in a bowl with a large drizzle of olive oil and the remaining spice mix until coated. Spread the vegetables in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes.
- As the vegetables roast, transfer the pork with a slotted spoon to the serving dish. Using two forks, shred the meat until tender. Ladle a scoop or two of the cooking juices and stir to soak in. The meat should be moist, but not drenched.
- Transfer the roasted vegetables to another serving dish. Serve the fillings with warm tortillas and blue cheese crumbles.
recipe2
Brews for Brunch-n’-Brawls
Maggie's Sweet Tea Cider
Equipment: Stovetop, saucepan with lid, wire whisk, slotted spoon, vegetable peeler, 1-quart carafe (optional), and twelve, pint glasses.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups of water
- 3 cups of sugar
- 3-4 lemons
- 8 black tea bags
- Twelve, 12-oz. bottles or cans of hard cider
Instructions:
- Peel and juice two of the lemons into a saucepan of water. Discard the pulp and pith.
- Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat on the stovetop, then add the teabags. Cover the pan and turn off the heat. Let steep for five minutes.
- Remove the bags and peel from the mixture with a slotted spoon and discard. Turn the heat back on medium-low.
- Pour in the sugar and gently whisk until it is completely dissolved. Turn off the heat.
- Transfer the syrup to the carafe for easy serving. When ready to serve, pour 2 oz. (4 tablespoons) of syrup into the bottom of each cup, then top with a full (12 oz.) can or bottle of cider.
- Stir with a chopstick or swizzle stick until dissolved, then float a lemon slice on top before serving.
