Welcome back, Geeky Gluttons, to another episode of Munchies & Minis!
Munchies & Minis is my tabletop RPG-inspired live cooking show, for those just joining us. Once a week, I make a snack or meal to pair with a side of dice rolls. You can catch me on Twitch (unless indicated otherwise on social media) Wednesday nights at 7 pm EST.
For our last video, we made some Regency-Era punch to pair with the RPG Good Society. In this episode, we head to Pathfinder RPG‘s Sandpoint for some pimento-cheese stuffed artichoke snacks from The Rusty Dragon.
Bard & Banquet
Sandpoint’s oldest inn, The Rusty Dragon, gets its name from the giant, rust-encrusted dragon statue jutting from its roof like a fantasy version of KFC’s Big Chicken. As you can imagine, iron and the city’s sea breezes do not mix. However, this tetanus-y tribute to dragon folk certainly does its job as a beacon to adventurers and out-of-town visitors looking for a drink, some friends, and a famous blend of herbs and spices!
Owned and run by bard-turned-barkeep Ameiko Kaijitsu, The Rusty Dragon features a free-to-perform open stage where she will sometimes play the samisen. But the tavern’s notoriety also lies in her talent for culinary creativity. During festivals, she holds all-you-can-eat banquets, “invariably involve[ing] some new dish she’s invented for the occasion” ranging from the questionably delicious “goblin brain cookies” to the ill-advised and dangerous “porcupine skewers.” Otherwise, the most popular everyday options at The Rusty Dragon include raspberry mead, curried salmon, and spicy cheese-curd-stuffed artichoke hearts lovingly called “Cheese Blossoms.”
Before you feel daunted by the prospect of buying dozens of artichokes, prepared artichoke hearts do, in fact, come in cans. In this state, they are cooked, pliable, and perfect for stuffing.
As for the filling, at the mention of “spicy cheese curds” I thought immediately of pimento cheese dip. Cheddar, though, tends to liquefy to an oily mess under high heat. That’s why I blended it with swiss cheese (good for melting) and sour cream. I then tossed in some curry powder, one of Ameiko’s favorite additions.
The combination of cheese and artichoke is lovely as a dip, but its texture may be a bit mushy for a complete bite. I resolved this with an oat and Italian breadcrumb coating for a nice, savory crunch. When I made this recipe, I used melted butter. But if you like a heartier breading, dip the stuffed artichokes in beaten egg before coating crumbs and baking.
Want to learn how to make The Rusty Dragon’s Cheese Blossoms for your adventuring party? Watch the video or find out how to get the recipe card below!
The Rusty Dragon ‘s Cheese Blossoms
Sing for your Supper!
This video will always be around to cook along with. But I also have the printable PDF recipe cards available for my Ko-Fi and Patreon supporters.
This week, my blog post and Munchies & Minis recipe cards are available in exchange for a $2 donation on my Ko-fi page. Recipes from previous Munchies & Minis episodes are also being added to my Ko-fi store, so keep an out for updates!
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If you join my Patreon community at the “Kitchen Twitch” ($5/month) level or higher, you will not only get access to ALL of my Munchies & Minis recipe cards. You’ll also get blog-post Spotify playlists, community polls, random digital and physical swag surprises, AND a welcome gift of my Lord of the Rings recipe cards and playlists.
I hope this episode inspired you to start a culinary campaign of your own. Next week, I’ll continue the third season of Munchies & Minis with a recipe chosen by my Patreon subscribers!
Make sure to join me live Wednesday on Twitch from 7 pm – 9 pm EST. OR you can catch the archived episode on YouTube.
