Poor Scout's Almanac - Taro Braec

Taro Braec

Aye, the weather has been rough. The damn storms were raging on the Shield like I had never seen. The route from Rinsik to Dul'Hotheirn is easy enough when your head is under feet of dirt and rock but those portions where you can look upon the clouds can be devastating. I had traveled nearly four days before I found the correct tunnel. You see, the dwarves of the Shielding Wall do not label their tunnels and routes with nice painted signs like those in the Kingdom, instead they hide the markings to ensure those of the black forces are kept at bay. Unfortunately, this means humble travelers like myself struggle to locate the entrances.

Once inside however, I was met with the sweetest of smells. Along the tunnel there sat a Traveler's Rest, a small way station that sold drink and food to those traveling the dark routes. The bearded lady named Muriel, nearly wide as she was tall, was in the middle of finishing her batch of Taro Braec, or dwarven Traveler's Bread. The sweet hint of roasting raspberries floated along the dark tunnels and my stomach grumbled that we needed to stop. 

- Snikle, East of the Shielding Wall 

Traditional Road Bread of the Shielding Wall Dwarves

The Shielding Wall Dwarves are known for being an industrious lot and while they can most often be found beneath the mountains, there are those that venture to the surface to help gather the supplies needed to make a particular staple of their diet. This bread is tough and hearty, it lasts well in the cool, damp environment in the tunnels the dwarves travel through. When baked, it is often in large quantities and the wonderful smell of the warm bread rising in the ovens floats through the tunnels.

Ingredients:
Two handfuls of dried Raspberries
Four pinches of dried and crushed Lennel leaves+ (can be varied if baker wishes sweeter bread)
Two handfuls of dried and crushed Morel* mushrooms
One egg (cave lizard, bird, whatever is available)
One mug of strong and hot Simbel Tea

+ traditional sweetening agent
* other mushrooms can be used but these are the preferred, they add just the right amount of flavor and tend to rise the easiest other mushrooms can be used but these are the preferred, they add just the right amount of flavor and tend to rise the easiest

The fruit and lennel powder are soaked in the tea over night. The following day sieve the crushed mushrooms and fold the drained fruit and egg into the mix. Next the sticky dough is heated in a dwarven oven for an hour, then let cool over night. The children particularly love the warm bread but if cooled it will stay for weeks.