A good book makes me hungry. It’s not just because I am a
food blogger, it’s just the visual imagery used in fiction is very much akin to
the imagery of food using all the senses. Remember the tomato and cheese
sandwiches that the famous five packed in brown paper bags and rode of on the
bicycles to solve mysteries, or the honey and treacle cookies that the fairies
made in the enchanted forest, or were they the pixies. Whether it was food made
by pixies, fairies or goblins, Enid blyton filled my childhood with food
cravings like ginger ale and other exotic items only the fairies had.
Another book which made me go all culinary was game of
thrones, but it seems someone else also had the same idea and voila they even
published a book and it’s available on amazon!
So, when I read Veronica Roth’s divergent series, and yes I
read all three divergent, insurgent and allegiant, and nope this blog post does
not have any spoilers. Well, when I read the Divergent series, I realised what
a great food faction we could create, I ofcourse would be a divergent because
every food faction has some amazing food worth trying.
So here is my version of what the factions based on food
would be like:
Erudite: these guys are like the brains of factions, they
love a good complex chemical solution to get there teeth into. The books say
that fizzy drinks are their speciality and so all kinds of cocktails and
mocktails would be part of this faction, needless to say they would be served
in flasks and beakers ala a chemistry lab. A true mixology. To really up the
game these guys are the ones who would be creating all the molecular
gastronomy. Think Heston Blumenthal and liquid nitrogens. DIY food kits, and
lengthy complicated recipes with a lot of food chemistry would be their forte.
Dauntless: These are the men and women in black of the
factions. They climb on and jump off of moving trains, they love a good
challenge as long as it’s something full of grit and strength. Their symbol has
a flame of fire and that pretty much means that their food would be all things
barbeque. Grilled meats, basting a roast pig, juicy steaks, sizzling veggies
but not too much veggies, these guys love their proteins. The books mention a
delectable chocolate cake and we shall ofcourse have it on a sizzling plate, may
be even a flambé.
Abnegation: dressed in drab greys these guys can be a real
joy kill, but hey they have a good side too, they love community. So food which
serves best in communal eating, think giant bowls of communally served hot pot
soup, prepped at the table, or cheesy fondues with people sitting around
tucking in to some heart warming, cozy community building food. Maybe even a
full fledged Lebanese mezze, or a Kashmiri wazwan. The only requirement, well
every one must eat from the same serving plates. Sharing is caring for the
abnegation.
Candor: These guys dress in black and white and no shades of
grey for them. What about an entire meal in just b;ack and white? Truffles, and
black squid ink, white feta cheese and black olives, Manipuri black rice, white
rasgullas. A black forrest cake or a zebra torte.
Amity: these guys are the bohemian farmers. Organic food and
vegan diets would be their call. Rainbow coloured salads, fresh veggies in
pizzas and wholesome rataouilles and caseroles. No artificial flavours or
colourings, farm fresh and organic would be the key words. Think green
smoothies, green papaya salads, fresh fruit and non dairy cream.
Factionless: so these guys clearly are not a faction but
they are a very bonded group none the less, and interestingly the books delve a
lot into their eating habits. They it seems eat out oif cans and here’s the
thing , they pass the cans on to the next person. Cant picture it? Well think
of sharing a joint or a hukkah, one swig, pass to the person on gthe right, yup
that’s the imagery I had too, very ghetto. These guys forage for their food and
foraged food is a big draw these days, infact it is just about the most in
thing to do. A speciality foraged menu then, complete with edible leaves,
flowers and micro greens.
and if you made it through all of my ramblings, you are a either a big fan of the series, or b , extremely bored, in either case here is another fun video for a faction based tea party
