One of the great moments of Dragon Age that struck me when I first played Dragon Age: Origins for the first time was the Joining. That cutscene is iconic. Warden Commander Duncan, looming and serious, administering a sacred and dangerous rite while the anxious recruits wet their small clothes in anticipation. Daveth is the first to drink from the awkward yet menacing chalice and the first to die. The poor bastard. In my headcanon, my Grey Warden was thinking of him as she passed out at the top of the Tower of Ishal, lamenting, "he would have opened all the chests for me." Jory tries to bail and pays with his life. Totally deserved. Only your character, the hero to-be, survives. But forever changed.
So what exactly are the contents within the chalice? What makes a Grey Warden a Grey Warden, an avowed hunter of darkspawn, vanquisher of Blights? According to the Dragon Age Wiki, it is a mixture of darkspawn blood, a drop of blood from an Archdemon, and lyrium plus rare herbs magically prepared to make the blood at least remotely possible to consume.
In real life, though we have equally daunting but not as physically-altering substances used for another kind of coming-of-age rite of passage: alcohol.
This inaugural Gourmet Vegan* Thedas blog entry, I am focusing on mixing some drinks inspired by the darkspawn, the Grey Wardens, and the Joining. The hangover as a result will make you think you've just survived of the Joining, that's for sure.
Let's start with one that I have never tried but want to share anyway. The recipe is Darkspawn Blood from Darth Shadie on YouTube; a quirky, bold channel that covers a wide variety of topics around Dragon Age lore, video games and video game business and culture from a personal perspective. And if you are into tarot cards (which I'm personally not), she's the gal for you! Check out the Sources section for more.
Darkspawn Blood:
Combine in a shooter glass
1/2 oz Ramazzotti Black Sambuca
1/2 oz Sour Puss Raspberry Liquor
1/4 oz Apricot Brandy
Seguing right into another mixed drink, here's one I thought looked interesting. I initially found this delightful recipe on Pinterest, of which I spend too much time on pinning food and drinks I never have time to make (seriously, over 5,000 pins of food alone - I may have a problem, but who doesn't?). The recipe is The Joining from The Drunken Moogle. Check out the Sources section for more.
The Joining:
Layer with a spoon into a shot glass
1.5cl Hpnotiq liqueur
1.5cl Dark rum
Add a splash of 151 rum on top for taste
For a personal touch, there is one drink that always hits the spot for me in times of Blight; a simple, easy hot drink I affectionately call Duncan's Balm.
Duncan's Balm:
Combine
8 oz mug of hot apple cider with
1 shot of dark rum
Sprinkle with a pinch (or two) of cinnamon sugar and allspice.
Optional: Add a cinnamon stick
BONUS FIRST ENTRY DRINK:
Duncan's Dagger:
Combine
8 oz mug of fresh brewed coffee with
1 shot of dark rum
Sprinkle with a few pinches of cinnamon sugar and allspice.
Warden Recruit Bonus Option: Add almond milk or dairy creamer
Warden Bonus Option: Add a shot of Kahlua
Warden Commander Bonus Option: Add a shot of espresso and another shot of rum
NOW GO PLAY SOME VIDEO GAMES!
Remember friends, walk in the Maker's light and imbibe responsibly.
Like what you are reading? Great! There's more to come in the next few weeks. Follow and share widely!
Have any friendly suggestions or cool ideas? Please feel free to comment below. You can also message me at AGSamuels on Reddit, or tweet me at Essem_Jay on Twitter.
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Sources:
DA Wiki: http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Dragon_Age_Wiki
DA Wiki, The Joining: http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Joining
DarthShadie: https://www.youtube.com/user/DarthShadie
DarthShadie, Darkspawn Blood: https://youtu.be/l86EUZQnnfo
The Drunken Moogle: http://thedrunkenmoogle.com/
The Drunken Moogle, The Joining: http://thedrunkenmoogle.com/post/3212423268/the-joining-dragon-age-origins-cocktail
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