Quillar

Revision as of 12:11, 27 May 2021 by Krev (talk | contribs) (Tried to make capitalization more consistent through the article, cited some stackpole novels, cited the Hachiman flag as what is likely a much more canonical depiction of Quillar, and noted a few dishes that Quillar has been directly mentioned in.)

A staple of the Inner Sphere, quillar is a prolific and flexible bio-engineered crop used in many foods and beverages.

Overview

Common throughout both the Federated Suns and the Lyran Commonwealth, quillar is hardy, bountiful, and incredibly adaptable. Between the two states, quillar finds frequent use as a substitute for traditional common ingredients, be it in German Cuisine, Italian cooking, French fare, or Spanish sustenance - a near universal application. [1] Grown to be twice as large as typical Terran corn, quillar resembles a typical grain, and like grain can be processed into many forms with unique textures and flavors. Unlike a typical grain, however, it can act beyond traditional bounds, and be adapted into various vegetable and fruit substitutes. Quillar even has a presence in asian dishes despite of the tumultuous history between House Davion and Kurita.

Hachiman's flag - windswept quillar.

Some worlds, in fact, including the traditionally Kuritan system of Hachiman - even feature stalks of quillar in the breeze upon their flags.[2]

The plant is logically a staple farm crop, grown on planets such as Alexandria in the Lyran Commonwealth, where a quillar farm was operated by the family of Galen Cox until their deaths during a Kurita raid in 3039.[3]

Applications

The depictions of foods and beverages quillar is known to be used in are as follows:

  • Omellettes, as a potential ingredient[4]
  • Sandwiches, paired with peanut butter, likely substituting jelly; leaves stains[5]
  • Quillar Fizz, an apocryphal carbonated beverage - typically fruit flavored, and non-alcoholic[6]

Notes

  • It is likely that most forms of grains and vegetables within the Inner Sphere - pastas, breads, etcetera - are derived from quillar.
  • The name possibly refers to quillar's exaggerated quill-like stem and grain spikes - both characteristic of grain crops.
  • It is, in effect, mega-wheat.

References

  1. MechWarrior, Third Edition, pp. 177-178
  2. House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p. 184
  3. Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers, p. 208
  4. Lethal Heritage, 8th page of chapter 13
  5. Warrior: Riposte, 3rd page of chapter 28
  6. Battletech (HBS). PC, 2018, Lore Entry on Quillar Fizz.

Bibliography