Food and Drink of the Imperium
The Imperium is a massive empire spanning the galaxy and as such its numerous subjects make use of all manner of fauna and flora for foodstuffs. As well as food, Imperial worlds produce a variety of drinks.
Contents
Food
Within the Imperium, entire worlds are devoted to agriculture and food, providing the necessary sustenance for populations elsewhere in the galaxy. These agri worlds can grow a variety of food in a variety of ways, from the ill-tempered grox that provide meat to simple wheat for bread, with entire continents being given over to the growth of foodstuffs.[Needs Citation] The most standard type of food grown on Agri-Worlds and subsequently distributed to feed the innumerable masses is processed corn.[18]
This variety can produce confusion when Imperial cultures mix; in one recorded instance, Tona Criid, a native of Vervunhive on Verghast, mistook camouflage paint for a type of food-paste supplied to the off-world Tanith First regiment.[1b]
Space Marines have been known to subsist on triglyceride gel and amino-porridge,[7] as well as local wildlife hunted during their firing exercises.[8]
The Dark Angels are known to consume nutrigruel, carboloafs and vitamead.[14]
Other food
- Synth
- Corpse-Starch - Made from recycled bodies
- Apple-peach
- Caba Nuts[20a]
- Gantha-root rollup[9]
- Salma Kedgeree[20b]
- Slab - Ration made from Grox meat[21]
- Carb - Ration made from grain[21]
- Nafar Biscuit - Ration eaten by the Astra Militarum[23]
- Nutrient Gruel - Food rations eaten by Astartes[15]
Drink
Amasec[2] and Rotgut[3] are two forms of popular alcoholic drink in the Imperium. Wildsnake,[5] a form of alcohol that contains an actual venomous snake, is a famed beverage of Hive Primus on Necromunda. The Tanith, as mentioned above, drink a now field brewed drink known as Sacra, a particularly strong brew. Estufagemi wine is a pungent beverage brewed on Iesta Veracrux.[6] Doomberry Juice has tranquilising effects, but causes nightmares.[25]
Other alcoholic beverages
- Ale from algae[19]
- Dammassine[11]
- Devilberry Liqueur[17]
- Gleece — Native to the sixth moon of Paragon VI.[30]
- Joiliq[1a]
- Jovian Silk Cognac — Extremely expensive alcohol.[21]
- Klogfisz — Spirit native to Banjax and brewed from vegetable roots.[24]
- Mjød — Commonly consumed by Space Wolves.[26]
- Old-Foiz[9]
- Raenka[16]
- Rahzvod[29]
- Second Best[27]
- Theosophist's Philtre[28]
- Tranq[28]
- Whiskey[21]
- Wine[25]
- Wobble — Cheaply fermented from Ploins.[16]
Other non-alcoholic drinks
- Ploin Juice[16]
- Recaff - a non-alcoholic beverage similar to coffee.[12]
- Tai - simple drink similar to tea.[13]
- Tea - presumably the analog of the standard tea.[15]
- Tanna Tea - a very strong tea from Valhalla, described as an acquired taste, akin to real world Chifir. [20b]
Non-Imperial Foodstuffs
It is known that some non-Imperial foods are edible by humans, or at least Astartes. Eldar food is known to have been consumed by the Marines of the Emperor's Children Space Marine Legion.[4] This may indicate compatibility of the human body with Eldar food, just Astartes physiology (being enhanced as it is), or that the Eldar simply knew what humans found palatable as food.
Xenos-cultured wheat is also not unknown, though illegal.[3]
The Tau have been known to use nim ko’nai as rations.[10]
Sources
- 1: Necropolis (Novel) — The Founding (Omnibus):
- 2: Xenos (Novel), [Needs Citation]
- 3: Dark Heresy Rulebook, [Needs Citation]
- 4: Fulgrim (Novel), [Needs Citation]
- 5: Necromunda (game system) Rulebook (inc. Outlanders supplement), pg. 217
- 6: Nemesis (Novel), [Needs Citation]
- 6a: [Needs Citation], pg. 30
- 6b: Chapter Two
- 7: Deathwatch (Novel), Act 1: The Call, Chapter 12, pg. 45
- 8: Codex: Space Marines (3rd Edition), pg. 48
- 9: Fire Warrior (Novel), Chapter 6, pg. 156
- 10: Shadowsun (Novella), pg. 28
- 11: Priests of Mars (Novel), Microcontent 09, pg. 88
- 12: A Mug of Recaff (Short Story)
- 13: The Emperor Expects (Novel), Chapter 18
- 14: The Unforgiven (Novel), Part 2 - Penance
- 15: Of Honour and Iron (Novel), Chapter 9
- 16: Rogue Trader: Into the Storm, pg. 134
- 17: Soul Drinker (Novel) — The Soul Drinkers Omnibus, Chapter Four
- 18: The Lords of Silence (Novel), Chapter 6
- 19: Codex Imperialis (Background Book), pg. 71
- 20: For the Emperor (Novel) — Ciaphas Cain: Hero of the Imperium (Omnibus)
- 21: Against the Grain (Short Story) — No Good Men (Anthology)
- 22: Dark Imperium (Novel), Chapter 15
- 23: Witchbringer (Novel), Chapter 8
- 24: Warhammer Siege, pg. 94 — Example Scenarios: Axe the Tax
- 25: Farseer (Novel), Chapter One
- 26: Stormseeker (Short Story)
- 27: A World Above (Short Story)
- 28: Rogue Trader Rulebook, pgs. 141-143
- 29: The Firstborn Daughter (Short Story)
- 30: Baneblade (Novel), Chapter 7