20
$\begingroup$

Hello! And welcome to "The Riddling Chef," the show where the recipe is deliberately obscure! I'm Travis.

Today, we're going to be making a dish fit for the king! The recipe was sent in by Edward and Caroline Lancaster; thank you both for being such loyal viewers. For the first course, some plucked pheasant shish kabobs. Maybe some small steaks a few inches in diameter each. After that, a traditional mud pie with a secret ingredient added. (It's not horse meat) Okay, you got me. It's horse meat. We'll add it in last to keep the flavor fresh. To finish it off, a french red sauce on a good old slice of victory pie.

This is the kind of recipe that really sets chefs apart. If you have any old-fashioned notions about cooking with honor, they end here. You cook this dish-- and cook it right, or you die. Your choice. You're going to see a lot fewer amateurs and a lot more professionals after this. Prep time is about a hundred years, maybe less and maybe more depending on your interpretation. Cook time is 14-15. Finish it up and it's going to smell like roses. Okay, let's get started, but first... a word from our sponsors.

Don't go away! We'll be right back! Before we do, have you uncovered the secret recipe? What dish is Chef Travis working on today?

Improve this question
$\endgroup$
3
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ I very much like your recipe idea instead of the ordinary rhymed riddle. +1 for that. $\endgroup$
    – BmyGuest
    Dec 7, 2014 at 13:07
  • $\begingroup$ @BmyGuest If you like it, check out my others. I've got a tech update manual, a few epic fantasy passages, a film noir detective mystery, and others. $\endgroup$
    – Travis Don Kindred
    Dec 7, 2014 at 14:45
  • $\begingroup$ I agree, the theming is great. I like that the conceit and style of a cooking show keeps through the whole thing no matter how orthogonal the clues are to the surface content. $\endgroup$
    – xnor
    Dec 7, 2014 at 23:28

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
13
$\begingroup$

The answer is:

The hundred years war.

Edward and Caroline Lancaster:

The first phase of the war (1337-1360) was initated by King Edward III, called the Edwardian war.
The second phase of the war (1369-89) was called the Caroline war.
The third phase of the war (1415-1453) was called the Lancastrian war.

Plucked pheasant shish-kebabs

English longbowmen, plucked refers to feathers, pheasant refers to peasant and shish-kebabs refers to the arrow shaft and arrow head.

Mud pie with horse meat

refers to Agincourt, mounted French knights bogged down in mud and skewered by arrows.

French red sauce on a good old slice of victory pie

is the blood of the French, but also eventual French victory. Also Patay reminds me of pate

If you have any old-fashioned notions about cooking with honor, they end here.

Many chivalric ideals died as knightly charges failed against longbowmen

You cook this dish-- and cook it right, or you die. Your choice. You're going to see a lot fewer amateurs and a lot more professionals after this.

Its a war. Soldiers who survive are going to be veterans.

Prep time is about a hundred years, maybe less and maybe more depending on your interpretation. Cook time is 14-15.

Hundred years war. The cook time is the intermissions between the phases of the war, I guess?

Finish it up and it's going to smell like roses.

The Wars of the Roses started in 1455 shortly afterwards.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
3
  • $\begingroup$ Nicely done. Cook time probably refers to the 14-15th centuries. $\endgroup$
    – Set Big O
    Dec 6, 2014 at 2:03
  • $\begingroup$ @Geobits Half-right. 1415 is also the year of Agincourt. It was meant to signify both. $\endgroup$
    – Travis Don Kindred
    Dec 6, 2014 at 5:08
  • $\begingroup$ Oh, and the plucked pheasant shish kabobs refer to the pheasant feathers om the shaft, but I like your explanation too. $\endgroup$
    – Travis Don Kindred
    Dec 7, 2014 at 14:49
1
$\begingroup$

My answer is:

The battle of Agincourt

Because:

Edward of York and Humphrey of Lancaster were Commanders alongside the King (Henry V), it ended the 100 year war against the French, and it led almost directly to the War of the Roses in which York and Lancaster became enemies. Oh, and it was in 1415 AD.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
1
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Try a line-by-line analysis to see if it still fits. What you've presented makes sense, but you've only answered the riddle. You need to explain it too. $\endgroup$
    – Travis Don Kindred
    Dec 6, 2014 at 0:26

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.