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COMMON RITUALS OF GOREAN BEVERAGE SERVICE
One of the most important acts which a Gorean female performs for the males around her is the act of serving beverages. Upon Gor, this common action has achieved almost ritual significance, and almost all Free Goreans expect every slave girl to know and understand a few basic ways to fulfill this particular function. Therefore, the purpose of this page is to instruct the reader in a few of the more common ways whereby this might be done, as depicted in the Gor books themselves.
Before one undertakes the task of learning how a Gorean slave girl performs the seemingly simple act of serving a beverage in the correct fashion, it is first important that the individual understand what, precisely, she is pouring and serving. Therefore this page contains detailed explanations of most of the beverages a Gorean slave might be called upon to serve to a Master.
WHAT IS PAGA?
Currently many Gorean websites describe paga as being "similar to Earth whiskey" or "strong and potent, like raw vodka." However, due to the descriptions of it provided in the books, it must actually be closer to Earth beer or wheat stout in taste and texture. What do the Gor books have to say about it? Below are a collection of quotes for your perusal:
"I decided, if worse came to worst, that I could always go to a simple Paga Tavern where, if those of Tharna resembled those of Ko-ro-ba and Ar, one might, curled in a rug behind the low tables, unobtrusively spend the night for the price of a pot of Paga, a strong, fermented drink brewed from the yellow grains of Gor's staple crop, sa-Tarna, or Life-Daughter."
(--p.77, Renegades of Gor)
[The reason, we are told, is that metal goblets are very effective weapons in a bar fight]
And paga is even served in a "kantharos," or footed-bowl:
"She knelt near the table... and put the paga, in a small kantharos... before me."
(---p.71, Renegades of Gor)
[A kantharos is a bowl which is equipped with a single foot, or stem. It has a verticle handle on either side, like a sugar bowl. "Kantharos," by the way, is not a strictly Gorean word, but actually dates back to ancient Earth during the bronze age.]
It is also described as being served in glasses and plain clay (non-footed) bowls. So basically, we can just assume that paga is served in any handy container suitable for storing liquids, or commonly utilized for the act of drinking.
How is it prepared, though? And what does it taste like? Well, it is sometimes served warm, as revealed below:
"`Your paga,' said the nude slave girl, who served me, her wrists chained. `It is warmed as you wished.'
I took it from her, not even glancing upon her, and drained the goblet... I liked paga warm. One felt is so much the sooner that way."
(--p.102, Raiders of Gor)
I have, in my life, sampled many, many different types of beer, ale, and mead, and I must admit I have yet to drink one which I would describe as "fiery" or "burning." Strong, thick, bitter, heavy, even plain awful... but never "fiery." When I think of "fiery, burning" liquor, I invariably think of hard liquors such as, you guessed it, whiskey and vodka. So how is it that paga, which we are told is brewed/fermented and not distilled, is so damn fiery? Well, we find a few other hints in the books which might explain this seemingly contradictory situation.
First of all we are treated to a description of a beverage known as "Sul paga," a favorite drink of members of the caste of peasants:
"Sul paga is, when distilled, though the sul itself is yellow, is as clear as water... the still, with its tanks and pipes, lay within the village, that of Tabuk's Ford, in which Thurnus, our host, was caste leader.
`Excellent,' said my master, sipping the Sul paga. He could have been commenting only on the potency of drink, for Sul paga is almost tasteless. One does not guzzle Sul paga. Last night one of the men had held my head back and forced me to swallow a mouthful. In moments things had gone black, and I had fallen unconscious."
Sour-mash liquor, perhaps?
While this is simply speculation on my part, it so happens that sour-mash is brewed, as is beer, but it is not processed and diluted in the manner of typical beers and ales. For one thing, the recipe is different; it's called sour mash because it is brewed from a "sour mash" of fermented grains. Sour mash liquor is a highly potent grain-based brew which is the much stronger version of common beer. In addition, there are several recipes for sour mash brew which are bitter and very potent, some of which utilize spices which I assure you can be described as "fiery". Since even Gorean wines are incredibly strong:
"Many Gorean wines... are very strong, often having an alcohol content by volume of forty to fifty percent [80 to 100 proof]."
WHAT IS KA-LA-NA?
Ka-la-na is a very strong red fruit wine with a slightly sweet taste and a full body. It is red in color. In the very first book of the series we are told that Ka-la-na is red. In later books it is occasionally described as "rich" and "delicate" but to my knowledge it is never referred to as any color other than some variation, or shade, of red. I think some of the confusion might come from the fact that Ka-la-na trees, from which Ka-la-na fruit is harvested, are yellow, meaning they have yellow leaves and bright yellow wood. There are many references in the books to yellow Ka-la-na trees and wood, but I have yet to find such a reference to "yellow Ka-la-na wine."
Below I have listed a few of the more common quotations dealing with Ka-la-na:
The first reference to the color of Ka-la-na in the series is in the first book, Tarnsman of Gor:
"...and drops of a RED, winelike drink made from the fruit of the Ka-la-na tree."
(--p.331-332, Captive of Gor)
Interestingly enough, the passage above indicates that Ka-la-na, like Paga, is occasionally served warm. Norman describes many Gorean beverages which are served warm in such a fashion. One might surmise that Norman himself is rather fond of warmed beverages. The quote below tells us much about Ka-la-na, particularly how rich and delicate is its flavor, how plentiful it is, and its reputed aphrodisiac qualities in regards to females.
"...a small bottle of Ka-la-na wine, in a wicker basket... I had never tasted so rich and delicate a wine on Earth, and yet here, on this world, it cost only a copper tarn disk and was so cheap, and plentiful, that it might be given even to a female slave... It was the first Gorean fermented beverage which I had tasted. It is said that Ka-la-na has an unusual effect on a female."
(--p.250, Captive of Gor)
So, there you have it. I have combed the books extensively, and while white wines of various types are found on Gor, I have yet to find a reference to Ka-la-na being anything but red. Many Goreans on IRC make the common mistake of assuming that, since Ka-la-na wine is so often mentioned in the books, that it is the only type of wine produced on Gor. I liken its consistency of color with Earth plum wine, which is, to my knowledge, plum colored. Plum wine may be darker, or lighter, depending upon how it is produced, but it is always the color of the fruit it is made from; namely, the Earth plum. If Ka-la-na fruit is red, then so is Ka-la-na wine. There are many colors of Earth and Gorean grapes, and since the actual color of any kind of grape wine comes from the skins of the grapes themselves, then that is what determines the color of a particular type of Gorean wine. There is no evidence in the Gor books that there is more than one color of Ka-la-na fruit. There are "light" Ka-la-nas and "dry" Ka-la-nas, but they are still red in color.
OTHER GOREAN BEVERAGES
KAL-DA
Kal-da (or, alternately, Cal-da, as it is referred to in a later book) is an inexpensive drink made from mixing a rather cheap variety of Ka-la-na with the juices of various Gorean citrus fruits and an assortment of hot spices, probably similar to raw cinnamon, pepper extracts, and the like. It is often drunk by members of the lower castes in establishments known as "Kal-da Houses," which maintain large kettles of the stuff, constantly boiling over a fire, from which slaves and servants dip large mugs, bowls and other drinking vessels for service to the customers, as described below:
"Kal-da is a hot drink, almost scalding, made of diluted ka-la-na wine, mixed with citrus juices and stinging spices. I did not care much for the mouth warming concoction, but it was popular with some of the lower castes, particularly those who performed strenuous manual labor. I expected its popularity was due more to its capacity to warm a man and stick to his ribs, and to its cheapness (a poor grade of Ka-la-na was used in its brewing) then to any gustatory excellence."
(--pg.76, Outlaw of Gor)
"I had hardly settled myself behind the table when the propietor had placed a large, fat pot of steaming Kal-da before me. It almost burned my hands to lift the pot. I took a long, burning swig of the brew and though, on another ocassion, I might have thought it foul, tonight it sang through my body like the bubbling fire it was, a sizzling, brutal irritant that tasted so bad and yet charmed me so much I had to laugh."
OTHER WINES
There is definitely white wine on Gor, just not white Ka-la-na. In fact, there are several different types of wine mentioned in the series.
"In a Gorean supper in a house of wealth, in the course of the supper, with varied courses, eight to ten wines might be served, each suitably and congruously matched with respect to texture and bouquet not only to one another but to the accompanying portions of food."
(--p.277, Fighting Slave of Gor)
TURIAN WINE
"I did not much care for the sweet, syrupy wines of Turia, flavored and sugared to the point where one could almost leave one's fingerprint on their surface."
(--p.83-84, Nomads of Gor)
In higher class establishments and households, Turian wine is often served on a large platter, which is made so that it contains a central space or "holder" for the wine bottle, which is surrounded by several small indentations or reservoirs which hold assorted powdered condiments and sugars. Tiny spoons are also present, in various sizes, for measuring the sugars as they are added to the contents of a drinking vessel. These spoons are threaded on a mutual metal ring and are attached to the platter by means of a small chain.
TA WINE
Ta Wine gets its name from Ta Grapes, a particular kind of Gorean grape found primarily upon the island of Cos.
"It was Ta wine, from the Ta grapes of the terraces of Cos... In the last year heavy import duties had been levied by the high council of Vonda against the wines of certain other cities, in particular against the Ka-la-nas of Ar."
(--p.306, Fighting Slave of Gor)
WHITE WINE
As mentioned above, there are white wines upon Gor (and we may therefore assume that there is a variety of different kinds of grapes, as well).
"The first wine, a light white wine, was being deferentially served..."
(--p.276, Fighting Slave of Gor)
RENCE BEER
Among the Rence growers of the Marshes, particularly the vast marshland of the Vosk River Delta, a beverage is fermented from the grain of the rence plant:
"At such times there is drinking of rence beer, steeped, boiled and fermented from the crushed seeds and the whitish pith of the plant."
(--pg.18, Raiders of Gor)
"I had carried about bowls of cut, fried fish, and wooden trays of roasted tarsk meat, and roasted gants, threaded on sticks, and rence cakes and porridges, and gourd flagons, many times replenished, of rence beer."
(--pg.44, Raiders of Gor)
Since rence seems to be functionally identical to Earth rice, it stands to reason that this beverage, known alternately as rence beer or rence wine, is quite similar in most respects to "saki," the rice-based alcoholic drink particular to Earth oriental culture. There seem to be not particulars as to the serving of rence beer, and it may therefore be assumed that rence beer is served in the same manner as other beverages, i.e Paga or Ka-la-na.
BLACK WINE
For detailed information on the service of Black wine, or Gorean coffee, visit:
Caffeine Addicts of Gor: A Guide to Gorean Black Wine
BAZI TEA
Bazi tea is made from a Gorean hybrid of Earth tea leaves, the majority of which is typically grown in and around the city of Bazi, thus accounting for the beverage's name. It is, therefore, almost identical to tea grown on Earth, and is particularly popular in the southern regions of Gor.
"Tea is extremely important to the nomads. It is served hot and heavily sugared. It gives them strength, then, in virtue of the sugar, and cools them, by making them sweat, as well as stimulating them. It is drunk three small cups at a time, carefully measured."
(--pg. 38, Tribesmen of Gor)
One of the most enduring myths about Gorean Bazi tea is that there is some sort of special and intricate "ceremony" whereby it is served. This is, no doubt, some confusion about its nature, and certain parallels have been drawn between the service of Gorean Bazi tea and the exquisite "tea ceremony" which is native to Japanese culture on Earth. Also, those who emulate Gorean custom tend to make a habit of turning everything into a "ritual," even when the books do not support such practices.
The truth is much simpler. With the exception of the fact that Bazi tea is traditionally served in three small portions, one cup at a time, Bazi tea is served in pretty much the same manner as any other Gorean beverage. I would expect that, when it comes time to add condiments such as creams and sugars, that the customs which attend to the service of black wine (Gorean coffee) are pretty much in effect. That makes sense, and would be quite practical.
An example of how such tea is served, in everyday usage, is given below.
"`Make me tea,' I said.
Lifting her skirt the girl went to the tent to make tea...
`I feared, when I first saw you,' said the girl, measuring the tea, from a tiny tin box, `that you had come to carry me off.'...
`Is it ready?' I asked. I looked at the tiny copper kettle on the small stand. A tiny kaiila dung fire burned under it. A small, heavy, curved glass was nearby, on a flat box, which would hold some two ounces of the tea. Bazi tea is drunk in tiny glasses, usually three at a time, carefully measured. She did not make herself tea, of course...
She lifted the kettle from the fire and, carefully, poured me a tiny glass of tea."
(--pgs.139-141, Tribesmen of Gor)
ALE AND MEAD
Common in the northernmost climes of Gor, ale and mead are brewed much the same way paga is, except for a difference in ingredients. Most ales tend to be grain or fruit based, whereas Mead is almost universally brewed by fermenting honey with water.
"'Here Jarl,' said Thyri, again handing me the horn. It was filled with the mead of Torvaldsland, brewed from fermented, honey, thick and sweet."
(--pg.90, Marauders of Gor)
"Many were the roast tarsk and roast bosk that had roasted over the long fire, on the iron spits. Splendid was the quality of the ale at the tables of the Blue Tooth. Sweet and strong was the mead."
(--pg.78, Marauders of Gor)
In addition, these drinks are often served (at least in Torvaldsland) in large hollow drinking horns, such horns consisting of the hollowed-out natural armaments of various local wildlife. The ivory tusks of whales and other sea-going creatures may also be utilized for this purpose. Since such horns are typically pointed on the "bottom end," there is often no way to set them down and leave them unattended once they have been filled, without immediately spilling them:
"I held up the large drinking horn of the north. 'There is no way for this to stand upright,' I said to him, puzzled. He threw back his head again and roared once more with laughter.
'If you cannot drain it,' he said, 'give it to another!'
I threw back my head and drained the horn."
CHOCOLATE
Chocolate exists upon Gor, and is often mixed with sugar and creams to produce a hot, thick, sweet beverage no different from the hot cocoa of Earth. It is served the same way most other Gorean beverages are served: deferentially, and according to the instructions of the Free Gorean who is being served.
"`This is warmed chocolate,' I said, pleased. It was very rich and creamy.
`Yes, Mistress,' said the girl.
`It is very good,' I said.
`Thank you, Mistress,' she said.
`Is it from Earth?' I asked.
`Not directly,' she said. `Many things here, of course, ulitmately have an Earth origin. It is not improbable that the beans from which the first cacao trees on this world were grown were brought from Earth.'
`Do the trees grow near here?' I asked.
`No, Mistress,' she said, `we obtain the beans from which the chocolate is made, from Cosian merchants, who in turn, obtain them in the tropics."
(--pg.61, Kajira of Gor)
LIQUEURS
Liqueurs are a common after dinner beverage on Gor, and are often consumed either between courses at a large feast, following such a feast, or even simply as a small treat during a long meeting or party. There are probably dozens of different types of liquers upon Gor, each one different, with its own unique taste and texture. Such liqueurs tend to be rather sweet as a general rule, and are often fermented from sugar and various creams, or distilled from fruits such as the Gorean apricot, peach, larma, etc. We may assume that a combination of both is practiced, so there could be a "peach cream liqueur," an "apricot cream liqueur," and so on.
Gorean liqueurs are intended to be consumed more for their taste than for their alcohol content, though they are rather strong since they often contain so much sugar, which speeds up the effect of the alcohol in the bloodstream, and are intended to be drunk only in small quantities. There are as many different flavors and kinds of liqueurs as there are brewers to create them.
"The liqueurs of Turia are usually regarded as the best, but I think this is largely a matter of taste. Those of Cos and Ar, and of certain other cities, are surely very fine."
(--pg.406, Kajira of Gor)
These items are served in small containers, usually from small bottles, an assortment of which is commonly carried to the Free Goreans, along with a number of small cups with which to sample the contents of the bottles.
"`They are ready for their liqueurs,' whispered Susan.
We then brought them to them, on the two small trays.
`Liqueurs, Masters?' asked Susan.
`Liqueurs, Masters?' I asked."
(--pg.407, Kajira of Gor)
FERMENTED MILK CURDS
One of the most unusual beverages consumed upon Gor is one made from fermented curds of bosk milk. It is alcoholic and foul smelling, and is typically consumed only by those of the Wagon Peoples in the south.
"By one fire I could see a squat Tuchuk, hands on his hips, dancing and stamping about by himself, drunk on fermented milk curds, dancing, according to Kamchak, to please the sky."
(--pg.28, Nomads of Gor)
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