More than a month has passed since developer Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone released the big 1.6 update Stardew Valley, but the fun isn’t over yet. Barone collaborated with writer Ryan Novak to create the film Official Stardew Valley Cookbook. Publisher Random House Worlds will launch the book on May 14. You can already pre-order it from online retailers such as Amazon, Barnes & Edeland Boekwinkel.org.
This book contains 50 recipes and is true to form Stardew ValleyBecause the emphasis is on harvesting seasonal ingredients, these delicious selections are divided into seasons (spring, summer, fall, winter). Each recipe is inspired by food from the game and is complemented by original art and photography of the dishes. The best part? Fans of the game will love the way the book connects the food with the memorable characters of Stardew Valley.
Each recipe tells you which character the recipe belongs to, and the margins of the book feature cute notes from the game’s cast. The recipe for the crab cake, for example, includes a note from Elliot noting that he “can’t help but enjoy their sweet flesh when formed into cakes and sprinkled with lemon.” It’s a small but cute detail, as fans of Elliot may already know that he enjoys receiving crab cakes as gifts in the game.
An important part of playing Stardew Valley involves growing fresh ingredients and cooking them to create tasty, regenerative meals. That said, the game’s rudimentary recipes have been redesigned to reflect the fact that they are more complex to make in real life. For example, while baking a Pink Cake in the game only requires four ingredients (melon, wheat flour, sugar and an egg), the book provides a recipe for a delicious-looking watermelon-strawberry jam.
There are even more clever recipe tweaks in this cookbook. One that caught my eye was the Lucky Lunch. The dish calls for sea cucumber in the game, but the cookbook version of that dish turns it into shrimp ceviche on a bed of greens with a star-shaped tortilla to top it all off. It’s safe to say I don’t think my local supermarkets sell meaty sea snails, so I’m happy with the switch to shrimp.
I reported on how Stardew Valley does have that inspired people to start your own garden. Some people may not like taking up farming as a hobby, but maybe now with the The Official Stardew Valley Cookbook, then you might prefer to work in the kitchen. If anything, this book is a unique way to let fans of the game spend some more time with their favorite characters.