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- "Back when I was younger, I found a recipe for Bantha Surprise on an ol' holovid of my favorite chef, Gormaanda. No matter how many times I watched that vid, I could never get the dish to come out quite right. And to be honest, I'm not sure Gormaanda could either."
- ―Strono Tuggs, The Life Day Cookbook
Bantha Surprise was a nourishing stew traditionally made for Life Day. Inspired by the chef Gormaanda's holovid recipe for the dish, the Artiodac chef Strono Tuggs published a recipe for it in his holiday-themed cookbook.
Description[]
- "So instead, I tried to capture the spirit of that holiday classic in my own variation, usin' veg and spices native to Kashyyyk to create a hearty and nourishin' Life Day feast."
- ―Strono Tuggs, The Life Day Cookbook
Bantha Surprise was a hearty stew traditionally eaten on Life Day made from bantha meat.[2] The dish could be consumed by Wookiees and was considered a delicacy in Kashyyykian culture among the species.[1] The Artiodac chef Strono Tuggs had his own variation on the dish that included vegetables and spices from the planet Kashyyyk.[2] In the Wookiee language of Shyriiwook, "grrooh muggawaa ruhggha" meant "more bantha surprise, please."[1]
History[]
- "Bantha is pretty versatile, so you can always make this recipe your own, just like I did, by addin' ingredients native to your world."
- ―Strono Tuggs, The Life Day Cookbook
Strono Tuggs (pictured) had his own variation on Bantha Surprise.
At some point after the Battle of Mos Espa[3] of 9 ABY,[4] the Weequay pirate Hondo Ohnaka authored The Secrets of the Bounty Hunters, where he recommended that the reader enjoy a hearty bowl of Bantha Surprise while still able, for as long as the Wookiee bounty hunter Krrsantan was active, one could not count out becoming the hunter's next target.[3] During Strono Tuggs's youth, he watched a holovid of his favorite chef, Gormaanda, in which she tried to prepare Bantha Surprise. Tuggs viewed the video many times, but his own Bantha Surprise never came out as he expected—though in his estimation, neither did Gormaanda's.[2]
Therefore, instead of continuing to use the same recipe, Tuggs created his own version in order to concoct a hearty, nourishing dish to contribute to a Life Day celebration. At some point after publishing his first cookbook[2] in 34 ABY,[5] Tuggs published a recipe for his Bantha Surprise variation in his holiday cookbook, The Life Day Cookbook, where he shared his story of watching Gormaanda's holovids. He also suggested that the reader modify the recipe as needed by adding local ingredients to the dish.[2]
The Wookiee Chewbacca would salivate by just thinking of his wife Mallatobuck's Bantha Surprise, her specialty that she made for Life Day. The protocol droid C-3PO recorded this fact in The Secrets of the Wookiees at some point after 35 ABY.[1]
Behind the scenes[]
Bantha Surprise was introduced to the new Star Wars canon in Star Wars: The Life Day Cookbook, a recipe book authored by Jenn Fujikawa and Marc Sumerak[2] and published on November 9, 2021.[6] It was first unveiled in a StarWars.com preview for the book on July 27 of that year.[7] The out-of-universe recipe for the meat includes flour, salt, black pepper, and beef chuck. The stew calls for olive oil, an onion, garlic, beef broth, red wine, worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, dried rosemary, dried thyme, paprika, salt, black pepper, a bay leaf, carrots, celery, red potatoes, cornstarch, and parsley for garnishing.[2]
In the Star Wars Legends continuity, Bantha Surprise debuted in the 1978 television film The Star Wars Holiday Special.[8] Its name was fully capitalized in the 2003 Sony Online Entertainment massively multiplayer online role-playing game Star Wars Galaxies.[9]
Sources[]
Prepare a Feast Fit for a Wookiee With The Life Day Cookbook – Exclusive Preview on StarWars.com (backup link) (First mentioned)- Star Wars: The Life Day Cookbook
- Star Wars: The Secrets of the Bounty Hunters
- Star Wars: The Secrets of the Wookiees
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Star Wars: The Secrets of the Wookiees
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 Star Wars: The Life Day Cookbook
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Star Wars: The Secrets of the Bounty Hunters
- ↑ Star Wars: Timelines places the present day events of The Book of Boba Fett in 9 ABY.
- ↑ Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge: The Official Black Spire Outpost Cookbook establishes that the in-universe book was published at the same time as when the First Order was searching for the Resistance base on Batuu, which Star Wars: Timelines dates to 34 ABY.
- ↑ Whip, Whip, Stir: Creating The Life Day Cookbook on StarWars.com (backup link)
- ↑ Prepare a Feast Fit for a Wookiee With The Life Day Cookbook – Exclusive Preview on StarWars.com (backup link)
- ↑ The Star Wars Holiday Special
- ↑
Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided — Item: "Bantha Surprise"
