Quote from: Breneir Tzaracomprada on August 23, 2025, 06:32:48 PM@Carter Montana I've added the recipes to the draft but wanted to check on pictures. If you have any pictures please feel free to share them to copebh@gmail.com. They are not required but I wanted you to know.

i'll be happy to send as much picture as you need. i will send them once i'm done collecting it.

Quote from: Breneir Tzaracomprada on August 22, 2025, 05:00:19 PM@Carter Montana In one of my responses I mentioned being involved in something called the Talossan Book of Cuisine. We collect favorite recipes from Talossans. I know you are not yet Talossan but by the time the next issue comes out you hopefully will be.

Do you have a favorite recipe that you'd be willing to share for publication?

thank you for asking, i've been a fan of food all my life, i really like to cooking food for myself and learn new technique.

i have a few favorite recipes, and they are all from my homeland, such as:

1. Chha Kh'nhei (ឆាខ្ញី – Stir-fry with Ginger)

When eaten: Usually for lunch or dinner, often cooked when someone is sick because ginger is "warming."

Ingredients:

- 300g pork, chicken, or eel (thinly sliced)

- 80–100g fresh ginger (julienned)

- 3 cloves garlic (chopped)

- 1 tbsp oyster sauce

- 1 tbsp soy sauce

- 1 tsp fish sauce

- 1 tsp sugar

- A handful of green onions or spring onion tops (cut 3 cm)

- Fresh black pepper

- 1 tbsp cooking oil


Steps (Khmer style):

1. Heat oil in the wok. Fry garlic until lightly golden.


2. Add meat, stir until half-cooked.


3. Add fish sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and sugar. Stir well.


4. Add ginger and a little water if dry. Stir until fragrant.


5. Toss in green onions and black pepper just before removing from heat.


6. Serve hot with plain rice.

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2. Beef Lok Lak (ឡុកឡាក់ – Stir-fried Marinated Beef)

When eaten: Restaurant favorite, but families also make it for guests. Usually served with the lime-pepper-salt dip.

Ingredients:

- 400g beef sirloin (cut into cubes or slices)

- 1 tbsp oyster sauce

- 1 tbsp soy sauce

- 1 tsp fish sauce

- 1 tsp sugar

- 1 tsp cornstarch

- 1 tbsp vegetable oil


Dip:

- 1 lime

- 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

- ½ tsp salt


To serve:

- Lettuce, tomato, cucumber, onion slices

- Fried egg (optional but popular in Cambodia)


Steps (Khmer style):

1. Marinate beef with oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, cornstarch, and oil. Rest at least 20 mins.


2. Heat pan very hot, quickly stir-fry beef until just cooked (don't overcook or it gets tough).


3. Arrange lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and onion on a plate. Place beef on top. Add fried egg if desired.


4. Mix lime juice, pepper, and salt in a small bowl. Use as dipping sauce.


5. Eaten with rice, dipping each piece of beef into the sauce.

_____________


3. Cha Kroeung (ឆាគ្រឿង – Stir-fry with Lemongrass Paste)

When eaten: Daily home cooking. Every family makes some version of "cha kroeung" with chicken, beef, or even frog.

Kroeung Paste (basic yellow):

- 3 lemongrass stalks (thinly sliced)

- 3 cloves garlic

- 2 shallots

- 2 slices galangal

- 1 thumb fresh turmeric (or ½ tsp powder)

- 2 kaffir lime leaves

- 2 bird's eye chilies (optional)


(Pound everything with mortar & pestle until fine, or blend.)

Other Ingredients:

- 300g chicken or beef (sliced)

- 1 tbsp fish sauce

- 1 tsp sugar

- 1 tbsp oil


Steps (Khmer style):

1. Heat oil, fry kroeung paste until very fragrant.


2. Add meat, stir until coated.


3. Add fish sauce and sugar, stir until meat is cooked and infused with kroeung.


4. Add a little water if needed, but usually it's kept dry and fragrant.


5. Garnish with sliced kaffir lime leaves.


6. Serve with hot rice.

_____________


4. Bok Lahong (បុកល្ហុង – Papaya Salad)

When eaten: Popular street food and snack, eaten in the afternoon or with grilled meats. Khmer version is saltier and funkier than Thai som tam.

Ingredients:

- 2 cups shredded green papaya

- 1 carrot (optional, shredded)

- 2 long beans (cut into 5 cm pieces)

- 5 cherry tomatoes (halved)

- 2 garlic cloves

- 2–3 bird's eye chilies (to taste)

- 1 tbsp palm sugar (or normal sugar)

- 2 tbsp fish sauce

- 2 tbsp lime juice

- 2 tbsp dried shrimp or a little prahok (fermented fish) or fermented crab (optional, very Khmer)

- 2 tbsp roasted peanuts (crushed)


Steps (Khmer style):

1. Pound garlic and chili in mortar until crushed.


2. Add long beans and tomatoes, pound lightly.


3. Add sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, and dried shrimp/prahok/fermented crab (if using). Mix well.


4. Add shredded papaya and carrot. Pound and toss until everything is combined.


5. Sprinkle peanuts on top. Serve fresh.

(i strongly recommend doing more research, such as watching videos on YouTube, if you're not sure, because i understand that the process of making these dishes can be a bit complicated.)

Quote from: Mic'haglh Autófil, O.Be on August 22, 2025, 06:17:47 PMI would say my reasons pretty much sum up as:

- Taking part in a (mostly-)functioning democracy and actually seeing results is appealing.
- Constructed languages have always been something I am interested in (even though my Talossan is rudimentary for now)
- The "trappings of statehood" (flags, heraldry, etc.) have always interested me.

Of course, most micronations, even tiny ones, can offer these. So why Talossa specifically? Simply put, its size and longevity. When I immigrated a few years ago, Talossa had already been doing its thing for over 40 years. Now it's over 45! That lends a good, organic character to the whole thing that you don't get in many other micronations.

There is a Talossan citizen who was once very prominent in both the Kingdom and the Republic who summed it up like this: "The great thing about Talossa...is that all these people are doing stuff that would otherwise be very solitary, but they're together. Like, I design and play my own games, I write and play music, I'm interested in writing sketch comedy and parody, and for years I've designed my own religions. So I'm sitting here doing all this stuff, but it's all solitary - I'm alone. And I think everyone in Talossa feels that way. We all have our selfish indulgences we do by ourselves. But Talossa is a place where we can do them together, rather than as isolated geeks all over the country, which is essentially what we are."

i agree with everything you've said here. it just made me realize that sometimes i'm kinda lonely but if i have something to do especially with people who are committed to do it with us or just willing to help us abit throughout the whole thing or maybe just being there is already a way to bring happiness and isolated loneliness from us.

Quote from: Baron Alexandreu Davinescu on August 22, 2025, 09:11:41 AMI agree a lot with all three of these points, honestly, and they're just about identical to why I wanted to join.  Talossa's long, weird history lends it a sense of legitimacy.  The things you do will really matter to other people over the long term, if you make your mark.  It's why it's more meaningful to make a small shift in Talossan law rather than just write your own legal code for fun: you're making an impact.

Talossa long history is the most impactful thing alongside with Talossan language and heraldry tradition as well as culture, which just like you said, it's lend Talossa a sense of legitimacy.
 
i wish to contribute to the Talossan community as much as i can even if it on a small scale because just like you said once again, a small shift of help can be more meaningful than a quantity over quality type of things.

Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN-GC on August 21, 2025, 04:03:12 PMIn my case - and bear in mind this was back in 1997:

1) the language.
2) the real, functioning, multi-party democratic system.

I note what you're saying about leadership, and that ties into 2) of what I was saying. In your average micronation (active population: 5, and/or a more-or-less absolute monarchy) there is no real politics and thus no real chance to learn and develop leadership skills. In Talossan politics, you actually have to build coalitions and persuade people.

from what you are saying about my micronation is quite true that we only have a few active citizens but Norea is a newly established micronations so we still have a long journey to go.

i can't give out my opinion on Talossan politics much beyond from what i've done research on yet, but once i become a citizen, i hope i can seek help from you about Talossan politics. thank you and excuse me for my bad english, which might seems as rude, i have no intention at all but my ability still have limits. :)

Quote from: Breneir Tzaracomprada on August 21, 2025, 05:11:30 PMThe political aspect of Talossa is overemphasized in my opinion, Carter, and it has led to a Talossa where the potential is there for the politicization of everything. This leads to Talossa reflecting the issues (hyperpoliticization, etc.) within the larger world rather than being a place of respite from those issues. I say this as someone who was brought to the Kingdom by its political structure in 2007.

Part of the crisis in retaining active citizens is the constant churn of Talossa's rapid political cycle (and the behavior it incentivizes) and as an individual and as a party leader it is something I believe needs to change. What brought me here is not what has kept me here, in short. As I've had to take breaks due to that fast cycle and now take some pride in things like the BHAID, the Talossan Book of Cuisine, the El Pretz poetry contest, and the TV network, Fora Talossa.

I am currently working with another Talossan to develop a second subculture inspired by the Cjovani. Projects like that and I'd say our media and public service organizations keep me here.

thank you for sharing that perspective! i think what you said about the political aspect being overemphasized really connects with me. one of the reasons i want to join Talossa is actually for its stability. the fact that Talossa has been around since 1979 and avoided the kind of conflicts that many other micronations go through shows that, despite the political churn, there's a strong foundation that keeps the community going.

like you, i'm also drawn to the parts of Talossa that go beyond politics, its rich culture, the language, and the unique traditions. as someone fascinated by languages, the Talossan language itself is a big part of what excites me. and when i look at projects like the ones you mentioned, the Talossan Book of Cuisine, poetry contests, and media, it makes me want to contribute in my own way too.

finally, i also see Talossa as a place of opportunity, where i can gain leadership experience while helping build on the culture and stability that make it special. so while politics may be one entry point, i think what will keep me here is exactly the kind of cultural and community projects you talked about.

for me, i have three main reasons:

1- Talossa rich history and culture especially the Talossan language which make me as a kinda language nerd fascinated.

2- stability. Talossa have been in existence since 1979 but it's so rare for Talossa to go through any serious internal or external conflicts which make me as a person who hate war/conflict, really wanna participate in the Talossan life and help develop its even more further.

3- opportunity. one of the main reasons i decided to join the micronational world is because i wanna gain experience as a leader, even if it on a small scale and this lead me to Talossa, a nation full of opportunities and lessons waiting for me to take part.