It’s Finally happened! It’s cold outside. I think the last of the heat snaps are behind us and there is frost on the ground in the mornings. The holidays are literally around the corner now. That means that grilling season is (mostly) over for me and now begins the long baking, roasting, braising, soup eating season. I’ve got a serious weak spot for anything I can turn into a tart or savory pie. Today we are going to be making Savory Mushroom Tarts.
Autumn always makes me want to cram in a few more foraging hikes before it gets too cold. Somehow, in my head, that translates into a strong need to cook with mushrooms. Which are, in my humble opinion, a highly underrated flavor and food category. The pacific northwest is a great place for portabellas, porcinis, and oyster mushrooms.
I’ve finally turned my husband on to mushrooms if they’re cooked into things in interesting ways. But I’m also that weird person that, as a child, could easily be found sitting down at a table with an entire container of white button mushrooms, eating them whole.
I promise this recipe is not as “bland” as that. Its savory, warm, and speaks straight to my prehistoric “hibernation brain”. It’s also super easy to make and looks way fancier than it is. It’s homy enough to be eaten at home alone, but unique and dressy enough to wow at your next dinner party if that’s more your thing. With minimal prep, low cook time, and mostly hands off cooking, this recipe is one of my Go-To’s.
I really dislike it when people wax poetic for a million pages that mean you have to scroll through before getting to the recipe, so let’s get right to it.
Mis en place (aka: get your shit, and put it in its place):
1 premade pie crust (you can use Pillsbury if convenience is necessary- and let’s be honest, this time of year its usually necessary. Or, you can use my recipe here.)
1/3 of a cup ricotta or goat cheese (Ricotta will give you a sweeter, more mushroom forward flavor. Goat is going to result in a stronger more aromatic tart).
6 ounces (about 170.1 g) of sliced mushrooms (you can use cremini or portabella if that’s what is available to you but if you really want to elevate the flavor, I love using oyster or porcini mushrooms or a mix of several).
¼ of a yellow onion, cut into thin slices (not diced, it makes for a weird final texture).
1.5 ounces (about 42.52 g) of shredded gruyere cheese
2 ounces (about 56.7 g) grated parmesan for garnish
A touch of kosher salt or sea salt and black pepper
A Pinch of Nutmeg
1 egg, separated
Olive oil
A sprig of thyme, chopped or 1 tsp dried thyme
A flat baking sheet
Parchment paper is useful, but not necessary.
A medium large skillet
Procedure:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. While your oven is preheating, heat a medium Sauté pan over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and heat through. Add your onions to the pan and sweat. Then continue to cook until they are beginning to caramelize and turn golden, but not crisp.
Add mushrooms to the pan and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender. This should take about 4 minutes. Add the thyme and stir briefly to combine. Then, turn off heat and set aside temporarily.
On an ungreased cookie sheet or sheet pan lined with parchment paper (if using), roll out prepared pie dough. If you are making your own, roll it out into about an eleven or twelve inch circle.
Brush the egg white all over the crust, leaving about a 1 ½ inch perimeter bare.
Spread the ricotta or goat cheese across the area covered with egg white. Then sprinkle your parmesan garnish over the cheese. Top with a pinch of salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
Gently spread the mushroom and onion mixture over the top of the cheese. Cover evenly with gruyere.
Fold over the edges of the exposed pie crust so that a strudy edge is made; creating gentle pleats as you go. Don’t stress too much here- this style of tart is meant to look rustic, so it doesn’t have to be Rachael Ray picturesque.
Brush the top of the pastry with the egg yolk. Finally, top with another sprinkle of parmesan if desired.
Bake for 20-30 minutes, crust should look golden but not burnt. If you are using store bought, you’ll land closer to the 20 minute mark, homemade pie crust or slightly thicker pie crust will run closer to 30 minutes.
Let cool for 8-10 minutes before transferring to a serving dish or slicing.
Let us know what you think, and feel free to leave any pictures, variations you enjoy, or questions and trouble shooting. Have Fun!
Today is a two for one. With the advent of baking season, I figured I would share my favorite pie crust recipe with you. This is the pie crust I use for everything. It can be varied or changed by adding herbs, seasonings, or spices depending on what the occasion calls for; but I have yet to find a pie crust recipe to beat it.
Of course, I am a little biased because my grandfather taught me to make this pie crust recipe, but he made the best pies, and he was very proud of them. He usually stayed out of Grandma’s way in the kitchen unless it was making homemade ice-cream, fish fry, or pie. And he had perfected his pie crust.
Taylor and Mikaela with Grandpa Lasley
Mikaela and Grandpa Lasley making Christmas Cookies
In future recipes if you ever see it call for a pie crust, this is the one I am using.
Mis en place (get your shit and put it where it goes):
3 Cups of Flour
2 tsp of salt
1 Tbsp Sugar
1 ¼ Cups of butter or Crisco, cut into small pieces (I have actually found that an even split of the two produces the best result).
2 egg yolks
1/3 Cup milk
1 Tbsp of lemon juice
Wax paper for rolling
Pastry cutter (can be done by hand, but this is much faster and produces a better texture). I like this one from Sur la Table but you can technically get them from amazon.
Procedure:
Mix together dry ingredients. Cut in butter using pastry claw or by hand until pea-sized chunks form. Add Yolks, Lemon and Milk. Mix with pastry claw or by hand until a sticky dough forms.
Roll out between wax paper. Trust me when I say use wax paper. The excellent flaky texture is a result of the high fat content and sticky dough. Flouring a surface will result in a blander, tough crust. Nost using wax paper or trying to forgo the flour will result in a ripped crust during rolling, or a mess. Wax paper also makes for quicker clean up and an easy transfer to a pie plate.
This dough can be used immediately or stored in the freezer. It makes one crust, perfect for struedel toppings, or open faced pies. If you are doing a sealed pie, or most fruit pies- you’ll want to double the recipe and roll out in halves.
Calling my resident foodies! This one is for you. Whether you are classically trained, self-taught, or grandma taught. Hell, even if you have no idea what you are doing at all. If food excites you and you want what you eat to always be an adventure. If you are looking for a new way to be creative, and food is not your forte but you want to try, then this is definitely for you. Today I’m going to introduce you to the Flavor Bible with the promise that your life will never be the same.
Much to my general dismay, cookbooks are becoming a thing of the past, even though every celebrity on the planet at some point makes one. With the advent of smart phones and the magic that is Pinterest at your fingertips; who needs to go buy a whole cookbook for one recipe when there is some variation of it for free online? We won’t hate on Pinterest. I fucking love pinterest, it’s a problem.
It comes with the territory, but I love cookbooks. I love trying new recipes, and different cultural cuisines. They make great inspiration even if I end up changing the recipe eventually. It used to really tick Taylor off because I’d sit in the living room and read them out loud when I got a new one. As if everybody cared as much as I did about “Sausage stuffed Onions!!!!” or “Oh my GOD crème brule crusted cheesecake?!”
But I get it, I do. Despite my own love of cookbooks and my own extensive collection of them, I still find myself frequently turning to Pinterest for a quick recipe dopamine hit. It is much faster to type in exactly what I’m looking for than it is to flip through pages and pages and try to remember. “Is it in the Betty Crocker Better Homes and Gardens or am I thinking of Alice Water’s Green Kitchen Cookbook?”
I will never tell you that regular cookbooks are obsolete. They have their uses as well as a special place in my heart. However, some are better than others. Most cookbooks are good if you know what you want to cook already and just need to know the how part.
A different kind of Cookbook:
The Flavor Bible is a different kind of cookbook. A true bible. Your guide to the divine flavors of the world. This book is the Codex of Cooking, a veritable grimoire for culinary magic. You see, unlike a regular cookbook, which may have a theme or common author but is essentially a collection of recipes to be followed and exprimented from. The Flavor Bible has not one recipe in it. Not one.
Instead, you’ll find color theory for food. I do not mean the whole ‘eat your color wheel’ food pyramid schpiel. This book is the Rosetta stone of taste buds. It seeks to teach flavor affinities. The Flavor Bible is intended to help creatives getting creating with a tool already in their belt. Three hundred and ninety-two pages of mad science and sheer genius.
For those of us that have one thing in the kitchen that we know we want to use, but don’t know what to do with it. Or the guy that found the strange new fruit at the farmers market so duh you bought it… but you have no idea what it tastes like or what to use it in. This book is for you.
For the mixologist that has a flavor profile for a new cocktail in her head, and now needs to inspire a dish that compliments it without over powering it. Even for the baker that isn’t sure if that savory is weird to use with that sweet because can you put cardamom in that?
The Flavor Bible can not only teach you about using and balancing the four basics tastes (salty, sour, bitter, and sweet). But, it can also teach you to brighten flavors by using acids and add nuance to dishes by layering flavors and harmonizing contrasting flavors.
Confession time:
And it’s Easy to use. Easy as pie. That’s the make or break for me when I’m recommending something to someone. Confession time: I hate culinary jargon. I love the industry. I love the grit, problem solving and creativity that the food service industry demands. But I hate jargon and I dislike people who give themselves airs over food.
Food is first and foremost sustenance. And yes, it is art. But two things I don’t think should be gatekept are food and art. I believe in teaching people things in simple laymans terms and not over complicating things that don’t need to be complicated.
You could know absolutely nothing about flavor or cooking, pick up The Flavor Bible and use it. The majority of it pages are alphabetized lists. It starts at A and goes all the way to Z listing off hundreds of ingredients. From when they are in season, and what main profile it fits in to. Down to the cuisine they are most common in, and even sometimes alcohol compatibility.
Know your ABC’s:
As an example, let’s say you have pears in your kitchen that you need to use. But you really don’t know what you want to do with them. It’s been a long week, and your creative juices are running low. You flip to the section with all the P’s. Then go alphabetically until you hit “Pear” and you pick the right species of pear (yes, if gets that specific). Underneath pear is a list of all the flavor affinities that compliment pears. Everything from sweet to savory along with a few suggestions of typical dishes, when the best pears are in season, and where they’re from. There’s even a brief list of flavors that do not mix well to save you from making any obscure but terribly unpalatable mistakes.
Pears not your thing? Or maybe you need to do a little reverse engineering and start with the minor details to pick your main course. You have this Turmeric you’re trying to use, just go to T, find turmeric and work your way through the list of forty-three different things that are complimentary to Turmeric.
Trouble Shooting
Maybe you’ve already got a complex dish, but something is missing and you’re really trying to elevate it. This book is still your best friend. I can’t tell you how useful it is to be able to cross reference between pages covering the major components of a dish and have a eureka moment because I either found a flavor that complements all six things I’m trying to balance and all of a sudden baby cherubs are singing. Or, I realize that the reason my flavor is a little off is because I missed a major flavor profile, and the dish is out of balance. Suddenly, it’s fixed, and life is good.
If I never convince you of anything else in your life, I hope I convince you to go get yourself a copy of The Flavor Bible. This is what I would have been burned at the stake for in the 1700’s. Because I will preach this until the day I die.
If ever there was a magic book full of witchcraft and spells- it’s this one. Bible is a fair and accurate term. You want to make potions that don’t taste like Polyjuice? This is your baby. If you’ve ever wanted to be an alchemist- this is the closest to alchemical genius, you will ever get, if only because it is worth its weight in gold in my opinion.
Summer is over. Samhain has passed. Leaves are falling and the dark days are approaching. This for me is a time when I feel like my flavor pallet changes for the year. My cravings for crunchy vibrant salads, crisp citrus, and smokey salmon has passed and suddenly I want rich warm soups, hot chili, and crusty bread. After hot days not wanting to be in the kitchen, I suddenly want to fire up my oven and bake like the world is ending
I want food that is rich in flavor, heavy on the spices, and warm enough to combat the damp chill that covers everything. For me, one of the best flavors that screams “Autumn” for me is Cloves. I love pumpkin as much as the next girl, but the sweet warmth of cloves and hint a bitterness has a heavy aroma I need and adds complexity to a lot of my favorite dishes.
I believe in cooking with intention and purpose, I try to make sure my food has impact and poignancy behind it. After all, this is what I nurture myself and my family with. I have always maintained that food should make you feel something. This means knowing a lot about what you cook with. Today, let’s pay homage to what I consider to be the King of Spices, Syzygium aromaticum.
Cloves in Science and Medicine:
Cloves come from the flowers of a tropical evergreen tree in Indonesia. They are a notable ingredient in both Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine and have been used for centuries to help regulate the body. Not only are they dense in antioxidants but they are also high in fiber. Because they are rich in manganese- they are a great tool for regulating blood sugar if you struggle with diabetes.
Cloves are Antibacterial and can also be used to specifically treat tooth aches as a result of the compound eugenol. Additionally, the eugonal found in cloves is a strong natural anti-inflammatory. It can be ingested in foods and teas, or applied topically as oil in this case. For inflammation specifically, I prefer tea as I haven’t has as much luch with the topical application.
Cloves act as both an excellent cough suppressant as they help to relax the muscles of the throat. They can be chewed on directly in this case or brewed into tea and mixed with honey. I like to grind them up finely and make losenges with honey. Cloves can also be used to ease nausea, gas, and vomiting. If you’re like my sister and prone to being munched on by bugs- cloves are your best friend as they function as a natural insect repellent; Clove oil diluted in water and popped in a spray bottle works on people, plants, patios and gardens.
Cloves in History & Mythology:
The word ‘clove’ comes from the Latin word ‘Clavus’, meaning nail, in reference to their shape. Hailing from Indonesia they we heavily traded in Ancient Rome and China. The spice was so revered in Rome that it became more highly prized than gold. Because at times only the wealthy could afford them, they became heavily associated with prosperity.
In the 18th century, it became a custom at Christmas to push cloves into oranges and give them as fragrant gifts for protection and good luck charms for the new year. They were also traditionally used in perfume balls called Pommanders to ward off illness.
Ancient Egyptians believed that Osiris was buried with cloves to ensure his rebirth and eternal life. Additionally, they were also frequently used as offerings to deities and rituals involving the spirit world. Cloves are also associated directly with Thor, the Norse god of Thunder and Agriculture and the protector of mankind.
Cloves are associated with prosperity, abundance, and cleansing. They are masculine and protective in nature, heavily associated with the element of fire and Jupiter.
You can be grind up and sprinkle them to stop gossip, and burning them is an excellent way to cleanse and bring good luck to your home. They are commonly used as part of banishings, and can be used in conjuntion with rosemary to attract abundance. If you need to reset your space, cloves are your friend.
Many people still hand orange and clove pomanders in their homes to attract abundance and raise the vibration of their personal space (plus, the smell is invigorating). They can be hung from strings or used to decorate yule trees.
because of it’s high concentration of manganese, cloves can also be used as an essential oil to help you focus if you struggle to stay grounded and present (ADHD Yo) as well as added to sleep sachets can be used to get more restful and restorative sleep.
Care and growing of cloves:
Due to their natural native climate- cloves are not so easy to grow in most of the U.S. however, it is possible to have success in either a controlled greenhouse setting, and limitedly in pots inside. If you want to attempt growing your own the soil should be well draining, fertile, and similar to orchid mix. If the climate is to cool or dry, cloves will not bloom, and even in healthy conditions they may not reach flowering maturity for seven years. They need bright light and require soil temperatures above 75 degrees.
To date, commercially grafting cloves onto other plants has not been successful, and the majority of commercial clove production still comes from Indonesia. Cloves are not considered a begginner plant or easy to culivate and as the fruit requires processing- you’re most likely better off getting your gloves from a grocer or a local herbalist.
What are some on your favorite things to cook with cloves or use them for? I use them in much of my fall baking as well as in my hommade chai blend, which is super easy to make in a larger batch and divvy out throught the season. Would you be interested in learning how to mke your own chai?
Holy Crow, It’s November. With the start of Daylight savings time and the onset of the holidays- we are quickly approaching the close of yet another year. For a lot of people, this is a time of gratitude (as well as a time of stress. but let’s manifest the positives, shall we)? For me this is also a good time to start reflecting on myself and my year.
We’ve covered the history of tarot and its traditional applications. As well as gone over my personal beliefs on its uses. If you missed that post, you can find it here. I figured now would be a good time to go over one of my favorite (and to me one of the most useful) spreads.
Types of Tarot Decks and Spreads:
As we discussed previously, not all spreads can be used with all decks. Some decks are designed more towards the traditional fortune telling. A few that focus on a particular subject or aspect. Then there are those that are more Oracle based, or introspective; these are my favorite. However, at its core, this one can be used with most I have found (if not with a little bit of modification).
I originally found this spread as part of my favorite deck. That might be why I am more inclined to this one, but also, it prompts a lot of reflection and self-dialogue; which is what I am looking for. It’s very straightforward (or as straightforward as the concept of tarot can be) and very simple. This is not one of those spreads that involves 13 different cards in different positions, personally that’s not really my style, but we’ll build to that sort of stuff eventually, for educations’ sake. This spread only calls for 3 cards.
The cards:
The Aspect:
One of Earth By Ravynn Phelan
The first card, or the card on the left side of the triangle, is the Focus card. In this spread this is ‘the Aspect’ it represents a facet of yourself that needs to be addressed. This is the main source of reflection.
It could be in regards to a particular question or issue in your life, or it could be something that your attention is otherwise focused on. For good or ill, or just something that is; this card represents something that is prevalent in your life currently.
The Soul:
The Scribe by Ravynn Phelan
The second card, or the card on the right side of the triangle, is the Soul Card. This card represents a facet of yourself that is one of your strengths. You may still need to address something within this strength (especially if this card appears inverted or reversed in the spread). However, it is an aspect that you are completely capable of addressing.
This card often seeks to highlight a strength that I may have neglected, taken for granted, ignored, or failed to harness. It can be a tool to remind you of skills and knowledge to help you on your journey or address your current question or situation.
Let Two Become 1:
Queen of water by Ravynn Phelan
the final card, or Apex of the triangle, is the binding card. This serves to present you with a possible path or course of action that may allow you to marry the information set before you. It typically forces me to consider alternate solutions to whatever my current situation is.
This is the card that says, “this is your problem or obstacle, that is one of your best strengths, and here’s how you use that strength as a tool to solve your problem”. This is the card that helps you find wholeness and balance within whatever your quandary is.
Setting up:
Now that you know what each piece is for and represents, let’s go through the actual process. Make sure you set aside adequate time to really complete the reading. It’s not like in the movies where you shuffle a deck, flip a couple cards and have wisdom imparted from the beyond. This is a guide and a tool for meditation. Adequate time to reflect is really the whole point.
I prefer somewhere quiet, where I know I’m not going to be interrupted, or my attention and focus called away constantly. Honestly, I typically try and wait until I am home alone, just for my own piece of mind and my dislike of being perceived. But, realistically this isn’t easy or doable for many of us, and I get it. Still, find a quiet space. A chair with an end table will do. Cross-legged on your bed is fine if that works for you. Hell, a blanket on the floor works if that’s your vibe. The point is to find a spot that is comfortable and that you feel you can relax in.
I like dimmer lighting. Not for the hocus pocus fortune teller vibes, but because I find most artificial lighting to be really harsh and it hurts my eyes. I’ve switched most of the lights in our house to be flickering torch lights so the light is more diffuse which helps significantly. But again, not necessary. I just find it helps relax the muscles of my eyes, therebye allowing me to more easily relax as a whole.
I typically light a candle, or incense, or turn on an oil diffuser. Again, not technically necessary; but something I find to be hugely beneficial. Meditation is a multi-sensory process. Having a scent or oil within that experience that is different than the average smell of your space can help you focus in the moment, and if you build the habit using the same sent every time you can pretty much Pavlov yourself into that state of focus and relaxation more easily over time using that scent as a trigger.
You can play music if you want. I know a lot of people that use abstract music or ambient meditation tracks in the background. Personally, that has never helped me because I find it too distracting for myself. But I do see the value in it for other people.
Performing the Tarot Spread:
Get comfortable, spend a minute or two settling into a position that is easy to maintain. Let your body work through its fidgets. Spend a moment or two focusing on your question or current situation. Shuffle. There is no right or wrong way- you can’t over shuffle. I tell people to shuffle until it feels right, focusing on your question as you do so. It is up to you to decide if you’d like to cut your deck or just deal from the card on top.
An example of a union spread
Make sure you pull all three tarot cards the same way. That means if you are side turner- all three cards need to be turned to the side. If you are a top flipper, then you need to flip all three long ways as you deal. This is how you get accurate pulls. Otherwise, you may end up inverting a card that wasn’t meant to be inverted, or vice verse.
Your first card should be placed to the left side of your cloth, blanket, table, or space. The second card should go to the right. When you pull your third card this should go at the bottom, or inverted apex of the triangle closest to you.
Take a moment to just look at the cards, see what the artwork looks like, what it might mean, how it makes you feel. Make sure you have your guidebook handy; begin reading the meanings of each card, reflecting on its overall meaning as a card, but also in regards to its position in the spread. Each tarot card on its own has meaning, but the same card might inspire totally different thoughts in the ‘aspect’ vs the ‘soul’.
Once you have looked at and reviewed each card individually, take a few moments to reflect on their meaning together. Especially the ‘two become one’ card. Ask yourself follow up questions. Be honest with yourself during your evaluation. Nobody else is here to judge you, and the cards themselves are not a judgement. The only person that stands to gain anything is you. All the cards serve to do is present possibilities and prompts.
At this time I take a few minutes to just sit and meditate. Yes, I am still reflecting on the thoughts as a whole, but as opposed to reading the meanings, and reflecting on myself and actively thinking and examining the cards; this is when I close my eyes and simply sit, allowing myself a few moments to passively process everything.
Closing the Tarot Spread
My Tarot Journal
When I’m done, and feel calm and settled, I typically spend some time journaling about the experience and my thoughts. This functions both as another form of review, which sometimes prompts new thoughts. But also gives me a tool and something to refer back to if I ever want it, as well as a resource if I ever find myself in a similar situation. I also like to look at my entries at the end of the year as a way of reflecting on my personal growth and journey.
As a final note:
Don’t take yourself too seriously. Yes, there is a level of solemnity to Tarot, because you should always evaluate yourself with grace and compassion and there’s no point doing it if you’re not going to take it seriously. But, the universe isn’t going to strike you down for not having all the pomp and ceremony in the world or because your card pull wasn’t the smoothest most choreographed thing since Cher’s “Dark Lady”. You should be relaxed and calm. The ambiance tips I laid out are meant to help guide you to that space of relaxation. If it becomes something that is about the ambiance and not about the reflection, peace, and finding inner balance; then that defeats the purpose.
Have fun! If you’d like to know what Tarot deck this spread came with is Ravynn Phelan’s Dreams of Gaia. You can find more about her, her art, and her other works here. We’d love to hear about your own journey!
So, you want to play Dungeons & Dragons? But you’re an introvert. You’ve got your dice. You’ve got a basic idea for a character in your head. Hell, you may even have a group of friends to play with. But you’re not sure where to go from there.
Taylor’s OG DND Campaign Group in all their Glory.
Not to worry young adventurer, the Guild has got your back. Below is a list of our favorite resources for beginners. By no means comprehensive because the resources are endless. However, we’ve sorted and shlogged through the ones we’ve used over the years and narrowed it down to the ones that we love the best for the absolute beginners.
Those of you that, like us, want to learn the in-depth mechanics and nitty gritty character-building aspects without feeling like you have to ask a million questions in front of others. You’ll still probably have to ask some questions, but we get it; we don’t like feeling publicly inept either.
This is a preference thing. But for me, I wanted to be able to record our campaign as well as anything else I thought would be noteworthy or useful. Especially since while you’re learning it can be hard to catch every detail since you’re focusing on mechanics. For me, it came in handy because I was able to refer back to things months later that ended up being useful for my party as a whole. Its also a great place to sketch things for reference.
Technically speaking you can use anything from a binder with paper in it, to a spiral notebook etc. You can even use a laptop and type things if you are so inclined. It’s not my preferred method because personally I prefer to write and it limits my ability to sketch. But, at the end of the day- its up to you. As we know, my sister and I can be a little extra so I typically try and find a notebook or record keeper that I feel really fits and reflects my character.
Now, some of those notebooks come with character sheets in them already. And the players handbook has a master copy that you can always scan and print if you have access to a scanner. Or, you can print them from online. dungeon and dragon character sheets – Search Images (bing.com)
For a beginner- I have found that the best thing to do is to print one and then go to Kinkos or something and get it laminated. You spend a lot of time erasing in the beginning. Honestly, its just faster and less paper waste. When you’re not playing you can slide it into a sleeve protector, so nothing gets smudged and then pull it out next time you play.
RPG Player Character Building Book:
This is by far my favorite thing on this list. On one level, character building isn’t hard, don’t let people intimidate you with that. On another level, it can be overwhelming as a first time player. The DND handbook will walk you through the basics: Race, Class, Background, Alignment, backstory, etc. BUT, then there’s making a character that is layered, detailed, and roll-playable. You can go basic, sure. But DND is one of those things that the more you put into it, the more detail and life you give it- the more you’ll get out of it.
This is technically the grand cheat code of beginners guides for actual game mechanics. Basic access is free- which is a great place to start. If you want access to some of the more obscure races (or are going more non-traditional/ homebrew) then there are things you end up paying for. Either way, totally worth it if you want to focus on getting into character instead of how to roll your dice and do the math portion.
This takes out ninety percent of the guess work involved if this is the part that intimidates you. You can create your character, run your sheet, even roll digital dice (if you happen to forget yours) and it will do all the modifier math for you. If you want the action, social, role-play adventure part but looking at all the variables and what goes with what makes you nauseous- then this is your best friend. You can find the link to start for free here: D&D Beyond Character Sheet (dndbeyond.com)
Mikaela Dressed as Niamh Dragonheart
Hopefully, these resources make your early days of adventuring less intimidating. If you’re new to the blog or just trying to decide if you think DND is for you- check out our guild talk post Q&A on DND here. We’re excited to continue our Dungeons and Dragons Series with you. We have a new campaign starting soon as Taylor steps into the roll of Dungeon Master for the first time. Are there other resources you have tried or really love? Let us know!
