A serving of live gagh
Four varieties of gagh
- "I've been looking forward to gagh. I haven't had it for quite a while. Very fresh."
- - Jean-Luc Picard (TNG: "Unification I")
Gagh was a Klingon delicacy consisting of unprocessed serpent worms. Although most Klingons preferred it live, it could be served stewed or cold as well.
Many Humans tended to find gagh unappetizing, though both William T. Riker and Jean-Luc Picard claimed to have developed a taste for it, and Julian Bashir occasionally enjoyed it. Allegedly, the actual taste of gagh was revolting and it was eaten solely for the unique sensation of the gagh spasming in one's mouth and stomach in their death throes. (ENT: "Sleeping Dogs"; TNG: "A Matter Of Honor", "Unification I"; DS9: "Melora", "Inquisition")
In 2154, Fleet Admiral Krell casually ate gagh as he informed Harris of Section 31 that he was reneging on their arrangement. After Captain Jonathan Archer had been exposed to, and subsequently cured of, the Klingon Augment virus, he had a strange craving for a plate of live gagh. (ENT: "Divergence")
In 2373, Neelix served gagh aboard the USS Voyager for his special Klingon breakfast buffet. However, none of the crew seemed very enthusiastic about it. He did so again in 2377 when Voyager took aboard Klingons whose ancestors had migrated to the Delta Quadrant. (VOY: "Fair Trade", "Prophecy")
Regular shipments of gagh started to arrive on Deep Space 9 after a permanent Klingon military presence was established on the station in mid 2373. Major Kira Nerys claimed that a tentacle grabbed her hand while she was checking the contents of one such crate. (DS9: "A Simple Investigation")
In 2374, Bashir was given a plate of gagh intended for Worf instead of the red leaf tea, scones and Moba jam he’d ordered. He rejected it as it was ‘too early’. This may have been done to test his resolve as it took place within a holodeck simulation designed by Luther Sloan to test his loyalty. (DS9: "Inquisition")
In 2375, a shipment of gagh ordered by Jadzia Dax for the celebration of General Martok's birthday arrived on Deep Space 9. Ezri Dax later rejected the gagh because of her memories of being made sick by eating it. She wanted to have it thrown out into space but was not allowed to due to environmental laws. (DS9: "Prodigal Daughter")
Varieties of gagh
There were at least 51 different types of gagh, each with its distinct taste and texture, including:
- Bithool gagh, which had feet
- Filden gagh, which squirmed
- Meshta gagh, which jumped
- Torgud gagh, which wiggled
- Wistan gagh, which was packed in targ blood
- See also
- Racht
Apocrypha
In the Klingon language designed by Marc Okrand, gagh is spelled qagh, and is pronounced slightly differently from what is seen on the various TV shows. The topic of gagh preparation is discussed at some length in his book Klingon for the Galactic Traveler.
External link
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