My First-Person Feast: Completing Great Taste of P
Hollow Knight: Silksong’s Great Taste of Pharloom quest blends needle upgrades with epic culinary challenges for Hornet.
I thought upgrading Hornet’s needle in Hollow Knight: Silksong would be as simple as sharpening a pencil. Then I met Loyal Mergwin in the Pharloom Citadel, and he turned a blacksmith’s errand into a cross-continental tasting menu. In 2026, after many patches and countless deaths, the Great Taste of Pharloom quest remains one of the most memorable side stories in the game. This is how I, a lone hornet with a needle and a stubborn streak, gathered every ingredient and finally earned the Pale Oil. The quest was less a grocery list and more a chandelier I had to assemble while it was already falling.
Mossberry Stew: The Easy First Course 
Mergwin’s list begins with Mossberry Stew, and for once, the game offers mercy. I backtracked to Mosshome, the starting area, and spoke to the friendly Druid of the Moss Temple. If you have not completed his berry-picking quest, you may need to do that first. I had already done it, so he handed over the rare ingredient without much fuss. The reward for helping him earlier is a handy defensive tool, which made the backtrack feel less like a chore and more like visiting an old friend who happens to cook with forest magic.
Vintage Nectar: A Barkeep’s Toll 
Vintage Nectar sits at the Halfway Home in Greymoor, but Creige will not part with it for free. He demands 480 Rosaries, a fee that feels like paying a toll bridge to cross a river of wine. I farmed Rosaries in the Citadel and to the right of Greymoor, then stocked up on equipment and silk. The real trap comes after you pay: when you enter the cellar and try to grab the nectar, waves of Hunter’s March enemies ambush you. Their movesets tested my memory and my patience. After surviving the ambush, I grabbed the Vintage Nectar and returned upstairs to give Creige a piece of my mind.
Courier’s Rasher: The Nightmare Delivery 
Courier’s Rasher is the hardest part of the quest. It is Silksong’s answer to Hollow Knight’s Delicate Flower, and it punishes every careless step. First, I saved both Courier bugs through Bellhart’s quest board, rescuing them from Greymoor and the Sinner’s Road. They gave me the Rasher for free, but with a brutal condition: hand-deliver it to Mergwin under a strict time limit. You cannot use elevators or the Bell Beast, because fast travel instantly destroys the item. Taking damage, hitting walls, or falling from a great height also reduces its durability timer.
Carrying that Rasher felt like balancing a soap bubble on a needle tip through a bramble maze. I practiced the route several times before attempting a real run. The path I chose had the least chance of failure while still being fast. Compared to the Delicate Flower, Silksong is more forgiving: you can take roughly one to three hits depending on your speed and charms. I equipped movement boosters like the Silkspeed Anklets and Flea Brew, and I used the save-and-quit trick to return to Greyhart between attempts. If you feel discouraged, take breaks or gather other ingredients first.
Crustnut: Parkour Above the Blasted Steps 
The Crustnut is the second-to-last ingredient, tucked in one of the farthest corners of the map. I traveled past the obstacles on the western side of the Blasted Steps and used the Clawline ability from the Underworks. I hooked onto the hanging rings left of the Pinstress’ home, then parkoured upward into the Sands of Karak. The climb is painful: challenging jumps, aggressive enemies, and a hidden wall at the marked point. After breaking through, I faced more deadly environmental hazards. It took a few tries, but eventually I claimed the Crustnut.
Pickled Muckmaggot: Dinner with a Haunted Chef 
The last ingredient, Pickled Muckmaggot, sends you back into the unforgiving Sinner’s Road. Go straight after entering until you reach a hole in the ceiling that requires the Faydown Cloak. Climb up, and you will face a unique boss fight with a haunted chef. The Muckmaggot only drops upon their death. By this point in the game, I had enough upgrades to handle the fight without too much trouble. On the way back, I checked with Styx to farm Rosaries and save Silkeater bugs.
The Feast and the Pale Oil 
With every ingredient in my inventory, I returned to the Citadel and gave Mergwin the f