Category Archives: Fictional

Smokeshow Cocktail – Crescent City series

Happy Monday, everyone!

And a big thank you, Sarah J Maas, for finally putting some more detailed food and drinks into your books!

“Ithan peered into his dark glass, at the amber liquid that looked and smelled like whiskey, though he’d never seen whiskey with smoke rising from it. “It’s called a smokeshow,” Roga drawled. “Whiskey, grated ginger, and a little draki magic to make it look fancy.” – House of Flame and Shadow, Sarah J. Maas

Every now and then, an author gives us a moment that’s so vivid, so specific, that it practically leaps off the page and into our glass. This is one of those moments, and I’ve been wanting to try my hand at making it ever since first reading through the Crescent City series.

When Roga hands Ithan a mysterious smoking drink in House of Flame and Shadow, it’s described as dark and amber, with a bite of ginger and a haze of rising smoke. And in a world like Crescent City—where angels, shifters, and ancient magic brush elbows at the bar—it’s only fitting that even the cocktails come with a flourish.

This version of the Smokeshow is a broody little number: rich whiskey, warm ginger, a touch of sweetness, and just enough visual drama to hint at danger. Whether you’re raising a glass to the stars, or sipping something strong to steel yourself for what comes next, this one delivers.

It opens with the intense smokiness of the actual smoke, as well as the peat from the whiskey. Quick on the heels of that comes the warm sweetness from the honey and ginger, as well as a rounding out from the citrus. You’re left with a lingering taste of smoke and spice, like an ember glowing in the dark.

Recipe for Smokeshow Cocktail

Makes 1 cocktail (but can be scaled up)

Pairs well with: sharp cheeses and picked veg, shadowy secrets, low lighting

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 oz. Lagavulin Scotch, or other smoky variety (3 Tbs.)
  • 1/2 oz. Cardamaro (1 Tbs.)
  • 1/2 oz. ginger-honey syrup, made ahead (see below; 1 Tbs.)
  • 1/4 oz. orange liqueur, such as Cointreau or Curacao (1/2 Tbs. or 1 1/2 tsp.)
  • 1 dash Angostura bitters
  • a cinnamon stick, for smoke
  • Large ice cube

Ginger-Honey Syrup:

(Enough for 1–2 cocktails)

  • 1 Tbs. honey
  • 1 Tbs. boiling water
  • 1/2–1 tsp. freshly grated ginger

Stir honey and boiling water until completely dissolved. Add grated ginger, stir, and let steep for around 5 minutes.

Strain through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth to remove solids. Use immediately or store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Cocktail Preparation

In a mixing glass filled with ice, combine whiskey, Cardamaro, ginger-honey syrup, orange liqueur, and bitters.

Stir until well-chilled, about 20–30 seconds.

Strain into a coupe or lowball glass — neat or over a single large ice cube.

Light the end of a cinnamon stick until it’s smoking. Drop the smoke into the glass, and cover with a coaster to trap the smoke. Uncover and serve straightaway, before the trapped smoke has a chance to dissipate. Enjoy with care! ;)

 

Pale Green Faerie Wine – The Cruel Prince, by Holly Black

[Post first published on Patreon]

No one drinks faerie wine without consequence. Its taste is alluring—like summer gardens and hidden laughter—but beneath the sweetness, there’s a sharpness that leaves your thoughts hazy and your heart a little too open.

This version, infused with fresh mint, cucumber peel, and blueberries, mimics the flavor described in the revels of Elfhame, in Holly Black’s Folk of the Air series: light, herbal, and deceptively refreshing. A whisper of thyme draws out the green, grounding the wine with something wild and woodsy. Over time, the blend settles into something reminiscent of white sangria, but with an edge.

To mimic the appearance of the true fae wines—described in the books as glowing, with flecks of gold—this version includes a drop of green food coloring and edible gold luster dust. Swirled into chilled white wine, it shimmers with unsettling beauty.

In retrospect, I would like to try adding a little pinch of ground mastic, which I obtained for some obscure recipe testing for GoT. It would lend the drink an excellent strangeness, and a bit of a piney taste. So, whoops, I guess I’ll need to whip up another batch! ;)

What say you? Would you brave a sip of faerie wine?

 

Recipe for Pale Green Faerie Wine

Makes: 1 bottle (750 ml)

Pairs well with: stone fruits, soft cheeses, and dangerous company

Ingredients:

  • 750 ml crisp white wine (Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio recommended)
  • 2 Tbs. honey
  • 3 sprigs fresh mint
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme
  • peel of 1/2 cucumber
  • 1/4 cup blueberries, halved
  • green food coloring
  • Gold edible luster dust (similar to these)

In a small pot, gently heat honey with ¼ cup of the wine until dissolved. Remove from heat, and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Add the rest of the wine along with the herbs, blueberries, and cucumber peel. Allow to steep for 4-6 hours, then strain and return to the bottle or a decorative serving carafe. Add food coloring and edible glitter. Periodically give the mixture a gentle swirl to remix the golden flecks. Serve chilled, and consider garnishing with edible flowers.

Ideal for:

  • Serve ice cold, in crystal or clear glass goblets
  • A party drink for fae-themed events, book clubs, or revels of questionable morality
  • Stunning addition to a picnic basket

Raspberry Cordial – Redwall

For today’s recipe, I’m circling back to where this crazy career started: Redwall.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but this was always one of my most-desired recipes from the Redwall series. Just look at this one passage from The Bellmaker:

I mean, RIGHT?!

As a kid, I was under the impression that it was alcoholic, not knowing the British-ism of “cordial”, meaning essentially a flavored syrup to which water can be added. I’ve since been gifted a bottle of raspberry liquor from the UK, and WOW, that’s the grownup version of this, pure summer in a bottle.

But back to the recipe: For this batch, I used raspberries I picked last summer with my kids, and tried a pretty plain version of the recipe, although I have also made some with the addition of lemon thyme, which paired with the fruity flavors just *chef’s kiss*.

The resulting syrup is a gorgeous deep pink color, and redolent with the aroma and flavor of sun-kissed raspberries. Diluted with water, it makes a lightly flavored and refreshing beverage that is all too easy to drink down! It’s a fantastic way to preserve the summer harvest, and to share with friends and family.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen
  • 1/3 cup Lemon Juice
  • 12 cups boiling water
  • 3 cups sugar

Gently wash the raspberries in cool water to dislodge any hidden bits of leaf or stem.

Transfer the cleaned berries into a large bowl and drizzle them with the lemon juice to brighten their flavor.

In a large pot on the stovetop, bring 12 cups of water to a boil. Once bubbling, stir in the sugar, whisking until it dissolves completely.

Carefully removing the pot from heat, pour this hot sugar-water mixture gently over the raspberries. Cover the bowl lightly and let it rest undisturbed at room temperature for a full 24 hours.

The next day, the cordial is ready for straining. First, pour it through a fine-mesh sieve, catching most of the pulp and seeds. To achieve that beautiful jewel-like clarity, I strain it once more, this time through a jelly bag (or damp paper towels, in a pinch!), patiently allowing it to drip through slowly. Occasionally scrape down the sides of the bag to help ease the cordial along and clear away any stubborn pulp or seeds.

Finally, the beautifully clear cordial is poured into clean glass jars, ready to be chilled and enjoyed. Stored in the fridge, this raspberry cordial will happily keep for several weeks. If you’d like to preserve a taste of summer for the cold months ahead, you can water-bath can the cordial using the standard practices for juice—allowing you to savor your bottled summer for several years to come.

Turkish Delight – The Chronicles of Narnia

“‘It is dull, Son of Adam, to drink without eating,’ said the Queen presently. ‘What would you like best to eat?’

‘Turkish Delight, please, your Majesty.’

The Queen let another drop fall from her bottle onto the snow, and instantly there appeared a round box, tied with a green silk ribbon, which, when opened, turned out to contain several pounds of Turkish Delight. Each piece was sweet and light to the very centre and Edmund had never tasted anything more delicious. He was quite warm now, and very comfortable.”

–The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis

This recipe is arguably both one of the most requested and the most contentious recipes from fiction. I’ve heard from so many people who first encountered the above description of Turkish Delight in the Chronicles of Narnia, and were then bitterly disappointed when they tried it in real life.

I wonder if we all simply transposed our most desired candy to that description above, not really knowing what this strange confection was. Personally, I think I imagined it as something chocolatey, maybe like one of those airy flaky British chocolates? Definitely a far cry from actual Turkish Delight.

It wasn’t until I lived in Turkey for a year that I actually tried and subsequently fell absolutely in love with this chewy gooey confection. Seeing booths in the sprawling bazaars simply heaped up with countless varieties of Turkish Delight is something I will never forget. And yet, for all that, it’s taken me over a decade to actually knuckle down and get this recipe done- seriously, this original post dates from May of 2012!

But better late than never.

Each little bite-sized square is densely chewy (as all Turkish delight is, in my experience, so I’m not sure where Lewis was getting his “light to the very center” variety).  I opted for a fruity version with the addition of chopped pistachios, which add a nice textural counterpoint to the chewiness, as well as a pretty contrasting color to the pink.

Turkish Delight Recipe

makes: 2-3 dozen pieces   –   Prep Time: 45 minutes   –   Cooling: several hours, or overnight

FOR SYRUP

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cups pomegranate juice (or juice of your choice)
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice

BASE

  • 1 1/2 cups pomegranate juice (or juice of your choice)
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 1 Tbs. orange blossom water optional (or rose water)
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice
  • Food coloring, if wished
  • 1/4 cup pistachios roughly chopped

COATING

  • 2 Tbs. powdered sugar
  • 2 Tbs. cornstarch
Lightly coat the inside of a small casserole pan with cooking spray, line the bottom with a sheet of parchment paper, and lightly spray that, too. Set aside.
Begin by making the Sugar Syrup: combine the sugar and juices in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the sugar has dissolved and reached soft-ball stage (~240F), about 10-15 minutes.
While the sugar cooks, make up the other half of the base: in another saucepan, stir together the juices, cornstarch, orange blossom water, and any food coloring, if using. Set over medium heat and continue to stir periodically until it thickens to something slightly firmer than wallpaper paste consistency. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes or so, until the mixture has become somewhat more opaque.
Working in increments, stir the hot sugar into the cornstarch base. Continue whisking or stirring until no lumps remain. Cook over medium-low heat for another 30 minutes or so, stirring often to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom and burn. When the mixture looks very thick but before it’s in danger of browning, remove from the heat. Stir in the chopped pistachios and then transfer to the prepared baking dish. Chill for several hours, until completely cool and set.
In a small bowl, combine the remaining cornstarch and powdered sugar. Sprinkle a little on a cutting board. Remove the cooled Turkish delight from the pan and set on the cutting board. Using a large sharp knife, slightly greased, cut the Turkish Delight into bite-sized squares. Toss these with the cornstarch and powdered sugar mix until all the sides are coated. Tap off any excess, and enjoy!
The pieces can also be stored for several weeks in an airtight container.

Night Court Cocktail – ACOTAR

This recipe hails from the world of Prythian, in Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Thorn and Roses (ACOTAR). I first read the series several years ago, but have been enjoying her other novels over the past year. And given that the third book in her Crescent City series drops later this month, I knew I had to revisit Prythian, from the creativity of my own kitchen.

There isn’t a great deal of food actually described in Maas’s book. So I started where I always like to: desserts and drinks. And what better way to explore the latter than with some themed drinks? For a cocktail representing the darkly mysterious and seductive Night Court, I wanted to start with some dark fruits, like blackcurrants, and I always like the idea of a little absinthe, too. Maybe it’s a little punny, but I felt like leaning into the addition of a green fairy to a drink representing the fictional fae.

When I searched the local liquor store for Cassis, the only one in stock was unexpectedly a local one, from Putney Mountain Winery.  I couldn’t be happier-It’s made with blackcurrant, blueberry, and raspberry, and so delicious that I occasionally have a little glass of it as a nightcap. And it was a perfect starting point from which to build a cocktail recipe worthy of the Court of Dreams.

I asked my good friend Chris (who has a prodigious knowledge of some truly inspired mixology stored in his head) for suggestions on what could be done with both cassis and absinthe. He suggested making a riff on a Cazador, which is usually made with rum. I subbed in some brandy in place of the rum, since the bat boys are always quaffing whiskey and the like.

The finished drink is smooth, decadent, fruity, and subtle. I can vouch that it’s entirely too easy to drink, and believe me when I tell you that several servings went missing throughout the course of trying to get a great photo. It’s one of my new favorite mixes, and one that I expect will definitely contribute to my efforts to make it through this winter.

I’m hoping this can be the first in a series of ACOTAR (and other Sarah J Maas) cocktails, so keep an eye out for those over on Patreon a bit early, and then here!

In the meantime, I’ll raise a glass to you all: “To the stars who listen, and the dreams that are answered…”

Recipe for Night Court Cocktail

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz. brandy
  • 1 oz. cassis
  • 1/2 oz. maple syrup
  • dash of absinthe
  • dash of lime juice
  • edible star glitter (I used this) for the rim of the glass

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with a few ice cubes and give a few good shakes to combine. Pour into a highball or other decorative glass, and enjoy.

For an added dash of pizazz, drop a small chunk of dry ice into the glass before serving. Be sure to let the dry ice melt completely before enjoying the cocktail. I always want to do this, but haven’t yet sourced any here.

Mocktail Variant: Use a fruit juice, like apple or grape, in place of the brandy a blackcurrant syrup like Ribena in place of the cassis, and the tiniest portion of a licorice flavoring. You may also wish to decrease the amount of maple syrup, to taste.

Blackstrap Coffee – 7 Days to Die

 

“Blackstrap Coffee. This 2 century old favorite coffee was a staple among miners in the 1800’s. Otherwise known as ‘Muckmen Blackstrap’ this strong blended roast will give you long lasting energy and keep you warm for hours”

I don’t have a ton of time these days for playing games, and certainly nothing like I once enjoyed. But the one game I always make time for is one that I’m fortunate enough to play with a group of close friends: 7 Days to Die

For those unfamiliar, it’s an open world zombie survival and crafting game, heavy on the base building, with something enticing for everyone to do. It’s my happy escapism place, and you can usually find me roaring around on my motorcycle, looting far flung locations for the supplies the rest of our group needs to survive one more week, and one more horde night. Early on, obtaining food and clean water (or the ability to boil water) is completely essential.

This was not my smartest recon run, but I’m a survivor!

Now, in our game, we have a fully kitted out kitchen in each of our fortified bases, complemented with a massive garden that grows everything we need to feast like the kings and queens of the apocalypse we truly are. Amidst all that, there are coolers stacked to the ceiling, all full of blackstrap coffee. It’s become such a staple during play that I obviously had to tackle it with a real recipe.

My first test of this recipe produced a punishment of a drink, something I suspect is pretty damn close to the bitter, terrible coffee one would be able to make with foraged ingredients in a true zompocalypse. I didn’t finish the cup, instead passing it around to anyone who walked through the kitchen to demonstrate its true awfulness.

After that, I did a bigger deep dive into the WHY of the gunpowder. Buckle up, because this is a journey… (or skip to the recipe below)

Gunpowder consists of potassium nitrate (saltpeter), charcoal, which is mostly carbon, and sulfur.

Anecdotally, soldiers in Napoleon’s army (and probably many other times/places) used gunpowder to season the meat when they were in dire enough straits that they were forced to eat their horses. Seems strange, until you learn that saltpeter is a naturally occurring mineral (which can be mined in 7 Days, incidentally), and was historically used as a curing agent. It gave foods a salty taste and helped preserve them. Potassium Nitrate has also been used as an ingredient in matchheads- anyone remember Holden grating matches into his coffee to make it more palatable in The Expanse? Same idea.

I know a guy who could probably get me some gunpowder, but not everybody has that friend, so I’ve opted for some substitutions. Also, uh, it’s not great to consume in any quantity, so let’s all take a pass on that, maybe. I’d like to taste some at some point, for the sake of knowing, but for now, let’s get creative with some alternatives.

I started with an old jar of instant espresso that’s been kicking around in the back of the pantry for… I’m not actually sure how long, but it’s been a while.

SO. We’ve got a pinch of salt swapped in for the saltpeter, and activated charcoal for the charcoal in the gunpowder. I suspected it might need just a little extra zip of something, so I dug out some of my reserves of amazing Viking smoked salt from Auntie Arwen’s.

The verdict?

I was up obscenely early with kids this morning, and this coffee is the only thing that has saved the entire day. I’m on my second cup, and it’s strange and compelling, and now I want to share it with people passing through the kitchen not as an example of horror, but as a proper curiosity. The charcoal, in particular, mellows any bitterness of the coffee and blackstrap, leaving you with a slightly sweet warming beverage that is entirely too easy to drink down.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go harvest some doorknobs for brass and load up my bike with a stack of Blackstrap Coffee and Hobo Stew. There are zombies that need killin’ and buildings that need lootin’!

Stay safe out there, survivors…

Recipe for Blackstrap Coffee

makes 1 serving (but can be easily sized up)

*Note* Activated charcoal can interfere with essential medication, so use with caution, even in small doses!

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz. just-boiled water
  • 2-3 tsp. instant espresso powder (I used Cafe Bustelo brand)
  • 2 tsp. blackstrap molasses
  • pinch of activated charcoal
  • pinch of smoked salt

Combine all the ingredients in a heat-proof mug, stir to combine, and enjoy.

For added amusement, be sure to check out the cooking reel I also made to go with this recipe! ;)

The Mandalorian – Blue Macarons

There’s a LOT to love about The Mandalorian. The authentic feel of Star Wars that hearkens back to the original trilogy, the callbacks to other SW stories and characters, not to mention the amazing technology that totally immerses the actors and fans in each setting.

But one thing I love (granted, I am totally biased) is their constant inclusion of food and drink. Whether it’s the bone broth in season one or the blue spotchka that keeps appearing in taverns and cantinas, it’s a recurring detail of the Mandalorian, which is pretty unusual for a serial show.

So, of course, when those crumbly, delicious looking blue macarons popped onto screen in chapter 10, I shrieked with delight. Macarons are one of my very favorite sweet treats (along with dark chocolate sea salt caramels… YUM) and I couldn’t wait to take a crack at these.

And so, with my newfound confidence in my ability to make macarons (thanks to this book), those delectable treats leapt to the top of my list of new recipes. I asked on Twitter for suggestions for flavors, and got a lot of great suggestions. Buuuuuut they were all great ideas for modern sweet macaron flavor pairings, and that didn’t strike me as unusual enough for a recipe set in the Star Wars ‘verse. In the same way that you can’t just add blue dye to milk, and call it Bantha Milk, you know?

Then I got to thinking, what if it’s actually a savory macaron? Like, the mother of that selfish little kid packed him a lunch, and he just tucked into it early. After all, the blue of spotchka comes from those blue krill, so why not this? I have seen a lot of savory macaron variations online, like some with smoked salmon, goat cheese, and even chicken mole. None seemed doable in a way that would still allow for that smooth blue color.

I recently watched a video about macarons made with cricket flour, and you know what? That really clicked for me. After all, a lot of experts consider insects to be the next big food trend, not to mention a much more sustainable source of protein than meat or highly demanding nut trees. It seems to fit perfectly with a future-past space town.

It wasn’t until I was pulling the screen shots for comparison that I realized a couple of things… First off, it’s only half a macaron! There’s no filling, and no sandwich, so right off, this recipe isn’t quite right. Second is the color- I think, given the planet and what we’ve seen of blue food thus far in The Mandalorian, the color probably comes from those blue krill shrimp. Normally, for blue Star Wars food, I use blue butterfly pea flowers (which you might have on hand if you’ve been working through the Galaxy’s Edge cookbook), but there’s no easy way to get that color into the macaron mix. So I finally splurged on some vibrant new food colorings, and that was just the ticket to properly color match the screen food.

In the meantime, I got all excited about making macarons, so I couldn’t just abandon my efforts while I waited for the next delivery. For a variety of reasons (mostly time and current inability to shop for more than the basics) I played it mostly safe with the recipe this time. I did swap the traditional almond flour for some cashew flour that I had in the cupboard, which helped defamiliarize it a little. But I’ve got some cricket on order, and hope to edit this post accordingly soon.

PHEW. That was altogether too much talking on my part, and not enough eating on yours. So consider this a placeholder post, someday to be updated, just as soon as my cricket flour comes in the mail. ;)

Mandalorian Macarons, version 1

Prep: 20 minutes      Resting: 40 minutes       Baking: ~15 minutes

Makes: about 20+ macarons

Base Macarons:

  • 70 grams egg whites* (about 2 eggs), room temperature
  • 3 Tbs. granulated sugar
  • Pinch salt
  • Pinch cream of tartar
  • 3/4 cup almond or cashew flour
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar
  • Blue food coloring

Begin by beating the egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar for about a minute, until the mixture is frothy. While continuing to beat, add in the granulated sugar in a slow stream. Beat on medium speed for about 5 minutes or so, or until the meringue has formed stiff peaks. Beat in the food coloring until just mixed.

Sift together the nut flour and the powdered sugar into the bowl with the meringue, then use a spoon to beat everything together until smooth and glossy. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a medium round tip. Pipe onto silicone pads or parchment paper over your baking sheets (there are great videos online of this) into little discs about 1” across. Once all the macarons are piped, pick up the baking sheet and repeatedly tap it firmly against your counter several times to work any rogue air bubbles out of the meringue. Set the baking sheets aside and let them dry for around 40 minutes, or until the tops of the macarons are not sticky to the touch. Preheat the oven to 250F.

Once the oven is up to temperature, bake the macarons for around 15-18 minutes. Every oven is different, so you may need to tweak the times a little. Once cool, the macarons should peel easily off the baking sheets. Fill every other half with a dollop of buttercream frosting (lemoncurd is also wonderful!) and sandwich together with an unfilled half.

*For better results, separate your egg whites into a small bowl and set overnight in the fridge to help a little of the extra moisture evaporate from them.

Dune – Melange Spice

This is something I’ve been playing with now for years and years, and haven’t gotten quite right to my satisfaction until now.

Frank Herbert is a little bit coy with his descriptions of melange, but overall the sense is that of cinnamon, sometimes specifically “bitter cinnamon”. In Dune, Dr. Yueh waxes poetical, saying that the flavor is “never twice the same… It’s like life—it presents a different face each time you take it. Some hold that the spice produces a learned-flavor reaction. The body, learning a thing is good for it, interprets the flavor as pleasurable—slightly euphoric. And, like life, never to be truly synthesized.”

There are accounts in Herbert’s later novels of the spice giving off a blue glow, or of the sand where a spice eruption had taken place being a deep purple color. I really like the idea of that, visually, but as it’s complicated enough to get the flavor right, let’s just focus on that for the time being.

The flavor of this mix is pretty good, I think. The cinnamon is at the forefront, but the cumin, especially in the smell, lends it a bit of unfamiliarity. It’s a warm blend, and I have the impression that it’s somehow… sandy? This is especially true with the texture of the sugar mixed in. The other spices are there as well, but more subtle and they take turns after the big cinnamon punch on the front. The sugar, added because our bodies crave sweet things, softens what is otherwise a pretty bitter mix, but that too is in keeping with some of the original descriptions. I opted for turmeric for its health benefits, and the little pinches of extra unusual spices for depth and variety. Also because I love them. More on that later…

So there you have it! I can’t promise that this blend will give you visions or turn your eyes blue, but I’m pretty jazzed to try it in all kinds of dishes, not least of all as a rub on meat, where I think it really might be awesome. My first test in normal coffee was pretty tasty, but I’m inclined to think that coffee on Arrakis would be made Turkish style, in little pots over open flame, so that’s on the list for the (near) future, as well.

 

Melange Spice Blend, from Arrakis

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1/8 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
  • pinch of ground grains of paradise
  • pinch of ground mahlep (optional, see note)
  • 1 Tbs. finely grated jaggery
  • pinch of edible luster powder (optional, but SO cool)

Combine all the ingredients and store in a small airtight jar.

A note on spices:

(I don’t usually link to specific products, but many people have had trouble finding these items locally, so here are a few affiliate links to point you in the right direction! I might get a sliver of profit if you buy one of these, so it helps everyone out!)

To really amp up the flavor of this, go to your pantry and throw away that ancient bottle of McCormick ground cinnamon. Then replace it with some really good stuff, and you’ll be wowed by the difference. I recommend either King Arthur’s Vietnamese Cinnamon or some Ceylon Cinnamon. I’m usually all for the savings when buying in bulk, but spices are one of those things that are best fresh, so consider getting smaller containers for better flavor. After all, when did you last buy one of those containers of old dusty cinnamon that are kicking around the pantry?

And my other super awesome recommendation, although it’s optional, is Mahlep. I’ve got some of this on order to try out, but I’ve had other brands in the past and let me tell you, it’s a secret weapon in my spice cabinet. It’s made from the pits of a particular Mediterranean cherry, and the raw flavor is subtle and hard to define, but is something adjacent to cardamom with a hint of almonds. But where it really shines is in baked goods. Add some of this to any stone fruit and it deepens and enriches the flavors.

I don’t have a specific recommendation for Jaggery, but you can find it it many specialty/international food shops. It’s a cool flavorful old-school sugar, where the molasses hasn’t been spun out. It usually comes in blocks or cones.

And lastly, Grains of Paradise. This is probably your best bet for cost, but if don’t have an easy way to grind up spices at home, this one comes in a jar with a built-in grinder. If you’ve got a couple of my cookbooks, you may have noticed that I really love this itty bitty pepper. I first discovered it while researching and cooking up medieval recipes, and it’s been a staple of my spice cabinet ever since. In fact, I have this loaded into my pepper grinder (along with cubeb and long pepper, two other old peppers). The flavor is rich and complex, with hints of citrus and something exotic and woody, while the actual feel of the pepper on the tongue can be a sort of cool burn that lingers. It’s really cool. :)

Lembas

In recent weeks, I have received several independent requests for a Lembas recipe, and I have to thank those of you who reached out and gave me the nudges I needed to finally get this recipe up on the blog.

You might think to yourself, “Huh, it’s super weird that there aren’t more LotR recipes on this super awesome fictional food blog!” Well, there’s actually a reason for that. Years and years ago, after Feast of Ice and Fire was newly published, I actually made a lot of LotR foods, mostly as proof of concept for a LotR cookbook pitch. Unfortunately, that attempt didn’t go anywhere, so I decided to self-publish what I had in the form of the Shire Cookbook. It was well received by the few folks who found it online, but I’ve since taken it down as part of an effort to try for an official cookbook again. It’s such a great fit for what I do, and how I do it, and the fanbase would LOVE to have it. Cross your fingers!

 

In the meantime, I’ll be uploading a few of my favorite recipes from that collection to the blog. And what could be a more perfect start to that than Lembas? For this recipe, I considered a number of things when building the ingredients list. First off, the practicality of this needing to be a pretty durable high calorie travel food. Thus the inclusion of some tasty fat in the form of butter, healthy sweetener from honey, and awesome flours. We don’t know what spiffy magic things the elves include in their lembas, so I decided to have a little fun with mine, including some elderflower as a play on “eldar” and some thyme because elves are so long-lived. The result, I hope, is something comforting and familiar, with just enough otherness to keep it interesting.

And that is PLENTY enough words on my end. :) I just hate when you have to scroll through half a novel just to get to the good part, The Recipe:

Lembas Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1-2 tsp. freshly minced thyme
  • 2 tsp. dried elderflower
  • 1 cup oat flour
  • 1/2 cup nut flour (chestnut, hazelnut, acorn, or almond)
  • 1/4 cup hot water
  • large leaves for wrapping
  • twine

Preheat the oven to 300F and set out a sheet of parchment paper.

Beat the butter and honey together in a medium bowl until light and fluffy. Add in the thyme and elderflower, then gradually work in all the flour, adding just a little water at a time if necessary. You should end up with a fairly stiff dough that can nonetheless be rolled out. Roll out the dough on top of the sheet of parchment paper to somewhere around 1/2-inch thick. Move the dough and paper over to a baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, until the lembas is just starting to turn golden. Remove from the oven and cut into small squares while still warm.

To prepare your lembas for travel, wrap each square in a leave and tie off with twine. Many types of leaves work well for this task, but if you are lucky enough to live somewhere with Sassafras trees, I found that their leaves are the best substitute in shape and size for those of the mallorn.

Redwall – Apple Cream Pudding

I have to preface this post with a little info. Although the Redwall series was written by BrianJacques, a Brit, I’ve gone with an American style pudding for this recipe.

Don’t get me wrong. I think a British style boiled pud, with stewed, spiced apples, doused with a rich creamy custard sauce would be just the thing. Heck, I’d eat half of it myself. But I’ve fallen prey to that devious, creeping monster that can take anyone by surprise…

Nostalgia.

You see, as a child, I was a picky eater. And I mean SUPER picky. PB sandwiches and Mac and Cheese were pretty much my entire food pyramid (I’ll be honest, they’re still the base of the pyramid…). But I was in love with the Redwall series, and the descriptions of food in those books made even my mouth water. A cluster of friends and I decided, somehow, to throw a Redwall feast. We dressed up, made quite a few dishes from the books, and even made a replica of Redwall Abbey in gingerbread (GingerbRedwall Abbey- it was epic). It was my very first foray into fictional foods. 

There was a pudding in that feast that I’ve never gotten over. I suspect it was just some instant vanilla pudding with some applesauce or some such stirred in, but to my untried palate, it was phenomenal. 20 odd years later, I’m still thinking about it. And that’s why I’ve leaned more toward the pudding of my childhood than what the author probably had in mind. Perhaps one of these days I’ll sort out the other version, as well.

To my nostalgic mind, this is the closest I’ve ever gotten to recreating that childhood pudding, but it’s still not quite there. I blame the elusiveness of memory. My husband, however, who never tasted that bygone dessert, and isn’t even much of a pudding fan, loved this recipe. Without knowing it was inspired by Redwall, he suggested serving it with a hazelnut biscuit and fresh berries, and that’s such a completely Redwall pairing that I consider it a success. ;)

Apple Cream Pudding Recipe

Cooking: 20 minutes      Chilling: 1 hour or more

Makes: about 4 good sized servings

Dietary: GF

Pairs well with: hazelnut biscuits and fresh berries

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup apple cider
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3 Tbs. arrowroot or cornstarch
  • 2 egg yolks
  • pinch salt

 

Pour the milk, and apple cider into a medium pot over medium heat and bring to just under a boil. Add the vanilla and honey and stir for a few minutes to allow the honey to dissolve.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, cornstarch, egg yolks, and salt. While still whisking, pour a little of the hot milk into the bowl to temper the mixture, then pour everything back into the pot. Cook for around 5 minutes more, stirring all the while, until the mixture has thickened noticeably. Remove from heat, strain into a clean bowl, and cover with plastic. Chill for at least an hour to help the pudding set.