It feels both strange and natural to find myself always coming back to The Inn.

It’s somewhere I’ve dwelt, at least partly, for over a decade now, and in my heart, probably much longer than that. This past weekend, I had the chance to remind myself why I do what I do, and how much it matters to me.

One thing you might not know about me is that I throw one hell of a themed party. For several years, I’ve thrown a Midsummer Fae party, with various sub-themes changing each year according to the fae court hosting: Flowers and Funghi, Ravens and Rivers, Moonlight and Forest Shadows, that sort of thing. Last year was the last of those in the old house, and it felt bittersweet because of it.

So it felt absolutely right, as the chaos of the last couple of years began to clear, amidst the lingering madness of renovating a new home and (STILL!) waiting for the old one to sell, of divorce and an old-friend-turned-new-partner, and of two clever and wildly strong-willed kids under the age of 5, to throw the most elaborate party yet: Corsairs and Sea Fae.

And because my new place has a barn that’s even longer than the house, I finally got the chance to start building out a tavern. A key difference between this location and the old house is that I have much less land/yard/woodland to work with now. But a properly cool barn from the 1800s that was one of the big selling points for me when it came to choosing this house for the next couple of years. I wasn’t sure of the theme of the party when I did my first walkthrough, but it radiated potential.

The concept: a shipwreck, where a former Corsair queen’s ship was driven against the rocks of Crackhull Isle. But the nearby Sea Fae, impressed by her courage, befriended the queen and began an alliance between their two peoples. The party was a meeting between both sides to strengthen those bonds of friendship. So the barn became the wreck of The Raven, with parts of it submerged and parts above the waterline. There was a vibrant reef with jellyfish, an alcove for a fortune teller, a quieter lounge adjacent to the noisier tavern, and the tavern itself; lawn games and challenges of skill and strength had been planned for outside, but were rained out.

Upstairs was my pet project: a ship’s deck with furled sails, fabric alcoves for whispering and mischief, a ship’s wheel, and a long feast table set for dinner. My cohost Ciel worked absolute wonders on the floral arrangements up there, with an installation of lights and fresh flowers, an explosion of dahlias, zinnias, gomphrena, hydrangea, verbena, sedum, and autumn wildflowers that dripped down over the table in an impossibly lush arrangement. And the best part was, we kept the entire ship’s deck a surprise from everyone. So the moment they all walked across the planks upstairs to the sound of a creaking ship, and ducked below a beam onto the deck with audible gasps, was a triumph.

But after all of that, the dinner and lush desserts, the heart of the party was the tavern. It’s where folks returned to again and again, where raucous games of Liar’s Dice took place, the grog flowed, and new friendships were forged.

And you know what? Despite the work involved, and the months of brainstorming, the weeks of setup, I can’t wait to do it all over again. We’re even toying with the idea of creating a side-business doing small specialty events like this. Or renting out all the crazy fun props and dishware I’ve acquired over the years to other stylists and photographers. Cobbling together multiple businesses is definitely a Vermont thing, from snow-plowing to maple sugaring, so this would be my version of that, I suppose!

But it’s tricky, in so many ways. We throw ourselves at the prep for an event like this (and it shows!) but we are only 2-3 people, and everything is so often right down to the wire that I don’t have time to play with food, which is something I’d love to incorporate into the parties again. I had a whole pinboard of food ideas I didn’t get to try out (a theme for October, perhaps?)

Putting magic into this world, and inviting others to step over the threshold between this world and another, is where I am happiest, I think. It’s what I’ve done with my cookbooks and recipes, and something that’s very important to me. I want to find new ways to do that!

So what do you think? I know there are many elaborate (and expensive!) Fae balls and such being thrown out there, but what about a smaller, more intimate sort of event? Or a tavern setting for gaming in the evenings? Or something wild and awesome I haven’t even yet considered? Is there something in all of that you’d enjoy attending or hearing more about?

Huge shout-outs to the teams behind the scenes: my co-host and partner Mark, who labored into the night so we had benches for dinner, and generally Got Things Done; my co-host and co-dreamer Ciel (@skyinfrench) who always brings such vision and stretch goals to bear on these endeavors; Nick (@nmj_pottery_and_gardens) for growing us such incredible flowers; Talia and Sarah for their annual efforts, Orion, and the slew of friends, grandparents, and neighbors who all pitched in to make this party happen.

“I slept badly that night, but this was getting to be so usual that it was an effort to try to decide if the nightmares I’d had were the kind I should pay attention to or not. I decided that they probably were, but I didn’t know what kind of attention to pay, so I wasn’t going to. I went in to work, turned my brain off, and started making cinnamon rolls, and garlic-rosemary buns for lunch. Then I made brown sugar brownies, Rocky Road Avalanche, Killer Zebras, and a lot of muffins, and then it was ten-thirty and I had the lunch shift free.”

― Robin McKinley, Sunshine

I’ll start by happily telling you that this is one of my favorite books. It sits on my library shelves, little reference flags poking out all over the top of the spine marking where I found an enticing food within the pages. It is one of the more unusual vampire stories I’ve ever read, and is a mouthwatering marvel when it comes to the descriptions of the baked goods that Rae dreams up in the coffeehouse where she works. More about that soon over on Patreon…

There isn’t a description of what these baked goods actually look like in the book, which can be daunting, because there’s not much to go on, but also liberating, because it’s all up to my imagination. In my research, I read that the author, Robin McKinley based these cookies on a kind of pinwheel cookie recipe, so I based my recipe loosely on that. I really wanted a flashy cookie with cool looking zebra stripes, and given the pinwheel connection, I figured the stripes would be in the dough, rather than drizzled over the top. Mind you, this is just my personal take on them, so by all means, shop around online to see what other bakers have dreamed up, too!

My first attempt at these cookies was less than successful- I had too many warring flavors going at once, and didn’t chill the dough enough, so when I tried to fold it into stripes, it sort of mushed into indistinct muddy brown.

The second test, though, after I made some tweaks, was WOAH. Those stripes! That Mexican hot chocolate flavor! The texture of the cookies is that of a crisp shortbread that starts to melt instantly. There’s a slow burn from the chipotle that warms and lingers on the tongue, which makes these a surprisingly perfect offering for the short cold days of winter. That touch of white chocolate on the bottom completes the flavor journey, smoothing out the bite of the spice so you keep coming back for more. These cookies didn’t last long at all in my house, and neither will the next batch, I’m sure!

Seriously, check out the book, and make up a batch of these amazing cookies, then come on back and tell me what you thought of both! ;)

Recipe for Killer Zebras

makes: about a dozen cookies – prep time: 10 minutes – chilling: at least 1.5 hours – baking: 12-15 minutes

Ingredients:

This wine is served at the Summer Solstice, to celebrate the start of the season and an abundant crop. I was first leaning towards apple or pear as a base, but those will be more autumnal, since that’s when they’re harvested. Instead, I looked to the fruits and flowers of springtime- strawberries, elderflower, that sort of thing. I also took some inspiration from German May wine, which is infused with sweet woodruff. My mind cast back to the snowberry cordial I made for Elder Scrolls, red wine infused with cranberries and fortified with brandy. It’s a doozy, and the notion stuck. However, the faerie wine at the solstice is described as being fizzy, so I adapted it! I made a strong flavored syrup that can be mixed with either prosecco or champagne, or a sparkling non-alcoholic cider for those not imbibing alcohol.

Faerie Wine Recipe

Makes: enough for at least 6 servings – prep: 15 minutes – Chilling: at least 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sliced strawberries
• 2 cups white grape juice
• 1/2 cup honey
• a few sprigs of fresh thyme
• generous pinch ground cardamom
• 1/4 cup elderflower liqueur
• dash of edible luster powder
• 1 bottle prosecco, chilled

Begin by combining the white grape juice, berries, honey, thyme, and cardamom in a medium saucepan. Bring to just under a simmer, when it’s started to steam and the honey has dissolved. Remove from heat and strain into a clean bottle. Allow to cool somewhat, then add the elderflower and the luster powder. Allow to cool completely.

You can either mix each serving to taste, or make a larger punch bowl.

Mocktail Variant: Substitute the white wine for white grape juice, the elderflower for an elderflower syrup like Ikea sells, and the prosecco for a ginger ale.

“A really old sandwich made by Shamway. It will take away the hunger but it will also make you sick”

This is a recipe first devised by my husband, who is part of my current 7 Days to Die raiding party of friends. The result was a surprisingly simple and yet tasty sandwich that absolutely looked the part of (mostly) shelf-stable provisions.

In the longstanding Beta of the game, the hotkey for the sandwich was a horribly green, moldy thing that was entirely unappealing, unless you were starving. Even then, there was a good chance it would make you sick. On account of the mold, it is also an ingredient for making the oh-so-crucial antibiotics you need to counter infection, should you tussle with the wrong zombie.

For my recipe, the same effect is gained with a little matcha powder, which gives the sandwich a decidedly dusty green mold look. (You could employ the same trick to any food that needs to be stored in a work fridge, so nobody touches your lunch.)

I opted for a variety of deli meats as the primary filling, largely because I didn’t have a can of Sham… uh… Spam handy. I’d also suggest that if you’re feeling creative, or you have a garden that gives you produce, I think some slices of tomato and/or some sliced peppers, as well as a bit of lettuce, would be a tasty addition to the sandwich, if not entirely in keeping with the in-game item.

Sham Sandwich Recipe

Makes 1 sandwich – Prep: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 slices sandwich bread
• 1 wedge laughing cow cheese, room temp
• several slices salami
• several slices deli ham
• thinly sliced pepperoni
• sliced sandwich cheese, such as American, provolone, etc.
• powdered matcha

Start by spreading the laughing cow cheese over the insides of both slices of bread. Layer on the salami, pepperoni, and other cheese.

Now, here comes the fun part: using a small spoon or clean paintbrush, apply some of the matcha powder to parts of the sandwich to give it a decidedly moldy look. Bonus: you could employ the same trick to any food that needs to be stored in a work fridge, so nobody touches your lunch. ;)

This sandwich is also extra tasty if you lightly grill it before adding the matcha, although I would argue that in the world of 7D2D, you might grill it to bring it back to life a little, since who knows just how long it’s been sitting in that abandoned kitchen…

I’ve got more 7D2D recipes coming up soon, but consider pairing this with a mug of Blackstrap Coffee, in the meantime. And as always, if you like this content, consider checking out our Patreon community, where you will also get behind the scenes looks at recipe development, brainstorming, and the chance to influence which recipes I make next. It’s free to join, so please come say hi!

Ok, so this is a little bit of liberty taking, on my part.

When Feyre first arrives at Tamlin’s manor, she sits down to a meal that is so opulent and plentiful that it boggles her mind. In that description, there’s chicken, bread, fish, peas, asparagus, lamb, and a chocolate torte. When Feyre takes a bite, she struggles to keep her composure, the meal so far and above the quality of what she’s accustomed to surviving on that the previous food is like ashes on her tongue.

Recipe for Spring Court Gilded Chicken

Makes: 1 roast chicken, approximately 4 servings – Prep: 1.5 hours

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken, approximately 6 pounds
• 1 1/2 Tbs. butter, melted
• 1 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• generous pinch of ground white pepper
• 2-3 small oranges, halved
• 2″ knob fresh ginger, peeled and sliced thin
• generous pinch of coarse salt
• garnish of oranges and berries

Begin by heating your oven to 450F. Rinse and pat dry your chicken, then place it on a baking sheet; I like to place mine on a cookie sheet over a rimmed baking sheet to maximize the amount of crispy skin, but that’s not necessary.

Brush the chicken all over with the melted butter. In a separate bowl, combine the turmeric, garlic powder, and white pepper. Sprinkle this liberally all over the bird. Stuff the inside of the chicken with the halved oranges and sliced ginger.

Cook at 450F for a little over an hour, or until the juices run clear.

As an added bonus, if you boil down the remainder of the chicken once you’ve picked all the meat off, it makes a wonderfully spiced broth that is a good counterbalance to our real-world winter.

I’m so excited to share the first sneak peek at the new GoT cookbook, due out this spring.

The first volume, A Feast of Ice and Fire, is what set me on this strange and wonderful path all those years ago, so it was such a complete delight to be invited back into the kitchens and halls of Westeros.

This cookbook differs from the first in a few key ways:

– First off, it’s in-world! That means it’s written in the voice of a maester of the Citadel. Maester Alton is a food enthusiast who has traveled extensively to document and personally taste-test (a real hardship, I’m sure) a wide array of dishes from Westeros and far beyond.

– Unlike the first cookbook, there is no side-by-side comparison between a historical and modern dish. However, for the historical food enthusiasts among you, rest assured that I’ll be putting up a bibliography on the blog with citations to account for all the historical recipes I snuck in anyway. ;)

– The photography is GORGEOUS. It was done in Croatia (where they filmed the King’s Landing scenes!) by Lauren Volo. I’m also completely smitten with Brian Reedy‘s woodcuts, which I want to hang in my new kitchen.

– The recipes are all new, apart from a few that appeared previously on either the blog or in the Sands of Dorne ebook. Many of them are canon, but I was also allowed off-book, to add my own dishes that I thought really fit into the world. I cannot describe the pleasure of returning to my deep research dives into historical cookery books, but I hope my delight comes across in the finished recipes!

Check out the cookbook page on the blog for more info, and please consider preordering!

At long last, and at the behest of so many of you, I have launched a Patreon account for the Inn at the Crossroads!

For those of you who have been visiting this fine establishment for years, welcome back! If you are new to the Inn at the Crossroads, welcome! Let me tell you a little bit about what this blog is all about:

The Inn at the Crossroads is a fictional setting that appears in many worlds, from Westeros to Nilfgaard, from Azeroth to Middle Earth. The look of those taverns varies, as do the customers that frequent them. But in all those worlds, as well as this one, the Inn is a gathering place.

The scent of roasting meat and spices entices you in from the street with a crooked finger of curling smoke. As you step over the threshold, and your eyes adjust, the warmth and welcome envelops you. Rough hewn beams soar high above, supporting the upper floors with untold mysteries behind closed doors. The space seems somehow cozy despite the vastness, and from a corner near the blazing hearth, strains of music mingle with conversation and sounds of merriment before floating up through the open rafters of the main hall.

It is a bastion against the elements and the troubles of the outside world, where friends and strangers come together over a pint of ale or a plate of pastries. It’s a place of rest and celebration, of good food and better company, where friendships are forged and secret schemes are planned.

ALL of that is what I hope I have invoked over the past decade of recipes on my blog and cookbooks. But any business, any tavern, needs to adapt and grow over time. It is my dearest hope that you will join me as I write this new chapter, here at the Inn at the Crossroads.

To access the feed and sign up as a patron, head on over to Patreon.

Have you seen The Dragon Prince? If not, what are you even doing right now? Get off this blog and go immediately to Netflix. Seriously. It’s one of the best shows like it that I’ve seen, the writing is fabulous, and it’s just been renewed for 4 more seasons!

WHEN you watch it, I hope you’ll be as delighted as I was by the recurring appearances of Jelly Tarts. They’re portrayed as delicious and utterly scarfable as Sansa’s lemoncakes, so I knew I had to add them to my list. The show even specifies that they’re a Persimmon flavor at one point, although we also see a red version, so I think it’s fair to use your favorite jelly. Also, I looked online and couldn’t find persimmon jelly, so that pretty well rules that out, doesn’t it? ;)

One of the show’s creator’s stated that the tarts are based on Hamentaschen, so that’s what I’ve taken my cue from as well. I started with the dough recipe for rugelah, and embellished from there. For a jam, I had a mixed berry and also a spiced holiday version, and both were just great!

My version is a bit smaller than those that Ezran and Bait gobble down, but they’re no less snackable. In roughly the 2-bite range of size, each one I ate left me wanting just a little bit more. So I’d eat another, then another, and before I knew it, they were gone. As far as I can tell, that means they totally pass the test!

SO! Make up a batch of these, and hunker down with a delightful binge of The Dragon Prince. Let me know what you think of both!

Recipe for Dragon Prince Jelly Tarts

Ingredients:

• 1 stick butter, softened
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg, divided
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup jelly or jam

Cream together the butter and cream cheese along with the sugar. Mix in the egg, then gradually add in the flour. You should end up with a nice soft dough that isn’t sticky- keep adding flour until it doesn’t stick to your hands. Divide into two pieces and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one half of the dough to about 1/8″ thickness. Cut into 4″ rounds, saving the scraps to reuse. Lightly brush the outside edges of each circle with a little water. Drop a heaped teaspoon of jelly into the middle of each circle of dough, then gently fold and press three sides of the dough into the triangular shape pictured above.

Bake for about 12-15 minutes, until the tarts are just turning golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes, and enjoy!