Thoughts: This is a fun, medieval, glorified version of whipped cream that is intended to look like fresh snow. The addition of beaten egg whites stiffens the mix beyond the texture of ordinary whipped cream. The flavor is only slightly sweet, although you could add more sugar to taste. The hint of rosewater is what
What a fantastic adventure this was! Kate Quinn, author of several historical fiction novels, rounded up a number of food bloggers for a sort of virtual potluck, where we all made a dish from her newest book, The Serpent and the Pearl. It’s a book that chronicles the rise of the Borgia family in Rome through
I received a copy of this book as part of a giveaway on Goodreads.com, and was delighted. I didn’t know what to expect, but figured it was some sort of romance. I anticipated a quick read, and if I was lucky, a few descriptions of food. What I got was an experiential novel that is
Thoughts: In my ongoing quest to prove that medieval food is not gross, I knew I had to try these two recipes. I discovered the cookbook of Bartolomeo Scappi this summer at a medieval food lab (yep, I’m a dork), and was so diverted by the wonderful recipes in the book that I quickly added
Clary spoke up hastily. “What’s all the raw meat for?” she asked, indicating the third page of her menu. “Werewolves,” said Jace. “Though I don’t mind a blody steak myself every once in a while.” He reached across the table and flipped Clary’s menu over. “Human food is on the back.” She perused the perfectly
Many of us read about the feasts in Martin’s books, and think to ourselves, “77 courses?! That’s absurd. You’re just making this up! No feast could be that big!” We’d think that, but we’d be wrong. In fact, some historical feasts were considerably more lavish, more huge, and more absurd than those that GRRM details.
Thoughts: This is a sweet and refreshing soup. The flavor of the rosehips is earthy and filling, with a bit of an acidic tang. The color of the soup is a rich dark orange-brown color, which can be lightened with a bit of yogurt. The additional ingredients, of vanilla and spices, add to what is
“[Lady Tanda] invites you to sup with her again. There’s to be a haunch of venison, she says, a brace of stuffed geese sauced with mulberries, and–” “–her daughter,” Tyrion finished sourly. Since the hour he had arrived in the Red Keep, Lady Tanda had been stalking him, armed with a never-ending arsenal of lamprey
“They used Meera’s helm for a cooking pot, chopping up the catch into little cubes and tossing in some water and some wild onions Hodor had found to make a froggy stew. It wasn’t as good as deer, but it wasn’t bad either…” -A Storm of Swords Thoughts: I cheated a little with this recipe.
Oh, you lucky New Yorkers! Random House, publishers of all things Ice and Fire, are sponsoring a Game of Thrones (book) trivia night. It promises to be a really fun time, and includes the chance for teams of 6 to win some really cool prizes. I might even hop a bus down to NYC for