“Before Mance, Varamyr Sixskins had been a lord of sorts. He lived alone in a hall of moss and mud and hewn logs that had once been Haggon’s, attended by his beasts. A dozen villages did him homage in bread and salt and cider, offering him fruit from their orchards and vegetables from their gardens.”
Thoughts: This is a near perfect simple autumnal dish. I grew up near the Finger Lakes region of NY, and there we had an exquisite seasonal treat: Concord Grape Pie. However, some of my family members have developed a gluten intolerance. So, with a few small tweaks, I’ve made a spin on that childhood delight:
“Litaz said a silent prayer for the girl and worried over the limits of her own healing-craft. She pulled a clay jar from one of the low visiting room shelves and scooped a handful of golden yam candies from it. The sweet, earthy flavor filled her mouth and calmed her. They were expensive, these tiny
17th C. Pumpkin Pie Thoughts: This historical pumpkin pie is a different creature than the pies we’re used to around holiday tables. The filling seizes up enough for the pie to be cut into slices, but stays soft and creamier than modern pumpkin pies. For one batch of mine, I used the puree from making
Thoughts: I love this recipe. It’s versatile enough to be made into a pie, or into smaller tarts, or even into a crustless custard, in ramekins. I was a smidge distracted the first time I made this, so was surprised that the filling is really enough for two pies. The filling thickens to a nice
“That wonderful table would never have offered me the same dish twice; but while I reveled in the variety, I also sometimes demanded a repetition. There was a dark treacly spice cake that I like very much, and asked for several times. Sometimes it burst into being like a small exploding star, several feet above
“The queen took a flagon of sweet plum wine from a passing serving girl and filled Sansa’s cup. ‘Drink,’ she commanded coldly. ‘Perhaps it will give you the courage to deal with truth for a change.’” –A Clash of Kings Plum Wine Thoughts: Usually I wait with brewing recipes, but it’s just the tail end
Since we’re about a month out from Halloween, I thought I’d make it a little easier to incorporate some wonderful fictional dishes into your holiday fare. Additional suggestions are more than welcome! Snacks Meatrolls – Pumpkin Pasties – Mushroom Straws Desserts Snow White’s Apples – Coraline Button Cookies Marzipan
I’ve got a list going of various fictional beverages. Most of these are drinks I’ll definitely try out sooner or later; I’m trying to focus mostly on books (sorry, no Romulan Ale!), and would love your suggestions, if I’ve left out any awesome drinks! The List: Blue Milk, from Star Wars Islington’s Wine & Serpentine’s
“Anything from the cart, dearies?” –Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, by JK Rowling Thoughts: I had a pretty clear idea of what my version of Pumpkin Pasties should be. And now that it’s autumn, there was simply no resisting the tug of pumpkin-based recipes. More on those to come… These pasties are delicious. Portable,