Breakfast with Jon Snow

“Dolorous Edd made the trek to the kitchens and soon was back with a tankard of brown ale and a covered platter. Under the lid Jon discovered three duck’s eggs fried in drippings, a strip of bacon, two sausages, a blood pudding, and half a loaf of bread still warm from the oven.” (Dance with Dragons)

Jon Snow’s Breakfast

Our Thoughts:

Duck Eggs are delightful.

This is a fairly straightforward breakfast, but one that is unmistakably Northern. Each element of the meal, from the black pudding to the dark ale is heavy, packed with the calories necessary to keep warm and alive on The Wall. The duck eggs are gooey and rich, pairing especially well with the bacon and black pudding, such that despite not being brothers of the Night’s Watch, we cleaned our plates completely.

All in all, we vote this an ideal breakfast if you have planned a day of snowshoeing, winter lumberjacking, or sword fighting in the snow for several hours on end.

Continue reading →

Cream of Wheat with Honey and Butter

Medieval Cream of Wheat

“Or even better, to wake in Castle Black behind the Wall and go to the common room for a bowl of Three-Finger Hobb’s thick cream of wheat, with a big spoon of butter melting in the middle and a dollop of honey besides. Just the thought of it made his empty stomach rumble.” (Storm of Swords)

Modern Cream of Wheat

Our Thoughts

The medieval cream of wheat is incredibly heavy and hearty. The hulled wheat never really loses its structural integrity without going through a sieve, so the texture is more like that of a very creamy pottage. The honey and butter sweeten it just enough for it not to be overwhelming. This recipe will definitely stick to your ribs! The way it comes out is more like a thick cream with the wheatberries, and the stock makes it taste quite nice. It would be best served with a breakfast meat and/or eggs

The modern cream of wheat is much more like what you would buy from the store. It has a smoother texture and the consistency of apple sauce. The reduced milk creates a very sweet flavor when paired with the honey butter, almost too sweet for a breakfast food. The honey butter is divine, and wonderful on an assortment of baked goods!

Continue reading →

Scotch Eggs

“Although I cannot lay an egg, I am a very good judge of omelettes.” -George Bernard Shaw

Scotch Eggs

Our Thoughts

Being great fans of British food, we absolutely love Scotch Eggs. I mean, hardboiled egg, wrapped in sausage, and fried? YES. And when you can use any size egg for these, the options widen considerably. We made bite-sized versions with quail eggs, and nearly ate them all before we got the photographs taken. For an amazing variation, try using white or black pudding instead of regular sausage meat.

Why it should be in the Next Book:

Because it’s decadent, delicious, and entirely in keeping with the food aesthetic in A Song of Ice and Fire. They would be best suited to one of the Northern regions, although now that winter really is coming, they could be tasty anywhere in Westeros.

Continue reading →

Tyrion’s Breakfast at Winterfell

“A servant approached. “Bread,” Tyrion told him, “and two of those little fish, and a mug of that good dark beer to wash them down. Oh, and some bacon. Burn it until it turns black.” ” (Game of Thrones)

Tyrion’s Breakfast at Winterfell

Our thoughts:

Not a bad way to start a day. This is the favorite breakfast of our sous chef, taster cat. He would like it every day.

However, call me traditional, but I really missed the presence of eggs in this breakfast. Bacon is always a sound choice, and the bread is yum, especially combined with butter and honey. The fish didn’t quite hit the mark, though. We would rather a darker, smokier fish that would suit the bacon, rather than such a light, flaky cod. Perhaps even a dried and salted fish? Next time, we might try pairing it with our Traditional Fingerfish…

For a really decadent and true-to-the-books experience, try pairing the breakfast with a dark coffee porter or stout. The beer goes with the medieval setting, while the slight coffee taste appeals to one’s morning psychology.

Make it at Home!

Breakfast in Mereen

“Dany broke her fast under the persimmon tree that grew in the terrace garden… Missandei served her duck eggs and dog sausage, and half a cup of sweetened wine mixed with the juice of a lime. The honey drew flies, but a scented candle drove them off.”

-A Storm of Swords

Breakfast in Mereen

Our Thoughts:

We need a duck. To lay eggs. For us to eat. Because this was one of the most decadent breakfasts we’ve ever encountered. The yolks of these eggs stay creamy even after being hard boiled, and the texture combined with the subtle flavors imparted by its tea-immersion is just wonderful. Then you take a bite of the sausage and get an explosion of meaty, spiced nomminess.

Not feeling all that keen to search out dog sausage, let alone actually eat it, we swapped in some delicious lamb sausage instead. Lamb seems to be nearly everywhere in Westeros and Essos, so it is a reasonable substitute. We wanted the eggs to look exotic, so we used a Chinese technique for tea staining them.

The honey-sweetened wine is a variation on Ancient Roman Mulsum, and is very refreshing and very drinkable on a warm summer morning. The crispness of the drink counters the heaviness of the other elements of the meal, as does the fresh fruit.

Get the recipes in The Cookbook!

Three-finger Hobb’s Breakfast

“Very good, m’lord, only Hobb’s made boiled eggs, black sausage, and apples stewed with prunes this morning. The apples stewed with prunes are excellent, except for the prunes. I never eat prunes myself. Well, there was one time when Hobb chopped them up with chestnuts and carrots and hid them in a hen. Never trust a cook, my lord. They’ll prune you when you least expect it.” -A Dance with Dragons

Three-finger Hobb’s Breakfast

Our Thoughts:

This was a smaller scale, yet immensely satisfying breakfast. The spices in the black pudding perfectly compliment those in the stewed apples, making a bite of the two together something amazing. The egg is the simplest thing on the plate, yet doesn’t seem out of place among the more flavorful elements of the breakfast, instead providing a nice balance for the fruit and meat.

Absolutely a win, and will be a new staple breakfast in our house!

Get the Recipe!

Applecakes

Medieval Applecake

“Jon was breaking his fast on applecakes and blood sausage when Samwell Tarly plopped himself down on the bench. ‘I’ve been summoned to the sept,’ Sam said in an excited whisper. ‘They’re passing me out of training. I’m to be made a brother with the rest of you. Can you believe it?'” -A Game of Thrones

Modern Applecake

Our Thoughts

The clear predecessors of the modern day doughnut, the medieval applecakes are fantastic. Called krapfen in Germany, these fluffy fried morsels are filled with nutty apple goodness.

The modern cakes are essentially apple coffeecake muffins. The crunchiness of the crumble top contrast with the softness of the cake itself. The apples melt as they bake, imbuing the cake with an incredible moistness and apple flavor.

Like Jon Snow, you’ll be hard pressed to eat just one; We’re hard pressed just to pick our favorite.

Both recipes are available in the Cookbook.

Breakfast at Winterfell

“There was much more than she’d asked for: hot bread, butter and honey and blackberry preserves, a rasher of bacon and a soft-boiled egg, a wedge of cheese, a pot of mint tea. And with came Maester Luwin.” -A Game of Thrones

Breakfast at Winterfell

Thoughts:

The continental elegance of the soft boiled egg was a wonderful counterpart to the salty heartiness of the bacon. Likewise, the sweetness of the preserves and honey paired well with the other elements of the meal. It was an interesting textural experience, too. The almost creaminess of the perfectly done soft-boiled egg, the crispiness of the bacon, and the pop of berry seeds all added something to the meal. While it is a fairly hefty meal, the mint tea lightens it more than one would expect, and is the perfect finish to what might be the perfect breakfast.

Bottom line? It’s cold in The North, but this is a great breakfast for any time of year, anywhere.

Make it at Home

« Previous Page