Relish of Carrots, Raisins, and bits of Lime & Orange, to be served over Capon

““How far have we come?” the dwarf asked him as they stuffed themselves with cold capon and a relish made of carrots, raisins, and bits of lime and orange.” -A Dance with Dragons

Modern Relish

Our Thoughts:

Capon is just subtly different enough from chicken to give this meal a slightly foreign feel. Because of the higher fat content, capon is generally richer and a bit more decadent than your average hen.

I poked around for several months for a suitable historical recipe, but came up short. It seems this is one of those recipes that, like Athena, sprang fully formed from GRRM’s head. And since the modern version was so surprisingly yummy, I’ve left it at that.

The modern relish has a nice crunchy texture, The citrus is the first taste to hit your tongue, followed by the fast tang of the vinegar, then finishes with the carrots and raisins. The carrots stay crunchy, vying for texture with the tender raisins. When paired with a bite of the capon, the combination is excellent, entirely gobbleable.

It’s equally delicious served hot from the oven, or as cold leftovers, as described in the book.

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Stuffed Green Peppers

“Seven courses were served, in honor of the seven gods and the seven brothers of the Kingsguard. The soup was made with eggs and lemons, the long green peppers stuffed with cheese and onions.” -A Dance with Dragons

Modern Stuffed Peppers

Thoughts:

Because this is a Dornish dish, we decided to use “fiery” green peppers. We didn’t have much luck finding an older recipe, but would be delighted to add it if we do!

The modern peppers are a mouth-watering explosion of hot peppers and cheese, deliciously textured by the cornflake topping. One of our taste-testers commented that we had accidentally stumbled on the best Jalapeno poppers he had ever had, but that they really needed a dipping sauce to round out the flavors. We agreed. Because poppers are usually served thus, we raided our freezer and heated some marinara. Dipped, the peppers were easily twice as delicious.

The dish is the perfect appetizer for a modern take on a Dornish dinner.

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Biscuits and Bacon

“Ysilla was turning the biscuits. She laid an iron pan atop the brazier and put the bacon in. Some days she cooked biscuits and bacon; some days bacon and biscuits. Once every fortnight there might be a fish, but not today… They were best when eaten hot, dripping with honey and butter.” (Dance with Dragons)

Modern Biscuits and Bacon (Gravy!)

Our Thoughts:

Omdanom.

We hate to admit it, but some dishes really are just better now than they ever were. We struggled and struggled to find a cool, interesting old recipe for biscuits and bacon, and failed to find anything the least bit appetizing. The closest historical equivalent would probably be hardtack and salt pork, both of which were available on ships.

However, our modern biscuit and bacon gravy is a simply decadent and delicious way to start the day. The recipe is straightforward, but results in a thick, salty gravy filled with bits of crunchy bacon. Served over biscuits, or in them, as Tyrion does, it’s delicious, and even vaguely feasible for a shipboard breakfast!

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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.

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Honey Spiced Locusts

“Hizdahr had stocked their box with flagons of chilled wine and sweetwater, with figs, dates, melons, and pomegranates, with pecans and peppers and a big bowl of honeyed locusts. Strong Belwas bellowed, “Locusts!” as he seized the bowl and began to crunch them by the handful.” (Dance with Dragons)

Our Thoughts:

The things we do for food…

As soon as we read the description of honey-spiced locusts in Dance, we knew we had to rise to the challenge.

This Volantene recipe results in a sweet & spicy, super crunchy snack that is surprisingly good. It takes a bit of psychological adjustment to get over the idea of eating bugs, but the novelty and brag-factor makes it well worth the effort. Underlying the more familiar tastes of honey and spice is the real flavor of the crickets- a sort of smoky nuttiness that takes several bites to savor.

We dared to try it. Do you?

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Melon and Hard Cooked Eggs

“But the only sound was the wind in the fruit trees, and the only creatures in the gardens were a few pale moths. Missandei returned with a melon and a bowl of hard-cooked eggs, but Dany found she had no appetite.” (Dance with Dragons)

Roman Melon and Boiled Tea Eggs

Our Thoughts:

We paired a Roman recipe for melons with a previously successful recipe for tea eggs. The result is a very quirky, flavorful light breakfast, full of unexpected tastes. The sweetness of the melon competes with the spicy, peppery sauce, finishing with just the slightest tang of vinegar and mint. The eggs are a subtle experience, dark and smoky with a great spiced flavor. If you can come by duck eggs, they up the ante on this dish, but it’s also wonderful made with chicken eggs.

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Black Cherries in Sweet Cream

“Illyrio smiled as his serving men spooned out bowls of black cherries in sweet cream for them both.” (Dance with Dragons)

Black Cherries in Sweet Cream

Our Thoughts:

This is an easy dessert with a serious wow factor. I mean, have you seen that photo?

I would totally eat this dessert.

In fact, I did.

The cream isn’t too sweet, allowing the slight tartness of the cherries to come through. The pop of the cherries melts into the texture of the cream, leaving just a hint of purple swirl in the bottom of the bowl. It’s so good you may have to lick your bowl…

For an even more decadent dining experience, leave the stems on the cherries. Dip them into a dish of sweet cream, and gently eat them one at a time like a Roman Emperor. Magister Illyrio would be proud.

Get the recipes for the Sweet Cream in the Cookbook, and make it at home!

Rich Beet Soup

Modern Beet Soup

“Sweet beets were grown in profusion hereabouts, and were served with almost every meal. The Volantenes made a cold soup of them, as thick and rich as purple honey.” -A Dance with Dragons

Thoughts:

The Roman recipe is the stranger of the two, and more rustic. The vegetables, especially the leeks, don’t quite puree completely down, giving the soup a hearty texture with an earthy taste.

The modern version is more familiar to many, as it’s basically a borscht. It’s simple, wholesome, hearty, with a lovely smooth texture. This soup showcases all the best aspects of root vegetables. yum.

The winner? The beauty alone of these soups make them worth a try. However, the wonderful earthiness of the Roman recipe can’t quite beat out the overall winning qualities of the modern dish. Some things just improve over time!

Recipes available in the Cookbook.

Operation Keep George Fed!

“I am a very talented eater, though not much of a cook.” -George RR Martin

Alright folks. It is now July, and the official release date for Dance with Dragons is quickly approaching. On July 12th, George RR Martin begins his book signing tour, right outside Boston.

To show our appreciation for all George’s hard work, we are planning to pack a basket of Westerosi goodies for the first signing, in Burlington MA. We’re putting out a call for other fans to make up baskets of edibles for George as he tours the country, so that he can really get a great taste of the world he has shared with all of us.

So, if you want to be a star and support George, as well as your favorite Westeros food blog, let us know, so we can put you on the schedule!

**We recommend making small portioned dishes, such as mini pies, and foods that can be transported easily. Baskets or boxes should be smallish, with just a few foods. Please don’t try to bring a whole honeyed chicken or roasted aurochs to a book signing! We are also affixing labels to everything, as well, so George can tell what he’s eating. :) **

Get the tour details here: http://sf-fantasy.suvudu.com/2011/06/on-tour-george-r-r-martin.html?ref=twt_Suvudu_stream

Tuesday, July 12 – Burlington, MA
7:00pm – Barnes & Noble, 98 Middlesex Turnpike

Chelsea and Sariann– lemoncakes, pork pies, cheese and olives, mulling spices

Thursday, July 14 – New York, NY
7:00pm – Barnes & Noble Union Square, 33 East 17th Street

Oshidori- Beef-and-Bacon (mini)Pie, Salad in Castle Black, Tyroshi Honeyfingers and Plum Wine

Saturday, July 16 – Indianapolis, IN
2:00pm – Barnes & Noble, 14709 US Highway 31 North, Carmel

Kristin– mini modern cheese-and-onion pies, mini fruit tarts, local mead

Sunday, July 24 – San Diego, CA
4:00pm – Mysterious Galaxy, 7051 Clairemont Mesa Blvd

Jason- assorted Dornish goodies

Tuesday, July 26 – Los Angeles, CA
7:00pm – Barnes & Noble, 189 The Grove Drive

Jack- assorted goodies

Wednesday, July 27 – Redwood City, CA
7:00pm – Fox Theatre, 2223 Broadway Street (event hosted by Kepler’s Books)

Friday, July 29 – Seattle, WA
7:30pm – Town Hall, 1119 8th Ave (event hosted by University Bookstore)

Philip- assorted goodies

Adrienne & Kia- Baked goods

Sunday, July 31 – Denver, CO

2:00pm – Tattered Cover LoDo, 1628 16th Street

Amanda– Honeyed-chicken-in-a-hand-pie-of-some-kind, some local beer, oatcakes, and pease pudding.

Mystral- Lemoncakes

Tuesday, August 2 – Lexington, KY
7:00pm – Joseph-Beth Booksellers, 161 Lexington Green Cir.