Fun Fact: I actually don’t like fish, but this lovely recipe is the exception to the rule—I’m crazy about it!
I also think the Babel fish is one of the coolest creatures in Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. What’s more clever than a little fish that translates alien languages for you? Therefore, it seemed only right to include a tribute to the Babel fish in our Hitchhiker menu.
Happy May Day, everybody! It is with great pleasure that I introduce our new Book of the Month (and first sci-fi pick): The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy! This is easily one of my favorite books. It’s quirky, original, yet sometimes profound. And since May 25th is Towel Day, I knew this month was the perfect time to feature a Hitchhiker’s Guide menu. Let’s get started!
Man oh man, I had so much fun developing this recipe! Harry Potter features so many fantastic foods, but butterbeer is by far one of my favorites. It’s incredibly versatile–I’ve seen butterbeer cupcakes, cookies, and ice cream all over Pinterest. My original plan was to make butterbeer cupcakes, like those made by The Curvy Carrot, but since I recently made cupcakes for Alice in Wonderland, I decided to try a different route. The goal: something classically British that still captured the essence of butterbeer. And what’s more classically British than trifle? 😉
So often I feel like we overlook side dishes as an opportunity for creativity. I’ll admit, I’m the queen of zapping frozen peas in the microwave and calling it done. But since this dish was going to represent all the magical goodness that is Harry Potter, I felt honor-bound to push my boundaries and turn a simple soup into something special. Luckily, I think I succeeded!
When I decided to do a Harry Potter menu, I knew I wanted to feature at least one recipe from the Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook. It has the most iconic Harry Potter foods (pumpkin juice, cauldron cakes, etc.), but it also has some lesser-known Potter recipes. I’ve spent ages drooling over the recipes in this book, and now is the perfect time to break one out! The scotch collops (aka pan-seared steak with mushrooms and onions) stood out to me from the rest. This is the dish that Harry, Hermione, and Ron are eating at the start-of-term feast when they find out all the food is made by Hogwarts house-elves. As you may recall, Hermione stops eating in protest, but the boys have no problem finishing their steak. After tasting it myself, I have to say, I’m on Harry and Ron’s side. 😉
Welcome to our new Book of the Month! I’ve been looking forward to doing Harry Potter for a long time. I love the books, so it was really important to me that this menu do them justice. Several drafts later, I’m proud to say I’ve planned a menu that I think even Snape would be unable to resist; it’s fun, magical, and (of course) incredibly tasty. So let’s get started!
Today, we reach the end of our Hobbit journey. It’s been a fun ride: we’ve shared nut bread with Beorn the bear-man, supped on woodland fowl with the elves, and even had escargot with the friendly thrush. But the party ain’t over yet–we haven’t even had dessert! Luckily, Smaug’s been kind enough to provide it for us.
Please forgive my Pi Day ADD from last week. I promise to never deviate from the pre-determined menu again…unless of course it’s for something super awesome. Like Halloween. Or the Fourth of July. Or Bring Your Potted Plant To Work Day…which I’m sure is a holiday somewhere.
I must confess, I’ve never been a huge fan of elves. Elegance and refinement aren’t really my thing (for more information, see last week’s post on the awesomeness of dwarves). However, I have profound respect for the elves’ ability to throw a party. While trekking through Mirkwood Forest, Bilbo and the dwarves stumble upon an elvish feast complete with music, dancing, and (of course) buckets of food.
Personally, I’ve always felt like dwarves from fantasy books don’t get enough press. They’re fearless, rowdy, and unabashedly hairy. What’s not to love? But when it comes to culinary appreciation, you can’t beat a hobbit. I mean, we’re talking about a race of people who schedule their entire day around six meals. Talk about folks after my own heart! Thus, it is with great excitement that I introduce The Hobbit as our new Book of the Month!