Super fun book

The recipes are very clever, and I can’t wait to try them. The presentation in the pictures is wonderful making this a great source of ideas for Halloween entertainment. ( )

Super fun book

The recipes are very clever, and I can’t wait to try them. The presentation in the pictures is wonderful making this a great source of ideas for Halloween entertainment. ( )

Are you in search of a good dish to serve a visiting witch or wizard? Perhaps you are planning a cosplay party? Maybe you just want to set a magical table. Then The Wizard’s Cookbook by Aurelia Beaupommier is a must-have book for you. With recipes including such delights as “Brochettes of Finely Chopped Enemies” and “Children en Croûte” there’s something here from every witch, wizard and other magical beings.

An offhand comment and some witty comebacks inspired this unique and special book. It showcases what you might find on the table of some of the magical entities of legend and fiction. The digital version of the book was the first thing I got my hands on. I was immediately in love with the look and concept of the book. When the hard copy finally arrived I was blown away by how incredible the book is in person.

Starting with “My Who’s Who of Sorcerers”, you get a description of the beings who inspired the recipes and recipe page references. Don’t worry, this is not some lame copy/paste compilation of recipes from books that happen to have magical characters. The recipes here are the product of extensive research into the magical beings and the universes they inhabit. While the author who wrote the original character(s) didn’t write these recipes, it is easy to believe the magical beings in question using them.

Categories

Magical Food for Everyday
Feasts for Special Days
Marvelous Snacks and Sweets
Bewitching Potions
While flipping through the book you feel like you are indeed looking at a witch’s spell book or grimoire. The recipes have lovely little graphic drawings to set the scene. The font and everything else about the book, screams otherworldly, magical entity. The beautiful full-color pictures of many of the recipes are staged with appropriately bizarre props. The level of detail throughout sets the tone beautifully.

Some Substitutions Required

The preparation time, resting time, cooking time, etc. are included in all of the recipes, which is invaluable. And while each recipe is easy to follow, some substitutions may still be required. I have personally found it difficult to source the “meat of a freshly executed hippogriff”. Therefore you are recommended to exchange hippogriff for ostrich meat. For some bizarre reason, cooking infants is generally frowned upon in my neck of the woods. Hense, the book generously suggests substituting veal roast in the “Children en Croûte” recipe. And you may find it difficult to come upon the required amount of Smurfs for the “Molecularized Smurf Spaghetti”, substitutions are available for that as well.

Several of the influencing characters I had not ever heard of before. The Bibliography at the end of the book was consequently particularly welcome, I used it to create a reading list.

While this is not the recipe book you might find in Gordon Ramsay’s library (I’m assuming), you will find it forever in mine. If the publisher’s hadn’t sent the hard copy, Husband would be hitting the book stores come its September 5th release date. In all, this is a must-have book for anyone who enjoys a good wizardry read.

The full review includes a recipe for the “Poisoned Apple”, straight from the classic Snow White tale and can be viewed online at RecipesNow! The Reviews and Recipes Magazine.

This review is in response to a hard copy of the book sent to me by the publishers in return for an honest review. ( )