Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Wicca in the Kitchen (25 page)

Chapter Thirty-Three

Beverages

Madeira Quick Amatory Drink

Madeira

Sugar cubes

Orange curacao

To a glass of good quality madeira, add two lumps of sugar and four drops of orange curacao.

Magical uses:
Love.

Apricot Brandy Quick Amatory Drink

Apricot brandy

Add apricot brandy to any drink.

Magical uses:
Love.

The Drunken Pumpkin

1 pumpkin

apple cider

Cranberry juice cocktail

Ginger ale

Rum

Slice off the top of the pumpkin. Scoop out seeds and clean out pumpkin as thoroughly as possible. Pour roughly equal amounts of apple cider, cranberry juice cocktail, ginger ale, and rum into the pumpkin until full. Then pour liquids back out of the pumpkin and into a saucepan. Warm until just boiling. Refill the pumpkin with the liquids and serve immediately.

Scott's note:
Save the seeds, and use in the Roasted Jack-O-Lantern Seed recipe listed in the appetizer chapter on
page 294
.

Magical uses:
Festival food—Halloween/Samhain.

Samhain Cider

3 oranges

3 teaspoons whole cloves

1 gallon apple cider

1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground

1 teaspoon nutmeg, ground

1 cinnamon stick

1 cup orange juice (optional)

Wash the oranges well, then stud them with the cloves. Pour the cider into a large pot and warm over low heat. Add the studded oranges, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cinnamon sticks. Let simmer uncovered for 13 minutes. Add the orange juice, if desired. Serve in mugs.

Yield:
10 servings.

Editor's note:
To stud oranges, first use an ice pick or nutmeg pick to puncture the orange peel. These holes will allow the whole cloves to easily slide into the orange peel.

Magical uses
: Festival food—Halloween/Samhain.

Mulled Wine

This drink is a real “warmer-upper” for a cold Halloween night. Let your adult friends give it a try.

3 bottles red wine

3 oranges

3 teaspoons cloves, whole

1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground

1 teaspoon nutmeg, ground

1 cinnamon stick

1 cup orange juice (optional)

Wash the oranges well, then stud with the cloves. Pour the wine into a pot and warm over low heat. Add the studded oranges, doves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cinnamon stick. Let simmer for 13 minutes. Add the orange juice, if desired. Serve in mugs while warm but not hot.

Yield:
10 servings.

Editor's note:
To stud oranges, first use an ice pick or nutmeg pick to puncture the orange peel. These holes will allow the whole cloves to easily slide into the orange peel.

Magical uses:
Festival food—Halloween/Samhain.

Witches' Brew

This recipe was inspired by a delicious drink, served only during the month of October at the famous Cafe del Rey Morro restaurant at Balboa Park in San Diego, California. This is, at best, an approximation of the original drink.

1 10-ounce tulip glass

Crushed ice

3
⁄
4
ounce light rum

3
⁄
4
ounce dark rum

1
⁄
4
ounce orange curacao

Sweet and sour

2 ounces orange juice

2 ounces pineapple juice

Grenadine

Pineapple wedges (fresh if available)

Maraschino cherries

Toothpicks

Fill the glass with ice. Add the light rum, dark rum, curacao, sweet and sour, orange juice, pineapple juice. Top with a dash of grenadine. To garnish, spear fresh pineapple and red cherries with a toothpick.

Yield:
1 serving.

Magical uses:
Festival food—Halloween/Samhain.

Ginger Tea

Ginger is a wonderfully warm, fragrant spice. It is also a powerful money attractant. The cinnamon boosts the ginger's power. You may wish to try the following recipe.

5 cups water

1
⁄
3
cup fresh ginger root, peeled and thinly sliced

3
⁄
4
cup sugar

1
⁄
2
teaspoon cinnamon, ground

Thinly slice the ginger and add to the water in a large saucepan. Boil for 20 minutes. Strain out the ginger. Add the sugar and cinnamon. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Serve hot in mugs.

Yield:
4 servings.

Magical uses
: Love, money, and success.

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Chapter Thirty-Four

Desserts

Prosperous Banana Fritters

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1
⁄
4
cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

1
⁄
3
cup milk

2 tablespoons melted butter

3 firm bananas

1
⁄
4
cup cornstarch

Cooking oil

1
⁄
2
cup whipped cream

Heat 21 inches of oil in a deep frying skillet to 350°F (177°C). In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Combine egg, milk, and butter in a separate bowl and then add to flour mixture. Mix together until a stiff, smooth batter forms. (If necessary, for dipping consistency add additional milk, sparingly.) Peel and cut each banana into 4 pieces crosswise. Roll each piece in cornstarch. With tongs, dip into fritter batter and coat all sides. Lower bananas gently into cooking oil to avoid splattering. Fry until golden brown, turning often. Serve with whipped cream.

Yield:
3 servings.

Magical uses:
Prosperity.

Pineapple is a symbol of hospitality. It is also a powerful protectant. Combined with rum, its powers are doubled. The following recipes are quite refreshing and are for adults only. Because fresh pineapple can be difficult to prepare, I have included two versions of the recipe. Enjoy!

Tipsy Pineapple

1 fresh whole pineapple

Light rum

Select a pineapple that can stand up by itself. Slice off the top of the pineapple. Using a long, sharp, flexible knife, cut down and around the fruit inside the shell, about
1
⁄
4
inch from the sides. Try to bend the knife when you reach the bottom. If everything goes right, you should be able to lift out the entire inside of the pineapple, leaving the shell intact (you may have to tug a bit). Place the inside pineapple fruit on cutting board. Cut spears from the juicy fruit, removing the woody core. Return the spears to the pineapple. Pour enough of the rum over the fruit to cover. Replace the top of the pineapple. Place in the refrigerator overnight. Serve the next day, chilled, as a refreshing money attractant.

Yield:
4 servings.

Variation:
If you do not wish to cut a fresh pineapple, drain 2 cans pineapple chunks. Place the chunks in a bowl. Pour rum over the fruit to cover. Tightly cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.

Magical uses:
Protection, luck, and money.

Flaming Love

1 whole pineapple (or 2 cans pineapple rings packed in juice)

1
⁄
2
cup butter

1
⁄
2
cup brown sugar

1
⁄
4
cup light rum

Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). If using a fresh pineapple, peel, core, and cut into half-inch rings. Place a single layer of pineapple rings in a shallow baking pan. Dot tops with butter and sprinkle with brown sugar. Place under the broiler until sugar and butter turn a light brown. Gently heat the rum in a small saucepan during the broiling. Remove the pineapple rings from the broiler when done and transfer them to a chaffing dish (or other heat-proof container.) Pour the heated rum over the top and ignite. Serve immediately.

Yield:
4 to 6 servings.

Magical uses:
Protection, luck, and money.

Groundhog Day Cake

Candlemas (Groundhog Day) was in antiquity a time of praying for sun and a speedy end to winter. Today in the United States, Groundhog Day is a time for a popular form of “weather prediction.” The following cake celebrates this holiday.

1
1
⁄
2
cups water

1 cup quick oats, uncooked

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 ounces packaged)

1
1
⁄
2
cups flour

1
1
⁄
2
teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1
1
⁄
2
cups butter, softened

1 cup quick oats, uncooked

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1
⁄
4
cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

Frosting (your choice of flavor)

Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Heat the water in a medium-sized saucepan until boiling. Add the oats and stir. Cover, remove from heat, and let stand for stand 20 minutes. Melt chips over hot, not boiling, water in a double boiler. Stir and set aside. In a small bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Blend the oats and melted chocolate into the creamed mixture. Add flour mixture, blending just until mixed. Pour the batter into a greased and floured 13 x 9 x 1
1
⁄
2
inch pan. Bake for 35–40 minutes. Remove cake from oven. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes, then turn out cake onto a flat surface or serving tray. Cool completely and frost top and sides with frosting of your choice.

Magical uses:
Festival foods—Candlemas/Groundhog Day.

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Chapter Thirty-Five

Main Dishes

M
any types of fish are thought to be particularly suitable to induce love including salmon, mullet, halibut, herring, and anchovies. Lobster shares a similar claim. Here's a simple recipe to prepare virtually any type of fish to taste-tempting perfection.

Mermaid's Love

1 fresh fish fillet (your favorite kind)

3 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, sliced salt

pepper

Preheat oven to 350°F (
177°C)
. Place fresh fish fillet on a large square of aluminum foil. Dot fish with butter and top with onion slices. Season with salt and pepper. Fold up the aluminum foil and seal. Bake 12 minutes or until done.

Magical uses:
Love.

For untold centuries, humans have searched for foods, potions, and exotic materials that would stir love or excite the erotic senses. In this 4,000-year quest, several foods have been found to have a greater effect than others.

Love Pie

1 dozen first-quality oysters

1 steak, trimmed and cut into 1-inch-wide strips

Butter

Flour

3
⁄
4
cup beef bouillon

1
⁄
2
cup water

2 tablespoons cornstarch (optional)

1 pie crust

2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Cut oysters in half. Place each half in a strip of trimmed steak, add a pat of butter, and roll the steak around the oyster. Coat each roll with flour. Place in a pie pan. Pour beef bouillon and water over oyster/steak rolls. Cover with pie crust. Slit crust top to allow steam to escape. Brush crust with milk. Bake for 1
1
⁄
2
hours.

Yield:
6 servings.

Editor's note:
For a thicker pie sauce, mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch into the water and bouillon and then pour the liquid over the oyster/steak rolls.

Magical uses:
Love.

Teriyaki Steak on Stakes

For nonvegetarians, beef represents one of the most effective protective foods available. The following recipe deliciously takes advantage of this energy, and boosts it with the added power of garlic.

2 pounds sirloin steak

1
⁄
2
cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon sherry

3 tablespoons sugar

1
⁄
8
teaspoon powdered ginger

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

Skewers

Diagonally cut steak into 2 x 1 x
1
⁄
4
inch strips. Combine the soy sauce, sherry, sugar, ginger, and garlic. Stir well. Pour over steak strips and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Thread the meat slices on skewers. Grill or broil for 5 minutes or until done.

Yield: 48 skewers.

Magical uses: Protection.

Witches' Halloween Pie

The following is a variation on the classic English dish, shepherd's pie. This version is named Witches' Halloween pie, and it is certainly appropriate for Halloween night.

1
1
⁄
2
cups charmed potatoes (see
page 319
)

1 egg

1
⁄
4
cup butter, melted

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 pound chopped steak

1
⁄
2
cup beef gravy (fresh or canned)

1
⁄
4
cup beef bouillon

1 bay leaf

2 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Salt

Pepper

Prepare mashed potatoes as in Charmed Potatoes
(
page 319
) except add one beaten egg during the mashing process. Set aside. In a saucepan, sauté the onion and garlic in 1 tablespoon of the butter until light brown. Add the chopped steak and cook, stirring often, until done. Stir into the saucepan the gravy, bouillon, bay leaf, parsley, and Worcestershire sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn out into a lightly greased 1
1
⁄
2
-quart casserole dish. Spread the mashed potatoes on top of the mixture. Brush with the remaining melted butter. Bake in a 400°F (202°C) oven for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are light brown. Serve hot.

Yield:
6 servings.

Magical uses:
Festival food—Halloween/Samhain.

Cozido

This traditional recipe was originated by the Witches who live in the Basque area of Spain.

3 pounds beef rump or round, cut into cubes

4 quarts water

1 pound ham

1 large onion, quartered

3 tomatoes, peeled and quartered (or 1 cup canned, drained)

3 turnips, peeled and quartered

4 carrots, peeled and sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

1 pound garlic-seasoned smoked sausage

1 medium cabbage, cored, and cut into wedges

4 cups turnip greens, coarsely chopped

4 medium potatoes, peeled and halved

1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

Place the beef in a very large pot with the water. Heat to boiling and remove the frothy residue from the water. Reduce heat and cook, covered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add ham, onion, tomatoes, turnips, carrots, garlic, bay leaf, parsley, salt, and pepper. Cook covered for another hour, stirring occasionally. In the meantime, fry the sausage. Drain sausage and add the cabbage, turnip greens, potatoes, and chickpeas. Add this mixture to the soup pot mixture. Simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes or until tender.

Yield:
6 servings.

Magical uses:
Festival food—Halloween/Samhain.

Chicken Halloween

This recipe supposedly tastes best when it's cooked outdoors in a cauldron over a roaring fire. Considering what your neighbors might think of this, your own kitchen will suffice.

1 whole chicken, cut up

8 cups water

2 bay leaves

1 medium onion, chopped

3 slices of bacon, cooked, chopped

6 sausages (1
1
⁄
2
inch long, with skin on)

1 stalk celery

Salt

Pepper

1
⁄
2
cups uncooked rice

Add chicken, water, bay leaves, onion, bacon, sausage, celery, salt, and pepper to a 6-quart pot. Cook about 1 hour or until chicken is tender, stirring occasionally. Drain broth into a bowl and set aside. Debone the chicken. Return chicken to pot. Add the rice and 3
1
⁄
2
cups of your freshly made chicken broth. Cover and cook another
1
⁄
2
hour.

Yield:
6 servings.

Magical uses
: Festival food—Halloween/Samhain.

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