Preview The Official Game of Thrones Cookbook “by” Maester Alton
By Dan Selcke
George R.R. Martin’s minions are previewing a new piece of Game of Thrones merchandise over on the author’s Not a Blog: The Official Game of Thrones Cookbook.
Like Martin’s book Fire & Blood, The Official Game of Thrones Cookbook is “written” by an in-universe character, in this case Maester Alton, who is described as “a curious, food-obsessed Citadel master who loves the fare of the highborn and small folk alike.” He’s the Julia Child of Westeros, and he’ll be sharing his knowledge with you come next summer.
The Not a Blog entry comes complete with a recipe for Highgarden Dumplings, which serves 40 and take 60 minutes to prepare between prep and cooking. You can see the whole recipe on Martin’s blog, complete with instructions. Personally, I really like the flavor text written by Maester Alton. This books commits to the gimmick:
Nowhere in the Seven Kingdoms can boast such rich harvests or such flavorful produce as the Reach. Perhaps there is some truth to the legends of Garth Greenhand and his agrarian powers, but more likely the fertility of the lands around Highgarden can be attributed to the more mundane properties of its soil and geography. Regardless, so great is the bounty of the Reach that without its exports, much of Westeros would go hungry. One happy consequence of these plentiful harvests is that cooks and farmwives throughout the region are endlessly dreaming up new ways to employ their bounty.
One of my favorite dishes, rarely seen anywhere but the south, is a small dumpling made with either squash or beetroot. The recipe is straightforward: the vegetables are roasted until soft, then blended with flour and an egg to make a dough that can be cut small and boiled. The resulting bite-size dumplings are soft and a little chewy. Sauced with butter, herbs, and cheese, it’s a memorable combination that plates beautifully for honored guests.
HBO ramps up for House of the Dragon season 2 with new merch
As mentioned, The Official Game of Thrones Cookbook comes out next summer. That happens to be the same time when the second season of House of the Dragon premieres on HBO and Max.
I don’t think that’s a coincidence. We’ve gotten word of several pieces of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon merch coming out around this time, including a House of the Dragon coloring book and House of the Dragon tarot deck. I’m guessing that HBO and Martin are preparing for a surge of interest in all things Westeros.
That said, if you’re here for fantasy cookbooks specifically, you won’t have to wait for summer to get your hands on one:
Next. The Witcher Official Cookbook is a charming culinary journey across the Continent. dark
To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.
Get HBO, Starz, Showtime and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels