Following on from the success of her recent Twilight-themed cookbook Love at First Bite, Gina Meyers pleases Harry Potter fans with From Muggles to Magic - a cookbook inspired by the Harry Potter story.
She tells us about the inspiration behind the book and gives us a glimpse into some of the recipes included.
Muggles to Magic Features Recipes Inspired by the Harry Potter Series and its Characters
For the Harry Potter fan, this unofficial cookbook has plenty to help satisfy even the heartiest of appetites. From rock cakes and butterbeer to Hagrid's Hearty Potatoes au Gratin and Potter Stew there are light snacks, sweet treats and main meals all with the magical Harry Potter theme. There's also a Frog's Eye Salad, which is sure to feed children's imaginations as much as their stomachs.
Gina tells us that she drew on a wide range of resources to create recipes for the book. "The recipes came from my own personal collection, from friends, and from my children and myself experimenting in the kitchen." And the work that went on behind the scenes to create the recipes was very much a family affair. "My seven year old son Lucas helped cook a pumpkin, degut and puree. My fourteen year old daughter Lauren made cream puffs from scratch and set up a food photo shoot for the cream puffs and shepherds pie."
The Inspiration for the Book Came From a Routine Phone Call
But why did Gina decide to write a cookery book based on Harry Potter? "I realised after the success of Love at First Bite; The Unofficial Twilight Cookbook, that there were many fans interested in magic," she explains. But she revealed that the real push to write the book came during a routine phone call in October 2010. "It struck me like a lightning bolt," she says.
"My husband, myself and our two children headed to LA to say 'hi' to some of our Bewitched TV friends, Erin Murphy (Tabitha), twins David and Greg Lawrence (Adam Stephens) and to meet Barbara Eden. I called the hotel in Burbank to check on our room reservations and the hotel attendant picked up the phone and read out my reservation. She paused, then laughed, then told me her thoughts. She said 'right before you called I was thinking of the lady that wrote the Harry Potter series and how she was poor and became rich. I wish this for you!'"
"Before that phone call," Gina explains, "I hadn't seriously thought of doing a Harry Potter cookbook, but after that phone call I felt compelled."
With the wide range of recipes in From Muggles to Magic, it will appeal not only to fans of Harry Potter but to families wanting to add some magic to their weekly meals, or even plan for a Halloween or Harry Potter themed party. For more information on this and the other themed cookbooks, visit Gina Meyers' website.
Sources
- Anecdotes told to the author by Gina Meyers, July 2011.
- Gina Meyers website, accessed 8th July 2011.
Jo Romero - Jo is a Freelance Food Writer, Food Blogger and Restaurant Reviewer, based in the UK. Visit her profile to find out more.
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