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This Book Makes Me Cook : Harry Potter Special

We are having a magical month at This Book Makes Me Cook. September is Harry Potter Special, and we have decided to create a recipe based on our favorite harry potter book. I so completely love the world Rowling has created in her seven books. But the magic starts wearing off just a little bit in her later ones, so I always enjoy the first three books in the series the most.

And my top favorite; that has to be the very first one. When a common little boy enters the magic castle and meets the half-giant Hagrid, the old wizard Dumbledore and (my favorite) the sorting hat. Oh! I completely love the first time Diagon Alley opens to show her wares to Harry, that first trip across the barrier to Platform 9 3/4, the first boat ride to the magical world that is Hogwarts.

If you have been following my trip to London these past days, you probably know already that I am far away from my kitchen and unable to cook. Which makes me sad because I would have so liked to create something from the feasts at Hogwarts. Instead, what I have today is my top five foods from the Harry Potter Series :

1. Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans : Every flavor, literally!

2. Treacle Tart : I always thought treacle's an ameoba, but it's actually a molasses like syrup that makes this delicious tart.

3. Mint Humbugs and Sherbet Lemons : Dumbledore's favorties

4. Foaming mugs of hot butterbeer

5. Hagrid's rock cakes : No one really likes them, but good to know they are there.

To bring this magic home, I am going to tell you how to get at least two of these five. For Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, head to the confectionary store within Harrods (that of the chocolate bar a couple of posts back). The jelly beans counter there has tens of jars all ready to dispense whatever flavor you want to eat. Some pretty unusual ones are there too!



You can also get traditional English sweets, mint humbugs and sherbet lemons included, at Harrods. But the best place to buy them is a tiny shop in a little nook of the very pretty Covent Garden Market. They have most English traditional sweets known to man, and you can mix-and-match to your heart's content.



Now, while I have to make do with these store bought substitutes, there are other members of the book club hard at work recreating the Harry Potter Magic. Some new members too this month!

Siri made the very English Crumpets.

Aparna continues the English tradition with her Vegetarian Shepherds Pie.

Foody Guru brings the christmas magic alive with her Christmas Pudding.

Rachel made Harry's favorite Treacle Tarts.

And Bhags, the original brain behind This Book Makes Me Cook, has come out of her exile to write about Harry Potter too.

The school stories continue at This Book Makes Me Cook for another month. For October, we are reading "The Naughtiest Girl in the School", a 1940s boarding school story by Enid Blyton. If you would like to join us, do leave a comment here and I will get back with details.
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Comments

notyet100 said…
i have read naughtiest gorl in school,..love all the enid blyton books,..will be busy with packin and all,,..if i get time will sure try to prepare omething for the event...do share some pics,..of london,...hppy holidays..ceeya...:-)
September 28, 2008 at 1:38 PM
Jayashree said…
I love the entire Harry potter series....am waiting to see what everybody cooks up.
September 28, 2008 at 3:08 PM
Sunshinemom said…
Simran, I am so sorry - I completely forgot about Potter! Son and I were trying to outdo each other reading Lemny Snicket! He is ahead - just finished the third one:) Let me see about the Naughtiest girl - comparatively easy, and I loved Elizabeth:)
September 28, 2008 at 3:39 PM
Siri said…
Hope your trip is going well Simran..:) I made some yummy crumpets, for the first time..they came out so well! will post them in a while...:)

Hugs,
Siri
September 29, 2008 at 3:01 AM
bha said…
Came here after a while.....so u in London and we also are doing all English, first with Harry and now with Ms Blyton.....have a nice trip and promise to catch up when u r back.

P.S. I acted against the Impendimenta curse and posted.......:)
September 29, 2008 at 11:38 AM
FewMinute Wonders said…
Hi simran,

HAve a wonderful trip and enjoy. Made some christmas pudding and tasted it for the first time. Tasted to me like a plum cake that we used to have.
September 29, 2008 at 9:07 PM
Indranee Batabyal said…
Wish you happy holidays...have a nice trip and do post pictures when you return.
October 1, 2008 at 12:49 PM
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