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aesethewitch · 6 months

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Learning to Cook Like a Witch: From Recipe to Spell

Cooking and spellwork have a lot in common. Just as a witch might craft a spell from disparate odds and ends, so too might a cook create a meal. It's not such a jump to consider that any food, no matter how simple, can become a spell.

In my practice, the thing that differentiates a mundane action from a magical action is the doing. If I'm doing something just to do it, it may have a magical effect. But if I do the same thing with the understanding that it may have that magical effect, it will have that effect.

Therefore, to go from recipe to spell is a simple act: Cook with purpose. The particulars are a bit more involved, of course, as most things often are as you become more advanced.

You have to know what your ingredients are for. When cooking, you can't just throw things together and expect them to taste good with no technique or thought. What does a particular ingredient add to the mixture? Is it for flavor? Does it add or change the texture? Does it bind the other ingredients together or provide a base to be added to?

The same idea applies to spellcrafting. You can't just throw random things together and expect it to work. There has to be a pattern, an understanding, a purpose to what you include. If your materials don't apply to your goal, how on earth will they work?

Success in spellwork comes from the intersection of purposeful doing and appropriate material selection -- just like in successful cooking.

The art of taking a recipe and turning it into a spell is rather simple when it comes down to it. It requires two fundamental cooking skills:

Recipe reading and comprehension

Understanding how and when to make substitutions

If you'd like the food you make to still taste good, as well, you have to also understand what various ingredients taste like. Rosemary and mint might both be good for cleansing or purification, but they taste so vastly different that replacing one with the other will wildly alter your food.

You've got to choose wisely and within the bounds of your tastebuds. Cooking up magic is no good if you can't eat what you make!

If you'd like to read the extended version of this post, including an inside look at my method for turning recipes into spells and an exclusive recipe, check out my Ko-Fi! For as low as a one-time contribution of $1, you can get extended and early access to my work.

Or, if you'd like me to take a recipe of your choice and turn it into a spell or write you a recipe spell from scratch, I offer commissions!

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vyncentevelyn · 6 months

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“Fuck…” Astarion mumbled, putting his hands on his hips, and staring at the ingredients in front of him. What the fuck was he doing? Had he ever actually cooked anything? Certainly not in the last 200 years, but before that…

He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. This was pointless. He should walk away from all of this and count his losses before anyone…

“Oh, hello there.” Gale’s voice sounded behind him, “I didn’t expect to find you here considering your condition.”

“The same could be said about you, Gale.” Astarion sighed, his thoughts flitting through the multitude of excuses he could use as to why he was here but none of them sounded believable.

“Well, I still eat food. Especially since Elminster visited. And aside from that, I always cook.” Gale said.

Astarion could hear Gale approach and just stood there like an idiot. Frozen to the spot staring down at his haphazard ingredients for the recipe he did not know. Gale stood beside him and looked at the tabletop.

“Hmmm.” Gale muttered.

Astarion dropped his shoulders, “What Gale? Just say it.”

“It’s just curious. What were you planning on making with horseradish, a fish head, a carrot, and,” he picked up the last ingredient, “hmm…this is a rock Astarion.”

Astarion’s blood runs cold, naturally, but at this moment it felt as if his blood had caught fire. He blinked as Gale stared back at him; the rock still clutched in his hand. Astarion swallowed and then finally muttered, “I thought it was a potato.”

“I see.” Gale replied, still watching him with those deep brown eyes.

“This!” Astarion hissed throwing his arms up and taking a step away from the table, “This is stupid!”

Gale tilted his head and raised his eyebrows, “There is nothing stupid in wanting to learn a new skill. No, no, no.” He shook his head, “You just need a good teacher, you have the initiative, and that, Astarion, is half the battle. Luckily for you, I happen to be an excellent cook and an even better teacher – if I do say so myself.”

Astarion frowned. A part of him wanted to walk out and ignore the wizard. The other part though wanted to learn…wanted to succeed…

“Now, what were you trying to make?” Gale asked looking back at the ingredients, minus the rock which he tossed over his shoulder.

“I…” Astarion hesitated, “Iseult is sick…and she needs to eat.”

The answer hung heavy between the two men. Gale nodded slowly but his focus remained on the table, “I am aware.”

“I thought it would be nice, since she feeds me, if I fed her given that she is unwell.” Astarion said, hoping his tone sounded as nonchalant as he intended.

“That,” Gale started, his usually pompous cherry tone missing from his voice before he paused but when he started talking again his typical inflection returned, “that is a very nice thing to do. And I think I have a recipe we could make to help achieve this goal.”

Astarion blinked, “You do?”

“I think I do, granted it will not include rocks,” he looked up with a teasing grin on his face, “but it will rock.”

Astarion closed his eyes, “That was terrible Gale.”

“It was fantastic, and you know it.”

“What are we making Gale?”

“Soup.”

Astarion opened his eyes and met Gale’s gaze. Gale winked and picked up the carrot and the horseradish, “Are you ready to learn?”

Astarion sighed and rolled his eyes up to the sky, “Let’s get this over with.”

Iseult looked up miserably from her bed roll. Astarion stood in the tent’s doorway carrying a tray.

He studied her with those mesmerizing ruby eyes and let out an exaggerated sigh, “You look like shit.”

Iseult smiled, “Aw, you missed me.”

Astarion said nothing but placed the tray down by her bedroll before sitting cross legged beside her. Iseult sat up slowly and looked at the tray. A bowl of soup, a plate with a chunk of bread, and a glass of water sat on the tray beside a wilting daisy. Iseult looked at the vampire, but he refused to meet her gaze and just gestured to the tray, “You need to eat.”

“You made me soup…” Iseult’s voice was soft.

“I can’t have my favorite vintage killing over.” Astarion offered.

Iseult cradled the bowl in her hand and took a bite of soup. It was spicy and warm, potato and carrot with a hint of something hot. It was delicious. She put the spoon down and looked over at Astarion, “This is delicious. You did a great job.”

“Thank you. I, uh, I just learned how to make it.” He fiddled with the leather strap on the bed roll as he mumbled, “Gale taught me.”

“Really?” Iseult tried to keep the shock out of her tone, but she could tell from Astarion’s face she had failed.

“Yes,” he leaned back on his arms and looked up at the tent’s canvas, “yes. That damn wizard must poke his nose into everything.”

Iseult smiled, “Well, I appreciate you both. Thank you.”

As she took another bite, she noticed Astarion studying her in her peripherals.

“You like it?” He asked.

She nodded as she put the bowl down on the tray. She tore a chunk of bread and dipped it into the soup before popping it into her mouth. Then she turned and looked at him, “You are a magnificent cook.”

That devilish smirk pulled at his mouth, “Magnificent?”

“And clever.” Iseult replied.

“And?” He asked sitting up.

“And sweet.”

“Sweet? I’m not sure that’s the right adjective, darling.”

“You brought me a flower. You made me soup because I’m sick even though you had to work with Gale. You are caring.”

“Mmm.” His voice was hoarse, and he leaned into her space, “Tell me I’m beautiful.”

She leaned forward, dropping her weight onto her left hand so that her neck became bared to him. She whispered in his ear, “You are beautiful, Astarion.”

“And you,” Astarion whispered back, sending chills down Iseult’s spine, “are a damn tease. Put your neck away my dear, I will not be feeding on you while you have a fever.”

He leaned away, a smirk still in play. His eyes flashing between hers and the bare skin of her neck.

“Can you even get sick?” Iseult asked as she sat back. She tore another piece of bread and dipped it into the soup.

“In a sense.” Astarion said, turning his attention to the nails on his left hand.

Iseult swallowed, “Explain.”

He rolled his eyes, “It’s all so boring.”

“Nothing is boring to me when it concerns you.” she said, before taking a drink of water her eyes focused on his face.

He studied her for a second before saying, “If your blood is tainted with like poison or if you’re drugged or drunk, that could affect me. But I can’t catch your cold.”

“Then I can still feed you, if you want.” Iseult shrugged.

He leaned forward and looked her dead in the eyes, “I’m not making you worse. You’re keeping your blood until you are better.”

Iseult nodded; her eyes wide as she stared back at Astarion.

He returned to his original position, “Good. Now eat. I’ll be sure to make up for our lost time together once you are better.”

Iseult looked down quickly, but she was certain he noticed the blush painting her face. She finished her meal in relative silence. She lowered the empty water glass back down to the tray and picked up the daisy. She smiled down at the wrinkled petals, he must have picked the flower earlier in the day.

She looked back up at him. She wanted to ask him so many things. She wanted to learn everything about him. Instead, she smiled and let the longing to read all the stories buried deep in those bright red eyes stay buried.

Astarion nodded then and said, “Get some rest darling.”

He stood up and grabbed the tray before slipping out of the tent. Iseult laid back in her bed rolls and let out a sigh. She rolled onto her side. Goodnight, Astarion.

Astarion set the tray down on the riverbank and knelt into the wet earth beside Gale. He started washing the bowl, ignoring the wizard’s quizzical gaze.

“She said thank you.” Astarion offered when Gale had finally looked back at the dishes he was washing.

“Oh.” Gale nodded, “Well she is most welcome.”

Astarion bit his lip and then released it, “Thank you, Gale.”

Gale sat up and looked at Astarion, “Not a problem." Then he added, "I have more dishes I think you’d enjoy learning.”

Astarion finally met his dark eyes, “What?”

“You are not that good of a cook, but I feel hopeful for you.” Gale smiled, “Plus, I don’t mind having company.”

Astarion let out a chuckle. He rinsed the water cup and sighed, “On occasion, I suppose I could help you.”

Gale’s own laughter echoed out across the dark river, “Only if you feel like it, but the invitation is there.”

“I am certain the novelty of it will run out quickly. You’ll be retracting that invitation the moment I down a quart of pig’s blood.”

“That sounds fascinating. How much blood can you consume? Like in one sitting?”

“I…” Astarion paused and looked up at Gale, “I actually don’t know. Before the whole tadpole,” he gestured to his head, “I fed on what I could, but it was never enough. Recently though, I have fed on Iseult and then drained a whole bear in one night.”

“A whole bear!” Gale exclaimed, his eyes wide with wonder instead of judgement. “I’d wager that’s got to be at least 60 liters.”

“How do you even know that, Gale?”

“Ah. A wizard has to know a great deal of information, and I may have needed some bear blood for an experiment of sorts once.”

“Of course.”

“You sound like you don’t believe me, Astarion.”

Astarion shook his head, “I’m just impressed you killed a bear.”

“It took me month to recover,” Gale admitted.

Astarion bent over in laughter.

“Keep laughing Astarion, but at least I know the difference between rocks and potatoes.”

“Fair.”

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writerofstuff · 9 days

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You write today? If so, what? If not, what was the last delicious thing you ate? Describe it vividly but don't say what it was. I want to be confused.

Today I learnt how to press slabs of baked flour over gentle heat and roll around liquid sunshine in a pan till I had a picture, a breakfast, and the beginnings of new love. I am learning how to cook and thank you for asking me to write about it on the first day of everything.

#cooking #learning to cook #breakfast #new love

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heroes-feasting · 1 year

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One Pot Meal

A zero-effort dinner with great flavour and fast cook time.

Simple and nutritious meals are an important thing to have in your back pocket, especially as a student. In a previous post, I shared The Ultimate Sausage Pasta, a quick and easy recipe from my housemate’s friend.

This time, we’re looking at the One Pot Meal, one of my favourite zero-effort dinners to make when I just really don’t feel like cooking. Minimal ingredients (two of which can sit in your cupboard until you need them) and an under half-hour cook time make this the perfect meal for when you’re tired or need a break from the kitchen.

As an added bonus, the Italian sausage adds great flavour on its own, so you don’t need to worry about whether you have the right spices or not!

Check out below for the recipe!

Prep: 5 mins Cook: 20 mins Overall: 25 mins

Ingredients:

1 pack (500 g) mild Italian sausage*

2 tbsp. (30 g) unsalted butter

2 cans sliced potatoes

2 cans cut green beans

* I prefer Johnsonville brand.

First, slice the sausages into ½ inch (1 cm) pieces.

Next, melt the butter in a large wok or high-rimmed skillet with a lid on medium heat.

Add the sausage and cook until cooked through, about 10 mins, stirring frequently.

NOTE: If you’re using the sausage from frozen, you’ll need at least an extra 5 mins to the cooking time.

Drain the canned beans and potatoes, discarding the liquid. Add them to the wok or skillet and stir in with the sausage.

Turn the heat to low and cover with the lid. Let cook until the potatoes and beans have warmed up, about 8 mins, stirring occasionally.

Once everything is heated up, divide and serve!

Overall, I give this a 5/5. It’s simple, tasty, and low effort - truly a fantastic meal for after a long day.

#one pot meal my beloved #happy new semester to all who celebrate #heroes feasting #one pot meal #cooking #homecooking #homecook #comfort food #lunch #dinner #recipe #recipes #quick meal #quick meals #quick recipes #easy meals #easy recipes #learning to cook

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hannikin-grahamkin · 2 years

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Once my roommate and I move and I get a copy of this book it's over for these hoes

I already make roses out of mashed potatoes for fun idk I just think I would really enjoy making some of these.

#hannibal #hannibal cook book #janice poon #food styling #gothic #hannibal lecter #nbc hannibal #hannibal nbc #hannibal the cannibal #bryan fuller #cooking like Hannibal #learning to cook #hannibal kin

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themadramblingsofcludthebud · 1 year

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So I’m learning to how to cook my non-binary goth friend decided to teach me how to make chicken fajitas. As we’re chopping the vegetables two thoughts went through my head in this order:

“I wanna be like Hannibal Lector, but instead of humans, it’s just regular food.”

“Dude, that’s just a normal fucking chef.”

I told my friend about it soon after and they completely fucking lost it.

#househusband in training #shitpost #the fajitas were great by the way #learning to cook #hannibal #hannibal lecter

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honeycombhank · 6 months

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We are MOVING SOON!

This is big for me! I’ve lived here for 6 years now today actually and it’s the only place I’ve lived long term other then my childhood home that I was literally born in.

Change is hard for me due to my extreme anxiety and now seizures, knowing what things are going to feel like is a huge help and this feels a bit overwhelming, that being said I know this will be a good thing for not only my love and I but also the pets! We will actually have a YARD Y’ALL!

And more space in general so that’s a big plus.

Things I’m nervous about, well there are quite a few things but going to focus on the positives, so what do I feel positive about the move?

The YARD! I’m so excited to have a garden I could scream with joy! We will get sun in the yard! That means vegetables will grow and I can have varieties of flowers that I was not able to grow where I am currently! There is an apple tree and I love to bake and I can’t wait to try using our own apples for salads, Apples and Peanut Butter and of course all the baked goods! I’m so excited to have a space to play with my dog outside! I’m excited for BBQs and birthdays and holiday parties, I’m excited to have more space for the family to come over. We might even be able to think about the possibility of a rabbit or chickens, I grew up raising them and I’ve missed having them in my life so the idea of that is very exciting to me!

We will have a pellet stove in the living room! That will add a whole new feel of cozy and comfort in the autumn and winter seasons!

Depending on how my love and I decide to arrange things, I may end up having one of the bedrooms as a pet room and that would include a play area for the rats!! I want a special free roaming area and just haven’t been able to have one that is especially set up for them, so that we will just have to see how things end up.

The kitchen is bigger! It’s been a struggle trying to learn to cook in our very small kitchen, I often feel like I can’t stand in the kitchen with another person and so that makes someone teaching me very hard, also just trying to make meals together very difficult, so I bigger kitchen should mean more bonding time in the kitchen and more learning!

The bedroom is a little bigger and the window faces the back yard meaning I won’t have quite as much anxiety about someone potentially seeing me naked.

The more I think about it the more positive and powerful I feel about these coming months!

Let’s go!

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nameofthisblogisname · 2 years

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apparently different types of rice smell differently. why did nobody tell me this.

#learning to cook #help me

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megdocx · 19 days

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Easter Menu:

Coffee

Charcuterie (honey-roasted peanuts, dried cranberries, monterey jack cheese, local-sourced cheddar, strawberry preserves, malt eggs)

Rice-Paper Roast "Beef"

Za'atar Carrots au gratin

Roasted Asparagus

Mashed Potatoes

Spring Onion Buttermilk Biscuits

Tea and chocolate truffles from a local store :)

#home cook #home cooking #learning to cook #beginner cook #cooking #menu

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faeryvoid · 2 months

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Curry from Last Night [cooking blog post]

In my introduction blog I mentioned maybe posting some cooking related blogs because I'm learning how to cook. FaeryVoid is for art, crafts, and creative projects, this falls under the crafts part. In this blog I do talk about my experience learning how to cook at 21 and sensitive topics like child neglect and disordered eating. I don't really talk about them in depth, but thought I would give a light trigger warning.

Regarding me learning how to cook at 21 to be honest I was neglected as a child so I didn't learn much cooking in childhood and now as an adult with executive dysfunction, disordered eating and sensory issues I find cooking very stressful and overstimulating. With that said despite it being quite stressful at times I have been enjoying learning how to cook. I've been enjoying learning how to make curries especially. As of right now I've mainly been learning how to make Indian curries and Indian inspired curries which I think is important to highlight. I really appreciate Indian food a lot. It wasn't until late 2021 I was properly introduced to curry, a volunteer brought it to the shelter I was staying at. Side note though staying at that place wasn't always great I really do appreciate it for introducing me to some of my favorite food. Like one of the staff taught me how to make falafel and I love falafel so much now. Also when I was a preteen I really admired my stepfather's soup making craft, but I've never been a big fan of soup. I have some sensory issues with soup. I guess subconsciously I've longed for enjoying to make something similar. To be clear I'm not trying to compare soup and curry they're completely completely different things, I'm more talking about like the sentiment of making it. Anyway here's the curry I made last night, I know it probably looks a little underwhelming I'm still learning. I made basmati rice to eat with it, but forgot to photograph that with the curry.

#cooking #tw food #tw disordered eating #tw child neglect #learning to cook #queer artist #queer blogging

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