Thursday, April 9, 2015

Dystopian Dishes // Fictional Feasts


I'd go home now if they'd let me. But you have to admit, the food's prime.


“What’s impressed you most since you arrived here?” 
I rack my brain for something that made me happy here. Be honest, I think. Be honest. 
“The lamb stew,” I get out. 
Caesar laughs, and vaguely I realize some of the audience has joined in. 
“The one with the dried plums?” asks Caesar. I nod. “Oh, I eat it by the bucketful.”
- The Hunger Games


“Have a piece of cake for me, all right? The chocolate. It's delicious.
- Divergent


"'There was cake?'
...'Yeah, someone just brought it out. Found a couple of boxes of the mix in the back and baked it,' he says. 'You can have a few bites of mine.'
'A few bites? So you're planning on eating that mountain of cake by yourself?'
'Yes.' He looks confused. 'Why?'
 - Insurgent


 Coincidentally, my very first Fictional Feasts post was published exactly a year ago today. I didn't initially intend for it to be such a long-lasting project, but it's been way too much fun to stop. Thank you all for being enthusiastic and encouraging about it from the start! Hope you like this latest edition.

 I don't think that it's possible to read The Hunger Games and not find yourself wanting to try Katniss' favorite lamb stew, nor to read the Divergent trilogy and not end up longing for a piece of Dauntless chocolate cake. All that food just sounds so good. It was a Fictional Feast waiting to happen. I wasn't disappointed.

Katniss' Lamb Beef Stew with Dried Plum: As a long time Hunger Games fan, I was pretty excited to finally try this. I used this recipe, and it was SCRUMPTIOUS. A lot of work to make, but worth it. I changed the recipe a bit - the biggest change being that I used beef instead of lamb. Personal preference, and I figured Katniss wouldn't mind. My family liked the stew a lot - my mom said it was the best stew she ever had!

Dauntless Chocolate Cake: Just like the cake in the book, I made this from a mix. However, I tweaked it. I googled "how to make a cake mix better" and discovered these two awesome tips: 1. Use hot water instead of room temperature and 2. Add an extra egg yolk. I also added some instant coffee for a flavor boost. Topped with my favorite chocolate icing, this cake was the earth-shatteringly gorgeous. Not even exaggerating. I think that Tobias would approve.


Katniss and Tris' worlds may have be utter disasters, but the food is great.


love,
Hannah

P. S. Yesterday I posted over on the awesome blog, Plottinger Twist. I talked about What I Look for in a Fantasy Novel. I'd love it if you went over and checked it out! Make sure you stick around to see what lovely things Hannah has going on there.

33 comments:

  1. This looks very fun! I would do a homemade cake, probably, but I love your series on fictional dishes!

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    1. Thanks! It was really fun. Glad you enjoy this series :)

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  2. This made me hungry :') great post!

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  3. This was amazing.

    AND GOSH YOUR BLOG DESIGN. It's gorgeous.

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    1. Aw thanks, Abbey! Glad you like the post and my new design! <3

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  4. I saw Divergent and SQUEEEE'd in my head!! These posts are so...wonderful. I love the artful pictures you take of the food ~ and the food itself looks sooo good, I just want to eat it all!

    (ps, love your new picture! you're beautiful!)

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    1. I thought you might like that! :D Thanks so much, girl! You're the best.

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  5. Sweet post!! (Pun intended! Lol!) :P
    I like the idea of cooking your favorite dishes from your favorite tales. (**cough-cough** Turkish Delight...) :)

    Thank you again for guest posting for me & linking to my blog! I'm excited to meet some of your followers... <3

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    1. Thank YOU, Hannah! You're super sweet. (pun also intended)

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  6. Cake! I really love this little series! So creative!

    xoxo Morning

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    1. THE CAKE WAS SO GOOD, NOT GONNA LIE. Thanks, Morning!

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  7. So basically I'm starving for Dauntless cake now so THANKS FOR NOTHING. XD hah, I'm kidding. This post is deliciously scrumptious (and the pictures are gorgeous too!) and I've always wanted to make food out of a book before. I wonder if I could persuade my mum to let me loose in the kitchen with the Lamb Stew...PFFT WHO ARE WE KIDDING? I need Dauntless Cake like I need air. (The coffee addition sounds divine.)

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    1. Come on over to Ireland and I will make a mountain of Dauntless cake for you! I'm not even kidding! <3

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  8. Fictional feast -- what a brilliant idea!

    I love all of the quotes in Divergent about cake. They're all so funny! (and they made me hungry...) "'So you're planning on eating that mountain of cake by yourself?' 'Yes.' He looks confused. 'Why?'” <<this is 100% me.

    Your photos are all beautiful, but the first one made my brain hurt. :)

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    1. Thanks so much! Haha, those quotes crack me up, too. And sorry about that - fandom clash ;)

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  9. Looks delicious, as usual! And I'll keep those tips in mind the next time I make a cake from a mix!

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    1. Those tips really did make a difference! I'll be doing that from now on with chocolate mixes. Thanks for commenting, Alex!

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  10. Yum, yum, yum! I am definitely pining these recipes on pinterest so that I can try them. (-: The lamb stew with dried plums sounds especially delicious. And chocolate cake... I can totally see myself eating half of a chocolate cake by myself. I love chocolate so much, it's bad. XD

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    1. Thanks, girl! But hey - never feel bad for eating half of a chocolate cake, Elizabeth. That's an accomplishment. ;)

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  11. Ooooh man this feast looks delicious!!!!!I didn't know those tips about making cake mix better...I'll definitely have to do that next time!

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  12. Dauntless cake though! I've wanted to try it ever since I first read Divergent. They make it sound to die for! quite literally sometimes....
    Lovely post, dear. As usual :)

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    1. Haha, so true! And thank you so much, Hannah :)

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  13. This is such an amazing post series, Hannah! I hope this isn’t the last one? I’d love to see a heap more of these. Creating the iconic lamb and plum stew and dauntless cake is fantastic, and so good that they were as amazing as they should’ve been. Great ideas! I’d love to see you recreate butterbeer!
    Xx

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    1. I'm so glad you like it, Romi! That means so much to me. Nope, hopefully this will not be the last one. I'm hoping to do at least two more before I live for America in June. Thanks so much, dear!

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  14. Your fictional feasts are so creative!! I'm so glad you kept them up. :) I also wanted to let you know that I've nominated you for the liebster award on my blog.
    Blessings!

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    1. Ah, thanks so much - glad you like them! Thank you so much for the nomination, too!

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  15. Looks scrumptious all of it. These are so cool

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  16. This is so cool! I've never seen any other blogger do something like this. I just might have to make that stew!

    Awesome blog:)

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  17. Wow, that is such a good idea! Very creative.
    ~Kathryn

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  18. This post was PERFECT!! Short and sweet ;) it makes my heart happy. Food+book quotes?? Yes PLEASE!

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