Inspiration; Great Feasts from Fiction

Article from Channel4.com

The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton

The plot: A group of wholesome children stumble across an enchanted tree, home to a host of unusual characters and a ladder to ever changing worlds.
The feast: Honey flavoured pop biscuits that explode in your mouth, google buns full of sherbet that make your mouth froth and toffee shocks that get bigger and bigger the harder you suck.
What you'll need: A vivid imagination, an adventurous spirit and a big old tree you can clamber around inside.
Who to invite: If you know anyone with a moon for a face then they'd be a good bet as would the hard of hearing, old washer women and hoards of eager children.

Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brien

The plot: The first in a historic series of books telling the story of heroic captain, Jack Aubrey, and his maritime voyages throughout the Napoleonic wars.
The feast: Biscuits with weevils, freshly killed goats, plenty of limes and a good pint of grog.
What you'll need: A noble heart, lots of vitamin C, a penchant for port and a thirst for strong rum.
Who to invite: Old sea dogs, courageous captains, people who like dining at sea. But not one for fussy eaters.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J K Rowling

The plot: Downtrodden orphan, Harry Potter, discovers he's a wizard on his 11th birthday then gets whisked off to wizard school to fight evil and learn some spells.
The feast: Chocolate frogs, pumpkin pasties, liquorice wands and Bertie Blott's every flavour beans, all washed down with a pint of butterbeer.
What you'll need: A big old castle, some spirited kids, self-clearing tables and big dose of magic.
Who to invite: Wizards, obviously, along with giants and elves. Anyone open to edible surprises but strictly no muggles.

Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

The plot: A lonely mole gets tired of spring cleaning and heads to the river bank in search of adventure.
The feast: A picnic fit for a king, including: 'coldtonguecoldhamcoldbeefpickledgherkinssaladfrench
rollscressandwidgespottedmeatgingerbeerlemonade
sodawater'. Phew.
What you'll need: A big basket, a slowly winding river, the sun in the sky and some amiable chums.
Who to invite: Rats, moles, badgers and toads are a given though anyone who appreciates a good English spread is sure to appreciate an invite.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

The plot: A newborn caterpillar goes on the mother of all binge fests.
The feast: One apple, two pears, three plums, four strawberries, five oranges, one piece of chocolate cake, one ice-cream cone, one pickle, one slice of Swiss cheese, one slice of salami, one lollipop, one piece of cherry pie, one sausage, one cupcake, one slice of watermelon and a nice green leaf.
What you'll need: A crate-load of party food, trousers with an elasticated waistband, a bucket, a dark space to recover.
Who to invite: No-one - this is all about going solo.

Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie

The plot: Being born at the stroke of midnight when India becomes an independent nation mystically ties the massive-nosed Saleem to his homeland and the scores of other children born on the same fateful day.
The feast: Copious curries and legendary chutneys cooked by Saleem's spinster aunt, who transfers her emotions into her dishes, leaving the diners with a feeling of bitterness and discontent.
What you'll need: Lime pickle, a compulsion to cook at moments of extreme emotion.
Who to invite: 1,001 people who share your birthday.

Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

The plot: A plucky orphan flees the workhouse and reluctantly goes on the rob with a motley crew in the murky streets of Victorian London.
The feast: Not quite enough gruel.
What you'll need: A grim childhood. An appetite for porridge. A stingy server.
Who to invite: Children with small appetites.

Gluten Free, Vegan Gingerbread Cake

image & recipe @http://www.yummly.com/recipe/external/Gluten-free-vegan-gingerbread-307895

Adapted from Joy of Cooking's Applesauce Gingerbread.

Makes one 8x8 cake.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
• 6 tablespoons warm water
• 5/6 cup (100 grams) millet flour
• 5/6 cup (100 grams) teff flour
• 1/3 cup (50 grams) potato starch (not flour)
• 1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup coconut palm sugar
• 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8x8-inch pan or line it with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the flax and warm water until the mixture is thick and creamy. Set aside for at least 10 minutes.
3. Sift the dry ingredients (except the coconut palm sugar) into a large mixing bowl.
4. In another mixing bowl, combine the coconut palm sugar, molasses, coconut oil, applesauce, and flax mixture; whisk until well blended. Add to the dry ingredients and stir to blend.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until set in the middle and a tester comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool in pan on rack until cake is cool enough to handle, then turn out.

Best eaten the same day. Refrigerate leftovers.

Fawn's Leapfrog Cupcakes, Pixie Hollow

image & recipe @spoonful.com

What you'll need

• Batch of baked Vanilla cupcakes
• Frosting tinted "frog" green
• Small tube of white decorating frosting or cookie icing
• Small candy eyes (look for them in the baking aisle at large craft or department stores)
• White candy melts
• Green or sour apple-flavored gummy ring-style candies
• Kitchen scissors

How to make it

1. Frost the cupcakes green.
2. 
   For each frog, create a pair of large eyeballs by using dots of decorating frosting or 
   icing to stick candy eyes to the centers of white Candy Melts, as shown. 
   Set the eyeballs aside until the icing hardens and holds.
3. 
   Cut a gummy ring candy in half to create two green "eye sockets."
4. Gently press the cut ends of each pair of gummy rings down into a frosted cupcake top, positioning them side-by-side just a bit in front of the center. Place a candy eyeball right in front of each socket, again gently pushing the lower edge into the frosting.

Gluten Free Croutons

Total time: 20mins

image & recipe @http://www.yummly.com/recipe/external/Gluten-Free-Tuesday_-How-to-Make-Croutons-Serious-Eats-41862

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cubed gluten-free bread
• 2 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried herbs
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder, optional
• Kosher salt

Method:

1. To make croutons in the oven. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 160'C  [325 'F].
2. In small bowl, toss together bread and melted butter/oil. All bread cubes should be lightly coated with butter/oil. Add more butter/oil, if needed. Add dried herbs, garlic powder and a light sprinkling of kosher salt. Toss. Each bread cube should be lightly coated with herbs.
3. Spread cubes on an 18x13-inch baking sheet. Arrange cubes in one layer.
4. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven. Toss cubes and return to the oven. Bake until croutons are crispy and golden brown, about five minutes. Remove croutons from oven and allow to cool.
5. To make croutons in a skillet. Follow step two above. Heat one teaspoon butter or oil in a medium (10-inch) non-stick skillet over medium high heat until butter is melted and bubbling or until oil is shimmering. Add bread cubes. Toast, stirring occasionally, until croutons are toasted. Remove from pan and allow to cool.

Alice in Wonderland/Pixie Hollow Button Cookies

image & recipe @spoonful.com

What you'll need

• Batch of sugar cookie dough (homemade or store bought)
• Food coloring
• Plastic kitchen gloves (for kneading food coloring into the dough)
• Rolling pin
• Flour
• Wax paper
• Small round cookie or fondant cutters (about 2 1/4 inches wide)
• Small bottle cap (slightly smaller than the fondant cutter)
• Wooden kitchen skewer
• Spatula
• Baking sheet
• Wire rack

How to make it

1. Divide the dough into thirds or quarters. Then knead a different shade of food coloring into each portion of dough. Chill the dough so that it will be stiff enough to hold its shape while baking.
2. When you're ready to start baking, work with one color of dough at a time. Roll the dough out to about a 1/4-inch thickness and use the cookie or fondant cutter to cut out a bunch of small circles. If you like, use a small bottle cap to gently imprint an inner circle on some or all of the buttons.
3. Use the blunt end of the kitchen skewer to make a set of two or four buttonholes in the center of each cookie.
4. Place the cookies on a baking sheet and bake them according to the recipe directions. Transfer the baked cookies to a wire rack to cool before serving. Enjoy!

Gluten Free Potato Gnocchi

Active time: 1 hour

Total time: 2 hours

Serves: 4-6 people

image & recipe @http://www.yummly.com/recipe/external/Gluten-Free-Potato-Gnocchi-Serious-Eats-296416

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds russet potatoes, washed
• 1 cup white rice flour
• 1/2 cup sweet rice flour
• 2 large eggs
• Kosher salt

Method:

1.   Adjust oven rack to center middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Pierce potatoes a few times with a knife and place on a baking sheet. Roast until tender, about one hour. Remove potatoes from oven and allow to cool.
2. .  Whisk together white rice flour and sweet rice flour. Using the flour mixture, flour your counter. Peel the potatoes and pass through a potato ricer onto the counter. Whisk together eggs and 1 teaspoon salt. Pour over the potatoes. Work the egg mixture into the potatoes with a bench scrapper or fork until potatoes begin to hold together. Mixture will be sticky.
3. . Work one cup of the flour mixture into the potato mixture. Start by working the flour into the potato mixture with a bench scrapper or fork. As soon as a dough begins to form, begin kneading the dough by hand until all the flour is incorporated. The dough should be firm and not sticky. If it is, add the remaining flour mixture, about 1/4 cup at a time. (You can test the gnocchi by boiling a small pot of water and cooking a small piece of dough. The gnocchi should hold together.)
4. . Divide the dough into quarters. Then, as you work with it, cut each quarter in half. Cover remaining dough with a damp paper towel. Roll out each dough eighth into a log. Cut into bite-size pieces. Shape by either pressing a small indentation into each gnocchi or rolling the gnocchi over a fork or gnocchi board.
5. Transfer shaped gnocchi to a lightly white rice-floured baking sheet. Shaped gnocchi can either be frozen or cooked right away.
6. To Freeze: Place baking sheet filled with gnocchi in the freezer. Once the gnocchi are frozen, transfer to a plastic freezer bag. Gnocchi may be frozen for up to two months. Cook as directed below. 

To Cook: Boil a large pot of salted water. Cook half the fresh or frozen gnocchi in the boiling water until they float, about four minutes. (Taste one gnocchi to ensure it is cooked through). Remove the gnocchi from the water with a skimmer and transfer to a bowl or pot of sauce. Repeat with remaining gnocchi. If gnocchi must be held for more than a moment, drizzle with oil and toss to prevent sticking.

Cars; Lightning McQueen Cupcakes

image & recipe @spoonful.com

What you'll need

• Batch of frosted cupcakes
• White chocolate candy bar or bar of white baking chocolate
• Red cupcake icing
• Toothpick
• Mini chocolate chips
• Chocolate candies with brown shells (such as M&Ms
• Small chocolate candies with yellow shells (such as M&M Minis)

How to make it

1. 
   For the windshields, cut small rectangles (about 1- by 1.75-inches) from the white chocolate. Pipe a line of red icing trim along the side and top edges of each rectangle. Then use the tip of a toothpick to "drill" shallow holes where the eyes will go, and gently press mini chocolate chips (tips down) in place. Set the windshields aside until the icing hardens.
2. Working with one cupcake at a time, frost the top with red icing. Gently press a windshield partway down into the center of the cupcake. chocolate. Pipe a line of red icing trim along the side and top edges of each rectangle. Then use the tip of a toothpick to "drill" shallow holes where the eyes will go, and gently press mini chocolate chips (tips down) in place. Set the windshields aside until the icing hardens.
3. Press two sets of brown-shelled candies into the frosting on the sides of the cupcake for tires.
4. Add headlights by turning yellow-shelled candies on edge and pressing them into the frosting (a toothpick comes in handy for this). For a mouth, press a small curve of white chocolate into the frosting at the front of the cupcake.