‘Game of Thrones’ season 3: Food and drink suggestions for your premiere party!
Think about it: in just one week, “Game of Thrones” season 3 is finally going to be on the air, and with that all of the feverish waiting will be over. There will be no more pondering as to how dangerous Dany’s dragons are now, just as there will be no more questions as to what happens next for Tyrion, Arya, Jon Snow, or any of the other characters roaming around Westeros.
Just as we assume that HBO is going to see some record numbers for the season premiere, we also have a feeling that a good many of you are going to be celebrating through what has to be the best way to celebrate a show’s return: with a premiere party! We’re talking costumes, people using accents, and quoting our favorites lines. We did one recently for “Dexter,” and it was fantastic with some blood-themed candy, cocktails made out to look like the ocean, and so much more.
To get you best prepared for your ideal premiere party, we’ve got a couple of recipes (one food, one drink) below courtesy of Alan Kistler’s The Unofficial Game of Thrones Cookbook, which is great to pick up if you’re into cooking, entertaining, or turning your home into a veritable King’s Landing.
Arya’s Lemon Cakes
Makes 10–12 small cakes
1½ cups warm milk
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1¾ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 package)
1 egg
¼ teaspoon lemon verbena oil or lemon extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons dried lemon verbena, crushed
Directions
1. In a large bowl, mix milk, sugar, and yeast. Set aside for about 10 minutes, until foamy.
2. Mix in egg, lemon verbena oil, 1 tablespoon of the butter, salt, flour, and dried lemon verbena. Beat together 5 minutes until a smooth dough is formed.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and rise in a warm spot for about 1½ hours (until doubled in volume).
4. Heat griddle over high heat. Test by sprinkling on a little water. If griddle sizzles and water evaporates, it’s ready.
5. Lower heat to medium-low. Melt remaining tablespoon of butter on the griddle. Place muffin rings on griddle and fill halfway with batter. Cover loosely with foil and cook until cakes are browned on the bottom, about 5 minutes.
6. Using spatula or tongs, flip over each small cake and ring. Cover and cook another 5 minutes. Serve warm.
A Word of Wisdom -Muffin or crumpet rings will keep your cakes thicker and compact. If you don’t have any handy, you can cut open both ends of short, metal food cans—like those used to pack tuna. Remove the labels and wash them very thoroughly. When you’re ready to make lemon cakes, flour the inside well then use them instead of muffin rings.
Tears of Lys
Makes 1 lethal serving
1 lime, quartered
1 teaspoon simple syrup, purchased or made by dissolving 1 part sugar in
1 part warm water and cooling
2 ounces cachaça or white rum
Directions
1. Place a lime wedge and the simple syrup in an old-fashioned glass and muddle well.
2. Add the cachaça and stir well.
3. Fill the glass with ice and stir again.
A Word of Wisdom – Not every drink is best served with muddled fruit and ice. If you prefer a clear, unadulterated cocktail, mix the whole drink in a Boston shaker, shake to combine, and strain the liquid out into your glass. Purists may argue that shaking “bruises” the spirit, but what’s a little bruising between poisoners?
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If you want to pick up a copy of the cookbook, you can do so here; meanwhile, stay tuned as always for some more of the latest “Game of Thrones” season 3 scoop.
Photo: HBO, Alan Kistler