As some of you know, Carrie and I are a bit nerdy. We love many aspects of pop culture (and we know many of you do too!) There are likely cookbooks that cover many of your favorite games, television shows, movies, etc. This makes cooking even more fun and enjoyable! For me, I love sharing these geeky dishes with my friends that would also appreciate them.
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As we approach fall and winter, (and especially Christmas,) we will be seeing more pop-culture references in cookbooks. These make fantastic gifts for loved ones or yourself! In August we see four new cookbooks that will make some geeks really excited! Come check them out!
Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Official Cookbook: Recipes from the Four Nations
My friends and I are obsessed with the Avatar franchise. This is why I was so excited to see Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Official Cookbook: Recipes from the Four Nations! You can truly see the magic behind the world of Avatar in this cookbook.
One thing that really jumped at me was how colorful the cookbook is! It’s easy to distinguish the Water Tribe food from the Fire Nation cuisine. Each page is color coordinated to indicate what element it is from, and the dishes themselves are vibrant and fun.
There are over 60 recipes that showcase each culture, city, and character we know and love in Avatar.
Everything is fantastically organized. There are two columns for each recipe that display the ingredients with instructions side by side. I enjoy that they’ve labeled what ingredients go to which part of the recipe. For me, it’s easier to navigate!
Some dishes included in this cookbook are: mung bean and tofu curry (from the Air Nomads), Jasmine Green Tea (Ba Sing Se), and sizzle crisps (from the Fire Nation). You’ll find some of your favorites throughout the show and other magical creations that will remind you of the Last Airbender!
Cooking for Wizards, Warriors and Dragons: 125 Unofficial Recipes Inspired by The Witcher, Game of Thrones, The Broken Earth, and Other Fantasy Favorites
Do any of you love fantasy novels? The Cooking for Wizards, Warriors and Dragons: 125 Unofficial Recipes Inspired by The Witcher, Game of Thrones, The Broken Earth, and Other Fantasy Favorites cookbook is exactly what you have been looking for!
This is a compilation of recipes from some of our favorite fantasy worlds that we’ve all been dying to try. This means small snacks for your epic journeys or massive meals to share with your companions. A lot of these recipes are things we’ve only dreamed of trying!
There are dishes such as: Eleventy-Oneth Layered Birthday Cake (Lord of the Rings), Honey Glazed Rotisserie Chicken (Wheel of Time), Baked Sausage Rolls (Dragon Riders of Pern), King’s Landing Barbecue (Game of Thrones), and much more! This is a perfect addition to any fantasy novel enthusiasts collection.
I was surprised at how many amazing recipes there are – over 100 dishes!
There are 40 gorgeous illustrations throughout this book that either showcase the food or the world itself. Usually I wouldn’t enjoy a cookbook like that, but in this case I think it is endearing. It’s an homage to classic fantasy epics that we know and love. This cookbook reflects the style, including yellowed, time-worn pages and medieval-style design work. It feels like this is an ancient relic filled with magic. In this case, astonishing food.
If you are unfamiliar with the franchise a recipe is from, don’t worry, there is an introduction for each dish. This has actually inspired me to check out some novels I had forgotten about!
There are a lot of helpful notes and tips throughout. As a bonus, most recipes are fairly straightforward and don’t require a lot of fancy techniques to get the fantastical effect you’re going for.
This is truly a masterpiece of a cookbook! Take a look at Cooking for Wizards, Warriors and Dragons: 125 Unofficial Recipes Inspired by The Witcher, Game of Thrones, The Broken Earth, and Other Fantasy Favorites.
The Unofficial Simpsons Cookbook: From Krusty Burgers to Marge’s Pretzels, Famous Recipes from Your Favorite Cartoon Family (Unofficial Cookbook)
My father’s favorite TV show was The Simpsons when I was growing up. We would watch it almost every day together as a family. He also has a bunch of Simpsons action figures decorating his home. Can you see why I am tempted to give him The Unofficial Simpsons Cookbook: From Krusty Burgers to Marge’s Pretzels, Famous Recipes from Your Favorite Cartoon Family (Unofficial Cookbook)?
This is a hilarious book that really throws you into Springfield. I feel myself turning yellow already!
The recipes are very reminiscent of food you have seen over the many decades of watching The Simpsons. If there’s a recipe you’re unfamiliar with, they have given you the season number it is from and episode name. Now you can go watch before or while eating the dish.
The photography is hysterical. They’ve combined food photography with illustrations to make it look “more cartoony”. For instance, a “Flaming Moe” is an alcoholic beverage showcased in a fairly typical glass, the background is very clearly Moe’s Tavern with a drawing of a flame above the glass. It is whacky!
The Unofficial Simpsons Cookbook: From Krusty Burgers to Marge’s Pretzels, Famous Recipes from Your Favorite Cartoon Family features 70 recipes that include many Simpsons classics. That means you will find a Krusty burger, Chief Wiggums chili, Marge’s Happy Cracker Snacks, and even a Squishie recipe (that I’ve been dying to try since I was little!)
If you love the Simpsons, this is definitely a cookbook you will want to have in your kitchen!
The Nightmare Before Christmas: The Official Cookbook & Entertaining Guide
Last, but not least is the The Nightmare Before Christmas: The Official Cookbook & Entertaining Guide! This is perfect timing since it comes out before Halloween and Christmas.
This isn’t just a cookbook, but an entire guide to host your own spooky party this year!
The cookbook is divided into two parts. The first has 50 amazing recipes that cover appetizers, mains, desserts, and beverages that are inspired by the movie. Lucky this includes recipes for gluten-free, vegetarian, and even sugar-free desserts. Part two is all about the planning. This includes activities, decorations, party favors, and so much more. If you love Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas this is a must-have!
I think my favorite part about this cookbook is that the recipes are so obviously from Nightmare Before Christmas. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy cookbooks with somewhat “ordinary” recipes that remind us of the show or movie, but these recipes are definitely from Halloween Town.
The dishes are fun and easy! People of all ages are going to love it. They’ve ranked each dish from easy to hard. If you’re brave enough, you can attempt really elaborate dishes. Some are quick and perfect for hosting large parties – stress free!
Like I said above, there are instructions on how to host your own Nightmare Before Christmas party that include decorations and such. This is a fantastic hosting cookbook and great for the season to come!
Which one of these cookbooks are you dying to try out? All of them hold a very special place in my heart, because I am a big geek!
~Kaiti
