the feast/what are these foods?

Reference Forum

Since I am an American, I don't understand what many of the foods listed in the books are. So, maybe we can ask and get answers here. Also, we could list what foods our own countries would have at their feasts.

What is Yorkshire pudding? Spotted dick?

Okay... first off, I am NEVER eatting anything called, Spotted Dick. I don't care WHAT country I'm in. That's just wrong.

im with you Kris

Yorkshire pudding is a batter mix (eggs, flower and water) shaped like a little bowl. I had a couple with my dinner a couple of days ago. Spotted dick is like bread pudding mixed with currents.

Thanks Mike. We are just not used to the foods, so the feast isn't quite as great for us. Americans would probably add fried chicken, ham, and ribs to the feast. We are also a cheesecake country-I am not too crazy about it.

I agree there's not enough cheesecake in the books.

thanks for clearing up what "spotted dick" was. another question: what's treacle/treacle tart? i'm not sure if i heard about it in the HP books or another book by a british author

Sorry if I sound condescending when I explain but I don't know how much you guys know about treacle or tarts. Tarts can be big or small, they're like lidless pies that you can put jam and stuff in. Treacle's obviously just like a syruppy sugary mix. You guys have mince pies at Christmas don't you? Just think of those but with no top and treacle instead of mince.

i know what tarts are but i didn't know what treacle is. and i have to say i've never had a mince pie.

You should try one. The mince is just diced up fruit with sugar and spice, but it tastes great.

If you guys have any more questions, feel free to ask. I feel kind of streetwise being able to answer all these questions.

Okay... I LOVE bread pudding, but can you PLEASE change the name to something other than a spotted dick?

Mince pie is good.

Oh Mike... I believe ya!!! It's just nasty!

question related to food...from where do house-elves get the food?

I know, I'm sure it wasn't named with that particular meaning in mind. Those of you who have read the Chronicles of Narnia will know what I mean when I say that the word 'queer' had very different implications back in those days.

Yes, I understand what you're meaning there.

Tolkien fans will probably have encountered that same issue as well.

So, are there any other foods mentioned in the HP books that you could tell us about?

I'm not sure, I don't exactly know what meals are unique to Britain, but if you find any that you're stuck on, I'll probably be able to help out. The same goes for anything else other than food that you're not familiar with.

What is tripe? Chipolatas are some type of sausages? Like I said, we just don't get that over here. THere seem to be a lot of steak and kidney pie ect. in the book. OH, what type of kidney-bean or real? Thanks Mike.

I have been wanting to ask something about the foods listed in the books for a while!

What is Kidney Pie? They have it in one of the feasts in book one... It sounds terrible!!!

Ok, both of those things will sound nasty, and as I haven't had either before, they might very well taste that way too. They are actual kidneys in steak and kidney pie, not beans, and tripe is animal intestines I think. Chipolatas are just little sausages.

Tripe is what I thought is was. Cows stomach. Over here, they use it in Menudo. Menudo is a Mexican soup. It smells to high heaven. Used to clear out of the house when Dad would make it. Oh, Menudo is the only strange mexican food that I know of, I highly recommend tamales.

The other one is what is a Jumper? OOP says that Lupin was wearing a shabby jumper. Over here a jumper is a type of pullover dress a small girl would wear.

Thanks agent mike.

O.k. This may be a little off topic. My mother-in-law bought my kids some Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans. Well, I decided to check them out just to be sure they were not gross. There are pepper, booger, spinach, and sardine for the gross ones. They also have buttered popcorn, watermelon ect. Husband tried the sardine. They come with a color code on the back of the package.

for agent mike,

"mr." fuscia wants to know if Neville Longbottom reminds you of Neville Southall?

Disclaimer-Fuscia has nooooooo idea who that is.

Hey "MR. fuscia"... who in the world are you talking about???
~Prof. Potter

my husband- it was his question. He and Mike both follow English Premier League Football. The second Neville guy is supposed to be famous in Brittan.

Ohhhhhhhhh... I wouldn't know that! Now, let's discuss American Football, and I'm allllllllllll ears!!!! Two more weeks till the season starts!!!!

Aaaah Neville he's in....ummm.... Arsenal, right? or somewhere...

Sorry Kris, mr. fuscia and myself are soccer fans, but I will wish whatever football team you like a great season. With me it is only 2 more weeks until my stained glass class starts again!!!!!

I <3 u Mrs and Mr Fuscia *'soccer' rocks!!!*
**sooo totally Milan fan**

great taste in teams Maja!

:-) i know :-)
What's your favorite team?

My husband loves Real Madrid. I like them also, but I don't get to see many games-little kids u know. My husband used to be a huge AC Milan fan until they acquired Leonardo. No American could follow a team that has him-World Cup 94.

Hey guys, can you chat about the soccer and stuff in the Non HP thread??? Please!!! WE, me too, are all guilty of this!!! Thanks.... Your Deputy Headmistress ~Kris

Try the following recipes and, as Hogwarts headmaster Dumbledore would say in the book, "Tuck in!" (Enjoy!)

Rhubarb Crumble

Rhubarb Crumble gets its name from the crumbly appearance of the topping. It is usually served with custard or ice cream, and it is delicious hot or cold.

This crumble was served in "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" by Harry's friend Ron's mother. Harry must have liked it a lot!

"Three helpings of rhubarb crumble and custard later and the waistband on Harry's jeans was feeling uncomfortably tight (which was saying something, as the jeans had once been Dudley's)."

45 MINUTES

15 minutes to make

30 minutes to bake

For the topping:

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup sugar

Filling:

1 1/2 pounds rhubarb, cleaned, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

3/4 cup sugar

Juice of small orange

1 teaspoon ground ginger

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

To make topping, sift flour into bowl and cut in the butter until mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Stir in sugar.

To make filling, put rhubarb slices in bottom of medium-sized oven-proof dish and stir in the sugar, orange juice and ginger. Spoon topping mixture over top of filling.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until topping is golden and rhubarb soft.

Makes 8 servings.

Per serving: 292 calories; 12 g fat (8 g saturated fat; 37 percent calories from fat); 43 g carbohydrates; 33 mg cholesterol; 128 mg sodium; 3 g protein; 2 g fiber.

Rock Cakes

Rock cakes are mentioned several times in the "Harry Potter" books, but one of the main ones was when Hagrid, keeper of the keys for Hogwarts, a giant of a man who was very fond of Harry, invited Harry to tea in his small wooden home on the edge of the forbidden forest. Hagrid served Harry and his friend Ron tea and rock cakes.

"The rock cakes were shapeless lumps with raisins that almost broke their teeth."

This version is better! As my teacher, Miss Wilkins, told us in domestic science class in England, "They're supposed to look like rocks, not taste like them."

27 MINUTES

15 minutes to make

12 minutes to cook

2 cups self-rising flour, or plain flour sifted with 2 teaspoons baking powder

Pinch of salt (optional)

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup fine granulated sugar

1 cup mixed dried fruit (such as a mixture of moist packs of dried apricots, raisins and cranberries)

Finely grated rind of small orange

1 egg, beaten

3 tablespoons milk

Juice of 1/2 small orange

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Lightly grease baking tray.

Sift flour and salt.

Using pastry blender, cut margarine or butter into the flour.

Add sugar, dried fruit and orange rind.

Stir in egg.

Add milk and just enough juice to make a stiff, sticky consistency that will stand in peaks when stirred with a knife.

Put walnut-sized heaps of mixture on baking tray.

Allow them to keep a rough, rocky shape.

Do not flatten or smooth them.

Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes or until golden and firm. Cool on rack. Cool completely for flavor to develop.

Makes 36 servings.

Per serving: 70 calories; 2.5 g fat (2 g saturated fat; 32 percent calories from fat); 11 g carbohydrates; 15 mg cholesterol; 110 mg sodium; 1 g protein; 1 g fiber.

Treacle Tart

In the fifth "Harry Potter" book, we learn for sure what many readers already suspected -- that treacle tart is Harry's favorite dessert. "...he thought it was a better use of his time to eat his way steadily through his steak-and-kidney pie, then a large plateful of his favorite treacle tart."

There are several versions of treacle tart in England, and everyone has a favorite. It's an easy and economical way to end a meal on a sweet note and use up leftover pastry and bread crumbs. Most English cooks keep treacle (Lyle's Golden Syrup) in the pantry because it is used in many cake and cookie recipes and often as sweetener on porridge.

Most children love this "pudding." You will be amazed how delicious this simple tart is!

35 MINUTES

15 minutes to make

20 minutes to bake

1 basic pie crust (ready-made is fine) (see Note)

1/2 cup of Lyle's Golden Syrup (more generous for larger pie dish) (See Note)

1 cup soft white bread crumbs (more generous for larger pie dish)

Finely grated rind of 1 lemon

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Line a 7-inch, 8-inch or 9-inch shallow pie dish with unbaked pie crust.

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Gently warm syrup slightly in a pan but don't overheat or leave alone.

Take syrup off heat and stir in bread crumbs, lemon rind and juice.

This should be a fairly stiff mixture. Spread mixture in pie crust. Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

Note: Make extra pie dough or use an extra, ready-made piece if you want to make an optional fancy trellis over the filling.

Before baking, cut extra dough into 1/4 inch strips, attach them with a dab of water to the edge of the tart and gently twist them, attaching to the opposite side.

Note: Lyle's Golden Syrup is cane sugar syrup with a delicious, distinctive taste.

You can find it locally at Hiller's Markets and at Ackroyd's Scottish Bakeries in Birmingham and Redford Township.

It is worth the hunt!

Per serving: 150 calories; 5 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat; 30 percent calories from fat); 26 g carbohydrates; 0 mg cholesterol; 150 mg sodium; 1 g protein; trace g fiber.

Trifle

Trifle (pronounced try-full) was served on Christmas afternoon at Hogwarts.

"After an afternoon of snowball fights, Harry and his friends had afternoon tea which included turkey sandwiches, crumpets, trifle and Christmas cake."

For this special dessert, you will need a two-quart serving bowl with a wide base since the ingredients will be layered. A clear bowl shows off the layers nicely.

210 MINUTES

30 minutes to make

3 hours to set

1 (3 ounce) box of Jell-O (in a flavor to match the fruit and jam)

1 package (3 ounces) lady fingers, or small pieces of sponge cake

Jam (flavor to match the fruit)

5 tablespoons cream sherry (optional and for adults only) or fruit syrup

1 pound ripe raspberries or sliced strawberries or 2 (15 ounce) cans of raspberries or strawberries such as the Oregon Fruit products

3 tablespoons Bird's Custard Powder (See Note)

2 tablespoons sugar for custard

2 cups milk for custard

1 (10 ounce) carton whipping cream

Make Jell-O according to instructions and place in the fridge to cool.

Sandwich the lady fingers or pieces of sponge cake together with jam and layer on the bottom of the serving bowl.

Splash the ladyfingers with the sherry to taste if for adults.

Layer the fresh fruit over the ladyfinger layer and moisten with some fruit syrup or fruit juice (if not using sherry).

If using cans of fruit, use 5 tablespoons of the accompanying liquid to splash over the ladyfinger layer.

Pour the cooled, but not yet set, Jell-O over the fruit and leave in the fridge to set. (This can be done the previous day).

Make the custard according to the box directions.

Follow directions for a thick custard. Allow the custard to cool, then spread it over the Jell-O layer and allow to set in the fridge, about 2 hours.

Just before serving, whip the cream until stiff and spread it over the top of the trifle.

Makes 8 servings.

Note: Hiller's Markets and Ackroyd's Scottish Bakeries in Birmingham and Redford Township carry Bird's custard powder. The traditional works better than instant.

Per serving: 320 calories; 16 g fat (10 g saturated fat; 45 percent calories from fat); 43 g carbohydrates; 70 mg cholesterol; 100 mg sodium; 5 g protein; 4 g fiber.

Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Icing

Chocolate cake was the gift Hagrid brought to Harry on his 11th birthday when he also delivered Harry's invitation to Hogwarts School. It was the first time anyone had remembered Harry's birthday.

"From an inside pocket of his black overcoat, he pulled a slightly squashed box. Harry opened it with trembling fingers. Inside was a large, sticky chocolate cake with Happy Birthday Harry written on it in green icing."

This is a basic, easy chocolate cake recipe. It makes a fairly thin cake. For a thicker cake, two of these cakes can be sandwiched together.

45 MINUTES

15 minutes to make

30 minutes to bake

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons sugar

5 tablespoons Butter-Flavored Crisco

2 eggs, unbeaten

2 tablespoons cocoa

2 tablespoons hot water

Chocolate Buttercream Icing:

1/2 cup butter

2 cups confectioners' sugar

2 teaspoons cocoa

1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.

Add Crisco and cut mixture into small pieces.

Add the unbeaten eggs and mix.

Mix cocoa and hot water into a smooth paste and add to flour mixture.

Stir until smooth (about 2 minutes).

Scrape the mixture into greased 8-inch round cake pan and push it around gently with a spatula to even it out a little.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.

Carefully tip cake out of cake pan and cool on rack.

When cool, frost with Chocolate Butter-Cream Icing. Pipe with a tube of green icing to be Harry Potter authentic!

To make icing, cream the butter. Gradually add sugar, cocoa and vanilla and cream together.

Makes 12 servings.

Per serving: 273 calories; 14 g fat (7 g saturated fat; 46 percent calories from fat); 34 g carbohydrates; 57 mg cholesterol; 323 mg sodium; 2 g protein; 1 g fiber.

Spotted Dick Pudding

"Pudding" in England is a general term meaning dessert. Children are told, "Eat your vegetables if you want some pudding!"

Spotted Dick Pudding, along with Treacle Tart and Chocolate Gateau, were served in the annual welcoming feast at Hogwarts.

Spotted Dick, in some areas of England called Spotted Dog, is a steamed or, in recent times, microwaved pudding with raisins that give it a somewhat Dalmatian-type appearance.

This pudding is served hot and preferably covered with a thin custard. See custard instructions under the Trifle recipe.

24 MINUTES

20 minutes to make

4 minutes to cook

1 cup self-rising flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup sugar

5 tablespoons Butter-Flavored Crisco

1 egg

6 tablespoons milk

1/2 cup raisins

Grease a 3-cup dome-shaped glass mixing bowl.

Sift together the flour, salt and sugar into another mixing bowl.

Add the Crisco, cutting into pea-size pieces. Add unbeaten egg and milk and stir until the mixture is smooth, 1 or 2 minutes.

Gently stir in the raisins.

Transfer mixture to the glass mixing bowl, which should be about 2/3 full.

Cover very loosely with pleated piece of waxed paper tied very loosely onto the bowl, leaving room for the steam to escape and the mixture to rise over the top during cooking.

Microwave on full power for 4 minutes. The pudding is cooked when firm and just dry on the surface.

Uncover carefully, slide a knife round the edge to loosen and turn out onto a plate.

Serve covered with warm, thin custard (see instructions under the Trifle recipe).

Makes 6 servings.

Per serving (without custard): 270 calories; 12 g fat (3 g saturated fat; 40 percent calories from fat); 38 g carbohydrates; 35 mg cholesterol; 480 mg sodium; 4 g protein; 1 g fiber.

Sooooooo, someone's coming round to the idea of eating something called 'spotted dick'?

Oh no... I wouldn't eat something called spotted dick. It would have to just be called pudding. Anyway.... I found an article with those recipes, so I posted them in here! Pretty cool, eh?

Definitely cool; the only thing I already knew how to make out of that lot was trifle, and not great trifle at that.

Harry must like treacle. At the feasts he often eats treacle tarts and Hagrid makes him treacle fudge. I didn't know what treacle was until I finally gave up and looked it up in the dictionary.

Hey, I have this Harry Potter colletors items book, and in the back there are some of the same recipes, although mine are a bit different, I guess I'll post them for the sake of variation. Enjoy!

Rock Cakes

Ingredients:

3 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1 cup butter (softened)

3 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

3/4 cups dried sugar

1 cup dried currants

Preheat oven to 350 degress

Beat eggs with milk

Add softened butter and beat

Combine flour, baking powder, salt nutmeg and sugar in separate bowl

Add flour mixture to egg, milk and butter mixture and mix until crumbly.

Stir in currants.

Drop spoonfuls of dough on greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart

Bake until golden brown - about 15 min.

Serve with tea ( yes it actually says serve with tea)
It also says if not eaten right away, they'll turn rock hard! Yum!

Thats the good thing about being English, you already know what these things are.

English food is so WEIRD!

Marmite! Hobnobs! Cadbury's chocolate! Toad in the Hole!