The Unofficial Narnia Cookbook: From Turkish Delight to Gooseberry Fool-Over 150 Recipes Inspired by The Chronicles of Narnia

Gr 6 Up—The author of the widely popular Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook (Adams Media, 2010) has compiled more than 150 recipes inspired by C. S. Lewis's "The Chronicles of Narnia." The recipes are mostly British in style, featuring traditional cuisine such as shepherd's pie and porridge; additionally, there are those that call for venison, sardines, calf's tongue, and eels. Some are Mediterranean-inspired, featuring flavors such as coriander and cumin; many are multistep and time-consuming. A few recipes also include alcohol, like eggnog and mulled wine. Young chefs might be frustrated by the lack of photos. However, there are simpler choices for younger children, such as hot chocolate, toast and butter, and grilled-cheese sandwiches. Bucholz does a nice job of referencing the dish's origin from the series, some being more loosely based than others. The book is separated into four chapters; the fourth one, "Fabulous Feasts," creates entire multicourse meals using recipes encountered earlier in the book. Make no mistake: some of these dishes will cause even experienced adult cooks to break into a sweat. But there are definitely some gems. As for the Turkish Delight recipe? Well, it was…delicious.—Laura Lutz, Pratt Institute, New York City