   Season 1 episode 3: Lord Snow Storytime with Old Nan Season 6, episode 4: Book of the Stranger Better days and Old Nan's pies... When Old Nan wasn't telling little lords tales of the Long Night or keeping young Hodor out of trouble, she was busy making excellent pies for the lords and ladies of Winterfell. For House Stark, whose words are 'Winter is Coming' Old Nan was an important part of the Stark household, a keeper of two most powerful weapons, for there is nothing like a good story and a good pie to keep the bitterness of winter at bay. And as the Night King marches toward Winterfell at the end of season 7, don't we all wish the Starks had paid more attention to some of Old Nan's scary stories about the Long Night and those pale spiders big as hounds?
But the Brothers of the Night's Watch also know a thing or two about bitter winters. Manning a 700 foot ice wall is no easy task, but a good soup and good ale can keep one going through many a cold night. Sadly, the Night's Watch ale is apparently pretty terrible (priorities, brothers, I mean really!) but luckily, a bad ale can easily be turned into a decent soup. Turn that soup into a family sized pie (AS BIG AS HOUNDS!) and it can get downright cozy - even at Castle Black, right there at the foot of a literal wall of ice. This week we celebrate the sweet reunion of Sansa and Jon at Castle Black with a hearty, family-sized Beef and Ale Pie with Peas and Onions, a taste of happier times at Winterfell and a pie worthy of Old Nan herself.
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  Warning: Spoilers everywhere! "Drinking and lust, no man can match me at these things." Season 3, Episode 8: Second Sons Tyrion on wine, coq and death: Season 1, Episode 8: The Pointy End "It's not easy being drunk all the time. Everyone would do it if it were easy." Clearly, Tyrion Lannister loves his wine. Many of Tyrion's scenes involve his thoughts on drinking, drinking games, spilling of wine, some unfortunate effects of too much wine, and thoughts on wine and death. But we come to find that beneath this pickled persona, this drunken patron saint of cripples, bastards and broken things hides a sharp mind, a knack for survival and a deeply empathetic heart. Tyrion Lannister is, in fact, one of the most underestimated heroes in all of the Seven Kingdoms. This week we honor Tyrion Lannister, current Hand of the Queen and self-proclaimed "god of tits and wine", with this classic recipe for Coq au Vin.
  Warning: Spoilers everywhere!
Season 2, Episode: What Is Dead May Never Die What Is Dead May Never Die! Yes, yes, but it can't be all death and drowning - pirates gotta eat too, right? Other than pirates and an occasional 'make the Iron Islands great again' kingsmoot, we don't see too much of the Ironborn culture but I like to imagine that a people so tied to the sea would also have an amazing sea based culinary tradition. When people think of the Iron Islands, do they say - "The Ironborn are insane, but the seafood there is AMAZING!" I'd like to hope so. At the very least, they must know how to make a good soup. So this week, we celebrate the Drowned God with 'a mess of fish' simmered in a delicate tomato broth. It's time for Bouillabaisse! Bless THAT with salt!   Warning: Spoilers everywhere!
Samwell Tarly gets a dose of...reality. Season 7, Episode 1: Dragonstone If Sam Tarly could tweet to the world, it would read "My best friend was just killed, my dad kicked me out, and now I'm scrubbing sh*t at the Citadel. FML." (FML meaning Fuck My Life, according to the twitter-verse.) Sam Tarly has finally landed at The Citadel, studying to be a Maester - dream come true! But it's not as glamorous as it sounds - he's apparently trapped in an endless loop of chamber pots and soup pots. Poops and soups all day, every day. FML indeed, Sam. The cooks at the Citadel don't seem very concerned about good food, but a good mushroom soup can be quite delicious even if it's not very pretty to look at. FML doesn't have to be bad if it happens to be a bowl full of farro, mushroom & lentils. (See what I did there?) |
