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Can a Sanderson sisters cookbook really be done? And done well?? The marketing folks at Disney and Insight Editions think so, and we have The Official ‘Hocus Pocus’ Cookbook to take for a trial run!
“70 Recipes Inspired By The Sanderson Sisters, Max, Dani, and Beyond”
How did our foodstuffs spellcasting go? Read on for our review!
Amuck! Amuck! Amuck!
Written by Elena Craig & S. T. Bende, and featuring 70 recipes that run the gamut from appetizers, to drinks and desserts, to main courses and breakfast, no food group is left untouched by the magic of everyone’s favorite witches. There are recipe titles that immediately click–yes, there’s Dead Man’s Toes (Page 33), and some that may be tad less “inspired by” –Pumpkin Risotto, as well as Halloween season fare like: Halloween Candy Ice Cream with Gummy Worm Ganache.
But, as with all themed cookbooks (yes, these are a “thing”), the real question is: How practical are the recipes?? So, in the spirit of taking one for the team, I actually whipped one up for the family one Saturday morning…
Of course, all of the pictures look positively delicious, because hey, it’s a cookbook, but for my trial run, I decided on the Knockout Skillet French Toast. A rich, custard derived dish, with brioche bread, fresh apples, and pecans. The recipe itself was pretty uncomplicated, only 10 ingredients, and the cooking and prep instructions were concise and easy to follow with no unnecessarily complicated culinary terms or techniques. As a bonus, there’s a pretty comprehensive reference section in the back that makes converting the recipes to gluten free, or vegetarian relatively easy.
I’m a pretty skilled cook (if I do say so myself), but the recipe I tried was involved but simple, and could easily but prepared by a novice with passable results. After about an hour or so of preparation and actual cooking time (I hate slicing apples!) the dish in question was delicious–rich, and decadent, with a made-from-scratch apple/cinnamon syrup that was restaurant quality. There were absolutely no leftovers, and nobody walked away hungry! If just this one recipe is any indication, this cookbook is a winner!
Final Thoughts
So often, themed cookbooks like this are full of throwaway or plain old generic recipes. However, The Official Hocus Pocus Cookbook really shines with some quality, well thought out recipes, that are a devilish change of pace, and can I say “magically delicious” without the cereal people hitting us with an injunction? Certainly there are more Halloween season dishes here, but much like the film it was inspired by, it can be enjoyed any time of the year! Grab a copy and cook up some Hocus Pocus today!
The Official Hocus Pocus Cookbook is available from most major booksellers on July 11th. 2023. Pre-order yours on Amazon today!
