Jackie Emerson on The Hunger Games book

Earlier today I tweeted to lots of the cast of The Hunger Games. So far only a response from Jackie Emerson (Foxface).

Here it is! Thanks Jackie! :)

Fictional Food: District 12 Drop Biscuits and Katniss approved Puffy Buttermilk Biscuits

Well, this morning I made buttermilk biscuits(which is posted below), but I saw this post from fictionalfood.net about the District 12 drop biscuits. When I made them I was not brave enough to use whole wheat flour again, well, actually, my family begged me not to use it, since they actually wanted to EAT the food rather then pretend to be Katniss Everdeen (which of course my motive to make them...)
    Here is the post from fictionalfood.net. These biscuits look a lot more realistic than mine! They also took the time to actually make this a realistic recipe and even bought special grains. Really cool!

District 12 drop biscuits from fictionalfood.net 
check it out! 

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Katniss Approved Buttermilk Biscuits from The Hunger Games chapter 6

"Using a mouthpiece that magically appears when Katniss opens the menu in her Capitol living quarters, Katniss orders this dish along with a side of goose liver. But when the puffy bread can't quench Katniss's hunger, we see that it's a metaphor for the Capitol itself: full of hot air." -The Unofficial Hunger Games Cook Book by Emily Ansara Baines

These turned out well. But I think I made them a little too big...they increased a lot in size, and burnt a little on the top. But other than that they were good.

Hunger Games Original Food Contest

So there is a Hunger Games "cook off", run by a San Jose newspaper. And of course because I am doing this cookbook project, I'm going to enter it. Check it out!

Check out the contest rules here
http://mockingjay.net/2012/01/04/enter-original-recipes-in-the-hunger-games-food-contest/

and for more great HG news check out Mockingjay.net.

Katniss's Favorite Lamb Stew with Dried Plums, Orange Muffins with Sweet Preserves and District 3 Dinner Rolls

 Two of these dishes Katniss and her allies received in the arenas, and were essential not only to their immediate survival, but both were coded messages from their mentors.

Orange Muffins with Sweet Preserves from The Hunger Games  chapter 4

"No decadent breakfast at the Capitol would be complete with out some options for those who wake up with a roaring sweet tooth! At this point Katniss does not seem all to impressed with the battercakes and their thick orange preserves, which, when you consider that she'd barely even tasted an orange when she arrived in the Capitol, tells us that she's slowly becoming jaded by the lifestyle she's forced to lead when living in the lap of luxury. While Katniss might dislike her sumptuous surroundings now, she'll definitely miss them when fending for herself in the arena." - The Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook by Emily Ansara Baines

The muffins were really good, you could barely taste the orange, but they still tasted good. As for the  preserves, it turned out okay, but not great.  I guess I need to work on my jam making skills! 

District 3 Dinner Rolls from Catching Fire chapter 24

"The District 3 Dinner Rolls showcase the District's technological capabilities. This District is know for its aptitude with electronics, and the square-shaped dinner rolls serve to distance the District from the natural world that so many other Districts rely upon heavily." -The Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook by Emily Ansara Baines

To add to this description, and add a more important less thoughtful note, the rolls signified where the rebels would be rescuing Katniss and her allies. This adds to the importance of bread throughout the series. These rolls are really really good! They would have made a great meal for Katniss and her fellow victors as they survive the clock arena.  VERY GOOD!!! 

Katniss's Favorite Lamb Stew with Dried Plums from The Hunger Games chapter 9

"Kaniss's favorite food from the Capitol is the delicious lamb stew with dried plums. It's not coincidence that this is her favorite dish. Soups and stews are common foods in the Seam, and this healthy and filing dish likely reminded her of the home and family she desperately missed." -The Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook by Emily Ansara Baines

First of all, I would like to say that I made this dish all by my self. It was very complicated, but very rewarding. My whole family loved it, and it made enough to have for leftovers the next day. I cut down the recipe a little since it originally yields 8-10 servings and we are a family of 4. I think that this really pays tribute to Katniss's favorite meal, and I was very happy with the outcome. 

Parcel Day Applesauce and Attack of the Chocolate Chunk Muffins

The other day my mom decided to make two more dishes from the Hunger Games Cookbook. She made applesauce and chocolate chunk muffins. (both from the "Just Desserts" section)

Attack of the Chocolate Chunk Muffins from The Hunger Games chapter 4

"These gooey chocolate muffins are made with pure, high-quality semisweet chocolate chunks and milk chips. As such, they will definitely cure whatever sweet tooth Haymitch may acquire in an attempt to find some pleasantness while guiding Katniss and Peeta safely through the Hunger Games." - The Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook by Emily Ansara Baines.

These muffins are really good. Very very chocolaty, so when you eat them have a glass of milk near by. 

Parcel Day Applesauce from Catching Fire chapter 2

"This applesauce is both sweet and filling, a perfect treat for children of the Seam on Parcel Day." - The Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook by Emily Ansara Baines.

The applesauce is really great. When served hot it tastes like apple pie filling. It is really sweet so- like the muffins - make sure you have a drink near by. 

Mockingjay Flatbread Crackers and District 12 Drop Biscuits

Yesterday and today my mom and I began our journey into the world of baking with whole wheat flour. Gross. Personally, I really dislike whole wheat stuff, but I wanted to stay true to the recipes. Here are the results.

Mockingjay Flatbread Crackers from Catching Fire Chapter 9  and 10

"When Katniss finds Twill hiding in her cabin on the lake, Katniss is all ready to shoot her - until she sees that Twill is holding a flatbread cracker with a mockingjay carved into it. Here the bread represents a token of hope and more importantly, goodwill." -The Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook by Emily Ansara Baines 

These crackers are very simple, but don't turn out so well. They are very dry and flavorless. My mom added some garlic powder after the third batch, but they still taste pretty bad. I think that maybe we did not flatten the crackers enough, and they are too thick. We were also not able to carve mockingjays into the crackers, and who knows maybe the powerful bird gives the crackers a better flavor. 

District 12 Drop Biscuits from The Hunger Games chapter 7

"While admiring the various districts' bread displayed prominently at her training, Katniss comments on her own district's bread, calling them 'ugly drop biscuits.' However, she's not really talking about bread here. Instead, she's doubting her own worth and comparing herself to the large, muscular tributes that she'll soon be facing in the arena." -The Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook by Emily Ansara Baines 

After our previous encounter with whole wheat flour, we decided to just double the amount of regular flour. It's a good thing we did because I think if we had used whole wheat flour then it would have been a similar situation to the crackers. The biscuits are good, a little chewy, and bland, but they are basically just butter so whats bad about that! I know it is more realistic to use the whole wheat flour, but somethings just have to be changed for the general welfare. 

Hunger Games Cook Book

As many of you know the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is being made into a film and is predicted to become a phenomenon like Harry Potter and Twilight; and with that comes the ever growing anticipation for the movie to be released. Several companion books have been written, which I have received for the holidays, but one that stands out is The Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook by Emily Ansara Baines. It includes over 150 recipes from all three books of the trilogy. My mom and I have decided to make all of the recipes from the book before the movie comes out, and I will write about all of them.

Today we made two recipes from the book, the Fearfully Fried potatoes and the French Bread from the Mellark  Family Bakery. Each recipe comes with a description of how the food relates to the plot of the book as well as "Tips from Your Sponsor" for helpful hints. I will include the descriptions about the food but no more because I don't want to be sued by Emily Ansara Baines.

Fearfully Fried Potatoes from The Hunger Games Chapter 4

"While most things related to the Capitol focus on opulence, this simple recipe a rich flavor, which makes it a great dish to help Katniss and Peeta transition from life in District 12 to the Capitol. This first breakfast is served on the train as it winds its way to the Capitol, an image that reinforces the idea of transition this recipe imparts." -The Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook by Emily Ansara Baines. 

We made this recipe for breakfast this morning, and it was delicious! It is a really simple two step process, but is really a very yummy breakfast!

French Bread from the Mellark Family Bakery from The Hunger Games Chapter 1

"Before we are even introduced to Peeta, we're introduced to his family's bakery: Gale arrives at his and Katniss's pre-Reaping Day hunt, a loaf of bread with an arrow shot through it in hand. Katniss can't help but smile. After all, 'it's real bakery bread...fine bread like this is for special occasions.' The fact that bread is mentioned so early in the book foreshadows the importance it will take on as the story unfolds." -The Hunger Game Unofficial Cookbook by Emily Ansara Baines. 

The bread was a big success. It was crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. And our house smelled SO good!