Dinner is coming! (Via imgur)
As if being a chemical engineer by day isn't enough, Rachel Howden's hobby is preparing massive Game of Thrones-inspired feasts. She does them for season premieres, season finales, and those special event episodes.
These feasts are kingly, queenly, and a very, very big deal.
I wrote to Howden to ask what inspired her to do this, besides a love of both fantasy television and roasted meats. She said that at first she started making recipes out of The Feast of Ice and Fire, a Games of Thrones-inspired cookbook officially sanctioned by George R.R. Martin. The feasts became events unto themselves, and a nice way to enjoy the show with her boyfriend and friends. “Last year the feasts had themes where the food was cooked, based on what people might eat in different regions, e.g., The Wall of Dorne or King's Landing."
For last weekend's season premiere, she outdid herself, and teamed up with her sister ("It was nice to have help!" she says.) and made courses that would be both "interesting for our friends to try, and that would taste good as well." So yeah, she just improvised a lot of this.
Cookbook, you know nothing! (Via Rachel's Blog)
Here are some more of the Westeros delicacies Howden and her sister and her friends whipped up:
Crusted Lamb (via imgur)
Spiced Carrots and Raisins (via imgur)
Cream Swans (via imgur)
Howden and her nine guests also feasted quite merrily on Roasted Rosemary Rabbit with Potatoes, Stuffed Jalapeños, Beef With Bacon Pie, Roasted Lemon Butter Quail, Boiled Quail Eggs, Roast Boar Loin, and Blackened Iguana (presumably by a dragon's mouth).