Fear Feasts

16/07/2024

Homemade Tomato-Rice Soup

She put up a can of tomato-rice soup to cook on the back burner and the kitchen curtains caught on fire…

In Alice Hoffman's ‘Practical Magic’, Sally Owens often worries that everything she touches gets spoiled, even her cooking. While Sally might pour her soup from a tin, let's make our version from scratch!

Why not give the episode a listen as you cook 🍅

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1tH11ToioskvqDNv5LL1qq?si=0ac9ad8c9f4c4596

Tomato-Rice Soup

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
6 cups vegetable broth
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Method

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes.

Add garlic, carrots, and celery; cook for another 5 minutes.

Stir in basil, oregano, thyme, and red pepper flakes; cook for 1 minute.

Pour in crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth; stir to combine.

Add rice and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer covered for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove bay leaf, season with salt and pepper, and garnish with fresh parsley. Enjoy (not too much)!

11/07/2024

RIP, Shelley Duvall. Thank you for giving us one of the most iconic horror characters in film history.

09/07/2024

Practical Magic 🪄

New Episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/fear-feasts/id1672786626

What would you do if you and your sister discovered you came from a long line of witches, including your two aunts who raised you? Imagine your sister ran off with one crazy man, only to return years later with another who you had to kill... twice! Worse yet, his evil spirit continues to haunt you, your sister, and your family home. How would you handle raising your own two daughters to be mini witches, complete with herbs, cooking, and baking, only to find them casting spells on each other?

And what about those witchy aunts insisting on midnight margaritas—surely you wouldn’t say no, would you? What if a spell you cast on yourself to only fall in love with an impossible man came true, and this impossible man showed up at your door asking questions about the dead guy? Would you push him away while trying to impress him with your culinary skills, whipping up olive and cream cheese sandwiches, apple tarts, stuffed mushrooms, marshmallow pies, and pot roast?

Join us as we dive into these hungrily horrifying questions and analyze the connection between food, horror, and witchcraft in the novel Practical Magic and its 1998 film adaptation. Don’t miss this enchanting episode!

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30/06/2024

A Lolly Willowes inspired Goosberry Fool

We are lucky enough to have a special guest recipe post by author Samantha Bilton today!

Gooseberry Fool

320g gooseberries
75g sugar
2 tbsp finely chopped sweet cicely (optional)

Place the above in a pan & cook slowly until the fruit releases its juice (do not add water). Crush with the back of a spoon & sieve if you want to remove the pips.

1-2 tsp arrowroot mixed with an equal quantity of water.

Bring the fruit back up to boiling point. Add the arrowroot mixture then stir until thickened. Set aside while you make the custard.

20g custard powder
15g caster sugar
285ml milk

Place the custard powder & sugar in a jug. Mix with a little milk to a smooth paste then gradually add the remaining milk. Cook in the microwave or on the hob according to the instructions.

Mix the warm custard & fruit purée together. Pour into four glasses or bowls. Cool & then chill before serving.

Listen to the Fear Feasts episode here:
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/fear-feasts/id1672786626?i=1000660181236

25/06/2024

New podcast episode!

What would you do if you were a single woman living with your family who drove you bonkers with their constant demands, particularly for cooking such things as roast duck and gooseberry fool? What if the chance came for you to escape and live in the wonderfully named village of Great Mop, and even though you'd never lived alone before and the strange nighttime noises in your new home were scary, you were still free of your awful family? What if a black cat followed you home and became your familiar? What if your dreadful nephew showed up to live with you and refused to move out? Wouldn't you find a coven of witches in your new town and join up? What if, one afternoon in a frenzy of frustration at your nephew, you went into the woods and let out a primal scream that invoked Satan himself? You'd surely make a pact with him to get rid of your nephew, and his constant demands for tea, sponge cake, jam puff, mushrooms and toasted cheese, bread, beer and blackberry pudding, right? We discuss these tantalizingly terrifying questions and and analyze the connection between food and horror in 1926's classic tale of witchcraft Lolly Willowes, so please join us!

What would you do if you were a woman in the early 1900s living with your family who drove you bonkers with their constant demands, particularly for cooking such things as roast duck and gooseberry fool? What if the chance came for you to escape and live in the wonderfully named village of Great Mop...

18/06/2024

✨ In The Craft: Legacy (2020), David Duchovny plays a warlock with a knack for cooking! Enjoy this magical family meal just before things go awry. 🌿✨

Warlock Chicken and Spinach Skillet 🌿✨

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts, sliced (about 400g)
60g fresh spinach
1 onion, diced (about 150g)
2 cloves garlic, minced
200g cherry tomatoes, halved
120ml double cream
30g grated Parmesan
1 tbsp olive oil (15ml)
Salt & pepper
Fresh basil for garnish

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Sauté onion and garlic until fragrant.
Add chicken slices, cook until golden.
Toss in cherry tomatoes, cook until soft.
Stir in spinach, cook until wilted.
Pour in the double cream, simmer for 5 mins.
Mix in Parmesan, season with salt & pepper.
Garnish with fresh basil.

🧙‍♂️✨ Serve hot, and let the fighting begin! ✨🌿

17/06/2024

Haven't yet listened to our episode on The Craft and The Craft: Legacy? Why not do it now while enjoying Vanessa's culinary take on the bloody egg deleted scene from The Craft: Legacy? What could it be, you ask? What else COULD it be but shakshuka? Yes, that lovely dish of eggs cooked in a rich tomato sauce definitely evokes feelings of witchiness. Recipe below and episode available on Spotify, Stitcher, Apple Podcasts or anywhere you get your podcast fix.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small red onion, sliced or minced
3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 14-oz can of diced tomatoes
1 14-oz can of tomato sauce
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon celery salt
Salt and pepper to taste
2-3 eggs

Method:
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and and garlic and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes and tomato sauce, the cumin, smoked paprika, coriander and celery salt. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and let cook until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Create three spaces in the simmering sauce, and gently crack in the eggs. Season as you like, then cover the skillet. Cook until the egg whites set, around 7 minutes. Serve with toast. Avoid witches trying to cast spells on you for your bitchin' shakshuka recipe. 🥚🍅

16/06/2024

Happy Father's Day to all you little horror lovers out there!

12/06/2024

If you enjoy listening to our podcast please vote us - the listener’s choice is now open!

https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/voting?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaZN9Y6UrlaaPFqbawAVcoZjoUzr-3vBr6xYTtktPRfzT54FuQPrTrdfcmE_aem_AaQQFyArS7N5hxgXmy3eS54jprIekmCVzo8-dCB7u3BmxDRFkvMT9sqbBjpZzcEfhFbLWyGUpO7x2Ie77HrF2-iH

11/06/2024

A new episode has landed!
This time it’s The Craft (s) 🧙‍♀️

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/fear-feasts-food-in-horror/id1672786626?i=1000658622460

What would you do if you came to a new high school and were befriended by some teenage witches? What if the four of you found out you were all-powerful and began casting spells and glamorous but the head of your little coven started acting.....well, witchy? What if all you could find to eat in the high school cafeteria was pizza and more pizza? What if your mother moved you in with her new boyfriend who also turned out to be a barbecue-loving warlock set on killing you and taking your powers? What if one of your fellow witches had a grandmother who was trying to cook you eggs one morning and, due to the evil witchcraft surrounding you and your friends, the eggs started cooking in blood? Worst of all, what if your dreams all started involving you drinking down lots of blood? Would you run away or would you channel those witchy powers and fight back against your enemies? We'll discuss these famishingly fascinating questions and discuss the connection between food and horror in two films - 1996's The Craft and 2020's Blumhouse sequel The Craft: Legacy, so please join us!

05/06/2024

Hot on Vanessa's witchy heels, Allie has just the thing to accompany her 'Don't Knock Twice' inspired carrot and cilantro soup...'Knockers' (more formally referred to as 'Dorset K***s'). These are hard, dry, biscuit-like rolls that were traditionally baked twice, similar to rusks, and their name is derived from the fact that they are so hard you could 'knock' on a door with them 🚪

Dorset K***s (Knockers)

Ingredients

500g strong white bread flour
10g salt
10g sugar
10g dried yeast
25g butter
350ml warm water

Instructions

Mixing the Dough:

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and sugar.
Add the yeast and stir to combine.
Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Make a well in the centre and gradually add the warm water, mixing to form a soft dough.

Kneading:

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

First Rise:

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and leave to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Shaping:

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
Knock back the dough to deflate it, then divide it into small pieces, roughly the size of a walnut.
Roll each piece into a ball and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

Second Rise:

Cover the tray with a damp cloth and leave to rise for another 30 minutes.

First Bake:

Bake the rolls in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes until lightly golden.

Second Bake:

Reduce the oven temperature to 140°C (275°F).
Remove the rolls from the oven and allow them to cool slightly.
Return the rolls to the oven and bake for another 1-2 hours until they are hard and crisp.

Cooling:

Allow the Dorset K***s to cool completely on a wire rack before storing in an airtight container. Dorset K***s are traditionally enjoyed with cheese and are known for their hard, dry texture, perfect for 'knocking'. So knock yourself out!

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/waiter-theres-a-molar-in-my-soup-dont-knock-twice/id1672786626?i=1000657040876

05/06/2024

Haven't yet listened to our episode on the film Don't Knock Twice? Today's a good day to do just that while enjoying a bowl of Vanessa's carrot soup! Made with coconut milk, ginger, lemon, turmeric and cilantro (coriander), it's a toothsome (get it? HAHAHA!) homage to the tooth scene in the film. Gross. The scene, not Vanessa's soup. :) You will need:

1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into rounds
3 tablespoons garlic oil
1 teaspoon turmeric
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and diced
1 13-oz can coconut milk
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1/2 red onion, peeled and sliced
2 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth
1 generous tablespoon of curry paste
Juice and zest of one small lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon dried cilantro
Fresh cilantro for garnish

Preheat the oven to 425F and when hot, pour the garlic oil over the carrots and onion and roast for about 30 minutes.

In a heavy pot, add the roasted carrot and onion, the garlic cloves, the turmeric and ginger and lightly sauté over medium heat. Pour in the chicken stock, the coconut milk, the curry paste, and the lemon juice and zest. Bring to a low simmer, add in the dried cilantro, and let cook for about 30 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.

Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until thickened and creamy. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed. Decant into a bowl, garnish with fresh cilantro, and devour, though luckily you will not need any teeth to enjoy this soup.

03/06/2024

We are. :)

01/06/2024

Very sad news about The Kingcast's Scott Wampler. He was a terrific writer, fellow horror afficionado, and loved Stephen King as much as any of us horror lovers. RIP, Scott.

28/05/2024

A new episode is here! Don’t Knock Twice (2016)

https://open.spotify.com/episode/74RS8CZTjekdpgT3gRhwX3?si=2279fbf93c934a9e

Now what would you do if your birth mother, a recovering drug addict, asked you to come live with her when you were a teenager and you went? What would you do if you and your bestie went into a haunted house and he got dragged away by something you couldn't see? What if your birth mother made a carrot and coriander soup that held a tooth? Would you keep eating, just checking your own dental work along the way, or would you start to seriously wonder if that same creepy force that took your bestie away was somehow at work? What if you found out that a Russian legend about a witch called Baba Yaga was what was haunting you? Would you try to fight it or would you decide to make some Russian borscht instead? We will discuss these terrifyingly tasty questions and analyse the connection between food and horror in 2016's creepy film Don't Knock Twice, so please join us.

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21/05/2024

In Thomas Olde Heuvelt's novel Hex (2013), the town of Black Spring is haunted by the ghost of Katherine van Wyler, a witch who was executed in 1664. To keep Katherine's wrath at bay, the townspeople offer her various tributes, including a peacock.

A pecoke

Cut hym yn necke and skald hym cut of þe fete & hede cast hym on a spete bake hym well the sauce ys gynger. (England, late 15th century)

A peacock.

Cut him in (the) neck and scald him. Cut off the feet & head. Cast him on a spit. Bake him well. The sauce is ginger.

Simple Ginger Roasted Peacock

Ingredients

1 peacock, plucked and cleaned
Salt and pepper to taste
4 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
1 onion, quartered
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped

Method

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Rinse the peacock under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
Season the inside cavity with salt and pepper.

Marinade:

In a small bowl, mix together the minced ginger, garlic, soy sauce, honey, olive oil, and lemon juice.
Rub this mixture all over the peacock, ensuring it gets under the skin and inside the cavity for maximum flavour.

Stuffing:

Stuff the cavity of the peacock with the quartered onion and some of the chopped carrots and celery.
Roasting:

Place the remaining chopped carrots and celery in the bottom of a large roasting pan.
Place the peacock on top of the vegetables, breast side up.
Pour any remaining marinade over the top of the bird.

Cooking:

Roast the peacock in the preheated oven for about 2 to 2.5 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) when measured with a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh.
If the skin starts to brown too quickly, cover the bird loosely with foil.

Resting and Serving:

Once fully cooked, remove the peacock from the oven and let it rest for 15-20 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.
Carve the peacock as you would a turkey, serving slices of the breast meat and portions of the legs.

Serve with the roasted vegetables from the pan.

Notes:

Peacock meat can be tougher and gamier than domesticated poultry, so ensuring it is properly cooked and rested is important.

Adjust the amount of ginger according to your taste preferences. Ginger adds a nice aromatic and slightly spicy flavour that complements the richness of the meat.

If peacock is unavailable or not permitted, this recipe can be adapted for other game birds such as pheasant or turkey.

Always check local regulations and ethical guidelines regarding the hunting and consumption of wildlife.

09/05/2024

We were interviewed by Sam Bilton for her awesome podcast Comfortably Hungry and had a wonderful discussion about Roald Dahl, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," the dark imagery of chocolate and how it can be used as a weapon, and many other fascinating topics, so give it a listen at the link below!

Roald Dahl’s second children’s book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory celebrates its 60th birthday this year. In this episode I’m joined by Dr Alessandra Pino and Vanessa Baca from the Fear Feasts Podcast . We’re delving into the wicked side of chocolate and how this is represented in Dahl.....

07/05/2024

Being a teenager is hard enough, between smartphones, social media pressure, and that damn witch that haunts your hometown. And then when your bestie's mom is the town butcher and keeps selling her creepy pâté, and she worships the witch, it makes it so much worse. We're talking growing pains, technology, witchcraft, pea soup with meatballs, breasts, mob mentality, that awful pâté, Chinese take-out food and family meals, and more breasts, so join us as we analyze the connection between food and horror in Thomas Olde Heuvelt's bizarrely creepy novel HEX. You may never look at pâté quite the same way ever again.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6W2q6peGEVBDC8PAuVQMwU?si=FDXbehkoS8WLZOL57iN13A

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22/04/2024

Our favorite charcuterie board!

13/04/2024

Hot on Vanessa’s (hoofed) heels here is a recipe for corn fritters inspired by the film The VVitch (2015) . If you haven’t listened to the episode yet, why not do so while making these delicious little nuggets without the psychedelic consequences 🌽!

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/witchy-woman-the-vvitch/id1672786626?i=1000650504867

New England Corn Fritters

Ingredients

150g plain flour, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, beaten
120ml milk
200g tinned sweetcorn, drained
1 teaspoon grated onion

Method

In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the egg and milk. Stir the egg and milk mixture into the dry ingredients until well combined. Add the grated onion and sweetcorn, stirring until evenly distributed.
Heat a frying pan or skillet over medium heat and add a thin layer of vegetable oil. Spoon the batter into the pan to form small fritters. Cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked through.
Remove the fritters from the pan and drain on paper towels. Serve warm as a tasty snack or side dish.

12/04/2024

After a bit of a break, we are back with a new episode coming your way next week. In the meantime, while you're waiting, why not give a listen to our episode on The VVitch and enjoy Vanessa's culinary take on the film with her recipe for apple-goat's cheese scones? You can eat one while chasing Black Philip around the farm like those evil bratty children Mercy and Jonas! Recipe below and episode available on Spotify, Stitcher, Apple Podcasts or at: anchor.fm/fearfeastspodcast

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick of butter, ice-cold and cut into cubes
1 apple, cored and chopped
1 cup goat's cheese
1 egg
1/2 cup heavy cream

Heat the oven to 425F. Sift together together the flour, baking powder and salt, and mix in the butter cubes until you have a rubbly textured dough and the butter pieces are the size of peas. Add in the apple, cheese, egg and heavy cream, stir to mix until a crumbly dough forms, but don't overmix. Knead the dough into a ball and refrigerate for about half an hour. Roll out the dough and cut out rounds. Place on a parchment-lined baking tray and bake for 20 minutes. Enjoy and consider leaving one as an offering to the witch in your woods so she doesn't curse you like poor Caleb and leave you vomiting up rotting apples. Yum!

30/03/2024

Some truly fearsome food for Easter. 😁