Amortentia. A powerful love potion. We first run across it in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince when Professor Slughorn is having his students identify a group of potions he’s brewed. Let’s head down to the potions classroom and listen in… “It’s the most powerful love potion in the world!” said Hermione.…
We’re all familiar with the toast of champagne at midnight on New Year’s Eve, right? Pop. Fizz. Clink. Sip. Got it. Cue the “Auld Lang Syne” (thanks, Robert Burns!). Unless you’re springing for some quality bubbles you might find your sparkling wine a little dull, especially if you’re planning to have more than one fluteful.…
When the weather turns so cold this time of year, piling on blankets and furs only gets you so far. Sometimes you have to warm yourself from the inside out. North of the Wall, it is especially frigid, but the Lord Commander has a store of wine to keep him warm. “The Old Bear…
Halloween is nearly here! You can’t tell I’m looking forward to it, right? I’ve been watching some of my favorite “scary” movies to get in the…spirit. 🙂 Truth be told, I haven’t actually read the book, but I swear, every time I see the Practical Magic midnight margarita scene, I wish that I had a similar tradition.…
Butterbeer is delicious, right? A very special treat. But for your everyday wizarding feast, pumpkin juice is most appropriate for the table. This was one of the beverages offered at the Harry Potter party I threw last year. Pumpkin juice is so incredible! I cannot recommend it enough. If you like pumpkin AT ALL, please…
Even if you’ve been washed up from battle, rotting on a tiny island for goodness knows how long, the Lysene pirate, Salladhor Saan (from George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire Series), has a treatment plan to put you right again. If you’re suffering from a summer cold or just plain feeling out…
Feasting and drinking make such a nice backdrop for death and manipulation, don’t you agree? George R.R. Martin certainly thinks so, as evidenced by his A Song of Ice and Fire series. Have you ever been reading a page of his books and wanted to step through the page to help yourself to a turkey…
If you haven’t checked out Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur yet, I highly recommend it. It’s gained a huge following for good reason. The collection of poems are accessible, raw and real AF, dealing with themes of love, abuse, femininity, loss, healing and more. Most are bite-sized and perfect to savor here and there…
If you’ve been paying attention, you’ve noticed that I’ve made May into something of an Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland month here at Cask & Quill. The book itself takes place on May 4 and we celebrated with a playing card nail design. Then earlier this week, I showed you the Queen of Hearts tarts and…
When a snowy or rainy day at home rolls around, we all know the drill. Light a candle, grab your blanket, book and something warm in a mug. Coffee and tea are the hot beverages most book lovers will reach for when settling in for a cozy reading sesh. And for good reason! They’re delicious! Hot…
Here in Minnesota, there’s a definite winter chill in the air. In fact, that’s a giant understatement. There’s a bone-chilling, frostbite-after-nine-minutes-inducing chill in the air and it is NOT pleasant to be out in. One of the literary works that comes to nearly everyone’s mind this time of year is, of course, Dickens’ A Christmas…