The Necronomnomnom: Recipes and Rites from the Lore of H.P. Lovecraft and Lovecraft Cocktails: Elixirs & Libations from the Lore of H. P. Lovecraft
by Mike Slater
My husband discovered two terrific Lovecraft recipe books recently; don’t worry they weren’t tucked away in a hidden tomb or a locked box in an attic, but it was when he met the author, Mike Slater, at a local convention. So if you borrow the copies of The Necronomnomnom or Lovecraft Cocktails from BCCLS Libraries you will find creative libations, but will be unlikely to actually summon any ancient gods (at least we haven’t yet). For those not familiar with Lovecraft, he is considered one of the early father’s of horror. His works have a looming menace and even if you have not read one of his stories you may be familiar with his most famous elder god, Cthulhu, who inspired many monsters in recent novels like The Kaiju Preservation Society and Lovecraft Country, which put a spin on some of the racism that is unfortunately a part of Lovecraft’s works reflecting a xenophobia often felt by the small town New Englanders he wrote about. These cookbooks though a must for Lovecraft fan are also enjoyable by fantasy foodies in general with their beautiful illustrations, fun puns, and quirky recipes that they contain like The Deep Fried Deep One and The Great Old Buns from The Necronomnomnom or Sunken Island Iced Tea and Moscow Ghoul from Lovecraft Cocktails. These would be great for planning refreshments at your next Horror Movie Marathon, Halloween Party, or Dungeons and Dragon Game. You can see a previous post about other fantasy inspired cookbooks here.
Top Secret Recipes Unlocked: All New Home Clones of America’s Favorite
by Todd Wilbur
Every year my recipe for sweet potato casserole gets rave reviews at Thanksgiving. My secret is that it is a homemade version of the one found at Boston Market. Top Secret Recipes Unlocked is a fun resource packed with clones of everything from Arby’s delicious Horsey Sauce to my childhood favorite popcorn treat, Crunch and Munch. Some entries include background about the restaurants or the dish itself and others discuss what it took to recreate the dish. In his introduction, Wilbur discusses his overall process in trying to recreate the classic dishes in ways that are close to the original in taste but use techniques and ingredients readily accessible to home cooks. The book includes fun diagrams that give a super secret spy feel to the endeavors. Wilbur’s take on the Boston Market’s Sweet Potato Casserole is egg free so can be made ahead so I may give his version a try this year. Top Secret Recipes Unlocked includes recipes from several Hoboken Fast Food Favorites including McDonald’s, Panera, Taco Bell, Dunkin, and Starbucks. This is a great resource for those looking to make their favorites in a healthier version or in away to accommodate dietary restrictions.
Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager
Hoboken Library Staff Picks 