JK Rowling didn’t write a recipe book, so authenticity is always up for debate when tht hought of recreating any of the food from the Harry Potter novels. There are plenty of websites out there with recipe interpretations of all the foods described in the books. One includes the Top 10 Harry Potter Related Recipes at YumSugar. Even better, the Harry Potter Lexicon provides an extensive list of all the food mentioned in the books.

One particular food item, Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans was recreated by the Jelly Belly company. They are currently called “BeanBoozled” (my assumption is that they lost some sort of licensing agreement). The flavour names have changed as well. Originally there was “sardine, pepper, grass, horseradish, vomit, booger, earwax, and dirt (via HP Lexicon).” I did buy one of these boxes and yes I did eat them. The vomit one nearly made me vomit. I recall putting it in my mouth and then blindly reaching my arms out searching for a trash can. It was not pretty. But the best part was offering the vomit flavoured bean to someone else. I love pranking people!

Ever since the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park in Orlando opened this past year, I have been dying to go and try other items. One in particular includes Butterbeer. After reading through all seven books and still not connecting what butterbeer actually is, I’m clearing up the confusion right now. According to an interview in Bon Appetit magazine in 2002, JK Rowling states “I imagine it to taste a little bit like less-sickly butterscotch.” So my assumption is that it could be recreated in two eithers, non-alcoholic with some sort of melted butterscotch, or alcoholic with butterscotch schnapps? MuggleNet tries to replicate Butterbeer with cream soda and butterscotch ice cream topping. I’m not sure if that sounds good or really kind of gross?

There’s even a whole blog dedicated to replicating the food. Perhaps it’ll be time to throw a Harry Potter themed party?