Publication Party- Harry Potter Style!

I've been published! I wrote the 2nd Chapter in this book!

I could say that I was big fan of Harry Potter from the get-go, but alas, my nose would grow incredibly long from that fib. Not long after Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire came out, I was living in a big ole Victorian house with a group of friends in Columbus, Ohio. I was out of reading material and asked for a book to borrow from my friend Tamika and she handed me the first Harry Potter book, the Philosopher’s Stone. I was resistant, at first, to read the series, brushing them off, like many do, as popular kid’s books and a fad. But after reading the first book, I admit, I was hooked! Not long afterward came waiting in anticipation for the next book to come out, participating in newsgroups discussing the latest theories, writing articles for the popular HP website, Mugglenet, and attending midnight showings of the latest films.

Freshly baked Yorkshire Pudding

In 2010, when I was living in Australia with Nick, I was contacted by a woman, named Jenn Simms, who read an article I wrote for Mugglenet titled, “Sociology of Harry Potter 101,” and asked if I wanted to contribute a writing piece to a sociology book she was putting together, with other contributing authors, about Harry Potter. Naturally, I said yes! I wrote the second introductory chapter, introducing readers to the topic of sociology (with sociological definitions) and using examples from HP. This year, on July 10, 2012, the book hit the shelves!

After going on two vacations and Nick spending the entire month of August in Germany for a philosophy seminar, we finally had time to celebrate! It’s not every day you publish a book, you know! (I can check that one off my bucket list!)

Last Saturday, I had a small (and belated) dinner party at my house to celebrate the publication. What do you serve at a book publication party revolving around Harry Potter? Why you make English dishes that were served at the one and only Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, of course!

 

Yum!

I served a vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie for the main dish and Yorkshire Pudding with gravy and a cauliflower, broccoli, and cheese bake for sides (ok, so the latter dish was not in HP, but I needed another veggie side). For dessert, I served a custard tart and Harry Potter’s favorite, a treacle tart.

I’d like to give a special thanks to my friends Zdravko and Buddha for giving me flowers and to Sandy and Joe for bringing butterbeer fixings!

 

Custard and treacle tarts

 

Recipe: Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd's pie- ready for the eating

I made this the other night for dinner with homemade Irish brown bread. Although it may not be aesthetically pleasing, this shepherd’s pie is simple, tasty, hearty and wonderfully comforting on chilly nights.

Mash, mash, mash

First things first, make a slurry using ¼ cup of the vegetable broth and the flour. Set aside for later.

Mash the potatoes. Stir in the milk, butter, and shredded cheese to the mashed potatoes.  Use more milk, if you’d like. Add your desired amount of salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside. (You can use any shredded cheese you wish. Cheddar is pretty universal but I’ve had equal success with shredded Gouda as well.)

In a large skillet or pot, cook the soy crumbles in the oil. Stir in the garlic and thyme. Cook the crumbles thoroughly. Add the tomato paste, remaining 1 ¼ cups of vegetable broth, and vegetables. (NOTE: If using fresh vegetables, steam the veggies first, for a few minutes, before adding them to the crumble mixture. If using frozen veggies, just toss those bad boys in, frozen and all! Good vegetables to use are: peas, corn, diced carrots, lima beans, turnips, parsnips, shelled edamame, and green beans.) Cook for about 10 minutes, until bubbly. Stir in the flour/broth slurry, to thicken the mixture. Transfer the mixture to a 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle, evenly, with the French’s onions then blob on the mashed potatoes. Bake for 20 minutes. Let the shepherd’s pie cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Thickened crumble mixture

Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie

1 lb. soy crumbles (such as Morningstar Farms Veggies Crumbles or Boca Ground Crumbles)

1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 ½ cups vegetable broth, divided

12-16 oz. mixed vegetables (fresh or frozen)

2 tablespoons of flour

3 medium potatoes, peeled, cubed and boiled until tender

a pat or two of butter

¼ cup milk

½ cup of shredded cheddar

½ cup French’s Fried Onions

Salt and pepper, to taste