Emily Ansara Baines - The Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook: From Lamb Stew to

EMILY ANSARA BAINES

For Keagan

Chapter 1:
Breakfast of Champions

Chapter 2:
Breaking Bread

Chapter 3:
Keep the Camp Fires Low and ForageSoups, Stews, and Salads

Chapter 4:
Humble Beginnings

Chapter 5:
Sink or SwimSeafood

Chapter 6:
Dont Call Me ChickenPoultry Dishes for the Brave

Chapter 7:
Put Some Meat on Your BonesBeef, Lamb, and Pork

Chapter 8:
Wild Game for Wild Girls

Chapter 9:
Just Desserts

Appendix:
Katnisss Family Book of Herbs

Theres never a dull moment in the Hunger Games universe. And yet, all of the exciting (albeit terrifying) experiences that the characters face pale in comparison to the vital, yet elemental, role that food plays throughout the series. Here, food is so much more than just something to eat. Instead, it represents a variety of conflicts that the characters, regardless of background, must struggle against. Food represents the ever-widening gap between the haves (those in the Capitol) and the have-nots (almost everyone else). It gives the characters strength both by nurturing their physical bodies and reminding them of their emotional roots. The characters use food as a form of power; food can be used to uplift those in need, while its absence can push those in need further down. Food is also representative of survival; those who are self-sufficient enough to find food live, those who dont, die.

Yet food isnt just a basic necessity for survival, its also a form of communication when all other forms have been denied. During Katnisss first Hunger Games, Haymitch communicates with her using bread. This sly form of messaging is replicated in the Quarter Quell, allowing Finnick to learn the hour of their rescue.

And for Katniss, food isnt just a form of communication, its a form of identity. After all, her father named her for the nutritious root, noting, As long as you can find yourself, youll never starve (The Hunger Games, Chapter 4). And in Mockingjay, we learn that Panem, Katnisss countryand oftentimes, enemyliterally means bread. Plutarch, the Head Gamemaker, explains to Katniss that Panems name is a reference to an ancient saying about Rome, Panem et Circenses, which translates into Bread and Circuses. The Romans, like the citizens of Panem, gave up their right to fair political representation in return for full stomachs and plenty of entertainment. An unwise choice that later cost them not only their rights, but their civilization. When you think about the relationship the Capitol holds with its districts, and the ultimate entertainment of the Hunger Games, its easy to realize along with Katniss that the description holds not just for Rome, but for the Capitol. This connection to Rome foreshadows what will occur at the end of the series: Like Rome, the Capitol must fall.

As you cook your way through The Hunger Games, youll notice that there are two distinct types of recipes. First, there are the decadent dishes that helped contribute to the overindulged attitudes of the Capitols bourgeoisie and lulled those citizens into a false sense of security and entitlementuntil Katniss and the Districts rose up against them. Whether its the lamb stew with dried plums that Katniss adores, the rich cakes Peeta so admires, or a variety of game drizzled with luxuriously sweet and savory sauces, these recipes are sure to fill you up, if not put you in a sugar coma.

The other, less well-known, recipes that youll find throughout represent the difficult lives of the inhabitants of the Districts. As those in the Capitol gorge on elegant cooked delicacies, Katniss and her peers scrape by on a mixture of nuts, berries, wild game, and bread. These citizens know not only how to hunt and forage, but cook their own food with only the most meager of materials. These actions show off their survival instincts and foreshadow the outcome of the rebellion. Even when Katniss is in the Capitol-controlled arena during the Hunger Games, shes able to keep both herself and her allies alive by her resourceful knowledge of edible plants and hunting.

Thus, this cookbook serves as a portal into Katnisss two worldsone of luxury and pampering, and one of hardship and labor. Regardless of which world you choose to cook from, the recipes in this cookbook are a fun and delicious way for you and your family to transport yourselves alongside Katniss, Peeta, and Gale while they fight for their freedomand the right to a full stomach. Enjoy!

CHAPTER 1

The motto breakfast is the most important meal of the day is one lesson you likely learned at a very young age. Thus, it comes as no surprise that the Capitol, District 12, and even the infamous District 13 all possess a wealth of recipes for this very important meal. After all, without a nutritious breakfast, how can the workers of the Seam or even the socialites of the Capitol expect to have the energy to greet their very busyalbeit very differentdays? In this chapter youll find a wide range of breakfast recipes, so whether youre craving the Capitols Outrageous Orange Muffins with Sweet Preserves or Mrs. Everdeens Breakfast of Mush, youre sure to find something both filling and delicious to start your own successful day.

When an assortment of eggs and ham are made available to Katniss, Peeta, and the rest of their crew on the train on the way to the Capitol, its easy to see the juxtaposition between the extreme poverty the characters have faced and the luxuries those in the Capitol enjoy. This recipe easily utilizes these foods into one delicious dish that is both savory and sweet. If youre a fan of cheese and quiche youll find yourself enjoying this breakfast tart almost as much as Peeta and Katniss!

(The Hunger Games, Chapter 4)

> Crust:

2 tablespoons ice water

2 tablespoons chilled whipping cream

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cups (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

> Filling:

cup chopped onion

cup chopped green bell pepper

1 tablespoon butter

1 cups fully cooked ham, cubed or shredded

6 eggs

cup milk

cup heavy cream

teaspoon salt

teaspoon pepper

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese