Winter has come and gone, which means it’s time for the third season of HBO’s Game of Thrones. Fans of the books know how important food and drink are in giving life to the world of Westeros. So as you gather with friends to watch the season premiere on Sunday, March 31st, why not liven up your viewing party with a little authenticity (and Tyrion-approved amounts of spirits)? Click through for a new round of third season-inspired specialty cocktails and a few standout Westerosi recipes collected from around the web.
House Tyrell
1.5 oz of Hendrick’s gin
.75 oz of rose syrup
.75 oz of fresh ruby red grapefruit juice
.25 oz of fresh lemon juice
2 dashes of Peychaud’s bitters
seltzer water
ground cardamom
Combine gin, rose syrup, bitters, and fruit juices in a shaker filled with ice, shake for 20 seconds, then strain into a highball glass over fresh ice. Dust with a bit of ground cardamom and garnish with organic rose petals. Smirk a lot. Wear a dress that looks like a burrito. Marry every king in sight.
Recipe courtesy of Design Sponge
House Reed
1 generous swig of moonshine
We were going to get all fancy and do an absinthe-based drink as a nod to Jojen’s green dreams, but that’s just a bit too high-falutin’ for the North’s backwater swamp folk. (Come to think of it, maybe the Reeds can get a spin-off series on TLC.)
Wine of Courage
1.25 oz mezcal
1.25 oz tawny port wine
2 tsp Grand Marnier
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Note: Please do yourself a favor and don’t get mezcal or tequila with a worm at the bottom, even though it’s thematically appropriate. This isn’t a frat party. Quality mezcal has a long, smoky finish… like after a dragon attack. We recommend El Buho or Del Maguey Vida mezcal.
Add all ingredients to a mixing glass filled with ice, stir, strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange peel. While this isn’t exactly as poisonous as the nightshade concotion the Unsullied drink in training, if you have enough mezcal, you, too, will be numb to pain.
The Lightning Lord
(Note: Flaming drinks are best served with a hefty does of common sense safety tips. Tor.com is not liable for any injuries resulting in you looking like The Hound.)
1 oz Absolut Peppar
1 oz Everclear, 190 proof
6 drops Tabasco sauce
1 pinch salt
Put the Tabasco sauce in the bottom of a shot glass, pour equal parts Absolut Peppar and Everclear 190 on top, and then add salt. Set on fire and serve.
The Red Wedding
2 oz of El Dorado rum
1 oz lime juice
.75 oz demerara syrup
3 generous dashes of Peychaud’s bitters
3 mint sprigs
This is a built drink that starts sweet and ends bitterly. (And that is all we will say on this topic until episode 9.) Muddle mint and lime juice at the bottom of a highball glass, add rum. Then, fill glass to the top with crushed ice. Pour three generous dashes of bloody red Peychauds bitters over the top and garnish with another sprig of mint. Drink with a long straw and keep an eye on your viewing party hosts.
Recipe courtesy of the kind mixologists at Pouring Ribbons, NYC.
The Red Wedding II
Make your favorite, tastiest, cocktail, then add a bunch of rage-filled tears. Hurl drink across the room and call George R. R. Martin a rat bastard. Let your viewing party host clean up the mess. (Unless we’re hosting the viewing party.)
If mixed drinks aren’t your thing, you can of course scour your local beer stores for Ommegang’s official Game of Thrones Iron Throne ale. No cheap quickie tie-in here (hello, True Blood soda.) Ommegang brewery has crafted a Lannister-blonde ale with noble hops and a bite of citrus. They plan on releasing a new themed batch every season. Trying to find a few bottles in your area may be a challenge, though.
And what will you eat while you’re downing very strong drinks?
You can never go wrong with recipes from the fantastic Inn at the Crossroads food blog. Better yet, get the official cookbook. Containing over one hundred recipes, you can recreate medieval and modern versions of meals from all over the Seven Kingdoms—bonus points to those brave enough to attempt honeyed locusts and broiled snake. While not every casual party calls for heartier, sloppier fare like bowls of brown or roast aurochs, quiches are simple and easy to serve. While not lifted directly from the cookbook, this bacon and leek quiche was a hit at last season’s viewing party. However, to paraphrase The Simpsons, you don’t win friends with Sansa Salad. (But it was beautiful and made nice leftovers.)
Lemoncakes are always a nice touch, and there are two different kinds on Inn at the Crossroads, but I prefered HBO’s version, created by Top Chef Tom Collichio. More patient hosts can create creepily adorable Ned Stark head cake pops or a weirwood tree cake. The truly insane can create a Dothraki horse heart dessert. Even though it’s so first season.
Set your tables and set your TVs and kick off a new season of Game of Thrones with your closest allies—who hopefully don’t turn out to be your biggest enemies.
Game of Thrones premieres this Sunday at 9 P.M. E/PT on HBO.
Theresa DeLucci had way too much fun researching this post. She’s a regular contributor to Tor.com, covering True Blood, Game of Thrones, and gaming news. Follower her on Twitter @tdelucci
