Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box - Belle Classic Tea
Since moving to the UK several years ago the amount of tea I drink on a daily basis has drastically increased. I can only imagine this tea increase will eventually allow me to genuinely become British, as is only the way one gains citizenship. Professor Hershel Layton, along with other intelligent folk such as Captain Jean-Luc Picard, understand the importance of a good cup of tea. While not a traditional English Breakfast or Darjeeling, Layton’s favourite tea is a cup of Belle Classic, a bitter drink comprised of Oasis Leaf, Brisk Berry and Belle Tart Seed. Tea, like a puzzle, is a delicate process that requires both time and patience.
Click ‘Read More’ for the full recipe!
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Cybercandy.co.uk – D20 Sucker
I know what you’re thinking when you’re playing D&D, “Man, those dice look super tasty!”, so here’s your chance to indulge your… fantasy. Lick for initiative.
This incredible red cherry lollipop is about the size of your fist, so it’s sure to keep you going through those lengthy adventures. Be the envy of fellow elf and man with your beautifully detailed and crafted D20 sucker.
Cybercandy is one of Gourmet Gaming’s favourite spots for unusual, geeky treats, and they have a wonderful range of Nintendo noms and gaming grub. Check them out!
http://www.cybercandy.co.uk/
Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch – Tikka Mahala
I think it would be safe to assume that the Tikka Mahala is the Dong Dong Dell soul-mate of our world’s Tikka Masala. While both dishes enjoy the title of “The King of Curries”, only one is made with seeds from a volcano as part of the Sheikh’s special spices. These special spices are comprised of “ turmeric root” and “three pinches of spicy seeds” which thankfully are readily available most likely at your local supermarket, so there’s no need to make a trek to Old Smoky - ideal should you find yourself lacking in enthusiasm. Make this curry for you and a friend, and get yourself some merit stamps.
Click ‘Read More’ for the full recipe!
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BioShock: Infinite – Finkton’s Baked Beans
Ah, baked beans. The (apparent) staple of the student diet, and now also of the minority workers in Finkton’s Shanty-town. Frankly, it’s rather impressive the Vox Populi are starving at all what with the copious amount of food (and money) they seem to throw away in their bins… Starving or not, Booker DeWitt is a man on a mission who requires sustenance, and the slim pickings of a young girl’s shack are obviously fair game. Nom. Nom. Nom.
Click ‘Read More’ for the full recipe!
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Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch: Sundae
I’ve been totally enchanted by the world of Ni No Kuni this week. While I’ve barely scratched the surface of the game, I was instantly excited when I initially received a bar of chocolate. I’ve since spent most of my time trying to gather treats for my Familiars, so I can feed them and then live vicariously through them. Although all the Sundaes look incredible, I was drawn to the beautiful simplicity of this classic Sundae - “A refreshing ice cream treat, popular even among those who don’t care for desserts.” Why not make two; one for you, and one for your “Familiar” (aka. You).
Click ‘Read More’ for the full recipe!
Read More
Myst: Uru – D’Ni Mushroom Bread
The Myst series is possibly one of the greatest I have ever encountered, with Myst III: Exile being my personal favourite (it has Brad Dourif in it - automatic win). I’m a huge fan of puzzles, story and exploration, and Myst always satisfies on each of these levels. The cultural detail of the worlds you encounter through every game is outstanding; incredible minutae is written about in the multitude of books scattered throughout - including the mention of a mushroom spore bread from the Teledahn, or ‘Mushroom’, Age. A delicacy for the elite, spores were harvested so furiously to make the outstanding Mushroom Bread all resources dried up, and the age had to be abandoned.
Click ‘Read More’ for the full recipe!
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ChristMMOs: World of Warcraft – Winter Veil Gingerbread Cookies
Merry ChristMMOs! This festive season, Gourmet Gaming will be celebrating with a selection of treats from your favourite MMOs to bring a little bit of gaming to your table this holiday season.
I love gingerbread. I start to buy it around Halloween and then never stop – once, I managed to get a pretty big gingerbread cookie for a mere nine English pennies. It was a good day. I didn’t care that it had a ghost on it and it was November 3rd that is beside the point! The Winter Veil Gingerbread Cookie has featured in World of Warcraft’s festive Winter Veil event for a few years now. This year there’s even a quest titled “The Winter Veil Gourmet” featuring the Winter Veil Gingerbread Cookies, Egg Nog and Hot Apple Cider…
Click ‘Read More’ for the full recipe!
Read More
Halo: Reach – Moa Burger (With Mountain Dew Energy Sauce)
“New Flavor” at World Cuisine and at Gourmet Gaming! Now you too can enjoy a Moa Burger straight from Reach. I’m a huge fan of burgers, and many of my friends are huge fans of Halo. I myself was a regular on the Red vs. Blue network for many years where I made some lifelong friends. But if there’s one thing on everyone’s minds while playing Halo: Reach, it’s definitely “Damn, I bet that weird bird-lizard-thing would sure taste good.”
Click ‘Read More’ for the full recipe!
Read More
![Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box - Belle Classic Tea
Since moving to the UK several years ago the amount of tea I drink on a daily basis has drastically increased. I can only imagine this tea increase will eventually allow me to genuinely become British, as is only the way one gains citizenship. Professor Hershel Layton, along with other intelligent folk such as Captain Jean-Luc Picard, understand the importance of a good cup of tea. While not a traditional English Breakfast or Darjeeling, Layton’s favourite tea is a cup of Belle Classic, a bitter drink comprised of Oasis Leaf, Brisk Berry and Belle Tart Seed. Tea, like a puzzle, is a delicate process that requires both time and patience.
Click ‘Read More’ for the full recipe!
[[MORE]]
This recipe serves 1.
What you will need: A tea infuser.
Ingredients:
Loose Tea:
Darjeeling Earl Grey
Lemongrass
Super Fruit Berry
A Slice of Lemon
Freshly Boiled Water
Brewing the Belle Classic:
Fill your infuser with 1 part Darjeeling Earl Grey, 1 part Super Fruit Berry and 1 part Lemongrass. Place the infuser in a cup of fresh boiled water, cover, and allow to brew for 3 minutes.
Place a slice of lemon into the tea, and allow to cool slightly before drinking.
A delightful shade of red, the Belle Classic is smooth and slightly bitter with a sweet undertone. It’s very refreshing and calming, perfect for winding down and feeling reinvigorated. It’s no mystery as to why the Belle Classic is Layton’s favourite.
Gourmet Gaming likes to order loose tea from teapigs.co.uk
Like this? You might also enjoy the Animal Crossing – Brewster’s Pigeon Blend.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/69d8bbf40dc810ad3221f4132583fbeb/tumblr_mmv3iv2r821qjhjgyo1_r1_500.jpg)
![Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch – Tikka Mahala
I think it would be safe to assume that the Tikka Mahala is the Dong Dong Dell soul-mate of our world’s Tikka Masala. While both dishes enjoy the title of “The King of Curries”, only one is made with seeds from a volcano as part of the Sheikh’s special spices. These special spices are comprised of “ turmeric root” and “three pinches of spicy seeds” which thankfully are readily available most likely at your local supermarket, so there’s no need to make a trek to Old Smoky - ideal should you find yourself lacking in enthusiasm. Make this curry for you and a friend, and get yourself some merit stamps.
Click ‘Read More’ for the full recipe!
[[MORE]]
This recipe serves 4-6.
What you will need: A food processor or blender and a large saucepan.
For the Curry Paste:
4 Cloves Garlic
1 Teaspoon Fresh Ginger
1 Red Chilli
1 Teaspoon Tumeric
2 Tablespoons
Dried Coriander
Ground Cumin
Garam Masala
Paprika
Seeds of 4 Cardamom Pods
Olive Oil
For the Tikka Mahala:
4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
30g / ¼ Cup Butter
2 Large White Onions (Chopped)
1 Red Bell Pepper (Chopped)
1 Yellow Bell Pepper (Chopped)
400g / 14 oz. Diced Beef
800g / 28 oz. Chopped Tomatoes (Tin/Can)
2 Tablespoons Tomato Purée
200ml / 1 Cup Water
200ml / 1 Cup Cream
100ml / ½ Cup Natural Yoghurt
Salt & Pepper
Making the Curry Paste:
Using a food processor or blender, combine together all the ingredients and blend well. Add a little olive oil to bring the paste together, then set aside.
Making the Tikka Mahala:
In a large saucepan on a medium heat, warm the olive oil and butter together. Add the onions and cook until soft and golden. Add the curry paste, followed by the peppers and cook for 5-10 minutes.
Add the diced beef and cook for 5 minutes before adding the tinned/canned chopped tomatoes and tomato purée. Pour in the water and allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Once cooked, pour in the cream and yoghurt and mix thoroughly. Season with salt & pepper to taste, and add more spices gradually if you like it slightly hotter. Serve with fluffy basmati rice.
Curry, in any form, is one of my favourite foods. Although curries can appear intimidating, they can be surprisingly easy to make and require little effort. The Tikka Mahala is rather mild (by my tastes) and creamy, ideal for most palates, so don’t be put off by the idea of “volcanic seeds” - but you can kick it up a notch if, like me, it’s hardly a curry if your face isn’t on fire. You can alter the recipe by using chicken, prawns or add extra vegetables for a fabulous vegetarian feast.
Like this? You might also enjoy the Kirby’s Dreamland/Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Superspicy Curry.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/a146bdf927369d7125c5a69d373c2307/tumblr_ml24tcoqtq1qjhjgyo1_500.jpg)
![BioShock: Infinite – Finkton’s Baked Beans
Ah, baked beans. The (apparent) staple of the student diet, and now also of the minority workers in Finkton’s Shanty-town. Frankly, it’s rather impressive the Vox Populi are starving at all what with the copious amount of food (and money) they seem to throw away in their bins… Starving or not, Booker DeWitt is a man on a mission who requires sustenance, and the slim pickings of a young girl’s shack are obviously fair game. Nom. Nom. Nom.
Click ‘Read More’ for the full recipe!
[[MORE]]
This recipe serves 2.
What you will need: A large saucepan.
Ingredients:
Olive Oil
1 White Onion (Finely Chopped)
1 Clove Garlic (Finely Chopped)
400g / 15 oz. Can Chopped Tomatoes
400g / 15 oz. Can Cannellini Beans (Precooked)
1 Tablespoon Tomato Purée
½ Teaspoon Dried Chilli Flakes (Optional)
½ Teaspoon Sugar
1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
Salt & Pepper
Making Finkton’s Baked Beans:
In a large pan on a medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add he onion and garlic and fry until golden.
Add the chopped tomatoes, cannellini beans and tomato purée. Mix well, then season with the chilli flakes, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste.
Reduce to a low heat, cover, and allow the beans to simmer for around 20-25 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
Alternate method: Cram all the ingredients into a tin can. Use a blast of Devil’s Kiss to quickly and effectively cook and possibly incinerate the entire contents. Enjoy.
Although a far cry (lol, videogame pun) from your usual processed baked beans, there’s a wholesome, home-made flavour with this recipe; fresh yet comforting. Don’t be a Dimwit! Finkton’s Baked Beans would be perfectly at home with a strong cheese or fried sausages on some freshly baked bread.
Like this? You might also enjoy the Dishonored - Apricot Tartlet.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/83b2993bb43656b534d109d0875a4306/tumblr_mkp9ztLnJB1qjhjgyo1_r1_500.jpg)
![Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch: Sundae
I’ve been totally enchanted by the world of Ni No Kuni this week. While I’ve barely scratched the surface of the game, I was instantly excited when I initially received a bar of chocolate. I’ve since spent most of my time trying to gather treats for my Familiars, so I can feed them and then live vicariously through them. Although all the Sundaes look incredible, I was drawn to the beautiful simplicity of this classic Sundae - “A refreshing ice cream treat, popular even among those who don’t care for desserts.” Why not make two; one for you, and one for your “Familiar” (aka. You).
Click ‘Read More’ for the full recipe!
[[MORE]]
This recipe serves 2.
What you will need: 1 small mixing bowl, 2 ice-cream sundae glasses, an ice-cream scoop, a whisk, a piping bag and large star nozzle.
Ingredients:
4 Fresh Strawberries (Finely Chopped)
Strawberry Sauce
500ml / 2½ Cups Vanilla Ice-cream
1 Medium Meringue Nest
Black Cherry Sauce
100ml / ½ Cup Double/Whipping Cream
2 Tablespoons Icing/Confectioners Sugar
2 Maraschino Cherries
2 Wedges Fresh Lime
Edible Glitter/Sprinkles
Making the Sundae:
Whip the cream and icing/confectioners sugar together until fluffy but firm. Fill a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle with the whipped cream and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, crush the meringue nest and mix it with half of the vanilla ice-cream. Leave the other half plain.
Place the chopped strawberries at the bottom of the sundae glass and cover with strawberry sauce. Spoon the meringue ice-cream on top of the strawberries and fill the sundae glass.
On top of this, add a layer of black cherry sauce. Take a generous ice-cream scoop of the plain vanilla ice-cream and place it on top of the cherry sauce.
Pipe cream stars around the ice-cream scoop, and then one on the very top of the scoop. Sprinkle the sundae with edible glitter or sprinkles, then garnish with a wedge of fresh lime and a maraschino cherry.
In my house, I have a traditional ‘Sunday Sundae’ each week, and I am a bit of a pro when it comes to making them. When I saw Ni No Kuni offered such treats to my Familiars I forced myself to have a ‘Thursday Sundae’ instead. You know, for the greater good. There’s a great balance in sweetness, creaminess, tartness and texture here – like the ultimate Eton Mess.
Like this? You might also enjoy the Costume Quest – Pizza Sundae.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/26c62d022f6a8bcb9ce861f8697b26a1/tumblr_mk16vzVgvh1qjhjgyo1_500.jpg)
![Myst: Uru – D’Ni Mushroom Bread
The Myst series is possibly one of the greatest I have ever encountered, with Myst III: Exile being my personal favourite (it has Brad Dourif in it - automatic win). I’m a huge fan of puzzles, story and exploration, and Myst always satisfies on each of these levels. The cultural detail of the worlds you encounter through every game is outstanding; incredible minutae is written about in the multitude of books scattered throughout - including the mention of a mushroom spore bread from the Teledahn, or ‘Mushroom’, Age. A delicacy for the elite, spores were harvested so furiously to make the outstanding Mushroom Bread all resources dried up, and the age had to be abandoned.
Click ‘Read More’ for the full recipe!
[[MORE]]
This recipe makes 2 loaves.
What you will need: A frying pan, a large mixing bowl, a sieve and cling film/saran wrap.
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons Butter
250g / 3 Cups Wild Mushrooms (Finely Chopped)
½ Small White Onion (Finely Chopped)
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire or Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Dried Rosemary
1 Tablespoon Dried Parsley
1 Cup Warm Water
1 Sachet Dried Active Yeast (7g)
1 Tablespoon Natural Yoghurt
2 Tablespoons Honey
1 Teaspoon Salt
250g / 2½ Cups Strong White Flour
Making the D’ni Mushroom Bread:
Melt the butter on a medium heat in the frying pan. Add the onion and cook for 1 minute, before adding the mushrooms.
Sauté the mushroom and onion for several minutes before turning off the heat, and adding the Worcestershire sauce, rosemary and parsley. Stir well, then set aside to cool.
Add the yeast to the cup of warm water and allow to stand for several minutes. Meanwhile, sieve the flour and salt into a large bowl. Add the natural yoghurt and honey.
Pour the warm yeast and water into the flour along with the cooled mushrooms and mix well until a dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface and knead with floured hands.
The dough will be incredibly sticky to begin with, so gradually add small amounts of flour until it begins to feel slightly more solid. After 10-15 minutes of kneading, place the dough in a clean bowl lightly greased with olive oil. Cover the bowl with cling film/saran wrap and set in a warm place to rise for an hour.
After an hour, the dough will have doubled. Knock the dough back and divide it into two portions. Gently knead the dough again into a neat round shape and place on a prepared baking tray. Leave the dough to rise again for 30-40 minutes.
Once the dough has risen again, preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Bake the bread on the middle rack for 20-25 minutes. Allow the D’ni Mushroom Bread to cool completely before serving.
I was seriously worried about making a bread like this, but I was incredibly impressed with myself afterwards! The D’ni Mushroom Bread is so wonderfully fragrant and soft, it would compliment any platter of meats, cheeses and chutneys or ideal with fresh soups.
If you’re curious about Myst, you can pick up the games from GOG.com, or wait for Jonathan Blow’s The Witness.
Like this? You might also enjoy the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion – S’Jirra’s Famous Potato Bread.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/8886d6af6a5bb289d06050935906b85a/tumblr_mgoypdLxZs1qjhjgyo1_500.jpg)
![ChristMMOs: World of Warcraft – Winter Veil Gingerbread Cookies
Merry ChristMMOs! This festive season, Gourmet Gaming will be celebrating with a selection of treats from your favourite MMOs to bring a little bit of gaming to your table this holiday season.
I love gingerbread. I start to buy it around Halloween and then never stop – once, I managed to get a pretty big gingerbread cookie for a mere nine English pennies. It was a good day. I didn’t care that it had a ghost on it and it was November 3rd that is beside the point! The Winter Veil Gingerbread Cookie has featured in World of Warcraft’s festive Winter Veil event for a few years now. This year there’s even a quest titled “The Winter Veil Gourmet” featuring the Winter Veil Gingerbread Cookies, Egg Nog and Hot Apple Cider…
Click ‘Read More’ for the full recipe!
[[MORE]]
This recipe makes 24 cookies.
What you will need: A baking tray, greaseproof paper/baking parchment, 2 large mixing bowls, a sieve, 1 tree-shaped cookie cutter, a wooden spoon, a small bowl, and a pastry brush.
Ingredients:
200g / 1½ Cups Plain Flour
Pinch of Salt
¼ Teaspoon Baking/Bicarbonate Soda
2-3 Teaspoons Ground Ginger
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
¼ Teaspoon Ground Cloves
¼ Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
55g / ¼ Cup Butter (Room Temperature)
50g / ¼ Cup Caster/Superfine Sugar
1 Egg (Room Temperature)
70g / ⅓ Cup Molasses Sugar
To Garnish:
200g / 7 oz. Green Royal Icing
White Icing Decorating Tubes
2 Tablespoons Icing/Confectioners Sugar
Water
Making the Winter Veil Gingerbread Cookies:
Sift the flour, salt, baking soda and spices into a large bowl then set aside. Line a baking tray with baking paper/greaseproof parchment.
In another bowl, beat the butter and caster sugar together for about a minute. Add the egg and molasses sugar, and continue to mix until well combined. Slowly add the flour and spice mixture, continually beating gently until a dough is formed.
Bring the dough together, then wrap it in cling film/saran wrap and place in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 175C/350F.
Once chilled, kneed the cookie dough gently on a floured surface before rolling out to about ¼ Inch thick.
Use the cookie cutters to make your shapes, and set them on the baking tray; evenly spaced and not too crowded. Chill the prepared cookie shapes for 5-10 minutes in the freezer before baking in the oven.
Bake the cookies for 7-8 minutes, depending on their size, then remove from the oven to cool. Repeat this process as needed until all the dough is used.
Garnishing the Winter Veil Gingerbread Cookies:
While the cookies cool, mix the two tablespoons icing/confectioners sugar with a little water to create an icing paste in a small bowl – this will act as a glue between the cookie and the green royal icing.
Roll out the green royal icing on a surface dusted with icing/confectioners sugar to about 1cm thick. Use the cookie cutter again to create the same shapes from the green royal icing. You may need to trim the stumps of the trees off with a knife.
Paint a little of the icing paste on to the surface of the tree shaped cookie, then carefully stick the royal icing tree on top. Use a small rolling pin to evenly distribute the royal icing, to avoid finger prints.
Repeat the process until all the cookies are covered with a green royal icing top. Finally, use the white icing tubes to trace a delicate line around the inner edge to finish the Winter Veil Cookies.
I brought these cookies into work and, frankly, I’ve never been so popular. They were lucky there were any left as I had previously made another batch of 36 that never even made it from the kitchen. You can of course use the recipe above to make any shape cookie, or even add a small hole prior to baking if you’d like to hang them from your tree this Winter Veil.
Like this? You might also enjoy the World of Warcraft – Graccu’s Mince Meat Fruitcake.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/4f1cb42e43138c4c5dbe57b38c0e2baa/tumblr_mfautdJCuo1qjhjgyo1_500.jpg)
![Halo: Reach – Moa Burger (With Mountain Dew Energy Sauce)
“New Flavor” at World Cuisine and at Gourmet Gaming! Now you too can enjoy a Moa Burger straight from Reach. I’m a huge fan of burgers, and many of my friends are huge fans of Halo. I myself was a regular on the Red vs. Blue network for many years where I made some lifelong friends. But if there’s one thing on everyone’s minds while playing Halo: Reach, it’s definitely “Damn, I bet that weird bird-lizard-thing would sure taste good.”
Click ‘Read More’ for the full recipe!
[[MORE]]
This recipe serves 1.
What you will need: A griddle pan.
Ingredients:
Four 55g / 2oz. Ostrich Burgers
2 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
½ Teaspoon Fresh Lemon Juice
¼ Teaspoon Grated Lemon Zest
1 Teaspoon Raspberry Preserve
3 Teaspoons Mountain Dew Energy
1 Large Burger Bun
2 Cheese Slices
Red Onion Slices
Beef Tomato Slices
Lettuce
Preparing the Mountain Dew Energy Sauce:
To the mayonnaise, add the fresh lemon juice, grated lemon zest raspberry preserve and Mountain Dew Energy.
Mix the ingredients together well, then place in the fridge to chill while you prepare the burger.
Preparing the Moa Burger:
Heat the griddle pan on a low heat. Gently flatten out the burgers so they’re quite thin. When the pan is warm, cook the burgers gently and slowly, and on each side. When cooked to your liking, remove the burgers from the pan and set them aside to rest.
Construct your Moa burger by layering in the following order: bun, mayonnaise, burger, cheese, burger, mayonnaise, burger, cheese, burger, mayonnaise, red onion, tomato, lettuce and bun.
When describing this burger, it’s easier to let Samuel L. Jackson do the talking. Ah hah! A whole post about food from Halo and I didn’t even make a ‘Master Chef’ jo… oh.
Like this? You might also enjoy the Grand Theft Auto IV: Burger Shot Bleeder.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mdv0rwrTdN1qjhjgyo1_500.jpg)
