“Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”

Much like Alice, I too have believed a number of impossible things before breakfast. Mostly, it’s related to breakfast itself, in that I could possibly make something more advanced than cereal or toast. Sadly, most attempts to do so have resulted in dishes that look like they’ve faced the wrath of the Queen of Hearts. However, thanks to Insight Editions, I’ve found a cookbook that has taken me out of my comfort zone, down the rabbit hole, and produced some tasty results – all with my head still intact!

One might assume that an Alice in Wonderland-themed cookbook would consist mostly of tea-party themed foods and beverages. While it certainly has that in spades, this cookbook consists of over 127 pages and 50 recipes, ranging from sweet to savory, from hearty meals to light snacks. No matter what you choose, all recipes are presented in a fun and charming way. With a foreword by Ashley Eckstein and colorful chapter introductions help set the stage, each recipe felt more like following the white rabbit then following directions. Furthermore, Alice in Wonderland: The Official Cookbook organizes itself by story setting, with each chapter being a different phase of Alice’s journey. The result makes flipping through to find the right recipe feel like riffling through the page’s of Lewis Carrol’s classic novel. The chapters are as follows:

• London
• Down the Rabbit Hole
• Ocean of Tears
• Tugley Wood
• A Mad Tea Party
• The Red Queen’s Kingdom

You can easily see how much love and thought was put into each recipe to make it feel like an authentic Wonderland dish. With a lot of themed cookbooks currently on the market, the easy route seems to be sticking a character name onto a preexisting recipe, often resulting in a disjointed and ultimately disappointing experience. Fortunately, that is not the case here, as every dish has been cleverly and charmingly designed from to reflect Wonderland (Rest assured: no character, quote, or element of Alice’s adventure is left unreferenced!).

While Alice in Wonderland: The Official Cookbook‘s charm and variety is admirable, it should also be praised for its versatility. There are dishes here for chefs of any skill level and with any time table. Ingredients for recipes range from things already in your pantry, to a simple trip to the grocery store, to more exotic elements to cook with. Your experience is as simple or as adventurous as you want it to be!

For the sake of this review, and with the assistance of my curious sous-chef (my 6 year old daughter), we found two recipes that were just right for us: Bill the Lizard’s Ladder Bread, and Growth Potion – the results of which can be seen above. We were able to gather our ingredients and assemble them with ease, resulting in a fun-filled and delicious afternoon. The ladder bread disappeared quickly after we made it, and the Growth Potion was a great way to wash it down (Fans of Dole Whips from the Disney Parks will definitely want to try out this drink!).

We are incredibly appreciative to Insight Editions for allowing us to try this mad cookbook, and we are excited to plan our next culinary journey to Wonderland!

Where to Buy?

Order: Alice in Wonderland: The Official Cookbook (Amazon)

*By purchasing from Amazon.com through this link above, you are supporting DuckTalks at no additional cost to yourself!