“Come, we cook!”

There’s a change in the air. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still blazing hot outside, but the imminent arrival of fall is upon us. Pumpkin spice flavors are creeping onto shelves. Spirit Halloween stores have staked their claim. Jack Skellington is nearly done renovating Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion. For fans of the season, the anticipation of Halloween is as fun as the holiday itself, and while it might be too soon to put that 12-foot tall skeleton in your front yard, Insight Editions has come up with a glorious way to get everyone to October with Hocus Pocus: The Official Cookbook.

Sporting 70 different recipes including appetizers, entrées, desserts, and drinks, this book is perfect for hosting your own black candle ball. References to the beloved cult classic film are thoughtfully incorporated into every introduction and recipe. While we don’t see any stills from the movie, illustrations of the Sanderson sisters accompany food photography that looks like it was concocted in their cottage. Wielding this cookbook feels like holding the spell book from the movie (albeit with a much more pleasant cover).

What stood out to me in this cookbook was that there is something for everyone. Fans of the film in my house enjoyed the deep cut references, while those who hadn’t seen the movie still enjoyed its spooky charm. Additionally, numerous recipes account for varying dietary needs, cooking skill, and time constraints.

Part sandwich. Part cyclops. All delicious.

Of course, with a cookbook dedicated to a trio of witches, you would expect a certain level of eerie looking dishes. Hocus Pocus: The Official Cookbook has these in spades: roach muffins, Zombie Fingers, Scorpion Pie, etc. Still, no matter how ghoulish the theming can get, each dish still manages to look extremely appetizing. “I would like to try Rat Loaf” was certainly not a phrase I ever expected to say, but we are…

The more squeamish connoisseurs shouldn’t worry, as there are still plenty of options that don’t resemble things that go bump in the night. Hocus Pocus: The Official Cookbook doesn’t just take its inspiration from the film’s holiday setting. Dishes like Tie-Dye Smoothie bowls, Hollywood Barbeque Chicken Pizza, and Cheese Puff Chicken Tenders capitalize on the 90’s charm of the movie – perfect for a throwback night!

“Oh, cheese and crust!”

We decided to put this cookbook to the test and try out a few recipes for ourselves. As I’ve come to expect from Insight Edition cookbooks, the process was fun and stress-free. Required tools and ingredients were clearly listed and easy to track down. Instructions were direct and helpful, offering tips and substitutions along the way. We chose to create two dishes: The “Another Glorious Morning” Breakfast Sandwich and the Cheese Puff Chicken Tenders. The breakfast sandwich was easy to put together, and in the end, taught me a great new technique to make grilled sandwiches. While glorious mornings make Winnifred Sanderson sick, the sandwich equivalent just left everyone feeling full and content! The Cheese Puff Chicken Tenders were equally as fun to put together. Admittedly, something ran amok in my process. That’s no fault of the recipe – they probably just could’ve used a few more minutes in the cauldron. While I didn’t nail the crispy texture of the example photos, they were still delicious and definitely a spell we want to recast soon.

Ultimately, Hocus Pocus: The Official Cookbook is a worthy inclusion into the Insight Editions library, and we’re incredibly thankful to them for allowing us to try it out. This book has put a spell on us, and we’re glad its ours!

You can visit Insight Editions’ website to preview the book for yourself, as well as find other Disney-inspired cookbook adventures.

Where to Buy:

Order:  Hocus Pocus: The Official Cookbook

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