the hunger games
Fictional Food: Tesserae Bread from District 12
Description: District 12 was one of the poorest districts in Panem. Because of this, the residents most likely used very basic ingredients when it came to cooking and baking. In the seam, where resources were spare, if people could afford to make bread it would most likely be very dense and flat.
Ingredients:
2 cups of barley or wheat flour (Tesserae grain is described as a darker grain in the book)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup of warm water
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp milk (cow milk is fine but for authenticity you could use goat milk)
Instructions:
1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2.) Lightly oil a baking sheet and set aside
3.) Stir the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt) in a bowl.
4.) In a blender, mix the wet ingredients (water, olive oil, milk)
5.) Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and mix with a wooden or plastic spoon until it’s doughy.
6.) On a floured cutting board or table, using a rolling pin or your hands, shape the dough into a flat, round circle about ½-inch thick.
7.) Place it on the baking sheet, lightly cut a cross into the top with a wet knife and put into the oven.
8.) Bake for 15-25 minutes or until golden.
My favorite way of eating it is to spread some of Prim’s goat cheese and basil with a drizzle of honey.
Source: The Unofficial Recipes of The Hunger Games
Fictional Food: Prim’s Basil-Wrapped Goat Cheese
Description: In the first chapter of The Hunger Games, Katniss and her best friend, Gale, enjoy a meal of fresh bread and basil wrapped goat cheese that Katniss’ sister, Prim, prepared for them. This is a really basic recipe and makes for a great breakfast or snack.
Ingredients
4 ounces of Goat cheese
1 tsp of black pepper
1 tsp of lemon juice
fresh basil leaves
yarn or cooking string
fresh bread
Instructions:
1.) Mix the goat cheese, black pepper, and lemon juice in a bowl. Taste the cheese to see if it’s to your liking. For more kick, add a little more pepper. Divide the cheese in four and shape each into a ball.
2.) Using the yarn or cooking string, cut two 5-6 inch strands. Lay them down like a cross and tie a knot in the middle.
3.) Arrange 4-5 basil leaves in a star or asterisk pattern on a plate. Place a ball of cheese in the center.
4.) Begin wrapping the ball up with the leaves and use the yarn/string to hold it together (As if wrapping a present)
5.) Repeat steps 2, 3, and 4 until all four cheese balls have been wrapped.
6.) Refrigerate the cheese until you’re ready to use. I like to spread the cheese on a piece of bread with pieces of basil and honey drizzled on top.
