The Sword and Laser discussion

So... inspired by "What are we eating/drinking/imbibing/consuming?" - what would you recommend to eat or drink while reading Nettle & Bone?

I have several ideas, but my main pick would be:

Sweet Nettle Tea (from a nice gothic/victorian tea cup worthy of any dark fairy tale) and bone-shaped cookies or biscuits, either sugar cookies or maybe if you want it a bit more fancy Maltese Bone Biscuits or Italian Ossa di Morto Bones of the Dead. Alternatively green tea if you don't have nettle tea.

Other possibilities:
- Hushpuppies
- Hot Dogs
- BBQ Ribs
- Bone Marrow on toast?
- Nettle Salad (or alternatively spinach salad)?
- Wild Nettle Cordial?
- Kalter Hund - Cold Dog (German No-Bake Chocolate cake)

And as a cocktail idea:
Nettle & Bone - a bone dry martini
2 1/2 oz Whitley Neill Nettle Gin (or maybe a bulldog gin?)
1/4 oz Dry Vermouth
Stir with Ice. Strain. Garnish with lemon peel.

Or go for some Bone Broth Cocktails

(Sorry had to remove the links)

A couple of weeks ago I went to a fancy Michelin-starred restaurant with a couple of friends - one of these places where they serve a tasting menu of ten tiny courses. We had an amuse-bouche that consisted of a miniature hash brown topped with bone marrow and miso sauce. It was a delicious bite of umami goodness I shall retrospectively dedicate to Nettle & Bone.

Also I think roast chicken stuffed with really hot peppers would be a suitable culinary tribute to the Dust-wife’s demon chicken.

Oh yes! A spicy demon chicken! I love it!

Oh and here's the obligatory ChatGPT contribution:

Here's a recipe for a cocktail called "Nettle & Bone" that would pair well with the grim cozy fairytale novel of the same name:

Ingredients:

1.5 oz gin
1 oz nettle tea, cooled
1/2 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz honey syrup (equal parts honey and water)
1 dash of absinthe
1 egg white
Garnish: edible flowers and a small bone charm
Directions:

Combine gin, nettle tea, lemon juice, honey syrup, absinthe, and egg white in a cocktail shaker without ice.
Dry shake (without ice) for 10-15 seconds until the egg white is frothy.
Add ice to the shaker and shake again for 10-15 seconds.
Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
Garnish with edible flowers and a small bone charm.

This cocktail balances the bitterness of the nettle tea and absinthe with the sweetness of the honey syrup and lemon juice. The egg white creates a frothy texture that adds to the cozy fairytale atmosphere. The bone charm is a nod to the title of the novel and a subtle reminder of the dark themes within. Enjoy!

What did you ask ChatGPT to get that recipe?

The prompt was: "Hi! Please create a creative, new and unique cocktail named "Nettle & Bone" to accompany the reading of the novel of the same name for the Sword & Laser podcast. The novel is a grim cozy fairytale."

Ok.. Let's see.

Hi Hux. I need some help. Can you please create a creative, new and unique cocktail named "Nettle & Bone" to accompany the reading of the novel of the same name for the Sword & Laser podcast. The novel is a grim cozy fairytale.? Thanks

Of course, I'd be happy to help! Here is a recipe for a "Nettle & Bone" cocktail:

Ingredients:

1 oz. gin
1 oz. nettle tea (cooled)
1 oz. elderflower liqueur
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
1/2 oz. simple syrup
Dash of absinthe
Edible bone garnish
Instructions:

Begin by brewing a cup of nettle tea and allow it to cool completely.
In a cocktail shaker, combine the gin, nettle tea, elderflower liqueur, lime juice, and simple syrup.
Shake vigorously until well combined and chilled.
Strain the mixture into a glass over ice.
Add a dash of absinthe for an extra bit of complexity.
Garnish with an edible bone to give a nod to the novel's title and fairytale themes.

I hope you enjoy this unique and creative cocktail while reading "Nettle & Bone" for the Sword & Laser podcast.

I'm not sure about this part TBH. "Edible bone garnish"