Journey from the misty mountains of Transylvania to the windswept cliffs of Whitby with recipes that tell the dark and seductive tale of Count Dracula. If you love gothic literary recipes, don’t miss our Frankenstein feast and our recipes from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow!
Bram Stoker's Dracula takes us on a gothic journey like no other. The dark and dangerous figure, Count Dracula, ominously lurks in shadowed castles and slips quietly into candlelit bedrooms, revealing the fears and terrors of the story's central characters. To honour this gothic masterpiece, we are following the story through food. Each recipe draws on the places and people at the heart of the novel, echoing the themes of light and darkness, innocence and seduction, superstition and science, life and death. We invite you to sink your teeth into these recipes one at a time, at a Halloween gathering, or at your next book club!
Robber Steak with Garlic and Paprika Cream
Smoky paprika skewers with a rich garlic cream sauce, inspired by the “robber steak” Jonathan Harker eats at the Golden Krone Hotel in Bistritz on the eve of his fateful journey to Castle Dracula.
Plum Brandy Cherry Sour
Fruity Slivovitz and tart cherry come together in a cocktail inspired by the flask of plum brandy waiting for Jonathan in the Count’s carriage on the moonlit road to Castle Dracula.
Roast Chicken Salad with Grapes and Sweet Wine Vinaigrette
Roast chicken, cheese, salad and sweet Tokaji wine bring Jonathan’s first supper at Castle Dracula to the table, served by a charming host who never joins him for a meal.
Crab Cakes with Lemon Caper Mayonnaise
Golden crab cakes capture a taste of the Yorkshire coast, where a ghostly ship runs aground in Whitby harbour and Lucy wanders the moonlit cliffs beneath the abbey.
Garlic Butter Three Ways with Easy Artisan No Knead Bread
A trio of fresh, roasted and black garlic butters honours the fragrant garlic flowers Van Helsing fills Lucy’s room with to protect her from the darkness at her window. A crusty no knead loaf, scored with a cross for protection, is the perfect companion for spreading generously with our garlic butters.
Smoky Potato Cheddar Soup
Warm, smoky and comforting, this soup is inspired by the meal Van Helsing prepares over a fire in the snowy Carpathians as Dracula’s three brides circle them in the swirling snow.
Black Forest Trifle
Layers of chocolate cake, kirsch-soaked cherries and snowy whipped cream make a dark and decadent finale, inspired by the brides’ seduction and the Count’s final defeat as the sun sets over the Carpathians.
