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'Game Of Thrones' Finale Party Ideas For A Night That's Worthy Of The Iron Throne
Sunday night, HBO's Game of Thrones season 5 finale is guaranteed to be amazing. And what better way to celebrate the finale of your favorite fantasy series than with a themed dinner party? I've compiled a (spoiler-free) batch of recipes and ideas that will have your friends talking until your next premium TV-inspired gathering.
Just like Game of Thrones, what follows is spicy, gory, magical, and most of all, boozy! No matter what happens in the GoT finale, these eats are gonna have everyone buzzing. Enjoy!
Image: Helen Sloan/HBO
Prep Your Party Favors — Seven Kingdoms Wine
Break out any (vegan) furs hiding in your closet, those beads that are at the bottom of every purse, and the fancy silverware that you never use IRL. Light some candles, or turn on some fake ones. Things are about to get festive.
Before your guests arrive, prep your party favors! I made “Seven Kingdoms Wine” labels, and taped them onto half-sized bottles of red wine. Add a rugged edge by folding and tearing your craft paper instead of using scissors (added bonus of not having to track down your scissors).
Bonus points: use your mini wine bottles to kick off a Game of Thrones drinking game.
Image: Jessica Learish
A Song Of Ice & Fireball
Get the party started with a cocktail that pays homage to the original book by George RR Martin.
Start by rimming each glass with a 50/50 mixture of chipotle pepper powder and granulated sugar. Add ice.
Then add one part Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey and two parts Reed’s Ginger Beer. Finish off with three teaspoons of strawberry preserves that will sink down and create this nifty effect at the bottom of each glass. Everyone knows it wouldn’t be Game of Thrones without a little bit of extra gore (strawberry gore)!
Image: Jessica Learish
Khaleesi's Dragon Eggs Appetizers
Aren’t these the coolest? Impress all of your friends with the easiest egg decorating technique in the universe. But you’ll have to get started soon (you’ll want to get this going by 4 p.m. Sunday at the latest if you want them to be ready to eat by the time the show starts).
A popular dish for the Lunar New Year, Chinese boiled tea eggs come out looking and tasting great with no paint brushes or wire-egg-dipping-devices like you see around Easter.
What you’ll need:
Eggs (As many as you’d like to make!)
1 cup soy sauce
3 black tea bags
2 pods of star anise (optional)
Lemon zest (optional)
Place raw eggs in a medium sized pot, and fill until they are submerged under one inch of room temperature water. Bring water to a boil, and turn down to a simmer. Simmer for three minutes.
With a slotted spoon, remove eggs from the hot water (leaving the water in the pot), and rinse under cold water until cool enough to handle. Then, hold each egg in one hand and a spoon in the other, and gently swat the shell with the back of the spoon until it is cracked all around. You’ll figure out pretty quickly how hard to hit the eggs to crack them without breaking them open. This will create the marbling effect.
When all of the eggs are cracked, return them to the pot with the hot water. Add all of the rest of the ingredients (soy sauce, tea bags, etc). Bring the pot to a simmer, cover, and let simmer for 40 minutes.
After 40 minutes, remove the pot from the heat, and let stand, covered, for at least four hours. Some recipes even recommend letting the eggs steep overnight. The longer you let the eggs steep, the deeper the marbling and flavors will be in your finished product.
Bonus points: you can walk around the party declaring that you are the “MOTHER OF DRAGONS!”
Image: Jessica Learish
Tyrion's Short Ribs
Short ribs in celebration of everyone’s favorite imp!
Dry rub the ribs with brown sugar, paprika, chipotle powder, salt, and pepper. Preheat grill. Grill ribs over direct, medium heat for 20 minutes, turning every three or four minutes. Brush on your favorite BBQ sauce to taste.
Sausages are also a historically accurate option and fit the aesthetic. They are also quick to cook and available in vegan varieties for your less meat-inclined friends. Other options include rotisserie chicken, giant turkey legs, and roast beef.
Image: freecandy13/Flickr
Red Velvet Red Wedding Cakes
Gore: Take 2! Bake or pick up a batch of frosted red velvet cupcakes, and drizzle with red goo (icing with red food coloring works, or even those strawberry preserves that you bought for the cocktails) to maximize the reference.
Image: Matthew Musgrove/Flickr
Enjoy The Spoils!
Grab your (obviously red) wine, and strap in for what is pretty much guaranteed to be a crazy finale! Then, break out the auxiliary bottles to drink your feelings when you realize the show won’t be back until spring, and winter isn’t even coming, at least not for a while.
Image: Jessica Learish
