Harry Potter Christmas Cookbook from Insight Editions is our pick for holiday gifting

Insight Editions is known for its lushly photographed and delightful books and related merchandise that enable us to immerse ourselves in the magical world again and again. This holiday season, they have launched another treat for Potter fans with the Official Christmas Cookbook Gift Set.

The set includes a 176-page hardcover book and a brass-toned metal book stand with a Hogwarts motif. Another gift set, with a Marauders’ Map-themed apron rather than a book stand, is also available.

Over 60 food and drink recipes are divided into sections for breakfast recipes, such as Neville’s Toad in the Hole; soups and starters recipes, including the Leaky Cauldron’s Roasted Tomato Soup with Marmite Grilled Cheese; breads and side dish recipes, which make us wonder whether the Grimmauld Place Dinner Rolls are pre- or post-Kreacher’s change of heart (not sure we would want to eat the before version, but these rolls contain pumpkin and look really good); main dish recipes, including both vegetarian and carnivorous options, such as Marauder’s Map Tart and Christmas Day Rack of Lamb; dessert recipes (our favourite part, to absolutely no-one’s surprise) that make our tastebuds do an anticipatory jig just looking at the photos, especially the tall Floating Candle Cake; and, last but not least, drinks recipes, which feature a drink for each of the wizarding schools that participated in the Triwizard Tournament. Durmstrang Punch, with black peppercorns and fresh ginger and cherry juice, is a deep, vibrant red and sounds like it would be good served warm in the wintertime. The sweetly floral Bauxbatons Punch requires both fresh and dried lavender and feels summery. Hair of the Cat is a light green lime and kiwi variation on the old hair-of-the dog hangover cure adage. I wonder how Sirius feels about that?

A final section on holiday-themed parties suggests menus for such shindigs as a White Erumpet Gift Exchange, Slug Club Cocktail Party, and Movie Night Around the Fire — does that last one include the Golden Snitch Popcorn Balls? Yes, yes it does, along with Hagrid’s One-Pot Pumpkin Stew and Hot Chocolate Brooms.

The Harry Potter: Official Christmas Cookbook is available for $28 from Insight Editions or your preferred bookseller. The gift set with book stand is $50 and the gift set with apron is $40.

Who is going to be the first to take a bite of Snape’s Bubble and Squeak?