Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Wicca in the Kitchen

Years ago, I saw the cover of this third edition of “Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Wicca in the Kitchen” by Scott Cunningham and remember leafing through it in a book store, but never read it. I finally decided to do just that. When I first started reading this book, it reminded me of HRAF (Human Relations Area Files), a tool utilized by cultural anthropologists. Throughout the book, Cunningham focuses heavily on moderation and personal responsibility to his readers. Why? Because people. This book really made me think differently about food and the way that it affects humans spiritually, particularly when Cunningham discussed the role of both salt and meat and how they interact with (or rather hinder) psychic visions. What I really enjoyed most about this book is that the author took the seemingly ordinary (and often mundane) subject of eating to show readers that people don’t have to resort to waiting for specific rituals, seasons, or times in order to incorporate magic in their lives. Page after page, the author reveals how readers can use this book to activate their personal powers of visualization as, “…a guide to transforming our lives with the foods that we eat…” (page 2). In short: There’s not just certain times for magical practice—it’s available for us to use every moment of the day. Cunningham organized this book into five parts and he made sure to include an annotated bibliography. Due to his unfortunate early death, the bibliography is dated, but it includes some excellent sources for further reading. Without a doubt, this is a common sense author whose goal in writing this book was to show even his own friends that magic is made, and can be made, at any time, day, or place and that even the mundane can be made magical. Cunningham, I believe, didn’t write this book to be the end-all-be-all book on the subject. Rather, he encourages others to do their own research and to continue studying. This is a hallmark of a good teacher.

Book arrived quickly and I perfect condition. Great gift

From explanations to examples to recipes! Love this book.

This book is written so beautifully and with so much love. I like how he writes as if hes talking to a friend and trying to help them out. I've always enjoyed cooking and this book brings me a little more awareness and intention on certain recipes/ingredients. Brings a new joy to my culinary adventure. Get this book, you will not be disappointed! Out of the 3 books. This one is my most used. Also a fun read.

This book contains information that is vital to those practicing Wicca. Because it stresses the importance of intent with food and serving those that we love not just a nurishing meal but a meal served with love. I particularly enjoyed reading Scott Cunningham's favorite recipes and got some great ideas the next time I have a dinner party. I enjoy Scott Cunningham's down to earth way he writes and really giving his advice whether something is correct or not. I loved Amazon's quick delivery and this book was also a quick read and will be a welcome addition to my library.

Cunningham is the best for beginners on the path of Wicca or just to expand your knowledge in general of those religions. Arrived on time and in excellent condition.

I gave this one star off because I purchased the Kindle edition & it lacks an index! For $9.27 this e-book should really come with a linked index. The index does not even have PAGE NUMBERS-- so the index is really just a long list of words. The book itself is a fabulous resource. Scott uses down to earth language & tone to describe his thoughts & feelings of a magical kitchen. He delves into the fascinating history of key foods & explains the thrall behind them. He also dedicates a chapter to the explanation & history behind tools in your kitchen such as pots, pans, bowls & the oven. A majority of the text is a dedicated list of foods & herbs that contains which planetary ruler it falls under, the element related to it, the energies it brings forth & detailed magical uses. There are a few herbs I felt should have been included but Scott has a book all about herbs in particular [http://www.amazon.com/Cunninghams-Encyclopedia-Magical-Series-ebook/dp/B002H8ORHU/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1] so I bet the ones I was looking for are included within that book instead. There is a small chapter with some festive recipes. A number of them are yummy sounding & they all seem fairly easy to prepare. Definitely going to be partaking in the Drunken Pumpkin recipe next Halloween! I was slightly hesitant to purchase this because I would not consider myself a "Wiccan". I don't follow the ritual pageantry of people like Gardner. I'm more about the Earth & the various energies around us. Scott seems to follow a similar pattern as well. If you are looking for a book chock full of complex spells, rituals, incantations & such then this is probably not the book you are looking for. Highly recommend this book for any one who wants to bring a little magic into their kitchen & home. Scott teaches a simple, effective way to cook with intention & harness the various benefits of the foods we eat. I also found that this was a great way to get my hubby involved with the way of the wise ones. It has brought us closer & makes cooking our meals much more intimate & fun!

My book came in perfect condition, for starters. And when i opened it, instead of skipping through a bunch of pages in order to get to the good stuff, I found myself reading nearly every page, one after the other. Its a wonderfully insightful book. It gives a good amount of history (of food and ceremony and wicca alike) and its so easy to read and understand. Its definately a good read, and a great book for any witch. Not to mention, for anyone who just wants to be a little bit more One with themselves and the world around them. 5 stars.

I liked the encyclopedia a lot. Even if "encyclopedia" might sound complicated, it's actually a very simple tool to use. Each food is clearly explored and explained on a similar system: Name and Latin name, Planet, Element, Energies, Lore and Magical uses. The categories dividing the book makes for easy and fast research when you're looking for an information. There is also a good introduction to food magic, at the beginning of the book, setting the mood for exploration and discoveries to be made. Cunningham also explores magical diets, made to attract a certain kind of energy in our life, like Love, Money or Peace and happiness. The end of the book is Scott's favorite recipes. He also provides quick reference tables for associations of food by elements, planet or astrological sign. Those little "extras" will come in quite handy, I'm sure. It's a serious book with pertinent information and I really enjoyed it.

Me encanto el libro porque esta muy claro y porque es maravilloso hacer magia en la cocina. Realmente lo recomiendo

Interessantissimo, scritto bene, sono veramente soddisfatta e felice

Arrived in excellent condition.

Excelente. El autor es un fuera de serie. Nos ha dejado un súper legado con sus libros sobre la magia natural. Muy bueno. Cómo todas sus obras.