Winter is FINALLY here, dear friends!
Yesterday, April 14, 2019, marked the beginning of the last and final season of “Game of Thrones.” If you’re a fan of the show, you understand the jumble of emotions currently at war inside me: happiness, excitement, sadness, depression, fear, anxiety, a nervous sort of tension. All over what’s going to happen over the course of this heartbreakingly short season. I haven’t written much about Thrones on this blog, but if you know me then you know I’m obsessed (in the best of ways!).
We hardcore fans have been waiting (not so) patiently for the past two years while the showrunners put the cap on their brilliant masterpiece. I almost feel bad for them because there’s so much excitement and buildup and anticipation for what’s going to happen this season that it’s next to impossible for them to please everyone. Ahhhhh! There are, of course, a ton of theories going around about the ending (I won’t bore you with mine–that’s not the point of this post), but obviously we all truly know nothing about where we’re headed. The one thing I do know, though, is there’s not enough Valyrian steel in the whole world of Westeros that could keep me from my TV at 9 p.m. every Sunday night for the next six weeks.
Honestly, I haven’t been this excited about something (not counting the births of my two children, of course) since I don’t know when. Probably the first time I met Josh Groban and got his autograph back in 2006. And that’s saying something. I really can’t explain my passion for Thrones. It’s extraordinarily well-written, directed, and acted, and don’t even get me started on the soundtrack. Ramin Djawadi is an absolute genius. I’ve seen his live orchestra show twice already and will most definitely be going back when and if he rolls out a third tour following the end of the show (I’m assuming he will).
But my love for this show is so much more than that. It’s a release, an escape from life, which can be so tedious and monotonous and scary and downright awful sometimes. I know, I know, calling Thrones an “escape” is laughable considering it’s full of incest, rape, murder, and any other bad thing you can think of, but it is what it is, my friends. I can’t be that crazy because I am only one person in a global fanbase of millions. That’s my defense, LOL. Take it or leave it.
Anyhoo, when I first started watching the show back in 2014 (the first four seasons had already been released by that time), my expectations were low because I’m not really your typical “fantasy” fan and shows like Thrones have never been my cup of tea. I’ve always been more of a romantic, funny, heartwarming, make-me-wanna-cry type a girl (think “This Is Us”). In fact, as my husband and I sat watching the first season of Thrones, we just weren’t “feeling” it, despite the insistence from family and friends that it was amazing. There were just so many characters and locations and complex, revolving plotlines that we couldn’t keep anything straight in our heads.
My husband wanted to quit before the first season even ended (it’s crazy thinking about that now), but there was something about it that wouldn’t let me go. It was creepy and intense and just so freaking cool. And honestly unlike anything I had ever really watched before. Plus, who wouldn’t wanna watch a show starring Sean Bean and dragons! So, I convinced my husband to tough it out and, wow, I’m so happy we did because once we got to episode 9 (“Baelor”), holy shitake, were we hooked. And we never looked back! My deep love affair with this series (and the books too, for that matter) has only evolved and strengthened over these past five years and three seasons. If you’re a Thrones fan, I don’t have to tell you why. You already get it. And if you’re not, well, I won’t be using this space to convince you otherwise. I realize it’s not for everyone and that’s totally cool. For me, though, it’s been such an awesome ride and I am terribly, terribly sad that it’s all going to be over by next month.
And so, now that the end is upon us, I’ve decided that each episode must go off with a bang–a wildfire bang! Which means every Sunday until the end of May, I’m going to whip up some Thrones-related party fare (pigeon pie, anyone?!) and decorate my house (OK, at least my kitchen and “viewing” room, LOL) with Thrones paraphernalia just so I can live in this brief—but totally epic—moment for as long as I can. I’m going to title this month-and-a-half-long celebration “A Feast For The Seven Kingdoms.” So, let’s start with premiere night! In honor of the Seven-Faced God, here are my seven Thrones-themed dishes, accompanied by some homemade bread (thank you, husband!) and my “bloody” punch offering to the White Walkers:
• Deviled Dragon Eggs (a typical deviled eggs recipe)
• Theon’s Favorite Toy Wrapped In A Wolf’s Cloak (a play on the ole pigs in a blanket)
• Chicken “Littlefingers” with Wildfire Dip (breaded chicken fingers with a dipping sauce made from mayo, hot sauce, Worcestershire, ketchup, garlic powder, and black pepper)
• Oberyn’s Smashed Potatoes (smashed potatoes seasoned with a garlic-infused butter)
• A Charcuterie Plate Has No Name (I used four cheeses: blue, Gouda, Brie, and something called Red Dragon (for obvious reasons!); prosciutto; Italian olives; grapes; figs; and dates)
• “Bloody Tough” Stark Steaks (your typical corned beef simmered with beer and seasonings)
• Sansa’s Lemon Cakes (simple lemon bars)
• Hot Pie’s Homemade Bread (my husband has become a bread-making genius!)
• Red Wedding Punch (a classic red sangria)
And for my décor and other frills:
• A house sigil garland
• A house words poster
• A Stark tournament banner
• My Winter Is Coming painting (painted by yours truly!)
• Black tablecloths (for the Night’s Watch); white utensils and napkins (for the White Walkers); “metal” plates; “gold,” metal, and wooden serving ware; Thrones wine glasses; and White Walker by Johnnie Walker
• Ramin Djawadi’s gorgeous soundtrack playing in the background
(The next episode airs on Easter Sunday, which we happen to be hosting this year, so I won’t be having a spread like this one. I’ll probably just do it up with a luscious Thrones cocktail and dessert, so stay tuned on that!)
I’m sad and depressed that the first episode has already come and gone, but I’m so psyched to see what my boys Benioff and Weiss have planned for us over the next six weeks. Judging from the first episode, it’s gonna be a hell of a ride. I just hope and pray they don’t let us down. No matter how the final season plays out, though, or who sits the Iron Throne in the end, I’m so happy I decided to become a part of this world and this show, which I’m sure will live on for years and years to come. I know it will for me.
Until next time, happy watching, my friends. Valar Morghulis!
Related Game of Thrones Content:
GoT Finale: A Mom’s Watch Has Ended (Episode 6)
GoT: A Thousand Lives (Episode 5)