Tasty Food and Book Pairings for Every Literary Genre

There are food and wine pairings, book and wine pairings, and even book and coffee pairings but no one knows what to eat with a book! What should you munch on while reading Mockingjay? Or nibble while reading New Moon? Well, lick your lips and attack a snack, because here are five foods pairings to go with every literary genre:

Romance

Ah, yes, the red wine and bubble bath classic. And what goes better with red wine than some nice dark chocolate? As you probably know, chocolate is the food of love. Turns out, there’s actually a chemical found in chocolate that can release serotonin, which can make you feel like you’ve gone down Lover’s Lane, never to return. But don’t stop at just plain chocolate! Dip some strawberries or cherries into that sweet stuff and have a tasty combination of sweet and tart! Perfect!

Thrillers

Ever watch a totally edge-of-your-seat movie, where the only movement you made was to reach for the popcorn? AKA, a popcorn movie? In a genre that is so engrossing, reaching for popcorn can be a mindless task to keep our racing minds a little at ease. Well, there’s no difference with a popcorn book! Imagine, sitting with your knees to your chest in an armchair, book in hand, heart racing, reaching for your popcorn every few lines? Perfect, right? Oh, but don’t stop at butter! Try topping your popcorn with cinnamon, olive oil and pesto or mixed with M&M’s.

Fantasy

What’s the most evil fruit in the world of fantasy? Apples, of course! When you read a fantasy, you can be one with the enchanted forest by eating an apple slice. However, don’t eat it plain! Put a little magic into your snack by adding cinnamon, honey, or caramel! These combinations worthy of the Fairy Queen will be the perfect antidote to any poison found in the apple or the plot!

Comedy

We know, there’s no food that really represents “comedy,” but we do know that a comedy means being funny, which means it’s fun, which means that comedy needs some fun food. Strap yourself in and take a ride to your childhood because the perfect food for comedy is Animal Crackers. Why? Because it’s fun to reach into the bag blindly to see which animal you’re going to get next. A horse? A hippo? Who knows! It just adds an extra bit of innocent joy to something that already makes you smile.

Historical Fiction

Of course, this genre is very broad, from Medieval times to the Victorian era. However, there is one thing that shines through almost every culture and era, and that is tea! That’s why the perfect food for historical fiction is tea and crumpets (or scones or crackers). Nothing will make you feel more like an elegant duchess or sassy Elizabeth Bennet! So break out your finest china and the English muffins and start reading!

Of course, no book is just one singular genre, so feel free to mix and match these food pairings. Have a romance set in 1920s London? Eat some scones smeared with Nutella while drinking English Breakfast tea! Have a comedic thriller? Try your popcorn mixed with animal crackers and topped with cinnamon! The possibilities are endless, and we hope you have fun experimenting with different tastes and titles.

 

All images via GIPHY