With the rise of popularity of modern witchcraft, people have found many, many variations of it. There is the sect of sea magic, earth magic, hedge magic, and many more. Witches who practice these types of magic are all centered around nature and are correctly named after that. Not all magic has to be named or involved with nature directly, there is another form of magic and it is simply called Kitchen Magic.
What is a Kitchen Witch?
A kitchen witch, sometimes referred to as a cottage witch, is someone who uses herbs and spices in order to create food imbued with magic. The specialty of a kitchen witch is her ability to combine the natural bounty of the earth with the magic of the sacred world. She imbues her spiritual energy to make meals that are filled with magic, which are called magical meals. A magical meal is the term used for the spells that a kitchen witch casts, almost like how other witches cast different types of spells, only this one is especially focused on the cooking and the meal. Kitchen witches cooperate with cooking-oriented spirits in order to work together and produce meals of magical properties. Their altars are special and take a different form since the focus is on cooking. On a kitchen witch’s altar, you might find a variety of food imagery, a small or big cauldron depending on the space available, and her altar is in the kitchen of the home.
For the most part, kitchen witchcraft is similar to the other branches of witchcraft, being that there are minor differences such as how magic is used and worship is done. When it comes to worshipping, the best types of gods that a kitchen witch should work with are those that are associated with cooking, herbs, spices, animals, and possibly even fusion; however, a kitchen witch has more free reign on which god to work with depending on the magical meal she is preparing.
Setting Up Sacred Space: The Kitchen Witch Altar
As always, there is no one size fits all with witchcraft. If you feel the need to have a separate kitchen altar to aid your kitchen witchcraft, go for it. The most important thing is to declutter and cleanse the space, and this is to be done physically and spiritually. Once the space is physically decluttered, you may choose to use a magickal witch broom (if you have one) or even your hands to sweep away the residue from past magick or negative energies that reside there.
On your kitchen witch altar you may incorporate the following items:
- Symbols, figures, statues, or some other representation of the gods and spirits you work with to conduct your kitchen witchcraft (these can be your patron deities but also kitchen and food specific spirits as we will discuss in a minute).
- Important tools you frequently work with, such as a mortar and pestle, spoons, chopsticks, and other utensils. If you use tools like a wand or an athame, those can go here as well.
- A kitchen witch specific notebook or book of shadows full of enchanted recipes.
- Food offerings or other “sacred” ingredients as you see fit – herbs, honey, saffron, cream, fruits.
- A cauldron. This can be one you use for brewing in the kitchen, or just a symbolic one – whatever works best for your practice.
What Gods or Deities Should I Work With?
For the kitchen witch, there is no one god or goddess that she is dedicated to, she works with different gods in order to produce different types of magical meals. For example, if a kitchen witch wants to create a magical meal that is infused with luck, then she would pray, offer, and work alongside a goddess such as Fortuna, the goddess of fortune. Of course, a kitchen witch cannot just apply the same rules and traditions for all of these gods, she would have to learn how to properly work with each specific god. Here are a few gods that would be perfect for those that are interested in becoming a kitchen witch or are curious to interact with these gods:
Annapurna: Hindu Goddess of Food and Nourishment
Anna (meaning “food”), and Purna (meaning “complete or full”, Annapurna is the ultimate goddess of food and sustenance. The great god of destruction Shiva is her consort. As the legend goes, when Shiva claimed the superiority of the male over the female, Annapurna disappeared and the world was at the brink of the end owing to great famine. It was only when she chose to provide the world with nourishment once more that the world was saved. Since she is believed to be the provider of food, nourishment and as a result, life, she can be a great source for blessing your food with true nourishment for the soul.
Andhrímnir: (Norse)Chef to the Aesir Gods
Although he is not on the same level as the Aesir Gods, he is a being that is solely focused on cooking the same food again and again. The story goes that everyday he kills the boar Saehrimnir and cooks it in a pot in order to serve the beast to the Gods; Saehrimnir returns to life each night. Andhrímnir is a great spirit to work with since he is a master at cooking meals. Perhaps you want to master a type of cuisine or a cut of meat, he would be perfect to work with in order to perfect your cooking and deliver the best quality.
Hestia: Greek Goddess of Hearth
Hestia is yet another great god to work alongside because of what she specializes in: warmth, family, and of course food. It is said that Zeus entrusted Hestia with keeping the fire of Olympus from burning out by offering fatty meats that are given as sacrifices. Working alongside her will help you become better with creating warm meals that can help strengthen a household.
These are but a few gods that are great to work with when starting to practice kitchen magic. Of course picking the right god to work alongside with is a good start, but you must also know how to prepare a magical meal.
What are some Kitchen Magic Spells and How Do I Cast Them?
Kitchen magic is unique because of how spellcasting works. The key items you need in order to cast kitchen magic spells are herbs and spices. A kitchen witch should know the spiritual properties of herbs and spices in order to create the magical meal she has in mind. Here is a list of a few basic herbs and spices that you probably already use when cooking and their magical properties:
- Allspice: energy
- Basil: protection, courage, creativity
- Coriander: health, money
- Cinnamon: psychic powers, healing, success
- Garlic: protection, power
- Ginger: love, money, power
- Parsley: purification
- Rosemary: blessing, protection, courage
These listed properties come from the wonderful Grimoire for the Green Witch by Ann Moura.
Depending on the magical meal you want to create, you would use the herbs associated with the type of magic you want to work with. For example: If you want to create a magical meal that grants protection from negative forces, then, after researching, you might choose to prepare the spell with basil, garlic, rosemary, and any other herbs and spices that contain protection properties.
Another useful tool when creating your magical meal is to imbue energy into it by means of chanting. Create a chant with the theme of the spell you are trying to cast and repeat it throughout the cooking/casting process. Referring back to our previous example, you would want to write a chant that invokes protection. Here is our chant that you can use or tweak to personalize it to yourself:
Herbs and spices unite,
Form a barrier within my sight.
Shield me from all specters of spite,
So that I may persevere tonight.
O herbs and spices, become my remedy,
And bounce back the negative energy.
To have the maximum effect on the spells you create, it is best to grow your own herbs and spices. While your food will already have your energy infused in it from cooking and chanting, by growing the herbs and spices that you tended and put energy into, it will intensify the magical meal you prepare with more of your energy being put into the spell.
The best way to perform kitchen magic is to learn not only the spiritual properties of herbs, vegetables, spices, and fruits, but also learn their physical properties. For example: lemons are very good for stomach aches because their acidity can help break down anything in your stomach that is causing you pain and help to smooth the digestive process. They are also good for alleviating bloating and constipation; therefore we can determine that lemons have a cleansing property. By learning the physical and chemical properties about lemons, this will help you gain an understanding of the types of magical meals you can prepare that will work best for situations that involve any type of stomach illness.
Always keep the physical, metaphysical, scientific and spiritual close – they are not antithetical, but work hand in hand. Bringing balance and harmony into these elements will take your kitchen magic, and your kitchen witch journey, to a completely new level.
A Kitchen Witchcraft Recipe Spell for Protection
Now let’s put everything we have learned this far together into practice. Kitchen witches – get to cooking! This recipe will take some time to prepare, so if you wanted to link your spell to a phase of the moon, plan ahead of time.
Before you dive into the recipe, cast a circle if you need and call upon the god(s) that you wish to work with and make sure to have symbols related to them while you work (for example, fire imagery for Hestia). You can call upon your own gods or you may use the ones mentioned earlier such as Hestia or Andhrímnir depending on your needs.
The following is the magical adaptation of Kenji Lopez’s No Knead Bread Recipe
Lemon Bread of Protection
Ingredients:
- 3 teaspoons of lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons of powdered garlic
- 2 teaspoons of basil
- 1-2 teaspoons of thyme
- 300 grams of all-purpose flour
- 3 grams of yeast
- 4.5 grams of salt
- 200 grams of water
- 10 grams of lemon juice
Directions:
- Combine your flour, salt, and yeast in a large bowl and whisk them together.
- As you add each of the main ingredients that will invoke protection, recite a short chant for each ingredient added to the mixture:
- With this basil I create protection, a shield to aid me from mal-intentions.
- With this garlic I add the power, to bolster my shield ever stronger.
- With this thyme I ward away negativity, to give my shield pure immunity.
- With this lemon zest I bring cleansing, one that purifies my shield and grants good blessings.
- As you stir your mixture, add water until no dry flour remains. During your mixing, incite the chant that you will use and repeat it throughout the mixing process, you can even use the chant we have for this part.
Herbs and spices unite,
Form a barrier within my sight.
Shield me from all specters of spite,
So that I may persevere tonight.
O herbs and spices, become my remedy,
And bounce back the negative energy.
- Cover your bowl tightly after mixing and charging with a plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for at least 12 hours, 24 being the maximum amount.
- Transfer your mixture to the refrigerator and let it sit for about 3 to 5 days.
- Remove your dough from the refrigerator and place it on a well-floured surface. Turn about 1 or 2 times and then form the shape of a loaf. Cover your dough and let it rise at room temperature for at least 2 hours, 4 the maximum.
- Prepare the oven’s middle rack and set the temperature to 450°F.
- Once your dough has risen, cut the top with a floured knife into 2 to 3 cuts, 1/2 inch deep. Place your dough into your covered pan and throw it into the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the lid and continue to bake until the center of your bread is about 209°F (use a food thermometer for this part). Wait 30 to 45 minutes more.
- Remove your pan from the oven and then extract your bread (you can use a spatula or tongs). Allow the bread to rest on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes. Afterwards, you may begin cutting it into slices.
- Be sure to thank all the spirits and gods you called on throughout this process. You may also consume the bread you have made as ritual offering.
There is a lot to this guide for the modern kitchen witch, but I hope this helps you either get started with your kitchen witchcraft practice, or advance it. May you create love, prosperity and nourishment in your hearth and your home. Blessed be.