So, you want to be a kitchen witch? You've come to the right place. Whether you are learning more of this art due to desire or necessity, what I will do here is to equip you with some of the basic tools for your chosen aspect of the Craft. No, I'm not talking about pots, pans, kettles, utensils, and the like. What I mean is a different way of looking at these tools, in order for you to feed your soul as well as your body.

Most of you probably know some of the most commonly used ritual tools--the athame, bolline, wand, besom, and cauldron. But, did you know that each has its kitchen counterpart? Let's take each one in turn and examine its role in ritual, and then show you its culinary companion.

1. The athame and bolline. Simply put, an athame is used to direct energies during ritual, both in casting and taking down the circle. A bolline is more utilitarian than esoteric in nature, being used for the harvesting of ritual herbs, inscription of symbols on candles, ritual items, and the like. Culinary companion--knives. Whatever the variety of kitchen knife you are using, they combine both athame and bolline into one tool, and hide in plain sight.
2. The wand. This is the tool most commonly associated with Witchcraft (think of the Harry Potter series for a moment). While its use is not as flashy or showy as in books and movies, a wand is used to direct energies in much the same way as an athame; indeed, some Witches prefer its use to a blade, and enjoy crafting their own wands individually. Culinary companion--spoons. Just as a wand "stirs up" energies, so does a spoon stir one's food.
3. The besom. No, Witches don't fly through the air on brooms, with familiars at their sides. A ritual broom is used to "sweep away" negative energies that can hinder one's progress. Culinary companion--the common broom. Any broom can be used as a besom, with the right intent behind it. Just visualize negative energy being swept away before you in a nasty, dusty, dusky cloud.
4. The cauldron. When most people think of cauldrons, chances are pretty good that either MacBeth or Harry Potter come to mind. Either way, the cauldron is a symbol of the womb of the Goddess, and a place where diverse energies are brought together for a single purpose. Culinary companion--Dutch ovens, teakettles, and saucepans. Whether cooking small or quantities of sauces and soups, or simply heating up some water for tea, Dutch ovens, teakettles, and saucepans serve much the same purpose as a cauldron and hold the same symbolism.

While this list is by no means exhaustive, I hope it serves its purpose in giving you a new way to look at common kitchen implements. I encourage you to go through the kitchen gadgets you have, and give some thought to their potential applications in kitchen witchery.

In my next hub, I would like to cover herbs and spices, and their use in concocting magickal feasts. Until then, merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again!