Baking and Magical Cookery

Magical Cooking is a form of sympathetic magic that can be performed easily at home as part of your day to day life. In fact you may already be adding magic to your cooking without realising so. Often we may get a feeling for just the right food for a situation such as illness, a shock or for lifting the spirits and it is very likely in these cases that the food you choose will have fitting magical correspondences. For example chicken soup is often given to people who are unwell due to its healing and restorative abilities and chocolate is eaten when feeling down to help lift the spirits and bring comfort.

The kitchen is considered by many to be the heart of any home, but sadly modern busy lifestyles mean that people do not have much time to spend at home preparing delicious and healthy home cooked foods or to share these with family and friends. This lack of time can also stop those who wish too from practicing magic and following their spiritual paths. Magical cooking is a versatile form of magic that can be incorporated into day to day cooking and help you to become more aware of what you are eating, while encouraging the use of natural wholesome ingredients.

Sympathetic magic is based on the theory that one thing can influence another. In most cases there are a range of different foods can be used to help you create the outcome you desire and there are many correspondence lists available online and in books to work with. Like with all types of magic, you do not have to only follow these and if something feels wrong to you or you are drawn towards a certain ingredient then it is fine to use that instead. Over time you will be able to build up your own list of personal correspondences and record the results of your magical cookery.

Magical cooking does not need to be complex or elaborate to be effective. A simple dish such as a soup will be just as successful as larger more difficult dishes as long as your intent is there and strong. If your intent isn’t clear then no matter how delicious your cooking is, the magical purpose will be lost. Likewise you do not need to have expensive tools such as pots and pans or buy a huge range of kitchen gadgets. It is worth considering how the materials you use may contribute to your workings however. For example the metal used to make your pans and the wood used in spoons. Choose the items that appeal to you and you can of course decorate and personalise some items or you may wish to keep a certain pan, spoon or other tool purely for magical cooking. Many people consider that if a meal is being prepared for more than one person, then magic should only be added to the spell casters portion. Infusing the entire dish with magic could be considered manipulative magic if it is being done with the knowledge of the other diners. There may be times when the magic beneficial to all parties, for example a soup to soothe cold symptoms but it is important to think carefully about whether each person’s consent should be asked for anyway. Like all types of magic, magical cooking should never be used to pressure or manipulate another person or to get your own way. Remember that everything you put out, good and bad comes back to you!

Before beginning to cook the ingredients and tools can be infused with your intent and charged with your energies. While you cook, keep your intent in mind and visualise it unfolding and being true. This charging and visualisation can also be carried on as you eat for maximum effect. As with all types of magical working, it is best not to cook with magic if you are feeling unwell or experiencing any negative emotions such as anger. These negative energies can find their way into your magic and prevent it working as well as it could.

Baking is an excellent opportunity to infuse your food with magical intent. Kneading bread can be a meditative process and is the perfect time to visualise you intentions and fill the dough with your energies and wishes. Items such as muffins, bread, pancakes and cookies are great choices as the ingredients can be varied in order to fit into your magic. Fruits, seeds, nuts and even chocolate have magical properties that can be used to enhance spells and attract desired energies to your life. The basic ingredients of flour, water, butter and eggs also have their own magical correspondences. Wheat is a very common grain used in cooking and is considered to be one of the seven scared grains. It represents abundance, prosperity and rebirth and is used to symbolise the harvest as well as Mother Earth and all that she provides for us. Eggs are considered magical or sacred in many religions and symbolise fertility, birth, renewal, new beginnings and the female energy. Savoury foods that can be easily adapted in the same way include pies, stews, soups and casseroles those ingredients can easily be swapped to suit your needs.

Certain food items as a whole may also have a particular correspondence or association. For example, cookies and bread are commonly used for grounding.

These lists are by no means exclusive or complete just some suggestions to get you started. Other lists may vary in their uses of foods. Chose whichever feels right for you and as with all magic, if you feel pulled towards a certain food for you intent follow you instincts and see where it leads you.

Fertility – eggs, figs, grains, grapes, milk, nuts, poppy seeds, rice, sesame seeds

Grounding – bread, beans, carrots, cheese, chocolate, grains, meat, potatoes, salt, sweet potato, cake

Happiness – apples, apricots, chocolate, cucumber, cumin, fish, honey, lentils, milk, oregano, peach, pizza, rose, wine

Healing and health – almonds, apples, chicken, cider, cucumber, garlic, honey, lemon, olives, melon, mint, pineapple, pumpkin, sage, tomato, walnuts

Love – apple, apricot, avocado, banana, basil, beetroot, chocolate, cinnamon, cherry, fennel, fish, guava, lime, mango, orange, peas, pistachio, raspberry, rose, strawberry

Luck – bananas, beans, cabbage, coconut, hazelnuts, kale, nutmeg, rice

Prosperity – almond, basil, banana, , beans, blackberries, cinnamon, cloves, figs, ginger, milk, parsley, pears, pumpkin, seeds, spinach, tomato

Protection – basil, bay, black pepper, blueberries, chillies, corn, eggs, olive oil, onion, oranges, parsley, plum, rhubarb, sunflower seeds, walnut

125g (4oz) butter (or alternative)
125g (4oz) sugar
250g (8oz) plain flour
1 egg, beaten
1-2 tsp of herbs or spices – choose whichever herbs correspond with your intent

1. Preheat your oven to 190C/375F/Gas Mark 5.

2. Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.

3. Mix in the egg well.

4. Sift in the flour and mix well to combine.

5. Mix in your chosen herb or spice. As you do this, visualise your intent and the desired outcome.

6. Let the dough rest in a cool place for 1 hour. This will make it easier to handle.

7. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface and cut into shapes. You can use cookie cutters or cut shapes with a knife. You could use shapes that connect with your intent – for example use a heart cookie cutter if your intent concerns love or relationships.

8. Place the biscuit shapes on a greased baking tray and bake for approximately 10 minutes.

9. Cool on a wire rack.