Published: 4 August 2023
Authored by British writer J.K. Rowling, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” tells the remarkable story of an 11-year-old orphan named Harry Potter who discovers his wizard lineage on his eleventh birthday.
Originally published in 1997, the first volume of this children’s fantasy series shares the exciting journey of Harry during his first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he meets Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. The trio eventually becomes inseparable, as they navigate through potions and motions in the wizarding world.
From three-headed beasts and flying broomsticks to owl post and invisibility cloaks, this tale is laced with mythical creatures, magical encounters and courageous endeavours in the face of evil.
The Harry Potter series remains one of the most successful and beloved book series in modern literature. In fact, the final book, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” became the fastest-selling book in history back in 2007, selling over 11 million copies in the first 24 hours of its release.
“Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” explores numerous themes including bravery, self-discovery, death, friendship, and sacrifice. While food may not be a primary theme in the series, it undeniably plays a significant role when it comes immersion, worldbuilding, character development and humor.
From pumpkin pasties and chocolate frogs to mint humbugs and bogey-flavoured jelly beans, the sweets and treats in the wizarding world of Harry Potter provide an element of surprise that is just as enchanting as it is troublesome. Delightful or disgusting? Nobody knows! And that’s the beauty of it.
So what can we expect from the non-Muggle world? Let’s dive right into the magical eats that flavour the perilous adventures of Harry, Ron and Hermione!
Without further ado, here are the food references in “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” by J.K. Rowling:
Cereal
We begin our adventures at the Dursley’s home, where Dudley is presented as an insolent child, causing a ruckus and throwing perfectly fine food all over the place. Spoiled rotten he is!
“At half past eight, Mr. Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs Dursley on the cheek and tried to kiss Dudley goodbye but missed, because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls.”– The Boy Who Lived (Chapter 1)
Buns & doughnuts
Mr Dursley is a baked goods kind of guy. So don’t expect him to be eating salad for lunch!
“He made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more. He was in a very good mood until lunch-time, when he thought he’d stretch his legs and walk across the road to buy himself a bun from the baker’s opposite.”– The Boy Who Lived (Chapter 1)
“He’d forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the baker’s. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn’t know why, but they made him uneasy. This lot were whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn’t see a single collecting tin. It was on his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut in a bag, that he caught a few words of what they were saying.“– The Boy Who Lived (Chapter 1)
Tea
No British novel is complete without a proper cuppa! And isn’t it odd that the strangest news is always announced around tea time?
“Mrs Dursley came into the living-room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good. He’d have to say something to her. He cleared his throat nervously. ‘Er – Petunia, dear – you haven’t heard from your sister lately, have you?'”– The Boy Who Lived (Chapter 1)
Tea is also mentioned in chapter 3 when Harry is ordered to make tea for breakfast after getting caught sneaking towards the letter-box.
“Uncle Vernon had been lying at the foot of the front door in a sleeping bag, clearly making sure that Harry didn’t do exactly what he’s been trying to do. He shouted at Harry for about half and hour and then told him to go and make a cup of tea.“– The Letters from No One (Chapter 3)
And in chapter 4, Hagrid craves a hot cuppa after braving the storm to see Harry.
“‘Couldn’t make us a cup o’tea, could yeh? It’s not been an easy journey…’“– The Keeper of the Keys (Chapter 4)
“‘What about that tea then, eh?’ he said, rubbing his hands together. ‘I’d not say no ter summat stronger if yeh’ve got it, mind.'”– The Keeper of the Keys (Chapter 4)
“The giant took a gulp of tea and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. ‘Call me Hagrid,’ he said, ‘everyone does. An’ like I told yeh, I’m Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts – yeh’ll know all about Hogwarts, o’course.’ ‘Er – no,’ said Harry. Hagrid looked shocked.”– The Keeper of the Keys (Chapter 4)
Tea & Meringue
Tea is mentioned alongside meringue in chapter 7, when Neville tells the story of his first signs of magic. Childhood in a wizard family is something else…
“Great-uncle Algie came round for tea and he was hanging me out of an upstairs window by the ankles when my great-auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go. But I bounced – all the way down the garden and into the road. They were all really pleased. Gran was crying, she was so happy.”– The Sorting Hat (Chapter 7)
Tea & rock cakes
Hagrid attempts to make Harry and his friends feel at home by serving them tea and rock cakes in chapter 8. The sweet giant isn’t much of a baker but he sure has a heart of gold.
“Dear Harry, (it said, in a very untidy scrawl) I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three? I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with Hedwig. Hagrid.”– The Potions Master (Chapter 8)
Fun fact: Rock cakes were promoted by the British Government’s Ministry of Food during WWII due to the fact that they required fewer eggs and less sugar than ordinary cakes. But, keep in mind, they usually aren’t as rock-solid as Hagrid’s cakes!
“‘This is Ron,’ Harry told Hagrid, who was pouring boiling water into a large teapot and putting rock cakes on to a plate. ‘Another Weasley, eh?’ said Hagrid, glancing at Ron’s freckles. ‘I spent half me life chasin’ yer twin brothers away from the Forest.’ The rock cakes almost broke their teeth, but Harry and Ron pretended to be enjoying them as they told Hagrid all about their first lessons.“– The Potions Master (Chapter 8)
“As Harry and Ron walked back to the castle for dinner, their pockets weighed down with rock cakes they’d been too polite to refuse, Harry thought that none of the lessons he’d had so far had given him as much to think about as tea with Hagrid. Had Hagrid collected that package just in time? Where was it now? And did Hagrid know something about Snape that he didn’t want to tell Harry?”– The Potions Master (Chapter 8)
Teatime at Hagrid’s hut becomes somewhat of a ritual for Harry and his friends, especially after a very tough Quidditch match!
“‘He didn’t catch it, he nearly swallowed it,’ Flint was still howling twenty minutes later, but it made no difference – Harry hadn’t broken any rules and Lee Jordan was still happily shouting the result – Gryffindor had won by one hundred and seventy points to sixty. Harry heard none of this, though. He was being made a cup of strong tea back in Hagrid’s hut, with Ron and Hermione.”– Quidditch (Chapter 11)
Tea & stoat sandwiches
Stoats are small carnivorous mammals related to weasels that are oftentimes controlled by gamekeepers, particularly in areas where they are considered a threat to other wildlife.
In chapter 14, Hagrid prepares stoat sandwiches for Harry, Ron and Hermione. Luckily, the trio promptly shifts the conversation’s focus to the intriguing topic of the philosopher’s stone.
“It was stiflingly hot inside. Even though it was such a warm day, there was a blazing fire in the grate. Hagrid made them tea and offered them stoat sandwiches, which they refused.“– Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback (Chapter 14)
The stoat sandwiches become a running gag of sorts, reminding the readers of Hagrid’s somewhat questionable culinary skills. In chapter 17, the unappetising sandwiches resurface once more in a conversation between Harry and Hagrid after Quirrell’s defeat.
“Hagrid wiped his nose on the back of his hands and said, ‘That reminds me. I’ve got yeh a present.’ ‘It’s not a stoat sandwich, is it?’ said Harry anxiously and at last Hagrid gave a weak chuckle.”– The Man with Two Faces (Chapter 17)
Brandy, chicken blood & dead rats
Gotta feed a dragon? Here’s some essentials!
“‘Keep the egg in the fire, ’cause their mothers breathe on ’em, see, an’ when it hatches, feed it on a bucket o’ brandy mixed with chicken blood every half hour. An’ see here- how ter recognise diff’rent eggs – what I got there’s a Norwegian Ridgeback. They’re rare, them.'”– Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback (Chapter 14)
“They looked at the dragon. It had grown three times in length in just a week. Smoke kept furling out of its nostrils. Hagrid hadn’t been doing his gamekeeping duties because the dragon was keeping him so busy. There were empty brandy bottles and chicken feathers all over the floor.“– Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback (Chapter 14)
“Ron appeared out of nowhere as he pulled off Harry’s Invisibility Cloak. He had been down at Hagrid’s hut, helping him feed Norbert, who was now eating dead rats by the crate.”– Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback (Chapter 14)
Hagrid is a great father figure for wizards and dragons alike, don’t you think? In chapter 14, Hagrid packs some food for Norbert the dragon for his trip to Romania.
“Hagrid had Norbert packed and ready in a large crate. ‘He’s got lots o’ rats an’ some brandy fer the journey,’ said Hagrid in a muffled voice. ‘An’ I’ve packed his teddy bear in case he gets lonely.'”– Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback (Chapter 14)
Sherbet lemon
The Muggle world has its small treasures. These hard lemon candies filled with fizzy sweet powder are definitely a favourite for Albus Dumbledore!
“‘Would you care for a sherbet lemon?’ ‘A what?’ A sherbet lemon. They’re a kind of Muggle sweet I’m rather fond of.’ ‘No, thank you,’ said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn’t think this was the moment for sherbet lemons.”– The Boy Who Lived (Chapter 1)
In chapter 1, Dumbledore sorts through his sherbet lemons while talking about “You-Know-Who” with Professor McGonagall.
“Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbledore, who was unsticking two sherbet lemons seemed not to notice.”– The Boy Who Lived (Chapter 1)
“It was plain that whatever ‘everyone’ was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore, however, was choosing another sherbet lemon and did not answer.”– The Boy Who Lived (Chapter 1)
Milk bottles
Did you know? The first glass milk bottle was patented in the 70s in the United States. According to Wired, “the typical milk bottle made 22.5 round trips in the early 1900s before getting broken, lost or diverted by consumers to other purposes. The loss of bottles – as well as the expense of returning them to the bottling plant, washing and sterilizing them – contributed to the eventual abandonment of the glass bottle.”
“Harry Potter rolled over inside his blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside him and he slept on, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was famous, not knowing he would be woken in a few hours’ time by Mrs Dursley’s scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles, nor that he would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by his cousin Dudley…”– The Boy Who Lived (Chapter 1)
Bacon
In chapter 2, Harry is charged with cooking the bacon for breakfast on Dudley’s birthday. Clearly, Petunia has no desire to be a loving aunt for Harry. Her foul treatment of Harry strikingly contrasts her soft demeanour with her son, Dudley. Very Cinderella-esque, don’t you think?
“‘Well, get a move on, I want you to look after the bacon. And don’t you dare let it burn, I want everything perfect on Duddy’s birthday.'”– The Vanishing Glass (Chapter 2)
Things aren’t much different with uncle Vernon…
“Uncle Vernon entered the kitchen as Harry was turning over the bacon. ‘Comb your hair!’ he barked, by way of a morning greeting.”– The Vanishing Glass (Chapter 2)
Harry also eats bacon for breakfast at Hogwarts as mentioned in chapters 10 and 12.
“Harry was just as interested as everyone else to see what was in this large parcel and was amazed when the owls soared down and dropped it right in front of him, knocking his bacon to the floor.“– Hallowe’en (Chapter 10)
“‘Have some bacon or something, why aren’t you eating anything?’ Harry couldn’t eat. He had seen his parents and would be seeing them again tonight.”– The Mirror of Erised (Chapter 12)
Fried eggs
A hearty plate of sizzling fried eggs and crispy bacon is a must for breakfast in the Dursleys’ household, especially on Dudley’s birthday.
“Harry was frying eggs by the time Dudley arrived in the kitchen with his mother.“– The Vanishing Glass (Chapter 2)
“Harry put the plates of egg and bacon on the table, which was difficult as there wasn’t much room. Dudley, meanwhile, was counting his presents.”– The Vanishing Glass (Chapter 2)
“Harry, who could see a huge Dudley tantrum coming on, began wolfing down his bacon as fast as possible in case Dudley turned the table over.“– The Vanishing Glass (Chapter 2)
Hamburgers bars & scents of cabbage
Alongside a mountain of gifts, Dudley is treated to a day filled with exciting adventures on his birthday. This often involves indulging in visits to hamburger joints. Meanwhile, Harry is usually left behind at Mrs Figg’s place, where an unpleasant scent of cabbage often lingers.
“Every year on Dudley’s birthday his parents took him and a friend out for the day, to adventure parks, hamburger bars or the cinema. Every year, Harry was left behind with Mrs Fiig, a mad old lady who lived two streets away. Harry hated it there. The whole house smelled of cabbage and Mrs Figg made him look at photographs of all the cats she’d ever owned.”– The Vanishing Glass (Chapter 2)
Talks of hamburger bars reappears in chapter 5 when Harry and Hagrid walk through the streets of London towards Diagon Alley.
“Hagrid was so huge that he parted the crowd easily; all Harry had to do was keep close behind him. They passed book shops and music stores, hamburger bars and cinemas, but nowhere that looked as if it could sell you a magic want. This was just an ordinary street full of ordinary people.”– Diagon Alley (Chapter 5)
Funnily enough, the unpleasant scent of cabbage reappears in chapter 5 while visiting the apothecary in Diagon Alley.
“Then they visited the apothecary’s, which was fascinating enough to make up for its horrible smell, a mixture of bad eggs and rotted cabbages.”– Diagon Alley (Chapter 5)
And, a little later in chapter 5, Hagrid and Harry get burgers after completing their shopping spree at Diagon Alley.
“He bought Harry a hamburger and they sat down on plastic seats to eat them. Harry kept looking around. Everything looked so strange, somehow. ‘You all right, Harry? Yer very quiet,’ said Hagrid. Harry wasn’t sure he could explain. He’d just had the best birthday of his life – and yet – he chewed his hamburger, trying to find the words.”– Diagon Alley (Chapter 5)
Chocolate ice creams & a cheap lemon ice lolly
The glaring contrast in the Dursleys’ treatment of the children is expressed once again in chapter 2 during the visit to the zoo. While Petunia and Vernon buy Harry the cheapest ice lolly they could find, Dudley and his friend indulge in large chocolate ice creams.
“The Dursleys bought Dudley and Piers large chocolate ice creams at the entrance and then, because the smiling lady in the van had asked Harry what he wanted before they could hurry him away, they bought him a cheap lemon ice lolly. It wasn’t bad, Harry thought, licking it as they watched a gorilla scratching its head and looking remarkably like Dudley, except that it wasn’t blond.”– The Vanishing Glass (Chapter 2)
Knickerbocker glory
Believe it or not, more ice cream is served to Dudley during his visit to the zoo! This time, the spoiled boy goes for knickerbocker glory, a layered ice cream sundae with fruit and meringue. No wonder Dudley has so many tantrums…
“He was careful to walk a little way apart from the Dursleys so that Dudley and Piers, who were starting to get bored with the animals by lunch-time, wouldn’t fall back on their favourite hobby of hitting him. They ate in the zoo restaurant and when Dudley had a tantrum because his knickerbocker glory wasn’t big enough, Uncle Vernon bought him another one and Harry was allowed to finish the first.“– The Vanishing Glass (Chapter 2)
Chocolate & raspberry ice cream with chopped nuts
In Chapter 5, Hagrid pays a visit to Madam Malkin’s shop to check up on Harry and, of course, replenish with some sweet treats! Once more, Hagrid introduces Harry to foods that had been entirely unavailable to him during his time living with the Dursleys. What a great chap!
“‘I say, look at that man!’ said the boy suddenly, nodding towards the front window. Hagrid was standing there, grinning at Harry and pointing at two large ice-creams to show he couldn’t come in.”– Diagon Alley (Chapter 5)
“Harry was rather quiet as he ate the ice-cream Hagrid had brought him (chocolate and raspberry with chopped nuts).”– Diagon Alley (Chapter 5)
Strong sweet tea
Sweet tea is usually served cold with a hint of lemon. But, let’s be honest… it’ll take way more than sweet tea for Petunia to get over the snake incident.
“The zoo director himself made Aunt Petunia a cup of strong sweet tea while he apologised over and over again.”– The Vanishing Glass (Chapter 2)
Brandy
As for Vernon, he makes a beeline for the brandy as soon as he gets back home from the zoo. That slithering spectacle definitely sent shivers down the Dursleys’ spines!
“He was so angry he could hardly speak. He managed to say, ‘Go – cupboard – stay – no meals,’ before he collapsed into a chair and Aunt Petunia had to run and get him a large brandy.”– The Vanishing Glass (Chapter 2)
Chocolate cake
In chapter 3, Harry gets to snack on some chocolate cake at Mrs Figg’s house. Too bad the cake tasted kind of funny…
“Mrs Figg wasn’t as bad as usual. It turned out she’d broken her leg tripping over one of her cats and she didn’t seem quite as fond of them as before. She let Harry watch television and gave him a bit of chocolate cake that tasted as though she’d had it for several years.“– The Letters from No One (Chapter 3)
However, in chapter 4, Harry is gifted a large, sticky chocolate cake by Hagrid for his birthday. When it comes to food, Hagrid really delivers (so long as he doesn’t cook the food himself).
“From an inside pocket of his black overcoat he pulled a slightly squashed box. Harry opened it with trembling fingers. Inside was a large, sticky chocolate cake with Happy Birthday Harry written on it in green icing.“– The Keeper of the Keys (Chapter 4)
A funny whelk
There is nothing worst than having bad seafood! In chapter 3, Mr Dursley gets a postcard from his sister Marge informing him of her sickness after eating whelk, a type of sea snail.
“Uncle Vernon ripped open the bill, snorted in disgust and flipped over the postcard. ‘Marge’s ill,’ he informed Aunt Petunia. ‘Ate a funny whelk…’“– The Letters from No One (Chapter 3)
Fruit cake
In chapter 3, Petunia serves fruit cake to Vernon while he nails shut the letter-box. What a fruitcake for thinking he can escape the realm of magic!
“‘Oh, these people’s minds work in strange ways, Petunia, they’re not like you and me,’ said Uncle Vernon, trying to knock in a nail with the piece of fruit cake Aunt Petunia had just brought him.”– The Letters from No One (Chapter 3)
Two dozen eggs
Letters coming in through eggs? Now that’s something to ponder…
“Twenty-four letters to Harry found their way into the house, rolled up and hidden inside each of the two dozen eggs that their very confused milkman had handed Aunt Petunia through the living-room window. While Uncle Vernon made furious telephone calls to the post office and the dairy trying to find someone to complain to, Aunt Petunia shredded the letters in her food mixer.”– The Letters from No One (Chapter 3)
Marmalade
From Bond to Paddington bear, the love for marmalade is shared by many! The bitterness of orange marmalade is especially delicious on buttered toast with a steaming cup of tea. But in chapter 3, Vernon is so exhausted from hunting down Harry’s letters that he starts spreading his marmalade on a much less appealing item.
“On Sunday morning, Uncle Vernon sat down at the breakfast table looking tired and rather ill, but happy. ‘No post on Sunday,’ he reminded them happily as he spread marmalade on his newspapers, ‘no damn letters today-‘”– The Letters from No One (Chapter 3)
Stale cornflakes & cold tinned tomatoes on toast
While on the run from the avalanche of letters, Harry and the Dursleys spend the night at a gloomy-looking hotel on the outskirts of a big city. There, they have a rather unappetising breakfast.
“They ate stale cornflakes and cold tinned tomatoes on toast for breakfast next day. They had just finished when the owner of the hotel came over to their table.”– The Letters from No One (Chapter 3)
Packet of crisps and bananas
What rations would you bring to a little shack perched on top of a rock in the middle of the ocean?
“Uncle Vernon’s rations turned out to be a packet of crisps each and four bananas. He tried to start a fire but the empty crisp packets just smoked and shrivelled up.”– The Letters from No One (Chapter 3)
A squashy package of sausages & a bottle of some amber liquid
Count on Hagrid to get a BBQ going in the middle of nowhere!
“The giant sat back down on the sofa, which sagged under his weight, and began taking all sorts of things out of the pockets of his coat: a copper kettle, a squashy package of sausages, a poker, a teapot, several chipped mugs and a bottle of some amber liquid which he took a swig from before starting to make tea. Soon the hut was full of the sound and smell of sizzling sausage. Nobody said a thing while the giant was working, but as he slid the first six fat, juicy, slightly burnt sausages from the poker, Dudley fidgeted a little.“– The Keeper of the Keys (Chapter 4)
“He passed the sausages to Harry, who was so hungry he had never tasted anything so wonderful, but he still couldn’t take his eyes off the giant.“– The Keeper of the Keys (Chapter 4)
In chapter 5, after a much-needed shut eye, Hagrid and Harry eat a bunch of leftover sausages before heading out to run some wizardly errands.
“‘They didn’ keep their gold in the house, boy! Nah, first stop fer us is Gringotts. Wizards’ bank. Have a sausage, they’re not bad cold – an’ I wouldn’ say no teh a bit o’ yer birthday cake, neither.’ ‘Wizards have banks?’ ‘Just the one. Gringotts. Run by Goblins.’ Harry dropped the bit of sausage he was holding. ‘Goblins?‘ “– Diagon Alley (Chapter 5)
Mint humbugs & tea-bags
Hagrid’s coat is just like Mary Poppins’ bag! Aside from sausages and teapots with tea-bags, Hagrid also has a little stash of mint humbugs. These stripped hard candies are usually flavoured with peppermint.
“Hagrid’s coat seemed to be made of nothing but pockets – bunches of keys, slug pellets, balls of string, mint humbugs, tea-bags… finally, Harry pulled out a handful of strange-looking coins.”– Diagon Alley (Chapter 5)
Tiny glasses of sherry
The Leaky Cauldron is a dark and shabby pub/inn for wizards that Harry discovers in chapter 5. Among the drinks on the menu is sherry, a wine made from white grapes.
“For a famous place, it was very dark and shabby. A few old women were sitting in a corner, drinking tiny glasses of sherry. One of them was smoking a long pipe.”– Diagon Alley (Chapter 5)
Dragon liver
Dragon liver is used by wizards and witches in a certain number of potions including healing potions.
“A plump woman outside an apothecary’s was shaking her head as they passed, saying, ‘Dragon liver, sixteen Sickles an ounce, they’re mad…‘”– Diagon Alley (Chapter 5)
Mouldy dog biscuits
At Gringotts, Hagrid pulls out the key to Harry’s safe from his bottomless pockets, which also contained a bunch of old dog treats.
“‘You have his key, sir?’ ‘Got it here somewhere,’ said Hagrid and he started emptying his pockets on to the counter, scattering a handful of mouldy dog-biscuits over the goblin’s book of numbers. The goblin wrinkled his nose.”– Diagon Alley (Chapter 5)
“Once Hagrid had crammed all the dog-biscuits back inside his pockets, he and Harry followed Griphook towards one of the doors leading off the hall.”– Diagon Alley (Chapter 5)
Corned beef sandwiches
On the Hogwarts Express, Ron finds himself with homemade corned beef sandwiches while Harry eagerly heads to the trolley to grab some sweets.
“Harry, who hadn’t had any breakfast, leapt to his feet, but Ron’s ears went pink again and he muttered that he’d brought sandwiches. Harry went out into the corridor.”– The Journey from Platform Nine and Three-Quarters (Chapter 6)
“Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four sandwiches in there. He pulled one of them apart and said, ‘She always forgets I don’t like corned beef.‘”– The Journey from Platform Nine and Three-Quarters (Chapter 6)
Hogwarts Express snacks: Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans, Drooble’s Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Liquorice Wands and more!
Starving, Harry buys loads of sweets from the trolley in the Hogwarts Express in chapter 6 (Mars Bars not included). Welcome to the wonderful world of wizard sweets Harry!
“He had never had any money for sweets with the Dursleys and now that he had pockets rattling with gold and silver he was ready to buy as many Mars Bars as he could carry – but the woman didn’t have Mars Bars. What she did have were Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans, Drooble’s Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Liquorice Wands and a number of other strange things Harry had never seen in his life. Not wanting to miss anything, he got some of everything and paid the woman eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts.”– The Journey from Platform Nine and Three-Quarters (Chapter 6)
A feast is best enjoyed in good company! Harry ends up sharing his pumpkin pasties and other treats with his new friend Ron.
“‘Go on, have a pasty,’ said Harry, who had never had anything to share before or, indeed, anyone to share it with. It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Ron, eating their way through all Harry’s pasties and cakes (the sandwiches lay forgotten).”– The Journey from Platform Nine and Three-Quarters (Chapter 6)
Chocolate Frogs
A special mention is given to Chocolate Frogs in chapter 6. Each pack comes with collectible cards featuring photorealistic images of legendary figures from the Wizarding World. How fun! Not to mention collectibles can be worth A LOT in the long run!
“‘What are these?’ Harry asked Ron, holding up a pack of Chocolate Frogs. “They’re not really frogs, are they?’ He was starting to feel that nothing would surprise him. ‘No,’ said Ron. ‘But see what the card is, I’m missing Agrippa’. ‘What?’ ‘Oh, of course, you wouldn’t know – Chocolate Frogs have cards inside them, you know, to collect – Famous Witches and Wizards. I’ve got about five hundred, but I haven’t got Agrippa or Ptolemy.’ Harry unwrapped his Chocolate Frog and picked up the card. It showed a man’s face. He wore half-moon glasses, had a long crooked nose and flowing silver hair, beard and moustache.”– The Journey from Platform Nine and Three-Quarters (Chapter 6)
“Ron’s eyes strayed to the pile of Chocolate Frogs waiting to be unwrapped. ‘Help yourself,’ said Harry. ‘But in, you know, the Muggle world, people just stay put in photos.’ ‘Do they? What, they don’t move at all?’ Ron sounded amazed. ‘Weird!’.”– The Journey from Platform Nine and Three-Quarters (Chapter 6)
Scabbers might not be the most energetic rat, but he sure is loyal! In chapter 6, when Draco, Goyle and Crabbe stop by Ron and Harry’s cabin, Scabbers activates!
“Goyle reached towards the Chocolate Frogs next to Ron – Ron leapt forward, but before he’d so much as touched Goyle, Goyle let out a horrible yell.”– The Journey from Platform Nine and Three-Quarters (Chapter 6)
Chocolate Frogs are also mentioned in chapter 7 when Harry meets Albus Dumbledore for the first time.
“And there, in the centre of the High Tale, in a large gold chair, sat Albus Dumbledore. Harry recognised him at once from the card he’d got out of the Chocolate Frog on the train.”– The Sorting Hat (Chapter 7)
And, in chapter 13, Harry offers his last Chocolate Frog to Neville in an attempt to cheer him up after being bullied by Draco Malfoy.
“Harry felt in the pocket of his robes and pulled out a Chocolate Frog, the very last one from the box Hermione had given him for Christmas. He gave it to Neville, who looked as though he might cry.”– Nicolas Flamel (Chapter 13)
Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans
Dealing with Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans? Brace yourself for a taste adventure in every single bite!
“He finally tore his eyes away from the druidess Cliodna, who was scratching her nose, to open a bag of Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans. ‘You want to be careful with those,’ Ron warned Harry. ‘When they say every flavour, they mean every flavour, – you know , you get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and marmalade, but then you can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a bogey-flavoured one once.’“– The Journey from Platform Nine and Three-Quarters (Chapter 6)
“Ron picked up a green bean, looked at it carefully and bit into a corner. ‘Bleaaargh – see? Sprouts.’ They had a good time eating the Every-Flavour Beans. Harry got toast, coconut, baked bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardine and was even brave enough to nibble the end off a funny grey one Ron wouldn’t touch, which turned out to be pepper.“– The Journey from Platform Nine and Three-Quarters (Chapter 6)
In chapter 17, the students also snack on Bertie Bott’s beans while heading back home for the summer holidays.
“(…) Hagrid was there to take them down to the fleet of boats that sailed across the lake; they were boarding the Hogwarts Express; talking and laughing as the countryside became greener and tidier; eating Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans as they sped past Muggle towns; pulling off their wizard robes and putting on jackets and coats; pulling into platform nine and three-quarters at King’s Cross Station.”– The Man with Two Faces (Chapter 17)
The start-of-term feast (1/2): roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops, lamb chops, sausages, bacon, steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, chips, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup & mint humbugs.
After the sorting ceremony, students at Hogwarts enjoy a delicious feast on golden plates in the Great Hall. Eating at school sounds so magical at Hogwarts! It should definitely be a thing in the Muggle world!
“Harry’s mouth fell open. The dishes in front of him were now piled with food. He had never seen so many things he liked to eat on one table: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, chips, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, mint humbugs.“– The Sorting Hat (Chapter 7)
“Harry piled his plate with a bit of everything except the humbugs and began to eat. It was all delicious.”– The Sorting Hat (Chapter 7)
The start-of-term feast (2/2): Ice cream, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate éclairs, jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, jelly, rice puddings and more!
No feast is complete without the sweets!
“A moment later the puddings appeared. Blocks of ice-cream in every flavour you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate éclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, jelly, rice pudding… As Harry helped himself to a treacle tart, the talk turned to their families.”– The Sorting Hat (Chapter 7)
In chapter 7, we discover Harry’s particularly fondness of treacle tarts. In fact, even as he heads to bed, the sweet pastries continue to tempt him.
“Harry was going to ask Ron if he’d had any of the treacle tart, but he fell asleep almost at once.”– The Sorting Hat (Chapter 7)
Breakfast in the Grand Hall: porridge topped with sugar, toast, marmalade & fried sausage with ketchup
There’s nothing like a bowl of porridge (a.k.a oatmeal) to get you up and running in the morning! If you’re lacking inspiration for toppings (or don’t quite fancy Ron’s sugar-loaded porridge), why not try one of Jamie Oliver‘s perfect porridge recipes?
“Friday was an important day for Harry and Ron. They finally managed to find their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast without getting lost once. ‘What have we got today?’ Harry asked Ron as he poured sugar on his porridge.”– The Potions Master (Chapter 8)
The breakfast spread at the Grand Hall also includes toast, marmalade and parcel delivery!
“Hedwig hadn’t brought Harry anything so far. She sometimes flew in to nibble his ear and have a bit of toast before going off to sleep in the owlery with the other school owls. This morning, however, she fluttered down between the marmalade and the sugar bowl and dropped a note on to Harry’s plate.“– The Potions Master (Chapter 8)
In chapter 11, we are introduced to the aromatic fried sausages that fuel Quidditch players before a match. Gotta have it with ketchup though!
“The next morning dawned very bright and cold. The Great Hall was full of the delicious smell of fried sausages and the cheerful chatter of everyone looking forward to a good Quidditch match. ‘You’ve got to eat some breakfast.’ ‘I don’t want anything.’ ‘Just a bit of toast,’ wheedled Hermione. ‘I’m not hungry.’ Harry felt terrible. In an hour’s time he’d be walking on to the pitch. ‘Harry, you need your strength,’ said Seamus Finnigan. ‘Seekers are always the ones who get nobbled by the other team.’ ‘Thanks, Seamus,’ said Harry, watching Seamus pile ketchup on his sausages.”– Quidditch (Chapter 11)
Hams & pheasants
When Harry and Ron visit Hagrid in chapter 8, they discover his quaint wooden cottage adorned with dangling hams and pheasants
“There was only one room inside. Hams and pheasants were hanging from the ceiling, a copper kettle was boiling on the open fire and in a corner stood a massive bed with a patchwork quilt over it.”– The Potions Master (Chapter 8)
Steak-and-kidney pie
In chapter 9, Ron and Harry enjoy some steak-and-kidney pie while Harry tells Ron all about his new seeker position for the Gryffindor Quidditch team.
“It was dinner time, Harry had just finished telling Ron what had happened when he’d left the grounds with Professor McGonagall, Ron had a piece of steak-and-kidney pie halfway to his mouth, but he’d forgotten all about it. ‘Seeker?’ he said. ‘But first-years never – you must be the youngest house player in about-‘ ‘- a century,’ said Harry, shovelling pie into his mouth. He felt particularly hungry after the excitement of the afternoon.”– The Midnight Duel (Chapter 9)
Baking pumpkin & jacket potato
The enchanting aroma of freshly baked pumpkin wafts through the corridors of Hogwarts Castle during Halloween.
“On Hallowe’en morning they woke to the delicious smell of baking pumpkin wafting through the corridors.“– Hallowe’en (Chapter 10)
The spooky feast also includes jacket potato, which is basically baked potato served with toppings. And of course, no Hallowe’en is complete without a chilling adventure (and some trolls).
“Harry was just helping himself to a jacket potato when Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the Hall, his turban askew and terror on his face. “– Hallowe’en (Chapter 10)
Ron & Harry’s holiday treats: bread, crumpets, marshmallows, homemade fudge, Chocolate Frogs & Every-Flavour Beans.
During the Christmas holidays, Ron and Harry end up staying at Hogwarts, playing wizard chess and eating a bunch of roasted bread, crumpets and marshmallows by the fire in chapter 12.
“They sat by the hour eating anything they could spear on a toasting fork – bread, crumpets, marshmallows – and plotting ways of getting Malfoy expelled, which were fun to talk about even if they wouldn’t work.”– The Mirror of Erised (Chapter 12)
On Christmas day, Harry receives homemade fudge from Ron’s mom and Chocolate Frogs from Hermione.
“Harry had torn open the parcel to find a thick, hand-knitted sweater in emerald green and a large box of home-made fudge. ‘Every year she makes us a jumper,’ said Ron, unwrapping his own, ‘and mine’s always maroon.’ ‘That’s really nice of her,’ said Harry, trying the fudge, which was very tasty. His next present also contained sweets – a large box of Chocolate Frogs from Hermione.”– The Mirror of Erised (Chapter 12)
Hermione also sends sweets to Ron, a box of Every-Flavour Beans to be exact. But the sweet gift is quickly overshadowed by Harry’s new invisibility cloak.
“Something fluid and silvery grey went slithering to the floor, where it lay in gleaming folds. Ron gasped. ‘I’ve heard of those,’ he said in a hushed voice, dropping the box of Every-Flavour Beans he’d got from Hermione. ‘If that’s what I think it is – they’re really rare, and really valuable.'”– The Mirror of Erised (Chapter 12)
Christmas dinner at Hogwarts: roasted turkey, roasted and boiled potatoes, chipolatas, buttered peas, gravy, cranberry sauce, wizard crackers, flaming Christmas puddings & wine.
Needless to say, students are very well fed at Hogwarts, even during the holidays!
“Harry had never in all his life had such a Christmas dinner. A hundred fat, roast turkeys, mountains of roast and boiled potatoes, platters of fat chipolatas, tureens of buttered peas, silver boasts of thick, rich gravy and cranberry sauce – and stacks of wizard crackers every few feet along the table. These fantastic crackers were nothing like the feeble Muggle ones the Dursleys usually bought, with their little plastic toys and their flimsy paper hats.”– The Mirror of Erised (Chapter 12)
“Flaming Christmas puddings followed the turkey. Percy nearly broke his teeth on a silver Sickle embedded in his slice. Harry watched Hagrid getting redder and redder in the face as he called for more wine, finally kissing Professor McGonagall on the cheek, who, to Harry’s amazement, giggled and blushed, her top hat lop-sided.”– The Mirror of Erised (Chapter 12)
Christmas tea: turkey sandwiches, crumpets, trifle & Christmas cake
The Christmas Day food coma is real…
“After a tea of turkey sandwiches, crumpets, trifle, and Christmas cake, everyone felt too full and sleepy to do much before bed except sit and watch Percy chase Fred and George all over Gryffindor Tower because they’d stolen his prefect badge.”– The Mirror of Erised (Chapter 12)
“Ron, full of turkey and cake and with nothing mysterious to bother him, fell asleep almost as soon as he’d drawn the curtains of his four-poster. Harry leant over the side of his own bed and pulled the Cloak out from under it.”– The Mirror of Erised (Chapter 12)
The Elixir of Life
While researching Nicolas Flamel, Harry, Ron and Hermione learn more about the Philosopher’s Stone and the powerful Elixir of Life.
“The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Philosopher’s Stone, a legendary substance with astonishing powers. The Stone will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal.”– Nicolas Flamel (Chapter 13)
Cakes
Celebratory cakes are in order when Gryffindor wins the Quidditch game against Hufflepuff in a record time of barely five minutes!
“‘Everyone’s waiting for you in the common room, we’re having a party, Fred and George stole some cakes and stuff from the kitchens.'”– Nicolas Flamel (Chapter 13)
Pineapple
The sight of a tap-dancing pineapple is sure to lighten the mood during exam week at Hogwarts!
“They had practical exams as well. Professor Flitwick called them one by one into his class to see if they could make a pineapple tap dance cross a desk.”– Through the Trapdoor (Chapter 16)
Peas
In chapter 16, Hagrid is seen shelling peas outside his house. Wonder what’s fer dinner?
“Hagrid was sitting in an armchair outside his house; his trousers and sleeves were rolled up and he was shelling peas into a large bowl.“– Through the Trapdoor (Chapter 16)
Nettle wine
In chapter 16, as Harry and Hermione reach the next chamber, they are confronted with a puzzle involving seven bottles and a riddle.
“Two of us will help you, whichever you would find, One among us seven will let you move ahead, Another will transport the drinker back instead, Two among our number hold only nettle wine, Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line.”– Through the Trapdoor (Chapter 16)
Harry’s care package: Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans, Toffee & Chocolate Frogs
As Harry awakens in the hospital wing in chapter 17, a warm and welcoming smile from Dumbledore greets him with piles of sweets, among them the infamous Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans.
“‘Ah! Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans! I was unfortunate enough in my youth to come across a vomit-flavoured one, and since then i’m afraid I’ve rather lost my liking for them – but I think I’ll be safe with a nice toffee, don’t you?’ He smiled and popped the olden-brown bean into his mouth. Then he choked and said, ‘Alas! Earwax!‘”– The Man with Two Faces (Chapter 17)
And when Hagrid gets upset during his visit to see Harry, he is comforted with a Chocolate Frog.
“‘Please cheer up, Hagrid, we saved the Stone, it’s gone, he can’t use it. Have a Chocolate Frog, I’ve got loads…’ “– The Man with Two Faces (Chapter 17)
Noteworthy expressions with food
Lemons are mentioned in chapter 2 when sour-faced Petunia refuses Harry’s proposal to stay home by himself.
“‘You could just leave me here,’ Harry put in hopefully (he’d be able to watch what he wanted on television for a change and maybe even have a go on Dudley’s computer). Aunt Petunia looked as though she’d just swallowed a lemon. ‘And come back and find the house in ruins?’ she snarled.”– The Vanishing Glass (Chapter 2)
As for uncle Vernon, his face is compared to a gigantic beetroot as he yells at Harry in the car on the way to the zoo.
“Uncle Vernon nearly crashed into the car in front. He turned right around in his seat and yelled at Harry, his face like a gigantic beetroot with a moustache, ‘MOTORBIKES DON’T FLY!’“– The Vanishing Glass (Chapter 2)
In another description of uncle Vernon’s ever-changing facial hues, old porridge is mentioned.
“‘Who’d be writing to you?’ sneered Uncle Vernon, shaking the letter open with one hand and glancing at it. His face went from red to green faster than a set of traffic lights. And it didn’t stop there. Within seconds it was the greyish white of old porridge.”– The Letters from No One (Chapter 3)
And in chapter 4, Hagrid refers to uncle Vernon as a “great prune”. Anyone ever called you a prune?
“Uncle Vernon made a funny rasping noice. ‘I demand that you leave at once, sir!’ he said. ‘You are breaking and entering!’ ‘Ah, shut up, Dursley, yeh great prune,’ said the giant. He reached over the back of the sofa, jerked the gun out of Uncle Vernon’s hands.”– The Keeper of the Keys (Chapter 4)
In chapter 5, the old barman at the Leaky Cauldron is compared to a “gummy walnut”. This description is slightly different in the US version of the book where the bartender is compared to a “toothless walnut”.
“A little man in a top hat was talking to the old barman, who was quite bald and looked like a gummy walnut. The low buzz of chatter stopped when they walked in. Everyone seemed to know Hagrid; him, and the barman reached for a glass, saying, ‘The usual, Hagrid?'”– Diagon Alley (Chapter 5)
And in chapter 8, we are reminded of Professor Quirrell’s fear through his odd obsession with garlic.
“The class everyone had really been looking forward to was Defence Against the Dark Arts, but Quirrell’s lessons turned out to be a bit of a joke. His classroom smelled strongly of garlic, which everyone said was to ward off a vampire he’d met in Romania and was afraid would be coming back to get him one of these days.“– The Potions Master (Chapter 8)
“His turban, he told them, had been given to him by an African prince as a thank-you for getting rid of a troublesome zombie, but they weren’t sure they believed this story. For one thing, when Seamus Finnigan asked eagerly to hear how Quirrell had fought off the zombie, Quirrell went pink and started talking about the weather; for another, they had noticed that a funny smell hung around the turban, and the Weasley twins insisted that it was stuffed full of garlic as well, so that Quirrell was protected wherever he went.”– The Potions Master (Chapter 8)
Last but certainly not least, in chapter 17, during Albus Dumbledore’s end-of-year feast speech, the mention of Ron’s name causes the red-headed wizard to blush a deep shade of purple, akin to that of a radish with a bad sunburn. It appears Ron’s face was determined to add some ‘extra flavor’ to the evening’s festivities!
“Ron went purple in the face; he looked like a radish with bad sunburn.”– The Man with Two Faces (Chapter 17)
