[Blog Tour] Princess Decomposia and Count Spatula

It's kind of hard to not be excited about this fun blog tour for Princess Decomposia and Count Spatula! I, for one, and mot excited to share some special artwork and a recipe from this delicious sounding graphic novel.

Make your own Gingerbread Golem by Count Spatula

The unique properties of gingerbread are present in the German word lebkuchen, leben meaning life and laib meaning loaf. Bread and life are intertwined, it being a staple throughout history. In France there was a revolution over the price of bread and when a certain queen suggested the poor eat cake, the advice wasn't kindly taken. A generous sentiment and one I agree with wholeheartedly, we should all eat cake when we can. Life and bread can't be separated and that is particularly true in the shape of the Gingerbread Golem.

We're all familiar with the gingerbread man, the tasty little morsel that fits neatly on a kitchen plate. The Gingerbread Golem is essentially the same recipe but much larger in scale. You'll need some specialist ingredients (and lots of them), a very large oven and an oversized broom or pole for a rolling pin.

Ingredients

Necromancer's Delight Resurrection Flour

Of course, we can all make our own self-raising flour from grave dirt and cicada husks but this pre-prepared ingredient is quicker and more convenient. Two sacks minimum.

Gibbous ginger

The best variety for golem creation. A strong bitter flavour, not suitable for eating. Best prepared under a crescent moon.

Ticking treacle

Good for the heart and helps keep the golem going.

Uses

Golems play many different roles in and around the kitchen. They're particularly useful for heavy lifting and carrying, being strong and powerful. Not known for their dexterity, do not use a golem to transport china cups or other delicate items unless you want them in pieces. While their thick fingers mean they're unsuitable for kitchen tasks that require a fine hand, they are very good at kneading dough (although everything will taste of ginger).

Individualise

Make every golem special by making the effort to give them unique characteristics. An elaborate waxed moustache applied with icing sugar or delicious long hair made from strawberry laces. Fondant tattoos, chocolate sprinkles stubble and candy apple eyes will all set your golem out from the crowd.

Don't get attached

Golems don't last forever so try not to see them as friends, pets or long term employees. They're an easy target for infestations (chocolate mice can devour an entire golem in a night) and they're vulnerable to fire and water damage.

Don't forget, you can check out all the tour stops by visiting Mac Teen Books for the full schedule.

Princess Decomposia and Count Spatula by Andi Watson, February 24, 2015. 176 pages. Published by First Second.

Princess Decomposia is overworked and underappreciated. This princess of the underworld has plenty of her own work to do but always seems to find herself doing her layabout father's job, as well. The king doesn't feel quite well, you see. Ever. So the princess is left scurrying through the halls, dodging her mummy, werewolf, and ghost subjects, always running behind and always buried under a ton of paperwork. Oh, and her father just fired the chef, so now she has to hire a new cook as well. Luckily for Princess Decomposia, she makes a good hire in Count Spatula, the vampire chef with a sweet tooth. He's a charming go-getter of a blood-sucker, and pretty soon the two young ghouls become friends. And then...more than friends? Maybe eventually, but first Princess Decomposia has to sort out her life. And with Count Spatula at her side, you can be sure she'll succeed. Andi Watson ("Glister, ""Gum Girl") brings his signature gothy-cute sensibility to this very sweet and mildly spooky tale of friendship, family, and management training for the undead.