Two friends eating and drinking their way through Gild –Book 1 of the Plated Prisoner series by Raven Kennedy!

SPOILERS FOR BOOKS 1-5

Recipes for food and cocktails mentioned in this episode:

Black Pepper Cheddar Bacon Biscuits

Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon, diced
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves (optional)
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ¾ cup butter
• 1 ¾ cups buttermilk

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat; transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
• In a large bowl, combine bacon, flour, cheese, parsley,baking powder, pepper, salt, baking soda and garlic powder.
• Grate butter using the large holes of a box grater. Stirinto the flour mixture.
• Add buttermilk and stir using a rubber spatula until a soft dough forms.
• Working on a lightly floured surface, knead the dough 3-4 times until it comes together. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 1 1/4-inch-thick rectangle. Cut out 14-16 rounds using a 2-inch biscuit or cookie cutter. Place biscuits onto the prepared baking sheet; place in the freezer for 15 minutes.
• Remove biscuits from freezer. Place into oven and bake for 14-17 minutes, or until golden brown.

Cocktail Pairing: Golden Smoked Bourbon Sour

Description: A drink that reflects the smoky flavor of bacon and cheddar, with a gilded touch to honor the golden themes of Gild. It’s bold, slightly spicy, and decadent—perfect for these biscuits.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz bourbon 
• 1 oz lemon juice 
• 0.75 oz honey simple syrup 
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika or a dash of liquid smoke 
• Egg white 
• Cracked black pepper garnish
• Gold sugar rim (optional, but perfect for a Gild-inspiredtouch)

Instructions:

Rim the glass: Dip the rim of your glass in lemonjuice and then in gold sugar for a gilded aesthetic.

In a shaker, combine bourbon, lemon juice, honey simplesyrup, smoked paprika, and egg white (if using).

Dry shake (shake without ice) to froth the egg white, thenadd ice and shake again.

Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.

Garnish with a twist of lemon and a sprinkle of crackedblack pepper.

Mocktail Pairing: Golden Smoked Apple Spritz

Description: This drink pairing is decadent and slightly bold, just like Midas’s opulent world, and complements the rich, smoky flavor of those biscuits!

Ingredients:

• 2 oz apple cider
• 0.5 oz lemon juice
• 0.5 oz honey simple syrup
• Dash of smoked paprika
• Sparkling water to top
• Gold sugar rim and black pepper garnish

Instructions:

Shake all ingredients except sparkling water, then pour intoa glass with ice and top with sparkling water. Finish with the same gold and pepper garnish for a fancy, Gild-inspired vibe.

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