My Kitchen Witch Philosophy

I guess I’m not your typical kitchen witch. Some people might even insist that I can’t call myself a kitchen witch because I don’t spend a lot of time mixing up recipes for magical purposes, but what do those people know? Okay, so maybe just simply being a Pagan in the kitchen and following a recipe doesn’t make a person a kitchen witch, but what *does*? I've been thinking about this post for ages, and here's what I have come up with so far.

Generally speaking, a kitchen witch works mainly in the kitchen (duh) with the tools s/he has on hand. It’s pretty basic, rustic magic. A kitchen witch may use specific herbs, spices and other ingredients for prosperity, love, protection, etc. Edible love potions can come out of the kitchen just as easily as a remedy for a nasty cough.

I believe that food is sacred. It supports life and should be respected, just as the land and water from which our food comes should be respected. While I am familiar with some of the magical properties of certain ingredients, working with those ingredients for those purposes isn’t always my main focus.

Do I have to do something like add my hair to a recipe to attract a lover? (Blech!) Or can I simply add a little extra cinnamon to my apple pie for love? How about cutting an equal-armed cross into my bread to honor Brigid? For me, it’s mostly about the latter.

My main focus is on celebrating the fertility of the earth. I am much more concerned with honoring the gods by taking what they have provided for us and turning it into a meal I can share with people. To me, cooking a meal can be a ritual by itself, a chance to honor the gods and the earth and give thanks for what I have. Sharing that food is like sharing a blessing. Breaking bread together can be like a ritual.

I try to use seasonal ingredients in order to get more in touch with the wheel of the year. I always stir clockwise. I say a blessing and give thanks for each meal. I give food freely to those who come into my home. I also donate food to food banks and visit sites such as www.thehungersite.com.

So what if I don’t always do spell work in the kitchen? I feel that I am in touch with the gods whether I’m scrubbing a potato or casting a circle. In fact, I feel more at home and more in tune scrubbing the potato.

Formal ritual just isn’t for me. Searching for the right athame or the right wand doesn’t appeal to me. I don’t care if I have those things. I have a good sharp knife and a sturdy wooden spoon. A soup pot is my cauldron. An electric stove is my sacred hearth, and when I am preparing a meal for myself or someone else, I feel the warmth of Hestia or Parvati. My kitchen is a circle. The circle is open, but unbroken. Come in. Namaste.