A Harry Potter Party

The famous Harry Potter book would make it a great party theme! I recently visited the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando, FL. While I was walking through Hogsmeade & Hogswarts the idea about a theme party designed around the entire Harry Potter concept got me inspired.

Here’s a few ideas that I brainstormed on my way home from the trip:

1. Recreate the great hall banquet table with the hanging candles. Make sure to have long tables with large platters for food for your guests to feast on.

2. Have a “potions and spells” bar with colored drinks and fun creative spells to go along with the drinks names.

3. Make wizard wands with pretzel sticks or licorice and guests can select their own wand to take home.

4. The sorting hat will be placed in front as guest arrive to the party and will determine which House (Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin) they will belong to. You could pre-record some sorting voices. If you have games throughout the night you could make it into a House competition.

5. Must have Butterbeer. See recipe below.

There are so many more possibilities for this fun theme.  This list could be pages long so instead we will stop at 5. In turn, we wanted to give you an opportunity to share your ideas with us…please add your creative feedback to the comment sections of this post.

BUTTERBEER

Start to finish: 1 hour (10 minutes active) Servings: 4

1 cup light or dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
6 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
3/4 cup heavy cream, divided
1/2 teaspoon rum extract
Four 12-ounce bottles cream soda
In a small saucepan over medium, combine the brown sugar and water. Bring to a gentle boil and cook, stirring often, until the mixture reads 240 F on a candy thermometer.

Stir in the butter, salt, vinegar and 1/4 heavy cream. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Once the mixture has cooled, stir in the rum extract.

In a medium bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar mixture and the remaining 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Use an electric mixer to beat until just thickened, but not completely whipped, about 2 to 3 minutes.

To serve, divide the brown sugar mixture between 4 tall glasses (about 1/4 cup for each glass). Add 1/4 cup of cream soda to each glass, then stir to combine. Fill each glass nearly to the top with additional cream soda, then spoon the whipped topping over each.

Post Published on April 15, 2011.