There’s something bubbling, popping, and brewing in the kitchen. A warmth that reminds you of your childhood emanates from the hearth. The fire is roaring and she is busy chopping, mincing, stirring, tasting, and singing an otherworldly tune as she goes. You don’t know who she is, but you want to BE her. The magic that radiates from all around her, projected out and enveloping the whole house. She is a kitchen witch, also known as a hearth witch. In this FUN post, we will answer the question, what is a kitchen witch? And dive into this loveable yet powerful individual’s daily rituals, herbal practices, magical meals, and much more.

Witchcraft is ALIVE and Growing

If you’ve found your way here to the Witches Cabinet, you’re likely already practicing witchcraft. Or at the very least, you are interested in it. But, if you happen to find yourself here accidentally…well, there are no accidents, my dear friend. Just in case you had no idea that witchcraft is a real thing and not some mystical, fantasy you see in the movies, let ubs educate you. Witchcraft is a practice that many people engage in that combines thought, words, ingredients, and movement. The ultimate goal? To harness the energies in and around oneself in order to make real changes in one’s environment.

It’s not only a practice that’s ALIVE, it is growing! Every year, more and more people across the globe come to the craft and claim it as a religion, a practice, and a LIFESTYLE. Being a witch means to find the beauty and magic all around us. In Mother Nature, in the land, sea, sky, trees, animals, insects, clouds, weather, and planetary bodies. In our homes, in the love we share with one another, in the love we have for ourselves. To a witch, every single thing is magical. And can be tapped into to improve one’s life.

So, What is a Kitchen Witch?

Let’s finally answer the glaring question, what is a kitchen witch? A kitchen witch is a person who enjoys making magick at the hearth. Their magic is fueled by meals, beverages, herbs, tools, and all of the various energies present in a kitchen. They feel the most alive and connected with their higher selves and guides while working near the oven, sink, kitchen counter, pantry, etc. And, while this might seem stereotypical when we look back at the image of the witch over the years, it is truly not. We spend lots of time in the kitchen making our meals, conversing with family members, feeding our upets, etc. so why not take advantage of that space and make it a place filled with magick?

So what does a kitchen witch do, exactly?

A kitchen witch does whatever they want to. But if we are looking to call out specifics, here’s a few kitchen witchy things:

• Cooks magical meals
• Bakes magical desserts, breads, and pastries
• Brews coffee and tea
• Brews other magical beverages
• Concocts potions and other herbal drinks in the kitchen
• Works with kitchen gods and goddesses, hearth spirits, household fae, and ancestors
• Focuses on magic that protects the household
• Works magick into everyday tasks like washing dishes, wiping countertops, etc.
• Focuses on magic that brings the household health and prosperity
• Includes their families and roommates in their magic through food and drink
• Creates lots of magical tools and ingredients by hand in the kitchen
• Uses everyday kitchen appliances and utensils as magical tools
• Feels energized and alive while working in the kitchen

How a Kitchen Witch Makes a Meal MAGICAL

I think this is an easier one to answer. How does a kitchen witch make a magical meal? They simply decide the meal will be magical…and it is. Of course there’s a lot of details and intricate energies that flow into the kitchen witch’s meals. First, the kitchen witch pours their personal energy into each meal they make. This means that if they are mad, fearful, anxious, sad, etc. that energy may go into the meal they are making at that time. (Truthfully, this is why when I’m flustered, anxious, sad, etc. I try not to cook or bake. I will simply order out!) And, conversely, if they are happy, content, comfortable, and at peace, that energy will also go into the meal they make.

Ingredients ARE Energy

Next, the ingredients and tools being used also lend their energy to the kitchen witch’s magical meals. So, for instance, if you made mashed potatoes you might use potatoes, milk, butter, salt and pepper. Each of these ingredients carries its own unique magic and properties to lend to the meal. Potatoes are grounding and connect us with the Earth Goddess. Milk is nourishing and also connects us to Mother Goddess. Same with butter. Salt is protective and purifying. And pepper is also a protective ingredient. In addition, if we used a special enchanted stockpot to boil the potatoes in. And then we used a mixer or masher to mash the potatoes, those tools will lend their magick to the dish.

Seasonal and Sabbat Cooking

Finally, many kitchen witches enjoy celebrating magick hearthside through a seasonal lens. Meaning they often cook, bake, and cast spells based on the season AND the pagan holidays. For example, every September 1st, I break out the pumpkin puree and begin making ALL the things pumpkin for the entirety of the Autumn season. Check out our Samhain Stew recipes here. My family makes jokes about it. “Oh she got the pumpkin out, must be September!” Yule is another sabbat that makes many a kitchen witch sing with joy. The best thing about being a kitchen witch is that we get to involve our families in our magical tradition…sometimes without them even realizing it!

Making the Kitchen a Sacred Space

If you find yourself hating being in the kitchen and despising the daily meal prep and grind, consider this. Is your kitchen a space where you feel magical? Next time your in your kitchen, look around. Does it have elements of your magick in it? Or is it bland, mundane, and just a space to cook and wash dishes? If it doesn’t make you feel magical and doesn’t inspire you to practice kitchen witchin’, then make it a magical space! Throw out anything that is just junky (or donate it, depending on what it is). Add some magical elements to your kitchen. Including potted herbs, crystals, a small altar, pictures and artwork that makes you feel witchy, a teapot, a fruit basket, etc. Create a kitchen that makes YOU want to make magick in it!

Enchanting Kitchen Appliances and Utensils

Next, consider cleansing and consecrating your kitchen including the appliances. Yes, I know this sounds crazy, but trust me on this one. Cleanse your space first by whatever means you prefer. I typicall like to declutter, physically clean the kitchen, then cleanse with smoke and water. Then I bless my kitchen with prayer and song.

As far as enchanting your kitchen appliances, consider what each appliance does and how it can be used for mundane AND magical purposes. Your oven, in particular, is probably the most magical appliance in your kitchen. It is the modern version of the ancient hearth of our ancestors. It is the heart of the home and the appliance that cooks our meals, bakes our bread, and draws us together. How do we make sure we are using it for the highest of intentions? Tell it what you want it to do…both physically and magically. You can even burn a candle on top of the stove when you’re not using the oven as an “offering” to the spirits within it. YES in ancient times many of our ancestors believed spirits resided in the oven / hearth. You can do something similar with your other large kitchen appliances including the fridge, sink, etc.

Items Every Kitchen Witch Should Have

I always tell folks, make magic with what you already have. Especially if you are on a tight budget. There’s no need to go out and spend all kinds of money on things to cast spells and make magic when you likely already have everything you could ever need. It just takes creativity and research.

There are staples in every kitchen that I consider helpful in a kitchen witch’s practice including:

• Pots and pans: for all of your cooking, baking, and magic-making on the stove and in the oven
• Dutch oven: this is what serves as my cauldron in many cases. It’s versatile as you can put it on the stove or into the oven
• Salt: every witch worth her salt (see what I did there?) knows salt is one of the most powerful tools in her pantry. It’s purifying, protective, and necessary for humans to survive. Plus, we need it to cook a decent meal, don’t we?
• Spoons and utensils: if you can acquire a set of magical wooden spoons from a site like SpiritNest.com, get you some. If not, simply carving symbols into your current wooden spoons works wonder. Enchant all of your utensils by cleansing and consecrating them in the name of magick
• Herbs and spices: my family members call me the “spice queen”, because I have SO many different types of herbs and spices in my witch’s cabinet. I’ve collected a wide variety from the store, and grown and stored my own over the years. Use what you have on-hand and add to your inventory when you can!
• Cast Iron: cast iron skillets are a boon in the witch’s kitchen. They’re durable, heavy, versatile AND you can literally pass them down to your children and they can keep the tradition going. Plus iron is a powerful warding device and keeps your home safe.
• Cookbooks: one of my favorite things to do is to find new recipes and make them magical with intention, identifying magical properties in each ingredient, and then making it! You’ll need a couple good-size cookbooks to work your way through. Heirloom cookbooks are even better. I keep my own personal cookbook with my family’s favorite recipes to pass down to my kids one day
• Grimoire: a kitchen witch’s grimoire should consist of a notebook or binder with one’s best spells, recipes, rituals, and notes. I also keep notes on offerings I give to my kitchen spirits and ancestors and how well they are received. And a list of herbs and spices and their properties

Daily Rituals for the Kitchen Witch

I think we’ve answered the question, what is a kitchen witch? Haven’t we? We’ve reviewed how to enchant and use your kitchen appliances and utensils, how to make a meal magical, and what items you should have in your witchy kitchen. But how does one keep their kitchen witchy-ness in check each and every day? With routine daily rituals like these:

• Lighting a candle on the stove for your hearth spirits
• Throwing spilled salt over your shoulder to throw off the bad luck
• Praying to one’s ancestors and kitchen guides every morning while brewing and drinking your morning beverage
• Cleaning the kitchen and blessing one’s household spirits in the act
• Doing the dishes and giving thanks for the water element in your home
• Drawing runes and power symbols into and over your food and drinks
• Putting your own personal energy into each and every meal you make
• Celebrating sabbats, moon phases, and other events with magical meals and spells