To make Lizzie Markham’s “Black Raspberry Daiquiri for When Emotions Are Running High,” you’ll need white rum for strength and connection, simple syrup for sweetness, Chambord for pleasure and joy, lime juice for a mood boost, and a sprinkle of edible glitter “just because it’s beautiful.” Shake off the bad vibes in a shaker tin, then strain the shimmering contents into a glass. As Markham reminds you with a wink, this cocktail is not meant to be savored: “The faster you drink, the faster you feel better.”

Markham, who has amassed more than 87,000 TikTok followers since December, belongs to a new wave of social media kitchen witches: spiritually-minded cooks who combine mysticism and wellness with recipe content. Though magical cooking has been around since prerecorded history, the pandemic has inspired a renaissance of these age-old traditions, reaching eager home cooks.

The culinary rituals of kitchen witchery are wide-ranging, from multi-ingredient recipe spells to practical applications addressing specific pandemic woes. Got an excess of shallots you panic-ordered online? Domestic pagan @Madge_LaRue believes these pocket-size alliums hold powerful healing qualities and suggests to her 124,000 followers to fry and store them for later use in salads, sandwiches, and casseroles.

Or maybe you’re looking to boost your creativity after months of Zoom fatigue. Keon Dillon (@millennialsoulfood) recommends brewing dandelion tea to clear away emotional blockage. Dillon has been a kitchen witch for 15 years; through their Instagram Reels, they dive into the history and practices of Hoodoo—known alternatively as conjure or rootwork—a centuries-old African American spiritual tradition created by enslaved people.

“Food is important for Hoodoo and spell work,” Dillon says. “Almost all ingredients have metaphysical and culinary properties.” They recommend using thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, and other botanicals for prosperity, cleansing, and clarity.

There’s no single methodology when it comes to spiritual cooking today. Practitioners like LaRue, Markham, and Dillon pull from many different resources to explore their own brand of mystical food practice. Some pair the globally and historically diverse tenets of herbalism with incantations or other rituals to enhance the metaphysical experience. Home chefs dabbling in food spirituality are encouraged to dive into their own ancestral history for inspiration. Hoodoo, the spiritual philosophies behind Chinese folk medicine, and paganism (which originates from European customs) each come from distinct cultural traditions. Researching on your own is essential to better understand the complex racial and cultural origins of these practices—and to avoid appropriating or partaking in a closed spiritual tradition.

Though food-based spirituality may be manifold, almost any spiritual cook will tell you that the power of the practice lies in being mindful of what you consume. Whether or not you believe a garden herb can bring prosperity into your life, there’s no denying the positive effects of intentionality. Mental health experts also cite mindfulness as a means to manage stress and lead a healthier lifestyle.