Some things were just meant to go together. For instance, how better to rule one of the seven kingdoms of Westeros than to command its troops and eat the food of its people? Due to the rising popularity of HBO's Game of Thrones television series, fans now have the tools to do just that: a new edition of Fantasy Flight's A Game of Thrones: The Board Game and the recently published cookbook A Feast of Ice & Fire.

This past weekend, these two products were put to the test as I held a Game of Thrones dinner party of my own. Today, I'll be bringing you a simultaneous review of both game and cookbook, while also providing tips on hosting such an event yourself. However, unlike George R. R. Martin's epic tale, there are few surprises here: the experience was both fun and delicious.

Before delving into the perfect food and game pairing, it's worth giving some background information on each of these products. A Game of Thrones: The Board Game (2nd Edition) looks at first glance to be a standard "dudes on a map" wargame ala Risk, but upon further inspection, you'll see that the gameplay actually mimics the tension and style of conflict that Martin portrays in his books. Rather than the blunt and repeated butting of heads you might see in Risk-like fare, players in A Game of Thrones will have to rely on both military might and political influence to pull out a victory. Each player assumes control of one house's army (Stark, Baratheon, Lannister, Greyjoy, Martell, and Tyrell) with the goal of conquering seven castles, or holding the most after ten turns.

On the edible side, A Feast of Ice & Fire does an excellent job depicting the cuisine of Westeros, and the good news is that you don't need to possess expert cooking skills to prepare these meals. The Middle Ages were a simple time, and that is reflected in most of the recipes you'll find here. The only difficulty you may encounter would be in finding now-rare ingredients, such as grains of paradise or meat from an aurochs (an extinct breed of cattle). Fortunately, modern substitutes are always provided.

I approach cooking like it's a chemistry class lab experiment, so A Feast of Ice & Fire struck a chord with me: it's full of references. The dishes are sorted thematically by the region of origin within Westeros, but prior to the actual recipe, authors Chelsea Monroe-Cassel and Sariann Lehrer provide relevant passages from Martin's novels or actual Medieval texts. These point out the inspiration and ingredient choices, based on real world Medieval-era cuisine, making this book an interesting read even if you never intend to cook a dish yourself.

So how do this game and book tie together? Well, you eat, then you play, then you eat some more and then you play some more. Keep repeating that and you'll get the picture. For extra credit, slap on the official Game of Thrones soundtrack, or use some Medieval-style cutlery and goblets to set the mood. Read on, and I'll explain the finer points of both game and book by describing my five-step plan for the perfect Game of Thrones dinner party.

Step 1: Greet Your Guests With Food

Once you read through this cookbook, you're going to want to make every recipe in it. The best way to serve several courses without interrupting the board game too often is to greet your guests with food at the door. I recommend starting with the Sansa Salad and a few appetizers. For my event, we served Honey Cakes and Fingerfish.

Step 2: Put the Rules Explanation on Autopilot

Once your guests have eaten their fill, it'll be time to set up the game and make sure everyone knows how to play. The Game of Thrones board game is actually rather easy to play once you get the hang of it, but it's unique mash-up of mechanics don't translate directly to any game your group may have played in the past. Luckily for you, Fantasy Flight Games has an excellent 20 minute video tutorial that your group can watch together. Pair the video with rules reference cards downloaded from Universal Head and you should have almost no rules questions during the game.

Take the time during game setup and rules tutorial viewing to prepare your second course. I recommend making your players feel like members of the Night's Watch, so start baking a loaf of black bread and boil up some vegetables and stock for a bean and bacon soup.

Step 3: Wait Three Turns Before Taking a Break

A Game of Thrones: The Board Game can have a slow build-up, with tension reaching its first peak around turn three or four. A supply mechanic limits your armies to very small forces, typically only one or two groups of three units each, with the rest of your troops will be scattered thin. Since the object of the game is to hold territories with castles, you'll constantly be dancing forces around as you grow paranoid of your neighbors' ability to strike.

With combat about to erupt, this break in the action will let you enjoy a second course of food while also giving players ample time to strategize and conspire. Alliances can be formed at any time in this game, but they are never binding, so watch your back. If your guests feel they're safe because you've already offered the bread and salt, they've got another thing coming.

Step 4: Pause for Dinner at the Height of Tension

If you thought the strategy talk was tense after your last stop in the action, prepare for a new level on your second break. One thing to know about the Game of Thrones board game is that while seven castles are required to win, it's incredibly easy to stretch out and grab five (or even six) at any given moment. Victory requires a true masterstroke to grab that seventh castle before the other players get a turn to beat up on you, though, and this incredibly tight balance is the game's strongest feature.

Naval combat is often overlooked, but a row of ships provides unlimited range for your troops. Oddly-shaped sea zones allow armies to land in unexpected places, such as the Tyrells conquering Winterfell, but such moves are often needed to break through the 5-castle ceiling.

Just as you are constantly juggling thinly-spread troops, you're also juggling your influence in the form of power tokens. These represent your ability to retain territories without a military presence, but are also used for bidding on some very powerful prizes: the Iron Throne, a messenger raven, and a Valyrian steel blade. Each comes with it's own rule-bending perk, but after seven turns, I suggest letting the player with the blade carve the meat at dinner.

Since you've likely worked up an appetite at this point, I recommend a typical meat-with-two-vegetables sort of meal. For my menu, I chose the Roasted Aurochs (beef) with Leeks, Buttered Turnips, and Onions in Gravy. All were great choices that I would not hesitate to recommend. In fact, several of my guests walked away with a new-found fondness for turnips.

Step 5: Toast the Victor in Style

Congratulations! You or one of your guests has assumed rule over all of Westeros. Players spend a good deal of time identifying with the finer points of each house, as the one bit of blind strategy in this game's combat involves playing one card from your hand to influence each battle. Every card depicts a specific character with an appropriate ability, such as Tyrion Lannister outwitting whatever card your opponent played.

After cycling through your hand a couple of times, you may have started to get attached to your house, but go lick your wounds and mend your friendships. Tell stories of the times you banded together, pooling your power tokens to repel Wildling attacks (or failing and suffering the consequences). A few people probably got stabbed in the back, but let bygones be bygones and toast your new king!

Preferably, do so with mugs of hot spiced wine and a few Game of Thrones-themed desserts. While these won't be found in the A Feast of Ice & Fire book, I strongly recommend cooking up some cake pops to decorate as heads on spikes, and picking up an anatomically-correct heart Jello mold for the Daenerys fans.

A Game of Thrones: The Board Game retails for $59.95, and A Feast of Ice & Fire retails for $35. You can also follow along with the authors' other writings on Game of Thrones-inspired food at the Inn at the Crossroads blog.

Wired: Delicious, easy to cook food. Great reading material with references that entertain even non-chefs. A superbly-balanced board game filled with tension that represents both the physical and political conflict of George R. R. Martin's fantasy setting. Beautiful artwork and high-quality game components.

Tired: The occasional hard-to-find ingredient or spice. Temptation to cook everything at once. Cutthroat gameplay not recommended for those with thin skin.

Disclaimer: Fantasy Flight Games provided a copy of A Game of Thrones: The Board Game (Second Edition) for review.