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Title: Kitchen Witch Oracle
Art by: Jena Dellagrottaglia
Author: Jena Dellagrottaglia
Publisher: Rockpool Publishing
Number of cards: 36
Card size: 5 x 3.5 in
Box size: 5.5 x 4 x 1.25 in approx.
Guidebook pages: 103
Purchased or gifted?: Review copy provided by Rockpool Publishing
Absolute favorite card: Spring simmer pot
Other favorites: (in order from most beloved) Memory simmer pot, Focus and alert simmer pot, Juniper mugwort spell sachet, Welcoming autumn simmer pot, Removing bad luck, Limoncello blessings, Florida water, Stopping a curse, Spring beginnings jar
Notable detail: Brown sides and big box
Season: late summer
Sabbat: Mabon
Sign: combination of Scorpio and Virgo
Element: Fire
Tarot Deck compliment: see note
Collective Pull: Limoncello blessings

First Impressions

The deck is beautiful of course but in truth, I find myself saying a deck is beautiful a lot now and not really feeling any other connection to many of the decks I’ve reviewed lately. Aesthetically, it's stunning. Perhaps more witchy than I am at heart but gorgeous nevertheless. But upon looking through the deck, it became clear to me that this isn’t really an oracle. Sure, you can use it that way but my opinion is that this is a flash deck of spells. If it had been marketed that way then I would’ve said A+ but it's sold as an oracle which I’m not entirely sure it reads that way.

I know for a fact that Jena is one of Rockpool’s top selling authors (I’m published through Rockpool which is how I know this) and I’m sure she has a lot of freedom. In truth, Rockpool gives everyone—-myself included—-a good bit of freedom to be fair but I think Jena wanted to do a project and did it which is fine. I guess I was expecting a different experience and perhaps that’s my fault for having an expectation at all. Anyway, let’s dive in deeper.

The Packaging

I honestly can’t think of a time when I didn’t like Rockpool’s packaging except way back when they first started selling in the US like ten years ago. That packaging wasn’t great but they have really stepped it up and were really the first ones to start using the super luxe packaging so no complaints. The box has a light velvet feel. I would say it's more matte than velvet. It has gold foil and is printed inside and out. The sides are gold—Rockpool always has some color on the sides unlike some other publishers—-not saying any names. The cards are a nice thickness and they shuffle well. Packaging wise, I couldn’t ask for anything more.

The Guidebook

The guidebook is full color with a lot of artistic detail. It's easy to read and designed well and in a way that completely matches the deck. You get a decent amount of information before getting to the card meanings but no spreads which kind of further solidifies my point that this isn’t a true oracle. However, you get an introduction, an explanation about what a kitchen witch is, and how to use the cards which includes some information on kitchen witchery in general like ingredients and tools to have.

For each of the cards, you get an affirmation which Jena calls an incantation. Each card is a spell so you get a short paragraph telling you when to use the spell, the ingredients required and the instructions. And this is why I say this isn’t an oracle, it is a spell deck. Essentially, the guidebook is a recipe book. For example, Florida water says:

“Florida water is an amazing cleanser for your house or to help amplify your spells. It is not an edible spell; it is used as a room -or car-clearing spray or on the palms as a spiritual hand sanitizer.”

Then you get the ingredients and the instructions. No card meaning other than the incantation/affirmation. For reference, the incantation is:

“I am a custodian of the earth, nurturing its needs with deep love and immense reverence and fostering balance and harmony.”

So if you were to use this “oracle” to ask the status of your relationship or how you can attract more abundance, your answer is always going to be some kind of spell and nothing in the way of actual advice. In truth, I’m not mad at that. I think its a cool idea to draw a spell card intuitively but I would ask something like “Which spell will bring me more money,” which is entirely different from asking “What’s preventing me from have a wealth mindset?”.

Why is it different? Because attracting more money may require a lot more than a spell. You may need to work on your money consciousness, overcome negative self-talk, walk away from a relationship or job, have more self-care or any other number of things that go way beyond a spell. But if your deck is only a deck of spells then that’s all you’re limited to.

So with all of that said, I think this is a great deck to use alongside an actual tarot or oracle deck but I personally wouldn’t use it on its own at least not in that way.

The Artwork

Now for the artwork which is honestly gorgeous. I love the colors and vibe and mood of the whole thing. It really reminds me of my friend Tenae (@lupinehollow) and her very Taurus energy. In fact, this deck feels like her whole kind of vibe and I might just send it to her. A lot of the images feature those same old witchy images that you see around Pinterest but I actually don’t mind that here. There are pieces I recognize of course (see Florida Water) but it feels really fresh and updated. If I didn’t review so many decks, I probably wouldn’t have even noticed which means it's integrated very well.

“We all cast spells as children without knowing it, whether we chant a rhyme or make a wish on a star.”

My favorite card is Spring simmer pot. It really just reminds me of Spain. The girl and the cloth over her head and the way she’s dressed. The whole image feels earthy and bright and moody all wrapped into one. Jena identifies as an Italian Strega (witch in Italian) and I can see all of that mediterranean influence throughout this deck. It really does feel like you’ve stepped into an old world kitchen full of witches brewing up magic. In terms of style, the name fits it perfectly.

This deck is diverse in terms of women—there are no men. There are however, a lot of different skin colors, hair, and ages to go around with the occasional card that doesn’t have a human at all. There are many cats and several witch hats.

Own a copy of Kitchen Witch Oracle

Reading With this Deck

So you know my thoughts about this not being an oracle and I still stand by that. I don’t like using it like an oracle but I do love using it to intuitively find a spell. I asked the same question I mentioned earlier which is “which spell will make me more money” and I was satisfied with my answer. I felt like it hit the right note. So I kept asking questions like that and I found it to be a much more enjoyable experience.

Collective Pull

I drew limoncello blessings for you. I’ve decided to share the affirmation and spell for this card so that you can use the deck the way it's intended. I have found this deck is more effective as a source for spells than an oracle so I encourage you to work the spell if this draw resonates.

Please note, this spell is taken verbatim from the guidebook and is the sole intellectual property of Jena Dellagrottaglia.

I ask the universe to weave threads of prosperity, joy, and serenity into the tapestry of my life, blessing me abundantly with love and fulfillment.

Ingredients

10 fresh lemons

1750 bottle of at least 80-proof alcohol

2 cups water

2 cups sugar

Instructions

Peel the lemon, trying to get as much of the zest as possible.

In a quart-sized jar, cover the lemon peels with the vodka and close tightly with the lid. Imagine something bright and cheery manifesting into your life during this process. Store out of direct sunlight for approximately 28 days. The alcohol will prevent any decay or mold from forming.

On the 29th day, strain the lemon-infused vodka through cheesecloth or a fine strainer. Make a syrup by simmering the sugar and water until the sugar has dissolved. Cool then add to the vodka, mixing clockwise to manifest bright blessings, and pour into an airtight container.

Season, Sign, Element and Sabbat

I chose late summer for this deck. I almost went with late summer and early autumn but I still feel a significant amount of summer energy here but waning quickly into fall. I went with Mabon for the sabbat mostly because I associate Mabon with kitchen witchery in general. That’s the time of the year when you still have lots of summer crops but also starting to see fall fruits and vegetables as well. Baked goods start rolling out and it's just a warm, kitchen time of the year.

I chose fire for the element. So many spells in this deck use fire to create them plus I associate fire with the kitchen so it felt appropriate. I also associate fire with both summer and Mabon to further explain my reasoning.

The zodiac sign was a tough one. I really wanted to assign Taurus but that just didn’t feel right even though this deck reminds me of my Taurus friend. It just feels deeper than Taurus energy. More refined somehow and less grounded. Ultimately, I went with both Virgo and Scorpio which have a lot more in common than I think people realize. Namely, they both have an alchemical element. Virgo distills and purifies while Scorpio transforms. Cooking is nothing but a chemical reaction to distill or transform. Distillation in itself is a form of transformation. So to be super specific here, I would say this deck is a uniquely combined energy of both signs together. So fun!

Who is this deck for?

If you identify as a witch or are witch curious then this deck is a fun addition to your toolkit. Having a small deck of spells is handy, especially if you want to work some magic and are not sure where to start.

I don’t think this is the deck for you if you’re looking for deep insight. However, if you’re someone who likes to use tarot and oracle in spell work, then you might enjoy this.

Tarot Deck Companion

I chose not to offer a tarot companion for this deck because I’m not planning on using it as an oracle.

Thanks for reading all the way through. If you found this review to be helpful, informative or entertaining in any way, please be sure to leave a comment down below. It really helps me know what you’re enjoying so that I can provide more content based on what you love. In the meantime, please enjoy a variety of photos from this deck.

And of course, if there is something you’d like me to consider reviewing, please comment below or email me at hello@spiritelement.co