melissa jayne madara

           Melissa Jayne Madara is a witch, chef, author, and storyteller. They are a partner at Catland Books, Brooklyn's little witch shop, where they serve as an educator, diviner, and curator of Catland's courtyard garden. In addition, Melissa is the editrix of the arts & occulture journal, Venefica Magazine. Melissa's writing and commentary has been published in Venefica (V2 & V4) as well as in Susie Magazine (Issue 1) , Fiddler's Green Peculiar Parish Magazine (Volumes 5 & 7), and in their premiere book, The Witch's Feast. 

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           Melissa's research focuses primarily on plant folklore, ancient religions, herbalism, divination, and the botany of poisonous plants. They are an avid collector of historical formularies, particularly recipes for food and fragrance. Melissa's botanical and apothecary work can be found under the brand Moon Cult Herbs, and their writing and education curated under the same name, Moon Cult, on Patreon. As a chef, Melissa is most known for hosting sumptuous ritual dinners and full moon feasts in Brooklyn and beyond.