Wired’s television game blog Game|Life has a great interview up between Chris Kohler and Castlevania producer Koji Igarashi. Actually, the best part is definitely the following:

WN: Last question. Why does Dracula keep putting meat inside the walls of his castle?

KI: You should ask, why do they eat it! I’ve thought about this stuff. I’ve actually thought about the candles. The candles are people’s souls that were taken by Death or by the vampires. In Japan there are candles that represent life. So, when you release the souls from the candles by whipping them, they give you a “thank you” present. Thank-you hearts, or thank-you holy water.

The meat, I have no idea.