Wednesday, January 19, 2011

The Barbara Pym Cookbook

Now, regular readers of this blog will be aware of my long-standing obsession with the English writer, Barbara Pym. Imagine my delight this morning then to receive in the post The Barbara Pym Cookbook. I have only had a brief look through it so far but already I think I will certainly give Chicken with Tarragon, Beef Casserole with Lentils, Oeufs Florentine, Curried Fish Cakes and Sausage Rolls a go. All well-known recipes of course, but I am always especially on the look-out for new sausage roll recipes! And I love what I would call 'traditional' recipes. Good, 'straightforward' food. Hmmm. I think I'm channelling my grandmother here!


There's also Fairy Cakes, Victoria Sponge, Trifle and Railway Pudding (what could that be?) They are all included here because of references to them in either her books or diaries. I'll keep you posted on the results. And I love Barbara's quote in here from her diaries on the extraordinary things people say:

I never read novels
I never watch television
I never eat jam
I never have tea

Oh Barbara, I do love you :)

Are you a fan of the 'tried-and-true' recipe or do you like trying something new?

4 comments:

Bodecea said...

I like some old recipes, but I prefer - last but not least as a Vegetarian - a bit more modern cooking. I do like very much a kind of Mediterranean/Turkish cooking with many vegetables and much herbs (when I was still eating meat, I liked the recipes of this, too), and/or Asian food.

Feronia said...

I am quite open on food, actually. Love Mediterranean/Turkish and we regularly have Asian - especially Japanese. I only thing I really draw the line at is offal!

librarygirl said...

I love barbara pym!!!!! And I love that cookbook too!!!

Feronia said...

Yay! A fellow fan!!! We should talk BP someday soon, librarygirl!