I really love learning about history, and one of my favorite periods (as regular readers will know) that I enjoy reading about is the interwar years--just after the end of WWI and the before start of WWII. Historical fiction is one way to learn a little about history in an easy and painless manner (or at least being a jumping off place to learn something new), but you can't beat books that deal with social history to give you an idea of how people really lived and what they thought--my favorites being anecdotal or narrative types of writing.
What about learning about history via cookery books? An entirely different sort of history but none the less fascinating and in some ways more so. Certainly you can't question the authenticity of someone living in England in 1922 and writing from the immediacy of the moment. Here's the world of (in some cases anyway) women and the domestic sphere, yet books like Agnes Jekyll's A Little Dinner Before the Play look out on to the broader world as well.
The book is made up of essays originally published in The Times in the early 1920s and she writes in an intimate and cozy manner about a world long since vanished. Lady Agnes Jekyll, a celebrated hostess, was the sister-in-law of Gertrude Jekyll the famous English garden designer. Anyone who can claim as guests to her first dinner party the likes of Robert Browning, John Ruskin, and Edward Burne-Jones, surely knows well of what she writes. I think I would have taken her advice, though she was definitely writing from a certain social strata in which I doubt I would have been living. Of course it's this strata that I find endlessly (though not exclusively) interesting to read about--the sort of people who might still have servants, have active social lives--plays, dinner parties, weekend shooting parties, holidays in Tuscany and the like, and entrée into homes and places not open perhaps to the rest of the world. Should note here--don't think I'm snobbish in liking to read about the 'upstairs' sort of folk--only it's a world quite unlike my own and so am curious about it, though I find the 'downstairs' world immensely interesting, too.
Although the War would have been several years past the effects of it can still be felt as Jekyll alludes to it albeit somewhat indirectly. I imagine her world to be elegant and full of opportunities. She might have entertained artists and politicians and blue-blood Society matrons. In her world a meal was something that might be lavish and would certainly have been well thought out and presented with an eye towards sophistication and taste. But as a good hostess she would also know her "audience". And there are, too, the glimmers of a changing world in her writing.
Once again my copy is dog eared since there were so many interesting bits I wanted to go back to and share. Just as the times were changing socially, so, too was the food that was being eaten.
"A Salad Course as habitually given now at American luncheon parties might furnish a pleasing variety from established usage, and for the central dish a large green bowl containing a mixture of green or sugar corn of the largest shelled variety (as sold in tins by American grocery importers), freshened and flavoured with a little whipped cream, pepper, and red celery salt, and surrounded by pieces of white endive lubricated with oil and vinegar."
In the same essay, "A Little Dinner Before the Play", she plans her meal down to the last desire of her guests.
"There should still be time for a perfect cup of coffee and a possible liqueur, and, most desired of all by many, for a good smoke, without which there will be no social fire. Warmed thus and fed, the play-goers will be attuned to enjoyment and ready to appreciate each other, their dinner, their play, and their hostess, 'and to bed with great contentment'."
Oh, my, how times have changed. A little dinner before the play these days would like take place in a good restaurant, which is likely now smoke free!
Next time I'm ill I want someone to lavish the same sort of attention on me as Jekyll advises her readers to do. My tray meal has never consisted of "lustre ware of both silver and gold" to give a bit of brightness to the tea or breakfast sets. As a matter of fact I don't think I've ever had the benefit of a tray meal (sick or otherwise).
"Remember that the whole tone of the day can be set into a happy major key instead of into a mournful minor one by the mere aspect of the breakfast tray. A cheerful cherry - glacé or fresh - will render irresistible the skilfully-prepared and iced grape fruit on a hot day, a seedless orange halved and treated in the same way, beautified by green leaves of its own, or the nearest resembling foliage (and even villa gardens can boast a laurustinus bush); a gay-pottery saucer of thin slices of banana with brown sugar and cream, a slice of melon, a tiny bunch of grapes, summer fruits in their seasons, and the health-giving apple accompanied by its ingenious little plated corer and wooden platter--all these may render nourishment welcome. A bunch of violets or primroses, a single rose, a sprig of heather, a spray of lemon verbena would bring a reminder of fresh life and loveliness from the outdoor world."
Spoiled with a tray like that I am sure I'd feel immeasurably better in no time.
One of my favorite essays was "Food for Travellers". In this case the travellers are going by train, which I have always found to be a hugely romantic way of travelling (and living in the US, something we simply don't do here--hence the attractiveness I'm sure). Now travellers in Jekyll's day were off to the sunny Riviera or somewhere cold for skiing, or perhaps a little gambling in Monte Carlo. Adequate provision in the form of a picnic basket was a necessity. Not having very sophisticated tastes I have to say I would have preferred the children's basket over that of the adults. I'm afraid home-made foie gras just doesn't hold the appeal for me, though the sandwiches of thinnest gruyère between biscuits sound pretty good. For the children:
"Sandwiches of fruit for the children are popular. Round slices of banana sprinkled with orange juice and white centrifugal sugar, or of thinly-cut apple with grated walnuts, sandwiches of cream cheese with a thin spread of currant jelly, of egg with sardine or anchovy, of celery shredded and creamed and sprinkled with plentiful yolk of hard-boiled egg, sandwiches of sponge-cake spread with chocolate or coffee icing, sandwiches of pastry with jam or glazed with thin caramel."
Okay, maybe I would also pass on the sardines! I wonder what kind of bread she would have used? One thing that I found interesting reading these essays and the accompanying recipes was the way they are presented. Her recipes wouldn't have been for the novice. A certain amount of cooking knowledge would have been necessary I think, as she assumes the reader will already know how to prepare certain dishes, and the directions aren't always all that explicit. I'll leave you with one recipe, and I wonder if you can guess what it will be? Not braised sheep's tongue I assure you.
". . . a nice Oatmeal Sunday Pudding for family consumption . . ."
"Take 3 oz. coarse oatmeal, 3 oz. flour, 2 oz. butter (or margarine), 1 1/2 oz. sugar, rind of 1 lemon, 1/2 teacupful treacle, 1/2 teaspoonful carbonate of soda, 1/2 teacupful milk, 2 oz. dried stoned and chopped raisins, ditto candied peel; rub butter into floor, add oatmeal, sugar, soda, fruit, rind, and bind together with warmed milk and treacle. Turn into a greased mould or basin; steam carefully for 2 or 3 hours. Turn out and serve with a sweet sauce or a custard made hot."
Delicious.
Now that I have the whole set of these Penguin Great Food books, I think I need to make them into a reading project (the first of several I've got in mind--expect some changes in my tabbed area at the top of my page here). I plan on reading all 20 volumes, though I am in no rush to get through them. They are quite short-less than 150 pages or so and it would be easy to read one or two a month and try and finish sometime before the end of next year. Now I just need to decide whether to read at random or put the books in order by period they were written. It would be interesting to see how cooking and tastes have changed over time, but then reading at whim is nice as well. It would be fun, too to try and make at least one dish from each book, though I'm not so sure I will be so faring--will have to think on that aspect of the project. In any case I'll be deciding soon as I am ready now to pick up another book and hope it will be equally as charming and delightful to read as the Jekyll was.
Whipped cream in a salad? Oh, dear...
Posted by: LindaY | October 16, 2012 at 09:48 PM
That doesn't sound especially appealing does it? I'm thinking, though, she must mean cream that is whipped rather than our whipped cream--or what we think of as whipped cream. I'm sure the ingredients must have changed over time--but I am not sure what the current equivalent would be? Then again, maybe that was to the taste of diners back then?
Posted by: Danielle | October 16, 2012 at 10:16 PM
Oh... Half of time I will be hungry when I start reading these.
I saw a great challenge yesterday. We should participate.
It's a cook book challange and the aim is to chose several cookbooks and cook one recipe of each book and post on it. That last part isn't exactly what I'd like to do...
What I like a lot about these books is that they offer such a lot of information on the times. They really are great.
Posted by: Caroline | October 17, 2012 at 12:37 AM
What a fantastic evocation of time and place! The way people take their meals, and what they have for them is just so redolent of the era in which they lived. The voice here is so splendid - authoritative, gracious, and just the right amount of starchy. Jekyll gives the impression of a much more ordered and regulated life that we live nowadays, with a fierce eye to timing, so that pleasures can be savoured, not gobbled down on route to the next thing. I'm sure that's really sensible!
Posted by: litlove | October 17, 2012 at 03:39 AM
It is very much of its period isn't it? My late mum would have been five in 1922 and the description of sandwiches for the children made me think of her - she always did love a banana and sugar sandwich (though I'm not sure what centrifugal sugar is!)
It would be nice to be presented with a lovely breakfast tray but I don't think that I will be on the receiving end any time soon!
Posted by: LizF | October 17, 2012 at 03:53 AM
Each meal must have looked like a beautiful still-life I get the impression. So carefully thought out. I have three of these Pinguins in the English Journey Series and those are lovely too. Enjoy your new project and I cannot wait to learn what else you are planning. You always manage to come up with something really inspiring.
Posted by: catharina | October 17, 2012 at 08:50 AM
I've read some of her essays, including the title essay and found them quite charming too; I can see where that would make a lovely reading project, with or without serving suggestions (but particularly with!). Enjoy!
Posted by: Buried In Print | October 17, 2012 at 10:36 AM
The only kind of tray meal I've ever had was on a TV tray when I was a kid and it was one of those microwave sorts of dinners with franks and beans, mashed potatoes, chicken or something, and chocolate pudding. I think I've been cheated!
Posted by: Stefanie | October 17, 2012 at 11:00 AM
Sigh.
This books sounds absolutely delightful and I must find a copy to read. I love books that talk about cooking, gardening and renovating homes... Somehow it's always more fun to read about these than actually do them!
Posted by: Kathy | October 17, 2012 at 02:47 PM
There were actually lots of yummy sounding dishes in the book. Some are definitely not to my taste, but there were some interesting recipes that I am actually thinking I might be able to try. I love cookbooks--even though I am not a very willing cook sometimes. It would be fun to do a cookbook challenge--I am really thinking of trying to make at least one recipe from all these little Penguin Great Foods books. It could be fun--or a disaster, but it would make for an entertaining post after the fact anyway. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the books-and you really can discover all sorts of things about the time they were written. It should be a fun project!
Posted by: Danielle | October 17, 2012 at 10:43 PM
You describe Agnes Jekyll perfectly! I think life was definitely more regulated--and meals were to be savored and not rushed like we do now. I think even a train meal would have been an elegant affair. It's not such a bad thing at all to slow down and enjoy the food and the company--so she really was on to something good!
Posted by: Danielle | October 17, 2012 at 10:45 PM
I had never heard of a banana sandwich, but why not?! When I was in Ireland a guy I know would eat a sandwich made out of french fries! ;) I think if I did try and make any of these recipes I would have to do a lot of Google-ing and asking of advice as some of what she described was really over my head. I've never had a try meal--elegant or otherwise, but one can always hope! :)
Posted by: Danielle | October 17, 2012 at 10:47 PM
Anyone who puts fresh cut flowers on a try for a sick person really does worry over the small details--which is kind of cool actually. It is nice to think so much thought goes not only into the food but into the presentation, too. I would love to read those English Journeys books-I read one a few years ago and keep meaning to try and locate more of the books. This will be a fun and easy project which I hope I can stick with!
Posted by: Danielle | October 17, 2012 at 10:49 PM
This will be fun. I think I might even try and cook one of the recipes in each book--since I am a better baker than cook, it may have to be something sweet--poor me as then I will have to sample, too. I have the Persephone book of her essays, which seems like it might contain more essays than this one--must dig it out to compare. She was like the Martha Stewart of her day I think.
Posted by: Danielle | October 17, 2012 at 10:51 PM
We had TV trays, too. How funny. The ultimate is the one in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory--the kid who had never taken a meal at the dinner table--do you remember that scene? I've been cheated, too, I think!
Posted by: Danielle | October 17, 2012 at 10:52 PM
I much prefer to read about someone else doing the work, too! :) Persephone Books also published her essays in one of their Classic editions--you might also keep an eye out for the edition, too. I like these sorts of books too--it's really interesting reading about these things--especially when the person writing is so witty and when they're writing about somewhere foreign.
Posted by: Danielle | October 17, 2012 at 10:54 PM
Round here sandwiches of french fries are known as chip butties - my other half loves them and he is definitely not alone, in fact you will find them on the menu at most fish 'n' chip shops!
Just realised that I have the Agnes Jekyll book that Persephone publish on my shelves so I must go and find it as your post has left me intrigued.
Posted by: LizF | October 18, 2012 at 06:00 AM
Hah--I had no idea that those sandwiches actually have a name! Here I thought my friend was being silly, though I admit that when I tried it, it was indeed good! I've not had it since--and that was years ago. I'll have to look it up now. We don't have fish 'n chip shops here like you have there--at least not in Omaha. I'm not really a fan of fish in general, but I loved the chips with salt and vinegar--yum. And how they put the chips in newspaper--all so 'exotic' for me when I traveled to the UK! Can you tell I don't get out much! :) Another reason to save my money and travel abroad again--so I can have chip butties! I also have that Persephone--I need to dig out my copy and see if there are more essays in the Persephone as it seemed much thicker than the Penguin edition--but maybe it's just the way the text is laid out. It's a lovely book to read, though, and easy to pick up and read an essay and set down for a day or two.
Posted by: Danielle | October 18, 2012 at 09:07 PM
This sounds lovely and right up my alley, and I never would have heard of it without you - thanks so much!
Posted by: Aarti | October 20, 2012 at 05:13 PM
Yeah, I think we think of "whipped cream" as sweetened, a la Cool Whip or the stuff that comes in cans, but it isn't necessarily - if you make whipped cream at home by whipping heavy cream with a hand mixer, you can add sugar or not. I guess I'm picturing something like a Waldorf salad? (http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Creamy-Waldorf-Salad-2)
This sounds like a super-fun read!
Posted by: Heather | October 21, 2012 at 12:51 PM
I'm always happy to share good books with others! I'm looking forward to reading more books in this series but am still deciding whether to read them in some sort of chronological order or just randomly!
Posted by: Danielle | October 22, 2012 at 10:37 PM
That's right--I hadn't thought of Waldorf Salads which is sort of the same thing she had in mind. I think maybe she had in mind something less sweet--I think of whipped cream as something for pie! :) But I know you can add heavy cream to lots of other recipes--spaghetti sauces and such. It was a fun read and I can't wait to pick another from the series--they all sound fun.
Posted by: Danielle | October 22, 2012 at 10:40 PM