Sour and Sweet

[callmemadam]

What a spiffing idea! Describe some of the scrummy meals enjoyed by children in books of ‘the golden age’, add some of the charming illustrations and provide recipes so the reader can share nostalgic treats with the family. A lot of people will enjoy Cherry Cake and Ginger Beer a lot but I was sadly disappointed. Given the range of children’s books available, the number selected from is very few and about 80% of those are by Enid Blyton. Then to lump Antonia Forest together with Angela Brazil and Anthony Buckeridge as an author of ‘dozens of school stories’ doesn’t show much familiarity with the genre. Worse though, for me, is the authorial tone; I don’t like to feel patronized.


Tamzin Grey’s Westling Supper
packet of cornflakes (from Smiling Morn’s grocery shop), milk (use only full cream, unpasteurised milk from Castle Farm), banana, sugar if desired
Put cornflakes in a pretty bowl. Pour on milk. Unpeel banana, slice onto cornflakes. Eat.
This will set you up for climbing out of your bedroom window and down the drainpipe.

Elizabeth Ann Langton’s Nettleford Tea
1 shabby vicarage, 1 twinkling vicar, 1 kindly mother, 1 cute younger brother, roaring fire, bread
Slice bread. Kneel on hearthrug. Place bread on toasting fork and toast at fire until nicely browned on both sides. Hand round politely.
Fortifies you for some bad news you are about to get.

Jacqueline Wilson’s all-purpose, all day filler
Nearest branch of McDonald’s, cash
Go to McDonalds. Order burgers, fries, Coke or milkshake.
Fits you for the real world.

Comments

[sloopjonb.livejournal.com]

‘Oh! Fuller's angel-cake, Robertson's marmalade,
Liberty lampshades, come shine on us all.’

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

Slater missed out there!

[dozydormouse.livejournal.com]

MUm said of this book it ios as if she had the idea then wrote it as fast as she could before someone else could beat her to it.

I liked the Milly Mlly Mandy bits and others but like you I felt there was too much Blyton. She was not as well read as she'd like to think.

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

I agree with your mum and I think I (and you) could have written it better. You can't go wrong with M-M-M!

[mimmimmim.livejournal.com]

She did write it rather fast - I read Jane Brocket's blog (or used to; I think she's given it up now) and she'd talk about the book on there. I don't know if the success of The Gentle Art of Domesticity took her publishers by surprise and they pushed her to get another book out in time for this Christmas. I believe the first one's done alarmingly well in the US.

The Gentle Art of Domesticity provoked a huge debate about 'pinny porn' when it launched. Woman's Hour gave it a good kicking, half the presenters on it being of an age to have been of the Greer generation of feminists. I don't mind Brocket's stuff exactly, but I'm a thorough peasant and after too long exposed to that or Martha Stewart or suchlike I get the urge to go and unmake the bed, bawl swearwords at the cat so the neighbours can hear and feed the husband pizza because all the twee nicey-niceness gets to me.

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

The blog is still going and I get the impression she was under quite a lot of pressure to finish this on time. It wasn't just the writing of course but all the recipe testing. I admire anyone who has the oomph to complete a project like this; I just don't happen to like the result. Nothing wrong with being nice but I know what you mean and I can't stand the cooing blog groupies.

[mimmimmim.livejournal.com]

Ah, it just brings on the sort of irritation that overwhelms me in stately homes - the knowledge that this might as well have Not For You slapped all over it. While everyone else coos over the nice side of things, I know my lot is scrubbing pans or cleaning lavatories - or if I'm really unlucky, vegetable picking.

[dozydormouse.livejournal.com]

Well I confes if I could afford it, I'd like Brocket's leisurely life. Would beat the 9-5.

[huskyteer.livejournal.com]

Does it have a recipe for sardines pressed into ginger cake, as pronounced 'scrumplicious' at Malory Towers?

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

!No! That must be the only midnight feast in the whole series?

[huskyteer.livejournal.com]

Yes - more of a moral dilemma for prefect!Darrell than actual fun IIRC.

I do like your Jacqueline Wilson recipe!

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[rosathome.livejournal.com]

Excellent - I'd been wondering whether to add this to my wishlist, but now I won't bother.

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

Someone very kindly lent me the book. I gave up before the end.

[lethe1]

What a shame. I had read about it on her blog and it seemed like such a fun idea.

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

It is a fun idea and the book was on my wish list before I was lent it. Don't let me stop you reading it:-) I'm just a miserable old bat who is better read in children's books than the author is.

[minniemoll.livejournal.com]

who is better read in children's books than the author is.

I think that's the problem, actually - the majority of buyers will probably have enjoyed the books long ago, not be reading them still. Doesn't make her mistakes less irritating though.

[lethe1]

Well, I'll certainly dip into it if I see it at Waterstone's, but I will keep my money in my pocket. (Besides, as I keep telling myself, I have No Room for more books!)

Miserable old bat, haha, I think not! If I remember correctly I found your blog while googling for The Brontës Went to Woolworths, and I liked your wayward* reviews. :)

*And I mean that in the nicest possible way: you refuse to like something just because everybody else does,

[minniemoll.livejournal.com]

I bought this just after it came out and read about the first two-thirds of it at once, which I think was a mistake - it's probably better dipped into.

I found her over-reliance on Enid Blyton v irritating, but even more so was her use of American titles for Noel Streatfeild's books, that really jarred with me.

Plus I'm trying to lose weight so I can't even cook any of the things in the book :(

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

I agree that it's really a dipping book.

Noel Streatfeild. The book is obviously aimed at Americans :-) I didn't know Wintle's Wonders was called Dancing Shoes in the States, so I was confused by the use of the American title.

Not even Dr Jakes' Ginger Tea?

[(Anonymous)]

I think of it as a dipping book more than read straight through I must admit. I didn't even notice she'd used the Streatfeild Am. titles - prob because I have a mixture of British and American editions myself. I liked the way it was a mother-daughter project and would have liked her to have wrote it as a sort of Hardyment's Heidi's Alp of the kitchen with accounts of daughter's and her commentary on the stories. Also whilst I love the original illustrations, it would have been nice to see some of her gorgeous photos of the finished cakes etc.

You do have way more knowledge Barbara. Keep going with your own recipes - i love the Wilson one! What about a Judith Kerr one - take Daddy and his wallet and go to cafe. Don't forget to wear Harlequin tights?

I just am all for that which brings positive attention to trad. children's lit. She loves the books she does mention - that comes shining through. I'd love to do a gazeteer of children's lit. You know a Guide to Dorset through Children's Lit old and new with suitable shopping and cafeing hints!

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

I also thought pictures of her creations would be nice.

a Guide to Dorset through Children's Lit
Now you're talking; I can think of so much. Better whisper though, or someone will nick your idea!

[geraniumcat.livejournal.com]

What a shame, it sounded like a good idea. Like the gazetteer idea - perhaps we could divide the country up?

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

Heh! We'll take the south.