Weekend Cooking/Cook the Books: The Language of Food by Annabel Abbs

 

When I saw that this book was the selection for February/March for Cook the Books, I wasn't 100% sure if I would read it or not as it would be a reread for me and I don't generally do rereads. However, FOMO is real and so I did end up reading it again, and I am glad I did.

I have a potted history with this book, which is also published under the title Miss Eliza's English Kitchen. Originally I tried to read it on an Easter road trip back in 2022. I struggled to keep interested so I put it down, only picking it up again 6 months later. I had to start reading the book again, and this time I thought it was quite good! However, I think it is a book that grows on you because when I started it again for this post, I struggled to be able to put it down. It's a book that seems to get better each time you read it!

The Language of Food tells the story of Eliza Acton and her assistant Ann Kirby as they developed what is credited as the first cookbook targeted at domestic cooks. She was also the first person to include a precise list of ingredients as part of the recipe, although she had it at the bottom rather than at the top.

It is a shame that Eliza Acton is not more well known, as her story is interesting and she has left a  lasting legacy. Interestingly, she started as a poet but when her poems were rejected she was tasked with writing a cook book. At the time, she couldn't cook at all. However, when her family fortunes are decimated, she and her mother find themselves running a boarding house for respectable people in the town of Tonbridge. Eliza is determined that she can do better than the cookbooks that were available at the time, and so she starts to teach herself to cook and write the recipes, testing the recipes for preciseness and taste.

Ann's story is also interesting, albeit almost opposite to Eliza. She came from a very poor background with a father with a penchant for drinking and a mother who is demented. Her local priest finds her a place with the Actons. She soon shows that she not only is a hard worker but she has a good sense of taste and cooking skill. Soon Eliza is talking about her book as "our book" with Ann, which suggests a closeness but both of them are keeping very big secrets from each other.

When I read a book for Cook the Books, I am always on the look out for what it is that I am going to cook so I take note of all of the mentions of food. I am glad I didn't keep a list for this book because there are SO many mentions of food the list would have been more than a page long. However, as soon as I got to a particular section, I knew that I at least had a direction, partially due to the fact that I have recently visited India.

At one point in the book, Eliza has a suitor named Mr Arnott who is a spice merchant, which seems an ideal match for her. Mr Arnott loves curry, and there is a mention at one point of egg curry, and that was my decision made.

Last year, I wrote about a cook book called Everything is Indian. I previously shared a recipe for delicious Curried Sausage Rolls, but one of the other recipes we have tried from the book was an Egg Curry, and so today, that is the recipe that I am going to share today.

The next selection for Cook the Book is called The Call of the Camino by Suzanne Redfearn. I see some Spanish food in my future!

This book counts for the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I host here and Foodies Read hosted at Based on a True Story.

Rating 4.5/5

Egg Curry (Anda Tarkari) - Justin Narayan

6 eggs, at room temperature
1/4 to 1/3 cup (60-80ml) light olive oil
1 large brown onion, thinly sliced
15-20 fresh curry leaves
2 bird's eye chillies, halved lengthways
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1/8 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chilli powder
1 large ripe tomato, roughly diced or 1/2 x 400g (14oz) can diced tomatoes

Pour some iced water into a bowl. Bring a saucepan of water to a gentle boil, then add the eggs. Boil for 6 minutes, then immediately transfer them to the iced water. Once cool enough to handle, peel the eggs.

Line a plate with paper towel. Heat the oil in the frying pan over medium heat. Fry the boiled eggs until golden brown al over, about 1-2 minutes. Drain the eggs on the paper-towel lined plate.

In the same pan, add the onion, curry leaves, fresh chilli and whole spices and cook until the onion is golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Add the powdered spices and a pinch of salt and mix. Add the garlic and tomato and cook until the tomato has completely broken down, about 5-6 minutes. Return the eggs to the pan and simmer for 2-5 minutes so all the ingredients get to know each other. 

Taste and adjust with salt. Garnish with coriander and serve with roti and rice. 

Tip: If you don't have fresh tomato, use half a can of tomato and you'll get the same result. Use the whole tin if you want it to be saucier. 

Weekly meals

Saturday - 
Sunday - Chicken and Chorizo Orzo
Monday - Bacon, mushrooms and zucchini pasta
Tuesday - Eggs on Toast
Wednesday - Beef and Broccoli Noodles
Thursday - Egg curry
Friday -

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page

This week....

 I'm reading

I am feeling the pressure of the end of month at the moment. I have set myself the goal of finishing all the categories in the Goodreads Challenges, I have library books due back and book club is next week. I then have several review books due in the first week of April. I do feel like I made quite a bit of progress this week though.

One of the book I needed to finish was my first Classics Club Spin selection which was The Leopard by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa. I read most of this on the plane last week so I was able to finish it off and write my review this week! Go me!

I had started Heir Apparent by Australian author Rebecca Armitage before I went away but I had to return the library book when I was only half way through. I ended up buying it so I could finish it. I ended up having a bit of fun with it. This was my selection for the Star Selection category of the Goodreads Challenge.

Then I needed to reread The Language of Food by Annabel Abbs. This is the current Cook the Books selection. I have decided what I am going to cook, and when I say I I actually mean what Robert will cook, and just need to finish the post ready for next week. A quick look at the top of this post might give you some idea what direction my thinking is going.

My next two reads were both for the Goodreads Challenge. For the Persona Picks category I read We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida and for Choice Archive category I read The Midnight Library by Matt Haig.

I started reading The Rebel Romanov by Helen Rappaport as my selection for Her Story in the middle of the night on Saturday night. I am not sure if non fiction books should be middle of the night reading really!  

I also started reading Past the Shallows by Favel Parrett for my book club selection. The theme this month is books you have borrowed from someone. I borrowed this from Bree at All the Books I Can Read more than 10 years ago so it is probably time I finally read it!

I'm watching


Nothing really


Life

I have picked up a cold/flu/infection on my travels which I could have done without. I have felt very average all week and today my ears are blocked so I don't think it is quite done with me yet!


I did take some time this weekend to say farewelling  to Jane who used to blog from Janezworld (also Life at Number 8 and a blog/zine thing that was A String of Pearls). She passed away last week. I actually met Jane pre-blogging days on the Oprah Book Club boards. Jane and I almost met in person a couple of times but it didn't quite happen. She was, however, always very supportive of me and I was sad to hear of her passing. 

Posts from the last week

Top Ten Tuesday: Green Book Covers
James by Percival Everett
Weekend Cooking: What I Ate in India
Classics Club Spin: The Leopard by Guiseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa





I've linked this post to It's Monday, what are you reading? as hosted by Book Date, Sunday Salon hosted at Readerbuzz and the Good Book and a Cup of Tea link up hosted at Boondock Ramblings

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I have read while on holidays

Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's theme is Planes, Trains & Automobiles/Books Featuring Travel (books whose plots involve travel or feature modes of transportation on the cover/title) (submitted by Cathy @ What Cathy Read Next)

Oooops. I did holiday vibes post last week. Probably should have looked ahead a bit before choosing that topic. So what am I going to do instead? How about books I have read on holidays, including on planes! 

I am currently on holidays in South Africa, so here is a pic of the book I was finishing off today sitting outside at our lodge, looking out at the pool and the bush.

The Map Maker's Promise by Catherine Law - This is the book I was reading in the picture above.

Champagne Widows by Rebecca Rosenberg  - I read this on the plane home from Queensland

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr  - I read this on the way to Tassie a couple of years ago.

Escape to Bellbird Bay by Maggie Christensen - I read on the way to Broome

The Language of Love by Annabel Abbs - I read this during an Easter road trip down the Great Ocean Road

Homecoming by Yaa Gyasi - I read this while I was on holiday in South Africa last time

Just One Wish by Rachael Johns - I read this book on my way to my wedding in Vanuatu

The Flat Share by Beth O'Leary - According to my blog I read this on a plane to somewhere

Barriers to Entry by Ariel Lawhon - I read a few short stories on my flight this week, and this was one of them.

Come Fly With Me by Helen Rolfe - I couldn't not include this book which is about a helicopter pilot in an emergency response team

Do you read much while you are on holidays

Sunday Salon: Historical Fiction Reading Challenge - 2022 stats

 

 

This year, as part of the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge, I have been providing some stats after each month. Today I am sharing a few stats about December, and then I will do the overall stats for the whole year!

During December there were 49 reviews shared by 16 participants. There were lots of people who shared multiple reviews, including 3 people who shared 5 or more reviews. Thank you to everyone who has shared! As I have been away for most of January, I won't necessarily get around to everyone's posts for December, but I will be back to commenting in January!

In terms of the books, there were 47 individual titles reviewed, written by 43 different authors, although three books were co-authored and I am never quite sure whether to count those more than once! 

There were two books that were reviewed multiple times. The first book was The Darllings of the Asylum by Noel O'Reilly which was reviewed at both She Reads Novels and What Cathy Read Next.

The other book that was reviewed twice this month was The Sisters of Sea View by Julie Klassen which was reviewed at Laura's Reviews and A Darn Good Read.

In additon, there were four other authors who were reviewed multiple times. They were Elizabeth Peters, Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch, Michael P Spradlin and Verity Bright. This is the second month in a row that Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch has been reviewed multiple times!

Now that I have shared the December stats, lets move onto the statistics for the whole year! Are you ready?

During 2022 there were a total 841 reviews added to the challenge. This compares to 775 reviews during 2021. The 841 reviews were for 735 individual titles written by 594 authors and submitted by 48 different reviewers.

Let's start with the month by month numbers:

November was the month with the highest number of reviews submitted.

In terms of the books, there was one book that was reviewed more than any other during 2022, with 6 reviews submitted. That book was .....

There were 3 books that were each reviewed 5 times. They were:

The final book I will mention today is a book that was reviewed 4 times.

In terms of the authors, the one with the most reviews linked up to the challenge were Agatha Christie with 13 reviews, followed by Mimi Matthews with 11 reviews, Verity Bright with 8 and both Gill Hornby and Natalie Jenner with 7 reviews

I wanted to give a shout out to everyone who reviewed for the challenge in 2022 whether you reviewed more than 70 books (which is more books than I read for the year) or just one. Also thanks to everyone who took time to go around on comment on other participants posts and to those who ssharred their link up posts.

It's not too late to sign up for this year's challenge. All the details can be found here. Whether you already love historical fiction or if you want to begin to explore the genre, you are most welcome to join us!

I am linking this post up at Sunday Salon, hosted at Readerbuzz

This week....

I'm reading....

I started reading The Language of Food by Annabel Abbs when we were away at Easter. I read maybe 130 pages, put it down and never picked it up again. Every time I looked at it I thought I really should finish that but it never happened. When I knew I was going to do something for National Cookbook Month it seemed like a good opportunity to finally do so. I had to start from the beginning again but I managed to get it finished and reviewed the book on Saturday.

As a result of reading this book I have borrowed an audiobook from the library called Women in the Kitchen by Anne Willan, which is a book about key female figures in food from the 1600s until now and I have also borrowed an ebook of one of Eliza Acton's cookbooks. Eliza is one of the subjects of The Language of Food.

On Sunday afternoon we were having a chilled afternoon so I was able to read a big chunk of The Last Summer by Karen Swan. Often on the weekend I will tell my husband that I am "going to read my book" which is code for I might read a few pages but most likely I will then fall sleep, but this time I just kept on reading!

I'm watching...

This week we finished watching the first series of Reacher, which we really enjoyed. We will definitely be watching the second series when it comes out.

We also finished watching Shipwreck Hunters Australia. So fascinating hearing the stories of the wrecks that they were searching and seeing all the different aquatic animals they came across.

Life

We have finally, finally sold our old house. When we put the house on the market the real estate agent assured us that we would be able to sell quickly and for a good price. Unfortunately neither of those things happened. We built at the right time, but we were selling the wrong time given that interest rates have risen every month, but it is done now and we are able to move forward.  

Now we can start focussing on things like our holiday plans!!

Posts from the last week

Top Ten Tuesday: Books about Vacations

Weekend Cooking: The Language of Food by Annabel Abbs

Sunday Salon: Historical Fiction Reading Challenge - September Stats

I've linked this post to It's Monday, what are you reading? as hosted by Book Date

Weekend Cooking: The Language of Food by Annabel Abbs

During this month I am focussing on cookbooks as part of National Cookbook Month. I did think that it might be a good opportunity for me to finally finish reading The Language of Love by Annabel Abbs. You would be right in assuming that this isn't actually a cookbook. It is, however, the story of Eliza Acton, who is creditted with writing the first modern cookbook for home cooks. It first caught my attention because of this gorgeous cover. Unfortunately it didn't keep my attention all that well because I started reading it six months ago and had to start reading it again this week.

When we meet Eliza, she is in London to meet with a publisher to try and get her book of poetry published. Unfortunately, the publisher is not interested at all, telling her to write gothic novels or a a cookbook. Only problem is, Eliza can't cook!

Eliza returns home to her family disappointed, but that soon after that is the least of her problems. Her father has lost all of the family's money and has to flee to France. Eliza, being a spinster daughter with no marriage prospects,  and her mother have to move to Tonbridge and run a boarding house. A far cry from the life of luxury that the family has previously led.

Eliza is only able to take a few personal items with her when they move, which include her poetry books, and at the last minute, some cookbooks from the chef.

Eliza is determined to learn to cook, and to write a cookbook, a better cookbook than those that are currently available:

"I've been studyng cookery writers and I can do better. Some of them are barely literate. The measurements are imprecise, the wording is inelegant. They lack clarity and the recipes themselves are unappetising." I glance at Mother - she is wringing her hands, her lips and jaws working soundlessly.

"I shan't be a cook. I shall be a cookery writer. It is perfectly seemly."

In the kitchen, Eliza is ably assisted by Ann Kirby, who comes to work in the kitchen. Ann has to work hard to overcome her beginnings. Her father is a drunkard and her mother is in a lunatic asylum, but Anne does have one advantage. She can read and right, and she has an inate ability to cook.

Together they work hard to feed the houseguests but to also test the recipes for the cookbook. But each of them have secrets, and there is also an inbalance between them. Can these two women truly become friends?

I mentioned above that Eliza Acton is creditted with the first modern cookbook. It is her that we have to thank for recipes as we know about them, with a precise list of of ingredients, timings, and handy hints and tips.

"When Mr Longman wrote to me with his terms, he  divulged a little more about the mysterious Lady, auhtor of the successful but deeply frustrating A new System of Domestic Cookery by a Lady. The Lady (a Mrs Maria Rundell) has been dead some years. But before dying she sold half a million copies of her cookery book, a fact underlined twice by Mr Longan in his letter. As if to say that is what he expects from my modest efforts. Half a million readers! 

I scan Mrs Rundell's recipe a third time, with a flutter of irritation. Why didn't the wretched woman arrange the ingredients in a simple list? It would be easier, I think, to list the ingredients in a simple list. It would be easier, I think, to list them myself rather than reading and re-reading the recipe over and over.

I shall write my recipes differently. I shall list the ingredients separately - and with precise measurements. Yes - with the most minute exactness! Surely women have enough tojuggleintheirheads without having to memoriselists of ingredients as they work? And it is women I shall write for."

I did find this to be an interesting read. The story is told using the alternate viewpoints of both Eliza and Anne. As a result we get to see two very different lives, both framed in the various rules that apply to them through society. Anne struggles with keeping the secret of her mother's lunacy, just in case people think it is in her blood, as well. Eliza has secrets of her own. And she wants more. Even an unexpected offer of marriage can not derail her from her dreams.

One of the things I liked about this book was that the chapter titles, which are mostly recipe names or at the otherwise food related. It took me a little while to realise that the chapter titles were not really tied into the events in the chapter. Some of them sounded delicious! Pear Meringue with Bon Chretian Pear or Orange Blossom Macaroons anyone? Others not so much! 

While the later cookbook Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management is probably more well known, there is plenty of evidence that many of her recipes were actually taken/inspired from Eliza Acton's earlier cookbook. What Mrs Beeton did differently was to put the list of ingredients at the top of a recipe, instead of at the bottom like Eliza did.

This book has also been published under the title of Miss Eliza's English Kitchen: a novel of Victorian cookery and friendship.

What reading this book has inspired me to do is to take a look at the one Eliza Acton cookbook that is available to download at my library.

Rating 4/5

 Weekly meals

Saturday - Eggs on toast

Sunday -  Steak, egg and chips

Monday - Butter chicken pizza

Tuesday - Roast pork gravy rolls

Wednesday - Presssure Cooker Spaghetti Bolognaise

Thursday - Chicken Pesto Pasta

Friday - Out for dinner

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home pageMiss Eliza's English kitchen: a novel of Victorian cookery and friendship

Top Ten Tuesdays: Books on my Spring TBR list

 

 

Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This 

week the theme is Books On My Fall 2022 To-Read List. Of course, we are in Spring now so for me it isBooks On My Spring 2022 To-Read List

The Last Summer by Karen Swan - I currently have this book out from the library and I intend to read it before I return it so I don't have to reborrow it again

Meshi: A Personal History of Japanese Food by Katherine Tamiko Arguile- Another book that I currently have out from the library.

The Happiest Man on Earth by Eddie Jaku - My read on a theme bookclub theme this month is biography or autobiography. I am actually listening to another book to fit the theme, but I think I might read this as well.

With Love from Wish & Co by Minnie Darke - When I moved house I joined a new library. Whilst the new library system isn't as big as the previous one, I was able to put this one on hold. Luckily I can be a member of both systems!

A Year at the French Farmhouse by Gillian Harvey - I am going to be on a blog tour for this book in October.

Twenty One Nights in Paris by Leonie Mack - And this one too!

The Language of Food by Annabel Abbs - I started this a few months ago and then misplaced it, but I am intending to read it to review for Weekend Cooking in September.

The Night Ship by Jess Kidd - I am reading this at the moment!

Christmas in Bellbird Bay by Maggie Christensen - This is the next book in the Bellbird Bay series!

The Edge of Summer by Viola Shipman - Viola Shipman has  just announced his Christmas book which is going to becalled A Wish for  Winter which is great, but I haven't read The Edge of Summer yet!

What books do you have on your TBR pile?

Historical Fiction Reading Challenge: June stats

 

 

 

 

This year as part of the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge I am intending to provide some stats after each month and then at the end of the year I will do an overall wrap up for the year. That's the plan anyway. And today I am sharing a few stats about June.

During June there were 65 reviews shared by 23 participants. The odd thing is that these stats are exactly the same as last month! I had to double check to make sure that I hadn't accidentally used last month's statistics, but I hadn't.

This month, there were 3 of you who shared 5 or more reviews which is amazing! Well done and keep it up! 

In terms of the books, there were  64 individual titles reviewed, written by 63 different authors. 

If you look at that last statistic, that means that there was only one book that was reviewed more than once this month, which is interesting in comparison to last month when there were 6 books reviewed more than once. The only book which was reviewed more than once was:

Bree from All the Books I Can Read and Tracey from Carpe Librum both reviewed this book and both really enjoyed it!

The other author who was reviewed more than once, but for two different books was Jacqueline Winspear.

It's not too late to join the challenge this year. You can find all the sign up details here and if you have a link to add to the challenge the July Linky can be found here.

Given that we are already half way through the year, I thought I would highlight the two books that have been reviewed the most for the challenge, with 4 reviews each.

Jennifer Ryan and Mimi Webb are the authors that have been reviewed most with 5 reviews each, and so far we have had 435 links for the challenge as at the end of June! What an effort!

Bring on the second half of the year, and happy reading!

This Week....

I'm reading

We went away for the Easter weekend, and that means that the single hardest thing to decide about what to take is which book to pack. I changed my mind several times but in the end I decided to take The Language of Food by Annabel Abbs

I did also finish reading The Snowy Mountain Cattleman last week. I am already looking forward to the next book in that series. In the meantime, I have a number of other books by this author that I can read!!

I'm Watching

My husband went to the movies for the first time since early 2020 with his 18 year old son. They watched Morbeus but one of the previews was for the new Top Gun movie. His son hadn't seen the original Top Gun movie so we all sat down and watched that together. I am not sure that he appreciated our singalong to the soundtrack or randomly shouting out the upcoming line in the movie. We enjoyed it though!

High Five GIFfrom High GIFs

I also watched the first episode of the new series of Great Kiwi Bake Off. The new locations for it is absolutely spectacular.

Life

On Saturday we headed off  a trip down the Great Ocean Road, one of the great drives of the world (and it's not just me that thinks that!). We drove as far as Apollo Bay on Saturday and then through to Warrnambool on Sunday. It was a great drive - history, ocean, mountains and so much more! Here's a few snaps from Cape Otway Lighthouse, The Twelve Apostles, Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and street art in Warrnambool.

Other amazing drives I have done include the Chapman's Peak Drive in Cape Town and the Big Sur coastline in America. We are currently planning our trip for the end of the year and maybe, just maybe, we might fit in another famous drive!

Posts from the last week

Top Ten Tuesday: Second Books in a series

Joint Review: The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak

Weekend Cooking: In Search of Good Chowder

I've linked this post to It's Monday, what are you reading? as hosted by Book Date

Historical Fiction Reading Challenge - March stats

 

This year as part of the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge I am intending to provide some stats after each month and then at the end of the year I will do an overall wrap up for the year. That's the plan anyway. And today I am sharing a few stats about March, so three months in I am sticking to the plan!!

During February there were 76 reviews shared by 27 participants. This month five of you have shared more than 5 reviews which is amazing! Well done and keep it up! 

In terms of the books, there were 73 individual titles reviewed, written by 70 different authors. 

There were 3 books that were reviewed multiple times. They were:

Booth by Karen Joy Fowler was reviewed by Helen at She Reads Novels and Curly Geek at The Book Stop

The Language of Food by Annabel Abbs was reviewed by Tracey at Carpe Librum and Shelleyrae at Book'd Out. I recently bought this book so I am hoping to read it soon.

The Marsh House by Zoe Somerville was reviewed by Janette at Witchyreading and by Cathy at What Cathy Read Next

The other authors to have multiple books read for the challenge this month include Charles Finch with three books, all part of the Charles Lenox mystery series reviewed by Bev at My Reader's Block, and tow books by K J Maitland.

It's not too late to join the challenge this year. You can find all the sign up details here and if you have a link to add to the challenge the April Linky can be found here.