A Novel Victorian Cookbook

This cookbook is many things rolled into one, but four themes stand out: forgotten gems, a gathering of time travellers, culture appreciation, and sheer joy. There are cooks among us who would like to please an audience with a dish that they haven't had before, and that is surprisingly tasty. For that purpose, an excellent place to look for ideas is among the classic dishes of another century. It is time for some of those forgotten gems to roll around as "new." This cookbook grew out of research for my seven historical novels, Winthrope, Poppy, The Arrangement, Bobbin's Journal, The Spinster, Sophie & Juliet, and Holybourne. The characters in those novels have very definite preferences and favourite dishes. To create a narrative for this cookbook, about two dozen characters are brought to the same table to describe what they like. There are over 325 recipes for their favourite dishes that are included in the back two-thirds of this book. Note that the characters did not live contemporaneously, but are brought together anyway, as a gathering of time travellers, to compare notes. It is well recognised that our culinary history is a very important part of our culture. This cookbook is a contribution to our culture appreciation, awareness, and preservation. Recipes presented here are fully authentic from the period, complete with the old original spelling and phrasing. Sheer joy. There is a great deal of fun and good-natured humour to be had by comparing the way we think, speak, and eat to our ancestors of the 18th and 19th centuries. Yes, much of it is laughable, but don't be surprised to occasionally catch an insight from the past that is fully apropos to the present. This is a beautiful Coffee-Table cookbook to be cherished and passed down like the "forgotten gems" inside. It is quite unique and different from the typical cookbook-nothing else of its type is in existence. Along with delicious recipes, there is gossip and folklore of the day. Proper English etiquette is followed. Recipes were chosen from culturally important cookbooks written by Farley, Raffald, Mason, Johnstone (aka) Meg Dods, Jarrin, Acton and Beeton, to name a few. Also included are brief biographies of chefs Marie-Antoine Carême, Charles Elmé Francatelli, Alexis Soyer, and Auguste Escoffier. The categories of recipes are varied, diverse, and encompass an entire array of food choices regularly available in those times. They include sections dedicated to Soup, Breads & Rolls, Poultry & Feathered Game, Meats & Furred Game, Hors d'oeuvres, Beverages, Cakes & Desserts, Seafood & Fresh Water Fish, Vegetables, Preserves, Spices & Seasonings, Sauces, and lastly Butter, Milk & Eggs. There are never-before-published paintings by the author; over 200 pictures of food dishes and meals as well as meal planning and unusual and humorous kitchen lore. Included is a unique chapter on "contributory recipes" from the author's friends whose relatives passed on their cherished recipes from Victoria's England. The author has included a brief history of her friends as they share remarkable and loving stories from those long-departed relatives. A detailed index to help you quickly locate what you're looking for along with terms to help you navigate those tricky French cooking terms.

A novel-esq Victorian cookbook, with what the characters in the Author's seven novels like to eat. Replete with hundreds of authentic Victorian recipes and short biographies of the famous chefs of the era. Beautiful pictures and author's (never published before) paintings. Folklore and culinary facts that amazes us even to this day.
Having spent the majority of her life working for a major communications company without the benefit of expressing her artistic talents, Carol discovered through an astonishing vision wondrous creativity that sparked the real passion that blossomed into the intrinsic and talented artist that she has become today. Her many major accomplishments include writing seven historical novels, a Victorian cookbook, creating slipcases to house her collection of the 7 novels. She hand-painted one-of-a-kind Victorian scenes on each. Carol's desire to continue with vision has now branched out to painting on canvas and board. Her collection of paintings reflects the era of Monet, Van Gogh, Henri & Marie Duhem, Lecomte amongst others.

Carol Kennedy's Victorian cookbook is a marvelous addition to her seven novels. It is a historical walk down the Victorian Era, joined with the recipes prepared world over during that time period. Had A Novel Victorian Cookbook been written when I operated my Bed and Breakfast, I would have included a "Victorian Themed Room" just to have the opportunity to serve one of the many tasty dishes. - Norma Saken Rasmussen, Author of Pine View House Country Breakfast Cookbooklet.

A truly "novel" cookbook in that Carol tells wonderful in-depth stories of the famous chefs of the Victorian era along with dialogue from some of the characters from her seven novels and what they loved to eat. It's humorous and charming along with some of her beautiful (never seen before) paintings. There are hundreds of authentic recipes and pictures of food throughout. I threw a cooking party for my friends and we had a marvelous time recreating an entire authentic Victorian dinner for 22 people that was shown in the book-layout of the table with the recipes for each dish, dessert and all! A truly beautiful coffee-table cookbook ... functional as well. Highly recommended. - "Le Chef" William Miller