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Food from books


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Hi new member here

I signed up mainly to ask for some suggestions. I work in a library and we're decided to start a newsletter and one idea I came up with was each month to have a different recipe taken from a book, not a cook book but a work of fiction the idea came to me as I'm currently reading the 13 and a half lives of captain blue bear that talks about food alot. I was wondering if any one has any suggestions for books with good descriptions of food or famous scenes involving food.

 

 

thanks in advance

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I love this idea! I am trying really hard to think of some for you, I always used to think that The Famous Five used to eat some really odd things, I suppose that is the era that the books are set though. (tinned sardines and ginger beer as a midnight feast is not my idea of heaven!)

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off the top of my head

 

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou has lots of references to food mostly reflecting the mood of the story she is telling

 

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd introduced me to the delights of coca cola and salted peanuts together

 

Great Expectations Charles Dickens of course has Miss Havershams decaying wedding feast

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One that springs to mind for me is Andre Camilleri's Inspector Montalbano books he is obsessed with food and refuses to talk whilst sampling the meals he either eats at the local trattoria or ones his housekeeper leaves for him. The books are crime books but the food always makes me hungry.

 

I agree with the famous five reference I always wondered what seed cake was. The other along the same vein I have recently listened to is Swallows and Amazons again that traditional food of a bygone era.

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I remember that the Darling buds of may series of books by H.E.Bates had lots of eating involved! There is also quite a bit of food involved in both The Hobbit and Lord of the rings, of course. (The decription of the meal in The Prancing Pony at Bree always makes me hungry!). And there are all those feasts in the Harry Potter books.

 

In fact I would imagine that childrens book would provide you with the most material.

 

Now, where's my lunch?

 

Ian

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The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society comes to mind, I'd like to have a go at the potato peel pie :) I'd also go for the Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe that poppyshake suggested. Cooking with Fernet Branca also comes to mind, although I didn't enjoy the novel. And how about Swann's Way, with the Madeleine cakes?

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I remember being very hungry while reading The Food of Love by Anthony Capella and Chocolat by Joanne Harris. In fact, I haven't read them yet, but Capella's later books also appear to have a foodie theme with The Empress of Ice Cream and The Various Flavours of Coffee

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And how about Swann's Way, with the Madeleine cakes?

 

Have you read Swann's Way? :huh:

 

I remember there was an interesting-sounding cake that the wife was always making in Mr Rosenblum's List.

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Have you read Swann's Way? :huh:

 

I remember there was an interesting-sounding cake that the wife was always making in Mr Rosenblum's List.

 

No way! My conscience is clear, in no way did I indicate that I have read the book. But the Madeleine cakes are quite notorious.

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