Happy friday!I spotted a great article on the Guardian earlier today. Titled Literary Feasts for Children, it's about the relationship between children's books and food, and asks, what fictional feast sticks in your memory the most?
With Alice and Wonderland references reaching fever pitch in the run up to Tim Burton's new adaptation, (thoughts, views?) the most obvious is probably the Mad Hatter's tea party.
But for me, I have to admit my favourite literary food favourites are a little more down to earth. As a child I was completely infatuated by Enid Blyton's depictions of idyllic child hood picnics. I so, so wanted my mum to pack up homemade lemonade, currant buns and crumbly pork pies when me and my brother went off on our grandly titled Adventures. (All wrapped up in a comforting checkered napkin of course) Somehow monster munch and kitkats never quite cut the mustard.
It's a pattern I seem to have continued. Harry Potter was all the more glorious for its mouth watering descriptions of food (groaning tables of food that magically appear = heaven) and I know I will always love a Joanne Harris novel, an author who writes about food more like a lover than plain sustenance.
It also perhaps, explains my love of cookery books, or food porn as they are commonly referred to in our house. I can quite happily spend hours poring over them, looking at the pictures and reading the descriptions. Words like gooey, oozing and crackling are not mere instructions. They deserve proper reading. (Read Locatelli - his description of risotto is AMAZING)
Which begs the question, what are your favourite book + food moments? And why do they seem to be so evocative?
Enid Blyton picnics always got me too...plums and ginger beer and cakes...all served on the lawn. I used to love the Malory Towers books and they had the most amazing midnight feasts at that school!
ReplyDeleteI have that Jane Brocket book pictured at the top and it's amazing!
really? I was struggling to find a picture that summed up what I meant and i just chanced upon it!
ReplyDeleteMallory Towers - fab choice. Did you ever read Chalet School? they had Tuck Boxes and I thought that was pretty much the best thing in the world!
On that note, off to find something for tea...