In my last post I wrote about rout cakes in Jane Austen’s Emma (1815) and Vanity Fair by Thackeray (1847-48). Rout cakes were small rich cakes, flavoured with dried fruit and alcohol, which were commonly eaten at large parties and evening assemblies. Continue reading “Rout cakes – part 2”
Category: 19th century literature
Rout cakes 1
Mrs Elton was a little shocked at the want of two drawing rooms, at the poor attempt at rout cakes, and there being no ice in the Highbury card parties. (Jane Austen, Emma)
A Jane Austen Summer Party
The idea was to host a summer picnic party in my North London garden – a 21st century version of the Box Hill party in Jane Austen’s Emma, but hopefully minus the ‘downright dullness’ that Emma feels and recklessly seeks to overcome by participating in Frank Churchill’s cruel games which lead to the humiliation of the annoying, but harmless, Miss Bates and Emma being soundly reprimanded by Mr Knightley. The food – like all the food in my blog – would be inspired by food and meals referenced in Austen novels, though with a 21st century twist on them and an adaptation for vegetarians, whose needs are not recognized in early 19th century novels! Continue reading “A Jane Austen Summer Party”
The Denial of Food
When food is referred to in literature, it is usually – not surprisingly – because characters are eating it. And when characters don’t eat, it is usually because they have been deprived of food or the food is inedible, as is the case with Jane Eyre at boarding school Continue reading “The Denial of Food”