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”
Tag: Emma
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”
What Do Hypochondriacs Eat?
From Mrs Bennet in Pride and Prejudice who complains constantly about her “nerves” and is “taken ill immediately” when she is informed of Lydia’s elopement with Mr Wickham, to the never present but much discussed Mrs Churchill in Emma, whose illnesses the narrator notes “never occurred but for her own convenience”, hypochondriacs frequently appear in Jane Austen’s novels. Continue reading “What Do Hypochondriacs Eat?”
Muffins
The English muffin – the yeasty bread-like concoction as opposed to the American cupcake version that is more widely consumed nowadays – dates back more than two hundred years. Continue reading “Muffins”