Even Mr. Darcy acknowledged that the partridges were remarkably well done: P&P #28

Dinner with Mr. Darcy: Recipes inspired by the novels of Jane Austen by Pen Vogler

I came across this Sunday when I was browsing in Chapters after the Sing-Along Messiah waiting to meet up up with the DC and G to see The Hobbit (Xmas spirit, I has it) and I couldn't resist.

This is a nifty book. Vogler has split the recipes into meals and linked them to a book: breakfast at Northanger Abbey, tea at Mansfield Park, the supper at the Netherfield Ball, etc. What's cool, though, is that below the standard recipe is an original recipe from a contemporary cookbook; many of them are from Martha Lloyd's Household Book, written by a lady who I am just learning now lived with the Austen ladies. There are also short articles discussing mealtimes, table arrangements, servants and the like.

There is, happily, a recipe for white soup.

Image source: rylandpeters.com

This isn't a book for vegetarians, by the way. There are only three or four non-meat or sweet dishes. Bring on the night sweats!

My one complaint is the texture of the cover; it's fabric and a cat-hair magnet. I'm going to need to vacuum it before I use it again.

Naturally, I needed to test one of the recipes. I chose to make gingerbread, since it is one of the DC's favourite things. These are quite tasty; they have caraway seeds in them, which gives them an unusual flavour. The DC has taken to calling them "Mr. Darcy's gingerbread."



I might be attempting some of the picnic recipes for next year's Dîner en blanc -- pigeon pie, anyone? Assuming I can source pigeons (aka squab) in Toronto.