It is the late 1700’s and Biddy Leigh, the under cook for Mawton Hall is ready to start her future. Soon her beau, Jem, will be announcing their plans to marry and their dream of opening up their own tavern will begin. Yet other plans are at stake that are out of Biddy’s control. When her master marries the much younger Lady Carinna, Biddy is unwillingly selected to go on a year-long journey to Italy as her new mistresses cook. A book called, The Cooks Jewel, handed down from generation of cooks, is given to Biddy to take on her adventures to document the recipes she learns along the way.
In London Biddy encounters the handsome Kit, her Mistresses brother. He is curious about his sisters travels and asks Biddy to find out more about Carinna’s reason to suddenly pack up for Italy leaving her new husband sickly at home. Charmed by Kit’s attention Biddy starts to pay more attention to what her mistress is up to.
As the secrets unravel, and the real reason that Biddy has been requested to come on this journey unfold, Biddy finds herself in a place that is both frightening and invigorating. As her desire to return back tot he home she once knew starts to fade, a new future appears to be on the horizon. If only Biddy has the courage to take the steps to make it happen.
An Unrivaled Chocolate Ice Cream
Take a pint of good cream, a heaped spoonful of best chocolate scraped, put it in when the cream boils and stir them well together, add the yolks of two eggs and sweeten it to your taste, let the eggs have a boil to thicken it. When cold put it in your freezing pot of pewter and plunge into a wooden pail. Pack about entirely with pounded ice and salt. When the mixture begins to firm about the sides stir it with the spaddle so that all may be equally thick and smooth and frozen.
As made for Biddy Leigh, by Signor Renzo Cellini, Easter 1773
I honestly am gushing over this surprise book. Gushing because it is brilliant and captured my attention from the start. Surprising because I chose to read this book for my interest in the recipes woven within it and was not expecting to find an excellent read as well.
The recipes were not as I expected. They are recipes for the times… the 1700’s and a cook who made do with what she had available to her, while interestingly enough, (a cure for illness is burning a piece of toast in the fire, then running hot water through the blackened toast into a cup for the person to drink. If that does not work, do it again.) I don’t see myself attempting to make any of these recipes soon.
An Appetite For Violets by debut author Martine Bailey is a book I am suggesting you do not miss out on. It is a fun historical read with snooty servants, and upper class people – but mostly… it is about Biddy and how she transforms throughout the book is delightful. As I finished I was still putting pieces together like, “Oh, that is why she ….”
Well written. Highly recommended. Biddy Leigh is a remarkably smart and witty protagonist that I found to be spot on. The author truly has her finger (or her wooden spoon) on the pulse of the 1700’s. I absolutely loved it.
- Hardcover: 400 pages
- Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books; First Edition edition (January 13, 2015)
Note: I looked on Amazon thinking somehow I was not privy to this amazing book and clearly many others had to be. I was surprised to see it had only 38 reviews. I think this book is a diamond in the rough and honestly, need to read this book.
Adding this post to Weekend Cooking
Book Journey 
Ohhhhh…I WANT to read this book.
Thanks for your wonderful review.
Stay warm.
I was so surprised by it. LOVED it.
Well, that recipe alone left me pretty speechless, lol 🙂 Sounds like an excellent read. Thanks for sharing it!
I laughed at the recipes… there is another one I have to find. It is a dessert wrapped in bacon…lol See? Bacon was even super cool int he 1700s!
This.. this is why I should stop reading book-blogs….
Sounds like a great book and I am definitely putting it onto my “Read this NOW” list (which is really just the first tier of my “To Read” pile). 🙂 Thanks for bringing it to my attention 🙂
LOL, this doesn’t happen all the time for me. I like most of the books I read and for many I really like them. The love gush you see here is unique. 🙂
This sounds “gush-worthy”! Terrific review, Sheila, and the recipe is priceless!
Isn’t that awesome? There were some more but I neglected to note them on my Kindle so could not find them again 🙂
Fantastic review! I will definitely be reading this. I am ordering it for my library too 🙂
Historic recipes sure are fascinating and so are their ideas for medicine!
Awesome, I am stopping in to my library today and asking them to order it as well.
It’s been awhile since I read a good historical fiction. Your gushing over this books makes me want to read it. And I’ll check to see if my library has it since my house has been taken over by books and I need to curb the desire to bring more in!
LOL, I hope you find a copy and like it as much as I did Laura!
Thank you for this review! It sounds like an interesting read – a hidden treasure. I don’t think I’d have given it a second look if I had seen it on a shelf somewhere. Yay for book blogs!
I have to say I agree, when it was offered to me it was the recipes that caught my attention. I think it is the cover although I do not have the answer as to what have worked better… perhaps the large home she originally worked in? Home covers make me wonder what is inside. 🙂
I’m hesitant because of the time period but my book club would love that book.
It surprised me, it is not a time period I would have read about either. It is a mystery in a way, but you dont really know that until later in the book. It also has an ending Idid not see coming. I like that too 🙂
Is it wrong that the cover sold me before I even read your review? Oh and her name… Biddy! To die for!
Now… based on your review, I need this!
I love that you love the cover Jamie!!!!
You sold this to me. Added!
Sweet!
Thanks for a wonderful review.
Great review. I’m going to add this to my too read list. Thanks for sharing the ice cream recipe. It is amazing what people did years ago in order to have ice cream! I think this would be a fun book for my book club, just discussing the recipes!
Isn’t that funny? There were a lot more complex ones… one was a dessert wrapped in bacon. I am still disturbed by the image in my head…LOL
This sounds like a fantastic read! Thanks for such a great review. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for it and am adding it to my TBR. I love the sound of the accurate recipes. The ice cream recipe sounds like quite a lot of effort. I like my method of make the base and dump in ice cream machine!
Some reviews are so easy they write themselves 🙂
I’ve already got it TBR. Yours is the most gushing review I’ve read so now I’m more excited.
I really enjoyed this one – I have been gushing everywhere about it – I loved the old language, and I loved following Biddy from where she started – to where she wound up.
I have this to read but didn’t realize that there were period recipes. Fun!!! I think I’ll pass on the toast cure, but I’d be happy for the ice cream.
I didn’t either, I thought it was going to be recipes I could try. The recipes were fun to read, they didn’t really measure anything.
Sounds like a good one for Downton Abbey fans! I love the kitchen scenes in that show.
I do too!
Great review, now if only my library had it. May have to order.
Right! Out library needs to order this one!
Adding it to my TBR list right now. Thanks for the great review!
Good! I hope you enjoy it as well.
After you mentioned how much you loved this one on your Monday post, I bought it straight away lol. Lovely review 🙂
Awesome, I can not wait to see what you think of it Sheree!
I like the sound of it, glad you reviewed it. I will put it on my growiy list of books to read
Oh good!
This sounds wonderful! I’m hearing about it on a couple of blogs so the word seems to be getting out.
I am so glad!
This sounds great! I love a good novel with a food theme.
This is definitely going on my Wish/To purchase list – when I start to purchase books again. 🙂
I enjoyed your review.