JAN KARON’S MITFORD COOKBOOK AND KITCHEN READER (Penguin Group, c.2004) is a cleverly written memoir by the author of the Mitford Series. The Mitford novels are filled with food references, and this kitchen reader includes 150 recipes. A short story, never before published in any of Karon’s books, “The Right Ingredients,” reveals the secret recipe for Esther Bolick’s famous Orange Marmalade Cake.
Jan tells us how she came to write about her hometown of Blowing Rock, N. Carolina, and she shares her own family mealtime memories. My favorite section is Jan’s description of her favorite foods and what she and others would request for their “last meal.” “Real cooks don’t need fancy ingredients,” Jan explains.
The book is full of beautiful photographs, jokes, and quotes from all the Mitford characters. Father Tim’s housekeeper, Puny, gives us lots of cooking tips, like pre-soaking baked potatoes to reduce their baking time. Puny says, “It’s the unblessed food that makes you fat.”