mrs beeton

[jesschant]

who is mrs beeton? and why did she say 'first....' something?

[incitatus]

isabella beaton was the wife of a victorian publisher and was induced by hubby to write a book on cookery and household management. it became one of the standards of the genre for the next 100 years, and , with eliza acton, entered cookery history. it went out of fashion with wartime rationing as the recipes are aimed at a large victorian household. they all start " take 12 eggs...." or my favourite "take a side of venison and roast...." How? With what?

[incitatus]

try this link for a bit more http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/beet
on_isabella.shtml

[Quizmonster]

My favourite "First..." from Mrs Beeton is in her recipe for 'Jugged Hare', which apparently opens with the words: "First, catch your hare." It's reputed to be the only bit - albeit possibly unintentional - of humour in the entire book.

[jenstar]

"First catch your hare" is apocryphal, I'm afraid.

[Quizmonster]

I thought it might be, Jenstar, which is why I said 'apparently' and 'reputed' in my earlier response. It's just one of these bits of so-called 'knowledge' one carries around for a lifetime, before finding out for sure that it's nonsense! A bit like thinking Coleridge wrote: "Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink"...which, of course, he didn't.

[incitatus]

water water everywhere, and all the boards did shrink, water water evrywhere, nor any drop to drink. written in watchet. very appropriate, as the bit about "slimy things with slimy legs walked on the slimy sea" is as accurate a description of watchet docks as any i have heard.