The Best Of Mrs Beeton S Easy Entertaining

We each of us strive for domestic bliss, and we may look to Delia and Nigella to give us tips on achieving the unattainable. Kathryn Hughes, acclaimed for her biography of George Eliot, has pulled back the curtains to look at the creator of the ultimate book on keeping house.

As a nation, there is no denying that we have a sweet tooth - and classic treats such as sherbet fruit drops, Everton toffee, vanilla fudge and chocolate honeycomb, have stood the test of time. MRS BEETON'S HOMEMADE SWEETSHOP is a gorgeous and beautifully illustrated recipe book for the home cook, packed with delicious sweet treat ideas for any occasion. All of the recipes have been drawn from Mrs Beeton's original BOOK OF HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT meaning that we can all recreate a little bit of Victoriana in our own kitchens. Fully updated for the 21st-century kitchen and combined with sound, modern advice on how to source good food, plus detailed information on ingredients and equipment, this is the go-to mini book for any aspiring or experienced home cook.

Originally published as twenty-four newspaper columns from 1859 to 1861, Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management is many things, but it is first and foremost a guide to managing a household during the nineteenth century. Beeton wrote, “As with the commander of an army, or the leader of any enterprise, so is it with the mistress of a house.” Running an extravagant household was a monumental task and a responsibility not to be taken lightly. It meant supervising every employee, from the butler to the laundry-maid to the footman and the wet nurse. It meant managing the safety, happiness, comfort, and well-being of the family. In addition to offering advice on a wide range of domestic topics, this abridged edition of Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management contains hundreds of original recipes. A compendium of practical information about everything from animal husbandry to child care, this Victorian classic is both fascinating and still useful. Sarah A. Chrisman, author of Victorian Secrets and This Victorian Life provides the foreword, reflecting on how she uses Mrs. Beeton’s advice on a daily basis.

“This zany novel will make you appreciate your own fallen soufflés that much more.” —Redbook The writer known only as FW lives high on the food chain in the heady realm of L.A.s culinary journalism scene. She waxes poetic about her hip home gatherings, thinly veiling the identities of her Hollywood guest list. At least, it seems that way to her readers. In reality, FW’s been inventing the dinner parties she writes about because social paralysis sets in at the very thought of a real guest in her fabulous—or is it shabby?—hillside home. Enter the glossy food magazine editor, new in town, who wants an invitation to one of her bashes, and the panic–stricken journey from fantasy to reality is on . . . Entertaining Disasters—at turns whimsical and deeply affecting—chronicles the struggle FW faces in the week before she hosts her first real dinner party in ages. At the same time, her estranged sister threatens to drop by, her husband takes off, and even more disaster looms, in this “funny, satirical novel” (Booklist) that “offers sharp, startling observations in a unique and very human voice” (Elle).