Just the other day I said that I don’t do reading challenges. And now I’ve signed up for one! It’s called Soup’s On, it’s hosted by Ex Libris, and it’s a cookbook challenge!
Here’s the lowdown:
This challenge will run from April 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009. All you have to do is select six cookbooks to read and make at least one of the recipes. These can be any cookbooks of your choice — brand new ones, old stand-bys that you can’t live (or cook) without, or even heirlooms. You do not have to decide on the cookbooks ahead of time (unless you want to, of course). Then post your reviews either here or on your own blog. If you want, you can even post pictures of your creations along with your reviews!
I think I’ll do cookbooks with literary themes. I’m sure Lobscouse and Spotted Dog will make an appearance, and I have some other ideas up my sleeve too.
Question: what are some memorable scenes from books that involve a food you’ve never eaten but would like to try?
One I can think of is in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, when the White Witch gives Edmund Turkish Delight to eat. For years I wondered what Turkish Delight was. For some reason I always pictured it as something orange and sticky, like glazed apricots. But I know others who thought it was a kind of brownie. Or toffee. There’s no question that not knowing what Turkish Delight was added much to the magic & mystery of the scene. Now I know what it is, and I’ve eaten it, but when I think of Edmund I still picture glazed apricots.
6 Comments
Ooooh. I was just thinking the other day that I’d like to do some food-book related challenge. I may have to go check this one out.
A great opportunity to try some of the recipes on those 1970s weight watchers recipe cards you used to link to on this site. Yummy fish tacos, rosy perfection salad and mackerel pudding!
I like this challenge - I love books with recipes, even though I never make them.
I HATE Turkish Delight. We had it for special occasions (i.e., weddings, engagements, dinner parties, someone crossed the street) my whole life and even just thinking of it makes my body go into sugar shock. Ugh. Glazed apricots are way better.
Melissa, hope to see you there!
Sara, mackerel pudding, ha ha. Those were too funny. I still have the link up, but it looks like the site’s been taken down. Wait — update — I just googled mackerel pudding and now it’s a book! A cookbook! Oh ha ha, how perfect. Maybe I’ll order a copy and review it…
Su, ha ha, I don’t like it all that much either, to tell the truth. I think it’s the rose water. I do love Aplets & Cotlets, though I think even those would be pretty nasty if they didn’t contain nuts.
Too funny about the Turkish Delight, Julie! I, too, wondered about it for years until I had the chance to live in Scotland for a while. Then I finally got to taste it. While I loved finally getting to meet the treat face-to-face, the actual eating didn’t quite compare to my dreams of it…
I tried Turkish Delight for the first time just a couple of weeks ago. My LWW-inspired curiosity was finally satisfied.
I enjoyed it, but a little bit goes a long way.