Hello, darlings!
"Now, who the heck is Miss Windsor?” I hear you squawk! Well, I'm a bit of a West-Country lass at heart, born and bred within the most splendorous snippet of North Somerset, England, and was raised by my darling grandmother Josie to appreciate the very best of British fayre. You see, when I was a wee lass I loved to bake. I fondly recall together with my darling grandmother Josie whipping up a cake or two in her 1950’s Sunbeam Mixmaster – the perfect modern-day convenience! In fact, this is when my culinary journey commenced - under the loving care and supervision of my grandmother Josie in her galley kitchen, in Clevedon, North Somerset. Darlings, and just as it say’s on the tin -I’m a theatrical food writer, culinary storyteller, recipe developer, keen baker, and a budding food historian, who passionately enjoys recreating old-fashioned and historical recipes. In particular, British food from the Victorian era, a dabble or two with Georgian cuisine, plus a few honorary British wartime recipes from WWII. And I must say that I'm frightfully fanatical about our English culinary marvel Mrs Beeton and American culinary goddess Fannie Merritt Farmer. |
Therefore, I recreate recipes from my beloved Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management (first published in 1861) and my copy of The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book (first published in 1896) - all of which you'll find here! As part of my work in "Bringing food history alive" you'll observe that I'm utterly fascinated with 19th century cookery. In fact, the grand ol' year of 1861 is very dear to me, as this very year my great great grandmother Georgina was born, and coincidently Mrs Beeton published her first ever book - How extraordinary! |
So, darlings you'll often find Miss Windsor armed with a wooden spoon and a stoneware Mason Cash mixing bowl, slogging away in the kitchen as one recreates a Victorian slice of food history. Of course, traditional cooking methods are always adhered to as much as possible. Oh, and one always partakes in the laborious task of washing dishes, scrubbing the pans, and polishing one's magnificent copper kettle - By Jove! "a woman's work is never done"! Darlings, and I'm chiefly devoted in developing the skills and knowledge that my great great grandmother acquired during the reign of Queen Victoria - curtsy, please! A formidable woman who single handedly cared for her abode in Clevedon, Somersetshire, and cooked for her gaggle of nine children and husband Henry using a range cooker fuelled by fire. |
As I scroll back to my childhood days of food glorious food, a warm sense of nostalgia pervades my mind. You see, little me wasn’t at all fond of meat, nor vegetables really, yet I developed a bit of a sweet tooth instead.
So thank goodness for Grandmother Josie who was a fine cook and baker, therefore, during my early years lucky little me observed and digested many of her scrumptiously sweet creations such as summer pudding, gooseberry tart, and Victorian boiled fruit cake, plus a few that were shop bought and straight out of a packet like Bird's Angel Delight Butterscotch!
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Although her short-crust pastry was a tad on the salty side; I must say that her fruitcake was the ultimate afternoon tea treat, and for many years I have strived to recreate and prefect her culinary masterpiece of days gone by, which I believe I’m very close to accomplishing – hence, Miss Windsor’s Quick & Easy Victorian Boiled Fruitcake.
Now darlings, when fully acquainted with my work, you’ll observe that it’s my sole intention to amuse and educate my delightful patrons with my portfolio of food history goodies.
I'm sure you'll notice that I'm quite a dab hand at recipe development and recipe writing, collaborations, magazine articles, restaurant/afternoon tea and product reviews for the media, all of which are written in my unique and rather elaborate style which are pertinent to my particular interests in food history.
Now darlings, when fully acquainted with my work, you’ll observe that it’s my sole intention to amuse and educate my delightful patrons with my portfolio of food history goodies.
I'm sure you'll notice that I'm quite a dab hand at recipe development and recipe writing, collaborations, magazine articles, restaurant/afternoon tea and product reviews for the media, all of which are written in my unique and rather elaborate style which are pertinent to my particular interests in food history.
Also, I would describe my work as light entertainment, quirky, yet perfectly balanced with the avant-garde side of the scale! And together with my "Pickwickian" sense of humour – Oh, ha ha ha! I hereby invite you on a culinary jaunt down memory lane, where no doubt we’ll bump into Great Great Grandmother Georgina, Grandmother Josie, our Victorian English culinary marvel Mrs Isabella Beeton, and her American rival Fannie Merritt Farmer!
Also, as a jolly good, easy to follow introduction to cooking from the past, may I suggest recreating this splendid recipe – MRS BEETON'S SPICY SUET CARROT PUDDING! I guarantee this will be to your satisfaction, and that every last morsel will be swiped off your plate and devoured with oodles of gusto!
So, darlings, why not join Miss Windsor and be part of the gaiety in.............
Also, as a jolly good, easy to follow introduction to cooking from the past, may I suggest recreating this splendid recipe – MRS BEETON'S SPICY SUET CARROT PUDDING! I guarantee this will be to your satisfaction, and that every last morsel will be swiped off your plate and devoured with oodles of gusto!
So, darlings, why not join Miss Windsor and be part of the gaiety in.............
Cheerio for now,