Archive for 2015
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| [Image courtesy of Walt Disney, Alice in Wonderland (1951)] |
"The White Rabbit put on his spectacles. 'Where shall I begin, please your Majesty?', he asked.
'Begin at the beginning', the King said gravely, 'and go on till you come to the end: then stop'." (p139)
In conclusion, it is clear that food is a prominent theme throughout Lewis Carroll's fantasy novel Alice in Wonderland. Within the text, food has a vital role in the progression of the narrative - for example, Alice could not pass through the door to the garden if she did not eat the cake.
The food mentioned within the novel is often incredibly symbolic, most commonly used as a representation of childhood, indicator of social class and to foreshadow future events.
Throughout the years, Carroll's masterpiece has influenced generations of creatives - inspiring songs such as Jefferson Airplane's White Rabbit, cook books and even this very blog - demonstrating a shared readership, a text that appeals to both children and adults alike.
Without doubt, my favourite aspect of this blog has been the opportunity to once again bring to life 'wonderland'. Stepping back from the stresses of university every Sunday afternoon to bake has been the perfect outlet, transporting me away to another reality - if only for an hour. The social aspect of cooking was another unexpected delight, sweetening the bond between me and my housemates, if you'll excuse the pun.
Works Cited:
Carroll, Lewis. Alice in Wonderland. London: Wordsworth Editions, 2001.
In conclusion, it is clear that food is a prominent theme throughout Lewis Carroll's fantasy novel Alice in Wonderland. Within the text, food has a vital role in the progression of the narrative - for example, Alice could not pass through the door to the garden if she did not eat the cake.
The food mentioned within the novel is often incredibly symbolic, most commonly used as a representation of childhood, indicator of social class and to foreshadow future events.
Throughout the years, Carroll's masterpiece has influenced generations of creatives - inspiring songs such as Jefferson Airplane's White Rabbit, cook books and even this very blog - demonstrating a shared readership, a text that appeals to both children and adults alike.
Without doubt, my favourite aspect of this blog has been the opportunity to once again bring to life 'wonderland'. Stepping back from the stresses of university every Sunday afternoon to bake has been the perfect outlet, transporting me away to another reality - if only for an hour. The social aspect of cooking was another unexpected delight, sweetening the bond between me and my housemates, if you'll excuse the pun.
Works Cited:
Carroll, Lewis. Alice in Wonderland. London: Wordsworth Editions, 2001.
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| [Image courtesy of Walt Disney, Alice in Wonderland (1951)] |
"Curiouser and curiouser!" (p44)
Since its publication in 1865, Alice in Wonderland has inspired a generation of literary texts; ranging from fan fiction to cook books. The Alice in Wonderland Cookbook: A Culinary Diversion, written by John Fisher and published in 1976, features a selection of delightful recipes - each accompanied by a charming illustration by Sir John Tenniel and excerpt from Carroll's original narrative.
Alongside recipes such as 'Looking Glass Cake' and 'A Toast to Alice', the book features a rather endearing concoction referred to as 'Flower Salad'. It is made as follows:-
Since its publication in 1865, Alice in Wonderland has inspired a generation of literary texts; ranging from fan fiction to cook books. The Alice in Wonderland Cookbook: A Culinary Diversion, written by John Fisher and published in 1976, features a selection of delightful recipes - each accompanied by a charming illustration by Sir John Tenniel and excerpt from Carroll's original narrative.
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| [Image courtesy of Clarkson N. Potter] |
♥ Acacia flowers
♥ Marrow flowers
♥ Rosemary flowers
♥ Borage flowers
♥ Cowslip flowers
♥ Elderflowers
♥ Marigold petals
♥ Nasturtium petals and trumpets
♥ Green salad
♥ Olive oil
♥ Vinegar
Recipe:
1) All the flowers listed were once commonly accepted for culinary purposes.
2) Scald the petals with hot water.
3) Leave to cool.
4) Arrange a bed of green salad including lettuce, parsley, thyme, chives, sorrel leaves, sliced raw cabbage or spinach, according to availability.
5) Add the flowers to the centre.
6) Serve with oil and vinegar dressing, proof that some flowers, at least do have the edible qualities of the other flour.
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| [Original accompanying image by Sir John Tenniel] |
In terms of ingredients, the extensive range of flowers used within this recipe imply a middle class readership who crave the almost whimsical, dainty elegance of the dish. The brightness in colour of each petal intensifies the sense of fantasy that surrounds the meal, delighting the diner aesthetically.
However, the flowers also act as a signifier of the absurd nature of the dish; exposing how unrealistic, impractical and far from filling it would be for the individual.
Fisher's language in this recipe manages to be a combination of concise and comical; clearly hoping to amuse and inform his reader in equal measures. His final instruction acts as a jovial sign off, as though he accepted the silliness of the recipe overall.
I imagine a reader of this cookbook to be a mature fan of Alice in Wonderland, certainly not a child. Despite the simple style of Fisher's writing, the complex, exotic seeming ingredients dismiss the notion of the dish playing a part of a sit-down family meal - where a heartier meal, such as casserole, would be more appropriate. If a reader were to endeavor to make this dish, it would no doubt be out of curiosity or as quirky talking point at a dinner party.
However, the flowers also act as a signifier of the absurd nature of the dish; exposing how unrealistic, impractical and far from filling it would be for the individual.
Fisher's language in this recipe manages to be a combination of concise and comical; clearly hoping to amuse and inform his reader in equal measures. His final instruction acts as a jovial sign off, as though he accepted the silliness of the recipe overall.
I imagine a reader of this cookbook to be a mature fan of Alice in Wonderland, certainly not a child. Despite the simple style of Fisher's writing, the complex, exotic seeming ingredients dismiss the notion of the dish playing a part of a sit-down family meal - where a heartier meal, such as casserole, would be more appropriate. If a reader were to endeavor to make this dish, it would no doubt be out of curiosity or as quirky talking point at a dinner party.
Also featured as a part of the book is Lewis Carroll's short musing Hints for Etiquette; Or, Dining Out Made Easy - also published individually - which I will discuss in a later blog post.
Works Cited:
Carroll, Lewis. Alice in Wonderland. London: Wordsworth Editions, 2001.
Carroll, Lewis. Hints for Etiquette; Or, Dining Out Made Easy. United States: Bonnefant Press, 1990.
Fisher, John. The Alice in Wonderland Cookbook: A Culinary Diversion. United States: Outlet ,1976.
"Soon her eye fell on a little glass box that was lying under the table: she opened it, and found in it a very small cake, on which the words 'EAT ME' were beautifully marked in currants." (p43)
I have awarded this recipe a difficulty rating of: ★★
I have awarded this recipe a difficulty rating of: ★★
Ingredients:
For the cupcakes -
♥ 110g soft margarine
♥ 110g caster sugar
♥ 2 eggs
♥ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
♥ 100g self-raising flour
♥ 2 tablespoons milk
For the icing -
♥ 140g soft butter
♥ 280g icing sugar
♥ 2 tablespoons milk
♥ 2-3 drops food colouring (optional)
Recipe:
For the cupcakes -
1) Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4. Line a baking tray with paper cases.
2) Cream together the butter and sugar, before beating together with the eggs.
3) Add the vanilla extract, stir until pale.
4) Gradually fold in the flour, slowly adding the milk until a soft - not runny - consistency.
5) Spoon the mixture into the paper cases.
6) Bake for 8-10 minutes, then leave to cool.
For the icing -
1) Beat the butter in a mixing bowl until soft.
2) Gradually add the icing sugar and milk until smooth and creamy.
3) Stir through 2-3 drops of food colouring.
Works Cited:
Carroll, Lewis. Alice in Wonderland. London: Wordsworth Editions, 2001.
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Of all the recipes on the blog, this is the one I entered into with the greatest confidence; already finding every opportunity in life to make cupcakes. Birthday? Bake! Christmas? Bake! New curtain shower? Bake!
Having pre-heated the oven, I creamed together the flour, butter, eggs, sugar and milk - leaving out the vanilla essence due to personal taste. At this stage, each and every time, without fail, I silently curse myself for not yet having invested in a electric whisk. But ho hum, at this rate I'll have arms of steel one day.
After spooning the mixture into the pink, paper cases I popped the baking tray into the oven. Unfortunately, whilst waiting for the batter to transform into a yummy cakey delight, the need for a cigarette arose... resulting in a slightly crisper appearance than usual.
Next up, it was time to make the butter cream icing. After browsing the supermarket's home baking aisle, I settled on pink food colouring to add a sense of girly Wonderland to the occasion - much to the disdain of my all male housemates. Although they soon stop complaining after I reminded them of my current residence in diet hell, so only they would be benefiting from this blogging venture.
Smothering each cupcake with a generous helping of sickly sweet butter cream was the hardest part of this entire bake, bitterly resisting the urge to lick the spoon afterwards. In the spirit of
Alice in Wonderland, I iced each cake with the words 'Eat Me' in blue fondant - matching Alice's iconic dress. On a whim, I also sprinkled white chocolate stars over the top. Voila!
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In terms of narrative function, the physical act of eating the cake causes Alice to grow to a gigantic size, so large that her head pushes against the ceiling - far from a solution to her previous problem of being unable to reach the key she left behind on the table. The daintiness of the cake severely juxtaposes its impact on poor Alice.
It could be argued that from a modern perspective, her magical transformation is a warning about the dangers of indulgence in unhealthy food (obesity). However, many believe it was in fact originally a representation of puberty, a sign of the awkward bodily transformations that Alice is soon to experience. The sheer enormity of her size demonstrates a symbolic, if some what alarming, end to her childhood.
Works Cited:
Carroll, Lewis. Alice in Wonderland. London: Wordsworth Editions, 2001.
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| [Image courtesy of Walt Disney, Alice in Wonderland (1951)] |
"She stretched herself up on tiptoe, and peeped over the edge of the mushroom, and her eyes immediately met those of a large caterpillar, that was sitting on top with its arms folded, quietly smoking a long hookah, and taking not the slightest notice of her or anything else." (p68)
Cram-packed with delightful dishes for any manner of tea party, Kerstin Rodger's Ms. Marmite Lover's Secret Tea Party - published in 2014 features an array of Alice in Wonderland inspired recipes. The extract below, a recipe for 'Magic Meringue Mushroom's is taken from the cookbook's fourth chapter 'Themed Teas'.
I have awarded this recipe a difficulty rating of: ★★★★★
♥ 2 egg whites
♥ 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
♥ A pinch of sea salt
♥ 120g caster sugar
Works Cited
Beeton, Isabella. Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management: Abridged Version. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000.
Carroll, Lewis. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. London: Wordsworth Editions, 2001.
Rodger, Kirsten. Ms. Marmite Lover's Secret Tea Party. United Kingdom: Random House, 2014.
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| [Image courtesy of Random House Publications, 2014] |
I have awarded this recipe a difficulty rating of: ★★★★★
Ingredients:
♥ 2 egg whites
♥ 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
♥ A pinch of sea salt
♥ 120g caster sugar
♥ Dark red (claret) food colouring paste (if you want to make magic toadstools) (optional)
♥ A stick of hard liquorice candy
♥ 100g good-quality dark chocolate, broken into pieces
♥ Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting (optional)
♥ A stick of hard liquorice candy
♥ 100g good-quality dark chocolate, broken into pieces
♥ Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting (optional)
Equipment:
♥ Several disposable piping bags
♥ Pastry brush
♥ Pastry brush
Method:
Pre-heat the oven to 110°C. Lay out as many baking sheets as you possess and line with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Whisk your egg whites (I hope you have an electric whisk, as this will save on elbow grease!) until they form soft peaks. Add the cream of tartar and salt. Then add the sugar, slowly, while continuing to whisk on high speed. Eventually it should look glossy and stiff.
Using a tall jug or glass to hold your piping bag (folded back so you can get the mixture into the pointy bit), scoop about half the mixture into the bag. Cut the tip off the end of the bag, but not too big - remember the hole will get bigger as you pipe. If you want to make toadstools, put a quarter of the remaining meringue mixture into the another bowl and mix it with some dark red food colouring, if using. Save the rest of the meringue mixture for sticking the stems and caps of the toadstool's meringues together (and for adding little white spots to the toadstool caps), if making these. Keep this in an airtight container or another piping bag.
First, pipe your mushroom stems. Holding the piping bag directly over a prepared baking sheet and making sure it's close to the sheet, pipe a sort of cone shape (about 1.5cm across and 2-3cm high). You need about 20. With a wet finger, slightly flatten the top of each one - you need it flat so that it fits on to the cap of the mushroom. Some of the stems will fall over, so pipe extra. You want them straight and upright.
Now pipe the caps: this is easier. Pipe circular mounds about 5cm across and 2cm high. Again, you will need about 20. And again, smooth the top of each one with a wet finger. Finely grate the liquorice candy on top of the caps. Or, for toadstools, using another piping bag, pipe the same size and number of caps (about 20) using the red meringue.
Bake the caps and stem for 45 minutes, making sure they don't go brown.
If you are making toadstools, make a teensy hole at the end of another piping bag, spoon in some of the leftover white meringue and pipe little white spots on top of the red caps, then bake them for a further 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely on the baking sheets.
Once they've cooled, you will notice that the bottom of many of the caps are 'dipped', just like real mushrooms.
Melt your chocolate either in a bain-marie, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the simmering water underneath, or in a bowl in the microwave (on full power) in 30-second bursts (in the microwave is the easiest way). Using a pastry brush, paint the dipped underside of your white mushroom caps with melted chocolate, then stick the stems on to the undersides of the caps and leave to dry. Handle with care or they'll break.
For toadstools, use the leftover meringue mix to stick the stems to the red caps, caps side down, then place them back on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 5 minutes until dry. Leave to cool.
If you don't like or cannot get hold of liquorice, dust all the mushrooms (but not the toadstools) with the cocoa powder to give that speckled mushroomy look on top.
If you have any leftover meringue mixture, simply pipe, bake, assemble and decorate some more mushrooms or toadstools in the same way as before.
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It could be argued that Kerstin Rodger's cookbook Ms. Marmite Lover's Secret Tea Party bears a great deal of similarities to Isabella Beeton's hugely famous 1861 publication Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management.
Like a modern day Beeton, Rodger's approach to her audience is ridden with connotations to social class, ranging from her discussion of ingredients (viands) to her thoughts on tea party etiquette. The cookbook's introduction discusses the social and historical importance of tea, dating as far back as the early eighteenth century, with 'the Duchess of Bedford generally considered to be the pioneer of the British Afternoon tea party' in her opinion (p16).
The language used throughout both the chapter, and entirety of the text, assists in creating the illusion of the exquisite, flattering the reader. Her exclamation that 'you don't have to be hungry to enjoy an afternoon tea... real life is on hold... food as fuel is notionally cast away' (p13) speaks volumes about her desired audience, whom is assumed to be middle class housewives.
Each of her recipes - such as Swan Pavlovas, Ruby Shoe Biscuits and Champagne Rose Jellies - alongside descriptions of table arrangement reinforce the notion that tea is an aesthetically pleasing occasion. As noted by Rodger's 'prettiness is essential, a cake is like a fashion accessory' (p13).
The language used throughout both the chapter, and entirety of the text, assists in creating the illusion of the exquisite, flattering the reader. Her exclamation that 'you don't have to be hungry to enjoy an afternoon tea... real life is on hold... food as fuel is notionally cast away' (p13) speaks volumes about her desired audience, whom is assumed to be middle class housewives.
Each of her recipes - such as Swan Pavlovas, Ruby Shoe Biscuits and Champagne Rose Jellies - alongside descriptions of table arrangement reinforce the notion that tea is an aesthetically pleasing occasion. As noted by Rodger's 'prettiness is essential, a cake is like a fashion accessory' (p13).
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| [Image courtesy of Random House, 2014 (p22)] |
Works Cited
Beeton, Isabella. Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management: Abridged Version. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000.
Carroll, Lewis. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. London: Wordsworth Editions, 2001.
Rodger, Kirsten. Ms. Marmite Lover's Secret Tea Party. United Kingdom: Random House, 2014.
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| [Image courtesy of Walt Disney, Alice in Wonderland (1951)] |
"There seemed to be no use in waiting by the little door, so she went back to the table... this time she found a little bottle on it, 'which certainly was not here before' said Alice, and round the neck of the bottle was a paper label, with the words 'DRINK ME' beautifully printed on it in large letters." (p42)
I have awarded this recipe a difficulty rating of: ★
I have awarded this recipe a difficulty rating of: ★
Ingredients:
♥ 100g sugar
♥ 5 lemons
♥ 1L sparkling mineral water
♥ Handful of ice
Recipe:
1) Squeeze four of the lemons, collecting the juice in a jug.
2) Stir in the sugar until dissolved.
3) Add ice, then top up with the sparkling water.
4) Slice the fifth lemon and add for garnish.
Note: Lemonade can be sweetened to suit personal taste, adding a teaspoon of sugar at a time.
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Following my success with the Queen of Heart's jam tarts, the next Sunday I decided I would attempt to recreate the magical drink which shrinks Alice to the size of a dormouse, allowing her to continue her exploration of Wonderland.
Adopting the kitsch trend for serving drinks in mason jars, I looked forward to trying this recipe in preparation for summer - although perhaps wishful thinking, after all this is England. The instructions seemed simple enough, vastly appealing to my inner laziness.
Having squeezed the lemons, I added the suggested amount of sugar and water, stirring until fully dissolved. By this point my mouth was literally watering at the sweet and sour aroma filling my kitchen; imagining myself on the beach, Long Island Ice Tea in one hand, book in the other.
Next it was time to garnish and serve, the perfect opportunity to make use of my experience as a cocktail mixologist. Filling the empty jar from last week's adventure in the kitchen with crushed ice, I poured in the lemonade - the delightful cracking of the ice and fizzing of the lemonade fighting to be heard. After garnishing with lemon and children's party straws, I tied a string label with the fitting words 'Drink Me' around the rim.
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Following my success with the Queen of Heart's jam tarts, the next Sunday I decided I would attempt to recreate the magical drink which shrinks Alice to the size of a dormouse, allowing her to continue her exploration of Wonderland.
Having squeezed the lemons, I added the suggested amount of sugar and water, stirring until fully dissolved. By this point my mouth was literally watering at the sweet and sour aroma filling my kitchen; imagining myself on the beach, Long Island Ice Tea in one hand, book in the other.
Next it was time to garnish and serve, the perfect opportunity to make use of my experience as a cocktail mixologist. Filling the empty jar from last week's adventure in the kitchen with crushed ice, I poured in the lemonade - the delightful cracking of the ice and fizzing of the lemonade fighting to be heard. After garnishing with lemon and children's party straws, I tied a string label with the fitting words 'Drink Me' around the rim.
In terms of it's narrative function in Alice in Wonderland, the physical act of drinking the mystery contents of the bottles, as previously mentioned, causes Alice to shrink to a minute size, allowing her entrance through the tiny curtained door. It could be suggested that her change in height is a reference to her return to an infant state, in which the fantasy of Wonderland can appear more plausible - a world in which logic and the constraints of society are no longer a concern.
The drink also acts as a warning to reader's of the dangers of eating and drinking. Alice drinks the contents of the unidentified bottle with little regard for her own well being, her reckless behaviour a reminder of her childishness. Recent readings of the text suggest that drug use is a prominent theme, easily distinguished in this scene, a mystery liquid altering Alice's physical state. However, 'expects are sceptical, Carroll wasn't thought to have been a recreational user of opium... and the references may say more about the people making them than the author' (BBC).
Works Cited:
BBC. “Is Alice in Wonderland Really About Drugs?” bbc.co.uk. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19254839, 20th August 2012. Web. Date Accessed: 22nd February 2015.
Carroll, Lewis. Alice in Wonderland. London: Wordsworth Editions, 2001.
The drink also acts as a warning to reader's of the dangers of eating and drinking. Alice drinks the contents of the unidentified bottle with little regard for her own well being, her reckless behaviour a reminder of her childishness. Recent readings of the text suggest that drug use is a prominent theme, easily distinguished in this scene, a mystery liquid altering Alice's physical state. However, 'expects are sceptical, Carroll wasn't thought to have been a recreational user of opium... and the references may say more about the people making them than the author' (BBC).
Works Cited:
BBC. “Is Alice in Wonderland Really About Drugs?” bbc.co.uk. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19254839, 20th August 2012. Web. Date Accessed: 22nd February 2015.
Carroll, Lewis. Alice in Wonderland. London: Wordsworth Editions, 2001.