Dr. Annie Gray

Right, so Alexis Sawyer is best known in terms of his books for Schilling Cookery for the People, which was a massive bestseller. But I am going to talk about this book, The Modern Housewife, which was published in 1849 and then went through subsequent editions. And the reason I want to go through that is because he's always recognized for The Magic Stove and for the other book.

But this one to me is unique among history books. Because it is written by a French chef who was almost illiterate, working through a series of secretaries. And not only is it a brilliant book from a recipe point of view, but the way it is written is just magic. So he writes this book from the point of view of two Victorian English housewives, writing to each other, Hortense and Heloise.

But this one to me is unique among history books. Because it is written by a French chef who was almost illiterate, working through a series of secretaries. And not only is it a brilliant book from a recipe point of view, but the way it is written is just magic. So he writes this book from the point of view of two Victorian English housewives, writing to each other, Hortense and Heloise.

Hortense is the kind of mother figure who is advising Heloise on how she can run her household. And it's not just, you know, here's a letter about roasts. You know, they chat to each other, they talk about what's going on in their neighbourhood. Throughout the different editions, their story changes.

Hortense is the kind of mother figure who is advising Heloise on how she can run her household. And it's not just, you know, here's a letter about roasts. You know, they chat to each other, they talk about what's going on in their neighbourhood. Throughout the different editions, their story changes.

So by 1853, Hortense has fallen upon bad times due to her husband speculating unwisely on the railways and had to move from St. John's Wood to Rugby. where she can now advise on other things involving poor people's food, for example. You get really invested, you want to buy the different books.

So by 1853, Hortense has fallen upon bad times due to her husband speculating unwisely on the railways and had to move from St. John's Wood to Rugby. where she can now advise on other things involving poor people's food, for example. You get really invested, you want to buy the different books.

But interspersed with that are things that are brilliant for a food historian, because you can study social history through it because of those details. He has a picture in here which shows you apple pie, one of my favourite pictures in the book ever, apple pie as it ought to be, taken from still life, followed by apple pie as they often are. And you look at that and you think, yes,

But interspersed with that are things that are brilliant for a food historian, because you can study social history through it because of those details. He has a picture in here which shows you apple pie, one of my favourite pictures in the book ever, apple pie as it ought to be, taken from still life, followed by apple pie as they often are. And you look at that and you think, yes,

People in the Victorian times, they cocked up their food as well. This makes me feel reassured. But also, and the final thing about it, is the recipes are fantastic. So I brought in Rout Biscuits. I've never managed to find a biscuit recipe which satisfyingly moulds every single time you make it.

People in the Victorian times, they cocked up their food as well. This makes me feel reassured. But also, and the final thing about it, is the recipes are fantastic. So I brought in Rout Biscuits. I've never managed to find a biscuit recipe which satisfyingly moulds every single time you make it.

And as you can see from these, they are a little biscuit, a lot like a rich tea biscuit, and I like a rich tea, but they take a mould. You can emboss figures onto them and then these would have been served at balls.

And as you can see from these, they are a little biscuit, a lot like a rich tea biscuit, and I like a rich tea, but they take a mould. You can emboss figures onto them and then these would have been served at balls.