BICYCLES, BLOOMERS AND GREAT WAR RATIONING RECIPES

Sub-titled 'The Life and Times of Dorothy Peel OBE', the author is the great-great granddaughter of Mrs Peel who wrote many books on cookery and household management. Dorothy's recipes are featured in their original form such as the long forgotten Devilled Bananas and wartime Potato Gateau, Chicken en Casserole, Cheese Pufflets and delicious teatime treats such as Feather Tart and Candied Pears, Nursery Cake and Madeleines. From the Foreword: 'She was an enlightened woman, who lived long before her time. She wrote with great passion on other subjects too like Women's Suffrage, homosexuality in the Great War, the work carried on by women, the rationing of food during it and the heavy burden women carried with great stoicism and dedication to keep life going on as normal as possible. Soon I was asked to do Granny Dot's lunches, teas, dinners and given cake or biscuits to comment on... I was very pleasantly surprised at how delicious they were... simplicity and the very few ingredients they contain.' Apart from recipes, Mrs Peel in all her books gives advice and suggestions that are all very up to date. For instance she writes about fruit 'Fruit, if fresh, is better eaten raw, as in the cooking its value is destroyed.' She refers to bone stock, fried chopped onion and a little Worcestershire Sauce, well seasoned and spice 'excellent and when mixed with crumbs or cooked, rice can be made into croquettes or rissoles.' This is similar to how any contemporary thrifty cook will cook. Mrs Peel gives the recipe of an Italian Macaroni Pie which is her version of the many pasta pies made up and down the Italian peninsular using a little baking powder in the shortcrust pastry. The book explores the social and cultural history and how Dorothy played a key role and was awarded an OBE in 1918 for services to the Ministry of Food. Using extracts from her autobiography, her witty, poignant and informative comments reveal a woman with a genuine social conscience. The many original wartime recipes also include Scalloped Salmon, Maize Woodcock, Anchovy Butter and Ragout of Mutton. 200 splendid large pages, colour and archive photos.