The Enid Blyton Society

I see that there's an article in the 'Daily Telegraph' today that Allegra McEvedy (author of assorted large-format recipe books eg 'Around the World in 120 Recipes') is bringing out an 'Enid Blyton Cookbook' with Hachette, entitled 'Jolly Good Food'. This is supposed to be recipes inspired by Enid's work and possibly some by Enid herself, but there is no indication as to whether she will include any taken verbatim from the books (most obviously the contents of some of the Five's enormous picnics or farmhouse breakfasts).

This seems to be intended in an appreciative manner with accurate accounts of what menus appear where in the books, rather than the usual tongue-in-cheek 'witty' Blyton parodies. It's from a serious cookery author, not a 'humourist' desperate to extract laughs and play up to the Comic Strip image, which is hopeful. It's noted that Enid did include 'healthy' breakfasts with what we would now call 'organic' milk, eggs etc. Enid and Allegra are cited as joint authors on the Hachette website reference to this. We shall see what its' like - as long as there are only 'lashings' of boiled eggs, as in the real books, not ginger beer!

Perhaps Enid can be played up too as a promoter of conservationist faring as opposed to industrialised modern farms too - certainly I always bracketed her as such with Monica Edwards. The Mistletoe Farm and Cherry Tree/ Willow Farm books are a ice picture of the 1940s-50s situation before 50-acre fields, tearing up hedgerows, and concrete sheds came along - with realistic pictures of the problems and the temptation of small, neat, modern Holly Farm.

Sounds interesting, I will have to look out for it.

I spoke to Jack Malvern from the Times about this yesterday and he seems to have written an article, but as I am not a subscriber to their online site I can't read it to see if I have been misquoted - rather annoying!

Here we are — just found it on Hachette's website: https://www.hachettechildrens.co.uk/boo ... 1444929805" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; It just says it's "coming soon", which could mean anything. Seems it's aimed at children — I might still consider getting it for my mum, though, who loves both cooking and Enid Blyton.

Mind you, the ad certainly promises "lashings of ginger beer", so I wouldn't be surprised if the book also has it!! I also wonder whether they'll go for the "classic" look with the illustrations, or the modern ones...

Just as long as they have recipes for Pop Biscuits, Google Buns, Hot and Cold Goodies and Toffee Shocks, I'll buy it!

I wonder if they'll have any recipes involving potted meat or tinned tongue?

Haha! I'm still not sure what potted meat is. Is it simply meat paste?

Yes I always thought of it as meat paste as my mother always referred to meat paste as "potted meat".

The book does sound interesting, better than the parodies anyway. perhaps recipes for cooking baked hams and meat pies etc could be included along with the fun stuff like toffee shocks and pop biscuits.

It sounds as if it could be interesting and more wholesome than the adult lot! Yes, I think potted meat is meat paste too. I always wanted a recipe of pop biscuits and google buns too.

It is amazing that something like this can cause such a fuss when it has been listed on Amazon for several months! I suppose I am the only person who looks at future publications!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jolly-Good-Foo ... 322&sr=1-8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It is due to be published on 5th October, but the picture shown in the various articles shows a different cover now.

Thanks for the link Courtenay, on the Hachette website I see new ebook editions of the O'Clock Tales are being published in June. Apparently they have the original text and illustrations. Interesting.

Thanks for the Amazon link, Tony. I notice it's listed under Children's Books > Fiction > Classics... shouldn't it be something like Children's Books > Non-fiction > Cookery? Or do they always assume anything with Enid Blyton's name on it must be fiction??

I'd like that book, especially if it's got the Faraway Tree recipes in it . I can't stand that awful modern looking cover though! It looks more like something from Roald Dahl than Enid Blyton .

When I was talking to the journalist from The Times he did read out the list of some of the recipes in the book, as he had phoned Hachette and asked about the book. I am sure they will be in his article which annoyingly I can't read as I am not an online subscriber. I can't remember much, but they were all fairly mundane things which would be easy for children to cook - rock cakes, treacle tarts, quiches etc. They didn't really have much to do with Enid Blyton stories.

Quiches? I don't remember them in any EB book. My mother used to make a dish she called a "bacon and egg pie" which I suppose Joan might have knocked up in the Kirrin Cottage kitchen, though.