Marguerite Patten (1915–2015)

Below is a picture of the best cookbook ever.


I know it looks old. It is. Published in 1968 this is the book my mother learned to cook from. She passed it on to me when I became a teenager and learned to mix and conjure up a meal or two from it myself. More than that actually. It's almost an encyclopaedia of cooking covering starters, mains and desserts as well as in-depth information on different types of vegetables, meats, pasta -and how to cook them, equipment, accompanying wines and so show more on, as well as walking through the basics and more complicated recipes.

It's expansive containing hundreds of recipes, yet detailed and easy to understand. My failure rate was very, very low unlike some of my attempts at modern recipes. However, it's age does show here and there. I don't see myself handling pig's trotters any time soon but then that kind of thing is quite retro and these things come back into fashion every so often.

And then, sadly, I lost our copy in a house move in 2006. I was devastated. I tried looking for it online but the paper slip cover had gone long ago and although I leafed through it's pages often I had no idea what the title was, just the author. Scouring the net, I ordered a used Patten book I thought could be The One. It wasn't. Then when I saw the description and cover of this, I knew it had to be my Holy Grail. And I was right! I have so many memories of using it from childhood with one of my parents by my side and through school lessons, I'm ecstatic to have found a copy in such great condition. I'll treasure it always. show less

This is a great cookbook for the very traditional dishes we all read about in novels. Now I can see what a freshly made Eccles Cake looks like (something I would eat a dozen of). It's all written for the home cook, so nothing that takes too many gadgets, though some ingredients wouldn't be so readily available to the American cook. Am I going to make a Pigeon Pie, Jellied Fish Cream or Jugged Hare? No. But Cheese Pudding and Gingernuts sound awesome.

Basic Soups by Marguerite Patten in a 2008 Grub Street Cookery publication.

I picked this book up on a whim from the Overdrive library. Although I made soups all year round, I am more apt to be in the mood to cook a big pot of soup during the winter months, so I was hoping for some tips and tricks, and maybe a few recipes that would mix things up a bit.
I got all that and quite a bit more. The author goes into great detail about how to make the broth or soup stock and all the various meat or show more vegetable bases one could start with and goes on from there -including soups that are creamy or clear, vegetable, fish, meat, poultry- cold soups, and even fruit soups and soups for those who are dieting. Not only are there recipes, but various methods of cooking are explained, which includes microwave cooking and pressure cooking.

I learned a lot from the text portions and did find some interesting recipes. The huge downside of this informative cookbook is that there are no pictures- not one- front or back.

Overall, this book was very helpful for me when it came to making homemade broths and soup bases. The recipes are mostly simple, and the ingredients are not hard to find, in most cases. I appreciated the variations provided and the notes on how to freeze or not. That said, I’m not sure if I will purchase a copy for future reference, but I did keep it in my 'considering List' - just in case. show less

This book was very interesting to read. Unlike most recipe books, which are dry and boring, this makes for a highly entertaining read. It does not just contain recipes, but it also shows real tips, articles and advertisements from World War II. Despite having to cope with strict rationing (or perhaps because of the war rations), Britons were the healthiest they had ever been, or would be again. The recipes in this book look to be both economical and tasty and I cannot wait to give them a try!