I borrowed this book from my Momsies, who borrowed it from my Aunt, who borrowed it from my family doctor (some bits of Milton are still small-town), who may or may not have borrowed it from someone else. Needless to say, the edges are quite curled. It’s a good book. Written diary-style, it follows the romance between the Prince of Wales and Wallis Simpson, as recorded via the (somewhat superficial yet cheeky) pen of a wealthy American named Maybell Brumby – for instance, when the Prince’s brother warns the group not to ‘break bread’ with Hitler, our charmingly oblivious narrator notes they were not breaking bread but having tea.
The back cover reads:
When Maybell Brumby, frisky, wealthy, and recently widowed, quits Baltimore and arrives in London, she finds that her old school chum, Bessie Wallis Warfield, is there ahead of her. Impoverished and ambitious as ever, Wallis is on the make. Hampered by plodding husband number two, but armed with terrific bone structure and a few erotic tricks picked up in China, Wallis sets her sights on the most eligible bachelor in the world: the Prince of Wales, heir to the throne. Maybell, with her deep pockets, makes the perfect ally, and her disarming dimness makes her the most delicious chronicler of the scandal that rocked a monarchy and changed the course of history.
Spanning from 1932 to 1946, it was fun to read about the frivolous adventures of a group of affluent Brits as they frolick about the U.K. and Europe, blithely unawares of an impending war that will change everything. With appearances by historical figures both real and imagined, author Laurie Graham brings to life the main players from this pivotal moment in the British monarchy and lets her readers take a ‘fly on the wall’ look into its decadence and drama.
But what I liked best was the food.
British food gets a bad rap. Most people believe it consists solely of deep fried sausage rolls, meat pies, fish-n-chips, or boiled cabbage. But they are so wrong! I love British cuisine. I don’t mean pub fare, but real food. It’s one of my Top 5 favourites (the others being Middle Eastern, Mexican, Japanese and Greek). When I think of “British food” I imagine Sunday lamb roast; venison with a side of arugula, lemon and parmesan salad; fresh local fruits & veg; amazing farm cheeses; pheasant, duck, Guinea fowl… basically LOCAL, ORGANIC (without actually needing that distinction) FARM FOODS. I love it. For more tasty British recipe ideas, seek out Jamie Oliver, Nigella Lawson, Nigel Slater or The New English Kitchen by Rose Prince.
And so, without further ado, I present to you a list of the foods in Gone with the Windsors:
25th May 1932 – Poached salmon again. (Pg 13)
14th June 1932 – Lamb chop, syrup tart, custard. (Pg 20)
27th June 1932 – Caviars: beluga, sevruga, and ossetra. (Pg 25)
29th June 1932 – Squab, sherbet. (Pg 26)
1st July 1932 – Poached elk. (Pg 28)
21st July 1932 – Soup, an entrée, and a dessert composed from stale cake and canned fruits. (Pg 32)
28th July 1932 – Kippered herring. (Pg 33)
29th July 1932 – Tea & toast, egg. (Pg 34)
12th August 1932 – Shooting Lunch: stag pie, salad, cake with flaked almonds. (Pg 40)
17th August 1932 – French Toast, sausages, cake with lots of jam; tea & scones. (Pg 43)
26th August 1932 – No food, but a mention of Cadogan Square, near Harrod’s, which is where Ottolenghi Belgravia is situated, sigh. (Pg 44)
26th September 1932 – Pot of tea. (Pg 46)
6th October 1932 – Rather dry marble cake. (Pg 49)
20th October 1932 – Just champagne, whiskey, and salted almonds… served very nicely. (Pg 52)
4th November 1932 – Duck terrine, tenderloin of pork, damson tart. (Pg 55)
5th December 1932 – Oysters, flown up from Kent, and roast Guinea fowl dressed with home-grown oranges. In Hertfordshire! Then a blue cheese made in Norfolk and a plum pudding carried flaming and aloft by a six-foot Ethiopian in silk livery. (Pg 59)
1st January 1933 – Champagne at the Savoy. (Pg 64)
6th March 1933 – Chocolate sandwiches. (Pg 73)
16th March 1933 – Scotch and soda. (Pg 75)
16th April 1933 – A simple, rustic luncheon served on the lawn: spit-roasted kid and pineapple ice. (Pg 81)
26th April 1933 – Curried chicken, gin fizzes and cold beer. (Pg 83)
30th April 1933 – Avocado ice cream, curried chicken, apple fritters. (Pg 84)
9th June 1933 – Daiquiris, shrimp toasts, prunes in bacon, knackwurst and pickles. (Pg 91)
11th June 1933 – Crayfish. (Pg 92)
22nd June 1933 – Royal Ascot: dressed crab, tarragon chicken, and a strawberry mousse. (Pg 94)
4th September 1933 – Cream meringue. (Pg 104)
15th September 1993 – Game soup, boiled capon, mushroom savoury. (Pg 107)
29th September 1933 – Egg custard. (Pg 107)
14th October 1933 – Stirrup cup: brandy and lemons and hot sugar water. (Pg 110)
16th November 1933 – Good champagne, but served with an extraordinary sour jam. (Pg 116)
4th December 1933 – Smoked haddock sandwiches, chocolate cake. (Pg 118)
18th December 1933 – Sausages and creamed potatoes. (Pg 120)
24th December 1933 – Hot chocolate and whipped cream. (Pg 121)
9th March 1934 – Fort Belvedere: HRH himself carved the roast lamb. (Pg 130)
10th March 1934 – Club sandwiches, popped corn. (Pg 131)
23rd March 1934 – Tea & shortcakes. Pg 133
21st April 1934 – Bacon and eggs. Pg 141
19th June 1934 – Champagne by the swimming pool. Shrimp appetizers, veal scallopine, and a kumquat parfait. Pg 151
1st September 1934 – Ice cream, cutlets. Pg 161
29th November 1934 – Thanksgiving turkey and fixings. Pg 178
23rd December 1934 – Hot cider and Christmas carols. Pg 181
9th February 1935 – A pot of chocolate and a plate of ham for breakfast. Pg 188
25th March 1935 – Cold cuts and baked potatoes served on trays. Pg 193
12th April 1935 – Soufflé omelettes, Florida salad ; To Selfridges for Welsh rarebit. Pg 195
6th May 1935 – Poached salmon, inevitably, and sherry trifle, and endless cups of tea; Later at Hyde Park: booths selling delicious saveloys with fried onions. Pg 197
27th March 1935 – Bread and soup. Pg 200
9th September 1935 – Cherry pancakes. Pg 210
28th May 1936 – Wally’s dinner for the Lindberghs: Artichokes with a mousse of foie gras, tarragon chicken, blueberry ice cream. Pg 240
17th June 1936 – Fried chicken. Pg 241
31st July 1936 – A clambake in Surrey! Lobsters. Pg 245
16th October 1936 – Smoked salmon. Pg 256
31st October 1936 – To Carlton Gardens for tea. Pg 261
2nd November 1936 – Figs and ham, oxtail ragout, pear tart. Pg 262
22nd November 1936 – Beer and sandwiches. Pg 268
29th January 1937 – Champagne and shrimp. Pg 294
3rd June 1937 – Lobster, strawberries, and champagne. Pg 317
18th July 1937 – Broiled steak. Pg 321
14th September 1937 – Omelettes, made with mushrooms, salad greens and cheeses. Pg 329
14th October 1937 – Ice cream; Champagne in abundance, mountains of caviar and pretzels. Pg 332
22nd October 1937 – Visit with President Hitler: trout luncheon, tea and éclairs. Pg 335
15th January 1938 – Sandwiches. Pg 346
8th March 1938Pg 351 – Far too much champagne, and then to Les Halles for onion soup.
12th April 1938 – Piquant chicken livers, eggplant baked with tomatoes, custard ice with crème de cassis. (Pg 354)
26th April 1938 – Carafe wine and saltines. (Pg 355)
21st August 1938 – Pancakes and coffee. (Pg 359)
8th December 1938 – A roast partridge can work wonders. (Pg 367)
Indeed!
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