patsylabrador Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 I bought a copy of Mrs Beeton's household management and it is quite funny in places. Apart from a recipe for Leek soup which starts with 'a sheep's head', I found this in the bit about chicken housing - 'the perches must be level,and not one above the other, or unpleasant consequences may ensue to the undermost row'. I wasn't sure if it was said tongue in cheek but I suspect she was just being Victorian about poo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 It's a nice way to put it though! I was staggered to find that Mrs Beeton died at the age of 28, so she was never the matronly author I thought she was Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 I've got an old copy of that Mrs Beeton book - it's very comical. Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patsylabrador Posted November 20, 2009 Author Share Posted November 20, 2009 I had no idea! I always imagined someone who looked a bit like Queen Victoria in her matronly phase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 I've got her huge cook book and it does contain some quite weird things although saying that I've got a cookbook from the 70's and that has some equally weird looking dishes. Grapes seemed fairly popular in main courses back then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 I think I'm right in saying she wasn't married either. Her title was made up because they thought it necessary to be married to sell the book. Otherwise there would be lots of wives who thought they would know more about keeping house than Mrs Beeton and they would have been right! I have Mrs Beeton's Family Cookery which belonged to my Gran. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 There are some rather nice Mrs Beeton books in the M&S Christmas range this year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 I think I'm right in saying she wasn't married either. Her title was made up because they thought it necessary to be married to sell the book. Otherwise there would be lots of wives who thought they would know more about keeping house than Mrs Beeton and they would have been right! I have Mrs Beeton's Family Cookery which belonged to my Gran. I think she was married, Ginette. I remember a bit in the Victorian Kitchen TV programme about her marrying Samuel Orchard Beeton who was a publisher who urged her to write for his publications. (I think I've watched my DVD too many times ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggy Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 I thought she was married too, vaguely remember watching the DVD when she & hubby were living in the top rooms of a big old house & her very pregnant Mother visited & she told her Dad off for getting her in the family way again!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henriette Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 I have a feeling that she wasn't actually a very good cook, but "stole" recipes from others who could, then added her own personal touch. Sounds familar! Isn't that what many cooks do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 I have a feeling that she wasn't actually a very good cook, but "stole" recipes from others who could, then added her own personal touch. Yes, I believe they were usually Eliza Acton's recipes ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Sounds a bit like Delia Smith with some of her recipes, I think some of them were actually by 'Elizabeth David'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 There's quite a good biography - The Short Life and Long Times of Mrs Beeton - she was married, but she wasn't an experienced housewife, and the book was really more a collection of helpful hints and other people's recipes and so on. She had quite a hard life with her husband, money problems and so on - it's an interesting read. I think her husband, as publisher, deliberately promoted this idea of a matronly figure because a book by a young woman in her twenties would have been hard to sell, and he continued promoting this image after her death. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henriette Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 There's quite a good biography - The Short Life and Long Times of Mrs Beeton - she was married, but she wasn't an experienced housewife, and the book was really more a collection of helpful hints and other people's recipes and so on. She had quite a hard life with her husband, money problems and so on - it's an interesting read. I think her husband, as publisher, deliberately promoted this idea of a matronly figure because a book by a young woman in her twenties would have been hard to sell, and he continued promoting this image after her death. Clever Hubby!! It sure paid off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 That's clearly what I was thinking Olly. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A chickychickychick-ENN!! Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 I heart La Beeton. I have a facsimile edition of HM, and I love it. So much aspic, so little time! I also have a Beeton sewingy book which I bought at an antique fair in Suffolk, which tickled the ladies who run it so much they had actually note-bookmarked a page with 'knee warmers!!!' which must be knitted in a very specific shade of pink yarn. Knee warmers. Genius. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted November 21, 2009 Share Posted November 21, 2009 I have a really old copy of Mrs Beetons cookery book, I bought it ages ago at a jumble sale in my mum's old school in Scarborough. I think it may be a wartime edition (can't find a date but it has adverts just inside the cover) as a lot of recipes have potatoes in, like scones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Webmuppet Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 I have a very old Mrs Beeton too, my Gran bought it in a 2nd hand shop when she was young......it's alwways good for a chuckle (or an old fashioned recipe) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 Fans of mre beeton,who also like a good read,might like this book I have recommended it here before. The heroine is a huge Mrs Beeton fan & quotes her a lot - she also keeps hens It has a lot of black humour,& is a lovely read Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
