Posted November 16, 2023 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 0 Comments
Today’s recipe from ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL is inspired by my favorite character—Tristan! In the show, Tristan is the younger brother of local veterinarian Siegfried Farnon. He is first presented as a potential rival for fellow vet Jim, but the two soon become friends and frequently get each other into (and, thankfully, out of) mischief. Tristan’s character arc is so heartwarming. Watching him grow from an impish flirt into a responsible, empathetic young man (all while maintaining his signature sense of humor) is one of the highlights of the show.
Today we’re making individual shepherd’s pie, which Tristan makes for the housekeeper, Mrs. Hall, to welcome her home after she’s had an emotionally exhausting day. Since this episode was Tristan’s first time cooking, I kept my recipe simple: ground beef and mixed vegetables simmered in beef stock with onions and herbs, topped with mashed potatoes. I made my favorite mashed potatoes for the top: red potatoes coarsely mashed and mixed with garlic and cream cheese. Divine!
This is such a comforting, satisfying dish, exactly what Mrs. Hall would need after a hard day. I hope you enjoy it too!
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Posted February 4, 2021 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 0 Comments
Today my foray into early 19th century cooking continues! I’m making a recipe for roasted potatoes I found in the 1823 cookbook The Cook’s Oracle by William Kitchiner. Roasted potatoes may sound like a dull choice, but I think this is the perfect recipe to showcase one of the fascinating differences between modern and historical cookbooks: the level of detail in the recipes. Read More
Posted February 8, 2018 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 3 Comments
Goose: it’s a dish I’ve put off cooking for years because of the horror stories I’ve heard about how hard it is to make. It’s thrilling to finally step up and tackle something you’ve always found intimidating, and even more so when your first attempt goes really well.
When I decided to make roast goose as my Wuthering Heights entree, I began the hunt for a recipe that was both manageable and reliably successful. This was surprisingly difficult. I saw recipes that insisted you must sear and flip the goose in a roasting pan to get a brown color without overcooking, others that called for multiple extra recipes like glaze and stuffing, and still more that claimed it was impossible to evenly cook a whole goose (and that the only solution was to carve it before cooking). I felt discouraged and more than a little fearful. Goose can cost upwards of $60, and I did NOT want to screw this up.
Then I found this wonderful recipe from The Woks of Life. It had more steps than some of the recipes I’d seen, but it was easier to follow and didn’t require anything weird like searing the bird in a separate pan. It was an orange five-spice goose recipe, which sounded delicious. The seasoning also caused it to roast darker than the average goose, helping to avoid the issue of a finished birth that’s too light on top. The only downside was that the flavor profile was a little inaccurate for Victorian England, but given the circumstances, I think we can overlook it. 😉
The bird turned out beautiful on my very first try. It was seasoned perfectly, and the meat was tender and rich. I felt so proud when I pulled it out of the oven, and although it’s a little pricey for a regular weeknight meal, I would have no problems making this if my family ever wants to give Christmas goose a try!
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Posted January 14, 2016 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 5 Comments
In the King Arthur legends, there are countless accounts of feasts and merriment, but descriptions of the specific dishes they ate are rare. We know from medieval history that these feasts probably involved a lot of savory pies, boiled vegetables, fruit, and roasted meat. I’ll admit I fantasized about roasting a whole pig for this recipe just like they would have done in the olden days, but whole animals are a little difficult to source these days (and I’m not exactly sure how I’d cook one if I found it). Still, large beef roasts were equally common, so I decided to use my go-to pot roast recipe to make a dish very similar to the sort of entrée you’d expect to see at a medieval feast, yet prepared in a way that fits a modern kitchen. Inspired by the Questing Beast which Sir Pellinore so valiantly pursued, this delicious roasted beast is fit for any king’s table.
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Posted December 18, 2014 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 4 Comments
I love a lot of things about Mrs. Cratchit: her energy, her spunk, and the obvious love and respect she has for her husband. However, more than anything, I love how Mrs. Cratchit sees her family’s financial status not as a burden but as a challenge to be met. Scrooge notes that the Cratchit meal is quite modest in its size and components, almost inadequate for a family of that size. However, to Mrs. Cratchit, this simply means that the quality of the meal is that much more important. She spares no effort in infusing the basic fair—goose, potatoes, and applesauce—with every bit of deliciousness her repertoire of cooking techniques has to offer.
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Posted June 12, 2014 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 9 Comments
Cottleston Pie is a bona fide Winnie the Pooh invention. Until A.A. Milne wrote a poem about it in Winnie the Pooh, it never existed. The playful little poem explains that every creature is unique and acts according to its nature, essentially saying that we’re all what we’re made to be. Simple enough, right?
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Posted April 17, 2014 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 5 Comments
So often I feel like we overlook side dishes as an opportunity for creativity. I’ll admit, I’m the queen of zapping frozen peas in the microwave and calling it done. But since this dish was going to represent all the magical goodness that is Harry Potter, I felt honor-bound to push my boundaries and turn a simple soup into something special. Luckily, I think I succeeded!
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Posted January 9, 2014 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 2 Comments
Entrée time! Since I’m doing this particular book in tea party format, I loathe the idea of making anything too heavy. Still, I must admit I’m a carnivore at heart and don’t feel that a meal is complete without some good ol’ meat. Luckily, my mom’s delicious beef pasties are the best of both worlds: deliciously light and fluffy, yet soooo satisfying!
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