When Matilda goes to visit her teacher, Miss Honey, she’s served a simple snack of brown bread with margarine and tea. It’s the first time Matilda visits her beloved teacher’s home, and she’s understandably distressed that Miss Honey lives in a bare-bones cottage with little food. However, the thing that stood out to me most wasn’t Miss Honey’s dire living situation; it was her reaction to it. She has no refrigerator or real stove but doesn’t seem to mind. She serves Matilda but eats nothing herself, cheerfully insisting she’s not hungry because she eats a large lunch at school every day.

This seems a little sad at first, as if she’s just putting on a brave face for Matilda’s sake, but when we learn what the cottage represents to her, we realize that it’s truly precious, even with its shortcomings. As she and Matilda have tea, Miss Honey explains that she rented the cottage to get away from her cruel aunt. We get the impression that her freedom is so important to her that her circumstances don’t bother her as much as they might. Deep down, she feels the pain of privation, but her current life is the first step into something better. In this moment, we see that Miss Honey is made of sterner stuff than we might have imagined, and it only makes us love her all the more. And at the end of the book when Miss Honey’s inheritance is finally returned to her, we see her and Matilda having tea—with real butter and jam on their bread!

Miss Honey’s bread is one of my favorite aspects of the book, because it’s used as a symbol of both difficulty and triumph. I knew it would be the perfect side dish for my Matilda menu. The bread in the book isn’t described in much detail (beyond being brown), so I decided to go with something simple and hearty with a touch of honey: this whole wheat honey oatmeal bread from Girl Versus Dough. It’s one of the easier breads I’ve made, and the hint of sweetness made it just right. Serve with butter and tea, and you’re all set! 🙂

A

Miss Honey’s Whole Wheat Honey Oat Bread

“Miss Honey got a teapot from the cupboard and put some tea leaves into it. She also found half a small loaf of brown bread. She cut two thin slices and then, from a plastic container, she took some margarine and spread it on the bread.”

— Matilda

 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup water (not pictured)
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 packet active dry yeast
• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 tbsp salt

 

Makes 1 loaf

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. 1. 1. Start by pouring the water and milk into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30-45 seconds or until warm but not hot.
      2. Add the water mix and honey to the bowl of a standing mixer and gently stir until the honey is dissolved. Sprinkle the yeast on top and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
      3. Stir in the flours, oats, butter, and salt. Knead with a dough hook on medium speed for 6 minutes (the dough should be smooth, elastic, and just slightly sticky). Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and allow to rest for 1 hour.
         
         

         Before

         

         After

      4. Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Press the dough into an 8×8 squared and roll it into a log. Place the log in a greased bread pan. Cover again with the kitchen towel and allow to rest for 30-40 minutes.
         
      5. Preheat oven to 400°. Bake 40-50 minutes, rotating halfway through, until the top crust is a rich brown color and the loaf sounds hollow on the bottom when firmly tapped.
      6. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool.
         
      7. Serve your honey oat bread in a bare-bones cottage with margarine or in a grand old house with butter and jam…it’s delicious either way! 🙂

    

   Check out my other Roald Dahl recipes!

   

   Big Apple Hand Pies from James and the Giant Peach

   

   Fried Snowballs from James and the Giant Peach

   

   Honey-Glazed Grilled Peaches with Cinnamon Ice Cream from James and the Giant Peach

   

   Gummy Newts from Matilda

   

   Fish and Chips from Matilda