An excerpt from the book: Feminine Ways: a Handbook for the Maturing Girl, written and illustrated by Wisterhya Rosethorn.
- A copy of the book can be purchased from Kelynn or found in the Scholar Hall library. They will soon be available in The Shire also.
"
Lilly looks down with desperation, the kitchen is such a vast and foreign place to her. "Oh goodness me." She mutters, absolutely overwhelmed. It is her job to make dinner for the family tonight, as her mother is busy. It is late afternoon - a good time for her to begin, her mother said.
Grandmother Willow joins Lilly in the kitchen and says: "What is the reason for your despair, my daughter?"
Lilly is restless, she says: "I have to make dinner tonight, but I do not know what to make. Will you help me?"
Grandmother Willow nods and speaks: "First we must know what is in the pantry. My dear, I will teach you how to make a roast dinner, then teach you some more easy recipes that can be varied, depending on what you have in stock.
A roast dinner is ideal at any time, though it's traditionally made on Sundays. Always make a little extra meat, which can be used for meals the next day. A roast dinner can be made with any type of meat or veg - whatever you have! What is utmost necessary, is a thick gravy made on the juices from your meats.
Knowing how to make a roast dinner is necessary for a young woman, as it is easy, versatile and tasty. You need to perfect this skill, as it will come in use when you marry. It is also good, because you will be left, at the end of the meal, with leftovers to use for cold lunches the following days.
A roast dinner has three components:
Veg - including mushrooms!
Roast - the slow-roasted meat.
Taters - in any way, shape or form! Mash, cakes, chips...
Gravy - made on the juices of the roast and water of your boiled veg.
That is what a roast is. I will give you no recipe, as there is many ways to do this. Always look into your pantry. If you have little fresh veg, or is bored of root veg in winter, you are free to supplement with pickled veg, sour cabbage, compote or jellied herbs.
Nonetheless, you will experience the pantry changing with the season.
A roast dinner in spring can look as follows:
Roasted lamb, wild garlic, peas, carrots, fresh new potatoes with skin, gravy, mint sauce
(...)
A roast dinner in autumn can look as follows:
Ham, applesauce, carrots and swede mash, parsnip, fennel, onion gravy
(...)"
The ingredients Grandmother Willow has collected are:
Carrots, peas, kale, tomatoes, large potatoes and a plump chicken
She also has:
Butter, sour red cabbage, cream, rosemary, thyme, salt and peper.
Grandmother Willow begins to show Lilly how to prepare the chicken.
(...)
Lilly asks: "Now that we have all the fat from the chicken and the water from the carrots and peas, can we make the gravy?"
Grandmother Willow nods softly and says: "Yes, always wait until last to make the gravy. When you are done, you know that the meat has rested long enough."
Lilly thinks this is a good trick, and is very happy, so she says: "This is good! Then I don't have to worry if the meat gets dry at all."
Grandmother Willow instructs: "Now to make our gravy, take the fat and water from the roasting tray and pour it into the saucepan. Now pour a little bit of the vegetable water."
Lilly does as she is told. It smells wonderful already.
Grandmother Willows hands her the cream, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper and says: "Now put the cream in, until you like how it feels on the spoon. Taste it now and put the herbs, salt and pepper in, until you like the flavour.
Here is another important advice: Always taste the food while you cook. Even if you follow a recipe, you must always taste it and adjust it to your taste. You will become skilled at this, and eventually you will make excellent food."
The kitchen smells lovely, and Lilly is proud of herself. She tastes the gravy and her whole body wiggles - it is so good. Nonetheless, she still puts salt in it. Now it is too salty, and she is upset.
Grandmother Willow consoles her: "Here, but more cream in it, and start over. Be very careful with putting too much of anything in the gravy! You can always put things into it, but taking things out is never easy."
(...)
Soon they have put together a beautifully colourful roast dinner. A jointed chicken glistening in a light brown gravy that steams. The veg takes up a large part of the plate, and is many different colours, so it also is appealing to the eye. The chips are chubby and moreish, dry from the gravy so that they may be eaten by hand. On the side is the sour red cabbage.
"
((On the following pages are various other recipes that follow a similar loose format. Among others are listed: salads, vegetable soups and casseroles. On the following pages are brief recipes for breakfast fry-ups and lunch platters.))
