So I’m in a foodie book club.
Every couple of months a bunch of food loving (some might say obsessive) girlfriends and I get together to discuss a book. Like a normal book club. Except our book choices need to have a food theme. It can be a novel. It can be memoirs. It can be about a food region or a … It can’t be a regular cookbook.
Oh, and the other difference is that the hostess cooks. And when I say “cooks”, I mean she cooks a meal that is either from recipes in the chosen book or based on the theme of the book. And usually it’s more food than we can all eat. Even if we are greedy little gobblies π
I’ve loved most of the books we’ve read so far – Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl, Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel, and The Man Who Ate Everything by Jeffrey Steingarten. OK. I didn’t really even like The Man Who Ate Everything, but you can’t win them all.
This month’s selection was The Kitchen Daughter by Jael McInerney. I loved the blurb on the inside cover. I had high hopes.
Then I read the opening chapter. The main character, Ginny, is at the wake following her parents’ funerals. They died in a freak accident. Holy crap. I felt like I was reliving the 11 months of my life between 21 August 2010, when my mother died under freak circumstances; to 2 August 2011, when my father died in a freak accident. Needless to say I sobbed my way through most of Ginny’s story as she tries to regain control of her spiralling out of control life.
However all was not lost for Ginny. While in the early stages of grieving she cooks from a recipe that was handwritten by her Nonna. Β Magically her Nonna appears. Well, the ghost of her Nonna. I loved this. What a great way to reconnect with the loved ones you’ve lost.
Now before you think Mel’s about to go off the deep end in the crazy land, no, I didn’t try to cook one of mum’s handwritten recipes to try to bring back her ghost. While I do have many of mum’s recipes, the handwritten ones are all a bit illegible so the likelihood of her appearing is slim, as recipes need to be followed precisely! It’s the typed ones I tend to use.
One of my favourites is this Armenian Nutmeg Cake. I think the recipe came from one of the women mum met in the early 1980s when she was at Strathfield Tafe studying a textiles course. Wherever it came from, it’s been a part of our family for many years. I was never a big cake eater (and I’m still not), but I clearly remember falling in love with this cake and baking it almost weekly for many, many weeks when I was about 14 or 15 years old. I’ve only baked it a couple of times over the last few years and it’s always greeted with surprise and love.
I think I need to bake it again.
I love this cake. I hope you do too.
What you need
- 2 cups lightly packed brown sugar
- 2 cups self raising flour
- 125g butter
- 1 tsp bicarb soda
- 1 cup milk
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tsp nutmeg (I like to grate fresh nutmeg but from a packet is fine)
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans (originally the recipe called for walnuts, but I prefer pecans)
- 1/4 cup pecan (or walnut) meal (optional)
What you do
- Preheat oven to 180c.
- Place brown sugar, flour, pecan meal in mixing bowl - add butter and rub in with your fingers until it looks crumbly.
- Grease a deep round or square cake tin (I use a 24cm tin) and spread a third of crumb mixture over the base. Press down - not too hard as it makes it difficult to cut through.
- Mix bicarb soda into milk together, and add to remaining crumb mixture with the egg and nutmeg. Stir well and add to layer of crumb mixture. Sprinkle with chopped pecans.
- Pop into the oven (on a middle shelf) to bake for approximately one hour. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before turning out.
- Serve with cream or ice cream and berries.
- Always yummy.
Do you have a favourite recipe that evokes memories of loved ones past?
Sally Scott says
Lovely post. Your foodie book club sounds fab and lovely memories of your mother and family recipes.
Mel Kettle says
Thanks Sally, it is a lot of fun!
Georgia Limmer says
I am so making this cake tomorrow! Wednesday is the new Saturday if you work for Wholesomeness!
Your book club sounds like something I would be into. Like Water for Chocolate is one of my all time favourites. Also love Rosewater and Soda Bread and Chocolat (love that film more though!)
Mel Kettle says
I’ll let you know if/when we get a vacancy, but we have a waiting list. We meet on Wednesdays – perfect for you. Or you could start your own – it’s pretty easy π
Thanks for the yummy looking brownies – they will be dessert tonight.
Pita says
What a fun book club idea! My favourite foodie books are ‘a year in Provence’ and ‘Ant egg soup’. The bread recipe looks good too – we have a Herman the German dough doing the rounds of the office at the moment. There is always someone making, splitting, sharing and baking (not to mention eating).
Mel Kettle says
I’ve not heard of Ant egg soup – will have to check it out! One of the things I miss most about an office is having people to share all my baked goods with.
Shaun says
Liar Liar Pants on Fire?? When have you baked this cake in the last couple of years – NEVER?? A bit like house work – plenty of promises but nothing done?? Typical
Mel Kettle says
In case anyone is wondering, this is my “beloved”. Who can read. Therefore should be able to cook his own cake. But he doesn’t. He does usually wash up though. While I don’t really do much housework. Unless it involves food π
Alisha says
I must get into this foodie book club! Lol! Ps. There is a fabulous book you guys might like – Four Kitchens by Lauren Shockey – I really liked it, a chefs memoir of working in 4 different restaurants in 4 different countries
Mel Kettle says
I think I actually have that book – purchased from a past Lifeline Bookfest. Will have a hunt around. I’ll let you know if we have a bookclub vacancy at any time Alisha, but you could always start your own… π
Melissa says
Great post Mel! I read this on Tuesday just after I had made one of my Mum’s recipes and as she is still with us, I presented the items to her. She was pleased with the taste, but apparently I failed in the shaping of the dough. Guess her ghost won’t be visiting me if I continue to make it after she is gone π Lots of great book suggestions in the comments. Might have some extra reading for Fiji, in addition to our next Book club book.
Mel Kettle says
Haha! That made me laugh – your mother’s comment could have come from my mother’s mouth π Have fun in Fiji