Hello peony petals, I hope you are well. I thought I would share something which combines two of my loves; classic literature and baking.
Many of my favourite pieces of classic literature feature dainty delicacies and recipes which I have always wanted to try…
The Dinner with Mr. Darcy book is filled with an array of amazing recipes inspired by all the classic Austen works.
So far I have attempted the strawberry tarts which were wonderful and perfect for an Emma-inspired Box Hill picnic.
P.S I would love to know which Austen characters you would dine with? I would have afternoon tea with Emma Woodhouse followed by a dinner at Pemberley with Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet.
If you have seen the (2007) film adaptation of Nancy Drew, you may re-call the delightful lemon bars which Nancy carries around in her sleuth kit. I shared this recipe on my blog a few years ago but I have decided to archive the original post and update it slightly…
Lemon bars are the perfect fuel for an afternoon of sluething – they are a cross between a cake and a cookie; with a golden biscuit at the bottom and a layer of zesty, lemon curd topping!
I used this recipe and modified it ever so slightly. They are so simple and easy to make! and, as an added bonus, they go perfectly with a cup of tea. Nancy is known to use her baked goods as a bribery tool. So, if you’re in need of a fix to get yourself on someones good side, these should do the trick!
I have made a little printable which you may save to your phone so that you can try out the recipe yourself!
I would love to create more literary themed recipe posts for you in the future so please let me know what your favourites are!
The second segment to this post is all about my princess library ~ as I explained in this post, Sophie’s Princess Library is a new series on my blog where each month I update you on the latest additions to bookshelf.
The first book I purchased was The Ordinary, Extraordinary Jane Austen. This beautifully illustrated book charts Austen’s fruition from an imaginative child to celebrated author.
Although Austen was never recognised to the degree she deserved in her lifetime, it can be attested that she is now regarded as one of the most influential female writers.
Her unique characters, their vibrancy and what they represent still resonates with readers today.
This edition contains a beautiful storybook biography of Austen’s life with delightful illustrations by Qin Leng. This would be the ideal read for any Austen fan and will inspire young reader’s to follow their dreams.
“Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to united some of the best blessings of existence, and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her. . . ”
Emma is my favourite Austen novel and when I discovered that I would be studying it for one of my literature modules in October, I couldn’t resist purchasing a new edition.
This also means I can re-watch Autumn de Wilde’s recent adaptation as many times as I desire…right?
I’m using the Emma Pocket Penguin Classics edition for my university course and this floral edition for a pretty display on my bookshelf.
Emma is a character I relate to because of her independence, need to take care of people (such as her father) and need to control situations – Emma dislikes change and wishes to be in charge of her destiny and those around her.
Although this act of foretelling and matchmaking goes awry in the novel, with time, Emma learns from her mistakes. She comes to terms with her misjudgements and makes amends. I had so much fun creating a little Jane Austen themed this or that – please remember to tag me with your results!
Apart from immersing myself within Austen, I have also been reading about my second love, ballet.
I managed to find a rare edition of Dancing Times magazine from 1990; the cover features one of my favourite ballerinas, Miyako Yoshida, in her costume for The Sleeping Beauty pas de deux. Gazing at the images and articles of this magazine was magical – the black and white photographs brought me back to another time and I even managed to find a photograph of Darcey Bussell and Irek Mukhamedov in Winter Dreams.
I hope you enjoyed this post my darlings, please let me know what you are currently reading and what you baked last. I can’t wait to share with you another segment of my princess library series.
I’m sending lots of love to you all,
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