Oh I love this! I've definitely thought about this before. I reckon I could come up with may because the food in stories always stays with me, but these are the ones that first come to mind.
From childhood I also vividly remember the food from Enid Blyton - From The Magic Faraway Tree: pop biscuits and google buns are my first memory of fiction food I wanted. A book called Hazel Green. Hazel is friends with a baker need I say more.
Harry Potter - Butterbeer and pumpkin juice! the feasts in the Great Hall... Molly Weasley's cooking and a particular memorable stack of buttered toast that Hermione once brought Harry.
More recently from The Dictionary of Lost Words - Porridge Lizzy made with fresh cream and stewed apples. Also lots of tea and freshly baked biscuits, fresh bread and sandwiches and baskets packed for picnics.
Where the Crawdads Sing - the food felt to me like an integral part of the story telling. The importance of food for survival and the connection it had with being cared for. It had me googling and craving so many Southern American dishes.
Oh how GREAT! I think there are so many reasons these things implant, don't you? It's part nostalgia, part a thirst for history, part a thirst for truly knowing a character or place ... and part HUNGER, perhaps?! Thank you for reading and for sharing. I LOVED hearing your thoughts, E-A! x
Haha thank YOU for the food musings! And yes I agree! Nostalgia, history, character, hunger haha. Food fuels and enriches life - or my life at least, maybe it does the same to a book? Adds flavour haha?
But really I think it adds a sensory element, which adds depth and feels so intimate and real. X
For me it has to be The Wind in the Willows - Mole in ecstasies over Ratty's picnic hamper. (everyone you meet in life is one of the characters, I've often thought!)
I remember when I was a kid & I was obsessed with the baby sitters club. All I wanted to do was eat a Twinkie. From everything I know now I think they’d be disgusting but to then 10 year-old me, they sounded like so much fun!
Oh I love this! I've definitely thought about this before. I reckon I could come up with may because the food in stories always stays with me, but these are the ones that first come to mind.
From childhood I also vividly remember the food from Enid Blyton - From The Magic Faraway Tree: pop biscuits and google buns are my first memory of fiction food I wanted. A book called Hazel Green. Hazel is friends with a baker need I say more.
Harry Potter - Butterbeer and pumpkin juice! the feasts in the Great Hall... Molly Weasley's cooking and a particular memorable stack of buttered toast that Hermione once brought Harry.
More recently from The Dictionary of Lost Words - Porridge Lizzy made with fresh cream and stewed apples. Also lots of tea and freshly baked biscuits, fresh bread and sandwiches and baskets packed for picnics.
Where the Crawdads Sing - the food felt to me like an integral part of the story telling. The importance of food for survival and the connection it had with being cared for. It had me googling and craving so many Southern American dishes.
Oh how GREAT! I think there are so many reasons these things implant, don't you? It's part nostalgia, part a thirst for history, part a thirst for truly knowing a character or place ... and part HUNGER, perhaps?! Thank you for reading and for sharing. I LOVED hearing your thoughts, E-A! x
Haha thank YOU for the food musings! And yes I agree! Nostalgia, history, character, hunger haha. Food fuels and enriches life - or my life at least, maybe it does the same to a book? Adds flavour haha?
But really I think it adds a sensory element, which adds depth and feels so intimate and real. X
For me it has to be The Wind in the Willows - Mole in ecstasies over Ratty's picnic hamper. (everyone you meet in life is one of the characters, I've often thought!)
I love Kates books. They feel so special.
I remember when I was a kid & I was obsessed with the baby sitters club. All I wanted to do was eat a Twinkie. From everything I know now I think they’d be disgusting but to then 10 year-old me, they sounded like so much fun!
Definitely in Monica McInnerny most of her books have wonderful feasts in them shared with friends or romantic couples or family.
Also Elizabeth Bennett’s apricot jam ( a moorcot apricot which I have as the only tree of value in my yard )