Get yer brolly Maw, I fancy a day oot! - Rated 
Ok, the weather outside may be frightful but this hasn't stopped me daydreaming about days out in the country after flicking through this lovely book. This is the sequel to Maw's cookbook (what other gems are lurking at the back of the big press at Glebe Street?) and shows us how the Broons live when they are in the country at the But an' Ben. By the way, where exactly is Auchentogle? A funny, charming, nostalgic cookbook, which is even more jam-packed with jokes, strips, cuttings and good old fashioned recipes that will stick to your ribs, than the first one. Of course the other family members make their cheeky contributions: Granpaw adds his wine making tips (don't fancy the turnip much), Hen relates the rules of conkers, and the Twins recommend fresh Frog Soup, served live in pond water. Do you remember making sugarelly water, home made ginger beer, and a poke of sugar and a rhubarb stalk! If you do you will love this!
Maw does it again ! - Rated
This was on show at the Good Food Show last week beside the original - Maw Broon's Cookbook. Same kind of nostalgic appeal - days oot ! Cookin' the catch o' the day, some really basic stuff too. Recipes not as old as the first cookbook perhaps, but real Broons humour and great memorabilia tucked in to the pages - a 'must-have' if you got Maw Broon's Cookbook. Compared with other cookbooks on the go this year, this is great value.
Horace writes poetry! - Rated 
I gave this book five stars, but the Amazon thing only recorded two for some reason. Anyway, this book has recipes that date to 1940, and use more fresh ingredients than the original Maw Broon Cookbook. I wouldn't say it is 'better' or 'worse' - it is just a very different cookbook, so complements the first one. I use the first one a lot to cook from, as well as just to read, as it is funny and entertaining, and also looks like the cookbooks my mum had from her mother. The design of the second one is equally as strong as the first cookbook, and But an' Ben has poetry from Horace, which is inspirationally funny! But an' Ben has recipes for picnics and barbeques, as well as home made ginger beer. While I might not make ginger beer, it really reminded me of when I used to make it as a kid, with my brother, and the corks exploded off the bottles in the night in our cellar. Very funny. This cookbook is more seasonal, and has the scope to let you use more organic, local produce, than the first one. There is a recipe for perch, which is rather weird, as no one really eats perch anymore - because you can't buy it (fishermen still catch it of course), apart from in the US, but you can substitute salmon or trout for perch. The new cookbook has recipes for whisky marmalade and jams, as well as good soups and some game. It is a worthwhile addition to any collection of cookbooks - I currently have over 200 cookbooks and But an' Ben is a strong addition.
|
