November

Hello there,

I started my monthly Substack seasonal musings, a year ago. Thank you so much for following my little stories here. I’ve just taken a look back at my first ‘column’. As it was November, I wrote about early Christmas preparations, focusing on the recipe books I use to inspire me. A little reminder here, do start Nigel Slater’s The Christmas Chronicles, he begins his own Christmas journey on November 1st, and where he leads I’m happy to follow.

I have always envied Americans’ their fabulous feast of Thanksgiving. I know some British people have started celebrating too, it has become far easier to buy a Turkey, Cranberries and the ingredients for both Pecan and Pumpkin Pies during November. I have a few Thanksgiving Recipe Books and a delightful Pie and Tarts book, written by Martha Stewart, I love looking through them; as well as making me long for a Thanksgiving celebration, they fulfil an additional purpose, distracting me from fully focusing on Christmas!

Last year I shared my regular to-do list. This year I have already completed half of said list. My Cake, my Pudding and copious jars of Mincemeat are made and sitting in the pantry awaiting December.

I’m also considering making some edible gifts. For some reason I have accumulated a number of Gifts from the Kitchen type books. I think perhaps I need to go through them and keep only the most useful. I usually make biscuits, mini cakes & puddings and peppermint bark as gifts. Do you have favourite things to make for family and friends?

I have managed to buy a few gifts. I am trying to purchase sustainable and (hopefully) thoughtful and unusual gifts. I found the sweetest, most utterly, utterly gorgeous mini hot water bottles, with removable recycled cashmere covers, from The Nearly New Cashmere Company. Just perfect for my oldest, dearest friends.

Additionally I have started on stocking fillers for my daughter, my niece and my grandson. We’re going to have a full house this year!

At the weekend, we’re heading to our little beach house in Brittany for a fortnight. I’m looking forward to walks on the beach, seasonal French food, and cosy evenings by the fire. It will be perfect interlude before the Christmas season.

A bonus to being away, is the happiness of the dog. She loves the seaside (and warming by the fire) and of course there are no fireworks. The French don’t celebrate Guy Fawkes (Bonfire Night). I know Fireworks are spectacular and joyful, but our nervous girl certainly won’t miss them!

We don’t have a television in France, I’ll save some of my currant favourite viewing for a little binge when we return at the end of the month.

I’m really enjoying Lessons in Chemistry on Apple TV, I loved the book, and think this is a good retelling.

Of course I’m also enjoying All Creatures Great and Small (Channel 5). As a teen I loved James Heriot’s books, and the BBC series which ran and ran. This new reinterpretation is super and stands on its own two feet, with revivals of so many favourite characters.

In my first job after University I worked as a Senior Hamper Clerk at Fortnum and Mason. Given the popularity of All Creatures Great and Small at the time, both in the UK and abroad, barely a week passed by without at least one order for a ‘Tricki Woo’ Hamper, Mrs Pumphrey and her dog have always held a special place in my heart!

(Margaretta Scott - Dame Diana Rigg - Patricia Hodge)

I’m also looking forward to The Buccaneers, which starts November 8th. Don’t you love a good ‘classic literature/costume drama’ adaptation? The series is based on an unfinished novel by Edith Wharton, published posthumously in 1938.

It’s about five young, wealthy American women who come to England looking for husbands, (their money is too ‘new’ for New York and Boston society.) There was a BBC version, back in 1995, sadly only available on DVD at present, so it’s quite tricky to make a comparison. I do hope Apple TV’s version will be as good as the production I can just about remember.

I’ve restarted my second Instagram page: scrumptiousbooks, where I share some of my favourite books. I do have a small hashtag, which I started during one of the Covid lockdowns. I found myself re-reading Georgette Heyer, which led me to other books set during the Regency era, I decided that #regencyreadingretreat might be a fun hashtag (we were after all, in enforced retreat from our friends and wider family!) I also share recipe books and other novels I am enjoying, if you’re on Instagram, do please take a look!

I’ll catch up in December, right now I’m looking forward to reading and cooking from this beautiful new recipe book, with recipes written by the wonderful Cherie Denham. You can find Cherie on Instagram, The Irish Bakery looks an absolute treat.

Take care,

Jude x