Cookbook review : The Secret Garden Cookbook - Amy Cotler

There's something about being in lockdown that has given me a real urge to get cooking more. Whether it's trying out new savoury dishes at mealtimes or baking up delicious sweet treats along with the kids, I've been spending much more time in the kitchen lately. While it's simple enough looking up recipes online, especially if you know what you want to make, there's still something completely satisfying about sitting down with a cookery book and highlighting all the recipes that sound good. The Secret Garden Cookbook by Amy Cotler is absolutely perfect for this and I've spent many happy moments flicking through it with the kids, deciding what they want to try. 

As its title suggests, the recipes in this book are inspired by the magical world of Frances Hodgson Burnett's book, The Secret Garden. If you have a tween or teen-aged daughter (or even son) who tends to like historical or nostalgic fiction, you could do a lot worse than suggest they read the book before you start cooking. Alternatively, there is a new film version of The Secret Garden soon to be released, starring Colin Firth as Archibald Craven and Dixie Egerickx as Mary Lennox. The book was originally planned as a tie-in, but the film's release has been pushed back to the summer, due to the COVID-19 restrictions.

The book contains fifty recipes that, while relating to the Victorian world of the novel, have all been updated to suit modern equipment, ingredients and tastes. You'll find a bounty of baked things, from English Crumpets and Cosy Currant Buns to Summer Berry Pudding and Dough Cakes with Cinnamon and Sugar. There are also savoury recipes, for teatime and dinnertime, breakfast and brunch, as well as drinks and snacks, all guaranteed to keep the magical atmosphere of the beloved novel alive for future generations !

Each of the recipes is accompanied by big, beautifully presented and brightly coloured photos of the dishes. While the recipes use cups and spoons as measurements, to appeal to an American audience, the equivalent in grammes is also indicated in each recipe, to keep the British readers happy. Some recipes have been modernised, such as the classic Jam Roly Poly, made with butter instead of suet as a vegetarian option. This is also probably to make it easier for Americans who can't get their hands on certain typically British ingredients. I have to say, I'm not sure about the idea of serving it with melted ice cream sauce rather than custard, but maybe I'm just too traditional !

Another recipe is for Golden Poached Pear Mold, which looks rather scrumptious. It is an updated version of a recipe from the classic Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management and is based on poached pear halves suspended in pear-apple gelatin. Definitely one that I fancy trying.

While it is easy to think of The Secret Garden as having a typically English setting, don't forget that Mary Lennox spent the first ten years of her life in India, until her parents died of cholera. There is, in fact, a whole chapter entitled "A Taste of India", alongside the others (Yorkshire Breakfasts, A Manor Lunch, An English Tea, From The Kitchen Garden, Dickon's Cottage Food and Garden Picnics). This recipe for a tasty Fresh Mango Chutney, for example, relates to Mary's Indian background and there is even a little paragraph explaining life in India for the British during the Empire.

It's a lovely book, packed with interesting facts and explanations for any fan of the novel/film, with a wide range of delicious treats to try out. Most of the recipes are fairly simple and could easily be made by teens and tweens, especially if there is a parent lurking in the background to offer some help !

star rating : 4/5

RRP : £12.99

• Hardcover: 112 pages
• Publisher: Harvard Common Press; Revised edition (14 Jan. 2020)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558329935
• ISBN-13: 978-1558329935
• Product Dimensions: 19.8 x 1.7 x 22.4 cm

Disclosure : I received a review copy of the book.