The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan
I know I recently posted a list of WWII reading in Quick Picks, but with this book I just couldn’t use just one small paragraph to describe it.
I really loved this book about four women in a cooking contest in England during WWII! Each had more at stake than the prize of becoming a BBC radio program presenter. Audrey, a widow, needs money to support her family. Gwendoline needs to prove her worth to her husband. Zelda needs it as a stepping stone to get a job as a chef in London. And shy Nell needs it to escape from her hellish job with no future. This book is about their separate struggles, the general hardships of war, and the power of friendships.
Big Bonus: the book includes over 15 real recipes! I’ve made one already (Coquille St. Jacque—yum!), and I plan to try a lot more (although I will definitely skip the Sheep’s Head Roll and Whale Meat and Mushroom Pie). But by cooking some of the recipes, it is a fun way to connect to the characters and the time period.
As with each historical fiction I read, I learn a little bit more about the war and daily life, either directly spelled out in the book, or by prompting me to research further. This book made me more aware of food and clothes rationing, billeting, Anderson shelters, Wailing Willie, and hay boxes. It also reminded me that POWs were used for labor on farms (as was my own grandfather who was a POW on a French farm after the war).
Another thing I learned was that the British were cheery as a sense of duty to their country. “It was deemed bad spirit to show tears—Mr. Churchill had drummed that into them: collective despair could bring the nation to its knees.” (page 6) “Our duty to King George, as well as ordinary people,” she practiced out loud, “is to hold ourselves ever upright, leading our communities with bravery, clear-mindedness, and the smile of a victor.” (page 85)
I hope you get a chance to not only read this charming book, but cook some of the recipes, too!
Happy Reading,
Happy Cooking,
Annette
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