Book Review: Jolly Good Food.

On another rainy day, while Freya was recovering from chickenpox, I gave her £2 and said: “Buy what you want” from the charity shop.

Of course she got the nosiest, pinkest toy available (a rock guitar, which she played ALL THE WAY HOME). When will I learn?

However, while she was rooting through boxes and scanning the shelves, I had a look at the books and this one by Allegra McEvedy immediately caught my eye.

If you were to ask me which books I remember from my childhood, many of Enid Blyton’s works would be on the list. My mum was a big fan and passed on that love. The Magic Faraway Tree, Malory Towers and Famous Five were among my favourites.

But while I was compelled to buy this book by a heavy dose of nostalgia, it has definitely been a practical purchase.

Although it came out in 2017, it’s still available to buy on Amazon so I thought it was worth sharing.

Here’s the blurb:

Delicious and easy recipes, inspired by the beloved stories by Enid Blyton.

Bake your own pop-cakes and google buns, and wash them down with homemade ginger beer!

Have you ever dreamed of having picnics with the Famous Five, midnight feasts with the Malory Towers girls or party teas with the Folk of the Faraway Tree? With this cookbook, inspired by Enid Blyton’s stories, you can!

Packed full of yummy recipes, lively artwork and extracts from Enid Blyton’s stories, this cookbook will inspire children – and the whole family – to get busy in the kitchen.

It’s the perfect way to share the pleasure of making and eating food with your child.

There are 42 exciting new recipes designed by top chef and Junior Bake Off TV judge, Allegra McEvedy, with fabulous illustrations by Mark Beech and glorious food photography too.

The book features chapters such as, Breakfast With The Naughtiest Girl or Picnicking With The Famous Five, and each starts with a snippet of a story, which I thought was lovely.

Freya and I have tried two recipes so far  – Melty Swirly Whirls and the Bloomer Loaf – and I was really impressed with both the amount of fun we had making them and also how well they turned out (although I do have quite a low threshold when it comes to baking).

The bread, which we made into rolls instead of a bloomer, was delicious – even Mark, who never eats anything we make, gave them a thumbs up.

The recipes are all clear and easy to follow (and entertaining). There are quite a few which contain meat but, as I’m vegetarian, I will probably try them with an alternative.

What’s more, the snippets of stories have inspired me to get Freya some of the actual books now.

Did/do you cook with your children? What’s your favourite thing to make?