Miss Eliza's English Kitchen served with Air Fryer potatoes and brussel sprouts

Miss Eliza's English Kitchen by Annabel Abbs served with potatoes and brussel sprouts 

I haven't seen this one on bookstagram so wondering if I missed it when it was released or if folks in the US just haven't discovered it much.   I really enjoyed this novel based on the true story of Eliza Action who is credited with one of the first cook books aimed at the domestic reader.  She is also the first to list the ingredients separately and the first published recipe for brussel sprouts!  I had never heard of her so after reading the book, i did a little research. 

 

The book obviously takes a few liberties with what is known which is why it is a novel and not a biography.   Eliza is a poet and wants to get her second book of poetry published.  She the publisher sends her away with zero interest in poetry, he tells her to write a cook book and to come back when she is done.  At first she has no interest but shortly after this interaction, her father claims bankruptcy and must flee the country to get away from his debt collectors.  She decides to pursue the cook book and takes up cooking for the boarding house her mother must now run.  She hires a kitchen hand, Ann Kirby to help.  Ann has a natural ability in the kitchen and a great pallet.  The two of them try recipes and experiment all the while keeping notes on what works and what doesn't.  The author tells the story from the view of the two women flipping back and forth in chapters between each.  Ann comes from extreme poverty and her mother has lost her sense of reality and must go to asylum.  Her father is a drunk and barely able to take care of himself.   Throughout the book the women develop a friendship and we uncover secrets from both.  

I really loved the conversation on food in the book.  I'm 100% in on food in novels.   I liked the relationship between the 2 women and it was fun to know this is a real person.  I also was really curious about what her life would become 

As often happens when an author does 2 viewpoints in a book, I loved one of the storylines slightly more than the other one.  In this case I wanted more from Eliza and maybe less from Ann.  Ann's story was just so sad.  Anyone who knows anything about asylum's from that time period, knows it isn't going to end well.   Also,  I did find Eliza to almost be a bit manic when it came to cooking.  It was like she couldn't do anything but.  She was so obsessed with the recipes and I almost felt like the author was showing us a bit of obsessive compulsive behavior before such a thing was named.   

Overall this was a good story and one worth reading.  I give it ⭐⭐⭐⭐

She makes a lot of food in the book.  A few things I would never eat or make like Eel.  ugh.  But she makes English potatoes so I made Air Fryer potatoes.   Also, when I looked her up and uncovered the brussel sprout fact, I knew i had to include brussel sprouts.  I choose a potato recipe I had tried before called Air Fryer Ranch Potatoes.  https://www.sustainablecooks.com/air-fryer-potatoes/  I added a little more salt then they called for and it was delicious!  for the Brussel Sprouts, I bought shredded one's at Trader Joes and put them in a saute pan with a little bit of olive oil and a chopped up apple.  I let them brown up and then served them with parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of hazelnuts.    that was the perfect dinner.  Enjoy