Toast & Marmalade and Other Stories

by Emma Bridgewater

Emma Bridgewater's cheerfully distinctive kitchen pottery—manufactured and traditionally hand-decorated in the Staffordshire Potteries, just as it would have been 200 years ago—has found its way onto the dresser shelves and kitchen tables of homes all over Britain and beyond. Her designs are jaunty, friendly, sometimes quietly funny. They call to mind childhood picnics, summer gardens, and busy kitchens, with their motifs of sweet peas and figs or bold calligraphic patterns such as toast & marmalade. Above all, the name Emma Bridgewater suggests home and welcome. This book combines beautiful photographs of Emma's life and designs with a collection of warm stories of her family, along with the inspirations for and characters involved in the success of this particularly English brand. Plunge into the world of pottery, family, childhood, work, motorway service stations, holidays, beaches, markets, recipes, dressing-up boxes, patch-working, country & western music, picnics, camping, and the lost world of telephone calls costing 2p. Emma Bridgewater looks back on her life and work, with a wonderful patchwork of stories that show the inspirations behind the Bridgewater business and how it all started after a failed attempt to find the perfect birthday present. . .  

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Memoir

288 pages, Hardcover

First published March 13, 2014

Reviews

[Mousy Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did enjoy it but not as much as I thought I would and I'm not even really sure why. It is full of lovely photos ( but they don't really share much with the story being told ) there are lots of interesting stories (but they never seem to reveal a lot) and there are recipes at the end of each chapter (but they often feel "tagged on" -there because that was the format agreed rather than having anything particularly to do with what has gone before). So all in all I think I am a little disappointed...it is exactly the kind of book I usually love, about a designer and product I have always enjoyed and yet having finished it, I'm not sure I'll ever be interested enough to read it again...left me wishing I'd saved my money and bought yet another EB mug instead!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must say I eat my dinner every night off Emma Bridgewater plates and even though they are over ten years old they make me smile each evening. So obviously I am a fan, and I did enjoy this book. It is a real mixture of lovely family photos, recipes,family memories and stories about how Emma set up her business and some of the influences that have made her a worldwide success story.

It was hard not to be jealous of her lovely life with and country houses filled with children and extended family, casual collections of pottery and paintings around the house that you know will be filled with the smells of home baking and flowers. How I can only dream of such a life!! You know though that Emma achieved this by working hard and believing in her dream of making that homely mug, plate and bowl that so many of us love. A scrumptious book.

[Sarah Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Emma Bridgewater pottery so it was a must that I read this when it came out. I really enjoyed this book. It is full of Emma's tales of childhood, her inspiration for her designs, how her company got off the ground, what drives her, family memories, some lovely recipes and fantastic photos. Her writing is beautiful, very warm and evocative of the memories she is retelling. She comes across as a simply lovely person and I liked how the book didn't follow a chronological order, more a meander. A good read for anyone not just someone obsessed with pottery!

[Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Toast and Marmalade isn't a very exciting book, but it is very cozy. It's a collection of anecdotes of and influences on Emma Bridgewater, a successful English spongeware ceramics designer. I first heard of her through Nicola Beauman of Persephone Books and, indeed, the two are very similar in taste and references. I would recommend this book to someone who likes Cath Kidston and Woman's Hour - it's that kind of vibe. With a pretty cover to boot!

[Ovidia Yu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the paperback, not the Kindle edition, so I know I'm posting this in the wrong place, but I really really love this book. I didn't know about her pottery when I started but looked it up--also had to stop to look up quilting designs, parkin, chickens, sponge design and china shoes. Her love of design and search for inspiration comes through clearly.

[Jenicat S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting however the way the stories are presented in almost a “pick & mix” style can sometimes make it hard to follow. There are many houses, children and friends to try and remember so I would have preferred things in more of a chronological order.
She glosses over a few things regarding the actual business how did they quite get it off the ground etc but rather it’s almost a patchwork of memories form a seemingly idyllic country childhood with tents, picnics, parties and china.
What did come across was the variety of strong women she has been surrounded by throughout her life and have certainly shaped how determined she was in her own ideas.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

An enjoyable book split into varied and stand-alone themed chapters rucly illustrated with really wonderful photographs and smattered with family recipes.
Interesting to have an insight to Emma Bridgewater person and company. Her family sounds loaded which explains some things.
The chapters can be confusing as time is muddled and non sequential. People are named but not introduced etc.
Anyway, I would recommend it.

[Elizabeth Berger · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a collector of Emma Bridgewater pottery, I very much enjoyed this extremely British origin story. :) Reading while drinking coffee from my EB mugs and eating little Christmas cakes off my EB plates made the experience all the better. Emma Bridgewater patterns just bring so much joy to my life and you really get a sense of their deeper meaning and connections to Emma herself. Glad to have this book in my collection to refer back to!

[Lizzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's very pretty, and reads the same way- skipping over the less nice parts. However this is not such a bad thing- sometimes you just want a pretty book. It makes me want to sort out our dresser and add some new things, want to learn to cook and start making patchwork quilts so Emma should know she's done her job well!!
Let's see how long it lasts.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Her pottery is so joyful, it was interesting reading about her start and how she developed different designs. Also gave some background of the English pottery tradition. I am a collector so really enjoyed reading the history.

[Lynnea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Memoir, food stories, recipes, pottery pictures---I loved this book. It has beautiful photography as well.

[Helena · Rating 5 out of 5]

i <3 her

[Hannah Holder · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely easy read

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was OK in a good way, I liked it but probably wouldn't recommend it to others, given that serious Emma Bridgewater pottery collectors will not need a recommendation. It follows the trend for a quirky approach to autobiography, jumping backwards and forwards and sideways. So it is a little like a day spent with Emma Bridgewater as she tells you about herself and her life and you eat lunch and afternoon tea... quite possibly that is exactly how the book was generated, and I can't quite make my mind up whether that's laziness by ghost writers (if any) or editors or publishers... or authenticity. The photos are pretty but mostly could be anywhere and anyone (even, sadly, when they were of 'someone').

At times I felt deeply irritated at the boho faux poverty privileged milieu evidenced, but it did provide some sort of insight. I was shocked not just by her mother's appalling life-shattering head injury but because it happened whilst she was out on horseback hunting - that was not where I had pigeonholed the woman who made wholemeal spelt loaves for all she was worth. Odd things seemed to be left out too.

I particularly liked her section on family life and running a business which was quite different to usual guidance in some ways but arguably infinitely more widely applicable and empathic, and less fake hand wringing.

[Ricki Treleaven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy Wednesday afternoon, My Lovelies! Recently I received a gift of Emma Bridgewater's Toast & Marmalade and Other Stories. An adorable mug from the toast & marmalade collection was included with it.

I enjoyed reading this memoir so much because I enjoy reading about other artists and the creative process. Emm'as book is chock full of how she developed Emma Bridgewater Pottery and grew her business. I also thought it was fun to read family anecdotes and recipes. I have yet to try any of them, but I will eventually.

Emma shares with readers the tough decisions she's had to make to grow her business. It was interesting reading the good advice she followed to achieve her goals.

I have more information about Emma Bridgewater pottery as well as photos and videos on my blog.

[Rachel Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book...I really like her pottery & the story of how she started, together with family memories all woven through with recipes & gorgeous photographs is quite wonderful. It has inspired me, too. I look at our home in new ways.

[Maryke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book as it provided insights into English earthenware in Stoke and the beginnings of Emma Bridgewatter pottery. Also includes some lovely photos and interesting recipes from Emma's childhood and youth.

[Ross Mountney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderfully pictorial when you're sick of just words! And an interesting account of the way in which the potter's business and life came together as told through her stories.

[Elsie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gorgeous book, beautifully illustrated.

[Gemma Quilliam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed it but it's a bit all over the place. It's not too clear who all the people are and we leap around in time a lot. Still worth a read though.

[Lizzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sugar coated, however some interesting things about Stoke, sister Nell Gifford and pot making. I need to buy the published copy, I've only had the dodgy version

[Emma Ingham · Rating 5 out of 5]

An insight into the Emma Bridgewater world, as a fan of the pottery I really enjoyed finding out about how it all began and what and who were involved along the way.

[Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

ok read

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyable. Just like a nice piece of toast with jam. ;)

[Jennifer Brumby · Rating 3 out of 5]

A light quick read. Interesting successful woman. It shed much light on pottery production. “God” used as an expletive ...the first word of the book....I disliked that.