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The Art of Baking Blind
There are many reasons to bake: to feed; to create; to impress; to nourish; to define ourselves; and, sometimes, it has to be said, to perfect. But often we bake to fill a hunger that would be better filled by a simple gesture from a dear one. We bake to love and be loved.
In 1966, Kathleen Eaden, cookery writer and wife of a supermarket magnate, published The Art of Baking, her guide to nurturing a family by creating the most exquisite pastries, biscuits and cakes.
Now, five amateur bakers are competing to become the New Mrs Eaden. There's Jenny, facing an empty nest now her family has flown; Claire, who has sacrificed her dreams for her daughter; Mike, trying to parent his two kids after his wife's death; Vicki, who has dropped everything to be at home with her baby boy; and Karen, perfect Karen, who knows what it's like to have nothing and is determined her façade shouldn't slip.
As unlikely alliances are forged and secrets rise to the surface, making the choicest choux bun seems the least of the contestants' problems. For they will learn - as Mrs Eaden did before them - that while perfection is possible in the kitchen, it's very much harder in life.
In 1966, Kathleen Eaden, cookery writer and wife of a supermarket magnate, published The Art of Baking, her guide to nurturing a family by creating the most exquisite pastries, biscuits and cakes.
Now, five amateur bakers are competing to become the New Mrs Eaden. There's Jenny, facing an empty nest now her family has flown; Claire, who has sacrificed her dreams for her daughter; Mike, trying to parent his two kids after his wife's death; Vicki, who has dropped everything to be at home with her baby boy; and Karen, perfect Karen, who knows what it's like to have nothing and is determined her façade shouldn't slip.
As unlikely alliances are forged and secrets rise to the surface, making the choicest choux bun seems the least of the contestants' problems. For they will learn - as Mrs Eaden did before them - that while perfection is possible in the kitchen, it's very much harder in life.
416 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2014
147 people are currently reading
4244 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Vaughan
45 books1,364 followersSarah Vaughan read English at Oxford and went on to be a journalist. After training with the Press Association, she worked for The Guardian for 11 years as a news reporter, health correspondent and political correspondent before leaving to freelance and write fiction. Her 3rd novel, Anatomy of a Scandal, was an instant international bestseller, a Sunday Times top five bestseller, a kindle number 1 bestseller, a Richard & Judy pick, and was longlisted for the Theakson's Old Peculier Crime Novel and shortlisted for awards in France, Sweden and the UK. It has been translated into 22 languages and is being adapted for TV. Her 4th novel, Little Disasters, will be published in France, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, the UK on April 2 and the US on August 18. She lives in Cambridge with her husband and two young children.
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April 28, 2015
I'm going to gif the hell outta this review. So all you gif haters have something to b@#ch about this week. Rejoice!
Back in the 1960's Kathleen Eaden wrote the ode to baking. Not only did she do that but she put forth that perfect mother, perfect wife, helped her husband open a chain of upscale grocery stores. She was that perfect woman.
But was she really?
Now she has recently passed away and the grocery store chain needs a new Mrs. Eaden to promote their baking line and products. So they are running a contest offering 50,000 pounds to the winner.
Five regular people get to compete. You have your token male. Recently divorce and raising his children alone. (I liked him. Wish more of the story had featured him)
Jenny who's children are leaving the nest and has an asshole husband. She eats to hide her pain.
Vicki, the perfectionist. A stay at home mom who tries to please her workaholic husband, controlling mother and 3 year old son.
Claire, a poor single mother who does her best to support her daughter. Working a low paying job dreaming of a better future. Her mom enters her into the contest.
Then Karen, perfect Karen. Who has a image of herself that is unshakable. She seduces most men in her life as her husband is away most of the time. Trying to bury that hurt.
Weaved through out the book you get bits of Kathleen Eaden's cookbook writings..now you know my foodie fangirl butt is going to love that part. Some of the baking is way the heck over my head. Actually, most of it. I'm not a baker. I've always wanted to be on one of those damn cooking shows though.
Tattletale.
Now for the book. At first you don't care for some of these women. They come across as shallow and vain. Some of them seem to think only with how the outside world judges them.
Then the author gives you a glimpse into each of their private lives, including the goddess herself, Kathleen Eaden. I fell in love with every single character in the storyline. They turned out to all be strong women. I hate that they felt they had to hide their feelings and problems.
The food contest was of course part I loved too. I had never heard of some of the things they were baking. So I looked them up. Lardy cake, Chelsea rolls, and a few more that of course have slipped my feeble mind.
Back in the 1960's Kathleen Eaden wrote the ode to baking. Not only did she do that but she put forth that perfect mother, perfect wife, helped her husband open a chain of upscale grocery stores. She was that perfect woman.
But was she really?
Now she has recently passed away and the grocery store chain needs a new Mrs. Eaden to promote their baking line and products. So they are running a contest offering 50,000 pounds to the winner.
Five regular people get to compete. You have your token male. Recently divorce and raising his children alone. (I liked him. Wish more of the story had featured him)
Jenny who's children are leaving the nest and has an asshole husband. She eats to hide her pain.
Vicki, the perfectionist. A stay at home mom who tries to please her workaholic husband, controlling mother and 3 year old son.
Claire, a poor single mother who does her best to support her daughter. Working a low paying job dreaming of a better future. Her mom enters her into the contest.
Then Karen, perfect Karen. Who has a image of herself that is unshakable. She seduces most men in her life as her husband is away most of the time. Trying to bury that hurt.
Weaved through out the book you get bits of Kathleen Eaden's cookbook writings..now you know my foodie fangirl butt is going to love that part. Some of the baking is way the heck over my head. Actually, most of it. I'm not a baker. I've always wanted to be on one of those damn cooking shows though.
Tattletale.
Now for the book. At first you don't care for some of these women. They come across as shallow and vain. Some of them seem to think only with how the outside world judges them.
Then the author gives you a glimpse into each of their private lives, including the goddess herself, Kathleen Eaden. I fell in love with every single character in the storyline. They turned out to all be strong women. I hate that they felt they had to hide their feelings and problems.
The food contest was of course part I loved too. I had never heard of some of the things they were baking. So I looked them up. Lardy cake, Chelsea rolls, and a few more that of course have slipped my feeble mind.
February 18, 2018
I recently read The Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan, so when I saw this on the library overdrive, I immediately borrowed it wanting to experience more of her writing.
This was a well-crafted story, with very relatable characters - although, they're stereotypes of sorts: Karen, the well-off, super fit, perfect looking woman; Claire, the young single mother, working as a cashier; Jenny, the epitome of the stay-at-home fifty-something wife, who's an empty nester; Vicky, the new mother, a teacher, who's at home with her three-year-old and doesn't find it fulfilling as she thought it would/should be. These three women and Mike, a widower with two young children, come together in a baking competition for the New Mrs Eaden - the author of the famous "The Art of Baking", which had inspired many homemakers over decades. (She's a fictional character, I Googled her).
The four bakers can concoct the perfect cakes, bread and other baking delights. While they can bake to perfection, unsurprisingly, their lives are far from perfect.
I particularly liked how Vaughan interspersed the four people's stories with that of the famous Kathleen Eaden, who appeared to be not only the perfect baker but also the perfect wife and mother.
This novel should come with a warning: Careful, you'll want to bake!
People who enjoy the cooking shows will probably appreciate The Art Of Baking Blind even more than I did.
I enjoyed listening to the audiobook, even though it sounded familiar.
This was a well-crafted story, with very relatable characters - although, they're stereotypes of sorts: Karen, the well-off, super fit, perfect looking woman; Claire, the young single mother, working as a cashier; Jenny, the epitome of the stay-at-home fifty-something wife, who's an empty nester; Vicky, the new mother, a teacher, who's at home with her three-year-old and doesn't find it fulfilling as she thought it would/should be. These three women and Mike, a widower with two young children, come together in a baking competition for the New Mrs Eaden - the author of the famous "The Art of Baking", which had inspired many homemakers over decades. (She's a fictional character, I Googled her).
The four bakers can concoct the perfect cakes, bread and other baking delights. While they can bake to perfection, unsurprisingly, their lives are far from perfect.
I particularly liked how Vaughan interspersed the four people's stories with that of the famous Kathleen Eaden, who appeared to be not only the perfect baker but also the perfect wife and mother.
This novel should come with a warning: Careful, you'll want to bake!
People who enjoy the cooking shows will probably appreciate The Art Of Baking Blind even more than I did.
I enjoyed listening to the audiobook, even though it sounded familiar.
March 15, 2022
3.5 Stars
March 13, 2017
(3.5) “While perfection might be possible in baking, in life, well, it’s impossible. The perfect wife, the perfect child, the perfect mother? None of us can be these. They’re mere fancies.” The search for a new ambassador for Eaden’s high-end supermarket chain brings five amateur bakers to a Buckinghamshire mansion for a Great British Bake Off-style competition. Kathleen Eaden, the author of The Art of Baking (1966), recently died, and the contest aims to find the new face of traditional British baking.
As the contestants produce their best Battenburg cakes, gingerbread houses, bread loaves, and afternoon tea treats, we delve into the histories of Victoria, Jenny, Karen, Claire and Mike and go deeper than the shorthand stereotypes (the desperate housewife, the middle-aged woman whose husband is cheating on her, the cougar with an eating disorder, the single mum and the widower). For many of them, food is a stand-in for the love they have sought from a parent or no longer get from a partner.
The third-person narrative switches between the perspectives of the four female participants and Kathleen Eaden herself, whose idealized image hides a painful path to motherhood. The setup – multiple contemporary stories responding to one historical one – reminded me a lot of J. Courtney Sullivan’s The Engagements. I’d recommend this to Bake Off watchers but also to anyone who likes cozy, food-themed reads.
As the contestants produce their best Battenburg cakes, gingerbread houses, bread loaves, and afternoon tea treats, we delve into the histories of Victoria, Jenny, Karen, Claire and Mike and go deeper than the shorthand stereotypes (the desperate housewife, the middle-aged woman whose husband is cheating on her, the cougar with an eating disorder, the single mum and the widower). For many of them, food is a stand-in for the love they have sought from a parent or no longer get from a partner.
The third-person narrative switches between the perspectives of the four female participants and Kathleen Eaden herself, whose idealized image hides a painful path to motherhood. The setup – multiple contemporary stories responding to one historical one – reminded me a lot of J. Courtney Sullivan’s The Engagements. I’d recommend this to Bake Off watchers but also to anyone who likes cozy, food-themed reads.
April 11, 2017
Audiobook
As a fan of The Great British Bakeoff this was too temping to pass up. I don't think I even read the books description all the way before I was purchasing it. "What a joy" see I sounded like Mary there didn't I ? LOL
So this book takes you into the live of a cooking contest and into the lives of the contestants. What is driving them, who is behind them, where did they come from, where are their hearts ?
I could hear "bake" and see the people scrambling to get their crusts and rises done in time. It is about the bakes, and so much more. *Warning do not read while hungry. There are cakes, biscuits, pies, pastries and things I've never seen but would be more than willing to taste. Life does not begin and end in the test kitchen for these people, they have a home life. Each contestant has a life, some filled with drama, abandonment, self-esteem issues and more. Baking and stepping out into the spotlight changes each of them, brings things left in the dark for years to the surface. Emotionally charged, changes each better than when they started. I cheered for each of them through the contest and I felt the truly best baker won in the end. Woot Woot ________ !
I really loved listening to this audiobook. The narration was fantastic. It was a feel good read about good realistic people and baking.
As a fan of The Great British Bakeoff this was too temping to pass up. I don't think I even read the books description all the way before I was purchasing it. "What a joy" see I sounded like Mary there didn't I ? LOL
So this book takes you into the live of a cooking contest and into the lives of the contestants. What is driving them, who is behind them, where did they come from, where are their hearts ?
I could hear "bake" and see the people scrambling to get their crusts and rises done in time. It is about the bakes, and so much more. *Warning do not read while hungry. There are cakes, biscuits, pies, pastries and things I've never seen but would be more than willing to taste. Life does not begin and end in the test kitchen for these people, they have a home life. Each contestant has a life, some filled with drama, abandonment, self-esteem issues and more. Baking and stepping out into the spotlight changes each of them, brings things left in the dark for years to the surface. Emotionally charged, changes each better than when they started. I cheered for each of them through the contest and I felt the truly best baker won in the end. Woot Woot ________ !
I really loved listening to this audiobook. The narration was fantastic. It was a feel good read about good realistic people and baking.
November 28, 2018
I discovered the magic of microwaved cake in mugs. With all the baked goodies mentioned and even the descriptions of how things are made, I got this urge to eat cake. I didn't care whether I had to bake it or buy it, I simply wanted. cake.
Safe to say I loved the whole setting of this novel, right? Not only because of those descriptions, but also because it made me see the characters in a completely different way. Since the baking competition is only during the weekends, we get to see everyone both in their personal lives and when they're participating in the contest. Outside of it, you could see what they were struggling with - each having their own problems - while, during the competition? You saw how they had one thing in common: their love for food and baking.
It does have to be said that this novel tackles a whole lot of triggering themes that are worth mentioning. As such, there's bulimia, there's challenged body-shaming, there's mention of an abortion and there are multiple miscarriages which are not only mentioned, but sometimes also described. I didn't know about these things up front and, luckily, it didn't bother me all that much while reading since it added so much depth to the characters but I know there are always people who like knowing these things up front.
In the end, there's only one thing I kept struggling with and that's all the different characters. All five competitors get a POV and sometimes we even get the POV of one of their family members, the judges and the deceased Kathleen Eaden. Definitely confused me a ton of times.
I would definitely recommend this one to people who love baking, love cooking / baking competitions and don't mind all the themes that are mentioned and tackled in this book. Even though it felt like a heavy read at times, it still had a light vibe to it in the end.
4 / 5
Safe to say I loved the whole setting of this novel, right? Not only because of those descriptions, but also because it made me see the characters in a completely different way. Since the baking competition is only during the weekends, we get to see everyone both in their personal lives and when they're participating in the contest. Outside of it, you could see what they were struggling with - each having their own problems - while, during the competition? You saw how they had one thing in common: their love for food and baking.
It does have to be said that this novel tackles a whole lot of triggering themes that are worth mentioning. As such, there's bulimia, there's challenged body-shaming, there's mention of an abortion and there are multiple miscarriages which are not only mentioned, but sometimes also described. I didn't know about these things up front and, luckily, it didn't bother me all that much while reading since it added so much depth to the characters but I know there are always people who like knowing these things up front.
In the end, there's only one thing I kept struggling with and that's all the different characters. All five competitors get a POV and sometimes we even get the POV of one of their family members, the judges and the deceased Kathleen Eaden. Definitely confused me a ton of times.
I would definitely recommend this one to people who love baking, love cooking / baking competitions and don't mind all the themes that are mentioned and tackled in this book. Even though it felt like a heavy read at times, it still had a light vibe to it in the end.
4 / 5
January 19, 2015
My Review: It shouldn't come as a shock that I picked up this book. First off, the cover was beautiful (I adore teal) and it caught my attention right away. Second, it's about baking, y'all! I thought this book was a no-brainer for me but unfortunately I found this book lacking in a few areas.
The book deals with five competitors as they try to win a coveted British baking competition. The problem was that I had a hard time remembering who was who among the competitors - except for the one male competitor, Mike who was barely in the story at all and was only viewed through the eyes of the four female competitors. It got so bad that I actually had to write a cheat sheet listing each of the four female characters and their characteristics/issues so I could keep track of them. Not a good sign. With all this energy being used to remember characters it shouldn't come as a surprise that I didn't get attached to any of them.
While I did love that baking was the connection between the main characters, sadly one cannot live on descriptions of delicious cupcakes alone. The depictions of delicious baked goods and baking techniques was interesting but the plot and characters fell flat for me and didn't develop as much as I would have hoped.
Overall, I wasn't impressed with this book. While it's filled with descriptions of interesting baking techniques and treats, the low energy, lackluster characters and predictable plot left me hungry for a lot more from this author.
My Rating: 2/5 stars
** This book review, as well as hundreds more, can also be found on my blog, The Baking Bookworm (www.thebakingbookworm.blogspot.ca) where I also share hundreds of my favourite recipes. **
The book deals with five competitors as they try to win a coveted British baking competition. The problem was that I had a hard time remembering who was who among the competitors - except for the one male competitor, Mike who was barely in the story at all and was only viewed through the eyes of the four female competitors. It got so bad that I actually had to write a cheat sheet listing each of the four female characters and their characteristics/issues so I could keep track of them. Not a good sign. With all this energy being used to remember characters it shouldn't come as a surprise that I didn't get attached to any of them.
While I did love that baking was the connection between the main characters, sadly one cannot live on descriptions of delicious cupcakes alone. The depictions of delicious baked goods and baking techniques was interesting but the plot and characters fell flat for me and didn't develop as much as I would have hoped.
Overall, I wasn't impressed with this book. While it's filled with descriptions of interesting baking techniques and treats, the low energy, lackluster characters and predictable plot left me hungry for a lot more from this author.
My Rating: 2/5 stars
** This book review, as well as hundreds more, can also be found on my blog, The Baking Bookworm (www.thebakingbookworm.blogspot.ca) where I also share hundreds of my favourite recipes. **
August 18, 2015
Over the past couple of years there's been a flurry of novels published with covers and titles that include cakes and chocolate and cafes. It would be easy to assume that Sarah Vaughan's The Art of Baking Blind is another story from the same mould - or cake tin. I have absolutely nothing against the 'cupcake' books and have read and enjoyed a few of them, however, I do think that as beautiful as the cover of this book is, it could very easily be passed by when browsing the bookshop shelf.
The Art of Baking Blind is a character led story that is really wonderfully put together. It must be difficult to have six leading characters, and to make each of them realistic and interesting, and with a story of their own. Sarah Vaughan has managed this incredibly well, although personally, I would have loved to have know a little more about the only male lead character; Mike.
The five modern day characters are a mixed bunch of people who probably would never have met if it were not for the 'New Mrs Eaden Competition' that they are all taking part in. Assembled from all walks of life, each with their own compelling back story and each having various issues to deal with, they gel together very well.
For me though, the real star of this novel is Kathleen Eaden. Kathleen is the reason that the competition is happening in the first place. She was the wife of self-made successful businessman George Eaden, whose supermarket chain is preferred by the upper classes. In the 1960s, Kathleen was a celebrity in her own right,; beautiful and stylish, a wonderful cook, a genial hostess, she was the woman who every housewife yearned to be. Her best-selling cookery book The Art of Baking was published in 1966, and still sells in huge numbers. Kathleen recently died and the supermarket want to find another figurehead baker - someone who can recreate Kathleen's wonderful recipes and represent Eadens at the same time.
The reader is privy to Kathleen's inner thoughts and turmoil as she is writing her book, her chapters are interwoven within the modern-day story and tell a tale of a woman who appears to have everything, but yearns for the one thing that alludes her.
Not only is The Art of Baking Blind a beautifully written story that deals with relationships and sorrow, despair and joy and touches on some quite serious issues, it is also packed full of the most delicious baked confections that will make your mouth water.
An absolute pleasure to read, I loved every page and look forward to reading more from Sarah Vaughan.
http://randomthingsthroughmyletterbox...
The Art of Baking Blind is a character led story that is really wonderfully put together. It must be difficult to have six leading characters, and to make each of them realistic and interesting, and with a story of their own. Sarah Vaughan has managed this incredibly well, although personally, I would have loved to have know a little more about the only male lead character; Mike.
The five modern day characters are a mixed bunch of people who probably would never have met if it were not for the 'New Mrs Eaden Competition' that they are all taking part in. Assembled from all walks of life, each with their own compelling back story and each having various issues to deal with, they gel together very well.
For me though, the real star of this novel is Kathleen Eaden. Kathleen is the reason that the competition is happening in the first place. She was the wife of self-made successful businessman George Eaden, whose supermarket chain is preferred by the upper classes. In the 1960s, Kathleen was a celebrity in her own right,; beautiful and stylish, a wonderful cook, a genial hostess, she was the woman who every housewife yearned to be. Her best-selling cookery book The Art of Baking was published in 1966, and still sells in huge numbers. Kathleen recently died and the supermarket want to find another figurehead baker - someone who can recreate Kathleen's wonderful recipes and represent Eadens at the same time.
The reader is privy to Kathleen's inner thoughts and turmoil as she is writing her book, her chapters are interwoven within the modern-day story and tell a tale of a woman who appears to have everything, but yearns for the one thing that alludes her.
Not only is The Art of Baking Blind a beautifully written story that deals with relationships and sorrow, despair and joy and touches on some quite serious issues, it is also packed full of the most delicious baked confections that will make your mouth water.
An absolute pleasure to read, I loved every page and look forward to reading more from Sarah Vaughan.
http://randomthingsthroughmyletterbox...
June 28, 2014
http://www.pagetostagereviews.com/201...
Before I knew anything about the contents of this novel I had already fallen in love with the striking turquoise colour of its packaging and the simple yet very effective drawing adorning the cover. It begs to be oohed and aahed over, not to mention to be stroked. A lot. And once I started reading, I discovered that the story within was equally beautiful and enthralling.
Kathleen was famous not only for being the photogenic wife of grocery magnate George Eaden, but also for writing a true cookery classic in the form of The Art of Baking. Even though the book was published in the 1960s, it is still extensively being referred to today and can be found in the kitchens of many British households, so even much younger generations are familiar with Kathleen's delectable recipes.
A few months after she passes away, grocery chain Eaden and Son's is conducting the Search for the New Mrs Eaden. After nationwide auditions, the five people chosen to compete in the contest are young single mum Claire; polished Karen, who doesn't taste her own creations; Mike, a widower and father of two; Jenny, who is growing apart from her husband; and Vicky, who has stopped working so she can take care of her little boy, but isn't sure if she's happy as a stay-at-home mum.
I always enjoy reading novels that bring together people from different walks of life. I find that having such a diverse cast of main characters means there's always at least one with which the reader is able to identify, making it easier to be pulled into the story completely rather than just watching the action unfold from the sideline. In this case, I felt myself particularly drawn to Claire and Jenny, though I did feel sympathetic towards the struggles of all of them – Kathleen included.
Having such a large cast of characters did mean that there wasn't space to develop each one of them fully and as such I found some of the stories somewhat lacking. This was particularly apparent in the case of Mike, who was really only viewed through the eyes of his fellow contestants. I thought this was a shame as I would've liked to have known more about his life as a now single father. Similarly, the conclusions of Jenny and Karen's individual stories also felt a bit rushed.
Nonetheless, this was a delicious read, which I devoured like a freshly baked, homemade bread. The novel was steeped in a love for baking and quintessentially British delights, from the snippets of Kathleen's famous book scattered throughout, to the detailed descriptions of the contestants' practice runs and their entries into each of the stages of the competition. The lush descriptions of the food made them so vivid that I could almost taste them on the tip of my tongue while reading. So, even if you weren't hungry before picking up this novel, you definitely will be once you've dug into it!
The Search for the New Mrs Eaden, despite not taking place on television, is reminiscent of The Great British Bake Off and will be a particular treat for those who love the British baking show. However, even if you are not a fan of the reality contest, you will find plenty within the pages to enjoy. The characters do not only struggle with dough and flavours, but also with their marriages, parenting and the heartbreak of losing a child prematurely. For all the sweetness of the sugary decadences they whip up, there is also plenty of drama and intrigue to balance it all out.
And the baked goods mentioned within are so mouth-watering and inspiring that after finishing this novel even the most inexperienced of bakers will immediately want to grab their whisks and mixing bowls and try their hand at the recipes. From richly filled game pie with a perfect golden-brown pastry top to a delicate millefeuille layered with homemade crème pâtissière.
Before I knew anything about the contents of this novel I had already fallen in love with the striking turquoise colour of its packaging and the simple yet very effective drawing adorning the cover. It begs to be oohed and aahed over, not to mention to be stroked. A lot. And once I started reading, I discovered that the story within was equally beautiful and enthralling.
Kathleen was famous not only for being the photogenic wife of grocery magnate George Eaden, but also for writing a true cookery classic in the form of The Art of Baking. Even though the book was published in the 1960s, it is still extensively being referred to today and can be found in the kitchens of many British households, so even much younger generations are familiar with Kathleen's delectable recipes.
A few months after she passes away, grocery chain Eaden and Son's is conducting the Search for the New Mrs Eaden. After nationwide auditions, the five people chosen to compete in the contest are young single mum Claire; polished Karen, who doesn't taste her own creations; Mike, a widower and father of two; Jenny, who is growing apart from her husband; and Vicky, who has stopped working so she can take care of her little boy, but isn't sure if she's happy as a stay-at-home mum.
I always enjoy reading novels that bring together people from different walks of life. I find that having such a diverse cast of main characters means there's always at least one with which the reader is able to identify, making it easier to be pulled into the story completely rather than just watching the action unfold from the sideline. In this case, I felt myself particularly drawn to Claire and Jenny, though I did feel sympathetic towards the struggles of all of them – Kathleen included.
Having such a large cast of characters did mean that there wasn't space to develop each one of them fully and as such I found some of the stories somewhat lacking. This was particularly apparent in the case of Mike, who was really only viewed through the eyes of his fellow contestants. I thought this was a shame as I would've liked to have known more about his life as a now single father. Similarly, the conclusions of Jenny and Karen's individual stories also felt a bit rushed.
Nonetheless, this was a delicious read, which I devoured like a freshly baked, homemade bread. The novel was steeped in a love for baking and quintessentially British delights, from the snippets of Kathleen's famous book scattered throughout, to the detailed descriptions of the contestants' practice runs and their entries into each of the stages of the competition. The lush descriptions of the food made them so vivid that I could almost taste them on the tip of my tongue while reading. So, even if you weren't hungry before picking up this novel, you definitely will be once you've dug into it!
The Search for the New Mrs Eaden, despite not taking place on television, is reminiscent of The Great British Bake Off and will be a particular treat for those who love the British baking show. However, even if you are not a fan of the reality contest, you will find plenty within the pages to enjoy. The characters do not only struggle with dough and flavours, but also with their marriages, parenting and the heartbreak of losing a child prematurely. For all the sweetness of the sugary decadences they whip up, there is also plenty of drama and intrigue to balance it all out.
And the baked goods mentioned within are so mouth-watering and inspiring that after finishing this novel even the most inexperienced of bakers will immediately want to grab their whisks and mixing bowls and try their hand at the recipes. From richly filled game pie with a perfect golden-brown pastry top to a delicate millefeuille layered with homemade crème pâtissière.
August 12, 2015
The Art of Baking Blind is pleasant debut novel for British journalist Sarah Vaughan.
In 1966, Kathleen Eaden, cookery writer and wife of a supermarket magnate, published 'The Art of Baking', her guide to nurturing a family by creating the most exquisite pastries, biscuits and cakes. A year after her death, a competition is being held to find the 'New Mrs Eaden', where the winner will receive a £50,000 contract to advise the supermarket on its selection of baked products, take the lead in an advertising campaign, and write a monthly magazine column. Four women and one man have been chosen to compete, striving for the perfection in the kitchen, that has eluded them in their real lives.
The novel unfolds through the viewpoints of Vaughan's four main female characters intertwined with Kathleen Eaden's story, and excerpts from 'The Art of Baking'.
Vicki, mother to three year old Alfie, is finding being a stay at home mother difficult and is excited by the challenge of the competition. Jenny has given all of herself to her family, but with her daughters having flown the nest and her husband disinterested, baking is all she has left. Karen strives for perfection in all things and views the competition as a way to prove herself. Claire is a hard working single mother who hopes that winning the contest will give her and her daughter a chance to better their lives.
While the contestants strive to turn out perfect pastries and pies every weekend, Vaughan slowly reveals the challenges each woman is facing at home. Jenny, for example, is almost certain her husband is having an affair, while Claire's daughter's father makes an unexpected return. There is depth here, though I think perhaps Vaughan spreads herself a little too thin and some of the characters, and their stories, are truncated. Karen's story finishes quite abruptly, and Mike, the fifth contestant, is little more than a token.
The competition to become the next Mrs Eaden bears similarities to the television show, The Great British Bake Off, though this contest is not televised and there is no weekly elimination. Sadly there are no recipes included in the book, but the descriptions of the contestants offerings, ranging from Chelsea Buns to a Springtime Quiche, are ambrosial and I couldn't resist baking a simple after school treat for my children when I'd finished the last page.
A story about family, relationships, and the art of baking, I enjoyed this engaging novel.
January 1, 2016
The Art of Baking Blind is a lovely ode to The Great British Bake Off, one of my favourite TV programmes.
The story alternates between the competition to find the new Mrs Eaden and the competition's inspiration, Kathleen Eaden, the wife of a grocer turned supermarket magnate as she writes her best seller "The art of baking". As the book progresses we get an insight into the personal lives of both the contestants and Kathleen. Slowly the story becomes one of relationships. It shows how a relationship that looks perfect from the outside, once the dynamic changes, changes can start to appear. The baking competition affects each contestant in different ways and makes them reassess their close relationships.
I'd say the book falls into the genre of women's fiction rather than chick lit. It is a grown up story without the frivolity of dating and socialising. When I started this book, I was a little concerned that there would be recipes interspersed within the narrative. However my concerns were unfounded and I'm surprised once the scene was set in both time periods, how much I enjoyed it. I wanted to know more about the individual bakers and I wanted to know who the winner was and what happened to Kathleen; the sign of a good book.
In essence it's a lovely book, a pleasant change from my usual read of thrillers and crime.
Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
The story alternates between the competition to find the new Mrs Eaden and the competition's inspiration, Kathleen Eaden, the wife of a grocer turned supermarket magnate as she writes her best seller "The art of baking". As the book progresses we get an insight into the personal lives of both the contestants and Kathleen. Slowly the story becomes one of relationships. It shows how a relationship that looks perfect from the outside, once the dynamic changes, changes can start to appear. The baking competition affects each contestant in different ways and makes them reassess their close relationships.
I'd say the book falls into the genre of women's fiction rather than chick lit. It is a grown up story without the frivolity of dating and socialising. When I started this book, I was a little concerned that there would be recipes interspersed within the narrative. However my concerns were unfounded and I'm surprised once the scene was set in both time periods, how much I enjoyed it. I wanted to know more about the individual bakers and I wanted to know who the winner was and what happened to Kathleen; the sign of a good book.
In essence it's a lovely book, a pleasant change from my usual read of thrillers and crime.
Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
May 26, 2014
I devoured this in a few days; it's an addictive chocolate-layer cake of a book with a frothy topping of rivalry, layers of emotional yearning and a sprinkling of the bitter truths of life.
Debut novelist Sarah Vaughan takes a fascinating cultural phenomenon - the baking competition - and produces a tale just as more-ish as the Victoria sponges and mini-tartlets it describes. Kathleen Eaden is a baking icon: slim, elegant and effortlessly perfect. Excerpts from her Art of Baking head each chapter, but as the wife of a supermarket millionaire the reader soon suspects all may not be as it seems for this doyen of 1960s femininity.
Enter today's aspiring Mrs Eadens: plump, homely Jenny married to a contemptuous fitness fanatic, posh ex-teacher Vicki, struggling as a stay-at-home mum, predatory Karen who brims with guilty secrets, single mum Claire, living on the breadline, and widower Mike, who bakes to nurture his children.
Vaughan has fun exploring the shortfalls of all these characters against goddess-like Mrs Eaden and the contest itself provides page-turning energy. The food is English fare deliciously described. The roots of baking in family life are fondly described, for example here are two children playing with Battenburg cake:
'they would dissect the tesselated squares into quarters and put them on their toy tea set to make fairy sandwiches for their Tiny Tears.'
If I do have a tiny niggle, it is that all the contestants are from the middle-class heartlands of southern England, even working-class Claire. As a former baking contestant myself I would say that contests are generally a lot more fun and a lot less of a trial of relationship and parenting skills! But that is not the point at all, for this is a lovely novel about baking and its wellspring in our nurturing psyches, and how we try but don't always succeed in becoming the perfect bakers.
This review is from an advance uncorrected proof supplied by the publisher.
Debut novelist Sarah Vaughan takes a fascinating cultural phenomenon - the baking competition - and produces a tale just as more-ish as the Victoria sponges and mini-tartlets it describes. Kathleen Eaden is a baking icon: slim, elegant and effortlessly perfect. Excerpts from her Art of Baking head each chapter, but as the wife of a supermarket millionaire the reader soon suspects all may not be as it seems for this doyen of 1960s femininity.
Enter today's aspiring Mrs Eadens: plump, homely Jenny married to a contemptuous fitness fanatic, posh ex-teacher Vicki, struggling as a stay-at-home mum, predatory Karen who brims with guilty secrets, single mum Claire, living on the breadline, and widower Mike, who bakes to nurture his children.
Vaughan has fun exploring the shortfalls of all these characters against goddess-like Mrs Eaden and the contest itself provides page-turning energy. The food is English fare deliciously described. The roots of baking in family life are fondly described, for example here are two children playing with Battenburg cake:
'they would dissect the tesselated squares into quarters and put them on their toy tea set to make fairy sandwiches for their Tiny Tears.'
If I do have a tiny niggle, it is that all the contestants are from the middle-class heartlands of southern England, even working-class Claire. As a former baking contestant myself I would say that contests are generally a lot more fun and a lot less of a trial of relationship and parenting skills! But that is not the point at all, for this is a lovely novel about baking and its wellspring in our nurturing psyches, and how we try but don't always succeed in becoming the perfect bakers.
This review is from an advance uncorrected proof supplied by the publisher.
May 10, 2014
I loved this book and devoured it in 3 days!! No pun intended! I didn't want it to end!
I love baking and it was the title which first attracted me. I immediately warmed to the characters, especially Jenny and Karen and found them all very believable. The ongoing thread of the original Mrs Eaden really added to the story, and in some ways was the lynch pin of the book, although at first it felt intrusive. Reading the book made we want to go to the kitchen and start cooking! I want more of this book, another helping please!!!
I love baking and it was the title which first attracted me. I immediately warmed to the characters, especially Jenny and Karen and found them all very believable. The ongoing thread of the original Mrs Eaden really added to the story, and in some ways was the lynch pin of the book, although at first it felt intrusive. Reading the book made we want to go to the kitchen and start cooking! I want more of this book, another helping please!!!
January 31, 2015
A most excellent read, and a surprisingly engaging debut novel.
Women's fiction, to be sure, this story has a ring of truth that will resonate with all women, regardless of their specific path.
Very, very British in style; witty, funny, sad, and triumphant.
Women's fiction, to be sure, this story has a ring of truth that will resonate with all women, regardless of their specific path.
Very, very British in style; witty, funny, sad, and triumphant.
September 29, 2015
This book appears to be about baking, but actually it's more to do with motherhood.
There are 5 main characters.
Kathleen, who has recently died. Her story is told in flashback from her life in the 60's as a young woman. She is an attractive and talented baker who writes a successful baking column and is looked up to and idealised as the perfect woman. Secretly, though, she is desperate to be a mother and has miscarried several pregnancies.
Jenny, a mother of grown daughters who is frumpy and fat and fears her husband is having an affair. Cooking is her escape in life, much to her slim husbands disgust.
Claire, a single mum who works as a cashier and struggles to get by.
Vicki, a married mum to a young son who is feeling frustrated at home and misses teaching.
Karen, an attractive 40 something who tries to hang onto her youth and has alienated her teenage children with her behaviour.
With Kathleen's death, the four win the chance to compete in a cookery contest to find the "next" Kathleen.
There's another contestant, widowed single dad Mike, but honestly, he's just there for padding. This story is about the four current day women and Kathleen.
Jenny was my favourite. Her husband was cold and cruel, and I really pitied her.
Vicki, I struggled with. On one hand, she's frustrated at home, on the other, banging on about more babies. It was irritating! I did get what the author was trying to do with the storyline with Vicki's own mother, though. I was a bit worried she was being painted like a witch for having her own life and not wanting to live through her grandchild, but I liked the "did the best I could" message. I wish there was a little more of that in this book, but, hey, I read the whole thing, so it couldn't have been that awful.
Karen was also a bit annoying. Seriously, because a woman wants to look good past 40, does she have to be an anorexic slut bag? Really? And dropping out for her children and all forgiven at the end, oh please... Her son honestly needed a kick up the ass. I am not saying Karen showed good judgement or appropriate behaviour, but he wasn't a child, despite the way he acted.
Claire was fairly innocuous. Didn't have strong thoughts either way on her character.
Overall easy reading with some delicious descriptions of food. Too many characters to care about all of them, or even follow who is who completely. Very linked to family, babies, struggles with those things - it would have been nice to have a bit of variety in the characters there.
I am glad I read it, but definitely not one to keep and re read.
There are 5 main characters.
Kathleen, who has recently died. Her story is told in flashback from her life in the 60's as a young woman. She is an attractive and talented baker who writes a successful baking column and is looked up to and idealised as the perfect woman. Secretly, though, she is desperate to be a mother and has miscarried several pregnancies.
Jenny, a mother of grown daughters who is frumpy and fat and fears her husband is having an affair. Cooking is her escape in life, much to her slim husbands disgust.
Claire, a single mum who works as a cashier and struggles to get by.
Vicki, a married mum to a young son who is feeling frustrated at home and misses teaching.
Karen, an attractive 40 something who tries to hang onto her youth and has alienated her teenage children with her behaviour.
With Kathleen's death, the four win the chance to compete in a cookery contest to find the "next" Kathleen.
There's another contestant, widowed single dad Mike, but honestly, he's just there for padding. This story is about the four current day women and Kathleen.
Jenny was my favourite. Her husband was cold and cruel, and I really pitied her.
Vicki, I struggled with. On one hand, she's frustrated at home, on the other, banging on about more babies. It was irritating! I did get what the author was trying to do with the storyline with Vicki's own mother, though. I was a bit worried she was being painted like a witch for having her own life and not wanting to live through her grandchild, but I liked the "did the best I could" message. I wish there was a little more of that in this book, but, hey, I read the whole thing, so it couldn't have been that awful.
Karen was also a bit annoying. Seriously, because a woman wants to look good past 40, does she have to be an anorexic slut bag? Really? And dropping out for her children and all forgiven at the end, oh please... Her son honestly needed a kick up the ass. I am not saying Karen showed good judgement or appropriate behaviour, but he wasn't a child, despite the way he acted.
Claire was fairly innocuous. Didn't have strong thoughts either way on her character.
Overall easy reading with some delicious descriptions of food. Too many characters to care about all of them, or even follow who is who completely. Very linked to family, babies, struggles with those things - it would have been nice to have a bit of variety in the characters there.
I am glad I read it, but definitely not one to keep and re read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2015
Eaden and Sons are running a baking competition to find the new face for their baking campaigns. Mrs Eadon wrote The Art of Baking in the 1960's and the book is still very popular. The new campaign will use many of her recipes.
Five contestants are chosen and they travel down to the family home every weekend to take part in a baking competition where the winners release a clip on YouTube. Jenny is an older lady and her children are leading their own lives and her husband has just started training for a marathon and is making disparaging remarks about her love of baking and her weight. You really feel for her. Claire has a little girl and has put her dreams on hold to look after her. Vikki has given up her job to be with her young son- but does she crave more from life? Karen presents a very polished exterior and has a very rich husband- but what secrets is she hiding to the outside world? Mike is looking after his children after losing his wife.
Although this is a competition there is no elimination process and the contestants get to know each other and feel protective about each other. They are all juggling problems at home and wondering whether they should continue with the competition but all have reasons for wanting to win!
I loved the relationships- both at home and between the contestants. You felt a part of the whole competition and readers will probably have their own favourite for the winner.
Highly recommend this one and send many thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the chance to read this one.
Five contestants are chosen and they travel down to the family home every weekend to take part in a baking competition where the winners release a clip on YouTube. Jenny is an older lady and her children are leading their own lives and her husband has just started training for a marathon and is making disparaging remarks about her love of baking and her weight. You really feel for her. Claire has a little girl and has put her dreams on hold to look after her. Vikki has given up her job to be with her young son- but does she crave more from life? Karen presents a very polished exterior and has a very rich husband- but what secrets is she hiding to the outside world? Mike is looking after his children after losing his wife.
Although this is a competition there is no elimination process and the contestants get to know each other and feel protective about each other. They are all juggling problems at home and wondering whether they should continue with the competition but all have reasons for wanting to win!
I loved the relationships- both at home and between the contestants. You felt a part of the whole competition and readers will probably have their own favourite for the winner.
Highly recommend this one and send many thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the chance to read this one.
May 24, 2015
I received a review copy
This was a book that had me invested from the very beginning. I absolutely love books that flip between past and present. While we only got little clips from Kathleen Eaden on her past, they were full of knowledge and really tied the story together. Each competitor has their own unique story going on, and because this book was pretty thick (I received a hard cover) I knew from the beginning that we get pretty in depth with them, which was the case. Though I can’t cook or bake myself I love reading foodie books, and delighted in the recipes given and the thorough baking guide throughout the way. Sometimes I did tend to mix up the characters since we were following so many, but I truly enjoyed this book as a whole. Perfect for a rainy spring day!
4.5 stars
This was a book that had me invested from the very beginning. I absolutely love books that flip between past and present. While we only got little clips from Kathleen Eaden on her past, they were full of knowledge and really tied the story together. Each competitor has their own unique story going on, and because this book was pretty thick (I received a hard cover) I knew from the beginning that we get pretty in depth with them, which was the case. Though I can’t cook or bake myself I love reading foodie books, and delighted in the recipes given and the thorough baking guide throughout the way. Sometimes I did tend to mix up the characters since we were following so many, but I truly enjoyed this book as a whole. Perfect for a rainy spring day!
4.5 stars
January 21, 2020
3,5/5. J'ai eu énormément de mal au départ avec la présentation de tous les personnages trop rapide. J'ai donc mis plus de la moitié du roman à reconnaitre qui était qui ! Et j'ai trouvé les détails concernant les préparations culinaires trop nombreux à mon goût mais je n'aime pas du tout cuisiner donc ça se comprend ;) Sinon, l'ensemble est assez prévisible mais ça se laisse lire !
July 6, 2016
If you like The Great British Baking Show, you will like this book. The characters are great and they draw you into the story.
January 20, 2017
The author's take on the show The Great British Bake Off, a show I've never seen, but I love anything to do with the Food Network, so it probably sounds like something I would watch.
I loved the British narrator, and the story o would have to give 3 1/2 stars. The four female contestants - Vicki, Claire, Jenny, Karen - all seem a little bit similar at first but over time you start to distinguish their characters. The single male contestant, Mike, had so much potential, and I don't think he was given as much story space as he could have, and definitely not as much as the women.
It's hard to pick a favorite character, but I know I didn't really like Vicki. She indulged her whiny little son far too much. Jenny put up with her husband for far too long, and so maybe Claire was my favorite - she deserved all the good things she could get.
I did like the flashbacks to Kathleen Eaden's life in the '60s, as an aspiring cookbook author and as she suffers miscarriage after miscarriage.
All in all, not a bad story. As a major foodie, I loved all the bits about food - what the dishes the characters made looked like and what they tasted like.
I loved the British narrator, and the story o would have to give 3 1/2 stars. The four female contestants - Vicki, Claire, Jenny, Karen - all seem a little bit similar at first but over time you start to distinguish their characters. The single male contestant, Mike, had so much potential, and I don't think he was given as much story space as he could have, and definitely not as much as the women.
It's hard to pick a favorite character, but I know I didn't really like Vicki. She indulged her whiny little son far too much. Jenny put up with her husband for far too long, and so maybe Claire was my favorite - she deserved all the good things she could get.
I did like the flashbacks to Kathleen Eaden's life in the '60s, as an aspiring cookbook author and as she suffers miscarriage after miscarriage.
All in all, not a bad story. As a major foodie, I loved all the bits about food - what the dishes the characters made looked like and what they tasted like.
September 25, 2016
Mam sto chuti napsat, ze to byl sladky pribeh s prichuti vanilky, skorice, rozinek, ale take s pridavkem chilli papricek, horkych mandli.. Ale byl by to kyc.
Proto napisu, ze to byl pribeh, ktery me prekvapil vsim, co se v nem odehravalo a jak autorka dokazala na necelych 400 stran dostat zivoty peti zen a jednoho muze, to me udivilo a bavilo. Mile pocteni a ted me omluvte.. Musim si jit dat neco sladkeho, sic mi neprestanou tect sliny :D
Proto napisu, ze to byl pribeh, ktery me prekvapil vsim, co se v nem odehravalo a jak autorka dokazala na necelych 400 stran dostat zivoty peti zen a jednoho muze, to me udivilo a bavilo. Mile pocteni a ted me omluvte.. Musim si jit dat neco sladkeho, sic mi neprestanou tect sliny :D
May 4, 2015
I won a copy of this book through the Goodreads first reads program. I wanted to really like this book because I found the premise very interesting, but, in the end, it was just okay for me. The main thing is that there are too many characters and some never get fleshed out or used to their full potential. I would have rather had fewer characters and a more in depth story on all of them.
May 25, 2014
A brilliant read for anyone who loves to escape when baking - and a great book for showing you never really know whats happening behind closed doors.
December 19, 2022
Despite the generic characterisations and the constant mentioning of cakes (which I swear made me put on 10lb just by reading it) the writing style elevated what could have been a trip to dullsville into an enjoyable read.
March 3, 2024
Loved it.
September 29, 2022
I really enjoyed this show that was inspired from the Great British Bake-Off. I really wish she hadn't used the word "frisson" so MUCH.
April 18, 2015
En 1966, la britannique Kathleen Eaden, talentueuse écrivain culinaire et épouse d’un magnat des supermarchés millionnaire et fou amoureux d’elle, publie son best-seller, L’Art de la pâtisserie.
Plus qu’un livre de cuisine, son ouvrage va inspirer des générations de femmes dans tous les domaines de leur vie. Kathleen y prêche l’amour de la cuisine, comme l’amour de la famille, et pour elle il n’y a pas de plus beau cadeau que puisse offrir une femme aux siens que de contenter leurs papilles. De l’extérieur, la vie de Kathleen semble parfaite en tous points, nul n’imagine que sous le glaçage sucré et parfait se cachent en fait des troubles et des secrets...
De nos jours, toujours en Grande-Bretagne, est organisé un concours qui permettra de dénicher la "nouvelle Kathleen Eaden", une personne qui saura aussi bien cuisiner qu’elle que restituer ses valeurs familiales de bon sens et d’amour du travail fait avec le coeur. Mais si la perfection est possible en cuisine, c’est beaucoup plus difficile dans la vraie vie...
Cinq candidats [1] sont en lice, tous aussi différents les uns que les autres. La compétition se déroule un peu sur le même principe que les émissions de téléréalité, où les candidats s’affrontent pour remporter des épreuves dans des recettes imposées.
Il y a la quinquagénaire Jenny, qui se sent seule et délaissée après le départ de ses trois filles de la maison, il y a Claire, 27 ans, qui a sacrifié ses rêves pour élever sa fille, il y a Mike, papa de deux jeunes enfants et veuf, il y a Vicki, jolie BCBG qui s’évertue à être la mère parfaite, et enfin, sans doute le personnage le plus complexe, Karen, 47 ans, bourgeoise gâtée mais névrosée et rongée par les démons de son passé.
Autant de figures radicalement opposées dont les destinées vont se croiser le temps de cette compétition, ou au lieu de s’affronter, chacun des participants va en fait apprendre l’entre-aide, la générosité et la solidarité. Ces amitiés nouvelles vont leur permettre d’avancer, de mieux se connaître et de se révéler à eux-mêmes et aux autres. Dommage que certains personnages ne soient pas assez creusés, on pense particulièrement à Mike et Claire.
Le roman oscille entre passé et présent, on y découvre en alternance la vraie vie de Kathleen, qui a influencé tant de foyers anglais, on se plaît à imaginer qu’elle a réellement existé. Cette femme aux apparences lisses et sans tâches cachait aussi ses failles et ses blessures et son parcours est tout aussi passionnant à découvrir que celui des candidats au concours qu’elle a inspiré.
Nous terminerons par une citation du livre, qui en donne véritablement le ton, "Il existe de nombreuses raisons de faire la cuisine : recevoir, créer, impressionner, nourrir, chercher qui l’on est et, parfois, il faut bien le reconnaître, parfaire cet art. Mais souvent nous cuisinons pour assouvir une faim qui serait plus sûrement rassasiée par un simple geste de l’être cher. Nous cuisinons pour aimer et être aimé."
Plus qu’un livre de cuisine, son ouvrage va inspirer des générations de femmes dans tous les domaines de leur vie. Kathleen y prêche l’amour de la cuisine, comme l’amour de la famille, et pour elle il n’y a pas de plus beau cadeau que puisse offrir une femme aux siens que de contenter leurs papilles. De l’extérieur, la vie de Kathleen semble parfaite en tous points, nul n’imagine que sous le glaçage sucré et parfait se cachent en fait des troubles et des secrets...
De nos jours, toujours en Grande-Bretagne, est organisé un concours qui permettra de dénicher la "nouvelle Kathleen Eaden", une personne qui saura aussi bien cuisiner qu’elle que restituer ses valeurs familiales de bon sens et d’amour du travail fait avec le coeur. Mais si la perfection est possible en cuisine, c’est beaucoup plus difficile dans la vraie vie...
Cinq candidats [1] sont en lice, tous aussi différents les uns que les autres. La compétition se déroule un peu sur le même principe que les émissions de téléréalité, où les candidats s’affrontent pour remporter des épreuves dans des recettes imposées.
Il y a la quinquagénaire Jenny, qui se sent seule et délaissée après le départ de ses trois filles de la maison, il y a Claire, 27 ans, qui a sacrifié ses rêves pour élever sa fille, il y a Mike, papa de deux jeunes enfants et veuf, il y a Vicki, jolie BCBG qui s’évertue à être la mère parfaite, et enfin, sans doute le personnage le plus complexe, Karen, 47 ans, bourgeoise gâtée mais névrosée et rongée par les démons de son passé.
Autant de figures radicalement opposées dont les destinées vont se croiser le temps de cette compétition, ou au lieu de s’affronter, chacun des participants va en fait apprendre l’entre-aide, la générosité et la solidarité. Ces amitiés nouvelles vont leur permettre d’avancer, de mieux se connaître et de se révéler à eux-mêmes et aux autres. Dommage que certains personnages ne soient pas assez creusés, on pense particulièrement à Mike et Claire.
Le roman oscille entre passé et présent, on y découvre en alternance la vraie vie de Kathleen, qui a influencé tant de foyers anglais, on se plaît à imaginer qu’elle a réellement existé. Cette femme aux apparences lisses et sans tâches cachait aussi ses failles et ses blessures et son parcours est tout aussi passionnant à découvrir que celui des candidats au concours qu’elle a inspiré.
Nous terminerons par une citation du livre, qui en donne véritablement le ton, "Il existe de nombreuses raisons de faire la cuisine : recevoir, créer, impressionner, nourrir, chercher qui l’on est et, parfois, il faut bien le reconnaître, parfaire cet art. Mais souvent nous cuisinons pour assouvir une faim qui serait plus sûrement rassasiée par un simple geste de l’être cher. Nous cuisinons pour aimer et être aimé."
August 12, 2021
Perché tradurre "the art of baking blind" con "il sapore sconosciuto dell'amore?".
Baking blind (o blind baking) è un tipo di cottura della frolla/sfoglia o altro impasto senza il ripieno, che viene aggiunto in un secondo momento.
È quel tipo di cottura dove si mettono i legumi secchi sull'impasto per evitare che gonfi.
Avete presente?
Il titolo originale è in linea con la storia raccontata, quello italiano è più che altro un'interpretazione del romanzo ed è forse più accattivante e più bello di quello inglese.
Ma un po' forzato.
C'è da dire, però che la copertina è bellissima.
Di cosa parla questo libro? Di cinque cuochi dilettanti, che vengono selezionati per partecipare ad un concorso indetto dalla catena di supermercati Eaden, per trovare la nuova Mrs Eaden.
La storica testimonial, Keathleen Eaden è stata una pioniera della cucina britannica per le casalinghe degli anni Sessanta e Settanta. Una specie di Julia Child inglese o della nostra Elena Spagnol. Kathleen però è venuta a mancare e, per celebrarne la vita e continuare idealmente il suo lavoro, la catena Eaden ha selezionato Karen, Mike, Vicki e Claire e li fa sfidare a suon di prepararezioni dolci e salate.
Dopo cinque weekend nella tenuta del Berkshire dove i coniugi Eaden hanno vissuto parte della loro vita, verrà decretato il vincitore.
Questa sfida non sarà soltanto una sfida all'ultimo soufflé, ma diventa la sfida che ogni concorrente dovrà disputare con sé stesso e con le proprie convinzioni sulla vita, sulla famiglia, sulla maternità /paternità,sulla realtà e l'apparenza.
E tra un'infornata e l'altra si scoprono le vite di tutti loro. E anche quella di Kathleen Eaden.
E impara che niente è come sembra: dietro la facciata di perfezione ci sono tante crepe e tante ombre.
Ma la cucina e le amicizie che nasceranno verranno in aiuto a tutti loro.
Un bel libro, mi ha preso tantissimo! Non immaginavo che avrei fatto fatica a lasciarlo giù.
Merito delle storie e dei personaggi che si amano o si detestano da subito.
Come Jennifer, che ho adorato e che, come Kathleen, è la vera protagonista e gli altri le ruotano intorno come satelliti.
O Karen che ho detestato, ma poi avrei voluto abbracciare.
Mike è quello meno approfondito, meno rivelato, e che avrei voluto avesse un ruolo più importante.
E Claire che in un certo senso è lo specchio di Vicki.
Perché intitolarlo il sapore sconosciuto dell'amore, allora ?
Forse perché, alla fine, quello che scopre ogni personaggio è um nuovo amore per sé, una nuova forza, una nuova possibilità .
E allora sì, il titolo ha un senso e me lo faccio piacere.
Una lettura molto piacevole che piacerà a quelli che amano i libri che parlano di cibo e affetti, e a tutti coloro che amano i talent show di cucina
4 stelle e alla prossima!
Buone letture e alla prossima
Baking blind (o blind baking) è un tipo di cottura della frolla/sfoglia o altro impasto senza il ripieno, che viene aggiunto in un secondo momento.
È quel tipo di cottura dove si mettono i legumi secchi sull'impasto per evitare che gonfi.
Avete presente?
Il titolo originale è in linea con la storia raccontata, quello italiano è più che altro un'interpretazione del romanzo ed è forse più accattivante e più bello di quello inglese.
Ma un po' forzato.
C'è da dire, però che la copertina è bellissima.
Di cosa parla questo libro? Di cinque cuochi dilettanti, che vengono selezionati per partecipare ad un concorso indetto dalla catena di supermercati Eaden, per trovare la nuova Mrs Eaden.
La storica testimonial, Keathleen Eaden è stata una pioniera della cucina britannica per le casalinghe degli anni Sessanta e Settanta. Una specie di Julia Child inglese o della nostra Elena Spagnol. Kathleen però è venuta a mancare e, per celebrarne la vita e continuare idealmente il suo lavoro, la catena Eaden ha selezionato Karen, Mike, Vicki e Claire e li fa sfidare a suon di prepararezioni dolci e salate.
Dopo cinque weekend nella tenuta del Berkshire dove i coniugi Eaden hanno vissuto parte della loro vita, verrà decretato il vincitore.
Questa sfida non sarà soltanto una sfida all'ultimo soufflé, ma diventa la sfida che ogni concorrente dovrà disputare con sé stesso e con le proprie convinzioni sulla vita, sulla famiglia, sulla maternità /paternità,sulla realtà e l'apparenza.
E tra un'infornata e l'altra si scoprono le vite di tutti loro. E anche quella di Kathleen Eaden.
E impara che niente è come sembra: dietro la facciata di perfezione ci sono tante crepe e tante ombre.
Ma la cucina e le amicizie che nasceranno verranno in aiuto a tutti loro.
Un bel libro, mi ha preso tantissimo! Non immaginavo che avrei fatto fatica a lasciarlo giù.
Merito delle storie e dei personaggi che si amano o si detestano da subito.
Come Jennifer, che ho adorato e che, come Kathleen, è la vera protagonista e gli altri le ruotano intorno come satelliti.
O Karen che ho detestato, ma poi avrei voluto abbracciare.
Mike è quello meno approfondito, meno rivelato, e che avrei voluto avesse un ruolo più importante.
E Claire che in un certo senso è lo specchio di Vicki.
Perché intitolarlo il sapore sconosciuto dell'amore, allora ?
Forse perché, alla fine, quello che scopre ogni personaggio è um nuovo amore per sé, una nuova forza, una nuova possibilità .
E allora sì, il titolo ha un senso e me lo faccio piacere.
Una lettura molto piacevole che piacerà a quelli che amano i libri che parlano di cibo e affetti, e a tutti coloro che amano i talent show di cucina
4 stelle e alla prossima!
Buone letture e alla prossima
April 19, 2020
Este libro es ideal para leerlo con una buena mantita y comiendo algo rico. Es de esas lecturas amenas y nada exigentes que te enganchan y no podes soltar el libro.
¿De qué se trata? Tenemos a Kathleen Eaden, quien fue la imagen de la próspera cadena de supermercados fundada por su marido en 1962. Pero Kathleen era más que una esposa decorativa y un ama de casa perfecta, ella era el símbolo de la vida familiar y la cocina perfecta en muchos hogares ingleses. También fue la autora del libro El arte del pastel perfecto, un recetario que desde que se publicó estuvo presente en casi todas las casas de familias inglesas.
Ahora, en el 2012, después de la muerte de Kathleen, la cadena de supermercados busca a un nuevo representante de la marca por medio de un concurso de repostería.
Es así como conocemos a los cinco participantes que llegan a la final. Todos son muy diferentes entre sí, y todos tienen razones muy distintas para participar. ¿Quién conseguirá ser la nueva imagen de la marca Eaden's?
A grandes rasgos esa es un poco la sinopsis del libro, pero creo que el punto fuerte de la historia son los personajes, y es que no son simplemente concursantes, todos tienen un trasfondo, todos viven sus propios dramas... incluso Kathleen.
Más en: http://lecturas-de-annie.blogspot.com...
¿De qué se trata? Tenemos a Kathleen Eaden, quien fue la imagen de la próspera cadena de supermercados fundada por su marido en 1962. Pero Kathleen era más que una esposa decorativa y un ama de casa perfecta, ella era el símbolo de la vida familiar y la cocina perfecta en muchos hogares ingleses. También fue la autora del libro El arte del pastel perfecto, un recetario que desde que se publicó estuvo presente en casi todas las casas de familias inglesas.
Ahora, en el 2012, después de la muerte de Kathleen, la cadena de supermercados busca a un nuevo representante de la marca por medio de un concurso de repostería.
Es así como conocemos a los cinco participantes que llegan a la final. Todos son muy diferentes entre sí, y todos tienen razones muy distintas para participar. ¿Quién conseguirá ser la nueva imagen de la marca Eaden's?
A grandes rasgos esa es un poco la sinopsis del libro, pero creo que el punto fuerte de la historia son los personajes, y es que no son simplemente concursantes, todos tienen un trasfondo, todos viven sus propios dramas... incluso Kathleen.
Más en: http://lecturas-de-annie.blogspot.com...
February 22, 2015
THE ART OF BAKING BLIND by Sarah Vaughan
Vaughan has created five very likeable characters in the contestants for the “Next Mrs. Eaden, ‘ although Mike seems like the required male, an afterthought serving only as a foil for Claire’s Jay. Kathleen Eadon, who appears in back flashes, is the glue that serves to highlight each of the other character’s flaws and perfections. The book is lengthy (over 400 pages) but is a “quick” read. You will want to know the conclusion of the contest, and the solutions to each of the contestant’s (and Kathleen’s) dilemmas. The pronunciation of Kathleen’s last name might lead one to believe that housewifely skills always produce an “Eden” in one’s life -- and one would be wrong.
I hope in the finished book there is a glossary of the British cookery terms – and pictures of the wonderful treats the bakers create. The descriptions of the baking projects are scrumptious and will send you to the kitchen -- or hustling off to the grocery. Book groups will find a “baker’s dozen” of topics for discussion – marriage, motherhood, cookery skills, self-worth, bulimia, miscarriage, contests , love vs sex, perfection and many more.
5 of 5 stars
Vaughan has created five very likeable characters in the contestants for the “Next Mrs. Eaden, ‘ although Mike seems like the required male, an afterthought serving only as a foil for Claire’s Jay. Kathleen Eadon, who appears in back flashes, is the glue that serves to highlight each of the other character’s flaws and perfections. The book is lengthy (over 400 pages) but is a “quick” read. You will want to know the conclusion of the contest, and the solutions to each of the contestant’s (and Kathleen’s) dilemmas. The pronunciation of Kathleen’s last name might lead one to believe that housewifely skills always produce an “Eden” in one’s life -- and one would be wrong.
I hope in the finished book there is a glossary of the British cookery terms – and pictures of the wonderful treats the bakers create. The descriptions of the baking projects are scrumptious and will send you to the kitchen -- or hustling off to the grocery. Book groups will find a “baker’s dozen” of topics for discussion – marriage, motherhood, cookery skills, self-worth, bulimia, miscarriage, contests , love vs sex, perfection and many more.
5 of 5 stars
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