SOUNDTRACK: hiatus
[READ: January 2022] Nanny Ogg’s Cookbook
I bought this book when it came out because I was working in a book store that sold British imported books. I knew I’d never find it at the mall, si grabbed it, And now, twenty-some years later, I’ve finally read it.
I read it a little out of order, but I assumed it would come after Maskerade because in that novel, Nanny Ogg has a book published. Although, it turns out this is her third book (the other two only came out in Discworld). This book also references Jingo and Hogfather.
So this is in fact a viable cookbook. You can cook everything that’s in here (provided you don’t include the arsenic). But the recipes all have a narrative from Nanny Ogg, so there’s a degree of nudge nudge involved in the whole thing.
In addition to the recipes, there is a section on etiquette, which is more of the sort of naughty fun that Nanny Ogg sprinkles in the books she appears in.
The book opens with notes from the publisher (the one who published The Joy of Snacks), discussing whether or not they can actually publish this book and if any of it should be censored. They just can’t understand how Nanny can use normal every day words and yet some how make them all sound dirty.
Recipes include:
Bananana Soup Surprise (the surprise is that there are banananas in it). Celery astonishment which is accompanied by two potatoes.
There’s also dishes from Unseen University: Primal Soup; Fred Colon’s wife’s Genyooin Klatchian Curry; Lady Sybil Vimes’ Kedgeree and Lord Vetinati’s contribution: Bread and Water.
Angua gets to have her recipe in there (even though she is a werewolf, she is a vegetarian, so this is for Vegetable Stew with Dumplings. There’s also Mrs. Gogol’s Clairvoyant Gumbo (seen in Witches Abroad).
Amazingly, they even got C.M.O.T. Dibbler’s Sausage Inna Bun recipe.
Most of the recipes have fun sections to them, although Leonard of Quirm’s entry for a cheese sandwich is several pages long and talks about all of the things that you will do while making the sandwich, like designing war machines, making a machine that produces superior breadknives and a decide by which the moon can be reached, powered by eggs.
There’s even a recipe for a knuckle sandwich.
But Nanny has most of the recipes including the infamous Strawberry Wobbler! And Nanny Ogg’s Maids of Honor–take your eyes off ’em and they end up as tarts).
And some good old fashioned real British recipes like for Spicy Spotted DIck, Traveller’s Digestive Biscuits and Jammy Devils. There’s even a recipe for Figgins, whatever they are.
She ends her recipes with an entry on Dwarf Cookery and even shows you how to make an edible dwarf bread.
Her section on etiquette explains the best reason I’ve ever seen for etiquette. When people ask isn’t etiquette just there to make you feel foolish for not following the rules?
But at least there are rules, and they’re all written down where anyone can find ’em.
The most important part is Etiquette with Witches. You do not want to mess this up. Then there’s etiquette with other species (never shake hands with a troll!).
There’s etiquette at the table (with proper ways to eat many kinds of food). And the after time of ports and cigars, too.
Then she gets into household uses. From naming a baby and having a party for the baby to Courtship (this is probably out of order) and how to behave at Balls.
She has a lengthy section on the language of flowers which the editors have deemed far too risque to publish.
I’m afraid the one for peonies is also obscene, sir
Is it? I thought it was rather charming.
I’m afraid so, sir.
There’s a lot about marriage and wedding and when the fight is going to happen. And inevitably, a section about Death and mourning. She even tactfully has a section about Dealing with the Undead.
But when it comes to etiquette in the Bedroom, the editors have deleted the whole thing (although I like that you can see some of the words behind their notes.
This book was written by Pratchett with help from Stephen Briggs, Tina Hannan and has illustrations from Paul Kidby. It’s a fun side dish to the series and allows for there to be extra deep looks into some of the characters.
Here’s the list of Discworld titles:
1. The Colour of Magic
2. The Light Fantastic
3. Equal Rites
4. Mort
5. Sourcery
6. Wyrd Sisters
7. Pyramids
8. Guards! Guards!
9. Faust Eric
10. Moving Pictures
11. Reaper Man
12. Witches Abroad
13. Small Gods
14. Lords and Ladies
15. Men at Arms
16. Soul Music
17. Interesting Times
18. Maskerade
19. Feet of Clay
20. Hogfather
21. Jingo
22. The Last Continent
23. Carpe Jugulum
24. The Fifth Elephant
25. The Truth
26. Thief of Time
27. The Last Hero
28. The Amazing Maurice And His Educated Rodents
29. Night Watch
30. The Wee Free Men
31. Monstrous Regiment
32. A Hat Full of Sky
33. Going Postal
34. Thud!
35. Wintersmith
36. Making Money
37. Unseen Academicals
38. I Shall Wear Midnight
39. Snuff
40. Raising Steam
41. The Shepherd’s Crown
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