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The Bookbinder's Secret is set in Oxford, England, between the Victorian and Edwardian eras. At that time, Oxford was the home of hallowed halls, dreaming spires—and marmalade. Frank Cooper's Original Oxford Marmalade was first made in 1874 by Sarah-Jane Cooper, the wife of Oxford shopkeeper Frank Cooper, in the family kitchen. A perfect addition to a book club would be a marmalade cake. Lilian and Mr Caxton, with his sweet toot,h would have loved it. It's easy to make and full of orangey goodness!
In Victorian Oxford, pie shops and chop houses were very popular—lamb cutlets and roast beef were favourites. You can’t go wrong with a delicious beef salad with all the flavour you could hope for! Serve with some good crusty bread to mop up the juices.
Usually, Lilian managed only a snatched breakfast at her desk in the bindery, but when she saw a full English country house spread, she definitely enjoyed it! Victorian Britain enjoyed a booming spice trade with the Orient, and a popular breakfast dish of the time was kedgeree, curry-spiced rice, smoked haddock, and hard-boiled eggs.
And for dessert, jellies in all shapes and sizes were hugely popular in Victorian times, from towering multi-layer creations in fantastic shapes to more modest offerings. These were often served set in glasses, topped with pomegranate seeds and flaked almonds or sprigs of fresh mint. You can make these elegant individual jellies with one of Lilian's favourite drinks, ginger beer.
And to drink, cocktails and mixed drinks were becoming popular in pubs and bars, especially for women drinkers. A traditional tipple at the time would have been the old favourite, a Gin Sling, or a refreshing glass of ginger beer, if there's any left over from making the jellies.
A.D. Bell
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