Margaret Fulton was born near Inverness in Scotland, the youngest of six children. Her parents were both tailors and went to Australia when Margaret was four years old. The family set up home in Glen Innes, NSW, and it’s there that young Margaret first learnt to cook.
You might not recognise the name unless you are Australian but Margaret is as celebrated there as Delia Smith might be in the UK. She has 20 or so books to her credit and was said to be one of the 100 most influential Australians and credited with teaching the nation to cook.
Encyclopedia of Food and Cookery is an obvious labour of love. It took Margaret a full 18 months to bring this mammoth work to completion for publication in 1983. This is the revised and updated edition and reflects the array of ingredients available to modern home cooks.
This is a chunky volume with an almost old-fashioned, comforting style of binding. The cloth spine and the board covers are attractive and practical. The text in shades of sepia and black help to define the pages. There are some line illustrations but this is an Encylopedia and not a full colour cookbook. There are 1000 or so entries and some 1500 recipes, which include European and more exotic classics as well as contemporary favourites.
Margaret writes in a light accessible style which informs without patronising. The book is filled with history, information and advice but it’s not just a tool for the novice. Encyclopedia of Food and Cookery is a work of reference to be welcomed by even experienced and enthusiastic cooks. This is one of those books that will be often used with scraps of paper marking much-loved pages.
I have my own well-thumbed pages which include the one that contains Lemon Delicious Pudding. This is one of those magical sponges that hides a sauce which appears during the cooking process. What a lovely recipe for children who can involve themselves with mixing… and eating this light tangy dessert.
Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic is not a myth, it exists and it’s one of those “must-try” recipes. All those cloves cook down to sweet and tender perfection. Their character changes to the extent that even those who are normally appalled at the prospect of eating garlic will ask for a few cloves more. This chicken will fill your home with an enticing aroma that is quite mouth-watering. A simple recipe but one you will refer to time and time again.
Encyclopedia of Food and Cookery is a book you will use till it falls apart. It’s one of my top 10 classic cookbooks.
Encyclopedia of Food and Cookery
Author: Margaret Fulton
Published by: Apple Press
Price: £19.99
ISBN 978-1-84543-229-4
Food guide and cookbook review by Chrissie Walker © 2018