This book is perfect for people who have at least two of the following interests: Agatha Christie's mysteries, food & cooking, and the social history involved with both of the previous items. I have been reading Christie's novels in publication order with the Appointment with Agatha group and have been enjoying observing the household changes that Christie documents in her fiction.
Dame Agatha was definitely a foodie. She enjoyed good cuisine and grew up in circumstances that afforded her the privilege of indulging in it. (In her autobiography, she revealed her penchant for drinking cream.) She was able to travel and enthusiastically sampled the food of other cultures. Guests at her home did not go hungry!
When I heard this author interviewed on the radio, I knew that I wanted to peruse this cookbook. Pierce is a fellow Canadian, perfectly situated to mediate between the various cultures who may be interested in this subject. Canada has traditional links to Great Britain, having been colonized and eventually peacefully given independence from that government. We still retain the monarch as head of state and traditions, legal similarities, and spelling idiosyncrasies. However, we also live cheek by jowl with the United States (as our PM Pierre Trudeau observed, we are a mouse sharing a bed with an elephant). English and American recipes use different measurement standards and different food terms (eggplant vs aubergine, for example). Pierce navigates these potentially confusing details gracefully, providing alternative details in parentheses.
Pierce selects one recipe per novel and has developed a modern version (eg. Cornish hens substituted for Blackbirds). I was entertained by the rationale behind her choice for each chapter. Although I won't be attempting any of the recipes, I have no doubt that I could successfully make any of them. I enjoyed learning about the history of certain foods, the cooking methods, and the household support systems. Now I know the difference between shrimp and prawns! Very enjoyable and recommended for Christie readers with culinary aspirations. Have no fear of spoilers, Pierce avoids spilling the beans.
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