Lobscouse and Spotted Dog: Which It's a Gastronomic Companion to the Aubrey/Maturin Novels (Patrick O'Brian)
by Anne Chotzinoff Grossman, Lisa Grossman Thomas, Patrick O'Brian

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Book Reviews of Lobscouse and Spotted Dog: Which It's a Gastronomic Companion to the Aubrey/Maturin Novels (Patrick O'Brian)

Book Review: An impossibly wonderful treat of a book!
Summary: 5 Stars

Let me tell you, this book is deLISH--foreward by Patrick O'Brian himself. The mother/daughter authors preface the book by explaining how "Patrick O'Brian fever" broke out amongst themselves and all their friends (the books are contagious!); they ended up on a feverish research adventure to write this gastronomic companion. The authors set out to emulate O'Brian in point of accuracy and meticulous research. In short, they've basically reconstructed mid-to-late 18th century/early 19th century cooking! In actually reconstructing/preparing dishes, they conceded as little as possible to the amenities of the modern kitchen (however, the final recipes adapt preparations to 20th century ingredients and conditions).

They took quite a scholarly approach to researching the book--e.g., studying the social and economic raisons d'etre for the raised pie and the two wholly different traditional approaches to its construction, tracing the etymology of a dozen different suet pudding names back to a single root, following the evolution of pudding back to its Roman sources and establishing its common ancestry with sausage, etc.

Here you'll find how to make such dishes as Burgoo, Syllabub from the Cow, Ship's Biscuit, Skillygalee, Drowned Baby, Sea-Pie (anywhere from one to six or more "decks"!), Figgy-Dowdy, and of course, that noble pudding, Spotted Dog, gleaming on its plate and accompanied by true egg custard. It's a dazzling array of historical recipes that cover everything from what's served at Captain's Table to the Wardroom and Gunroom to the Seamen's Mess to dishes eaten cold (a chapter called "In the Heat of Battle") to feasts ashore--all of course, with direct references to foods and meals served up in the novels.

What makes this 300-page book truly delightful, though, are the plethora of quotes from the books, lots of historical background, and. . .and. . .MUSIC! Yes! Throughout the book are the musical scores and texts for several songs from the period! You will find the words and score for "The Roast Beef of Old England" (any Steeleye Span fans out there?) in the opening chapter. "Spanish Ladies," "Heart of Oak," "Lumps of Pudding," and "When the Stormy Winds Do Blow" are some others. Too cool for an early music fanatic like moi!

Some scrumptious ideas for a historical re-creation-type feast, folks! And, I predict that pot-luck suppers may never be the same if enough of us get our hands on this book!

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