Orange cloth binding with a brown title on the spine and front board.

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•       Note: This book carries a £5.00 discount to those that subscribe to the F.B.A. mailing list

A very well used book by Jack’s mother

I have awarded this book 5 stars not so much for the quality of its recipes but because it is a fascinating piece of culinary history. It is an amazing collection of international recipes compiled by a woman who, although calling herself Countess Morphy, was not of the nobility but was originally from New Orleans and later lived in the United Kingdom. Her recipes are a really brave attempt of her times to represent the cooking of many nations, if not quite all, as its title indicates. Some of them are not entirely practical or authentic and might not appeal to the average reader, if only because the ingredients for some of the dishes would not be available at your local supermarket, (iguana for example). However, to read this book is to undertake a culinary journey throughout the world, visiting many destinations whose local cuisine still remains relatively unknown outside its own area.

It was first published in 1935 and this edition was exclusively for the renowned London department store, Selfridges. Although the biggest section of the book is understandably devoted to French cuisine, followed by that of other European destinations, it journeys on to some very remote destinations. I have passed many happy hours of armchair travelling with this volume, going back to an age without microwave cookery and when oven temperatures were simply low, moderate and high.

NOTE: This is an original  book from the library gathered by the famous Cambridge Don, computer scientist, food and wine connoisseur, Jack Arnold LANG. Note: Jack founded the Michelin Guide ‘Midsummer House’- Cambridge’s paramount restaurant. This dining experience is hidden amongst the grassy pastures and grazing cattle of Midsummer Common and perched on the banks of the River Cam.

In 2008, Jack was one of the co-founders of the Raspberry Pi Foundation, alongside other members of the Department, and acted as the Foundation’s Chair. The project’s original goals were modest: to build and distribute low-cost computers for prospective applicants to our Computer Science degree. Initially the project was a “success disaster”, as Jack would say, as demand far outstripped the low-scale manufacturing plans. Ultimately the Raspberry Pi became the UK’s most successful computer with more than 60 million sold to date. Jack was drawn to the educational possibilities of the Raspberry Pi, its potential uses in emerging economies and the way it could support self-directed learning.