Pamela Hart’s love of food, words and the chip butty
Author Q&A
Pamela Hart says the most difficult part of writing the The Desert Nurse was recording the endless stream of casualties from Gallipoli in a manner that wouldn't overwhelm the reader. Pamela is a research-heavy author and food also plays a key role in her novels. The Country Women's Association cookbooks are her go-to references for the food of the times. She also has a soft spot for Margaret Fulton and the chip butty.
Didion on congee and food for the grieving soul
Iconic literary food moments
In honour of our fashion episode for Charlotte Smith's One Enchanted Evening, we have chosen a quote from style-icon Joan Didion because few people have managed to marry fashion, food and literature so well. Didion was an author of both literature and cookbooks, and kick-started her writing career on the pages of Vogue. She experienced great sadness in her life, losing both her husband and her daughter, the latter dying at just 39 year’s of age, but she never lost her connection with fashion and words. The quote we have chosen comes from her novel The Year of Thinking Magically, when Didion muses on the power of food to comfort and console.
Straight from the authors’ mouths
Recommended reads
Hopefully you've chewed through all those novels gifted at Christmas and are ready to jump into the 2019 reading year. As the saying goes, there's no rest for the wicked! Word of Mouth TV has three new book and three new cookbook recommendations which will surely take you through to the next episode in March. Guest author Charlotte Smith, a fashion anthropologist, recommends The Riviera Set - a portrait of high society between 1920 and 1960 and the authors who partied with them. And her cookbook recommendation is equally glamorous. Kate and Sarah serve up their favourites as well. Happy reading!
Charlotte Smith’s absolutely fabulous giveaway
One Enchanted Evening
Thanks to publisher Affirm Press, and authors Charlotte Smith, Kate Forsyth and S.L. Mills, Word of Mouth TV has two more book packs to give away this week to kick of what promises to be an absolutely fabulous 2019. Charlotte Smith's One Enchanted Evening leads this episode's oeuvre. It is a book for fashionistas and story lovers everywhere. Charlotte points out that every piece of fashion has its own story, as do so many of the beautiful items we collect in our lives. Each dress from Charlotte's extensive collection was chosen for its story, and we hope you enjoy the beautiful illustrations as well.
Charlotte Smith’s high tea with scones and jam
Portrait of a recipe
Charlotte Smith lives in the Blue Mountains, which is famous for the high tea served at the stunning art-deco hotel The Hydro Majestic. So we thought a high tea would be the perfect accompaniment to an episode focused on fashion, and to honour Charlotte's British heritage. These fluffy English scones accompanied classic cucumber sandwiches (Kate charmed the recipe out of the chef at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford) and chicken, rocket and mayonnaise sandwiches. These fluffy English style scones are light and rise like the sun! Enjoy!Episode 10: Charlotte Smith: One Enchanted Evening
Some might argue that Charlotte Smith is one of the luckiest women on earth. Bequeathed the world's largest vintage haute couture fashion collection by her Quaker aunt, she has written a delightfully illustrated book One Enchanted Evening that celebrates some of these gorgeous dresses. In a nod to Charlotte's British heritage we served a beautiful high tea - and then went to check out the fashion. We had so much fun, we hope you do too!
