Creating a fictional cook in prose is challenging: using plain, monochrome text the writer must bring to life the richly flavoured and perfumed world in which her cook resides. But when successful, the fictional cook is a force to be reckoned with, often springing off the page in a delicious, seductive frenzy of tastebud-tickling drama.
When I began researching my novel, I was lucky enough to have original source material. The Language of Food tells the story of food writer, Eliza Acton, who left two beautifully written cookery books and a poetry collection. I also had shelves of cookery books and foodie memoirs. But, while often crammed with mouth-watering descriptions of meals, these books were less about plot and character. And so, finally, I turned to fiction, scouring libraries and bookshops for fictional cooks and chefs.
