The Tale of Castle Cottage (36 page)

In a small, heavy saucepan, combine butter, cream, and brown sugar. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil gently over medium low heat until mixture is thickened, about 7–8 minutes. Set aside.

Just before serving, preheat broiler. Spoon about ⅓ cup of the sauce over the pudding, spreading evenly. Place pudding under the broiler until the topping is bubbly, about 1 minute. Spoon into dessert dishes and serve immediately, drizzled with remaining toffee sauce and topped with a generous dollop of whipped cream.

It was Millie Warne who gave the new Mrs. Heelis her copy of
Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management
, a classic of domestic literature that every proper British bride of her era longed to possess. It included a table of wages for domestics, instructions on “How to Bleed,” and a remedy for toothache that required a shilling and a piece of zinc. But while some of Mrs. Beeton’s instructions may be dated, her recipes for such traditional British foods as sage and onion stuffing are truly timeless, whether or not you dispense with the egg.

Peel the onions, put them into boiling water, let them simmer for 5 minutes or rather longer, and, just before they are taken out, put in the sage leaves for a minute or two to take off their rawness. Chop both these very fine, add the bread crumbs, seasoning, and butter and work the whole together with the yolk of an egg, when the stuffing will be ready for use. It should be rather highly seasoned, and the sage leaves should be very finely chopped. Where economy is studied, the egg may be dispensed with.

 

THYME OF DEATH
WITCHES’ BANE
HANGMAN’S ROOT
ROSEMARY REMEMBERED
RUEFUL DEATH
LOVE LIES BLEEDING
CHILE DEATH
LAVENDER LIES
MISTLETOE MAN
BLOODROOT

INDIGO DYING
A DILLY OF A DEATH
DEAD MAN’S BONES
BLEEDING HEARTS
SPANISH DAGGER
NIGHTSHADE
WORMWOOD
HOLLY BLUES
MOURNING GLORIA

 

AN UNTHYMELY DEATH
CHINA BAYLES’ BOOK OF DAYS

 

 

 

DEATH AT BISHOP’S KEEP
DEATH AT GALLOWS GREEN
DEATH AT DAISY’S FOLLY
DEATH AT DEVIL’S BRIDGE
DEATH AT ROTTINGDEAN
DEATH AT WHITECHAPEL

DEATH AT EPSOM DOWNS
DEATH AT DARTMOOR
DEATH AT GLAMIS CASTLE
DEATH IN HYDE PARK
DEATH AT BLENHEIM PALACE
DEATH ON THE LIZARD

 

 

 

THE TALE OF HILL TOP FARM
THE TALE OF HOLLY HOW
THE TALE OF CUCKOO BROW WOOD
THE TALE OF HAWTHORN HOUSE
THE TALE OF BRIAR BANK
THE TALE OF APPLEBECK ORCHARD
THE TALE OF OAT CAKE CRAG
THE TALE OF CASTLE COTTAGE

 

 

 

THE DARLING DAHLIAS AND THE CUCUMBER TREE
THE DARLING DAHLIAS AND THE NAKED LADIES

 

 

 

WRITING FROM LIFE
WORK OF HER OWN