Recipe for Murder

This cookbook is to die for! I couldn't contain myself any longer on posting about this book. Very happy to add, Recipe for Murder: Frightfully Good Food Inspired by Fiction by Estérelle Payany; Illustrations by Jean-François Martin; Flammarion to my collection. This book is charming and amusing but unusual, to say the least, all at the same time. The illustrations are magnificent! I couldn't put this book down, re-reading the recipes, the literary references and the illustrations to the recipes had me. There are 31 recipes based on literary works from a variety of authors. Some I have read, some I now want to read and some I don't! Recipes include: Cathy's Dead Bean Salad (East of Eden), Paprika Hendl (Dracula), Madame François' Bacon and Thyme Omelet (The Fat and the Thin), Venetian Lemon Chicken (The Talented Mr.Ripley), Maggie's Eggplant Parmesan (Blake/Manzoni), Leg of Lamb with Green Peas (Lamb to the Slaughter), Mini Corsican Cheesecakes (Colomba) and Othello Cake (Othello). I can just see book clubs around the globe discussing novels as they feast on one of these alluring recipes. Hosting a dinner party will become quite literal!  All recipes are based on a villain or a suspicious character from the novels selected. Each recipe starts with a brief synopsis of the novel and the justification for the dish. Not that any literary murder or crime needs lots of clarification. Murder is murder, a crime is criminal, a villain is vile and it's ironic making a cookbook involving the subject. I will leave you with a few of the illustrations from the cookbook. Just click on the photo to enlarge and enjoy a closer look at them... if you dare! - JW

The Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland inspired Treacle Tarts

Arsene Lupin from 813 inspired Altenheim's Deadly Cakes

Anton's Vowl's Abductor from A Void inspired a Blackcurrant Parfait

UBU from Ubu Rex inspired Buckwheat Crêpes with Sausages

Stavrogin from The Possessed (The Devils) inspired Russian Cutlets

and Cyclops from the Odyssey inspired Cyclops-Style Shoulder of Lamb