I absolutely love bookish cookbooks! They make me happy in my heart. :) The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett is one of my favorite classic children's books. I've loved the story of a sad little girl discovering a hidden, overgrown garden and bringing it back to life since I was a little girl myself. So, of course, I jumped at the chance to review the new edition of this cookbook!

This book is definitely going into my collection of bookish cookbooks! Each section of the book has a bit about the Victorian traditions regarding food, serving food, and cooking meals. Each recipe is accompanied by a bit of background, color photographs and illustrations, and a concise, easy to follow, recipe. The layout is easily readable, and visually appealing. The recipes are varied, ranging from main courses to tea and lighter fare such as cucumber sandwiches. It also includes some dishes from India and picnic foods.

Lovely cookbook! And definitely an awesome companion for a much beloved classic book!

**I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book from Quarto Publishing via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own**

What a lovely cookbook a perfect companion to te Secret Garden.Lovely photos quotes from the novel delicious recipes n.I will be gifting this to friends from young girls to grown up women who all love The Secret Garden and will treasure this cookbook.#netgaley#quartobooks

Inspired by the classic children's book The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. This book was first published in 1911, early in the reign of George V, though according to Wikipedia it is set at the turn of the century, so just at the end of the Victorian era. Mary, the truculent heroine, was born in India before being orphaned and taken to her uncle's house in Yorkshire at the age of 10.

There are 7 chapters:

1-Yorkshire Breakfasts
2-A Manor Lunch
3-An English Tea
4-From the Kitchen Garden
5-Dickon's Cottage Food
6-A Taste of India
7-Garden Picnics

The book has bags of charm and it is very well produced. The selection of dishes and treats is good. I was sceptical about the recipes however, given that they are for traditional English or Anglo-Indian items written by an American for an American audience and I was curious about their authenticity. I turned first to parkin. I grew up on this, my mother is from a northern English farming family. The ingredients that distinguish parkin from a ginger cake are black treacle and oatmeal. This recipe calls for molasses (close) and rolled oats (hmm maybe oatmeal is not available in the US). I was bemused by the inclusion of honey. My mother would baulk at adding cinnamon and cloves but there are other parkin recipes that include them. So a mixed review I guess.

I will try some of the recipes and revise my review accordingly before posting on Amazon. I've given a provisional 'maybe' rating.

What a fun cookbook! I love the connection to the Secret Garden. The little notes about the books and other tips are really great. The recipes in this book are lovely. I cannot wait to make them! I like the organization of different parts of the cookbook. The photos are very yummy! Wonderful and fun cookbook!

What a charming book! With lovely illustrations, quotes from the Secret Garden, beautiful food, and a solid mix of Secret Garden inspired recipes (scones, porridge, and a proper pot of tea!), I am already putting this one on my list of gift ideas for my daughter, a little chef who also happens to love England.

Thanks to NetGalley and Quarto for providing an ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

With 50 recipes related to this favorite children's book, Amy Cotler has dedicated her revised selections to "good appetite, good food and good health." Divided into seven sections, from simple picnic fare to elegant tea time finger foods, with an emphasis on farm to table fruits and vegetables, this book also allows us snippets from the original book text, so we can relate the food to the times and experiences.
We learn about the history and traditions as well as about the food and preparation ways themselves.
From Indian fare to ways the English desired their food prepared and presented, this is a testament to the times and households, as well as showing how important good nutrition and fresh food are to remaining healthy.
I found the trivia passages at the bottom of the page to be quite interesting as well.
We learn fun facts about everything from class differences to entertainment options to medical cures and weather related trivia.

This book tempts me to reread the classic tome and cook or bake along as I read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group for sharing this title with me.

What a delightful cookbook. Coddled eggs, pease pudding, raspberry jam... what more could a cook ask for. Beautifully laid out, simple but very effective recipes and instructions; would make a lovely gift. Thanks NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.