Hello, and welcome.
I’m Mrs Preston, the cook at Thornton Park from the cosy mystery series, The Thornton Mysteries by Ellen Read.
It’s 1927, in Australia, in case you’re wondering.
I might not be one of those fancy chefs, but I’m proud of my culinary achievements, as any chef in a restaurant would be. After all, I manage the menus and the kitchen staff to perfection. Even though I discuss the family menus with Miss Alexandra, who is mistress of the house. Thornton Park is a lavish mansion, with house servants and outside staff who work in the gardens. I only cook meals for the inside staff. The home farm is managed by the Parry family; the Brady family look after the grounds, and live in the gate-house.
The kitchen is a good size for a large household. I have help in the kitchen, of course. A kitchen maid, Sylvie, who is my daughter—her father and my husband, Mr Preston, is the butler. He’s only ever called Preston. Then there’s Dot Brady who is the scullery maid. She’s a good girl. She’s only sixteen, and always thinking of something else. Off with the fairies, I reckon. Of course, the job of a scullery maid is a hard one. She has to wash and dry all the dishes from the family dining room and the servants’ dining room. The family use crystal glasses, silver cutlery and fine bone China crockery, so the utmost care has to be taken. Dot is not as careful as I’d like. She frays my nerves with worry sometimes. One day she’s going to break some Royal Albert.
We start with breakfast for the staff, and then after that the family—they have breakfast in the morning room. After that is morning tea, luncheon, which is served on the wide veranda, weather permitting, and then afternoon tea, and dinner.
Now, can you imagine the extra work when the family entertain! I’m not really grumbling. After all, I can try new dishes, and it’s an achievement cooking for twenty or more people. Not that they entertain a lot since Mrs Thornton passed away, but now Miss Alexandra is a young woman, I’m sure there will be more parties held. Young Mr Benedict Archer has been invited to dine. We, in the servants’ hall, all think he’s keen on Miss Alexandra. Not much escapes Preston. As butler, he gets to see it all.
In many cases, I serve the same dishes in the servants’ dining room, as the family have, albeit after the family has finished their meals. However, we have less refined tastes, and don’t enjoy hor d’oeuvres and other fancy things. We’d much prefer a hearty Beef and Barley Soup, or a Cottage Pie or Roast Beef with gravy and dumplings.
After dinner, coffee is served in the drawing room with a selection of cheeses. The men, in particular, enjoy brandy at this time. The ladies usually prefer port or liquor.
By the time we reach the end of the day, we’re all tired, exhausted you might say. Glad to go to our beds. The staff wing is above the kitchen. I have to give credit to the first Thomas Thornton, who built the house. He certainly didn’t stint on the size of rooms for the staff.
Well, cheerio for now. I’ll have a chin-wag again with you soon. I might share some of my recipes.
ellenreadauthor 