Christmas With Rosamunde Pilcher

Rating:
Summary: --Rosamunde weaves some holiday magic--
Review: CHRISTMAS WITH ROSAMUNDE PILCHER is indeed a festive book. It's filled with stories, beautiful photographs, delicious recipes and the charm of Rosamunde Pilcher herself. Many family photographs are included and they add personal warmth to the book.

Starting with some remembrances in A Very Special Holiday, Pilcher then discusses a little of the history of sending Christmas cards and includes some interesting lore. The practice was started in Great Britain around 1843 and the original cards were religious. Later, the family scenes were introduced, followed by pictures of Father Christmas, and snow scenes featuring birds, which were usually robins.

The Christmas Baking section was especially enjoyable. She says that her kitchen, "is comfortably warm even on the coldest days, thanks to the Aga, the typically British gas-fired stove, which is actually more an oven whose fire is never allowed to die down in the winter." Rosamunde talks about the traditional family foods that she makes and includes several recipes. She mentions mince pies, turkey and short bread, but I'm intrigued to try the more unfamiliar recipes, for example, Drop Scones, Oatcakes, and Whisky Loaf.

A short story called " Miss Cameron at Christmas," is featured and completes this wonderful Christmas offering. My favorite quotation from Rosamunde is, "The smell of tangerines is one of the true smells of Christmas." I couldn't agree more! I always associate tangerines with Christmas.

This book is most satisfying.


Rating:
Summary: A lovely book
Review: This was my Christmas present to me. It is beautifully illustrated with pictures of the author's home nicely decorated for Christmas. She uses natural things like pine cones and branches painted gold, ribbons, etc. Photographs of her home and family are so nice. The recipes are written for U.S. kitchens, too.

She begins with a family party at a hotel in Cornwall and then describes Christmas in Scotland. A short story finishes the book. It's all simply lovely.

Rating:
Summary: A lovely book
Review: This was my Christmas present to me. It is beautifully illustrated with pictures of the author's home nicely decorated for Christmas. She uses natural things like pine cones and branches painted gold, ribbons, etc. Photographs of her home and family are so nice. The recipes are written for U.S. kitchens, too.

She begins with a family party at a hotel in Cornwall and then describes Christmas in Scotland. A short story finishes the book. It's all simply lovely.

Rating:
Summary: Warm, informative, with a several delightful surprises.
Review: Without knowing what to expect, "Chrsitmas With Rosamund Pilcher" turned out to be everything one could hope for. There are numerous photos of the authur and her family, which include views of her home, her kitchen, parlour, etc., in which she gratifying shines as the warm individual we, who enjoy her books, feel she must be. But there are also wonderful photos of her beloved Cornwall, and it is an opportunity to peek into the land about which we, her readers, have read so much. The surprises (which you must read to appreciate - so telling does not really ruin them) include some family details and history, recipies of the season (particularly delightful for the Anglophile cook) and even a short story at the end of the book. All in all, it felt to me that Rosamund Pilcher and her home, and Aunt Lavinia and the Dower house of "Coming Home", have a lot in common. I felt as if I had visited both in this delightful book.