The Writer's E-Zine Home

Writers' Village University - F2K: Free Fiction Writing Course - ePress-online
Writers' Village University Membership Information

Catherine's Kitchen

Catherine Manning

Way Back When

When my father left school, he went to work with the family firm in the city. I think he lasted a year, as he hated it and was not cut out to join the mercantile world that my great grandfather and then my grandfather had created, He was a square peg in a round hole. It became increasingly obvious that he was in the wrong job and as his social life became more, how to put it, "eventful." it was decided to banish him to the north of the island well away from town, to manage one of the many plantations then owned by my great grandfather, much to his delight as that was what he wanted anyhow. So at the age of 20 he went to Lambert's and began his life. It didn't stop him getting into town most nights, as despite the bad roads at that time and the distance, he was a rally club driver and had a V8 Chevrolet called "The Red Devil" so he got by quite well.

One of the first things he did at Lambert's was to demolish the massive old plantation house and build a much smaller one where three of us were born. I was quite shocked when Mummy let this slip out a few years ago after he had died, as we had never been told about that before. They were not married at that time. She said that she had only been in the original house a couple of times and that it was very big. He said that Lambert's was too small a plantation to maintain such a house as it had a lot of wood. He built the one that is there today himself for 800 pounds. I suppose he had permission! It's so solid that it will last forever.

He was a founder member of the Light Airplane Club and was quite an acrobat in the air, so when war began in 1939 he decided to sign up for the R.A.F. There are many stories about his exploits in the air, one of them being that a handkerchief would be placed on the runway, held down by stones and he would land on it. However, my grandfather had other ideas about him going to war. My uncle was already in England in the R.A.F. and Grandfather decreed that Dad would have to stay here and feed Barbados and so he did. But the only way he could be made to stay was having his application turned down, which it was, as my grandfather's cousin was the doctor who examined the applicants. My father was turned down on the basis of his eyesight; makes you wonder about that, if he could land on a hanky? He never wore glasses except for reading in later life! Probably just as well or we might not be here today, but he was not happy. However, he went a long way in the effort to grow food to feed Barbados and did a good job. Lambert's became one of the best plantations in the island.

When I was three, a tragic accident occurred for which my father took responsibility and consequently fell apart, so my grandfather decided we should move to Westmoreland. I don't think my father ever got over it and I remember hearing about it in later years, but he would never talk about it. But that's another story.

Among the older members of the family were two of my grandfather's cousins, Cousin Nell and Cousin Alice or "Ton," as she was called. Nell never married but Cousin Ton married and her husband was killed in the war, so the two sisters lived and travelled together for the rest of their lives. Cousin Nell died at 107 and Cousin Ton at 105, within a short time of each other.

I have two very worn handwritten cookbooks belonging to them. I've been meaning to get something done with them, but it hasn't happened yet. I'm sure the recipes work as these ladies were serious entertainers in society but I haven't tried them myself. Also, the books are falling apart and the handwriting, though good and educated, I sometimes have a problem deciphering. The ink is also fading as they date back to before 1895. The only reason I know that is because I came across a bill dated June 1895.

In account with
GAPPS STORES
(Gapps Limited)
THE BROADWAY, EALING, W (obviously London)

It was for breakfast, sugar, apricots, soap and other sundries. The cost was five shillings and one pence. There was a charge for every lump of sugar!

Here is a recipe for:

After this I suppose you eat it!

I have one here for CURDLE SAUCE, but am having a hard time working it out. It is supposed to curdle, not quite sure why, but apparently you can eat it so or add cream! Will try and work that one out at a later date.

I'm going to try this one and see what happens. Who else wants to try it? I would be careful of the three tins and the HOT oven, I would make it two tins and the oven at 350F. Don't forget to grease and flour the pans.

I'm going to end here with a recipe for:

Bon Appetit
Cath