Madam, – Being a newly-wed in the 1950s, my inspiration for cooking was based solely on Monica Sheridan's weekly Good Food column in The Irish Times(From the Archives, January 8th).
Her articles formed the basis of my recipe book, which I still refer to from time to time. How could such headings as “Lobster Quadrille”, “From Peplums to Parsnips” or “Good King Salmon” fail to inspire; and how delicious were those steaks cooked on the edge of the tongs over a clear fire!
Coming up to the festive season I wrote to her asking how I would make a plum pudding and also to say the turkey we had been fattening had been taken by the fox. Even with her busy life, Monica Sheridan took the trouble to write and sympathise over the turkey and to say that as she disliked plum puddings herself so much she had never made one, but suggested I ask my grandmother for her recipe! – Yours, etc,