W. H. Hudson - "The Naturalist in La Plata"

Gotthold Ephraim Lessing - "Oden"

Charles Waterton - "Wanderings In South America"

George MacDonald - "The Seaboard Parish, Complete"

A  /  B  /  C  /  D  /  E  /   F  /  G  /  H  /  I  /  J  /   K  /  L  /  M  /  N  /  O   P  /  R  /  S  /  T  /  U  /  V  /  W  /  X  /  Y  /  Z

Woman\'s Institute Library of Cookery, Vol. 4 by Woman\'s Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences

W >> Woman\'s Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences >> Woman\'s Institute Library of Cookery, Vol. 4



Produced by Charles Aldarondo, Keren Vergon, Steve Schulze and PG Distributed Proofreaders




WOMAN'S INSTITUTE

LIBRARY OF COOKERY



SALADS AND SANDWICHES

COLD AND FROZEN DESSERTS

CAKES, COOKIES, AND PUDDINGS

PASTRIES AND PIES



WOMAN'S INSTITUTE OF DOMESTIC ARTS AND SCIENCES, Inc.




PREFACE

This volume, the fourth of the Woman's Institute Library of Cookery,
deals with salads, sandwiches, cold desserts, cakes, both large and
small, puddings, pastry, and pies. Such foods constitute some of the
niceties of the diet, but skill in their preparation signifies at once a
housewife's mastery of the science of cookery.

In _Salads and Sandwiches_ are presented so simply the secrets of
appetizing salads that they can be grasped by even a novice, and
sandwiches of numerous varieties, from those appropriate for afternoon
teas to those suitable for the main dish in the meal, are so treated
that they appear to rise above the ordinary place usually accorded them.
One need never hesitate to prepare a menu for an afternoon or evening
social affair or the salad course in a luncheon or dinner after a study
of this part of the volume.

A glance through _Cold and Frozen Desserts_ will convince one very
quickly that a large number of the desserts that complete our meals are
served cold. The mere mention of custards, gelatine desserts, and such
frozen mixtures as ice creams, ices, frappes, sherbets, mousses,
parfaits, and biscuits, all of which are explained here, is sufficient
to indicate that this is an extremely delightful part of the subject of
cookery. Entertaining takes on a new and simplified meaning when one
knows how to make and serve such dishes.

To be able to make cakes and puddings well is one of the ambitions of
the modern housewife, and she has an opportunity to realize it in a
study of _Cakes, Cookies, and Puddings_, Parts 1 and 2. Sweet food in
excess is undesirable, but in a moderate quantity it is required in each
person's diet and may be obtained in this form without harm if it is
properly prepared.

The two classes of cakes--butter and sponge--are treated in detail both
as to the methods of making and the required ingredients, and numerous
recipes are given which will enable the housewife to provide both plain
and fancy cakes for ordinary and special occasions. Puddings that are
prepared by boiling, steaming, and baking, and the sauces that make them
appetizing, receive a goodly share of attention.

_Pastries and Pies_ completes this volume, rounding out, as it were, the
housewife's understanding of dessert making. To many persons, pastry
making is an intricate matter, but with the principles thoroughly
explained and each step clearly illustrated, delicious pies of every
variety, as well as puff-paste dainties, may be had with very
little effort.

Upon the completion of a study of this volume, the housewife will find
herself equipped with a knowledge of the way to prepare many delicacies
for her meals. While these are probably not so important in the diet as
the more fundamental foods, they have a definite place and should
receive the attention they deserve.



CONTENTS

SALADS AND SANDWICHES
Salads in the Diet,
Composition of Salads,
Ingredients of Salads,
Relation of Salads to Meals,
Principles of Salad Making,
Serving Salads,
Salad Dressings and Their Preparation,
Vegetable Salads,
Combination Fruit-and-Vegetable Salads,
Fruit Salads,
High-Protein Salads,
General Principles of Sandwich Making,
Bread-and-Butter Sandwiches,
Vegetable Sandwiches,
Fruit Sandwiches,
High-Protein Sandwiches,
Hot Sandwiches,
Open Sandwiches,
Canapes,

COLD AND FROZEN DESSERTS
The Dessert in the Meal,
Composition and Food Value of Desserts,
Principles of Dessert Making,
Sauces and Whipped Cream,
Principles of Custard Making,
Recipes for Custards and Related Desserts,
Principles of Gelatine Making,
Recipes for Gelatine Desserts,
Principles of Frozen-Dessert Making,
Procedure in Freezing Desserts,
Ice Creams,
Frozen Custards,
Ices,
Frappes,
Sherbets,
Mousses, Parfaits, and Biscuits,
Molding Frozen Desserts,
Serving Frozen Desserts,

CAKES, COOKIES, AND PUDDINGS
Cake and Pudding Mixtures in the Diet,
Ingredients Used in Cakes,
General Classes of Cakes,
General Equipment for Cake Making,
Procedure in Cake Making,
Sponge Cakes and Their Preparation,
Recipes for Sponge Cake and Its Variations,
Butter Cakes and Their Preparation,
Recipes for Butter Cakes,
Cake Icings and Fillings,
Varieties of Small Cakes,
Cup and Drop Cakes,
Cookies,
Kisses and Macaroons,
Ladyfingers and Sponge Drops,
Cakes Made With Yeast,
Cream Puffs and Eclairs,
Doughnuts and Crullers,
Pudding Sauces,
Preparation of Puddings,
Recipes for Puddings,

PASTRIES AND PIES
Nature of Pastries and Pies,
Ingredients Used for Pastry,
Utensils for Pastry Making,
Methods of Mixing Pastry,
Making and Baking Pastry for Pies,
Utilizing Left-Over Pastry,
Recipes for Pastry,
Double-Crust Pies,
One-Crust Pies,
Puff Paste,
Serving Pastry,




SALADS AND SANDWICHES

* * * * *

SALADS

SALADS IN THE DIET

1. So much variety exists among salads that it is somewhat difficult to
give a comprehensive definition of this class of foods. In general,
however, salads may be considered as a dish of green herbs or
vegetables, sometimes cooked, and usually chopped or sliced, sometimes
mixed with fruit or with cooked and chopped cold meat, fish, etc., and
generally served with a dressing. For the most part, salads take their
name from their chief ingredient, as, for instance, chicken salad,
tomato salad, pineapple salad, etc. Just what place salads have in the
meal depends on the salad itself. A high-protein salad, such as lobster
salad, should take the place of the meat course, whereas, a light salad
of vegetables or fruits may be used as an additional course.

2. IMPORTANCE OF SALADS. Salads are often considered to be a dish of
little importance; that is, something that may be left out or added to a
meal without affecting it to any great extent. While this may be the
case in a meal that is composed of a sufficient variety of foods, salads
have a definite place in meals as they are planned in the majority of
households. Often there is a tendency to limit green vegetables or fresh
fruits in the diet, but if the members of a family are to be fed an
ideal diet it is extremely important that some of these foods enter into
each day's meals, a fact that is often overlooked. There is no more
effective nor appetizing way in which to include them in a meal than in
the serving of salads. In addition, salads make a strong appeal to the
appetite and at the same time are beneficial so far as the health of the
family is concerned.

3. PURPOSES OF SALADS.--Because of the wide variety of salads and the
large number of ingredients from which a selection may be made in their
preparation, salads can be used for various purposes. The housewife who
gives much attention to the artistic side of the serving of food in her
home will often use a salad to carry out a color scheme in her meal.
This is, of course, the least valuable use that salads have, but it is a
point that should not be overlooked. The chief purpose of salads in a
meal is to provide something that the rest of the foods served in the
meal lack.

Even though it is not desired to use the salad to carry out a color
scheme, it should always be made an attractive dish. As is well known,
nothing is so unappetizing as a salad in which the ingredients have not
been properly prepared, the garnish is not fresh and crisp, or the
dressing and salad ingredients have been combined in such a way as to
appear messy or stale looking. There is no excuse for such conditions,
and they need not exist if proper attention is given to the preparation
of the salad.

4. SELECTION OF SALADS.--Although salads, through their variety, offer
the housewife an opportunity to vary her meals, they require a little
attention as to their selection if a properly balanced meal is to be the
result. Salads that are high in food value or contain ingredients
similar to those found in the other dishes served in the meal, should be
avoided with dinners or with other heavy meals. For instance, a fish or
a meat salad should not be served with a dinner, for it would supply a
quantity of protein to a meal that is already sufficiently high in this
food substance because of the fact that meat also is included. Such a
salad, however, has a place in a very light luncheon or a supper, for it
helps to balance such a meal. The correct salad to serve with a dinner
that contains a number of heavy dishes is a vegetable salad, if enough
vegetables are not already included, or a fruit salad, if the dessert
does not consist of fruit. In case a fruit salad is selected, it is
often made to serve for both the salad and the dessert course.

5. SALAD ACCOMPANIMENTS.--In addition to the ingredients used in the
preparation of salads, dressings usually form an important part. These
vary greatly as to ingredients and consequently as to composition, but
most of them contain considerable fat and therefore increase the food
value of the salad. Then, too, an accompaniment of some kind is
generally served with salads to make them more attractive and more
pleasing to the taste. This may be a wafer or a cracker of some
description or a small sandwich made of bread cut into thin slices and
merely buttered or buttered and then spread with a filling of some sort.
Such accompaniments, of course, are not a necessity, but they add enough
to the salad to warrant their use.


COMPOSITION OF SALADS

6. The composition, as well as the total food value, of salads depends
entirely on the ingredients of which they are composed. With an
understanding of the composition of the ingredients used in salads, the
housewife will be able to judge fairly accurately whether the salad is
low, medium, or high in food value, and whether it is high in protein,
fat, or carbohydrate. This matter is important, and should receive
consideration from all who prepare this class of food.

7. PROTEIN IN SALADS.--As may be expected, salads that are high in
protein have for their basis, or contain, such ingredients as meat,
fish, fowl, cheese, eggs, nuts, or dried beans. The amount of protein
that such a salad contains naturally varies with the quantity of
high-protein food that is used. For instance, a salad that has
hard-cooked eggs for its foundation contains considerable protein, but
one in which a slice or two of hard-cooked egg is used for a garnish
cannot be said to be a high-protein salad.

8. FAT IN SALADS.--The fat in salads is more often included as a part of
the dressing than in any other way, but the quantity introduced may be
very large. A French dressing or a mayonnaise dressing, as a rule,
contains a sufficient proportion of some kind of oil to make the salad
in which it is used somewhat high in fat. In fact, salads are often used
as a means of introducing fat into a meal, and whenever this is done
they should be considered as one of the dishes that supply
energy-producing food material to the meals in which they are served.

9. CARBOHYDRATE IN SALADS.--For the most part, salads do not contain
carbohydrate in any quantity. If fruits are used, the salad will, of
course, contain a certain amount of sugar. Salads in which potatoes,
peas, beets, and other vegetables are used also contain starch or sugar
in varying quantities. However, with the exception of potato salad,
salads are probably never taken as a source of carbohydrate.

10. MINERAL SALTS IN SALADS.--In the majority of salads, mineral salts
are an important ingredient. Meat and fish salads are the only ones in
which the mineral salts are not especially desirable, but they can be
improved in this respect if a certain amount of vegetables are mixed
with them. Green-vegetable salads are the most valuable sources of
mineral salts, and fruit salads come next. In addition, these two
varieties of salads contain vitamines, which are substances necessary to
maintain health. Cheese and egg salads, which are high-protein salads,
are also valuable for the vitamines they supply.

11. CELLULOSE IN SALADS.--Vegetable and fruit salads serve to supply
cellulose in the diet. Unless the meals contain sufficient cellulose in
some other form, the use of such salads is an excellent way in which to
introduce this material. Of course, the salads composed of foods high in
cellulose are lower in food value than others, but the salad dressing
usually helps to make up for this deficiency.


INGREDIENTS OF SALADS

12. VARIETY IN SALAD INGREDIENTS.--One of the advantages of salads is
that the ingredients from which they can be made are large in number. In
fact, almost any cooked or raw fruit or vegetable, or any meat, fowl, or
fish, whether cooked expressly for this purpose or left over from a
previous meal, may be utilized in the making of salads. Canned foods of
these varieties may also be used to advantage for salads during the
winter when fresh foods are expensive and difficult to procure. The idea
that such foods cannot be used is wrong.

13. As far as meats are concerned, they are not used so extensively in
salads as are fruits and vegetables. Often, however, veal or pork may be
used to increase the quantity of material needed to make certain salads,
such as chicken salad. Canned fish or fish freshly cooked makes
appetizing salads, and if there is not a sufficient quantity of one kind
on hand, another may be added without impairing the quality of
the salad.

14. As has already been stated, almost any vegetable, raw, canned, or
freshly cooked, can be used in the making of salads. In addition, these
vegetables may be combined in almost any way. Small amounts of two,
three, four, or more vegetables may be combined with an appetizing salad
dressing and served as a luncheon or dinner salad. If no definite recipe
is followed but whatever material that happens to be on hand is
utilized, the result is not only an appetizing salad, but a saving of
vegetables that might otherwise be wasted.

[Illustration: FIG. 1]

15. Fruits, both canned and raw, are largely used in the making of
salads. As with vegetables, almost any combination of them makes a
delicious salad when served with the proper dressing. Thus, a slice of
pineapple, a canned peach or two, or a few spoonfuls of cherries may be
added to grapefruit, oranges, bananas, or whatever fruit may happen to
be most convenient or easy to procure and served with the salad dressing
that is preferred. Vegetables are seldom used with fruits, celery being
the only one that is ever employed in this way. On the other hand, nuts
are much used with fruits, vegetables, meats, and fish in the making of
salads and any variety may be utilized.

16. SALAD GARNISHES.--The garnishing of salads, while it may seem to be
an unimportant part of the preparation of this food, is really a matter
that demands considerable attention. Lettuce is used oftenest for this
purpose, but almost any edible green, such as endive, watercress, etc.,
makes an excellent garnish. Generally when lettuce is the garnish, the
leaves are used whole, but if they are not in good condition for
garnishing or if use is to be made of the coarse outside leaves of the
stalks, they may be arranged in a pile, rolled tight, and then, as
shown in Fig. 1, cut with a sharp knife into narrow strips. Lettuce
prepared in this way is said to be _shredded_, and a bed of it makes a
very attractive garnish for many kinds of salad. Among the other foods
used as a garnish are certain vegetables that give a contrast in color,
such as pimiento, green peppers, radishes, and olives. Slices of
hard-cooked eggs or the yolks of eggs forced through a ricer likewise
offer a touch of attractive color.

17. NATURE OF SALAD DRESSINGS.--When a salad is properly made, a salad
dressing of some kind is usually added to the ingredients that are
selected for the salad. This dressing generally has for its chief
ingredient a salad oil of some kind, many satisfactory varieties of
which are to be found on the market. Olive oil has always been the most
popular oil used for this purpose, and in many respects it is the most
desirable. It can be obtained in several grades, the price varying with
the excellence of the quality. The best grades have a yellowish color,
the poorest ones are somewhat green, and those of medium quality shade
between these two colors. The best grades are also clear, while the
poorer ones are usually cloudy, the better the quality the less cloudy
the oil. Besides olive oil, however, there are oils made of cottonseed,
corn, and nuts. Many of these products are cheaper than olive oil and
are almost, if not quite, as satisfactory. In combination with the oil
that is used for salad dressing, there is always an acid of some kind,
such as vinegar or lemon juice. To these ingredients are added spices
and flavoring. Such a dressing is prepared without cooking, the
ingredients being combined by proper mixing or beating.

18. Another kind of dressing that is much used is known as boiled salad
dressing. Its ingredients are similar to those used in the uncooked
salad dressing, but usually less fat is employed and eggs alone or eggs
and some starchy material are used for thickening.

Then, again, entirely different kinds of dressing may be made for fruit
salads. Sometimes these dressings contain no fat, and other times they
have for their basis sweet or sour cream, but usually they are made so
that they are somewhat acid to the taste.


RELATION OF SALADS TO MEALS

19. Because of the large variety of ingredients that may be used in the
making of salads, it is usually possible to make the salad correspond
properly with the other dishes in the meal. This is a little more
difficult to accomplish when left-over materials are used in salads,
but, even in this event, the addition of ingredients that will make the
salad more nearly approach what must be supplied is usually possible. If
the meal is to be a light one and the salad is to serve as the principal
dish, it should be sufficiently heavy and contain enough food value to
serve the purpose for which it is intended. It should be decided on
first, and then the rest of the dishes should be planned to correspond
with the salad.

On the other hand, when the meal is a heavy one and the salad is to be
one of the lighter dishes, the main dishes should be decided on first
and the salad planned so that it will correspond properly with the other
dishes. For instance, with meat or fish as the main course of the meal,
a fish, egg, or cheese salad would obviously be the wrong thing to
serve. Instead, a light salad of vegetables or fruits should be selected
for such a meal. It should be remembered, also, that if the other dishes
of a meal contain sufficient food value to make the meal properly
nourishing, a salad containing a rich dressing will provide more than a
sufficient supply of calories and consequently should be avoided.

20. Another point that should not be neglected in selecting a salad is
that it should be a contrast to the rest of the meal as far as flavor is
concerned. While several foods acid in flavor do not necessarily
unbalance a meal so far as food substances and food value are concerned,
they provide too much of the same flavor to be agreeable to most
persons. For instance, if the meal contains an acid soup, such as
tomato, and a vegetable with a sour dressing, such as beets, then a
salad that is also acid will be likely to add more of a sour flavor than
the majority of persons desire.

Then, too, it is not a good plan to serve in the salad the same
vegetable that is served in the soup or the dinner course. Thus, creamed
celery and a salad containing celery, and tomato soup and tomato salad
are bad combinations and should, like others similar to them, be
carefully avoided. Even though such vegetables may be on hand in
quantity, they can usually be kept for another meal.


PRINCIPLES OF SALAD MAKING

21. CONDITION OF SALAD INGREDIENTS.--When the kind of salad to be served
is decided on, the selection and preparation of the materials are the
next matters to receive attention. Very often materials that are on hand
are utilized in this way, but if it is possible to select the
ingredients expressly for the salad, they should be very carefully
chosen. Any kind of salad, but particularly a vegetable or a fruit
salad, becomes much more attractive if it is made with ingredients that
are in good condition and that are attractive in appearance. They should
therefore be fresh and crisp and never mushy, wilted, nor limp. Of
course, this does not mean that material that is slightly unattractive
must be discarded, for it can usually be prepared so that it can be
utilized in some way. However, much of the deterioration of salad
ingredients before they are used can be avoided if proper attention is
given to them after they come into the home. Without doubt, the best way
in which to keep radishes, celery, parsley, watercress, and other greens
that are much used in salads is to wrap them loosely in a moist cloth as
soon as they are received in the home and then put them in a cool place.
Small muslin or linen bags having a draw-string in the top are very good
for this purpose, but they are not a necessity, for old napkins or small
pieces of worn cloth will do very well.

22. CLEANING AND FRESHENING SALAD INGREDIENTS.--In the making of a
salad, the cleaning of the ingredients used is a very important part of
the work. While nothing should be wasted in the process of preparation,
decayed or discolored leaves, stems, or parts of fruits and vegetables
should, of course, be removed. Every lettuce leaf and every part of
other salad vegetables should be looked over carefully and washed
separately in cold water. To accomplish this, the stalks or leaves must
be taken apart after the root is cut off. Then, before they are used,
they should be examined carefully again in order to make sure that no
small bugs nor worms and no dirt remain on them. Such vegetables will
become crisp if they are allowed to remain in cold water long enough to
bring back their natural freshness. A little ice added to the water
helps to accomplish this more quickly. It should be remembered, however
that lettuce leaves bruise and break easily and so must be handled
carefully if the best appearance is desired.

23. When cucumbers are to be used for salad, they should be peeled and
put immediately into cold water to become crisp, or they may first be
sliced or diced and then put into the cold water. They should never be
allowed to stand for any length of time in salt water. If it is desired
to season them with salt, a little may be added to the water in which
they are made crisp, but it will also be necessary to add ice to make
the water as cold as possible. The old idea that soaking cucumbers in
salted water removes something injurious has been proved to be untrue,
and they are just as satisfactory, so far as their flavor and condition
are concerned, when they are not subjected to this treatment. Radishes,
celery, and cabbage may be made crisp in the same way as are cucumbers
and lettuce.

In the event that any of these vegetables are allowed to stand in water,
they must be properly drained before they are used in a salad, for any
water that remains on them will dilute the dressing. If they must be
dried very quickly, they may be patted carefully between folds of cloth,
preferably linen or cheesecloth, or they may be allowed to stand for a
few minutes in a wire basket or a colander. Care should be taken,
however, not to allow them to stand until the good that has been
accomplished by making them crisp in cold water is undone.

24. PREPARING FRUITS FOR SALADS.--After fruits have been carefully
cleaned, they are ready to be peeled and cut into pieces of the size
desired for the salad. An effort should always be made to have the
pieces equal in size, similar in shape, and not too small. They should
be peeled in an economical way, but at the same time should be prepared
as attractively as possible.

25. In the preparation of oranges for a salad, the fruit is peeled as if
it were an apple, the peeling being cut deeply enough to remove the skin
that covers the sections. After the entire orange is peeled, the
contents of each section should be removed by passing a sharp knife as
closely as possible to the skin between the sections and then taking out
the pulp without any of this skin. The sections may then be used whole
or cut into pieces.

Grapefruit may be prepared in the same way as oranges. Upon the removal
of the whole sections, they may be left whole or they may be cut once or
twice, depending on the kind of salad and the appearance desired. When
grapefruit or oranges are prepared in this manner, they make a much more
agreeable ingredient for fruit salad than when they are simply cut into
chunks and the tough skin is allowed to remain on the pieces. No waste
need be permitted in this process, for the juice may be extracted from
what remains after the sections have been removed by pressing it in a
fruit press or by any other means and then utilized in the making of the
salad dressing or kept for some other purpose.

Letter: Gender roles in the Cinderella story

Doctors assure us that wherever you find an elderly, pompous old writer long past his prime you will find a bottle of scotch nearby. If only that were the case. Hilly hid mine after I fell up the stairs when I came home from the Garrick yesterday, and I've had to make do with a bottle of Blue Nun I found in the maid's parlour. Not that I am an alcoholic. Dipsomaniacs are a breed of the lower orders you meet on street corners: people like myself are bon viveurs who happen to like a drink. Or 12.

My primary observation is that drinking makes the daily grind of dealing with people so much easier. You drink a pint of whisky and become the life and soul of the party. You then start insulting people, before sweating heavily and wetting yourself involuntarily. You will usually find that everyone quickly avoids you, thereby relieving you of the need to make conversation. This is why I prefer to do much of my drinking at home. It saves so much time.

There are a great many drinks on the market - spirits, wines and beers - and I've probably drunk them all. Usually in some kind of combination with one another. Mixing cocktails is one of my favourite hobbies. Here's one I invented last week for my great sycophant, Christopher Hitchens.

The Hitch

One bottle of Babycham

One bottle of absinthe

Five shots of Angostura very bitters

Two tablespoons of bile

Two or three glasses of this tincture can give you a lifetime of self-satisfaction.

At some time you will probably be forced to invite people to your home and they may expect a drink. My advice is to offer them the cheapest tipple you can find; my local off-licence does a ghastly Mosel at 70p a bottle. I've never cared for even the best wines, and this should guarantee those poncing off you neither ask for top-ups nor stay long, thereby leaving you more money and time for the pub.

It is well known that only the very dullest of petit-bourgeois minds fail to over-imbibe on a daily basis, so I regard hangovers as a price worth paying for my brilliance. That said, I have found ways of coping with this metaphysical malaise. The first is to fuck someone; preferably somebody else's wife, but if your own is the only one around then she will do. The second is to read a book by that little shit Mart; it will either remind you you're not that bad a writer or give you some sleep.

The one downside to drinking is that it can make you fat. This is remedied by cutting out food entirely and drinking all spirits without mixers. My weight has gone down to 19st with this diet. There isn't much more to say, but as I'm being paid by the column I'd better repeat myself. And now that I'm dead, there's no harm in Bloomsbury repackaging the same material several times in the same collection.

I don't really like wine. Gin is for pansies, though a snifter with water doesn't go amiss. Liqueurs are best left to patent-shoed Wops. Or Americans. Champagne is an overrated girl's drink, though it can be drunk with any food; as such, it's a perfect breakfast drink because a scotch before 10am is very non-U.

I loathe pubs with loud music, but my utmost detestation is reserved for sanctimonious ex-topers. There's nothing worse than a man who doesn't drink. I once tried not drinking for several hours and my wives and mistresses said how dull it was that I was conscious and they were spared removing my soiled trousers from my bloated legs.

Whisky is my favourite tipple, though I recommend never giving it to a Welshman as it's wasted on someone with an IQ of less than 80. Have I mentioned that I'm partial to a Macallan? Gosh is that the time? Hilly's coming to change my IV drip before I fall unconscious again. The publisher can bloody well pad out the rest of the book with a pointless quiz without me.

Q: Who will buy this?

A: No one.

The digested read digested: The old pub bore.

• Hear the digested read podcast at guardian.co.uk/audio

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2008 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Jury clears judge of libelling mother
Sales of 'misery memoirs' fall after they boomed beyond all expectations since Dave Pelzer wrote A Child Called It

Constance Briscoe wins Ugly libel case

A judge who was sued for libel by her mother over allegations of childhood cruelty and neglect in her bestselling "misery memoir" won her case yesterday.

Constance Briscoe burst into tears at the high court in London as a jury unanimously cleared her and publishers Hodder & Stoughton over the claims in Ugly, which her mother Carmen Briscoe-Mitchell, 74, had alleged were a "piece of fiction".

During the 10-day trial, Briscoe, 51, who was one of the first black women judges in the UK, told the court her mother repeatedly beat her with a stick for bed-wetting and called her a "dirty little whore", a "potato-head" and "miss piss-a-bed".

She described trying to kill herself by drinking diluted bleach after failing to get taken into care, and told the jury she used a university grant to have plastic surgery to remove the "ugliness" her mother had taunted her over.

Briscoe, of Clapham, south London, also said that when she was nine, her mother had deliberately cut her on the inside of her arm with a knife in a row over the preparation of a chicken.

Ugly, published in 2006, has sold more than 400,000 copies in the UK. Briscoe and Hodder & Stoughton had denied libel and said the book was substantially true. Andrew Caldecott QC, for Briscoe, said the events occurred between 1964 and 1975.

Briscoe-Mitchell, from Southwark, south-east London, left court without making any immediate comment about her legal defeat. During the trial she had denied all the allegations of verbal and physical abuse and claimed she and her daughter had enjoyed a loving relationship within a happy family.

Her counsel, William Panton, told the jury Briscoe was "spinning a yarn", claiming his client had struggled to bring up her 11 children and had provided for them equally to the best of her ability.

Outside court, Briscoe told reporters she was "very happy" with the jury's verdict, which came after more than a day of deliberation.

"It is sad that my mother still feels the need to pursue me," she said. "Now I just want to get on with my career. I would like to thank all my readers who have sent me messages of support, including the very many children who provided helpful advice.

"I can quite understand why my family went into collective denial but whilst child abuse may be committed behind closed doors it should never be swept under the carpet."

Hodder & Stoughton said it was pleased with the verdict. "We are very proud to be Constance Briscoe's publisher," a statement said. "Her books Ugly and Beyond Ugly have touched hundreds of thousands of readers, many of them children. Sadly, as we know from the news over the past few weeks, child abuse is all too common and nothing and no one should ever stand in the way of the truth."

Asked during the trial why she wrote the book, Briscoe said: "I didn't believe for a split second that I owed my mother a bond of silence. I don't. I had a story to tell and that story really is that I, someone who from dirt poverty, from absolutely nowhere, with absolutely no assistance whatsoever, who faced adversity at every turn, could come through."

The court heard she had cleaned offices for two hours every day before school until her studies took her to Newcastle University, the criminal bar and, eventually, to become one of the country's few black women judges.

"I wanted to say to whoever read the book ... you can be whatever you want to be," Briscoe said. "You just have to believe in yourself ... you do not have to be posh or privileged to be at the Bar.

"You just need to believe in yourself and I truly, truly believe that my book has done an enormous amount of good."

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2008 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds