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Enjoyed a long, 17th century wallow last night so I can report that the TV adaptation of The Miniaturist is simply gorgeous, in fact rather better than the book because when you're ooh-ing over period detail you forget to notice that the story isn't very convincing. (The novel has creative writing course stamped all over it.)
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Romola Garai is terrific as the chilly Calvinistic sister-in-law. And I was in historic baking heaven, freeze-framing every shot of marchpane and biscuits ... I noticed in the credits that it's the same food stylist who did upstairs/downstairs in Downton Abbey. I know. I'm obsessed. I'm about to embark on my Christmas baking - marchpanes, spongata, pistachio hedgehogs ... book your dentist's appointment now, he'll be busy in January!
4 comments:
Sounds irresistible, Mary! That's my weekend viewing sorted and I'll be sure to have a mince pie on hand. I'm going to be on the naughty list at my dentist...what was I thinking booking an appointment just before Christmas? Off to cancel....
I have this book but haven't read it yet. I volunteer at our main library on Tuesday afternoons shelving the books; we have four copies of this book and they have not moved off the shelf since I started in early September.
I've always wondered what Marchpane was. I imagine it as a type of marzipan....
Not until after Christmas, Darlene - sorry! Funny you should mention dentists ... this afternoon I came across a caveat from a writer in 1600, warning ladies against having their teeth scaled at the barber's. If the barber is too enthusiastic, a gentlewoman - that's you,Darlene - might 'be forced to borrowe a rank of teeth to eate her dinner, unlesse her gummes doe help her the better.'
I have attached it as a dire warning at the end of my tooth-rotting recipes!
If the worst comes to the worst, I hope you can afford a rank of teeth of your own ...
I'm sure you'll shift those books after it's been on TV, Veronica. I think it was quite a best-seller when it came out, but the story was rather implausible - it was the period detail that I enjoyed.
Marchpane is exactly the same as marzipan. Made with rosewater and then baked.
I wasn't over enamoured with the book but the adaptation sounds interesting... like you say, all the best bits!
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