Publication Date: November 7, 2023
With delectable prose, a sharp heroine ahead of her time, and an adventure across the English countryside in search of great food, Good Taste is the perfect historical novel for fans of Dear Mrs. Bird and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.
You can tell a lot about a person from what they like to eat…
England in 1932 is in the grip of the Great Depression. Stella Douglas, author of a much-loved but not very successful biography, is a bit depressed herself. When she’s summoned to see her editor in London, she expects her writing career is over before it’s even started.
But much to her surprise, she is being commissioned to write a history of English food. It’s to be quintessentially English and intended to lift the sprits of the nation. There’s just one problem: a lot of English food is actually quite terrible (and anything good is usually imported from elsewhere).
So Stella travels across England in hopes of discovering a hidden culinary gem. What she discovers is oatcakes and gravy and lots and lots of potatoes. But when her car breaks down midjourney and the dashing and charismatic antiques dealer Freddie springs to her rescue, she is led in a very different direction . . .
Full of wit, life, and—against all odds—delicious food, Good Taste is a story of discovery and one woman’s desire to make her own way as a modern woman.
Stella Douglas yearns to make her mark as an author. That’s a tall order in 1930s England. When her publisher asks her to focus on something nostalgic instead of a biography, she begins seeing it as an adventure.
Author Caroline Scott serves up an inspirational tale in Good Taste. Inspired by Florence White, who was probably the first female freelance food journalist, the story follows Stella as she travels across the country searching for English dishes.
Through the use of a letter to the editor published in multiple newspapers, Stella solicits recipes and the memories accompanying them. Her travels quickly teach her that there is no one preferred method for cooking.
Unlocking her creative nature is something she learns along the way, influenced by a man she meets. When she can’t seem to get excited about the bland fare common amongst her countrymen, Stella focuses less on being a researcher and more on delivering beautifully written stories about delicious foods.
The story flows well with interesting characters and a believable plot. The author’s descriptive language easily takes readers back in time on a culinary adventure.
Good Taste is more than a book about a woman who gathers recipes. It’s about the connection between food and family, where memories are made with every bite.
Caroline Scott is a freelance writer and historian specializing in WWI and women’s history, with a PhD from Durham University. Born in the UK, Caroline currently resides in France. The Poppy Wife is partially inspired by her family history.
