This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
Do you remember Daisy's joy and delight when she was given a new play that was a real live kitchen, where she could cook proper food and not just pretend? Oh! It was a joy to read – well it was to me, I would have loved a real kitchen of my very own when I read Little Men as a child. Thanks to her Aunt Jo's idea and her Uncle Laurie's cash, she could now pretend to be a trainee cook called Sally and prepare pie, macaroni, cake… well, in her eyes just about everything.
Little Men continues the story of the the March sisters from Little Women, though focuses on Jo. Jo is now married to Professor Bhaer and together they run Plumfield, a school for boys, which also includes her niece, Daisy (who has a twin Demi), and later, Nan arrives. The school is not conventional. The boys are encouraged to plant gardens, have pillowfights and their characters are gently moulded with life lessons taught by Jo – who feels affection for each and every one of them.
Daisy, who is Meg's daughter, although extremely close to her twin, is a little isolated in a house with so many boys. She adores helping Asia in the kitchen, and the new play was inspired by Daisy making gingersnaps with Asia. It becomes a special play just for her. And when Nan comes along she is allowed to help too, although Nan is more into what the boys are doing.
The little kitchen had china, laid out beautifully, a stove that roared, a kettle that steamed and it was a joy for Daisy to behold. She just didn't know what to look at first.
But Aunt Jo had orders for her new, trainee cook. First she was to put on her cap and apron, then she was to wash the crockery. After that, she was off to Asia, who was the 'market' and collect the first lot of ingredients for her first go at cooking.
Gingersnaps are great, but I found, a little bland, so I drizzled some lemon icing over the top which brings out the warmth of the ginger.
Gingersnaps – makes approximately 30
75g butter
100g golden syrup
225g self raising flour
Pinch of salt
2 heaped teaspoons ground ginger
100g caster sugar
1 beaten egg
Icing (optional)
2 tablespoons icing sugar
Enough lemon juice to make it stiff enough to drizzle over the top.
- Heat oven to 180°C or 160°C fan
- In a saucepan measure out the syrup and butter then heat gently until the butter is melted.
- Weigh out the dry ingredients and mix together.
- Scoop small spoons of the mixture onto a greased baking tray.
- Bake for ten to fifteen minutes (the longer you bake them the more likely they'll be to snap – I prefer mine slightly soft, easier on the teeth).
- Place on a wire rack to cool.
- Make the icing by combining the lemon juice with the icing sugar.
- Drizzle over the top.
And that's it!