Nanny Ogg's Cookbook

My own recent excursions into old housekeeping books, inspired by the discovery of my Grandmother's journal, had my daughter searching in lists of similar books as a birthday gift for me. She found Terry Prachett's Nanny Ogg's Cookbook and, knowing he is one of my favorite authors, immediately ordered it for me.

I've been reading Terry Prachett's Dicsworld® series for nearly two decades now and still eagerly await the next book about the characters of this world which is a character in its own right.

Somehow though, I missed Nanny Ogg's Cookbook, a collaboration between Terry Prachett, Stephen Briggs; with illustrations by Paul Kidby, and recipes vetted by Tina Hannan and Stephen Briggs. I'm glad to have this oversight corrected.

Anyone who has met Nanny Ogg in any of Terry Prachett's story lines involving the witches of Lancre will recognize her as the second most important (first, in her secret opinion) witch of Discworld® and the authoress of The Joye of Snacks; now banned in all the known multiverses.

Nanny Ogg also penned Mother Ogg's Tales for Tiny Folk, which has psychologists and psychiatrists everywhere rejoicing, as it has insured they can pay for that new carpet the spouse is wanting, the trip to Europe, and their kids' college education through their PhD's. My own Grandmother told me tales that would have fit right in Mother Ogg's TfTF so I am certain the two women would have been instant friends (or enemies) had they ever met. Fortunately for all the multiverses we'll never find out.

Terry Prachett created, stole from ancient myths of India, according to him, Discworld® in order to skewer the serious Sword and Sorcery books of the sixties and seventies. He probably intended a send up of Lord of the Rings as well; which was enjoying a revival at the time. He has been using his "stolen" world to lambaste many preconceived notions and ideas ever since.

Using Discworld as his backdrop Terry Prachett provides excellent entertainment while doing the exposé of our often unconsidered beliefs of rightness. He certainly does so in Nanny Ogg's Cookbook. The quote "They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, which just goes to show they're as confused about anatomy as the gen'rally are about everything else" serves as fair warning about the contents of Nanny Ogg's Cookbook.

Men probably shouldn't be allowed to read this book as it will severely shake their beliefs in women's innocence of all "earthy" matters. Though how they think any woman could be so unaware of those matters after her first visit to a gynecologist is something never explained. But, for the rest of us, human, Dwarf, Troll, Werewolf, witch or whatever species, this is a not to be missed read.

P.S. Try the recipes at your own risk, especially Nobby's Mum's Distressed Pudding, which will certainly distress anyone eating too much of it i.e. more than an inch by inch square.