Medieval Manuscript Version of The Cookery Book(let)
The Circle of Ceridwen
Cookery Book(let) Manuscript Portfolio
as created by artist Beth Altchek
Something very, very special…
How wonderful is it to have a dear friend who takes your Cookery Book(let) and transforms it into a hand-made “medieval” manuscript masterpiece? Because that is what my massively talented friend Beth Altchek did. Taking as her inspiration such sources as the early 9th century Book of Kells, Beth took my Book(let) and created a true manuscript, hand-lettering the recipes and drawing a variety of whimsical, delightful, and beautiful illustrations – and then bound the result in a presentation copy. The completed portfolio is impressively sized, 11 inches tall and 7.5 inches wide, and laced into vegetarian friendly “leather”, with a big metal clasp. Inside is a parchment-like wrapper. The paper of the recipe pages is heavy water-colour paper which took Beth’s paints and inks beautifully. The inspiration, creativity, effort and sheer talent Beth displayed in dreaming this up and presenting it as a gift astounds me, and makes it one of the happiest “by-products” of the Circle Saga to date. Thank you Beth!
Please enjoy it with me:
Honey Cakes / Artwork by Beth Altchek
Honey Cakes Detail, with metallic copper and gold inks / Artwork by Beth Altchek
Baked Apples and Barley Browis / Artwork by Beth Altchek
Baked Apples / Artwork by Beth Altchek
Barley Browis / Artwork by Beth Altchek
Barley Browis Detail. Wonderful peacocks and metallic gold ink. / Artwork by Beth Altchek
Honey Glazed Carrots & Parsnips and Oat Griddle Cakes / Artwork by Beth Altchek
Honey Glazed Carrots & Parsnips / Artwork by Beth Altchek
Honey Glazed Carrots and Parsnips Detail. The two angels are sprinkling seeds from on high! / Artwork by Beth Altchek
Oat Griddle Cakes / Artwork by Beth Altchek
Oat Griddle Cakes Detail. It’s wonderful that Beth has used the nimbus of St John to represent the letter “O” in Oak Cakes! / Artwork by Beth Altchek
Venison Pie & Fish Stew with Leeks and Lentils / Artwork by Beth Altchek
Venison Pie / Artwork by Beth Altchek
Fish Stew with Leeks and Lentils / Artwork by Beth Altchek
Fish Stew with Leeks and Lentils Detail. One of Beth’s Bracco Italiano hounds jostled her arm when she was painting this, spattering the page with ink. She cleverly turned these into fish swimming across the page! / Artwork by Beth Altchek
Roasted Fish with Green Sauce and Roast Fowl / Artwork by Beth Altchek
Roasted Fish with Green Sauce / Artwork by Beth Altchek
Roast Fowl / Artwork by Beth Altchek
Lavender Scented Pudding and 2 Pointer Press Colophon / Artwork by Beth Altchek
Lavender Scented Pudding / Artwork by Beth Altchek
2 Pointer Press Colophon…”a tiny subsidiary of Pyewacket Press”. The two pointers are Beth’s beloved Bracco Italiano hounds. / Artwork by Beth Altchek
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