Thanks to her latest novel, Jennifer Ryan knows more than you could imagine about wartime cooking.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: What is the first thing ever that you remember writing?
JENNIFER RYAN:The first writing I remember clearly is at the age of 11.
Credit: Random House (2)
After that, I took a lot more care about my choice of subject matter!
What is the last book that made you cry?
The Nightingale, by Kristin Hannah.
The tale of two sisters in Second World War France was incredibly moving.
Which book is at the top of your current to-read list?
I adore baking, and I am addicted to the show hence the grand cooking contest inThe Kitchen Front.
Where do you write?
I have fitted in writing while traveling, [doing] full-time work, college, and then children.
Which book made you a forever reader?
I readPride & Prejudiceby Jane Austen at school and miraculously fiction came to life.
What is a snack you couldn’t write without?
The full recipe is in the book.
Homity pie, also in the book, makes a wonderful snack.
It was invented by Land Girls, made from chopped meat and vegetable leftovers covered in pastry and baked.
They cut it into slices and took it with them into the fields for lunch.
If you could change one thing about any of your books what would it be?
I always wished that I could put in an extra round possibly a cake round?
because I so much enjoyed the cooking contest element of the book.
In the end, three rounds seemed to work the best, so three rounds it is.
What is your favorite part ofThe Kitchen Front?
The cooking contest parts were simply amazing to write.
I love cooking, and I am addicted to baking shows.
The recipes are fascinating they are fully written in case you’d like to try them.
Whale meat, Spam, salt cod, and sheep’s head were all intriguingly gruesome.
What was the hardest plot point or character to write in this book?
Getting the right blend of characters for the four contestants took a kind of writing interview process.
I wanted to showcase female cooks with different skills, lives, and experiences.
Lady Gwendoline, 38, her snooty sister, is married to a wealthy bully.
She is determined to prove her worth as a government cooking demonstrator.
