There are a few children’s book reviews coming up on the blog in the next week or so and with Christmas beckoning it’s the ideal time to check them out.

Why not feed your favourite Enid Blyton fan with jolly good recipes from this clever children’s cookbook, Jolly Good Food by Allegra McEvedy, inspired by the food descriptions in some of Enid Blyton’s classic stories.

If you’re a Blyton fan like us, you’re going to love this jolly good recipe book!

Jolly Good Food

The title speaks for itself really.

For kids (or parents!) who not only love love Enid Blyton but enjoy eating and are ready to start learning to cook, this recipe collection is an ideal and educational gift.

You never know, it might even encourage your kids to prepare and create their own food to take on outdoor adventures and picnics, just like the Famous Five! Parenting heaven.

Inspired to learn new skills during kitchen adventures with her new children’s cookbook

Caroline enjoys flicking through the pages to get inspiration for teatime treats. We love kedgeree so one of the first recipes she tried was the Secret Island kedgeree with cream and peas. De-yum as we say in our house!

Favourite Enid Blyton Adventure Stories

Jolly Good Food is arranged in six sections based on classic Enid Blyton adventure books:-

  • The Naughtiest Girl
  • Secret Seven
  • The Famous Five
  • The Faraway Tree
  • Secret Island
  • Malory Towers

Each section starts with an excerpt from the story before showcasing a selection of food and drink recipes inspired by Enid Blyton’s delicious descriptions.

Image of yellow rice and egg in white bowl with fork
Jolly Good Food’s kedgeree with a pea & raisin twist

Food for Every Time of Day

Naturally you’ll find recipes for ginger beer and lemonade but there’s also porridge and drop scones with the Naughtiest Girl.

Try elevenses from the Secret Seven’s shed and lunchtime picnic and cake ideas from the Famous Five.

Then there’s Jack’s Secret Island trout supper and of course debaucherous midnight feast delights from Malory Towers.

New Takes on Old Fashioned Food

There are also more modern takes on old recipes such as strawberry, mint and spinach salad, and I’m sure the Naughtiest Girl didn’t make smoothies back then but you can certainly find them in this book!

Caroline is going through a quiche frenzy phase at the moment so she was thrilled to find no less than five (obviously) different quiche recipes in the Famous Five section. We cooked the sausage & leek and salmon, broccoli & cream cheese recipes for a Wolf Cubs event and the whole lot was eaten by the children in no time.

Imáge of two flan dishes with different quiche flavours in on top of recipe page from Jolly Good Food book stating sausage and leek quiche
Caroline’s Sausage & leek quiche and Salmon, Broccoli & Cream Cheese quiche

Magic in the Mixer

There are also clever recipes for more ‘magical’ treats like Silky’s Pop Cakes and Google Buns from The Magic Faraway Tree.

Did you realise that the word Google was first coined by Enid Blyton? You live and learn!

We tried Pop Cakes for Caroline’s birthday and whilst delicious with honey caramel and popping candy, I swapped the flour for spelt which made them too dry. Also, the photo is not great – hence why I’m an outdoor adventure writer not a cookery blogger!

Image of plate of cakes in front of yellow Enid Blyton's Magic Faraway book with book open to left showing recipe for Silky's Pop Cakes

The Book

Jolly Good Food is a sturdy 138 page hardbook recipe book with photos of the food as well as bright and fun illustrations by Mark Beech that kids will love.

There are over 40 recipes to try, some of which will need parental help for younger wannabe chefs, all with plenty of detail for getting things just right.

There are safety tips throughout and lovely touches like suggesting free range eggs in your cookery.

Image of double page spread of illustrated book showing recipe for Silky's Pop Cakes

What Your Kids Will Love

  • Creating real food from their favourite fictional stories
  • The funny illustrations on top of photos of the food
  • Learning to cook
  • Eating their delicious creations on an adventure picnic with friends

Cons

There aren’t any really.

Personally I’m not mad on the illustrations but that’s because I’m an old-fashioned Enid Blyton fan and love the old traditional pictures from some of the original publishings.

Quentin Blake fans will love these though so I’ll keep my fuddy-duddy opinions to myself!

Kitchen Adventures

Kids will have great fun dipping in and out of this cookbook as they practice new skills in the kitchen. There’s a quote from Enid Blyton herself in the book, in case of the occasional cookery catastrophe along the way: –

“The best way to treat obstacles is to use them as stepping-stones. Laugh at them, tread on them and let them lead you to something better.”

Ready, steady…cook!

For more gift ideas check out Kids of the Wild’s review pages and outdoor kids gift guide or for Secret Island and Famous Five-style outdoor campfire cookery inspiration take a look at garden campfire cooking and the other posts that link from it.

Buy the Book

Click on the image to check Amazon for best prices.

Jolly Good Food kids recipe book

NB Kids of the Wild received a copy of Jolly Good Food for the purposes of review. All views and observations are my own (and Caroline’s, aged 9).

If you would like Kids of the Wild to review a product for please get in touch via the contact page.