The
Aga’s fire’s extinguished, the whisk and spoon laid down. A bare and wistful silence lies upon the
kitchen once so merrily irreverent and warm, for the smart, witty Curmudgess of
Cuisine, the lovable Codgess of Cooking who brightened so many hours with her
way with words and pots and pans, has passed away in Edinburgh
R.
I. P. Clarissa Theresa Philomena Aileen Mary Josephine Agnes
Elsie Trilby Louise Esmerelda Dickson Wright.
Even
all YOUR names could not encompass the bright, bawdy, brilliant marvel that was
YOU.
Wonderful tribute
ReplyDeleteMy dear Rachel,
ReplyDeleteIt's rather a shock to learn the news of the death of Clarissa Dickson Wright in the newspaper. I adore all her cookery programmes on TV and her autobiography was the bestseller in this country when it was published. I shall always remember her for her passion for food and amusing anecdotes.
I especially love her series of books she wrote with her friend Johnny Scott, a real country gent! There is also a BBC programme (and a book accompanied the TV programme) called "Clarissa and the Countryman". I hope you would find it interesting if you ever come across either the book or the TV programme (first broadcast in 2000).
Wishing you the best possible warm spring weekend...as for Scotland, the rain and wintry showers are forecast...I wish I could tell you something new about the Scottish weather, my dear friend.
Best wishes, ASD
PS. I am frightfully sad to admit that Clarissa's death was not widely publicised (or at least paid some tribute) in the press or TV news. To my dismay, I don't understand why the news of her death was all hushed up in her own country? Perhaps, it is more dignified, understated and solemn in that way.
ReplyDeleteThe lines from the poet, Alexander Pope just came back to me when he wrote these following lines:
unlamented let me die; Steal from the world, and not a stone Tell where I lie.
I loved them both. May they rest in peace.
ReplyDeleteI loved them! Racketing around England on that tandem motor bike, slinging pots and pans and huge cuts of meat and fish around the borrowed kitchens. Loved the smoking and the edge-of-bawdy comments and the polite contempt for vegetarians!
ReplyDelete