Viv Pidgeon

Sometimes those Brits act in a way that is not only civlized, but highly respectable. I wanted to cook a chocolate, orange and prune cake for my sister's birthday. I got this recipe out of a cookbook I have back in Brooklyn. I've made it twice before and it's a hit, with a lovely bittersweet chocolate icing that gets quite hard. But the cookbook is in Brooklyn and I'm in Chicago.

I looked high and low on the internet, where I usually have luck finding favorite recipes, but found nothing. I had already announced the type of cake I was going to make and my sister got really excited, so I didn't want to let her down. I looked on Amazon to find the exact name of the book, hoping that would help in my google quest. After typing in "latin american cooking" I saw the familiar image of my book and got its exact name: Leith's Latin American Cooking, written by the chefs at the Leith's School of Food and Wine in London. I visited the site, hopeful that they might post recipes. They don't, but they do offer the services of a private chef from Leith's to come and cook you an individual lunch or dinner for just 20 pounds. And they do offer cooking classes for the public. And (!) they do have a button for "internet enquiries." I sent off an email explaining my predicament and requesting assistance.

This morning at 3:44 am Viv Pidgeon from the Leith's School of Food and Wine responded to my enquiry:
___
I could fax it to you - what is your fax number?
Best Wishes
Viv
___

And fax it she did, making my day. For not only had I gotten my hands on the coveted recipe, but I had met someone named Viv Pidgeon. And sometimes, my friends, life just doesn't get much better than that.

Comments

[magstock]

Cake turned out quite well, although slightly different from the previous two times. And my brother was scared off by the prunes. Some people will be--what can you do?

[Amanda]

I am pretty sure that the "prune, orange and chocolate" recipe would be dumed to remain untested in any cookbook of mine.

[Amanda]

dumed? Is that even a word? Doomed, I tell you. I was an excellent speller for most of sixth grade. I think my orthographic skills peaked right about seventh grade an have been in steady decline since.