Eleanor dishes up Maw Broon’s second spin on family cooking

Oct 8 2008 by Graham Miller, Wishaw Press

JINGS, crivvens and help ma boab, who would have thought it?

Former Wishaw High School pupil Eleanor Abraham has helped a Scottish icon prepare a second best-selling cookbook.

And no, it isn’t Gordon Ramsay whom Eleanor has assisted.

In fact, it’s Scotland’s number one matriarch, Maw Broon, who has recently published the follow-up to her hugely successful recipe book.

The award-winning Maw Broon’s Cookbook outsold culinary efforts by household names such as Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson during the past year.

And, to date, has notched up worldwide sales of more than 160,000 copies.

Containing recipes for national delicacies such as stovies and clootie dumpling, the book has proved popular with native Scots and ex-pats alike.

Now, following on from its phenomenal success, a new book of mouth-watering recipes has just been published, this time called Maw Broon’s But An’ Ben Cookbook.

Newmains-born Eleanor, the book’s editor, explained: “We were lucky enough to borrow Maw’s very own cookbook from the sideboard at No. 10 Glebe Street – first compiled for her by her mother-in-law when Maw married Paw – and gradually added to down the years.

“These are the very recipes that became the favourite dishes of the whole extended family – Maw and Paw, Granpaw, Daphne, Horace, Joe, Maggie, Hen, the twins and the bairn.”

The book caused quite a stooshie with nutritionists who labelled it unhealthy, calling its ingredients a “caricature of absolutely the worst things you could possibly put in your mouth.”

However, Eleanor said Maw felt the reaction was somewhat “overdramatic.”

Eleanor said: “Back when Maw first used these recipes people were used to economy cooking.

“There weren’t the alternatives available that there are nowadays and people cooked from scratch.

“People have to remember that Maw was cooking for 11 and there was never any intention to promote unhealthy foods.”

However, the new book, which has gone straight to the top of the best-sellers list, contains recipes with healthy ingredients such as home-grown vegetables and hand-picked wild fruits like brambles and berries that should keep the food police happy.

Eleanor explained: “This new book has ideal recipes for things like picnics and visits to the seaside, although there are dishes there for all four seasons of the year.”

So what’s next for Scotland’s original domestic goddess?

Eleanor said: “Who knows? Perhaps Maw will give the world the benefit of her excellent housekeeping skills.”

Both of Maw Broon’s cookbooks can be bought from all major bookstores.