1. Enid Blyton Nostalgia & Food

Ah, the jolly fun of Enid Blyton! For me, as a child in the 1980s, Blyton’s novels represented escapism, adventure and reassurance. Thirty years later, Blyton culture remains fixed in my psyche; both as a nostalgic throwback to my childhood and as something comforting to offer my children. With the majority of Blyton’s texts written in the 1930s and 1940s, anachronisms of an earlier time succeeded in offering me solace forty years after their original publication; I can honestly say the same can be said for my children another generation on. The classic Blyton language: 'jolly, ghastly and scrumptious,' still provide my friends and me with endless entertainment (all avid Blyton fans of old obviously).

The aim of this blog is to concentrate on the food in Blyton's work. Let's think 'lashings of ginger beer, google buns, pop, cake and wholesome picnics! I will attempt to illustrate how the seeming insignificance of the edible fancies which proliferate Blyton’s novels do, in fact, play a pivotal literary role in illustrating deeper meanings within the narratives. How does Blyton utilise the food in her novels to do this? What deeper meanings does it uncover? Blyton's description of food, both the regular staples and the more celebratory concoctions, always appear during the children's valiant escapades across a coastline, as they dash up a magic tree or as they mischievously scoff treats at midnight. How does the representation of this food differ in the varied genres Blyton engages with? How does the setting where the food is consumed impact on the meanings it uncovers? One thing's for sure, whatever exploits Blyton takes her childhood reader on, she brings them safely home with her use of food. How do Blyton's novels propel me back to my childhood and ignite such an irresistible nostalgia? I hope to use this blog as a navigational tool to find out how her combination of food and fiction do this so successfully.

The recovery of my Blyton nostalgia is not just found in re-reading her stories to my own children; it is also found in re-creating Blyton picnics and treats. Let's kick off here with a picture of my oldest childhood friend Elise displaying some of the original Blyton novels we enjoyed reading together over thirty years ago! Here also, is a photo of me with my son Tom, my nephew Jack, my godson Zac and his big brother Max; settling down for our Enid Blyton tea party! Here we make classic Blyton treats from a current Enid Blyton cookbook by Allegra McEvedy, where all the recipes are inspired by Enid Blyton stories; living proof of Blyton's long-standing popularity and confirmation of a nationwide appetite to rustle up Blyton treats today. More will follow from these recipes and the tea party in future blogs. As we navigate the different foods in Blyton’s novels and uncover the meanings behind their representation, we can also have fun re-creating the jolly treats of Blyton's world!

The image at the top of this blog is taken from the contemporary, adult Famous Five series: Famous Five Go Gluten Free. I have also added the full image on the left-hand side of the homepage to show the continuing popularity of Enid Blyton and her stories. This image is illustrated in the original 1940s style, but the content of the picnic (and the manner in which the children are consuming it), has been updated to reflect a fashionable, current-day, health-conscious diet. The spiralising of courgettes and the glugging of raw spinach smoothies is not something Julian, Anne, Dick and George would have entertained in 1942 but this adult range of the series prove Blyton's longstanding appeal in 2018; the diet and food are the only things which have been changed from the original style.