Archive - August 2015

The title of this post is admittedly rather presumptuous. However, after diligent research, I am confident that at the very least the given author was extremely fond of the foodstuff listed here as their favourite.

Here are 7 famous authors’ alleged favourite foods:

Emily Dickinson (December 10th 1830 – May 15th 1886)

Emily Dickinson was a prolific poet with over 1700 poems to her name, who is today remembered as being one of the most acclaimed American female writers of all time. Despite her very private nature we know from her letters that she loved baking for her family and friends. Her poem, The Things that never come back, are several, was composed on the back of a friend’s recipe for Coconut Cake.

Favourite Food: Bread & Cakes

Agatha Christie
(September 15th 1890 – January 12th 1976)

Agatha Christie is the best-selling novelist of all time, having sold approximately 2 billion books. Miss Marple was a fan of clotted cream, and her creator even more so. Christie grew up in Devon, where clotted cream was regularly served as an accompaniment to scones at teatime. Her grandson fondly remembers her love of cream.  It is said that a cup of it could be found more often than not beside her typewriter.

Favourite Food: Devonshire Cream

J.D. Salinger
(January 1st 1919 – January 27th 2010)

The reclusive J.D. Salinger was an American author, whose seminal work The Catcher in the Rye has sold over ten million copies worldwide. Two years after the book’s publication Salinger withdrew completely from public life. We do know from frequent sightings of Salinger in his hometown of Cornish, New Hampshire, that he enjoyed fast-food. In a letter to his friend Donald Hartog, Salinger mentioned that in his opinion Burger King hamburgers were superior to other chains offerings.

Favourite Food: Burger King Burgers

Jean-Paul Sartre (June 1st 1905 – April 15th 1980)

Sartre was a playwright, novelist, biographer and philosopher. In 1964 he famously turned down the Nobel Prize in Literature, stating that ‘a writer should not allow himself to be turned into an institution.’ Letters to his lover Simone De Beauvoir reveal that he was somewhat obsessed with a sweet snack called halva. Sartre wrote, ‘I got your books but no halva. Is there another package?’ The halva eventually arrived.

Favourite Food: Halva

Ernest Hemingway(July 21st 1899 – July 2nd 1961)

In his younger years The Nobel Prize in Literature (1954) winner was an avid outdoorsman, who particularly enjoyed trout fishing. In his essay Camping Out the author wrote, ‘A pan of fried trout can’t be bettered.’ He went on to give detailed instructions on how to prepare the trout. The recipe included bacon. Hemingway concluded by stating, ‘If there is anything better … the writer has yet to taste it …’ 

Favourite Food: Trout

Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette
 (January 28th 1873 – August 3rd 1954)

Colette was a novelist and performer, best known for her novel Gigi. Her risqué sexual activities, which included numerous affairs with both males and females, provoked outrage. Considering her sexual appetite it is perhaps not surprising that the food she seemingly craved above all others were truffles. Truffles were prized for their aphrodisiac qualities in Ancient Rome. Colette once said, ‘If I can’t have too many truffles, I’ll do without truffles.’

Favourite Food: Truffles  

H. P. Lovecraft (August 20th 1890 – March 15th 1937)

Lovecraft was an American author, who is regarded as one of the most important horror fiction writers of the 20th Century. The author achieved very little success during his lifetime, and was only ever published in pulp magazines. Lovecraft lived frugally for much of his adult life, and this was no doubt one reason that he enjoyed spaghetti with meat and tomato sauce, which he used to cover in cheese.

Favourite Food: Spaghetti with Meat and Tomato Sauce

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