Reading and Recipes: Life and Death of the Wicked Lady Skelton

Yet again at the Wichita recycling center's book section, I found a copy of  Magdalen King-Hall's The Life and Death of the Wicked Lady Skelton, not even knowing it was the source material for the Gainsborough film The Wicked Lady. The book is in really disgusting shape and felt damp the entire time I was reading it (hopefully it hasn't given me some dread mold-borne disease). However, it was free and actually entertaining. How I love going to the recycling center. The Life and Death of the Wicked Lady Skelton is a about a bored 17th-century noblewoman who seeks excitement as a part-time highway(wo)man.  It's a quick read and a lot of fun. Shelve it between Frenchman's Creek and Forever Amber.

So what I really wanted to make was a pigeon pie. It's mentioned several times in the book, along with lots of possets and syllabubs. King-Hall frequently tells her readers what's eaten in a particular scene. As you might guess, I like that about her. It kept me busy making notes the entire time I was reading. Unfortunately, there were no pigeons to be found save for those in my yard and it's illegal to shoot them, although I guess I could have wrung their necks but I'm not quite ready for that. So, I moved on to Plan B--something with rosemary, which is a recurring theme in the novel.

"...rosemary for the bride, rosemary for the corpse, symbol of the unity underlying all life and death" (269).

Brussels Sprouts with Rosemary Cream

1 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and outer leaves removed (large sprouts halved)
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1 sprig rosemary
juice from 1 lemon
salt
pepper

Boil the sprouts in salted water for ten minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat the sour cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Mince the leaves from the rosemary and add them to the sour cream along with the lemon juice. Stir and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve over the sprouts.

Serves 4

Inspired by "Sprout Tops with Cream, Lemon and Rosemary" in Rose Prince, The New English Kitchen (London: Fourth Estate, 2005), 341.

Print

 Clockwise from top left: Margaret Lockwood publicity photo, Margaret Lockwood on horseback, Margaret Lockwood and James Mason, Margaret Lockwood and Patricia Roc

The film version, The Wicked Lady (1945), is quite a bit different from the book, but the changes actually do work pretty well. To my knowledge there's never been a U.S. video release of the movie (on VHS or DVD), but I didn't have too much trouble finding it on--ahem--YouTube. If you're lucky enough to have a region-free DVD player, there are three region 2 releases (one is part of the Margaret Lockwood collection and another is part of a Rank 70th Anniversary collection). I keep telling Paul I need a region-free DVD player. How else am I supposed to get to see The Man in Grey? Doesn't it look ridiculous yet awesome?

Go check out this 1980 interview with Margaret Lockwood--she's a hoot. There's quite a bit about The Wicked Lady.

 Michael Rennie and Margaret Lockwood