Divine Feasts

by
Another successful recipe book - but so much more than just recipes
Another successful recipe book – but so much more than just recipes, Divine Feasts was produced and launched in August 2011.  This picture featured in the Halifax Courier and shows Pam and Dilys who had coordinated the recipes and the design.  Copies of Divine Feasts are still available at the reduced price of £2.99.

Divine Feasts is a follow-up to Divine Delicacies which was produced in 2008 and raised over £2500 for the Restoration Fund.  This book also involves just about everyone in the valley, ranging from residents to local restaurants, pubs, cafes and takeaways, a farm shop, schools, a newsagents and a post office.  It includes a lot of interesting food facts, amusing accounts of feasts and quotes from literature on eating and drinking.

 One of the most fascinating bits of local history in the book is how shopping has changed in the village since the 1950s.  A list has been compiled of the shops around in those days.  One of the best known was the Ripponden Cooperative Society which consisted of a shoe shop, a butchers, grocers and a drapery.

Divine Feasts contains over 70 recipes ranging from starters, mains and desserts to jams and lots of baking ideas.  There is also a Christmas cake, pudding and other festive recipes.  Pubs and chefs who have shared their favourite recipes include: Lamb Steaks in Ale from the Turnpike, Steak with a Brandy Cream Sauce from Far Barsey Farm Shop; Joyce’s Chocolate Cake from the Milestone Restaurant and Bread and Butter Pudding from Rishworth School.

Pupils from Ryburn Valley High School printed the front cover of the book, using a picture of the church taken by local photographer, Mark Sykes.