The Spinster Cookbook

 The Spinster Cookbook

Reviewed By  Grasshopper2       September 25, 2026

 

Author  Eli Davies

Distributor:      New South Books
ISBN:                 9781911648994
Publisher:         The Indigo Press
Release Date:   1 September 2026  

Website:    https://newsouthbooks.com.au/books/the-spinster-cookbook/ 

FaceBook:   

YouTube:   

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/newsouthbooksau 

X formally Twitter:   

Culture, politics and pleasure in the single woman’s kitchen

This small hardback book, The Spinster Cookbook has quite a surprising title. The contents are even more surprising and a pleasure to read. While this is not a cooking book as we know the genre, it does contain recipes.

More importantly it contains the research and observations of the author about single women and food. As Eli Davies says, women have long been the caretakers of the kitchen and provided nourishment and gender expectations, while giving care and companionship. So how does this change when there is just one person to do it all?

Eli looks at the politics of living on your own. How to cope and manage the many situations which arise. She does this with humour and reminds us of the scene in Bridget Jones’ Diary, where Bridget is trying to impress her friends and produces a blue soup. The author remarks on the changed nature of single women in today’s society and has useful hints for shopping and cooking for one.

The Spinster Cookbook is much more than a guide for living. It explains what it is to think through the material realities and politics of building a life as a middle-aged woman without a partner. There is a need to find some kind of joy and peace, and this is the idea that Eli brings to this writing.

As a young person the author enjoyed cooking and was influenced by people like Nigella Lawson. This was where she got an idea that food was there for your satisfaction. When Nigella made a dish of devilled eggs and sat down by herself to eat them Eli felt the power of Nigella’s confidence with her lifestyle.

This is an entertaining, educational and satisfying read for women, and also contains some great recipes.

Food, Lifestyle, Non Fiction