So Jane: Crafts and Recipes for an Austen-Inspired Life, by Hollie Keith and Jennifer Adams – A Review

From the desk of Lisa Galek:

If you’re like most Janeites, it’s never enough just to read Austen’s novels. You want to live in them, too. That means decorating your house with Austenesque items, baking Regency era goodies, and throwing fabulous book-based soirees. So Jane: Crafts and Recipes for an Austen-Inspired Life by Jennifer Adams and Hollie Keith is the perfect book for bringing your Austen obsession to life in your very own home.

So Jane is an extensive collection of recipes and craft projects inspired by the works and life of Jane Austen. Organized into six chapters—one for each of Austen’s major novels—the book is filled with well over 100 pages of ideas for Austenesque décor, gifts, crafts, and entertaining. There’s Breakfast in Bath (Northanger Abbey), Tea with the Middletons (Sense and Sensibility), Dinner at the Great House (Persuasion), Emma’s Picnic (Emma), A Rustic Dinner (Mansfield Park), and Netherfield Ball (Pride and Prejudice). Each chapter features a full menu and six adorable craft projects inspired by that novel and its characters.

This book is billed as a way to “help you bring all things Austen into your home in a contemporary way” and it completely succeeds. With pages and pages of gorgeous full-color photographs that really bring to life the look and taste of each section, you’ll find tons of Austenesque ideas that you’ll be dying to create. The instructions and steps are very easy to follow. The layout of the book is simple, too—just choose an entire menu or book theme and go from there. If you want to get a little more creative, you can branch out and mix and match ideas from different sections or adjust the projects and recipes for your skill level. The ideas are so creative and inspirational that the possibilities are endless.

Of course, if you’re looking for items and foods that are totally authentic to Regency England this book doesn’t promise that. This is truly Jane-inspired with a modern twist. The authors have actually done a great job using the Regency era as a jumping-off point while picking colors, materials, and ingredients that are more appealing to our contemporary tastes. For example, the recipe for Hot Spiced Cocoa notes that early 19th-century cocoa would have been flavored with chilies, which not many modern folks would enjoy. With a slight adjustment in flavors, you have a treat that your guests will love rather than something authentic that doesn’t taste as delicious.

The author also does a really nice job of including ideas and instructions for every skill level. If you’re not handy with a sewing machine, a few of the craft projects will be off-limits. I also thought the Honey-Lemon Teaspoons looked delicious, but the fact that I had to use a candy thermometer scared me off. Other recipes would be no problem at all even for a beginner cook. As far as the craft projects go, some of them could take days or weeks to complete (like the large blanket with silhouettes of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy on it), while others (such as the paper dolls or sandwich wrappers) could be ready to go in a few minutes. It’s a variety, but there really is something for everyone.

If you’re looking for ideas for an Austen-inspired event, a handmade gift for a fellow Janeite, or just some fun Regency-ish recipes, you will definitely enjoy So Jane. Even if you never make a single craft or recipe from the book (and they’re so delightful, I’m sure you’ll want to) the book is worth it just for the creativity and breadth of its ideas. I enjoyed it so much that I started inventing reasons to recreate the picnic on Box Hill or the ball at Netherfield at my house. I’m sure my family won’t mind at all!

5 out of 5 Stars 

So Jane: Crafts and Recipes for an Austen-Inspired Life, by Hollie Keith and Jennifer Adams
Gibbs Smith (2014)
Paperback (144) pages
ISBN: 978-1423633235

Additional Reviews: 

• In Random

Cover image courtesy of Gibbs Smith © 2014; text Lisa Galek © 2014, Austenprose.com 

Disclosure of Material Connection: We received one review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. We only review or recommend products we have read or used and believe will be a good match for our readers. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”