The Kitchen Front: A Novel

Nell considers her first dish for the cooking contest. She decides to reference old recipe books from past generations of household cooks. She and Mrs. Quince look through an ancient recipe book, noting the different spellings and approaches to seasonal cooking. Nell searches for disused herbs in the pantry and together, she and Mrs. Quince decide on a dish of hare with elderberry wine, and Nell agrees to go see Sir Strickland’s farm manager the next day to find a hare. Then, the air raid siren begins, and Nell helps the Stricklands take their belongings into the cellar. She watches the planes and bombs from the window.

Zelda arrives at her new lodgings and is shocked to discover that it’s Audrey’s home. Audrey tries to dissuade Zelda from staying, and they argue about the contest. Audrey shows Zelda around her house, which is falling apart, but Zelda pushes forward and promises to help find repairs for the spare room. She tells Audrey about her aggressive landlady and the fact that her unborn child was conceived out of wedlock; Audrey begrudgingly allows Zelda to stay and keep her pregnancy a secret.

Nell goes to Fenley Farm, where Italian POWs have been brought to help with farm duties. She sees a group of them, and one of the Italian boys accosts her. Another Italian boy saves her and brings the farm manager, Mr. Barlow. Nell asks Barlow for a hare, and he sends the Italian boy, Paolo, to get it. Paolo and Nell walk through the woods, and he tells her about his home in Italy. Nell tells him about the contest. When they find a hare, Paolo catches it with his bare hands and presents it to Nell. Before they return, he kisses the back of her hand. Nell runs home, elated.

Zelda attempts to pawn a pearl necklace from Jim to pay for the repairs of her room; however, it turns out the pearls are imitations. She remembers her childhood cleaning houses to support her family before being sent away as a live-in maid. At Willow Lodge, she joins Ben and Christopher in the garden. A plane flies overhead, and Christopher begins having a panic attack. In response, Zelda helps them understand the difference between ally and enemy planes. They go inside and study Zelda’s book on identifying aircraft. Audrey returns home expecting chaos and instead finds her sons reading together. She gets upset at Zelda’s interference before admitting that she might protect them too much. Zelda tells Audrey about the sexism she’s faced within the culinary industry and how she hopes the contest will change her career. She admits that she’s been hiding her pregnancy behind a corset and plans to give her baby up for adoption.

Alexander tastes Audrey’s failed recipes for the first contest round, and afterward, they search for ingredients and inspiration. They decide to go into the woods to search for wild food. They harvest mushrooms and herbs and return home, but then a telegram arrives with news of Matthew—his body has finally been found. Audrey remembers the first telegram she received about Matthew’s presumed death and the family’s hope that he might still be alive. Audrey shows her sons the message, and they encourage her to continue with the contest. She takes the ingredients she has along with the mushrooms and makes them into a soup. Before she leaves, she puts the telegram in her pocket.

The contestants and community gather for the first round of judging, and Ambrose introduces the competition before inviting the contestants to introduce their dishes. Gwendoline explains her starter dish of sardine rolls, which make use of wartime rations. Then, Mrs. Quince and Nell introduce their hare and elderberry dish though Nell stutters, and Mrs. Quince does most of the talking. Audrey introduces herself and her mushroom soup though without any fanfare; the others don’t know of her recent message about Matthew. Finally, Zelda offers her Coquilles St. Jacques. Gwendoline challenges her about the rare ingredients, and the gathered crowd whispers about the illegal market.

Ambrose awards Gwendoline six out of ten, Mrs. Quince and Nell nine, Audrey ten, and Zelda seven. Gwendoline is enraged and scared of what her husband will say.