Rewrite this as a reading comprehension quiz with answers.

It was 1986. I had not long arrived in London but regularly visited the fine emporium Books For Cooks in Notting Hill. I was a young cook then and being paid accordingly. What I did not have in cash I made up for in enthusiasm. One day, I approached the table at which sat the formidable Clarissa Dickson Wright who took one look at the pile of books in my arms and said, “Are you really going to buy all those?”

I blushed furiously, trying to respond.

“Here,” she said, “give me those and take this. It has just been published, is brilliant, and you must have it.” And she handed me a book with a beautifully illustrated cover. It was Honey From a Weed by Patience Gray. For ever after I was devoted to Clarissa.


Honey From a Weed is the writings of a woman who followed her man, the sculptor Norman Mommens who moved them to the Mediterranean in search of marble. In endless small steps, Patience Gray –turned her back on a life in London as a journalist – she was women’s page editor of the Observer- before settling finally in a farmhouse in Apulia, southern Italy, the kitchen of which is depicted on the cover.

Remarkably ahead of its time, Honey From a Weed is scrupulous in its knowledge of local and seasonal cooking, and forages as part of daily life. They never had a fridge, electricity or running water. The recipes are beautiful and even the alarming recipe for cooking a male fox shot in cold winter months shows humour in the rigorous personality of the author.

I cook several recipes still from this estimable work – a dish of rabbit and prunes and a green vegetable puree among others . But it is the conjuring of time and place that enthrals the reader. The recipes take on an otherworldly quality as evinced in la salsa secca. A fresh tomato sauce is poured cup by cup into many plates then laid out on the roof to be dried with the help of the north wind. The caveat is to beware the sirocco for “it is of no use”.

1. What year is mentioned in this piece of writing? 1986
2. What locations are mentioned by the writer? List them in order of their mentioning. 1. London 2. Books For Cooks (an emporium) 3. Notting Hill 4. The Mediterranean 5. London 6.  Apulia, southern Italy (in a farmhouse) 
3. What was the occupation of the person who wrote this piece? Cook.
4. What did the writer of this piece report to have more of than money? The writer claimed to have more enthusiasm than money.
5. Clarissa Dickson Wright said what to the writer of this piece in response to what? Clarissa Dickson Wright said, “Are you really going to buy all those?” in response to a pile of books in the writer's arms.
6. What was the physical response to Wright's question? The writer of this piece blushed furiously.
7. What was recommended by Wright as an alternative to the pile of books that the writer was holding? Honey From a Weed by Patience Gray was recommended.
8. As a result of this interaction what was the attitude toward Wright? This interaction resulted in loyalty and devotion.
9. What was Honey from a Weed about? It is the writings of a woman who followed her man, the sculptor Norman Mommens who moved them to the Mediterranean in search of marble.
10. Patience Gray did what? She turned her back on life in London as a journalist.
11. What had been Gray's occupation? She was the women’s page editor of the Observer.
12. Where did she finally settle? She settled in Apulia, southern Italy.
13. What is depicted on the cover of Gray's book? The kitchen from her farmhouse in Apulia is illustrated on the cover of Gray's book.
14. How is Honey From a Weed described? It is described as remarkably ahead of its time and scrupulous in its knowledge of local and seasonal cooking. It is also described as beautiful and humorous.
15. What are the key characteristics of Gray's lifestyle, mentioned her?  They never had a fridge, electricity or running water.
16. What recipes does the writer still cook from this book? A dish of rabbit and prunes and a green vegetable puree is mentioned.