Actually, I love the metaphor-interpretation. It's the story, isn't it.
I was so much - into getting all the details right (historical and ACD) that the reader can bake alongside the two men (I was so close to print out the photographs and the layout of a Victorian kitchen around the time and somehow play "playhouse" because it's essential (IMO) that they move in time and right place) - and waving a mystery and a deduction scene into the tale (it's ACD! It has to have it!), - and, of course, having my own style but still writing something that rang true to ACD and his famous characters, that I overlooked that one easily summarize it as "metaphor" of their lives.
Because that is it.
For every element associated with ACD and his fictional world, I tried to create a referring element: - Like the mystery (here: The Case of the Missing Household Staff), - the deduction (about childhood and caraway seed cake), - the classic introduction and the expected "The Game is Afoot" (Johnlock in 221B) - instead of (unintentional ;) romanticizing London, here it's the kitchen.
Then, of course, I needed the personality and their unique relationship and its dynamic, the hint of an unreliable narrator and the roles that both are/might be playing (The man who is all reason vs the man who has a heart (and it belongs to Watson :)) The aura of the Consulting Detective. That John Watson is a skilled man (doctor, military man, biographer) and - as we love to create - is Holmes' equal (in private) and might have some tricks up his sleeves too.)
And then I wanted to be all Johnlock --- and then I had to reign yourself in: Victorian Times. (Obviously, you don't have to but I do. And I have a marvelous beta who would if I hadn't have done it myself. Seriously, scfrankles and doctornerdington are THE best.)
And then, yes, it definitely becomes the metaphor.
Or as docnerdington messaged me: "You know that they don't HAVE a kitchen in their rooms upstairs? Mrs Hudson and the maids are doing all household chores." And I replied: "I know. I only want to check if all kitchen utensils AND the recipe work." And then I learned that Mrs Beeton has even THAT covered. In chapter 4 of her book, I, non-native, could learn all the neccesary vocabulary.
As once a history minor myself, I do know about the rules and space of gender. And yes, I loved the connotation that men in a kitchen baking a cake would be almost as scandolous as men eating a "cake". (You could probably argue that there's a relation with *ehm* the interesting linguistic phenomena of "tarte" etc. Unmale-y, soft, feminization etc. And yes, as Watson himself hints at, you can do - sometimes anachronistic - dirty jokes about it (you know, eggs and cream and yeah, you know ;))
Well, what else (sorry, I'm a talker and I want not you give you the impression I wrote your fic in 2 hours or so because, yes, I know, it seemed/ seems so "simple"). You certainly got all the canon references. Some fanon/The Great Game concepts about their childhood with - of course! - historical facts (yes, baking changed dramatically in Victorian times. It's extremly fascinating. And it's true that you could deduce a lot from certain recipes and their method. And when Food Historians can do it and artisans recreate it today, Sherlock Holmes can certainly do as well ;))
Seriously, if you have further questions, just ask. And oh, I'm so glad that you liked "Ingredients of Love"!
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I am so happy that you liked my little story.
Actually, I love the metaphor-interpretation. It's the story, isn't it.
I was so much
- into getting all the details right (historical and ACD) that the reader can bake alongside the two men (I was so close to print out the photographs and the layout of a Victorian kitchen around the time and somehow play "playhouse" because it's essential (IMO) that they move in time and right place)
- and waving a mystery and a deduction scene into the tale (it's ACD! It has to have it!),
- and, of course, having my own style but still writing something that rang true to ACD and his famous characters,
that I overlooked that one easily summarize it as "metaphor" of their lives.
Because that is it.
For every element associated with ACD and his fictional world, I tried to create a referring element:
- Like the mystery (here: The Case of the Missing Household Staff),
- the deduction (about childhood and caraway seed cake),
- the classic introduction and the expected "The Game is Afoot" (Johnlock in 221B)
- instead of (unintentional ;) romanticizing London, here it's the kitchen.
Then, of course, I needed the personality and their unique relationship and its dynamic, the hint of an unreliable narrator and the roles that both are/might be playing (The man who is all reason vs the man who has a heart (and it belongs to Watson :)) The aura of the Consulting Detective. That John Watson is a skilled man (doctor, military man, biographer) and - as we love to create - is Holmes' equal (in private) and might have some tricks up his sleeves too.)
And then I wanted to be all Johnlock --- and then I had to reign yourself in: Victorian Times. (Obviously, you don't have to but I do. And I have a marvelous beta who would if I hadn't have done it myself. Seriously, scfrankles and doctornerdington are THE best.)
And then, yes, it definitely becomes the metaphor.
Or as docnerdington messaged me: "You know that they don't HAVE a kitchen in their rooms upstairs? Mrs Hudson and the maids are doing all household chores." And I replied: "I know. I only want to check if all kitchen utensils AND the recipe work." And then I learned that Mrs Beeton has even THAT covered. In chapter 4 of her book, I, non-native, could learn all the neccesary vocabulary.
As once a history minor myself, I do know about the rules and space of gender. And yes, I loved the connotation that men in a kitchen baking a cake would be almost as scandolous as men eating a "cake". (You could probably argue that there's a relation with *ehm* the interesting linguistic phenomena of "tarte" etc. Unmale-y, soft, feminization etc. And yes, as Watson himself hints at, you can do - sometimes anachronistic - dirty jokes about it (you know, eggs and cream and yeah, you know ;))
Well, what else (sorry, I'm a talker and I want not you give you the impression I wrote your fic in 2 hours or so because, yes, I know, it seemed/ seems so "simple"). You certainly got all the canon references. Some fanon/The Great Game concepts about their childhood with - of course! - historical facts (yes, baking changed dramatically in Victorian times. It's extremly fascinating. And it's true that you could deduce a lot from certain recipes and their method. And when Food Historians can do it and artisans recreate it today, Sherlock Holmes can certainly do as well ;))
Seriously, if you have further questions, just ask. And oh, I'm so glad that you liked "Ingredients of Love"!