Haricot Bean Soup

This is from The English Cookery Book by Lucie G. Nicoll, published by Faber and Faber in 1936, though this is the 6th edition dating from 1947. The introduction explains that Ms Nicoll is a farmer’s wife and has written the book with the intention of providing a range of seasonal recipes, compiled in a ‘book that can be washed over after having been soiled with flour, and a book in which the recipe stands out in good bold type, so that time is not wasted in peering into small and difficult lettering’. It’s a compact, uncomplicated and indeed well laid-out book, and looks well kept, so the rough treatment Ms Nicoll prepared it for looks to have not come to it (yet).  The introduction also explains how farm wives have naturally developed a tradition of good cookery, and she emphasises that this is not haute cuisine, but good solid English food “They are not for the epicurean or frequenter of the Ritz or such-like places…but again if any of my tired epicurean friends with jaded palates should care to risk  say a slice of the cold spiced beef or the hotpot of pigeons I doubt they will regret it”.