These pies are champion!!

Following another night of broken sleep - not helped by the discovery of an extremely large and menacing arachnid in the smallest room at midnight - the editor has been wearily weeding her emails.

There are some links which ought not, however, to be consigned without a second thought to the recycle bin, and the editor has persuaded Lady Bracknell to include this one in her blog for the amusement of her readers.

Lady Bracknell has long had a great affection for cookery books of all vintages. Despite rarely being fit enough these days to cook anything complicated, she is still often to be found engrossed in a cookery book, marking with sticky labels those recipes which appeal to her. (And then, six months later, wondering exactly what it was about a particular recipe which appealed to her.)

However, even Lady Bracknell is forced to admit that the 1950s and 60s were not a good vintage for cookery books. Colour photography techniques were primitive and their results lurid.

Taking advantage of these weaknesses, a clever and witty soul has reproduced some of the more disturbing images online, and appended his own commentary. Readers are advised not to click on these links while eating, lest their uncontrollable mirth should lead to an unfortunate choking incident.

Particular favourites include:

• The Gracie Fields home cook book;
• 57 ways with Heinz Condensed Recipe Soups; and
• Cooking with Crisps.

Marmite Boy may have a particular interest in this section.