Alice Fleck's Recipes for Disaster by by Rachelle Delaney

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. It will be released May 11, 2021 by Puffin Books (Penguin Random House Canada.)

It's been just Alice and James, her single parent father, since Alice was born. They love to cook together. James is a culinary historian, so they delve into recipes from the past and recreate different dishes. Hana, James' girlfriend, videotaped them cooking medieval peacock pie. Unbeknownst to them, she sent a copy of it to Culinary Chronicles, a cooking show on the History channel that Alice and her father love. It's being set during a Victorian Festival that Hana is part of. They have been accepted.

Alice reluctantly agrees to being on the show because she admires Mei-Ling, the supportive host of the show. Besides, other kids don't even know about Culinary Chronicles, never mind watch it. Gladstone Manor, where everything is taking place, is a refurbished castle. Alice figures it might not be such a terrible week after all. 

The morning of the first day of taping, the participants are gathered together and informed that the show has been purchased by a reality tv channel. Some drastic changes have made. No longer will it be a friendly non competitive show. Culinary Chronicles has become Culinary Combat. Mei-Ling is gone and has been replaced by a narcissistic, semi-famous reality TV star. They've brought in a food judge infamous for his insistence on perfection and vitriolic remarks. Still, Alice and James decide to continue. 

While at the festival Alice makes friends with Tavi and Henry, a couple of kids about her age. Tavi goes to historical reenactments with her folks all the time and enjoys wearing historical costumes. Henry plans to become a detective just like his hero, Sherlock Holmes. The trio realize that someone is sabotaging the show and set out to find out who. 

It turns out that the week away, participation in the show, and making new friends are the impetus for all kinds of changes for Alice. By the end of the book she's become more comfortable being herself and accepts that Hana is going to be a part of their life. 

I liked the humour and authenticity of this book. It's a delight to read about the relationship between Alice and her father. Alice's complicated feelings towards Hana feel realistic. I appreciated learning more history of Victorian England. I liked that while the TV show was set up to be antagonistic, the contestants themselves were actually friendly and supportive towards each other. 

I was fascinated by all the the cooking details revealed in the book. My only complaint is that there are no recipes to accompany it. Maybe I will never make peacock pie or  Charlotte Russe, but I would loved to have seen the recipes included. 

Warning! At the end of this book you might want to dig out your stand mixer and start to cook.