I devoured several books while travelling, including John Buchan’s The 39 Steps, always paying attention to whatever food and drinks were mentioned. Published in 1915, The 39 Steps was later made into an Alfred Hitchcock movie starring Robert Donat and Madeleine Carroll. The story is based around an assassination plot. After being revealed to Richard Hannay, the American who has exposed the assassination to Hassay is murdered, and Hassay finds himself on the run. With a notebook filled with encryptions, Hannay must keep one step ahead of the conspirators, while trying to stop the assassination.
Beverages mentioned in The 39 Steps
whiskey and soda
brandy
milk
coffee
grog: A drink made of water or a weak beer, and rum
cold tea
bitter
beer
bowl of milk with a dash of whiskey
champagne
port
Burgundy (wine)
“…very soon she set before me a hearty meal of ham and eggs, scones, and thick sweet milk.”
Food mentioned in The 39 Steps
biscuits
potatoes
savoury roast
buns
cold ham
sandwiches
thick slabs of scone
cheese
ginger biscuits
“There were Paddock’s crisp sausages and fragrant shavings of bacon, and shapely poached eggs–how often I had turned up my nose at them!”
porterhouse steak
Welsh rabbit: Toasted bread with a savoury melted cheese sauce poured over it
bacon and eggs
cold pie
oatcake and cheese
muffins and marmalade
Read The Thirty-Nine Steps
on Amazon for free (affiliate link)
Leave a Reply