The 39 Steps | John Buchan (Food Reference List)

Last Updated on March 10, 2019

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)