All the nostalgia of Downton Abbey with 99% more reality. ( )

Aprons and Silver Spoons by Mollie Moran is a wonderful memoir of young country girl who at age 14 becomes a scullery maid. She finds herself working 15 hours a day doing the most menial and dirty of jobs, but she is irrepressible and lively and makes the best of her situation. She becomes life-long friends with a kitchen maid, observes and trains under a strict cook and works her way up, first as a kitchen maid and then finding a job where she herself was the main cook for a large household.

During her time in service she grew to be a woman, cooked for the rich and famous and met her RAF husband. Both headstrong and ambitious, Molly was determined to succeed and becoming a cook at age twenty was almost unheard of. The story covers not only Molly’s life, but the many changes that have occurred in Britain from the 1920s right up to the 2000s. She comments on many things including fashions, politics, technology and of course, cooking. She has lived through so many changes during her life yet even at age 96 she is both alert and aware.

Aprons and Silver Spoons brings the worlds of Upstairs, Downstairs and Downton Abbey to life as Molly Moran writes about her times with fondness and nostalgia. She also includes some pictures, recipes and household tips that help to make this an interesting and fun read. ( )

This was a cute memoir about Mollie's early life starting as a scullery maid for a wealthy English family in the 1930s. Mollie is a feisty, confident and adventurous 14 year old when she starts but she works hard, yet she is always ready to go to a dance or visit London on her day off. She learns about life and she grows up but she considered her time spent in service as a good experience. There was also a bit about World War II and it's impact. I enjoyed Mollie and her story. ( )

a memior from a 97 yr old woman who started as a scullery maid and worked her way up to cook for the British elite. ( )

a memior from a 97 yr old woman who started as a scullery maid and worked her way up to cook for the British elite. ( )