Generally when I write a review, I like to keep my own opinions until midway but here I’m going to break that rule.

I think The Stromness Dinner is absolutely fantastic. Every reader cliche happened; I couldn’t put the book down, I was absorbed in the novel’s world and time didn’t exist.

The plot, is a simple one: builder Ed is contracted to arrange a banker, Marcus’ father’s house as he, along with his sister, Claire, are going to sell it. Claire comes by to see how things are going and Ed and her fall in love. There’s a subplot involving a bowl.

On paper, or screen, this seems like an archetypical love story but The Stromness Dinner is much better than that, mainly because of the main protagonist.

Ed is a memorable character. He observes the tiny details of life. Nothing goes unnoticed, every smell , movement and speck of dirt gets documented. Then there’s his way of speaking. Aside from noting minutiae he also has a economic grasp of the English language. What I mean is that polysyllabic language does not exist in his vocabulary and yet he is able to articulate all his thoughts and desires clearly. If you met Ed in real life, you would know where you’d stand with him.

Despite his bare basics way of speaking he does have a refined palate and understands the importance of certain ingredients , in the novel we get him admonishing his mother not to include bacon and use guanciale in spaghetti carbonara. Throughout the novel us readers get little cooking tips. The thing is, although he knows his food, art is beyond him. He also likes to learn and is slightly self conscious of what he wears. Ed is definitely not an oik, rather a product of poor education or someone who wants to live and speak in an unpretentious manner (not foodwise). This mentality is even evident with his relationship with Claire, which is probably the reason why she is attracted to him.

The end result is a rich, warm and funny book. It’s got satirical moments which jab the British class system, north of England vs South mentality and Brexit (Ed’s explanation of why the Brexit happened is quite humorous). Some emotional ones and Ed’s narration style makes the novel super readable. The Stromness Dinner is an utter delight, from beginning to end and, at this point is definitely one of my reading highlights of 2021.

It’s not everyday that a chance meeting in your local deli and wine shop (Kirkness & Gorie in Kirkwall) leads to a book arriving to be reviewed. But this is Orkney, and that’s what happened. I met Peter Benson in Duncan McLean’s shop discussing his upcoming book launch. I said Yes to a copy and came home thinking that I have a stack of books that I want to read so why have I just agreed to read this?

Peter Benson is the same age as me and was brought up in the south of England as was I. The Stromness Dinner concept worried me. Was this going to be a novel packed with cooking detail written by a wannabe food writer or a dedicated hobby cook that would make me feel that my home cooking was somehow inferior to the restaurant quality food that we are all being encouraged to make by today’s TV programmes? I’ve read enough novels by cooks to be wary of the culinary novel: Prue Leith’s early books of fumbles on banquettes in Fortnum’s and choral endeavours were painful but Elizabeth Luard made the transition with magnificent success. How would this be?

Chapters that are three, four or five pages long are brilliant – they make you want to read just one more before you stop and consequently I gobbled up this book. I was hooked from page 1 – which is actually page 7, but you know what I mean. Ed is based in Bermondsey and is a regular builder bloke who loves his food and his women although he seems more successful with food. In and out of many of my old haunts I could visualise the menus and the crush at the bar, but that was just to set the scene. I have had some of the best meals and attended the most memorable food events in Bermondsey. I was in for the whole mini-chaptered tasting menu of this book, from cover to cover.

Ed came to Stromness to tidy up a house for a London client to sell. Marcus and Claire had been left the house by their Dad who had just died. They loved it but it had to go. Ed thought Claire was gorgeous but out of his reach.

Ed came to Stromness. Claire came a few days later. The attraction was simmering then moving to a rolling boil. I was beginning to get uncomfortable. I had thoroughly enjoyed the bloke-y pace of the writing but I was worried that I was heading for gastro sex and maybe eating oozing Brie off each other’s torsos but it was all ok and I had not even a hint of indigestion as I finished the book.

For an Incomer to Orkney as I am, Benson’s skill in capturing the idiosyncrasies of the Islands was as sharp as a Japanese knife blade. His insights were witty and perceptive. He absolutely nailed the quality of the local food and drink that is available in the local shops. Those who shop in the supermarkets – as Ed did from time to time – so often trade down from the local quality foods. Ed’s description of fish and chips in the Ferry Inn and steaks from Flett’s were spot on – I know those flavours and textures, just I knew the pubs and their menus in Bermondsey.

‘Don’t knock this place and it’s people. They make it what it is.’ I feel that very strongly about Orkney and to integrate into the community you have to be accepting of everyone . But The Stromness Dinner is a novel, and an immensely enjoyable main course of one too. I’ll be recommending it to the Book Club when we can meet again.