Back to our English trifle, now arriving in the twentieth century. In 1902 a recipe for a ‘Trifle à la Old Century’ was published by Mrs Salis in A La Mode Cookery. It shows that by then the trifle was already considered a ‘retro’ dessert rooted into English culture. May Byron, author of what must be the thickest pudding book in history (May Byron’s Pudding Book, 1917), gives 18 trifle recipes! In her book she explains that a trifle might be difficult to define, but not to devour. She also notes that the trifle requires elaboration, imagination and ingenuity to be a success, and also some recklessness with regards to economy; meaning that it wasn’t a cheap dish to prepare, if you used decent ingredients anyway.
