Hello and welcome to my little online place. Stories from the Stove will now function as an archived book of recipes and stories instead of an updating blog. I still occasionally post but in an ad hoc way. Thank you for stopping by.
About me: I am originally from Devon (Ottery St. Mary, then Exeter) but have spent some time living in other places, namely LA for six years (where this blog was born), Italy and Spain, as well as a fair bit of time in London and its environs – this will hopefully explain some of the things I write about.
As a child, we kept goats and lived in a converted convent. While there, I ate my fair share of clotted cream, brandy butter and hairy goat’s milk. I worked as a cook for a count and countess in Venice in my late teens which ruined me for life. After a degree in Italian I then trained to be an actor. I write about food, gardening, swimming, the sea, books and whatever else is occurring to me.
All photos are my own, unless otherwise stated. Please contact me on sophiejames927@gmail.com.
Stories from the Stove 
Hi, thanks for your interest in my blog 🙂 if you have any accidental vegetarian recipies id love to check them out, your passion for food seems amazing 🙂
Addicted x
Hello there. Thanks for your feedback, much appreciated. Actually everything here is pretty much vegetarian, not vegan though. Will enjoy reading your blog 🙂
Hi there! Thanks for visiting my blog. Fascinating that you’re from Devon but living in LA — how’s that transfer treating you? Looking forward to checking out more of your recipes!
Met your Mum on the train at Heathrow this morning as she was leaving on her trip to LA and she told me all about your site! Great job!
Thanks for stopping by http://www.domesticingenuity. Your recipes and pictures look amazing! I am really excited to explore more of your website! Have a great day!
Chelsey
Thank you so much – kind words, much appreciated.
Thanks for visiting my Cuisine. Come visit Cape Breton for it’s beauty and the spendid seafood.
Thank you 🙂
Beautiful blog! 🙂
Thank you (finally) x
I am so glad that you stopped by my blog – I want to be you 🙂 Living and cooking in Italy is on my list of things to accomplish in the next few years. I look forward to reading more from you.
Thank you so much for visiting – excuse the appalling lateness of this reply 🙂
Thanks for visiting my blog and liking my post!
You’re welcome – come and visit again soon 🙂
Hi, Sophie–You left a LIKE on our blog so I thought I’d check you out. Wonderful photographs, lovely culinary instincts and a sharp sense of humor. Great, great, great. I’d make the Bitter Chocolate and Olive Oil Cake on the basis of the title alone. Thanks for stopping by. Ken
Thank you! Yes, the bitter chocolate olive oil cake will be my downfall…..Thanks so much for the lovely comments.
I completely agree, Ken!
Thank you and please forgive my tardiness.
Thank you for visiting my blog!
Love your blog! Rather than go through it all right now and “like” everything, I’ll just follow and take my time in perusing. Thanks for visiting!
Thank you for visiting – so sorry to be so late replying. My ‘about’ page tends to get a bit neglected, but no more.
Thank you for liking my blog Christmas Programs and Fudge. As I add posts about various countries you’ve lived in please comment on Christmas in those countries.
What a lovely blog! I’m from Yorkshire living in Ontario. I love Devon – especially Dartmoor – such beautiful walking. Looking forward to trying some of your recipes.
Thank you for visiting and the nice comments 🙂
I love your “about”! Thanks for visiting my blog today! i look forward to reading more for you.
Thank you – your blog is lovely too.
Like your picture and recipe so much. Beautiful blog. 🙂
Thank you so much, very kind 🙂
Hi!
Love the Blog! All of your pictures make me hungry! hahah Im trying to cook once a week and your peach cake will definitely be something I will try to make!
We stumbled on your site through the Los Angeles Tag and wanted you to be one of the first to know that we are launching an event website called wigo events. Our site focuses on a community of users in Los Angeles sharing cool events that they know about, and we would love to have you be a part of it! If you’re interested in being one of our very first users please leave us your email address at the link right below, sorry its so long, don’t know how to add a hyperlink in the comment section haha. Once our site goes live in the next few months, we’ll let you know!
http://wordpress.us7.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=ebc1fca4b0ccadba809d2b539&id=1d6b39dd1d
Sincerely,
Sara, Team Wigo!
Thank you – though this reply is very out of date.
Did I know you were from Devon? Oh no, now I need to hear the dialect! Next time I see you I will torture you until you do it!
No need for torture…I do it willingly and often. I actually spoke with a Devon accent until I was in my middle teens and moved to London. Where clearly it was less appreciated…! Sophie x
I can’t wait! and I will do my Pittsburgh one for you!
Would so love to hear more about cooking for the count and countess in Venice! And very happy to find your blog.
Thanks for visiting! Yes, I’d love to write more about it: it was such an amazing experience, and something you don’t wholly appreciate until it’s long gone. Love the title of your blog. Two of my favourite things…Sophie
I am so glad I came across your blog! Great pictures and great blog!
Thanks so much. Hope you’ll visit again soon.
It seems you lead (and have led) a very interesting life. I look forward to reading more of your posts!
Thank so much. I’ll be back in action soon!
Sophie, thank you for stopping by! Love your blog! I lived in Rome for half my life and have visited Venice a few times. Our last family holiday was in California. In short, there is plenty in your blog that resonates with me! Keep writing!
Thanks so much. Always lovely to get good feedback and so glad the writing resonates. As Patience Gray said in Honey From a Weed: “I write for myself and strangers”. Nice to know you’re out there. Sophie
ciao! luvFAB blog.
thebestdressup
Thanks so much for dropping by my blog….especially as it led me to yours. Switching Devon for LA seems exceedingly glamorous!
I’d love to run a B&B one day – so all this is utterly inspirational, and your recipes are just divine!
Hello Rachel – great to hear from you. A mutual admiration society has sprung up. I love yours you love mine….! LA is indeed glamorous in a strange out-of-body type way. Come visit us if you’re down our way. Sophie
Love your, blog, stories and honesty. Your about page is great. I happen to love Claudia Rodin (how amazing that she read your work) and your honesty about Italy 🙂 I was a creative writing major and really appreciate that you see the story behind the food. Keep it up.
Thank you Amanda. Kind of you to say. I will attempt to keep it up. Sophie x
I’m so glad to have found your blog and look forward to reading more of it. I’m also originally from England, but have lived in France for the past 25 years…
Thank you so much. France for 25 years…I bet there are some stories to tell there. Sophie
Lovely blog! I’m in Cornwall (UK) so the header image had me interested straight away – I’m guessing THAT’S not LA?! But how amazing and exciting to have made that change, and having never been to America myself it sounds like such an adventure.
RADA – amazing! I’m so jealous. I wish I could get in there, but I’m sticking to the more humble food and writing thing. A little safer, and fewer hopes dashed …
Lovely to have found your blog with all its beautiful recipes 🙂
Thank you so much for the lovely words. No, the header image is in fact the Sussex Downs, but I know Cornwall well. Lucky you 🙂
When I have finished going through century old recipes, I look forward to trying our some of yours!
Yes, do, although I would probably benefit from a look at some century old recipes too. Thank you for visiting x
Wow. I think we may have swapped lives. As I am an American actress and native of L.A. who is now in London. So happy to have come across Stories From the Stove. Look forward to reading it all soon.
Thank you for visiting – I always find transplanted Angelenos fascinating – how do you ever shake that city? London is positively pedestrian – literally- by comparison. Can I have my life back soon? 🙂 x
Los Angeles is still my goal. I’m hoping to come back with my family in a few years. I’ve been in London since late 2009. I’ve yet to commit to a contract mobile. I still have a pay-as-you-go. My reason being Los Angeles is home. London is temporary. But it’s also wonderful. The English countryside is what really gets me though. I love it. So beautiful.
hello! i don’t know how you found my corner of the internet, but i am so glad that you did. i adore your writing and your life sounds so adventurous and wonderful and cool.
Hello Sophie! Thank you so much for liking my little blog, Maria’s Cul de Sac Kitchen! It is so nice that you noticed! I really like what you’re doing on your blog, your recipes look fabulous! And you run a B&B, one of my lifelong dreams! You go, girl! Wishing you all the best! Cheers!
Thank you Maria – you go girl too 🙂 All the very best. Sophie
Sophie, you are too kind to like my little post. I had a kitchen disaster yesterday which I will share, I think, in a post. Keep up the good work – animal fats rule…
I am so happy to have found your blog. Chef Mimi is right, your writing is beautiful. Stunning photography too. Emma xx
Thank you Emma – that’s lovely to know. Sophie x
What a beautiful Blog! And such pure and delicious food x Marie
Thanks so much Marie. Glad it’s hit the spot x
Hi this is kind of of off topic but I was wondering if blogs use WYSIWYG editors
or if you have to manually code with HTML. I’m starting a blog soon but have no coding know-how so I wanted to get guidance from someone with experience.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks for the follow, Sophie. I’ve so enjoyed your blog, and glad I’ve met up with you here.
Hi Sophie, Your photos look amazingly delicious. Can’t wait to try some recipes. Thanks for stopping by my blog!
Very nice blog…glad I’ve found it 🙂
You have a lovely blog. I look forward to exploring more of your space.
Cheers,
Anugya
Thank you, Anugya. I look forward to reading your blog too.
… anyone is always defined by what they do and where they’re from… and you do that in such a wonderful way… article after article.
Hello from Rome!
Luana
Thank you so much, Luana. Glad you’re enjoying x