Celia Anne Constable Wakefield 1943-2026

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Dear readers, this is a post I never wanted to write. After a valiant 17-month fight with a particularly aggressive form of Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma, our dear Celia passed away. Her family had been with her, and friends had been visiting up until the last, sudden five days.

I'm a professional writer, but I can't find the words to say all that her friendship meant to me. I can say during the pandemic and the years afterwards, when she was unable to get out much because she was caring for her beloved Victor, this community was a Godsend. She felt she knew you, and that you knew her, and that broadened her world.  

The fact she was unable to do all the traveling (and mystery conferences) she had planned after Victor's passing leaves me more than a little bitter, and I know we don't swear on this blog, but Fuck. Cancer. It's taken far too many of the best of us.

She did make an appearance at last year's Crime Bake, and I thank everyone who helped plan her get-together, who stopped by, who hugged her and who gave her books or ARCs. (She loved getting ARCs - it made her feel like a mystery insider.) I leave you with her obituary, which I've annotated with links to some of her wonderful blog posts. Pick a recipe, invite friends over, and enjoy a meal together. That was the Celia Wakefield way.

 

 

 Celia Wakefield, of Limerick, Maine, died peacefully on June 27, 2026, at the age of 82. Born in 1943 in London, England, she was the daughter of Douglas and Patricia Constable. 

Celia led an adventurous early life. At six, she left London with her parents for Trinidad, where her father worked as an agronomist. After her sister and brother were born in 1950 and 1951, the family relocated to Ceylon. Celia returned to boarding school in the UK at 12. She rejoined her family in Ghana three years later. At 18, she moved back to London, lived on a houseboat on the Thames, and worked as a secretary at IBM, where she met Victor, her husband of 55 years. 

They married on May 23, 1969, and soon moved to New York City. They relocated to Chappaqua after their daughter, Olivia, was born in 1970 and they became U.S. citizens in 1993. 

Celia was a gifted costume maker, beginning with Olivia’s school productions and later bringing her creative talents to the Revels. She was also an accomplished cook and entrepreneur, founding The British Butler, a catering business, in the 1980s. Her smoked trout pâté was especially beloved. She loved music and dancing, spent happy summer weeks at Pinewoods Camp, and actively supported the Country Dance and Song Society (CDSS). 

In 1999, Celia and Victor retired to their home on Lake Arrowhead in Maine, where they enjoyed entertaining friends and life by the lake.
She is survived by her daughter, Olivia, and son-in-law, Ken Wechsler; grandsons, Aidan and Connor Lee; her sister, Ros Constable, and Ros’ partner, Sandra Jenner. She was predeceased by her brother, Andrew, and is survived by his wife, Tina Redge Constable, and their children, Ella and Luke Constable. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Revels, Pinewoods Camp, Inc., or Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.  

Millionaire Pie and Apple Mint Chutney, a recipe repeat with Celia Wakefield

Our dear Celia was working on a fascinating blog for us, when, unfortunately, her health intervened.  Instead, I'm rerunning our only previous April recipe, from 2024. This is also the only time I made something from my own - well, my grandmother's - recipe. Dear readers, if you could have seen the look of horror on Celia's face when I pulled out canned pineapple chunks and bottled marischino cherries (I don't think she had ever seen one except in a cocktail. When I popped open the Kool Whip, I thought she was going to faint.

I hope you enjoy this blast from the past - I promise, the pie tastes great! - and please keep our friend in your thoughts.

 

Millionaire Pie and Apple Mint Chutney, or, Celia and Julia's Easter Treats

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: This remembrance and recipe by our own Celia Wakefield starts in the past - Thursday, April 4th, when most of our state was without power. I got mine back by Saturday, but poor Celia went for six days without exterior power (she and Victor sensibly have a wired-in generator) and a full week without internet! Which has nothing to do with the substance of today's post, other than to show she's a trooper.

 

 

 

This may be THE bright spot of Thursday, April 4, writing to you, my dear JRW community, as we are being blanketed with snow and the power lines, internet etc have all surrendered. My bright spot is that I still have a working generator and my computer is fired up. 

 

First my thanks to Julia’s graciousness in inviting me. Any comments? Please address them to Julia, ha, ha. But we are snowbound, power denied and WiFi too. Oh we so rely on our link in the ether to the world. But for those of you writers with no power, I hope you are writing as the authors of old with pen/pencil and paper to give you that nostalgic view point.

I had big plans for what I could bring to Julia’s Easter luncheon, which would also give me a great recipe for the Sunday blog. But alas the rhubarb was covered by feet of snow etc. so that will have to wait until another time. However, Julia decided to make her favorite dessert. 

 

As many of you may know, Julia and Ross gave great parties. This was confirmed by a dear friend at Ross’s funeral who spoke eloquently saying that Ross and Julia would be counted on to be late for most things but never for a party. Aren’t those words to live? Though I was injected with the punctuality vaccine when born, and I do wonder sometimes, was punctuality a gift? Or a curse? 

However back to the Hugo-Vidal party train. This year Julia was hosting her annual Easter Luncheon which had been on a part-time hiatus over the past several years. She was kind enough to invite us and as I have access to locally raised lamb, I brought the lamb. There was a ham, scalloped potatoes, southern style sweet potatoes but without marshmallows in them, plus more asparagus than I have seen outside the supermarket and a HUGE salad made by another guest. I am sorry I didn’t take photos. 

I made apple and mint chutney to accompany the roast lamb, which I had covered with a fresh breadcrumb, garlic, herb and butter paste. I spread this mix over the large lamb leg, weighing five and a half pounds, and roasted it on 325F to an interior reading of 145 degrees in the thickest part. 

 

But the piece de resistance was Julia’s dessert. She made her southern grandmother’s recipe for Millionaire's Pie. She actually made it here in my kitchen and for once I was videographer which was fun. Julia’s grandmother would sing old Baptist hymns while mixing and Julia treated us to a few lines which she may or mayn’t share. I hope she does. (ed. note: she does.)

Now I was very interested in the Millionaire’s Pie as this is a truly American dessert and I can’t think of anything like it when I grew up. But there was one ingredient that was very popular in my family - condensed milk. Yes that small can or tin, if I’m talking, full of a creamy sugary sticky confection just asking, begging in fact, for you to grab a spoon and tuck in. At least that’s what I believed as a child  monitoring my mothers strange addiction to condensed milk. 

 

 

 

My mother was enamored, or perhaps in undying love with condensed milk. Sugar was rationed in the U.K. during the Second World War and for several years after. Coupons for sugar were guarded jealously and spent with careful consideration. So my mum and her best friend, my godmother, Auntie Winifred, would hoard their coupons and when they had enough to splurge, would buy a tin of condensed milk and sit with a spoon each taking turn and turn about until satiated. 

 

My mum's favorite afternoon snack throughout her life, was to keep a tin of condensed milk in the fridge handy for a small snack, think Winnie the Pooh size. Woe beware any of us who helped ourselves too liberally from her tin. I think that Julia’s pie would have been most popular with my mum. In fact, I wonder whether she ever tasted it when she visited the United States in the thirties. Her hostess, a close friend of my grandmother, was southern and I know they spent time in the South. I am sure she would have loved the pie as did all of us.

 

Now I can’t hand over for Julia to add the millionaires recipe without adding my recipe for easy Apple and Mint Chutney which is at the end of Julia’s delicious dessert. 

JULIA: Surprise! It's me with a recipe! As with all my faves, this is fast, easy and made with pantry (and freezer) basics. My grandmother Spencer used to make this pie when I was a kid, and it's replete with '60s no-bake goodness. You'll notice all the ingredients are straight from the Space Age kitchen; all convenience, very little nature. I think this may be the first time in her life Celia's had Cool Whip. 

 

Whether you call it Million Dollar Pie, Millionaire Pie or Millionaire's Pie, this classic southern icebox dessert will take you back to Sunday dinner at Maw Maw and Paw Paw's house - with the bonus that it still stays cool while Paw Paw goes on and on with the blessing.

INGREDIENTS

1 graham cracker crust, store-bought or homemade. Celia and I made ours, but you probably already have a recipe for this three-ingredient crust, so I'm not adding it here. If you make your own, chill for 15 minutes before adding the pie filling.

1 15.5oz can crushed pineapple, VERY well drained. If you're not a Baptist,         use the juice for a Pina Colada later.

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup sweet flaked coconut

1 cup Maraschino cherries, chopped, plus some for garnish

1/2 cup chopped pecans

5 T lemon juice - very important to help firm the pie up 

1 1/2 cup Cool Whip - this is half the usual size container

optional - 1 T cherry juice, if you want a more pink pie

 

 

INSTRUCTIONS

 

In a large bowl, combine well the drained pineapple (as dry as you can get it,) the condensed milk, the coconut, chopped cherries and chopped pecans. Add the lemon juice (Maw Maw used the little plastic lemon for hers) and, if you prefer the color, the cherry juice. Gently fold in the Cool Whip.

Pile it in the graham cracker crust and slide it into the fridge for at least an hour. It can be made up to a day ahead. Garnish with halved pecans, and/or Maraschino cherries, or, it the pastor's coming to dinner, pipe on whipped cream and sprinkle with toasted coconut.

CELIA: Apple and Mint Chutney

Chutney is usually thought of as an accompaniment to Indian foods. But in the UK it was also a way to preserve damaged or bruised fruit which was not good enough for jam or for the table. It was eaten with cold meats or in sandwiches. I love a cheese and chutney sandwich on good bread. My Constance Spry Book says “The prescription is fruit or vegetables, sugar, vinegar and flavoring ingredients . . .”, Spry also recommends using a wooden spoon to stir.  So your chutney might have garlic or ginger, and mustard seed, chilies are another favorite. The seasoning is your choice and this recipe is my choice.

Recipe makes approximately 4 Cups 

3-4# Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped 

2 large onions (I like sweet onions), peeled and chopped small

4 Cups good vinegar (I used apple cider and Braggs mixed)

1# approx brown sugar 

1Tbsp ginger

1tsp cloves

Use other spices such as nutmeg or even cardamom if preferred

1/4 Cup chopped fresh mint

• Choose a large heavy pan (not cast iron as that may react with the vinegar). I used a stainless Dutch oven with a heavy base which helps the long slow cook process. No lid needed, it’s all about the slow evaporation of the fruits and veggies
• Add the chopped onions with 2 cups of the vinegar, stir intermittently, and cook over a low heat.
• Once the vinegar is heated, add the apples with the spices (not the mint) and an additional 1 cup vinegar if needed. Cook on low, stirring often so that nothing sticks on the bottom. 
• Measure the 3/4 of the sugar into a bowl and pour 1 cup vinegar over to help melting.
• After the sugar has cooked in, taste to see if it is sweet enough. 
• Once the apples are softened add the sugar, stirring well to mix all ingredients and keeping the heat low.
• It will cook for another 2 to 3 hours to reach a consistency of jam or good yogurt. Look for the liquid to be almost completely steamed away. 
• But if you’re planning to keep the chutney for a period. (For example to give as holiday gifts). Leave the mixture with a little liquid as it does dry out over time and become more solid. 
• Also follow good practices for bottling and keep it refrigerated once opened. 

This was so easy to make I am wondering why I haven’t done it more recently. I hope you enjoy it with some delicious cold meat or in a good veggie sandwich. Or my all time fav cheese and chutney sandwiches which is very popular pub fare and forms the basis for a ploughmans lunch.

Wedding Belles

 JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: I have to admit, I always had fantasies about one of my kids' weddings being in the New York Times wedding section, but with the way print readership is plummeting today, this may get just as much attention as a column there. Plus, I don't have to take a picture where the couple's eyebrows are in a line. (Yes, that's a real requirement for the engagement photos!) So:

Mrs. Ross Hugo-Vidal

is pleased to announce

 

the blessing of the marriage of her daughter

Victoria Hugo-Vidal

and

Emilia Hugo-Vidal

August 30th, 2025 

 

This announcement is the most formal thing about the ceremony, which combined the Episcopal church recognizing their union, a baby shower, and an afternoon grilling outdoors at a Maine lake house. You can't get much more efficient than combining a wedding, a shower, and a Labor Day weekend BBQ!

The setting was courtesy of the great generosity of our own Celia Wakefield. Interestingly, this isn't the first nuptials to take place in this lovely setting; she hosted her daughter's first wedding here.  

 

The weather was fine; partly sunny, but cool enough so no one was in danger of heat exhaustion. (Sounds unlikely, but I've been to some summer weddings... )

 

Victoria's brother and sister were both there, from Norfolk and Den Haag, respectively.

 

Beautiful flowers and a delicious cook out. This was the table before getting covered with enough hamburgers, sausages, corn on the cob and pasta salad to feed a small village.

 

My sister Barb can always be counted upon to lend a hand. The brides had the most delicious cupcakes from a small local bakery.

 

 Friends and family were so generous in getting this new little family on its way...

 

 And my daughter was a beautiful bride! 

 

Dear readers, share some of your wedding stories with us in the comments! 

The Best of Summer Recipes from Celia Wakefield

  Hilary Flanagan, Gillian B, and Kathy Boone Reel are the winners of MURDER AT CAPE COSTUMERS! Please send Edith (edith@edithmaxwell.com) with your snail mail address to claim your book!

 

 

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Our dear Celia Wakefield is taking a well deserved rest, so I thought I'd share some of her best summer recipes, for you to revisit or to discover for the first time. Why Friday instead of her usual Sunday? Because it's the start of Labor Day weekend, and chances are good you'll either be entertaining or taking a dish to someone else's dinner/ cookout/ pot luck. 

All of Celia's recipes elicit ooos and aaahs and look like you worked for hours in a hot kitchen (but you won't!) And i can personally vouch for how very good everything tastes.

And if you're not part of a crowd? We've got you covered - you can relax, kick your feet up, and enjoy the last lazy days of summer with a Pimms Cup.

 

First up, a simple summer meal of marinated shrimp, green salad and a deconstructed strawberry shortcake, featuring shortbread cookies, strawberries, and - yum! - Grand Marnier. 

 

Not feeling like shellfish? Need a dish that will travel well? Not to worry, you'll be happy with the alliterative Fresh Pea Pesto for Pasta and a Fourth of July mess for pudding (or call it Red-White and Blue dessert.)  

 

If you're overloaded with gorgeous fresh tomatoes, first of all, congratulations, and secondly, the cool and easy Tomato Tonnato is made for you.  

 

Since the tonnato doesn't come pre-loaded with a dessert, why not try some British Summer Pudding, bursting with fruits and berries.  

 

And as promised, the perfect Pimms. If you make one, please raise you glass and toast the founder of all this summery goodness, our own Celia!   

Olivia's Fancy, a Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe

 JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Ladies and gentlemen, our own Celia Wakefield, with an absolutely irresistible spring dessert.

 

 

 

Wishing everyone a very happy May, filled with growing things and the expectation of summer ahead. Of course many thanks to Julia and everyone who continues to make me so welcome on JRW. I do appreciate you all.

 

What has been happening in my world and in Maine? Right now, I am in Sudbury staying with my daughter and son-in-law and ‘helping’ as they combine their full time work responsibilities with selling their house and moving to a new build. This is fascinating to watch and these are the differences I see between selling our New York home in 1999, yes that is a long time ago, and house sales today. 

 

I have just watched through the window… a young man spend an hour putting up the realtor front yard sign. There was hole digging, centering the post, steadying the post, that took quite a time, painting the post, attaching hangers to the post and finally - the sign was hung. Now we await the photographer. (Oh dear the photographer just touched the post and he is not pleased to have wet white paint on his hands). If the photos are uploaded before today I will add them with the link.

 

 

Yesterday the Stager arrived, let’s call her Nicole. She was a real whirlwind, dragging in bags and bags of soft furnishings including more pillows than I could count and fake greenery in pottery bowls. What is it with pillows? I spoke with her while she “Martha’d” my bedroom.

 

I may have coined “Martha’d” back in 1999 as I tried to create the look of spaciousness, cleanliness and warmth in our tiny Cape. There were no stagers in Chappaqua NY in the summer of 1999, but with famous folk moving in later that year perhaps that’s how stagers got into our little town. A friend told me she had stagers set up her house about six years after we left, and she sold within the month. Oh dear, what does that say about my staging skills? Well I still have my old copy of Martha Stewart Entertaining, so I’m sure that helped.

 

To return to Nicole, I watched her work over my room leaving it bare boned down to a bed, two side tables with lamps and one corner table also with lamp. Are you wondering where were my clothes? In a baseboard cupboard together with everything else being hidden from view. Don’t we all have those spaces? Or rather, they become the spaces like Harry Potter’s Room of Requirement. The space that’s filled with all the stuff we can’t wait to throw away but might need some day. 

 

She added six pillows on the bed and a white comforter with lots of wrinkles couldn’t stop myself from trying to smooth out. This is all about controlled living. Nicole told me that the colour palette felt ‘coastal’ and the realtor told me that the new color for house staging is ‘gravage’ = gray / beige.

 

By now you’re asking where’s the food? Where’s the recipe? After Nicole had completed her makeover it was unanimously agreed that cooking would mess up the kitchen, so we went out to eat at a local place which focuses on Italian food and desserts in particular. My daughter was in the mood for dessert after the day and she was focused on the BIG gluten free chocolate brownie served with ice cream, fresh cream and chocolate syrup. It was large enough to serve three and Olivia remarked it was better than a margarita at a busy days end - but she still shared with us.

 

My recipe is not this identical brownie but is a flourless chocolate cake which is quite delicious as tasted and tested by Olivia, Ken and Julia. I think I will rename the recipe -

 

Olivia’s Fancy chocolate cake

• ¾cup/168 grams unsalted butter, cut up, plus more for greasing the pan
• 1cup/173 grams bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
• ½cup/50 grams unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• ¾cup/150 grams granulated sugar
• 4large eggs
• 1teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Whipped cream or ice cream, for serving

 

 

Prep:

This cake can be made in one bowl with a little planning. I make it using the microwave method of melting the chocolate in a glass bowl that is large enough to incorporate all the ingredients in the recipe as they are added.

 

Take butter and eggs from the fridge to bring them up to room temperature. This helps the baking ’magic’ work best.

 

Generously butter an 8 inch springform pan all over the bottom and sides. You may line the pan with foil if preferred but don’t forget to butter it. I found just buttering my pan worked well.

 

Measure out the ingredients and heat your oven to 350 degrees.

 

Melt the chocolate chips either by putting them in a glass container and melting in 30 second bursts in the microwave until the chips look soft or melt in a double boiler over hot water.

 

Add the butter to the melting chocolate and stir gently to mix well together.

 

Add the cocoa powder and stir till smooth.

 

Add the granulated sugar and mix till incorporated.

 

Add the eggs one at a time and beat well into the mix.

 

Stir in the vanilla and scrape the batter into the pan.

 

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until the cake shows some cracks and looks dry on top.Then test doneness when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with some crumbs attached.

 

Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a rack, then remove the pan carefully. 

I haven’t tried to freeze the cake before cutting but it is mentioned as a way of getting clean slices which can then be warmed in the microwave before serving with ice cream and cream to make up Olivia’s Fancy.