Evelyn Cavendish began life as Evelyn Lansdowne, the beautiful and protected daughter of Lord Lansdowne (Governor-General of Canada 1883-1888). Her marriage to Victor Cavendish (Governor-General of Canada 1916-1920) destined her to become Duchess of Devonshire. Gifted with intelligence, ambition and a supreme talent, Dora, a culinary artist, could turn dinners into dreams. Millionairesses, duchesses, and American nouveau-riches all used her skills to impress the rich, the influential, and the difficult to please. Trained by Auguste Escoffier, Dora became a star in her own world, and broke down barriers in order to enter the traditionally male bastions of haute cuisine. Storming the Castle is illustrated with postcards, menus, recipes and 16 pages of photographs

Jill Downie is the author of A Passionate Pen: The Life and Times of Faith Fenton, awarded the Drummer General’s Award by Richard Bachmann of A Different Drummer Books, and Storming the Castle: The World of Dora and the Duchess, which received the Hamilton and Region Arts Council Literary Award for non-fiction. Previously, she published five historical novels and has had plays performed at various festivals, including the Toronto Fringe. She lives in Ancaster, Ontario.

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