Tasting the past : recipes from the Middle Ages to the Civil War

The many influences of the past on our diet today make the concept of "British food" very hard to define. The Celts, Romans, Saxons, Vikings, and Normans all brought ingredients to the table, as it were, and onwards the Crusades spread all manner of spices. The Georgians enjoyed a new level of excess, and then of course the world wars forced everyone into the challenge of making meals from very little. The post-war period brought convenience foods, and health issues which are being felt widely now. This is the first study of the rich history of British food, its fads and its fashions to be combined with a practical cookbook of over 200 recipes from each age for use today. The many influences of the past on our diet make the concept of 'British food' very hard to define. The Celts, Romans, Saxons, Vikings and Normans each brought ingredients to the table, and the country was introduced to all manner of spices following the Crusades. The Georgians enjoyed a new level of excess and then, of course, the world wars forced us into the challenge of making meals from very little. The history of cooking in Britain is as tumultuous as the times its people have lived through. Tasting the Past: Recipes from the Middle Ages to the Civil War documents the rich history of our food, its fads and its fashions, combined with a practical cookbook of over 120 recipes from the early Middle Ages up to the Civil War. Jacqui Wood guides us through the recipes brought ashore by the Normans, the opportunities brought by the food harvested in the New World during the Renaissance, and the decadent meals of the Royalist gentry outlawed by the puritanical Parliamentarians. This is a beautiful study of the rich history of our food, its fads and its fashions to be combined with a practical cookbook of over xxx recipes from the reigns of George III and Queen Victoria This is a beautiful study of the rich history of our food, its fads and its fashions to be combined with a practical cookbook of over xxx recipes from the early Middle Ages up to the Civil War