A History of English Food facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
A History of English Food

Author	Clarissa Dickson Wright
Country	England
Subject	Cookery
Publisher	Random House
Publication date	2011
Pages	492

A History of English Food is a fascinating book about the story of English cuisine. It was written by the well-known cook Clarissa Dickson Wright. The book takes you on a journey from the Middle Ages all the way to the 1900s. Each major time period has its own chapter. The book mixes history, old recipes, and fun stories. It also has many colorful pictures to help you imagine the past.

Critics had different opinions about the book. Some newspapers like The Independent, The Telegraph, and The Spectator praised it. They even called it a future classic. However, a critic from The Guardian did not like it as much.

Exploring English Food History

How the Book Explores History

This book is divided into 15 chapters. Each chapter covers a different time in history. For example, you will find chapters about the "Georgian age." The author, Clarissa Dickson Wright, combines many things in each section. She talks about the historical background of the time. She also describes old recipes and shares interesting stories about important people. Sometimes, she even adds her own personal memories.

For instance, in the chapter "The Medieval Larder," she writes a lot about pigs in medieval times. She then shares her own childhood memories. She talks about helping to prepare pigs for food. This included making things like black pudding and sausages. She also explains how hams and bacon were smoked. Clarissa Dickson Wright also shares her thoughts. She believes that strong food helped soldiers win battles like Crécy and Agincourt.

Each chapter starts with a black and white picture from that historical period. These pictures have detailed captions to explain them. The book also has 32 pages of color photos. These show famous cookbook writers like Robert May. They also show how English kitchens looked in different eras, such as "The 1950s kitchen."

What You'll Discover in the Book

The book shows pictures of important people in English cuisine. One example is the cook Robert May. He wrote a famous cookbook called The Accomplisht Cook in 1660.

Here is a look at what each chapter in the book covers:

• Chapter 1: The Medieval Larder
  • Learn about foods like bacon and eggs in the Middle Ages.
• Chapter 2: High Middle Ages
  • Discover eastern spices and baked venison from this period.
• Chapter 3: The Tudor Kitchen
  • Explore foods like marzipan and new world turkeys during the Tudor period.
• Chapter 4: England in the Age of Gloriana
  • Find out about orange carrots and white bread during the time of Elizabeth I.
• Chapter 5: The Elizabethan Year
  • Learn about preserved quince and special puddings from the Elizabethan era.
• Chapter 6: The Early Stuarts
  • Discover double cream and fancy pastry dishes from this time.
• Chapter 7: War and Peace in the Seventeenth Century
  • Explore new drinks like coffee and dishes like pease-porage.
• Chapter 8: The Late Stuarts
  • Learn about classic roast beef and sweet oranges.
• Chapter 9: The Georgian Age
  • Discover fancy dishes like turtle soup and plum pudding.
• Chapter 10: The Era of Hannah Glasse
  • Find out about roast hare and Indian curry dishes.
• Chapter 11: Rich Eating in the Nineteenth Century
  • Explore foods like pheasant consommé and forced peas.
• Chapter 12: The World of the Victorians
  • Learn about Brown Windsor soup and the tradition of high tea.
• Chapter 13: From the Edwardians to the Eve of War
  • Discover dishes like omelette Arnold Bennett and bully beef.
• Chapter 14: The Second World War and the Years of Austerity
  • Find out about foods like Spam and coronation chicken during wartime.
• Chapter 15: Modern English Food
  • Explore more recent dishes like prawn cocktail and pizza.

The book also includes an appendix with historical recipes.

Book Editions

The book was first published in 2011.