Seven Centuries of English Cooking: A Collection of Recipes

The hundreds of recipes in Maxime de la Falaise’s delight­ful book triumphantly attest to the virtues of Anglo-Saxon gastronomy. Rich with the historical sense of taste, this book allows you to cook the rudiments of a medieval royal banquet, an Elizabethan nursery breakfast, or an eighteenth-century tavern lunch.The recipes are divided into five chronological sections, each preceded by an introduction recounting the fashions and the changes in the food and drink of the period; together they provide an overview of the evolution of English cookery. The earliest recipes, dating from the thirteenth century, are presented in their original language ( Take faire Mutton that hath ben roste . . .”) as well as in a modern translation, and all measures and quantities have been updated throughout. Many of the dishes are quite simple to make; others are, quite literally, fit for a king. All together they constitute a delectable, sensual cele­bration of the development of English cuisine.