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A History of English Food

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About this listen

In this major new history of English food, Clarissa Dickson Wright takes the reader on a journey from the time of the Second Crusade and the feasts of medieval kings to the cuisine - both good and bad - of the present day.

She looks at the shifting influences on the national diet as new ideas and ingredients have arrived, and as immigrant communities have made their contribution to the life of the country. She evokes lost worlds of open fires and ice houses, of constant pickling and preserving, and of manchet loaves and curly-coated pigs. And she tells the stories of the chefs, cookery book writers, gourmets, and gluttons who have shaped public taste, from the salad-loving Catherine of Aragon to the foodies of today.

Above all, she gives a vivid sense of what it was like to sit down to the meals of previous ages, whether an 18th-century labourer's breakfast or a 12-course Victorian banquet or a lunch out during the Second World War. Insightful and entertaining by turns, this is a magnificent tour of nearly 1,000 years of English cuisine, peppered with surprises and seasoned with Clarissa Dickson Wright's characteristic wit.

©2011 Clarissa Dickson Wright (P)2012 Random House AudioGo Cooking Europe Food & Wine Gastronomy Middle Ages

Critic reviews

"one of the most entertaining and fascinating audiobooks that I have ever heard." ( Christina Hardyment, The Times)
"A rambling socio-gastronomic history leavened with humour and eccentricity." ( Sunday Telegraph)
“deliciously rich and moreish” ( Independent on Sunday )
"From the medieval larder stocked with rabbit and eggs to modern cuisine, Clarissa Dickson Wright combines her two great passions of food and history to trace the development of the English diet over the centuries." ( Scottish Sunday Express)
"Surely destined for classic status" ( Independent)
"Make no bones about it, this is an amazing book…. It’s a book that compels you to constantly read aloud tidbits to whoever is unlucky enough to be in the same room." ( BBC Countryfile magazine)
All stars
Most relevant
This is informative and entertaining. However, Clarissa is not a trained actor and it shows. The diction is very clear but the voice is not easy on the ear. Great for dipping into but not for listening to for long periods.

Fascinating discourse

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One of the most interesting books I have ever read. I wish Clarissa was still with us so I could write to her! I will definitely listen to it again!

Fascinating 🤩

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A hugely in-depth history with lots of interesting anecdotes. Thought the last chapter was rushed through but thoroughly enjoyed it

Enjoyed it

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Would you consider the audio edition of A History of English Food to be better than the print version?

I really enjoyed this book, especially the reading of it. It was fascinating and full of snippets of information I have never heard before. Ms Dickson-Wright hit just the right balance of info and fun without it being boring. I would thoroughly recommend it.

Absolutely Fascinating!

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very well researched, written and read by the author. a nice social history book without the unpleasantness so common to history! a good cosy listen.

entertaining history of Britain through food

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