English Food

by Jane Grigson

Original publisher: Penguin

Date of publication: 1974

ISBN: 0091770432

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Recommended by

Peter Ross

Culinary librarian

Obsessed as I am with English Food I cannot leave this off my top ten list. Grigson's book was published at a time when English food was not highly regarded, but this work certainly kicked off a revival of interest. She inherited the mantle of Florence White and Dorothy Hartley, but writes better than both of them. All of her writing has beauty and authority with none of that patrician, slightly grumpy 'I know best' tone that in the end puts me off much of E. David's books

Chris J L Young

Baker

Since the late 1950s, Elizabeth David had been mainly championing the widescreen flavours of recipes from the continent over the limited palette of heavily-processed supermarket products. Then along came Jane Grigson to point out that, though since the Industrial Revolution we had forgotten more and more of it, England has its own brilliant national and regional cuisine.

Cynthia D. Bertelsen

Writer and food historian

A collection of English recipes way above and beyond bangers and mash, Toad-in-the-Hole, bread sauce, etc. Instead, much more elaborate recipes abound: Crab Tart, Chestnut and Apple Soup, Isle of Man Salt Duck. These are just a few of many examples of stellar English food that Ms. Grigson shares.

Henry Herbert

Retail Director, Hobbs House Bakery

As a young chef interested in what it meant to be English, Mrs Grigson showed me what this country had to offer and what had been lost. For a book with no pictures her writing makes you want to try it all.

Rachel McCormack

Writer and broadcaster

After making some of the food from this book for Spanish friends they still talk about it 15 years later. Beautiful writing, purenpleasure to read and cook from

Rowan Yapp

Editor

For me it's an epoch defining book that stands for all that is good about the cooking of the past and also preempts all that is good about the cooking of today.

Neil Buttery

Author, historian and chef

Amazing coverage of English Food from a historical perspective. Gives so much context. The most used cookery book I own. Almost worn out my second copy.