Synopses & Reviews
What is unique about Brears book is that he combines an account of the cookery with a close look at the practical arrangements, the kitchens and dining halls, where that food was cooked and consumed. His prose is enlivened by his drawings as accurate as can be which lay bare to the modern reader just what was going on in places like Hampton Court palace, as well as in humbler homes throughout the land. There are plenty of recipes for those who like to try things for themselves, all properly tested by the author, who is a historic food consultant to TV and country house owners. The era begins with the near medieval styles of Henry VII and VIII, with special attention to Henry VIIIs propagandizing banquets and feasts for foreign monarchs; progresses to the reign of Elizabeth, the effects of new foodstuffs from America, and treats some the great houses of the Tudor aristocracy; and finishes with the first two Stuart kings, James I and Charles I under whose rule we began to move towards a more modern style of cooking and when we also started to produce cookery books in large number.
About the Author
Peter Brears is former Director of the Leeds City Museums and one of Englands foremost authorities on domestic artifacts and historical kitchens and cooking technology. His previous, recent book with Prospect Books is Traditional Food in Yorkshire.