The Art of Dining: A History of Cooking & Eating - Hardcover

Paston-Williams's work is a sumptuous feast for the eyes. Page after page of exquisite color plates and photographs intimately detail the history of cuisine and dining in British manor life. Paston-Williams, author of several earlier National Trust cookbooks, here chronicles food lore, dining customs, and manners from medieval times to the Edwardian era. Each of the historical periods that comprise the text is divided into three sections. The first describes foods available and an introduction of new foodstuffs. The second depicts the working role of the kitchen and related service rooms. The third focuses on the dining room and the evolution of social manners. Included are historical recipes from each time period along with corresponding modern adaptations. Recipes are given in metric and British measures, with a U.S. conversion chart included. An unrivaled choice for all libraries with an interest in culinary history.
- Michael A. Lutes, Univ. of Notre Dame Lib., South Bend, Ind.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

What better way to debunk the good-old-days myth than by depicting through paintings, photographs, and words a merrie olde England that--foodwise, anyway--was anything but? Journalist Paston-Williams has thoroughly researched the U.K. dining experience for an eye-opening account of medieval to World War I gastronomy. Each of the five chronological chapters discusses foodstuffs, interior environment and kitchen equipment, and manners. Culled from historical documents as well as period literature, from Chaucer to Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management, the findings might present some surprises: For instance, in the fourteenth century, dairy products were considered inferior food, gin drinking caused thousands of deaths in the early 1800s, and hospitality reigned thoughout the centuries. Close to 50 recipes, with original instructions in boxes, impart the flavor of the times and show that certain tastes have endured. Barbara Jacobs