The English Breakfast: The Biography of a National Meal, with Recipes

(Paperback)

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Description

The English breakfast is one of the best-loved national meals in the world, an edible symbol of England and Englishness. But how did breakfast attain this distinction, what can a national meal tell us about the nation that eats it, what are the links between social and culinary change, and is there more to the English breakfast than bacon and eggs This biography of the English breakfast shows how the renowned meal came into being over many centuries, reaching its height in the Victorian and Edwardian eras when splendid breakfasts were served from silver dishes in grand country houses across the land. Following this historical analysis are three authentic and complete cookbooks devoted entirely to breakfasts from the heyday of this best of all meals, with some 500 recipes by three celebrated culinary figures of the Victorian age - an elite hostess, a thrifty housekeeper, and a pukka colonial colonel - before the narrative continues up to the present. The epilogue, new to this paperback edition, covers 'the devolved breakfast' (Scottish, Welsh and Irish); the renaissance of the full breakfast during financial crises and the working class 'caff'. Mixing anthropology, cultural biography, the invention of tradition and the study of cookbooks as social documents, The English Breakfast is a truly unique work of food history.

Reviews

Kaori O'Connor's splendid biography of what she claims is the most famous national meal in the world shows how it came to occupy such a unique place in the nation's heart and stomach. * The Guardian *
This book carefully mixes together historical references, sample menus, recipes and much miscellaneous trivia... A great little book...essential reading for the Briton who might care about their breakfast. And essential reading for a foreigner to learn a little more about what can make an Englishman tick. * Yum.fi *
The English Breakfast: The Biography of a National Meal with Recipes by Kaori OConnor is a delightful read on a very appetizing topic. This volume represents a contribution to the growing midrange of scholarly publication aimed at a discerning general readership, while still making a valuable contribution to professional scholarly discourse and publication. The subject of food culture and history continues to be a popular one in public and academic discourse, so it is exciting to see substantive works like this one entering circulation. OConnor does an admirable job of deconstructing The Full English that most UK readers take for granted and reminds us that even our most habitual actions, such as how we prepare and consume food, are continually evolving and filled with meanings we enact even without being conscious of their material origins. -- Maria Kennedy * Museum Anthropology Review *

Author Bio

Kaori O'Connor is a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Anthropology, UCL, UK.