Now, I have always maintained that history comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes, and lurks in the back of an attic as much as it does in the work of an eminent historian.
And of course books on food, and the history of food are an essential part of understanding the past, giving an insight into what we ate, how it was eaten and particularly who ate what.
The politics of sugar, still surface to day with discussions on how we should approach those who made their wealth from importing, and refining a product grown by slave labour, while it is easy to forget that the Norman conquest pushed out old English names for certain foods in favour of their Norman/French alternatives.
So with this in mind I have long collected recipe books, from those of the late 18th and 19th centuries, through to the marvelous Meta Given’s Modern Encyclopedia of Cooking first published in the USA in 1947, to the post war leaflets produced by the Ministry of Food, and recent collections which reflect food fashions, and the revolution in how we cook.
Added to these I often fall back on the food of Tina’s mother who was born and grew up in Naples.
All of which is an introduction to an article by Keren David about an old cook book found in the offices of the Jewish Chronicle.
It dates from 1895, and is a “Jewish Cookery Book, compiled for use in the cookery centres under the school board for London” and while it was intended for young Jewish cooks, it offered up a range of dishes which Ms David points out “gives us some insight into the way secular and religious authorities worked together to assimilate Jewish children and families, without compromising religious observance, but most of all it offers a glimpse of everyday life for British Jews 125 years ago”.
At which point I could just paraphrase the article, but that wouldn’t be right, and so instead I shall just point you towards the link to Keren David’s article …. after all, why try and imitate something which has already been done far better than I could.
Location; London
Picture’s Rosa’s peppers, 2014, and Rosa’s Ricotta cheese, eggs, sugar and candied peel with a lattice of pastry, 2010 from the collection of Andrew Simpson
*Miss Tattersall's guide for the Jewish cooks of 1895. Keren David, November 15th, 2019, Jewish Chronicle,
https://www.thejc.com/lifestyle/food/a-%EF%AC%82avour-of-haimish-history-from-an-antique-cookery-book-1.493119?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Email%2018112019&utm_content=Daily%20Email%2018112019+CID_5f44edf3793da479d5d2cb28406130f2&utm_source=Email%20marketing%20software
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| Rosa's peppers, 2014 |
The politics of sugar, still surface to day with discussions on how we should approach those who made their wealth from importing, and refining a product grown by slave labour, while it is easy to forget that the Norman conquest pushed out old English names for certain foods in favour of their Norman/French alternatives.
So with this in mind I have long collected recipe books, from those of the late 18th and 19th centuries, through to the marvelous Meta Given’s Modern Encyclopedia of Cooking first published in the USA in 1947, to the post war leaflets produced by the Ministry of Food, and recent collections which reflect food fashions, and the revolution in how we cook.
Added to these I often fall back on the food of Tina’s mother who was born and grew up in Naples.
 |
| Rosa's pastries, 2010 |
It dates from 1895, and is a “Jewish Cookery Book, compiled for use in the cookery centres under the school board for London” and while it was intended for young Jewish cooks, it offered up a range of dishes which Ms David points out “gives us some insight into the way secular and religious authorities worked together to assimilate Jewish children and families, without compromising religious observance, but most of all it offers a glimpse of everyday life for British Jews 125 years ago”.
At which point I could just paraphrase the article, but that wouldn’t be right, and so instead I shall just point you towards the link to Keren David’s article …. after all, why try and imitate something which has already been done far better than I could.
Location; London
Picture’s Rosa’s peppers, 2014, and Rosa’s Ricotta cheese, eggs, sugar and candied peel with a lattice of pastry, 2010 from the collection of Andrew Simpson
*Miss Tattersall's guide for the Jewish cooks of 1895. Keren David, November 15th, 2019, Jewish Chronicle,
https://www.thejc.com/lifestyle/food/a-%EF%AC%82avour-of-haimish-history-from-an-antique-cookery-book-1.493119?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Email%2018112019&utm_content=Daily%20Email%2018112019+CID_5f44edf3793da479d5d2cb28406130f2&utm_source=Email%20marketing%20software
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