British Imports: The best books on food and culinary history imported from the UK are now available from the Food Heritage Press.

The Food Heritage Press is pleased to offer its customers quality cookbooks, facsimiles and foodbooks that document the history of food in the Britain. At the end of this page are a few titles on English culinary practices from US Publishers. This page was last

on September 3, 2002.

THE HAMBLEDON PRESS The Hambledon Press is an independent English publisher with an excellent reputation for quality. We can offer you the following three titles.

by Pamela Sambrook. Until the 18th-C or even later, beer was the staple drink of most men and women at all levels of British society. To supply the needs of both owners and servants, every country house with an accessible source of water had a brewhouse, usually close at hand.
English Country House Brewing, 1500 - 1900 shows the role beer played in the life of the country house, with beer allowances and beer money an integral part of servants’ rewards. This book, which is heavily illustrated, is an important and original contribution to architectural, brewing and social history. ISBN: 1-85285-127-9. 320 pages, 100 illus. Š1996, Hardcover Stock # HB003 $55.00

Everyday Life in Medieval England. Christopher Dyer. "This is an excellent book, not just in its detailed evidence but as an arresting survey of rural society, particularly at the sub-aristocratic level. It extends our knowledge of social history with new insights into how people lived, worked, ate, traded and related to one another." -- Nicholas Orme. The Hambledon Press, London. First Published 1994. This Edition 2000. 336 pages. Paper. Illus. ISBN: 1-85285-201-1 Stock # HB005 $30.00

The English Pig: A History. Robert Malcolmson and Stephanos Mastoris. This book is an account of pigs and pigkeeping from the 16th century to modern times, concentrating on the domestic, cottage pig, rather than commercial farming. In Victorian England the pig was an integral part of village life, both visible and essential. Living in close proximity to its owners and fed on scraps, it was the subject of perennial interest. The Hambledon Press, London. Š 1998. 160 pages. Illus. Hardcover. ISBN: 1-85285-335-2. Stock # HB006. $20.00

The British Malting Industry Since 1830. Christine Clark. Malt is the main ingredient in the national beverage, beer. For centuries the malting industry has provided a principal bridge between agriculture and the brewing industry, yet its history has been little studied. This is the first overall account of malting, dealing with the processes, products and sales, owners and employees, and with the evolution of what in 1830 were almost all small, local businesses. The Hambledon Press, London. Š 1998. 300 pages. Hardcover. Illus. ISBN: 1-85285-170-8. Stock # HB007 $55.00

Jane Austen and Food by Maggie Lane

What was the significance of the pyramid of fruit which confronted Elizabeth Bennet at Pemberley? Or of the cold beef eaten by Willoughby on his journey of repentance to see Marianne? In this original, lively and well-researched book, Maggie Lane not only offers a fresh perspective on the novels, but illuminates a fascinating period of food history, as England stood on the brink of urbanization, middle-class luxury, and change in the role of women. ISBN: 1-85285-124-4. 224 pages. Š1995 Hardcover Stock # HB002. $40.00

Food and Eating in Medieval Europe Edited by Martha Carlin and Joel T. Rosenthal The essays in this volume approach the subject from a variety of angles: from the reality of starvation and the reliance on “fast food” of those without cooking facilities, to the consumption of an English lady’s household and the career of a cook in the French royal household. Contributors include Elizabeth M. Berbel, Christophen Dyer, Constance b. Hieatt, Margaret Murphy, Susan F. Weiss and Julia Marvin. 200 pages. Š1997 Hardcover ISBN: 1-85285-148-1. Stock # HB001. $45.00

British Breweries: An Architectural History by Lynn Pearson Breweries were large and striking buildings whose towering presence was often reinforced by their occupation of sites in the middle of towns. They were the flagships of a major industry and generators of some of the great business fortunes. Designing their breweries for architectural grandeur as well as for their function, brewers were well aware of the marketing value of their buildings and used them as advertisements. What is surprising is that so little attention has been paid to breweries, in contrast to other great industrial buildings such as mills and warehouses. Lavishly illustrated, British Breweries covers the whole of their history, from the country house brewhouses of the eighteenth century to the great breweries of Georgian and Victorian England, and to widespread disappearance in the twentieth century.The Hambledon Press. Š 2000: 224 pages 120 illustrations: 174 x 255 mm Stock # HB004. $45.00

The Pig: A British History By Julian Wiseman. This fascinating history of one of our best-loved animals, first published in 1986 to much critical acclaim, traces the development of the pig as an integral part of agriculture, and describes the remarkable changes that have taken place both in its breeding and in its husbandry. This new edition, richly illustrated with paintings, photographs and line drawings, includes the famous “Dissertation upon Roast Pig” by Charles Lamb, a new introduction, and a final chapter accounting for the most recent agricultural developments regarding the pig. “…charmingly illustrated with old engravings and new photographs…an elegantly produced summary of a complicated subject.” –Times Literary Supplement Duckworth. Cloth. Š 2000 128 pp. 73 b/w illus. Stock # SP009. $20.00

Sutton Publishing Limited is a British publisher committed to providing the finest in history, including food history.

Nicholson, Shirley. A Victorian Household. An intimate and absorbing account of the inner lives and thoughts of a middle-class Victorian family, as told through the diaries of Marion Sambourne (1851 – 1914). She kept her diary for 33 years and it records not only what she did, but the minutiae of daily life in a Victorian household: where she shopped, what the family ate, who came to call. She also made notes on dinner parties, wrote instructions for the servants, and made inventories of household items. All those interested in Victorian social history will find this an indispensable guide to the realities of the period as well as an immensely enjoyable and deeply touching human document. Sutton Publishing, UK. This is the 1998 revised edition (1^st published 1988). 224 pages. B/W photos and illustrations. Paper. $21.95

The Country House Servant. By Pamela A. Sambrook. For centuries a large body of domestic servants was a necessary and often unappreciated foundation for the smooth running of the household. The warrens of domestic offices in country houses intrigue visitors. This book makes sense of these and the social structures behind them. It describes the skills, equipment, cleaning methods and work organization of the housemaid, laundrymaid, footman, valet and hall-boy – the servants who spent their days polishing fine furniture, washing brilliant chandeliers, brushing precious carpets and laundering damask tablecloths, but also polishing grubby knives, emptying endless slops and washing babies nappies. Contemporary manuals, diaries, accounts and first-hand recollections provide a vivid insight into what life was really like for those in domestic service. Sutton Publishing in Association with The National Trust. Š 1999. 268 pages. Illus. B/W Photos. Hardcover. $34.95

The Country House Kitchen. Edited by Pamela A. Sambrook and Peter Brears. Now in paperback – "a fascinating insight into a culinary world that has disappeared forever." – The Sunday Times. 288 pp. 244mm x 172mm 70 b/w illustr. Paper $26.95

The Country House Kitchen Garden 1600 - 1950. Edited by C. Anne Wilson. Published in Association with the National Trust. This book recalls in words and pictures the full cycle of provisioning of great houses such as 18th century Felbrigg, Erddig and Calke Abbey, and Victorian Tatton Park. 209 pages. Š 1998 Illus. Cloth $34.95

"You Brew Good Ale," A History of Home-Brewed Ales. By Ian P. Peaty. Home-brew pubs and small local breweeries were once an important part of the local scene in every British town and many a village. For all Americans who like good brew–this fully illustrated history of small-scale brewing in the British Isles is a must read. 224 pp. 244mm x 172mm 80 b/w illus. Paper $22.95.

The History of Stilton Cheese. by Trevor Hickman. A unique pictorial history of the king of English cheeses. 160 pp. 210mm x 154mm 250 b/w photographs. $13.95

The History of the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie by Trevor Hickman. This is a new title in "The Best of British in Old Photographs" series and it is a joy to page through. In 1831 Edward Adcock began wholesaling his pork pies in London. He made use of the daily Leeds to London stagecoach to convey his pies to the city. In 1840 Enoch Evans set up a rival business, and the fame of the pork pie began to spread. In the 1840's John Dickinson started making pies close to the railway station in Melton Mowbray. Pies are still made there today. This book is highly illustrated with a fine collection of photographs, and offers the reader a fascinating record of the people and places associated with the development and production of this famous foodstuff. Sutton Publishing Limited, England. 160 pages. Paper. $17.95

The American Home Cook Book, with Several Hundred Excellent Recipes. By an American Lady. First published in 1854 by Dick and Fitzgerald, New York. This facsimile edition was published in England by Pryor Publications in 1999. 133 pages. Hardcover Wonderful illustrations of cooking equipment and carving instructions. $14.95

Why Not Eat Insects? By Vincent M. Holt with an introduction by Laurence Mound. 1994 facsimile edition of the orginal 1885 edition. This edition was published for the British Museum (Natural History). 104 pages. 13cm x 10.5cm Paper $7.50

Origins of Festivals and Feasts by Jean Harrowven Festivals and feasts played a major part in the lives of our ancestors. This is a lively and interesting look at the customs, superstitions, games and recipes associated with St. Valentine's Day, Shrovetide, Mothering Sunday, Easter, Hallowe'en Guy Fawkes Day, and many more. This is a facsimile reproduction of the 1980 edition. 180 pages. 22.8 x 13.3cm Paper $16.00

A Plain Cookery Book For The Working Classes. Charles Elme Francatelli, Late Maitre d'Hotel and chief cook to Her Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria. Contains over 240 recipes, including "Baked Bullocks Hearts", "Sheep Pluck" "Cow Meal Broth" and "Rice Gruel." Originally published in 1861. 1999 Facsimile reprint. Paper 105 pages. $10.00

Soyer's Shilling Cookery Book for The People. Alexis Soyer. When he wrote this book, Alexis Soyer was the most famous chef of his time. Born in France in 1809, he left Paris in 1830 and was in service with the Duke of Cambridge. From 1837 to 1850 he was chef at the Reform Club. During the famine in Ireland in 1847, he took a portable kitchen to Dublin and fed thousands every day. In 1855 he wenty to the Crimea to endeavour to improve hospital food and introduce his field kitchen. Paper. 216 pages. Facsimile of the 1860 edition. 1999 facsimile edition. $13.00

Living and Dining in Medieval Paris: Medieval Paris: The Household of a Fourteenth Century Knight By Nicole Crossley-Holland This study is based largely around a manuscript written in the 1390s the Ménagier de Paris for the instruction of his young wife on how to run her kitchen. In it, Nicole Crossley-Holland combines the scholarly with the practical in introducing us to the sophisticated world of the Parisian upper class. She offers us menus and advice on food preparation and household skills and goes on to identify the author of this manuscript, something which had remained a mystery until now. She examines typical Parisian houses, the origins of the produce, the diet of the household and provides translations of many of the primary sources. University of Wales Press 2000. 244 pp, 24 b/w illus Paper ISBN: 0-7083-1647-6. Stock # DB004. $35.00 (One copy in stock)* This book is a special order. Please allow 6 weeks for delivery

Tastes of Anglo-Saxon England. By Mary Savelli. Anglo-Saxon Books. Norfolk, England. ISBN: 1-898281-28-9. Paper. 2002. 74 pages. These easy to follow recipes will enable you to enjoy a mix of ingredients and flavours that where widely known in Anglo-Saxon England but are rarely experienced today. In addition to the 46 recipes there is also information about households, drinks, and cooking techniques. Stock # DB005. $7.95

A Handbook of Anglo-Saxon Food: Processing and Consumption. By Ann Hagen. Anglo-Saxon Books. Norfolk, England. ISBN: 0-9516209-8-3. Paper. Reprinted 2000 (First published 1992). 186 pages. For the first time information from various sources has been brought together in order to build up a picture of how food was grown, conserved, prepared and eaten during the period from the beginning of the 5th century to the 11th century. No specialist knowledge of the Anglo-Saxon period or language is needed, and many people will find it fascinating for the views it gives of an important aspect of Anglo-Saxon life and culture. In addition to Anglo-Saxon England the Celtic west of Britain is also covered. Stock # DB002 $ 14.95

A Second Handbook of Anglo-Saxon Food and Drink: Production and Distribution. By Ann Hagen Anglo-Saxon Books, Norfolk, England. ISBN: 1-898281122. Paper. Reprinted 1999. (First published 1995) 409 pages. This second handbook complements the first and brings together a vast amount of information on livestock, cereal and vegetable crops, fish, honey, and fermented drinks. Related subjects such as hospitality, charity and drunkenness are also dealt with. The extensive 27 page index enables the reader to quickly find specific information. Stock # DB003 $ 24.95

Treasury of Hidden Secrets. A 17th-Century Housewives' Handbook of Cookery and Medicine. Attributed to John Partridge, reprinted from the 1653 edition. A rare and important book for readers in the history of herbal and complementary healthcare, and household cooking in 15th and 16th century England. Rhwymbooks, Cambridge, MA. ISBN: 1-889298-04-2. Handcrafted paper. edition. xxii + 84 pages. Stock # 000523 $19.95 (To read more about this book go to Rhwymbooks web site.)

Ladie Borlase's Receiptes Booke. Edited by David E. Schoonover. from The Iowa Szathmary Culinary Arts Series. Ladie Borlase's Receiptes Booke, an English manorial and culinary manuscript, has been in existence for over 330 years. This manuscript, bearing dates from 1665 to 1822, provides a unique compendium of culinary history that opens a window to the aristocratic, social, agricultural, horticultural, economic, and medicinal aspects of English country life. David Schoonover's informative introduction places the Borlase manuscript in its historical context with special attention to the economic and social changes of the 16th and 17th centuries. University of Iowa Press. Š 1998 180 pages, 3 photos, 4 drawings 6" x 9 " Cloth $32.95

The Jewish Manual. Edited by "A Lady." Intro. Chaim Raphael. This enchanting volume of recipes was published in London in 1846. It was only a few years ago that it was authenticated as the first Jewish cookbook published in English. 270 pages (1846/1983) $21.95 Cloth, $12.95 Paper.

THE GREAT HOUSEHOLD IN LATE MEDIEVAL ENGLAND By C. M. Woolgar In the later medieval centuries, a whole range of important social, political, and artistic activities took place against the backdrop of the great English households. In this lively book, C. M. Woolgar explores the fascinating details of life in a great house. Based on extensive investigation of household accounts and related primary documents, Woolgar vividly illuminates the operations of great households. He also delineates the major changes that transformed the economy and geography of both lay and clerical households between 1200 and 1500.In this portrait of aristocratic and gentry life in medieval England, Woolgar describes the roles of family members, the situations of servants, the uses of space within the household, and food and drink for daily consumption Yale University Press. Š 1999 288 pp. 70 b/w + 16 colorplates, 6 3/4 x 9 ž $35.00

Traditional Recipes of Old England. by Helen Edden. Arranged by county, this charming classic features the favorite dishes and mealtime customs from across England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Readers will delight in the regional differences–a source of great pride among residents. Hippocrene Books. 128 pgs. $9.95 Paper.

Traditional Food From Wales. by Bobby Freeman. Here is a unique look at Welsh food and customs through the ages, from 12th century Welsh nobility to 18th century gentry. This book combines over 260 authentic, proven recipes with cultural and social history. "The first ever comprehensive guide to Welsh food." -- The Observer. Hippocrene Books. Š 1997 332 pages, b/w photos, Hardcover $24.95

Because these books are imported, one or more titles might be on backorder from time-to-time. to To check on availability, send an e-mail message to: foodbks@shore.net. Go to the order form page, and send it to your printer. For your convenience we now accept both Visa and Mastercard. To place a credit card order in the US please call our toll free number 800-398-4474 or complete the order form with all of the information requested; international customers should send the order form and credit card information by air mail or FAX it to us at 978-356-8306.