Eating for England: The Delights and Eccentricities of the British at Table - Softcover

Slater, Nigel

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0007199473 ISBN 13: 9780007199471

Publisher: Harper Perennial, 2008

Synopsis

Written in a style similar to that of Nigel Slater’s multi-award-winning food memoir ‘Toast’, this is a celebration of the glory, humour, eccentricities and embarrassments that are the British at Table.

The British have a relationship with their food that is unlike that of any other country. Once something that was never discussed in polite company, it is now something with which the nation is obsessed. But are we at last developing a food culture or are we just going through the motions?

‘Eating for England’ is an entertaining, detailed and somewhat tongue-in-cheek observation of the British and their food, their cooking, their eating and how they behave in restaurants, with chapters on – amongst other things – dinner parties, funeral teas, Indian restaurants, dieting and eating whilst under the influence.

Written in Nigel Slater’s trademark readable style, ‘Eating for England’ highlights our idiosyncratic attitude towards the fine art of dining.

About this title

Review

How long does it take before somebody becomes a national treasure? It’s certainly happened to Nigel Slater, and Eating for England is a highly enjoyable reminder of just why we esteem the estimable Mr Slater. Subtitled The Delights & Eccentricities of the British at Table, this is wonderfully entertaining stuff, explaining such matters as how some of our most cherished foods are the result of frugality (bread and butter pudding, for instance, is the direct result of utilising a few slices of leftover bread and a pat of butter, rather than culinary aspiration). As Slater points out, the British have a relationship with food which is quite unlike that of any other nation -- for many years, we were reluctant to discuss food matters (leaving culinary discussion to, for instance, the French), but we now appear to be in the grip of a national food obsession, with program after program on television and -- inevitably -- a host of books on the subject. But few are written as entertainingly as Nigel Slater’s. It isn't just the discussion of food itself (from haute cuisine to the humblest of comfort foods) that’s so diverting here, but other sociological (and tongue-in-cheek) related matters, such as ‘A Teenager at the Table’ (‘The shoulders droop, the head hangs sulkily down, eyes glaring intently at an invisible spot on their lap. Their whole body seems to say ‘I'm not eating this’). And Nigel Slater is perfectly happy to address subjects not found in any other food books (such as the modest chocolate bar -- different varieties are entertainingly compared and contrasted).

This is a personal portrait of the British and their food, filled with love of the eccentricities and peculiarities that encapsulate the national character. And it's great fun. --Barry Forshaw

Review

'Like Slater's joyous descriptions of toast, this book is warm, buttery and just a bit crusty. But his love for these disregarded foods transforms them from throwaway childhood confections into family retainers.' F.T. Magazine

'This is food writing with a masterchef. As ever, Slater is also very funny; why, indeed, do the British puddings syllabub, flummery, blancmange sound like they are being enunciated under water?' The Times

'Slater is one of our most talented cookery writers.’ Daily Telegraph

'A joyously tongue-in-cheek nostalgic mix...yum, yum.' Jenny Uglow, Sunday Telegraph

About this edition

• Publisher: Harper Perennial
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0007199473
• ISBN 13: 9780007199471
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 304