About this item
The Official Downton Abbey Cookbook presents over 100 recipes that showcase the cookery and customs of the Crawley household - from upstairs dinner party centerpieces to downstairs puddings and pies - and bring an authentic slice of Downton Abbey to modern kitchens and Downton fans. Whether adapted from original recipes of the period, replicated as seen or alluded to on screen, or typical of the time, all the recipes reflect the influences found on the Downton Abbey tables. Food historian Annie Gray gives a rich and fascinating insight into the background of the dishes that were popular between 1912 and 1926, when Downton Abbey is set - a period of tremendous change and conflict, as well as culinary development. With a foreword by Gareth Neame, executive producer and co-creator of Downton Abbey, and featuring over 100 stunning color photographs, The Downton Abbey Cookbook also includes a special section on hosting Downton-themed dinner parties and presents stills from across the TV series as well as the latest film. Notes on the etiquette and customs of the times, quotes from the characters, and descriptions of the scenes in which the foods appear provide vivid context for the dishes. The recipes are grouped by occasion, which include breakfast; luncheons and suppers; afternoon tea and garden parties; picnics, shoots and race meets; festivities; upstairs dinner; downstairs dinner; downstairs supper and tea; and the still room. From the upstairs menu: Cornish Pasties Sausage Rolls Oysters au Gratin Chicken Vol-au-Vents Cucumber Soup Soul a la Florentine Salmon Mousse Quail and Watercress Charlotte Russe From the downstairs menu: Toad-in-the-Hole Beef Stew with Dumplings Steak and Kidney Pie Cauliflower Cheese Rice Pudding Jam and Custard Tarts Gingerbread Cake Summer Pudding With these and more historic recipes - compelling to a contemporary palate and easy to replicate in today's kitchens - savor the rich traditions and flavors of Downton Abbey without end.
About the Author
Dr Annie Gray is one of Britain's leading food historians. She specialises in British food and dining, c.1650-1950, and works as a consultant, broadcaster and author. She is also a popular speaker. Her first book, The Greedy Queen: Eating With Victoria was nominated for several awards, and she's followed it up with the André Simon longlisted Victory In The Kitchen: The Life of Churchill's Cook. She's also written cookery books and a history of Christmas Food through the Ages which includes her favourite recipe for wine chocolate. She's the resident food historian on BBC Radio 4's The Kitchen Cabinet, as well as a sometime presenter on documentaries including The Sweetmakers, Victorian Bakers and Victoria and Albert: The Royal Wedding. She's also worked in costume as a historical interpreter, playing various cooks and kitchen maids. For many years she led the team at Audley End House (Essex, UK, run by English Heritage) , and now advises on their successful Victorian Way videos. She thinks Victorian food is vastly underrated, though can also see why they needed decent corsetry, but has to admit that the Georgians did it better, if only because of the parmesan ice cream and all that brandy.
