Food History

I ought to get some sleep because it’s midnight and I’m teaching early and have a meeting straight afterwards, but I was just revising the little collection of recipes I made for Chanukah. The estimable Hannah Woolley, who published The Gentlewoman’s Companion: or, A Guide to the Female Sex in 1675 has a recipe called “Mullets Fried.” I’ve always wondered what happened to the mullets of the ’70s. Now I know.

“Scale, draw, and scotch them, after washing wipe them dry, and stowre them, fry them in Clarified Butter; being fried, put to them some Claret-wine sliced Ginger, grated Nutmeg, and Anchovee, Salt, and sweet Butter beaten up thick, but first rub the dish with a Clove of Garlick: Chuse the least Mullets to fry.”

Ted Hobday is the Chief Guide at Brogdale. Some of you may remember that a while back I met Canberra’s apple guru and found out about historical varieties and managed to purchase some medlars, to boot. When I was considering who I ought to interview next, someone from Brogdale was the obvious choice. Most of us can’t get to the UK and see the amazing collection, but we can go online and admire their wonderful photographs and hear what someone who works with them has to say. Ted Hobday is the perfect person.

Can you please tell us about Brogdale? What does it do? How does it work? (more…)

I bet I don’t use that heading in eight days time.

It’s first night Chanukah tonight and I’ve been give Chanukah presents by a niece and a friend and I feel all seasonal and warm and friendly. Some of the warmth may be due to the fact that it’s still summer in Australia, of course, but I’ve lit candles and sung my little song and eaten fried food and now I need to give presents to all of you. (more…)

A bunch of fiction writers expressed great interest this week in knowing what food travelers could sensibly eat. This isn’t even nearly a complete answer, but it’s fascinating in its own right. What food did explorers recommend for the road a century ago?

I think this set of recipes comes from a 1908 book on suffrage for women. If it didn’t, then it mysteriously appeared in the middle of one in a document I was working on. I’ll blog more on the book itself another day. I’m putting the recipes behind a cut because there are a few of them. (more…)

Today has been all about food history.

This morning a friend and I made cherry liqueur following my ancestral recipe. I was going to give you the recipe, but I started by explaining it to my friend. I told her “You put the fruit in the jar, you add the sugar, you add the brandy and you leave it in a dark place for at least a year.”

She laughed at me (more…)

December: it’s officially summer here in Australia. We even have our first summer rain (no storms!). I was thinking today of what I’d like to do over summer. I don’t mean the summer holiday front, because I’m not really getting them this year. I mean here, on this blog.

I will have at least a couple of posts from guest bloggers, and maybe readers (if you feel inclined to send me your thoughts on the fruits and vegetables available locally right now). Sometime before February, there’ll be at least one very special guest post. I have at least one more interview for you (and maybe more – we’ll see about that).

I was thinking of finding different recipes for doughnuts this year for Chanukah – eight days of delectable doughnuts, maybe with some exploration of what different backgrounds produced them. There’ll be recipes from my grandmother (that almost goes without saying) and there’ll be more voyages in Europe in 1903 (because I am falling in love with Algernon Bastard and his friend). I have books to introduce you to, and was thinking about another post on cooking ephemera. I might even do some more forays into food in popular (and unpopular) literature, starting with Beano.

Is that enough for you? Is there anything else you particularly want between now and the end of January? Any favourite type of post that you would like to see more of? Are there particular ingredients you would like to know more about, or food history questions that have bugged you almost forever? Do you want a new series of food ads and videos? Do you have any family recipes or stories that need sharing?

Oh, and would you like recipes to celebrate my next novel when it comes out? I did a little cookbook thing for my first novel, after all, and food is hardly less important to me now than it was then. I can’t give you a release date, but I can promise you recipes. The sort of food morris dancers eat before they are murdered foully by magic. The sort of food Canberra public servants eat before their lives warp. And seed cake. You know, stuff that appears in novels. Food in popular (and unpopular) literature from a very personal angle.

Use the comment box or email me through the ‘contact me’ button – either way, tell me what you want to read about for the next three months and I’ll do my best to oblige.