"Publishers are getting more adventurous with their cookery books, from a study of Italian foods to a tour of British cheeses", says Leslie Geddes-Brown. "What did the British eat before the Roman occupation? A pretty restricted diet is the answer, one that included flax oil, oats and, of course, beer.
The Romans brought us onions, carrots, lettuce and asparagus. Pheasants and rabbits were on their menu, together with imported figs, olive oil and dates. This remarkable book by an Oxford emeritus professor of medieval and modern languages looks at the influence of Italian food since the first century AD - an influence that continues to this day: think Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers' introduction of cavolo nero in the 1980s and the near universal adoption of balsamic vinegar more recently still. A triumph." © Leslie Geddes Brown, Country Life
© Country Life
Photos by Gioia Olivastri ©
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