STREET FOOD HAWKERS AND THE HISTORY OF LONDON

A history of London’s street foods to tickle the taste buds

Author: Charlie Taverner Publisher: Oxford University Press Price: £30 Released: Out now

Today, any visitor to London with a few pounds in their pocket and an empty belly is spoiled for choice by the array of quick and easy street food. But what are the origins of this phenomenon? In Street Food author Charlie Taverner shines a light on the street hawkers of London’s past who provided much-needed nourishment to the city’s inhabitants. Yet their story has, for the most part, gone untold.

These street hawkers sold a wide variety of items such as oysters, cherries, pies and milk for 300 years. One particular fact of interest is Taverner’s suggestion that they were integral in providing the city’s inhabitants with nutrient-rich foods, notably fruit. One source Taverner quotes observes that although London’s citizens did not eat fruit at the dinner table they could be observed scoffing it in the street “like so many goats”.

In a fascinating epilogue, Taverner explores how the hawking industry collapsed in the 20th century, before discussing the 21st century’s street food renaissance. This current phenomenon gives visitors to the capital a wide selection of dishes from across the globe in regular market spots. Taverner does note, however, that little connection can be made to London’s hawker past, but nonetheless it is a tantalising taste of London’s street food present and future…

Highly enjoyable, well researched and full of details, Street Food is a must read for anyone with a hunger for London’s culinary history.