A History Of British Baking
From Blood Bread To Bake-Off
A History Of British Baking covers just about every aspect of baking that you can think of, and as many again of those you cannot. Historical content includes the Assize of Bread and Ale, where miscreants were tried for a shortfall in the specified weight of a loaf or adulteration of beer; the pie that contained a live dwarf and delighted a French queen; and the little doll-like suffragette cakes that appeared in
1908. The book’s author Emma Kay also reminds us of the delicious biscuits produced by Peek Freans and Huntley & Palmers.
For family historians there are explanations of a host of unusual old terms that are so often encountered in old wills and inventories. We also learn interesting facts about how our baker ancestors lived – for example, until the 1863 Bakehouse Regulation Act they were required to work up to 17 hours per day.
Nor is the culinary aspect of baking neglected. There are some well-illustrated, mouth-watering recipes interspersed throughout the book.
Overall, the title is not only a cover-to-cover read, but also invaluable for reference purposes.