At Christmas We Feast by Annie Gray

It is with good reason that Annie Gray is known as the queen of food historians. Her books are both knowledgeable and accessible. Anyone who listens to her on Radio 4 will know she approaches the subject with great humour too.

Her book is a journey of festive food through the ages and a joy to read. There are gluttonous menus to drool over and both historical and modern recipes, and it will be handy for answers to all those pesky questions around the Christmas table; do you know the origins of Boxing Day?

Why is a mince pie so-called when there is no meat involved? You will be reading this book for years to come.