Cooking with Shakespeare

by Mark Morton

Feasts, banquets, and everyday meals were central to daily life in Elizabethan England, a world reflected so lavishly in Shakespeare's plays. This book helps students and general readers learn more about Shakespeare's food culture. An introductory essay discusses the culinary customs of Shakespeare's era. This is followed by more than 180 recipes from Elizabethan times. Recipes are grouped in chapters according to types of food and are accompanied by modernized versions for today's chefs. Passages from Shakespeare's plays relate the recipes to his texts and help students use food to gain a greater appreciation of his world and works.

An introductory essay discusses food in Elizabethan society. This is followed by the heart of the book, a collection of more than 180 recipes from Shakespeare's world. Recipes are grouped in chapters on particular types of food, such as fish and seafood, pork, vegetables, beef and veal, and beverages, and are accompanied by modernized versions for contemporary cooks. Passages from the plays relate the recipes to Shakespeare's works and help students understand both his plays and the world in which he lived. The volume closes with a list of hard to find ingredients, a chart of wages and prices from Shakespeare's day, sample menus, a glossary, and a bibliography of period cookbooks, secondary works, and electronic resources.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food and Drink, Nonfiction, Food, History

336 pages, Hardcover

First published March 30, 2008

Reviews

[Ayne Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always loved cooking historical recipes, so this book was a treat. Drawn from culinary sources published in England during Shakespeare's 52 year life span, each of these 189 recipes begins with a relevant quotation from Shakespeare's works and is then followed by a brief paragraph that comments on either the quotation or the recipe. The original recipe is then presented, followed by a modern redaction. Also useful are the four appendices and "makability" ratings that provide the cook with extensive background information and a range of cooking difficulty so that they don't get in over their heads. Overall, a small gem for researchers and cooks looking to broaden their horizons and partake in a little living history.