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The British Table: A New Look at the Traditional Cooking of England, Scotland, and Wales
The British A New Look at the Traditional Cooking of England, Scotland, and Wales celebrates the best of British cuisine old and new. Drawing on a vast number of sources, both historical and modern, the book includes more than 150 recipes, from traditional regional specialties to modern gastropub reinventions of rustic fare. Dishes like fish pie, braised brisket with pickled walnuts, and a pastry shop full of simple, irresistible desserts have found their way onto modern British menus—delicious reminders of the depth and breadth of Britain’s culinary heritage. The book blends these tradition-based reinventions by some of the finest chefs in England, Scotland, and Wales with forgotten dishes of the past worthy of rediscovery.
328 pages, Hardcover
First published November 8, 2016
111 people are currently reading
118 people want to read
About the author
Colman Andrews
30 books9 followersCo-founder and former editor of Saveur magazine and the author of Catalan Cuisine, Flavors of the Riviera, and Everything on the Table and co-author and co-editor of three Saveur cookbooks. Now a resident of New York City and Connecticut, a native of Los Angeles and a frequent contributor to the LA Times and Los Angeles Magazine. He won six James Beard Awards for his writing on food and wine, and was one of the first 50 people named to Who's Who of Food and Beverage in America.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 27, 2024
British food is very (and undeservedly) underrated – most often by British people. This book sets out to remedy that.
Usually when I review a cookbook, I like to try a selection of the recipes – hopefuly learning new techniques and dishes, maybe some food culture – but this time I haven’t tried any of the recipes. So many of the recipes I have made many times before, and have versions of them in any number of cookbooks
The book is about English traditional food – and is aimed at the American market. For me, the joy of this book was not the recipes (have you ever seen a recipe in a book for ‘Eggs and Soldiers’?), but the fascinating history of food in Britain. Curry is now ubiquitous in the UK, but who knew that it was popular as far back as the nineteenth century?
There are quotes from literature, history and old cookbooks (including Mrs Beeton), descriptions of what went on in famous restaurants, origins of names of dishes and where they may have come from … The book highlights dishes from Scotland (including from Orkney) and Wales, as well as from England.
The photos in the book are of British landscapes and ingredients; photos of old restaurants, chefs, famous epicures, ads, and ordinary folk … But what are missing are photos of the majority of the finished recipes – which I do tend to like in a cookbook. However, as I said, the main attraction of this book is in the history – so the photos are a perfect match.
The measurements for the recipes are given in American avoirdupois measures, with (usually) metric conversions in brackets.
One extract I particularly enjoyed was:
I love haggis, and have it (at least) every Burns’ night (25th January). Surprisingly, no mention is made of deep-fried haggis, a well-known Scottish take-away (alongside deep-fried Mars bars) designed to completely fur up your arteries.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of food, and to anyone who would like an introduction to British food.
Usually when I review a cookbook, I like to try a selection of the recipes – hopefuly learning new techniques and dishes, maybe some food culture – but this time I haven’t tried any of the recipes. So many of the recipes I have made many times before, and have versions of them in any number of cookbooks
The book is about English traditional food – and is aimed at the American market. For me, the joy of this book was not the recipes (have you ever seen a recipe in a book for ‘Eggs and Soldiers’?), but the fascinating history of food in Britain. Curry is now ubiquitous in the UK, but who knew that it was popular as far back as the nineteenth century?
There are quotes from literature, history and old cookbooks (including Mrs Beeton), descriptions of what went on in famous restaurants, origins of names of dishes and where they may have come from … The book highlights dishes from Scotland (including from Orkney) and Wales, as well as from England.
The photos in the book are of British landscapes and ingredients; photos of old restaurants, chefs, famous epicures, ads, and ordinary folk … But what are missing are photos of the majority of the finished recipes – which I do tend to like in a cookbook. However, as I said, the main attraction of this book is in the history – so the photos are a perfect match.
The measurements for the recipes are given in American avoirdupois measures, with (usually) metric conversions in brackets.
One extract I particularly enjoyed was:
"Hunting the Wild Haggis:
1. Grab yourself a daft and gullible tourist.
2. Promise them a rare sighting of the Haggis animal (or Haggi, if they want to be greedy and see a herd) for £20 an hour.
3. Lock and load the shotgun and crossbow for effect. (Tell the worried tourists that [the Haggi] are wild and savage beasties.)
4. Don the Harris tweed and tam-o’-shanter, ensuring the bagpipes are visible on the back seat.
5. In a broad and thick accent, ensuring you roll your rrrs, ask if they want to see the three-legged species (three legs help the Haggis beast go round the hills faster) or the four-legged species.
6. Drive to a bonnie place where you can enjoy a spot of fishing whilst the numptees go off and hunt the Haggis.
7. Have a wee laugh as you pocket an easy £20! 8. Double your profits and sell them the fish you’ve just poached.
I love haggis, and have it (at least) every Burns’ night (25th January). Surprisingly, no mention is made of deep-fried haggis, a well-known Scottish take-away (alongside deep-fried Mars bars) designed to completely fur up your arteries.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of food, and to anyone who would like an introduction to British food.
November 23, 2016
I'm a first-generation American. My mother was born in Essex and came to America when she was 8 years old. As a result, I grew up eating British food, though it was mostly recipes that my Grandmother raised my mother on (pasties, yorkshire pudding...yum!). I love British food. No joke, we are having meat-pie for dinner tonight (boiled meat ftw). So I was super excited when I got a chance to check out this book. Just a quick skim through made my mouth water. I've already gone through this book like twice making lists of things I want to try. I like that this includes not only English dishes, but also Scottish and Welsh ones too.
Also, the photographs are gorgeous. Not just the photographs of food, but the historical and cultural ones as well. They accompanied the short articles beautifully. I highly recommend this to any British food fan.
**I received this copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
Also, the photographs are gorgeous. Not just the photographs of food, but the historical and cultural ones as well. They accompanied the short articles beautifully. I highly recommend this to any British food fan.
**I received this copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
December 19, 2016
Fascinating! The British Table, A New Look at the Traditional Cooking of England, Scotland, and Wales by Colman Andrews is a cookbook that relates the reemergence of British cuisine. The names of certain dishes alone certainly catches one's attention: Cawl, Toad in the Hole, Bangers and Mash,Neeps, Tatties, Rumbledthumps, Eton Mess, Angels on Horseback, Michaelmas Goose, Cullen Skink, Kedgeree, Cock-A-Leekie, Hindle Wakes and so on. Sometimes it may be difficult to find an ingredient but it will be worth it! Now let us have some scones with lemon curd.
December 13, 2017
RATING: 4 STARS
(I received an ARC from the NETGALLEY in exchange for an honest review.)
(Review Not on Blog)
I loved looking through this book for the recipes and pictures but I am not sure how easy the recipes are to make. I do like the sound of traditional dishes even when I am not sure exactly what it is.
(I received an ARC from the NETGALLEY in exchange for an honest review.)
(Review Not on Blog)
I loved looking through this book for the recipes and pictures but I am not sure how easy the recipes are to make. I do like the sound of traditional dishes even when I am not sure exactly what it is.
January 24, 2020
Traditional British cookbooks can be difficult to find in England. Seriously, ethnic cookbooks are everywhere but apart from BeRo and Mrs Beeton, the more modern cookbooks tend to pass over the Brits.
This one is full of beautiful, full color pictures and information the author has picked up while traveling in the UK. Some of the observations made are interesting to read from an American self-professed Anglophile's point of view.
The recipes start out with good, basic recipes for oatcakes, porridge, bacon rolls, etc., then it gets fancy with Omelette Arnold Bennett, which I've never heard of. It struck me as the sort of thing you would find in a good restaurant.
Some of the soups were a bit fancy, also more like restaurant fare than home cooking. The chapters cover Breakfast, Soups, Fish and Shellfish, Poultry and Rabbit, Beef, Pork and Lamb, Wild Game and Offal and Savory Pies and Puddings. These are followed by Vegetables, Desserts and Confections, and then even cover sauces and condiments, Teatime and drinks.
They deviated from English food on Gnocchi, which is Italian. But this was followed by some traditional Scottish recipes and soon came back to English with fish and chips. It seemed to me there was a lot of fish and seafood, but we do have a history of that on this island nation. Some Indian recipes were included, which is a popular cuisine here since colonial times, and the poultry section even included grouse, which you won't see in the usual cookbooks.
I maintain that my Yorkshire Pudding recipe is better, but there were several recognizable traditional recipes. I didn't know what to make of the vegetable recipes. It seemed directed at vegetarians, and someone ought to tell the author that builder's tea means milk and one sugar!
I think this might make a good first cookbook for Anglophiles who have an interest in the history of British cuisine. I don't know anyone who makes their own mayonnaise in modern times, but the overall balance gives a nice taste of the history of food in Britain.
This one is full of beautiful, full color pictures and information the author has picked up while traveling in the UK. Some of the observations made are interesting to read from an American self-professed Anglophile's point of view.
The recipes start out with good, basic recipes for oatcakes, porridge, bacon rolls, etc., then it gets fancy with Omelette Arnold Bennett, which I've never heard of. It struck me as the sort of thing you would find in a good restaurant.
Some of the soups were a bit fancy, also more like restaurant fare than home cooking. The chapters cover Breakfast, Soups, Fish and Shellfish, Poultry and Rabbit, Beef, Pork and Lamb, Wild Game and Offal and Savory Pies and Puddings. These are followed by Vegetables, Desserts and Confections, and then even cover sauces and condiments, Teatime and drinks.
They deviated from English food on Gnocchi, which is Italian. But this was followed by some traditional Scottish recipes and soon came back to English with fish and chips. It seemed to me there was a lot of fish and seafood, but we do have a history of that on this island nation. Some Indian recipes were included, which is a popular cuisine here since colonial times, and the poultry section even included grouse, which you won't see in the usual cookbooks.
I maintain that my Yorkshire Pudding recipe is better, but there were several recognizable traditional recipes. I didn't know what to make of the vegetable recipes. It seemed directed at vegetarians, and someone ought to tell the author that builder's tea means milk and one sugar!
I think this might make a good first cookbook for Anglophiles who have an interest in the history of British cuisine. I don't know anyone who makes their own mayonnaise in modern times, but the overall balance gives a nice taste of the history of food in Britain.
October 27, 2016
As an Anglophile and lover of British cuisine, I sincerely enjoyed this cookbook. Andrews explained each recipe thoroughly as well as gave you a historical background. Many common favorites as well as many you have never heard of are here, such as Cottage Pie, Eton Mess and Cullen Skink. What was nice about this book was that Andrews explains where you can find certain ingredients, as well as suitable substitutes.
The photography was beautiful with photos of food, of course, but also of some of the recipes.
The photography was beautiful with photos of food, of course, but also of some of the recipes.
November 26, 2023
Part history lesson, part literature reference, part cookbook--what more could I ask for, being a lover of all 3? :)
I love how Andrews sets the recipe in its historical setting, often including a quote (whether from a classic novel or a current chef). The book really makes me want to go to Britain again, and partake of #alltheyummyfood!
I love how Andrews sets the recipe in its historical setting, often including a quote (whether from a classic novel or a current chef). The book really makes me want to go to Britain again, and partake of #alltheyummyfood!
July 9, 2017
Beautiful photography complements the recipes in this treasure trove of British cuisine. I tend to grab up British cookbooks, because some of my fondest memories are of my childhood visits to my grandparents in Surrey, and of my grandmother’s divine cooking. Some of the names may sound odd to Americans--”Kedgeree”, for example--but trust me, they’re tasty. Instructions are clear and easy to follow and these recipes, unlike some, don’t depend on exotic ingredients that can be difficult to find in not-very-gourmet towns like mine.
Also reviewed at http://biblioquacious.blogspot.com/20...
ARC provided by NetGalley for my honest review.
Also reviewed at http://biblioquacious.blogspot.com/20...
ARC provided by NetGalley for my honest review.
May 17, 2024
I always want to know what Colman Andrews is thinking about when it comes to food. His writing changes the way I cook, and I look forward to every book. The British Table is no exception—it is filled with so many fascinating recipes to help us discover the traditional cooking and culture of England, Scotland, and Wales.
Alice Waters,
This book makes me so hungry! Leafing through these beautiful pages of unfussy food, I find myself wanting to cook everything, eat everything—or just climb on the first plane to England.
Ruth Reichl
Alice Waters,
This book makes me so hungry! Leafing through these beautiful pages of unfussy food, I find myself wanting to cook everything, eat everything—or just climb on the first plane to England.
Ruth Reichl
April 16, 2024
it wasn’t bad I am glad it was on sale
So having paid $1.99 I am okay with this book. A good 80% aren’t usable recipes for me. I wish it was better indexed for a kindle but whatever.
So having paid $1.99 I am okay with this book. A good 80% aren’t usable recipes for me. I wish it was better indexed for a kindle but whatever.
January 23, 2021
The British Table by Colman Andrews
9781419722233
328 Pages
Publisher: Abrams
Release Date: November 15, 2016
Nonfiction, Cookbook, English cooking
I have several friends from England and have always thought English food was simple fare as haggis, pickled eel, and fish & chips. I was surprised to find many recipes in this book that I hadn’t realized was considered English fare. These are the chapters in the book.
Chapter 1: Breakfast
Chapter 2: Soups
Chapter 3: Fish & Shellfish
Chapter 4: Poultry & Rabbit
Chapter 5: Beef, Pork & Lamb
Chapter 6: Wild Game & Offal
Chapter 7: Savory Pies & Puddings
Chapter 8: Vegetables
Chapter 9: Desserts & Confections
Chapter 10: Whets & Savouries
Chapter 11: Sauces, Condiments, and Preserves
Chapter 12: Teatime
Chapter 13: Whisky Cider, Beer, & Wine
Appendix: Stocks, Doughs, & other Basics
The recipes for oatcakes and bannocks look amazing. The forager’s soup with gnocchi and the mulligatawny soup are easy to make and very flavorful. The fisherman’s spelt and monkfish curry sound delicious and I have them on my to-make list. The lamb cutlets are something I haven’t tried yet but look forward to it. The roast beef of old England sounds similar to how we cook our prime rib. I am still thinking about the duck that tastes like fish recipe but cannot figure it out. The cheese and onion pie sounds good. Now I have to find a substitute for Lancashire cheese. I was not surprised to see mushy peas in the vegetable chapter. I watch the Great British Bake Off and love when they make Bakewell tarts. Now I can make them myself. If you like British food, you will definitely love this book.
9781419722233
328 Pages
Publisher: Abrams
Release Date: November 15, 2016
Nonfiction, Cookbook, English cooking
I have several friends from England and have always thought English food was simple fare as haggis, pickled eel, and fish & chips. I was surprised to find many recipes in this book that I hadn’t realized was considered English fare. These are the chapters in the book.
Chapter 1: Breakfast
Chapter 2: Soups
Chapter 3: Fish & Shellfish
Chapter 4: Poultry & Rabbit
Chapter 5: Beef, Pork & Lamb
Chapter 6: Wild Game & Offal
Chapter 7: Savory Pies & Puddings
Chapter 8: Vegetables
Chapter 9: Desserts & Confections
Chapter 10: Whets & Savouries
Chapter 11: Sauces, Condiments, and Preserves
Chapter 12: Teatime
Chapter 13: Whisky Cider, Beer, & Wine
Appendix: Stocks, Doughs, & other Basics
The recipes for oatcakes and bannocks look amazing. The forager’s soup with gnocchi and the mulligatawny soup are easy to make and very flavorful. The fisherman’s spelt and monkfish curry sound delicious and I have them on my to-make list. The lamb cutlets are something I haven’t tried yet but look forward to it. The roast beef of old England sounds similar to how we cook our prime rib. I am still thinking about the duck that tastes like fish recipe but cannot figure it out. The cheese and onion pie sounds good. Now I have to find a substitute for Lancashire cheese. I was not surprised to see mushy peas in the vegetable chapter. I watch the Great British Bake Off and love when they make Bakewell tarts. Now I can make them myself. If you like British food, you will definitely love this book.
September 23, 2016
Wow - an abundance of amazing and easy-to-follow recipes, great pictures and wonderful texts to go with the recipes, relaying historical facts or anecdotes connected to those recipes or the food discussed, personal stories to go with them or ... just wonderful stories or interesting facts that make you browse this book and read a bit here and there as if it was a novel.
This book is interesting and captivating to read and it is a collection of marvellous recipes that are well presented and just want you to grab your cooking spoon and do some serious cooking. All you ever wanted to know about british food and much more that you never thought of, can be found in this wonderful book. And if you don't want to read - well, never mind, just look at the pictures! If you weren't hungry before you started reading, believe me, one look at the photos andthat will change!
I really really love this book and I'm looking forward to trying many more of the recipes!
*Just a note - this book is obviously not a book for vegetarians but it is a wonderful collection for all those who love traditional british food.*
This book is interesting and captivating to read and it is a collection of marvellous recipes that are well presented and just want you to grab your cooking spoon and do some serious cooking. All you ever wanted to know about british food and much more that you never thought of, can be found in this wonderful book. And if you don't want to read - well, never mind, just look at the pictures! If you weren't hungry before you started reading, believe me, one look at the photos andthat will change!
I really really love this book and I'm looking forward to trying many more of the recipes!
*Just a note - this book is obviously not a book for vegetarians but it is a wonderful collection for all those who love traditional british food.*
November 9, 2016
A wonderful cookery book full of the very tasty dishes so beloved of the British Isles.
All my favourites whilst growing up are in there as well as some reworked ones.
I love Cullen Skink, but try as I might my version never tastes the same as the authentic ones that I have in Scotland.
More visits and more practice needed!
Not sure how the American market will receive this, but I hope some will try the dishes out.
It is a helpful book in that the author lists where the ingredients are available, plus the history of how the dish came to be.
If that wasn't enough the photographs are good enough to eat too!
Very highly recommended.
I was given a digital copy of this book by the publisher Abrams via Netgalley in return for an honest unbiased review, which I whole heartedly do!
All my favourites whilst growing up are in there as well as some reworked ones.
I love Cullen Skink, but try as I might my version never tastes the same as the authentic ones that I have in Scotland.
More visits and more practice needed!
Not sure how the American market will receive this, but I hope some will try the dishes out.
It is a helpful book in that the author lists where the ingredients are available, plus the history of how the dish came to be.
If that wasn't enough the photographs are good enough to eat too!
Very highly recommended.
I was given a digital copy of this book by the publisher Abrams via Netgalley in return for an honest unbiased review, which I whole heartedly do!
November 14, 2016
I didn't know a lot about English cooking and that's the reason why I liked this book a lot. Some recipes I would never try but some other, especially the one with the Indian origins are really interesting. Plus the explanations are clear and the pics are really good.
Non sapevo quasi niente della cucina inglese e questa potrebbe forse essere la ragione per cui questo libro mi é piaciuto cosí tanto. Alcuni piatti non li proveró mai, ma altri, specialmente quelli con origine indiana, sono veramente interessanti. Inoltre le spiegazioni sembrano facili e le foto molto belle.
THANKS TO NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!
Non sapevo quasi niente della cucina inglese e questa potrebbe forse essere la ragione per cui questo libro mi é piaciuto cosí tanto. Alcuni piatti non li proveró mai, ma altri, specialmente quelli con origine indiana, sono veramente interessanti. Inoltre le spiegazioni sembrano facili e le foto molto belle.
THANKS TO NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!
October 13, 2016
Aimed at the American market this is an extensive collection of traditional recipes, taken from around England, Scotland and Wales gathered together with wonderful historical notes. Having a sweet tooth I particularly enjoyed reading through the recipes for the puddings and desserts.
Although I wouldn't buy this myself, (I definitely prefer less traditional food), I think this would be an excellent book to have in your kitchen if you want to become the perfect Anglophile cook.
Thanks to NetGalley and ABRAMS for the free ebook.
Although I wouldn't buy this myself, (I definitely prefer less traditional food), I think this would be an excellent book to have in your kitchen if you want to become the perfect Anglophile cook.
Thanks to NetGalley and ABRAMS for the free ebook.
November 22, 2016
From Netgalley for a review:
I am an Anglophile, though it is not really a surprise when you find out half of my family came from north England. I grew up eating British food and celebrating my heritage, and I have a need for a good cookbook for one of my favorite cuisines. This book is certainly thorough, it really captures the feel of classic British food, the kind you would eat when visiting family or on holiday. I only wish it had more photos, I like for each recipe to have a photo even if it means fewer recipes in total.
I am an Anglophile, though it is not really a surprise when you find out half of my family came from north England. I grew up eating British food and celebrating my heritage, and I have a need for a good cookbook for one of my favorite cuisines. This book is certainly thorough, it really captures the feel of classic British food, the kind you would eat when visiting family or on holiday. I only wish it had more photos, I like for each recipe to have a photo even if it means fewer recipes in total.
September 15, 2016
Wow there is a lot of meat in this book. The vegetables do not make an appearance until the eighth chapter! Even then, the dishes are 'Vegetarian Haggis' and 'Smoked Haddock Mash,' which are not really to my taste.
It is full of British dishes - meaty, hearty British dishes. Kipper Pate, Potted Rabbit, etc. Pretty much, if this appeals to you, this cookbook would be for you.
**eARC Netgalley**
It is full of British dishes - meaty, hearty British dishes. Kipper Pate, Potted Rabbit, etc. Pretty much, if this appeals to you, this cookbook would be for you.
**eARC Netgalley**
December 1, 2016
Not just recipes - lots of etymology, recipe and restaurant histories, and charming anecdotes make this a fantastically entertaining read. Not that there aren't plenty of recipes worth trying; any preconceived notions you may have of British food as 'boring' will be quickly dispelled by Andrews' presentation.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews