Tasting History: Explore the Past Through 4,000 Years of Recipes

by Max Miller, Ann Volkwein

What began as a passion project when Max Miller was furloughed during Covid-19 has become a viral YouTube sensation with a million followers amassed in just two years. The channel has thrilled food enthusiasts and history buffs alike as Miller recreates a dish from the past, often using historical recipes from vintage texts, but updated for modern kitchens as he tells stories behind the cuisine and culture. From ancient Rome to Ming China to medieval Europe and beyond, Miller has collected the best-loved recipes from around the world and has shared them with his fans. Now, with beautiful photographs portraying the dishes and historical artwork throughout, compiles over sixty dishes such as:
-Tuh’u: a red beet stew with leeks dating back to 1740 BC
-Globi: deep-fried cheese balls with honey and poppy seeds
-Soul Cakes: yeasted buns with currants from circa 1600
-Pumpkin Tourte: a crustless pumpkin cheesecake with cinnamon and sugar on top from 1570
-And much more.

Including the original recipe and Miller’s modern recreation, this cookbook is a must-have for any avid cook or history fan looking to experience delicious recipes from the past.

Genres: Cookbooks, History, Nonfiction, Cooking, Food, Historical, Reference

214 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 18, 2023

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Calling all history buffs and foodies! Boy, this is the cookbook for you. Max Miller has created the ultimate guide to historical recipes from all over the world - and made them accessible for modern readers and cooks.

With the perfect blend of history and recipes, this cookbook features gems like English pancakes from 1658 and Sally Lunn Buns which Jane Austen may have enjoyed, Italian lasagne from the 14th century, French lemonade from the 1600s, and more. (I'm looking forward to trying the Texas Pecan Pie and early Mexican tamales.)

I highly recommend this cookbook and Max's YT channel (Tasting History with Max Miller). He's a fantastic teacher and cook; his willingness to go to such lengths for historical accuracy is inspiring.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the free ARC!

[Irene · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you buy cookbooks because you like to make quick and easy meals, this one is not that. This is a very interesting cookbook, just not the one from which you're going to get your weekly staples.

I've been following Miller's YouTube channel for years, so I was already familiar with a lot of these recipes. My favourites are the truly ancient Mediterranean ones. I find their commitment to flavouring everything with fish sauce and tons of herbs and spices delightful. I love the attention to the historical background, the care with which uncommon ingredients have been researched and substitutions provided when necessary, the photos of historical documents and artwork, and the lighthearted humour throughout this book.

Will I be recreating ancient Egyptian hummus that requires procuring unusual spices and then making the spice mix myself with a mortar and pestle? Yes, most likely. Spartan black broth, made with pork blood, is not as high on the list, but I enjoy having choices. Informative, entertaining and a surefire way to spice up your cooking once in a while.

[Jifu · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Note: I received an advanced reader copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley).

If you are interested in this book because you are also a big fan of Max Miller’s popular Tasting History Youtube channel, be sure to have your expectations set accordingly and reasonably!

I initially found myself disappointed because (and this admittedly will sound a little ridiculous), the book felt like it was too heavily focused on the recipes themselves, and too light on the recipes' respective historical backgrounds and context. However that’s because when I watch Tasting History, I do so for the extensive educational overviews (liberally peppered with his witty commentary and jokes) that Miller provides for every episode’s featured dish or drink, plus his very thoughtful appraisals whenever he samples whatever he has prepared. So after I took some time to reflect upon this, I finally realized that I am not the type of fan that this book is meant for. Instead, it’s much more for those who have a greater interest in the actual cooking aspect of his show, and are both curious enough and adventurous enough to try their own hand at some of the various dishes they’ve watched Miller prepare and taste.

So if you fall into that latter category as a much more hands-on food history enthusiast, then this is definitely the cookbook for you! You’ll find a collection of greatest hits recipes from Tasting History with ingredients altered accordingly for availability and directions written out in careful detail, ensuring that you’ll be able to bring a sizable array of dishes from out of the past and into the present with relative ease. And although the individual history sections aren’t as extensive as one may find on the channel, they’re still enough to provide solid and intriguing background for each recipe, making this quite the unique addition to one’s kitchen cookbook library.

Meanwhile, now that I better understand this book, I personally appreciate it a lot more for what it is. However, if you're like me, then you may just be happier as you already are as you keep a watchful eye out for the latest Tasting History episode in your Youtube subscriptions.

[Johanna Lehto · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.9 stars

All the recpies I tried here has been tasty and great. Plus, as a history lover, I found the bits where he writes the history if the dishes as a lovely bonus. Also, so happy that Max Miller also puts on celcius, mililiter and gram for us that don't use American mesurment system.

The only thing I missed was some of the nice recepies from Titanic that he showed on his channel.

Other then that, this cooking book is perfect. I really hope he will make another cookbook as well in the near future.

[Brandon Westlake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even in this day of digital recipes and quick Googling to find something to truly delight dinner guests, I still have faith in cookbooks. They are windows into other cultures, an example of the serendipitous discovery, and a way to think about art. This cookbook takes that to a new level. How much has been written of these cultures from which these recipes came? But how many of them let us step back into time and experience the same sensations that those in history have? Not many.

This book is one that I would describe not just as inspiring (I definitely want to make some of these) but also relaxing and reassuring. One one hand, it is good to let the mind wander about the history behind these recipes, and think about how these ingredients come together into something that would be so appealing. In another sense, it gives us recognition that our cooking is not as time consuming as it used to be, nor is it as time-consuming to find quality ingredients. Not saying that I am proud to live in a fast cooking world (or fast food, at that).

Sure, there are recipes here that I will not touch, but I honestly don't see that as a reason for not getting the book. We can dip in and out of time through this book, and depending on your ambitions and curiosity, stay there longer than others.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic historical cookbook on its own, but even better as a companion to Max Miller’s wonderful Tasting History video series on YouTube.

Our entire family has been obsessively interested in Miller’s YouTube cooking series for a few years now, and we’ve attempted to copy a few of the recipes at home. So I was thrilled to get the actual cookbook (which includes different/more recipes from the show) so that we would have more to learn and more to test out at home.

The book is organized by region and includes lovely
photographs of the dishes as well as some supplementary historical material. Some are easier than others to recreate at home, as there are a few with difficult to find ingredients, but they’re all loads of fun to read about. It’s a great way to learn historical tidbits, both for kids and adults.

Highly recommend this one, and recommend watching Miller’s YouTube show as well!

*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

[Hedgehogbrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tasting History is a thoroughly researched, beautifully photographed book of foods throughout history. People used whatever was in season and local for their meals, becoming quite creative in allaying the monotony of eating the same food day after day. Actual recipes in the original languages are interpreted into English and into modern ingredients. A glorious read.

[Leticia Ramos · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am familiar with Max Miller's work on YouTube. I am quite a fan of watching him cook and telling the history of the dish. I enjoyed that he took that concept and recreated it in print form. Getting the original snippet of what the recipe was written like, a historical tidbit, and the modern interpretation of the recipe felt like I was reading an episode. Part of me wish this was more a history of food but I enjoy and greatly appreciate that it is still a practical cookbook. I cannot wait for this to be in print so I can add it to my cookbook collection.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Tasting History.

What a great book! This was such a fun read.

I love to eat (I'm a lousy cook) and I love history so Tasting History is a beautiful mix of two of my favorite things.

I'm not familiar with the author's YouTube channel but I can see why he's so popular.

The author takes ancient recipes and adapts it for modern tastes, providing the historical background behind each recipe.

I learned so much, from how Fannie Farmer got her start, from the origins of eggnog and the first African American chef and cookbook author.

I also enjoyed the old timey fun timey photos and illustrations, the photos of the recipes came through well on my Kindle.

Some of the recipes are labor intensive and time consuming and I appreciate the author's precise attention to detail and ingredients.

Tasting History is a unique blend of cooking magic and fascinating history behind some of the most iconic (and lesser known) recipes.

I wished this had been longer!

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love food. I love history. Beautifully done.

[Brad Benson (moving to StoryGraph) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very entertaining book! The perfect blend of nerdy history and interesting (and, most often requiring reasonable capability) recipes of both dishes we both know & love and those most of us have never experienced before. And I might add, a lovely representation of ancient, Western, Eastern, and New World foods. Loved it!

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher.
This cookbook is focused on exploring history through history, as per the title. I started reading this book without the knowledge that the author has a Youtube channel on this subject, so I had no expectations of him. There are over 60 recipes from around the world. They are organized by place and then time period. The author took the historic recipes and adapted them for the modern kitchen. Each recipe has a section preceding it that gives historical and cultural context. He also includes a section at the beginning that tells about historic ingredients and their modern equivalents and how to find or make them. There are not pictures for every dish, but the ones that are there are good. There are also historic drawings and pictures.
This is a good book for those interested in history and/or cooking. I really enjoyed the book and look forward to making the dishes and plan on buying a physical copy for my kitchen.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book reminds me of how important food/cuisine is to cultures. Tasting History is at least half history along with a modernized recipe for each chosen dish or drink. I have to admit most of the recipes, even modernized, seem too rich (after all who would have heard of skim milk or margarine before well into the 20th century) or too complicated for what I like to prepare these days. This is a fun and interesting look into regions divided by The Ancient World, The British Isles, Continental Europe, The Near and Far East, and The New World. I love that an approximate date is provided for each recipe to give an idea of when it was served. Each selection starts with the 'traditional' recipe which, for most of history, is shockingly vague. Kudos to the author for taking his on as a pandemic project to figure out the specifics and what works. My rating is 5 stars for this is a page turning for the fascinating histories, recipes, and great photographs throughout.

[thebiblioaddict · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the history in this book! The authors obviously did their research in order to make it as accurate as possible. I love discovering the origins of recipes and honestly the weirder the better. Some should just stay in history but it is great to look back and see how meals were formed and developed. It was a great read and had some cool recipes listed.

[Nancy Motto · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like reading cookbooks. The author and You Tuber, Max Miller presents recipes from all over the world through different time periods from thirteenth century Babylon to Twentieth century Texas. I really enjoyed reading the origins of the food and their ingredients. He also presents the recipes in modern form with adaptations for for today's kitchens.

[emyrose8 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, such a thorough, in depth look at recipes throughout the ages. I love that we get the original recipe plus an adapted recipe with substituted ingredients for hard to find/extinct items so modern cooks can attempt. The history behind the recipes is equally interesting to read.

[Renato · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have not previously listened to the podcast of the same name, so when I received this as a gift, I was very charmed at the notion of focusing just as much on the history of a dish as much as its execution.

With recipes ranging over millennia, I was very appreciative of the 2-page rare spice guide that they front load in the books first pages. I planned a year's worth of cooking from this book and was able to find a website to source these hard-to-find-herbs.

And now, a list of some of my recent conquests, and a few thoughts to accompany them:

Farts of Portingale - Loved this one, had repeated it 3 times with many variations.

Sally Lunn Buns - I was not a fan of these, but the people

Pomodori Farciti all'Erbette - This one was a mess...tomatoes are not meant to be stuffed like peppers.

Lemonade - I was surprised they had this in here (especially as the recipe was very basic), but you have to remember this is also a book about history, so if this drink has an interesting story, it belongs here.

Gingerbread I was surprised at the twist in this one: the main ingredient is not what you think it is.

Hippocras - a spiced wine that guests enjoyed

Hummus Kassa - [TBD] - this is the one I am very excited to make - there are so many flavour and texture elements here.

[strôbeari · Rating 2 out of 5]

Edit: Changing it to a 2 star

I read this mostly for the historical tidbits and disregarded the recipes altogether. I appreciated the concept of combining historical fact with interactive elements, but, overall, it doesn't take itself too seriously. Which, unfortunately, is what led to me feeling considerably underwhelmed.

The book is divided into geographical areas (which are then divided chronologically) and it shouldn't come as a surprise that most of the book is comprised of European recipes. Whether it was Ancient Rome or Greece, medieval England, or modern (relatively) Germany or France, these countries definitely occupied an overwhelming majority. I understand the logistics and practicality and reasonings of this choice, but I was disappointed nonetheless.

I'm glad other countries were included (and to be fair, there was an entire section (albeit short) dedicated to the "Near and Far East"), but I also have a specific bone to pick with regards to the "New World" section. Out of all the countries in North, Central, and South America, only Mexico and the United States were included! I know the effects of colonization were atrocious but indigenous people are still here and they had to eat! (Not to mention calling it "New World"; this one is a personal pet peeve since I have a specific and intense dislike of that term.)

A quick read, if nothing else.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon Element for the opportunity to read Tasting History pre-publication in exchange for a fair review. This will appear on Goodreads immediately.

Well researched, there is nothing more fun than reading about food for this foodie. From ancient times to the 1900s, the origins of recipes is fascinating to me. Each meal comes with a brief (too brief) history of the dish and its ingredients, then launches in to a recipe for you to try. Certainly many of the dishes look to me better left alone, but some would be worth the challenge.

I already recommended this to other foodies I know. This was a fun diversion from books I normally read. I'll mention it to book club.
4*

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been following Max Miller's Youtube channel since its inception. The cookery and history lessons he brings forth are fascinating, and we've even tried a couple of recipes.

So, it stands to reason that we just had to have this cookbook. It does not disappoint; just like in the videos, the history and original documentation for each dish are included, along with photographs. Intended for the home cook, to be sure, but I'm certain that reenactors dedicated to rediscovering historical foodways will find much to love (and eat) here.

Highly recommended.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fantastic historic cookbook full of recipes I absolutely will never be making.🤣

I’m always torn by cookbooks like this. Part of me wonders, what’s the point? Is this an exercise in historic recreation, or a scholarly approach to the culinary world?? Is there anyone out there who would actually be moved to consume some of the more fascinating (but frankly disgusting) offerings??

It was a fun read, but not practical enough to occupy room on the actual kitchen shelf. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[Bianca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've discovered "Tasting History" through the author's YouTube channel, which piqued my curiosity about his book. Although I don't have a sweet tooth, I found myself more intrigued by the desserts than the main courses. This might be because many main courses are quite acidic, which I prefer to avoid. The desserts often rely heavily on dried fruit, which is great if you enjoy that, but not ideal if it's not your favorite. The Parmesan cheese ice cream sounds interesting, though I'd prefer a substitute for the 235 ml of simple syrup it calls for. The pancakes use 475 ml (1 pint) of whipping cream, which seems rich. Some recipes are lower in sugar, but not all. The Egyptian hummus has a lengthy list of ingredients, yet it might still be something I'd like to try.

Despite some reservations, I found that nearly 40% of the recipes interest me. If you're into history, there's much to learn from this book. Some recipes I'd like to cook include the Parthian chicken, French onion soup with milk, Little Chinese meat cakes, and Mexican tamales. The Texan pecan pie sounds delicious, and the bread pudding, which apparently originated in the USA in 1862, also caught my attention. You live and learn!

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fan of the YouTube channel Tasting History with Max Miller or not, this book is fantastic. The food photography is amazing, the writing is great, and even the few recipes that you probably won't ever make or even like (looking at you Spartan Black Broth) are worth their inclusion for the history. The history snippets are interesting and informative, for the history buff or the casual interest. It's very obvious that a lot of work, time and care went into this book. From the design, the recipes, the photos and the book itself, it's well put together and the work and care shows. The YouTube channel is fantastic and I also highly recommend it for even more historical recipes and entertaining commentary (and the many wonderful reaction gifs, not just the Hard Tack one used above).

[Laurie Sefton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been watching "Tasting History with Max Miller" for over a year, so I was happy to get a copy when the book became available for review.

I wasn't disappointed. Max Miller can combine entertainment with well-researched material to provide a cookbook with excellent historical commentary. The book can be read as history. The reader can pick an interesting recipe, read its history, note the modern replacements for ancient and/or unfeasible ingredients, and follow Miller's recipe and instructions to produce their own historical cuisine.

Max Miller's writing style mirrors his online presentations--"Tasting History with Max Miller" is both highly enjoyable and educational!


Five stars: Very highly recommended

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tasting History is exactly what the title promises: history told through food, made approachable and entertaining. The book includes delights like the English Farts of Portingale recipe, which leads into the German Nun Farts—and an even cheekier French cousin.

Each recipe is introduced with a concise, funny blurb explaining its origins and significance, which is where the book truly shines. The recipes aren’t quick, but they’re thoughtfully adapted with clear measurements and substitutes for hard-to-find ingredients.

I made the Capon in Milk and Honey from 1390, and it was lovely—deeply rich and a surprisingly fresh (or rather, old) combination of flavours.

Spanning a wide range of cultures and eras, this is a delightful mix of history, humour, and culinary curiosity. Even the most absurdly named dishes sound delicious.

[Rev · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love history, so when I saw this book on the shelf at the library I knew I had to give it a flip through. There's a wide variety of recipes in here from a range of time periods, and it was so interesting to see what people were eating when. There were many recipes that I want to try at some point as well.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, this is a cookbook, but it's also more. I have been watching Tasting History on YouTube off and on for a few years and have really enjoyed it, and I loved this cookbook just as much. There's a bit of history (and humor) given with each recipe, and it really is neat how Max Miller is able to connect the food of a place with its culture and heritage. It's a quick read and very fun.

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tbh, I think this was bought for me as a joke since I want wouldn't shut up about his YouTube channel. However, it does have some very intriguing recipes and is a great starting point to jump off of for creating your own unique creations. I would highly recommend it to anybody who has it at least a little bit of experience in cooking and is looking for inspiration

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5. This is a beautiful book. It’s not just about the recipes but the history and the artwork and the emotions associated with the time periods. Keep where guests can read and admire.

The first recipe I’m going to make is Aztec Chocolate. Cacao drink for gods and kings. Yum.

[Joshua Kvasnik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very entertaining!!