The Land That Thyme Forgot

Description

A gastronomic journey round the United Kingdom In the spirit of Al Dente, The Land That Thyme Forgot will describe the intrepid gastronome's search for the heart and soul of Britain through the food we eat. William Black talks to producers, restaurateurs, visits the great and the awful, and seeks out the country's disappearing specialities - tripe, Singing Hinnies, solomongundy, Hindle wakes, Sussex Pond pudding and flummery. Great names, but who on earth still eats, let alone cooks, them? Britain has a very rich culinary tradition though it is only now that we seem ready to reclaim it. Our meat can be among the best, and the worst. The quality of our cheeses has improved exponentially over the past few years. Farmer's markets are thriving. Our restaurant culture is burgeoning, and we have almost got over those ancient Puritan diktats that pleasure is somehow just not what life is all about. So, perhaps even if we have been a little forgotten in the league of culinary greats, times really are a-changing. William goes in search of lobscouse in Liverpool, finds salmon in the Severn and cheddar in, well, Cheddar. This journey through the lost traditions of British cuisine is never less than fascinating. Prepare to be amazed . . .

William Black is the author of Al Dente and the co-author with Sophie Grigson of several bestselling books- Fish, Organic and Travels la Carte. He was the winner of the Glenfiddich award for his television programme Matters of Taste and he has sourced ingredients (fish in particular) for many of the UK's finest restaurants. He lives in Oxfordshire.

'A fascinating tour round our food roots... An edible H.V. Morton - I loved it and so will you' -- Clarissa Dickson Wright 'William Black's book confirms my long-held belief that British food has a history to match any other cuisine in the world. Tragically, we've almost entirely lost touch with this heritage, but this book is a heroic step in the right direction' -- Antony Worrall Thompson 'The food world's answer to Bill Bryson' * Yorkshire Post * 'Black's history is fascinating to any reader...provides new insight into Britain's love/hate affair with food' * Waterstone's Books Quarterly * 'He delights in the overlooked and the downright unfashionable...if you've ever wondered what exactly is clapshot, or cockaleekie, or cullen skink, then this is a book for you' * Eastern Daily Press *