The Biscuit: The History of a Very British Indulgence

Description

Biscuits are as British as fish and chips or the Sunday roast - and they have been for centuries. From sustenance for explorers to comfort food for a nation, here is the surprising, wide-ranging, social history of Britain through the biscuit. 'Fascinating' - Prue Leith Bourbons. Custard Creams. Rich Tea. Jammie Dodgers. Chocolate Digestives. Shortbread. Ginger snaps. Which is your favourite? British people eat more biscuits than any other nation; they are as embedded in our culture as fish and chips or the Sunday roast. But biscuits are not only tasty treats to go with a cup of tea, the sustenance they afford is often emotional, evoking nostalgic memories of childhood. Lizzie Collingham begins in Roman times when biscuits - literally, 'twice-baked' bread - became the staple of the poor; she takes us to the Middle East, where the addition of sugar to the dough created the art of confectionery. Yet it was in Britain that bakers experimented to create the huge variety of biscuits which populate our world today. And when the Industrial Revolution led to their mass production, biscuits became integral to the British diet. We follow the humble biscuit's transformation from durable staple for sailors, explorers and colonists to sweet luxury for the middling classes to comfort food for an entire nation. Like an assorted tin of biscuits, this charming and beautifully illustrated book has something to offer for everyone, combining recipes for hardtack and macaroons, Shrewsbury biscuits and Garibaldis, with entertaining and eye-opening vignettes of social history.

Lizzie Collingham taught History at Warwick University and was a Research Fellow at Jesus College, Cambridge before becoming an independent historian. Her books include Curry- A Tale of Cooks and Conquerors and The Taste of War- World War II and the Battle for Food. She is currently an Associate Fellow of Warwick University and the Royal Literary Fund Fellow at Newnham College, Cambridge. She recently completed a project researching the history of the kitchens of the Indian President's palace and regularly lectures on a gastronomic tour of Kerala. She works in a garden shed near Cambridge.

Fascinating * Prue Leith * A jam-packed book about our favourite teatime nibble * Daily Mail * An incredible journey * Daily Express * Fascinating... Collingham has pulled it off again * Spectator * [A] fascinating book... Collingham is a wonderful researcher, combining academic rigour with an eye for the captivating details that make the world more interesting -- Rachel Duffett * BBC History * Fascinating ... ranks up there with Salt and Cod by Mark Kurlansky ... Collingham has pulled it off again -- Prue Leith * Spectator * Like an assorted tin of biscuits, this charming and beautifully illustrated book has something for everyone, combining recipes with entertaining vignettes of social history * History Reveal, *Books of the Year* * Enjoy tucking into this well-researched cultural history * Waitrose Weekend, *Christmas Gift Guide 2020* * An incredible journey * Daily Express * Full of fascinating social insights and delicious recipes, it's an irresistible read * Woman's Weekly * The timing of Collingham's tome could not be better... Collingham has filled in plenty of gaps in my knowledge -- Mark Palmer * Daily Mail * Collingham's moreish history of the biscuit is entirely delectable... Lizzie brilliantly describes the way a tough, not very tasty, savoury biscuit...slowly transformed into a luxury item before becoming a staple -- Eithne Farry * Simple Things *