The Official Downton Abbey Cookbook (Downton Abbey Cookery)

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Let’s not forget the photography and mouthwatering visions of meals, separated by the Upstairs and Downstairs menus. Book Review — “The Official Downton Abbey Cookbook” by Dr. Annie Gray (2019) published by @weldonowen The basic reaction, which happens when food is browned, gives much-needed depth of flavor and nuttiness to both the sauce and the cauliflower. If you want the

There are things I would have done differently – less sauce on my fillets, making sure my fruit didn’t bob to the top of the mold (or what ends up being the bottom)– maybe my fruit pieces were sliced too thin and hence too light?Recipe Note from the book: This is an English classic, and done badly, it remains the source of nightmares for many people forced to prepare and cook at school. ( where it was often done with the whole cauliflower, serve soggy on the outside and raw in the middle)

Food is a constant presence at Downton Abbey and the focus of daily life and festive occasions. The enticing recipes in The Official Downton Abbey Cookbook provide an evocative and fascinating portrait of life, upstairs and downstairs, during the Edwardian era and in to the 1920s. This book was very much lovingly crafted and is no small work. The detail about the food being served and how it reflects the class system, time period and traditional foodways of England is riveting. Annie Gray is not merely a food historian, she's also a brilliant food writer who clearly loves food as much as you or I do. Each of the recipes here in this book are crafted specifically to highlight the traditional dish it is based upon. I found everything in this work interesting and something that I would want to cook. As someone who has watched the series myself as a fan, I did not expect that to be the case when I went to read this book. I assumed going in, that I would be dealing with a lot of fussy food gourmet food -over prepared and excessive, I could not have been more wrong. The book is divided into sections: Soups, Fish and Shellfish, Meat, Game and Roasts, Meat Pies and Savory Puddings, Sides and Vegetables, Sauces, Savories, Desserts and Sweets, Drinks. The recipes are modernized for modern kitchens but recipe notes explaining the history of some of the recipes and how they would have been prepared. The notes also explain the differences between English and American traditions and tie-in the traditions to the characters. The Meringues were delicious, and the Raspberry Fool that fills them is very easy to make, and very light and tasty. Each of the sections that discuss the series "Downton Abbey" in various ways are informative and educational, but are never "over-done" There are multiple discussions of the Grantham Family as well as the servants, but there is also a greater discussion of British Society and history as well. As Downton Abbey is a snapshot of British Class and the way the people of England interacted and lived together. The research and historic work that went into this cookbook is clear. I believe the TV show is a great window into this time in history and the author proves this successfully.You don't need to be an experienced cook to enjoy this book, but if you are, it will most certainly make you itchy to break out your batterie de cuisine. I'm going to start by making some pikelets, a crumpet-like form free muffin. Yum. It will be the beginning of a long, I hope, cooking adventure.j Food historian Annie Gray in The Official Downton Abbey Cookbook offers up not only a feast for the eyes and the palette, but a marvelous historical journey through the lives, the country homes, the foods, the kitchens, and the people who populated such places as the fictional Downton Abbey. Lots of interesting facts, recipes, and more. Some other of my "tagged recipes" in THE OFFICIAL DOWNTON ABBEY CHRISTMAS COOKBOOK are Apple and Celery Salad, Roasted Parsnips, a few sauces, Hazelnut Cake with Coffee Icing, Wardley Cake, and Smoking Bishop (I already know what non-alcoholic liquid I can substitute for the bottle of red port in the latter recipe!). If you love to cook and/or you're interested in the history of food, this might be a terrific book for you to get hold of. Not to mention that it's also about some of the delicious dishes you might've seen while watching Downton Abbey!

In the chapter titled "Breakfast" we are presented with some traditional dishes such as "Kedgeree" (a dish of fish, rice and eggs), English Muffins(sounds hard to make, but not so much after reading this.), "Deviled Biscuits"(a perfect savory brunch offering), and "Pikelets" (a sort of free form crumpet that could become part of your daily home repertoire). A brief history of this meal begins the chapter and there are asides on the baking of bread in the Grantham household. Additional notes for each recipe gives historical and cultural information. Weldon Owen doesn't skimp on their cookbooks, even during a Pandemic. This is a gorgeous, full-color, hardcover book filled with Christmas recipes and traditions from Britain's past. Some are from long before the Downton Abbey days, traditions that carried over and some are from the future but classics of British Christmas tables the Crawleys probably would have known. Make sure you set your oven to the right temp, I accidentally baked my first batch at 250 vs 200 and ended up with mocha colored meringues (still very good, and I’ll use them with chocolate ice cream). But I did have to make them over for this dinner.

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Added benefit is the historical context — adding extra facts to the DA story shows how much effort went into the series to be historically appropriate. As the book is reflecting the divided class of Downton Abbey, and the cookbook likewise is divided (mostly) into two parts. There are in this book recipes for the gentry and the recipes for the servant class respectively separated. The introduction gives an excellent overview of the way food was important in British society and also how the dishes served were different for the various classes. As history (and science) moved forward, the availability of food and access to foodstuffs, electricity, refrigeration also changed the way the classes ate. Featuring stunning photographs of dishes and the beloved series, plus notes on customs of the time, quotes from characters, and descriptions of scenes, this unique cookbook provides vivid context for the dishes and brings the show to life. Savor the rich traditions and historic flavors of Downton Abbey for contemporary palettes with Cornish Pasties, Jam and Custard Tarts, and more!