Many of the books quoted in the Bibliography also give insights into the depths of Victoria's larder and would elicit a quick taste I think.Īs Annie sums up 'the culinary legacy of Victoria lives on', food is complicated, time consuming, awe inspiring 'but like Victoria the person' she was 'down to earth, honest and delightful' enjoying the simple foods such as tea, biscuits, poached egg, drank whiskey and milk to. Not sure if this book is for the hardened researcher or the nibbler of history. I felt not enough titbits to keep me nibbling of Annie Gray's meander through one of England's most studied and known Queen, but forced myself to sit at the table for a little longer. I must admit after gorging on reams of foods I became a little full and found repetition giving me heartburn and wished myself for just a poached egg. Lots and lots of over egged facts, anecdotes, spurious facts (even in the copious chapter notes), extensive bibliography and to top it of an appendix with annotated and modernised recipes. Annie Gray gives us a new perspective on Britain's longest reigning monarch, viewing her through the one thing more dear to her than almost anything else: her stomach. But there was another category of servant, more fundamental, and yet at the same time more completely hidden: her cooks.įrom her greed to her selfishness at the table, her indigestion and her absolute reliance on food as a lifelong companion, with her when so many others either died or were forced away by political factors, Victoria had a huge impact on the way we all eat today. Victoria was surrounded by servants, from ladies-in-waiting, to secretaries, dressers and coachmen. More than that, though, this book will take a proper look below stairs. Annie Gray's book is both a biography of Britain's most iconic monarch, and a look at the changing nature of cooking and eating in the Victorian era.įrom her early years living on milk and bread under the Kensington system, to her constant indigestion and belligerent over-eating as an elderly woman, her diet will be examined, likes and dislikes charted, and the opinions of those around her considered. ![]() In the 19th century, a revolution took place in how we ate - from the highest table in the land to the most humble.
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