'To write about the foods of all the countries that surround the Mediterranean could seem an impossibly ambitious task. Some fifteen countries border the sea, to say nothing of its many islands, and they span three continents. Yet when one starts to consider the matter it becomes clear that all these countries have a great deal in common, and the task seems simpler than first imagined. It is as if the sea itself has imposed a strong unifying effect on the areas surrounding it. Different as the countries may be, in terms of race, politics, religion and culture, in the end we are forced to acknowledge that food is based on quite other matters.' So says Arabella Boxer in the Introduction to her meticulously researched and beautifully organized book which constitutes a gastronomic grand tour of the region where spices, olives, tomatoes, yogurt, salads, fruit and the clever use of fish and meat combine so satisfyingly and memorably. Within these pages she conjures up the rich and colourful world of Mediterranean food.

Can ground almonds be used to thicken soups and stews? Are beetroot leaves adible? Is there such a thing as a low-fat Christmas pudding? Can herbs be frozen? What is the difference between granita and sorbet, or a mousse and a fool? Are Jerusalem artichokes related to globe artichokes? What are 'ladies' fingers'? Which type of vinegar is best for pickles? What's the best way to tackle the flesh of a pomegranate? Find the answers to all these questions - and many more - inside this reference.

A Book of English Food is an elegant compendium of brilliant recipes adapted from the cookery books of the 1920s and 1930s by Arabella Boxer, with beautiful new illustrations by Cressida Bell. Arabella Boxer's Book of English Food describes the delicious dishes - and the social conditions in which they were prepared, cooked and eaten - in the short span between the two World Wars when English cooking suddenly blossomed. The food in these wonderful recipes comes from the great country houses, where little had changed since Victorian times, the large houses in London and the South, where fashionable hostesses vied with each other to entertain the most distinguished guests at their tables, and less grand establishments, like those in Bloomsbury where the painters and writers of the day contrived to lead cultured and civilised lives on little money. Containing 200 recipes, drawn from cookery books, magazines of the period, family sources or from talking to survivors who still remember those days, A Book of English Food is a fascinating glimpse into another world, and a celebration of English cooking at its finest. ____________________________ 'That rare thing, a cookery book with an argument: viz, that English cookery was once both good and independent of the cuisines of her neighbours . . . a rollicking good read' Observer 'I find the calm elegance of her writing an inspiration' Nigel Slater 'A treasury of social gossip . . . immensely enjoyable and useful' Spectator 'A captivating exploration and celebration of the flowering of English cooking in the 1920s and 30s' Financial Times 'I recommend it, not only for its excellent food but also for the superb introductions and details of social history in the great houses with their shimmering hostesses' Evening Standard