Spicing up Britain

The Multicultural History of British Food

Nonfiction, Food & Drink, Food Writing
Cover of the book Spicing up Britain by Panikos Panayi, Reaktion Books
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Panikos Panayi ISBN: 9781861896223
Publisher: Reaktion Books Publication: April 15, 2008
Imprint: Reaktion Books Language: English
Author: Panikos Panayi
ISBN: 9781861896223
Publisher: Reaktion Books
Publication: April 15, 2008
Imprint: Reaktion Books
Language: English

From the arrival of Italian ice-cream vendors and German pork butchers, to the rise of Indian curry as the national dish, Spicing Up Britain uncovers the fascinating history of British food over the last 150 years. Panikos Panayi shows how a combination of immigration, increased wealth, and globalization have transformed the eating habits of the English from a culture of stereotypically bland food to a flavorful, international cuisine.

Along the way, Panayi challenges preconceptions about British identity, and raises questions about multiculturalism and the extent to which other cultures have entered British society through the portal of food. He argues that Britain has become a country of vast ethnic diversity, in which people of different backgrounds—but still British—are united by their readiness to sample a wide variety of foods produced by other ethnic groups. Taking in changes to home cooking, restaurants, grocery shops, delis, and cookbooks, Panayi’s flavorful account will appeal to a wide range of readers interested in ethnic cooking, food history, and the social history of Britain.

            “Wearing his twin hats of foodie and social historian, Panikos Paniyi can appall as well as engender salivation on his tour d’horizon of the multicultural history of British food. His book demonstrates convincingly that whether drawing on its former colonial and imperial possessions . . . or on its European neighbors, the openness of British society has truly enriched its diet and produced its present-day variegated cuisine.”—Washington Times

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

From the arrival of Italian ice-cream vendors and German pork butchers, to the rise of Indian curry as the national dish, Spicing Up Britain uncovers the fascinating history of British food over the last 150 years. Panikos Panayi shows how a combination of immigration, increased wealth, and globalization have transformed the eating habits of the English from a culture of stereotypically bland food to a flavorful, international cuisine.

Along the way, Panayi challenges preconceptions about British identity, and raises questions about multiculturalism and the extent to which other cultures have entered British society through the portal of food. He argues that Britain has become a country of vast ethnic diversity, in which people of different backgrounds—but still British—are united by their readiness to sample a wide variety of foods produced by other ethnic groups. Taking in changes to home cooking, restaurants, grocery shops, delis, and cookbooks, Panayi’s flavorful account will appeal to a wide range of readers interested in ethnic cooking, food history, and the social history of Britain.

            “Wearing his twin hats of foodie and social historian, Panikos Paniyi can appall as well as engender salivation on his tour d’horizon of the multicultural history of British food. His book demonstrates convincingly that whether drawing on its former colonial and imperial possessions . . . or on its European neighbors, the openness of British society has truly enriched its diet and produced its present-day variegated cuisine.”—Washington Times

More books from Reaktion Books

Cover of the book Wasteland with Words by Panikos Panayi
Cover of the book Peter Lanyon by Panikos Panayi
Cover of the book Photography and China by Panikos Panayi
Cover of the book The Waterless Sea by Panikos Panayi
Cover of the book Sweets and Candy by Panikos Panayi
Cover of the book Art of the Yellow Springs by Panikos Panayi
Cover of the book Herman Melville by Panikos Panayi
Cover of the book Beastly London by Panikos Panayi
Cover of the book Honey by Panikos Panayi
Cover of the book The Destruction of Memory by Panikos Panayi
Cover of the book Remixology by Panikos Panayi
Cover of the book Screen of Kings by Panikos Panayi
Cover of the book Satellite by Panikos Panayi
Cover of the book The Reformation of the Image by Panikos Panayi
Cover of the book Five Photons by Panikos Panayi
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy