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Eating for England: The Delights and Eccentricities of the British at Table [Paperback]

Nigel Slater
3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
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Book Description

2 Jun 2008

Written in a style similar to that of Nigel Slater’s multi-award-winning food memoir ‘Toast’, this is a celebration of the glory, humour, eccentricities and embarrassments that are the British at Table.

The British have a relationship with their food that is unlike that of any other country. Once something that was never discussed in polite company, it is now something with which the nation is obsessed. But are we at last developing a food culture or are we just going through the motions?

‘Eating for England’ is an entertaining, detailed and somewhat tongue-in-cheek observation of the British and their food, their cooking, their eating and how they behave in restaurants, with chapters on – amongst other things – dinner parties, funeral teas, Indian restaurants, dieting and eating whilst under the influence.

Written in Nigel Slater’s trademark readable style, ‘Eating for England’ highlights our idiosyncratic attitude towards the fine art of dining.


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Eating for England: The Delights and Eccentricities of the British at Table + Toast: The Story of a Boy's Hunger
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Product details

  • Paperback: 320 pages
  • Publisher: Harper Perennial (2 Jun 2008)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0007199473
  • ISBN-13: 978-0007199471
  • Product Dimensions: 13 x 2 x 19.7 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 30,397 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Amazon Review

How long does it take before somebody becomes a national treasure? It’s certainly happened to Nigel Slater, and Eating for England is a highly enjoyable reminder of just why we esteem the estimable Mr Slater. Subtitled The Delights & Eccentricities of the British at Table, this is wonderfully entertaining stuff, explaining such matters as how some of our most cherished foods are the result of frugality (bread and butter pudding, for instance, is the direct result of utilising a few slices of leftover bread and a pat of butter, rather than culinary aspiration). As Slater points out, the British have a relationship with food which is quite unlike that of any other nation -- for many years, we were reluctant to discuss food matters (leaving culinary discussion to, for instance, the French), but we now appear to be in the grip of a national food obsession, with program after program on television and -- inevitably -- a host of books on the subject. But few are written as entertainingly as Nigel Slater’s. It isn't just the discussion of food itself (from haute cuisine to the humblest of comfort foods) that’s so diverting here, but other sociological (and tongue-in-cheek) related matters, such as ‘A Teenager at the Table’ (‘The shoulders droop, the head hangs sulkily down, eyes glaring intently at an invisible spot on their lap. Their whole body seems to say ‘I'm not eating this’). And Nigel Slater is perfectly happy to address subjects not found in any other food books (such as the modest chocolate bar -- different varieties are entertainingly compared and contrasted).

This is a personal portrait of the British and their food, filled with love of the eccentricities and peculiarities that encapsulate the national character. And it's great fun. --Barry Forshaw --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

'Like Slater's joyous descriptions of toast, this book is warm, buttery and just a bit crusty. But his love for these disregarded foods transforms them from throwaway childhood confections into family retainers.' F.T. Magazine

'This is food writing with a masterchef. As ever, Slater is also very funny; why, indeed, do the British puddings syllabub, flummery, blancmange sound like they are being enunciated under water?' The Times

'Slater is one of our most talented cookery writers.’ Daily Telegraph

'A joyously tongue-in-cheek nostalgic mix…yum, yum.' Jenny Uglow, Sunday Telegraph


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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
113 of 123 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A Book of Delights 7 Oct 2007
By Sarah Durston TOP 1000 REVIEWER VINE™ VOICE
Format:Hardcover
This book isn't quite what I was expecting. Rather than a narrative, it is written as a series of musings and snapshots of typically British foods, ways of eating, British eccentricities and Slater's own memories of certain foods.

It includes all the foods you'd expect (Marmite, Coleman's mustard, Abbey Crunch Biscuits et al) but also some more unusual but very English things such as the appeal of Fray Bentos pies; Churches at Harvest Festival and the lovely clunking noise that Quality Street toffees make when they hit the roof of your mouth.

What is lovely about this book, apart from the quality of the writing, is the complete absence of food snobbery. Slater seems to get as much joy from Dairylea triangles as he does from aged Parmesan. I also love the way he admits to sneaking a look inside other people's trolleys at the supermarket and his thoughts about 'food fascists'. Here is an example from his piece on treacle tart:

'Those irritating harridans on television who persist in telling us how to dress, think and of course eat would no doubt rather die than tuck into a slice of this golden sugary pie. Which is why they are no fun. Leave them to their mung beans. That way there will be more treacle tart left for us.'

Hear, hear!

It strikes me that Nigel Slater would be the perfect dinner guest and this book is the perfect read whilst you're waiting for your egg to boil.

Enjoy!
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32 of 35 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Liked it for what it is 2 May 2008
Format:Hardcover
Most of you, if you're cookbook collectors, know by now that you rarely get a straight-through cookbook. Rather, it's usually a melange of "where this recipe came from" coupled with some history and/or the author's comments. Such, even more so, is the case with EATING FOR ENGLAND.

This is really not so much a cookbook as a reminiscence and "thoughts" about cooking and England. I was immediately reminded of the novel "Barring Some Unforeseen Accident" in that the author incorporates an actual cookbook within the novel (not anything you're going to want to make, by the way). The way that author pokes fun at cookbooks and their "makers" is very funny, and if you've read enough of these, you'll see what I mean.

My only real complaint with the book is that if you're under thirty, you might not remember or warm to some of the recipes and rembrances that are in this wonderful read. Other than that, have at it.

One thing is for certain, Nigel Slater is passionate about food--and England--and this makes for a very entertaining read. If you're English, you'll understand ninety percent of this book. If you're not, you'll get an education. Either way, the fodder inside is as tasty as the cover looks. I would also recommend any of Delia's books, or FRUGAL FOOD for those looking to save a bit or two.
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39 of 44 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Is there a finer modern writer on food than Nigel Slater? I doubt it. The language, imagery and nostalgic remembrance of food he utilises in his writing creates a blend that will often leave you smiling in recognition, and like all good food, leaving you wanting more.

But whilst this book has all the elements of a great food writer at his best, it suffers (in my opinion anyway) from being really badly edited. There are countless short vignettes and reflections on British food and eating culture that unfortunately suffer from being split up from each other and dotted about the book, resulting in a lot of repetition. Thus we have Slater again and again repeating the same comments made earlier in the book as if he has forgotten that he had already mentioned them, or variations on the same theme. This book could have been so much more substantial if the various common themes (e.g farmers markets vs. supermarkets; the history of different puddings and cakes; chocolates and sweets) had been grouped together into longer essays rather than the shorter segments that they are.

One suspects this was done as a Christmas gift book to be placed in the loo. Which is a shame. Not only does it result in repeated comments, it also results in Slater contradicting himself: take for example his comment on the Rich Tea biscuit, "What sort of person chooses a pale, dry Rich Tea when there are so many other more interesting biscuits to choose from?", but later on, "I get agitated when people put its straightforward character down." Small pedantic errors also jar...in a section devoted to "The Glorious British Chocolate Bar", he refers to Maltesers, Black Magic and Rolos - none of them in my definition chocolate bars. Maybe it's just laziness...but the book could have been so much better had it been better edited.

Despite that, one should not take away from the basic fact that Nigel Slater is simply a brilliant writer. His forensic analysis on how and what we eat (the process of eating a custard from Marks made me shiver in identification with him!!) is awesome. And no-one but no-one can make the eating of toast as sexy as he does.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Eating For England
I loved this book by Nigel Slater on Eating For England. Well written, and researched, best to tuck into this delight on a full stomach as it gets you yearning to head for the... Read more
Published 1 month ago by John
5.0 out of 5 stars A Memory Feast
I loved this book. It was a wonderful walk down memory lane,and Nigel writes from the heart making me laugh and cry with his unique observations.
Thank you Nigel. Read more
Published 1 month ago by S. E. MacQuarrie
1.0 out of 5 stars E Numbers
This awful, self-regarding rubbish should be buried in a 'warm, velvety smooth and achingly tender, lime and rose-scented' deep grave.
Published 2 months ago by Tim
5.0 out of 5 stars Quirky
Daughter had wanted it for Christmas so was absolutely delighted when she opened it as one of the various presents I gave her.
Published 4 months ago by C Wyatt
5.0 out of 5 stars 'Eating For England' is a sheer delight!
This is a delight. I read 'Toast' earlier this year, having read an extract by chance, and believe it is the best autobiography I have read of this kind. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Peter D Woodroffe
5.0 out of 5 stars Nigel is a treasure
I bought this as a gift for a friend as I already had a copy. It is an immensly enjoyable read - a coffee table book you can open at random and enjoy each and every page. Read more
Published 5 months ago by barbara peters
4.0 out of 5 stars Eating for England - not Great Britain
The insularity of this book of short notes on English food is at once its delight and its problem. There is much one recognises with a smile and fond memories from a sixties... Read more
Published 5 months ago by postwork
4.0 out of 5 stars Typical Nigel Slater
This is typical Nigel Slater it is well written, witty and amusing. He writes about traditional English delicacies and idiosyncratic food. Read more
Published 7 months ago by cab
3.0 out of 5 stars Nigel Slater.
Nigel really does write beautifully and evokes many fabulous memories of food; its smell, sight and taste. Some of the memories are not so lovely, but described well none the less. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Mrs. L. Hammond
5.0 out of 5 stars I couldnt put this down
Nigel Slater at his best. Amusing and fun and a bit nostalgic. Anything he writes is music to my eyes. Read more
Published 20 months ago by K. von Schenk
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