A Taste of London in Food and in Pictures w. Potted Cheese, Yorkshire Pudding, Chelsea Buns and more -- Vintage Cookbook TBT

Vintage Cookbook: A Taste of London in Food and in Pictures, Theodora Fitzgibbon


Publication Details: Pan, 1976

A Taste of London in Food and in Pictures is as much a social history and vintage photography collection as it is a cookbook. This should, I suspect, make it rather appealing to many readers of The Left Chapter and it is well worth seeking out a used copy.

The book gives a variety of classic and traditional British recipes each of which is accompanied by a photo and text that either details the photo or provides background about the dish in question. Altogether it is fascinating culinary portrait of a London past. A London almost of fable as this is the London, good and bad, of Dickens and Sherlock Holmes.

There is much I had to leave out here, such as recipes for Bubble and Squeak, Crumpets, and Pigeon Pie. It was hard to pare it down but I chose some for their historic resonance such as Roast Beef with Yorkshire Pudding, and others for their novelty such as Stuffed Roast Veal with Anchovy Sauce.

You can look forward to some adaptations of lamb and beef recipes from this cookbook that we are not including here but will be sharing shortly.

(Click on images to enlarge)

 See also: The Pauper's Cookbook: A Cookbook for the People from the 1970's U.K.

See also: Mary Poppins in the Kitchen w. Dundee Cake, Welsh Rarebit, Yorkshire Pudding & more! -- Vintage Cookbook TBT