English Food: A Social History of England Told Through the Food on Its Tables

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Neil’s guest today is Heather Ellis from Sheffield University. Helen is a historian of Education and she, along with academics from the University of Wolverhampton and UCL, have just embarked on an ambitious project looking at people’s experiences and memories of their school dinners in all four UK Home Nations. School dinners have been supplied by the School Meals Service – i.e. by the Government – since 1908. This is one of two books that really changed my approach to the whole subject of food. Because most books about the history of food focus on what the rich eat—just like most histories of fashion focus on that tiny one percent of society. And that’s fine, if you recognise that it’s all a daydream. But it doesn’t give you a good holistic picture of what the past was actually like. The book stops quite abruptly in 1649, so if you’re looking to understand how the ECW fed into the Protectorate or longer-term changes, this is not the book for you.

This is a history of the English Civil War, told to a considerable extent through the words of observers and participants. Letters and diaries of people such as Brilliana Harley; tracts by Garrard Winstanley (a leading Digger); the debate at Putney, between leaders and Levellers add a very human element to this history. Excellent relationships with people involved from start to finish in the process ensure the process runs as smoothly as possible. Producing just one product it’s important to get every stage of the process just right. From the mung bean growers, machinery suppliers and engineers, factory staff and customers, whether it’s a few bags or a few tonnes a week, good relationships and a consistent product are key. The original Gold Top Milk is made the traditional Guernsey and Jersey way with the cream on the top, and tastes delicious, the luxurious Gold Top Smooth is a variation whereby the indulgent cream is blended evenly throughout the entire bottle. The Gold Top family includes, butter, cream, ice cream amongst others. In our Farmshops, we work with craft producers, both locally and further afield to bring you unique products made with skill and care. In our Kitchens, there are no fast-food franchises, instead we make seasonal and simple homemade food from scratch. ​ In later centuries, constant attempts to defeat heresy brought to light a number of figures who were difficult to reconcile with Christianity. Such figures were typically created without reference to witchcraft at all, but led to the creation of the figure of the heretic witch.Established in 1954, QMP was set up in association with milk producers throughout the country to market and promote their new brand, Gold Top. Trewithen Dairy believe in prioritising the environment and protecting its rural surrounds for generations to come. It takes good soil and healthy pastures to produce the very best milk. Their ‘Earth Milk Project’ is their journey to produce carbon neutral milk through regenerative farming techniques while protecting wildlife on the pastures. Clip of Philip Harben demonstrating boiling techniques: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj-tapF1kgU

A rich and indulgent history, English Food will change the way you view your food and understand your past. J Pao and Co. Ltd. is the market leader in growing fresh Beansprouts in the UK. It was founded in 1963 by Joseph Pao who emigrated from Shanghai in the 1950’s. Working as an engineer he dabbled in growing Beansprouts in his spare time, and bit the bullet in 1963 to start commercial production, working from a mews garage in Paddington to supply Chinese restaurants. Within a few years he was supplying restaurants and supermarkets.

Purkiss' history of the ECW was something of a slog for me to get through. The general idea as given is admirable: to look at the English Civil War as something that involved people, and see how various people were impacted by it. There are two kinds of food historians. Ones who try out the recipes, and the ones who just copy them down. I’m the first kind. So I got really interested in how very few of us there are—there are honourable exceptions. Others will study without ever making their own bread or their own jam, or trying anything out themselves. It was a truly memorable occasion, honouring excellence in our industry. It was also a joyous celebration of outstanding work and a wonderful opportunity to meet old friends and new.