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Why does British food have such a bad reputation?

Alice Loxton and Ben Henderson explore how French fashions, industrialisation and wartime rationing have tarnished Britain’s culinary reputation.

Is British cooking a crime against food? Or is this a foreign plot to do down Britain?

Ben Henderson and Alice Loxton investigate the history behind Britain’s culinary reputation. They explore how British aristocrats turned towards French food from the 1600s, while Britain’s peasant cuisine was crushed by the industrial revolution and land enclosures. Finally, they examine the enduring legacy of World War Two rationing.

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Key Sources:
English Food: A People’s History - Diane Purkiss
Much Ado About Cooking - Sam Bilton
Cooking & Dining in the Victorian Country House - Peter Brears
Beef and Liberty - Ben Rogers
The English Table: Our Food Through the Ages - Jill Norman

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35 minutes

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