Londoners' Larder : English Cuisine from Chaucer to the Present

Description: Describes the characteristic foods and methods of public and private food service in London during eight historical periods, deriving much of the information from literary sources and presenting the information in association with literary figures (Chaucer, Shakespeare, Pepys and Evelyn, Dr. Johnson, Dickens, Wilde, Woolf, and the "Changing Larder, 1939-1990." In chapter 1, "Geoffrey Chaucer" (pp. 11-29), Hope surveys the market centers in Chaucer's London, mentioning streets set aside for certain products. She discusses cultivation of vegetable and herb gardens, even by small householders, and the popularity of street vendors and cook shops such as Hodge of Ware's, since many town dwellers lacked proper kitchens, and fuel was expensive.; With the GP Cook, Chaucer refers to a current scandal involving spoiled meat and food poisoning. Hope reviews laws for food handlers and punishments for abuse. She describes "subtleties," or elaborate table creations; a cookbook, "The Forme of Cury"; and foods on the GP Franklin's table, giving nine recipes from the period.

Chaucer Subjects: Background and General Criticism; Cook and His Tale.; Franklin and His Tale.