[Sca-cooks] Mrs. Groundes-Peace's book was Spices in England

[Johnna Holloway]

I have reshuffled a few books on the shelf and laid my hands on my copy 
of Mrs. Groundes-Peace’s Old Cookery Notebook. It was published in 1971 
by the Cookery Book Club in the UK. Zara Groundes-Peace collected 
culinary material during the last years of her life but died in 1966 
before publishing her history of English food. Robin Howe then undertook 
to assemble part of her material into a rather quaint volume of culinary 
lore.

It turns out that it is not a very good source as regards historical 
dating or for use in food history.
This is the book that states that “BRAZIL NUTS These were used from the 
time of Henry III.” page 25.

The entry on Sugar reads:  “SUGAR Imported to Britain from India and 
Arabia in 1535” page 36

The work states that the English printed cookbook came off the Caxton 
press in 1500. It didn't of course.
That honor goes to Pynson and it wasn't Caxton's press.

There are numerous other errors, problems, mistakes, etc.

In as much  Zara  Groundes=Peace lived in the 20th century I am somewhat 
mystified by the statement
you made regarding  "that her 15th Century household received something 
like a spoonful or less of sugar per month."

Zara didn't have a 15th century household and I can't locate that set of 
"facts" in the book as edited by Robin Howe.

Perhaps you are mistaken as to the source.

For an excellent history of food in England, I would suggest

Wilson, C. Anne. *Food & Drink in Britain : From the Stone Age to the 19th Century*. 1973. Numerous UK and US editions. Revised in 1991. 

 Hope this helps,

 

Johnnae llyn Lewis



Suey wrote:
>   I stand to be corrected. Now I too find no evidence that Protestants 
> prohibited spices. Stefan I believe it is in Robin Howe's, edited 
> version of Mrs. Groundes-Peace’s Old Cookery Notebook (which I do not 
> have at hand) in which he states that her 15th Century household 
> received something like a spoonful or less of sugar per month while 
> Americans in the 20th Century were consuming ? lbs per person per month, 
> the figure is extraordinary in comparison. 
>