Take a Goose or a Duck is full of culinary stories about old friends like Markham and Mrs. Beeton and essays that give fresh insight. It proves that British food is intriguing and wonderful. It will be my favourite bedtime reading for the foreseeable future. Regula Ysewijn, author of Pride and Pudding and The Official Downton Abbey Christmas Cookbook
In Take a Goose or a Duck, Cynthia Bertelsen takes on two persistent myths of modern culinary history with a breezy, casually conversational style, and solid research that is anything but casual. As she champions Britain’s unjustly maligned culinary heritage, she also presents a lively argument for the often-ignored yet critical role it played in shaping our own. Damon Lee Fowler, author of Classical Southern Cooking and recipe developer and editor for Dining at Monticello: In Good Taste and Abundance
Take a Goose or a Duck is a comprehensive exploration of English cooking and its influence in America. A proper page-turner, this study of culinary history is as addictive as it is entertaining. This is an essential read for cookbook enthusiasts and history buffs on both sides of the pond. Sam Bilton, author of First Catch Your Gingerbread
Cynthia Bertelsen dips her finger deeply into every delicious pie in these essays. She is an M.F.K. Fisher for a new century. Take a Goose or a Duck: Eclectic Essays on English Cookery Through the Ages is essential, beyond measure, for every worthy kitchen and culinary collection. Leo Racicot, author of Alone in the Yard: Buddhist, Beat & Otherwise
From fat dormice to spicy Tikka Masala, Take a Goose or a Duck outlines the incredible journey of English cooking through the centuries. What did the Romans cook in Britannia? Where did Henry VIII’s Hampton Court cooks get the ingredients needed to feed hundreds of people every day? How did English sailors survive long voyages to the New World? Why did English manor houses like Highclere Castle, the real Downton Abbey, come about? What lies behind recipes inspiring participants on The Great British Baking Show ? Why is English cooking the Mother Cuisine of the United States? And why is culinary appropriation a fallacy? Using original sources, historic cookbooks, and vintage recipes, Cynthia D. Bertelsen explores England’s vast culinary history in this collection of quirky and provocative essays.
