Fascinating exploration of the British Empire and its global trade in food and how that trade still affects what and how we eat. From the Newfoundland fisheries of the 16th century to Bridget Jones in the 20th, what we eat and where it comes from has been affected by the often complex trade links that we rarely pay attention to. This book does, and thus opens up a whole new way of looking at the Empire and its legacy. With many illustrations and some recipes, this book is not only a joy to read but also an important work of social history.

Great resource for anyone interested in the British Empire, colonization and the connection of both with food. The chapters are all centered around a dish and the history behind it. This just didn't work for me. It made it hard for me to stay in the rhythm and keep reading. I do recognize that this book contains a lot of good information and interesting stories. Maybe I will give this a second chance in the future, but right now I prefer moving on to something else.

British quest for food changed the whole world........

In this time of globalisation we take it for granted that we can access food from all around the world but this wasn't always the case. In this book Collingham looks at the impact of the British Empire on the diets back home but also those abroad. Taking as stimulus accounts from history and fiction describing food, she looks at how trade and economics have affected nutrition. The book is truly fascinating, how maize from the Americas is a staple now in Africa, how opium was traded for tea and shockingly the addiction to sugar in Britain through the ages. Packed with interesting vignettes, immaculately researched and genuinely engaging to read, this is a scholarly book with the populist touch.