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Eating for England: The Delights and Eccentricities of the British at Table
The British have a relationship with their food that is unlike that of any other country. Once something that was never discussed in polite company, it is now something with which the nation is obsessed. But are we, at last, developing a food culture or are they just going through the motions?
"Eating for England" is Nigel Slater's personal portrait of the British and their food. A celebration of the glories, humour, eccentricities and embarrassments that make up that extraordinary thing that is the British at table.
"Eating for England" is Nigel Slater's personal portrait of the British and their food. A celebration of the glories, humour, eccentricities and embarrassments that make up that extraordinary thing that is the British at table.
280 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
69 people are currently reading
917 people want to read
About the author
Nigel Slater
80 books412 followersNigel Slater is a British food writer, journalist and broadcaster. He has written a column for The Observer Magazine for seventeen years and is the principal writer for the Observer Food Monthly supplement. Prior to this, Slater was food writer for Marie Claire for five years. He also serves as art director for his books.
Although best known for uncomplicated, comfort food recipes presented in early bestselling books such as The 30-Minute Cook and Real Cooking, as well as his engaging, memoir-like columns for The Observer, Slater became known to a wider audience with the publication of Toast: The Story of a Boy's Hunger, a moving and award-winning autobiography focused on his love of food, his childhood, his family relationships (his mother died of asthma when he was nine), and his burgeoning sexuality.
Slater has called it "the most intimate memoir that any food person has ever written". Toast was published in Britain in October 2004 and became a bestseller after it was featured on the Richard and Judy Book Club.
"I think the really interesting bits of my story was growing up with this terribly dominating dad and a mum who I loved to bits but obviously I lost very early on; and then having to fight with the woman who replaced her ... I kind of think that in a way that that was partly what attracted me to working in the food service industry, was that I finally had a family." As he told The Observer, "The last bit of the book is very foody. But that is how it was. Towards the end I finally get rid of these two people in my life I did not like [his father and stepmother, who had been the family's cleaning lady] - and to be honest I was really very jubilant - and thereafter all I wanted to do was cook."
In 1998 Slater hosted the Channel 4 series Nigel Slater's Real Food Show. He returned to TV in 2006 hosting the chat/food show A Taste of My Life for BBC One.
Slater has two elder brothers, Adrian and John. John was the child of a neighbour, and was adopted by Slater's parents before the writer was born.
He lives in the Highbury area of North London, where he maintains a kitchen garden which often features in his column.
Although best known for uncomplicated, comfort food recipes presented in early bestselling books such as The 30-Minute Cook and Real Cooking, as well as his engaging, memoir-like columns for The Observer, Slater became known to a wider audience with the publication of Toast: The Story of a Boy's Hunger, a moving and award-winning autobiography focused on his love of food, his childhood, his family relationships (his mother died of asthma when he was nine), and his burgeoning sexuality.
Slater has called it "the most intimate memoir that any food person has ever written". Toast was published in Britain in October 2004 and became a bestseller after it was featured on the Richard and Judy Book Club.
"I think the really interesting bits of my story was growing up with this terribly dominating dad and a mum who I loved to bits but obviously I lost very early on; and then having to fight with the woman who replaced her ... I kind of think that in a way that that was partly what attracted me to working in the food service industry, was that I finally had a family." As he told The Observer, "The last bit of the book is very foody. But that is how it was. Towards the end I finally get rid of these two people in my life I did not like [his father and stepmother, who had been the family's cleaning lady] - and to be honest I was really very jubilant - and thereafter all I wanted to do was cook."
In 1998 Slater hosted the Channel 4 series Nigel Slater's Real Food Show. He returned to TV in 2006 hosting the chat/food show A Taste of My Life for BBC One.
Slater has two elder brothers, Adrian and John. John was the child of a neighbour, and was adopted by Slater's parents before the writer was born.
He lives in the Highbury area of North London, where he maintains a kitchen garden which often features in his column.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
June 24, 2020
Nigel Slater is a foodie known in the UK for his television programs and newspaper columns. Not as edgy as Gordon Ramsay, as matey as Jamie Oliver, or as ethically clued-in as Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, he doesn’t have a particular shtick. A middle-of-the road, middle-class type, he’s all about simple comfort food. We have a few of his cookbooks.
As in his memoir, Toast, food links in to nostalgia for childhood. In 200 or so essays that range from a paragraph to a few pages in length, Slater extols everything from marmalade to Brussels sprouts. He devotes by far the most time to the sweet stuff, though, considering the respective merits of every type of biscuit, candy, chocolate bar and pudding. There’s a clear love here for teatime treats (“Afternoon tea may be the only meal we take that is purely and utterly for pleasure”) and for stodge (“Is there something in our demeanour, our national psyche, which makes heavy, rather bland food sit so comfortably with us?”).
This was all pleasant, if inconsequential. I enjoy ‘observing the English’ type books because I’m familiar enough to recognize everything but still foreign enough to enjoy the quaintness and contradictions. What rubbed me the wrong way, though, were the arch portraits of kinds of cooks. I don’t often write in my books, but I found myself leaving corrective comments in the margins in a few places, especially on “The Slightly Grubby Wholemeal Cook,” an unhelpful stereotype of the “dirty hippie.” His ideas about hygiene and political correctness are a little off in this one. I also objected to his annoyance at people who won’t simply split the bill after a meal out (I’ll pay for what I ordered, thank you), and his defense of the gollywog used in Robertson’s advertising seems particularly ill judged at the current moment.
Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.
As in his memoir, Toast, food links in to nostalgia for childhood. In 200 or so essays that range from a paragraph to a few pages in length, Slater extols everything from marmalade to Brussels sprouts. He devotes by far the most time to the sweet stuff, though, considering the respective merits of every type of biscuit, candy, chocolate bar and pudding. There’s a clear love here for teatime treats (“Afternoon tea may be the only meal we take that is purely and utterly for pleasure”) and for stodge (“Is there something in our demeanour, our national psyche, which makes heavy, rather bland food sit so comfortably with us?”).
This was all pleasant, if inconsequential. I enjoy ‘observing the English’ type books because I’m familiar enough to recognize everything but still foreign enough to enjoy the quaintness and contradictions. What rubbed me the wrong way, though, were the arch portraits of kinds of cooks. I don’t often write in my books, but I found myself leaving corrective comments in the margins in a few places, especially on “The Slightly Grubby Wholemeal Cook,” an unhelpful stereotype of the “dirty hippie.” His ideas about hygiene and political correctness are a little off in this one. I also objected to his annoyance at people who won’t simply split the bill after a meal out (I’ll pay for what I ordered, thank you), and his defense of the gollywog used in Robertson’s advertising seems particularly ill judged at the current moment.
Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.
July 6, 2011
really liked this, foody and funny. Couldn't put it down hence reading it in record time! Found myself laughing at and agreeing to alot of things - especially related to the entry regarding Toblerone and how it is impossible to break it or bite it which inevitably ends up with whole triangle being crammed into mouths sideways! Loved the mention of Custard Creams, Murray Mints, Scones, Rock, Marmite etc etc - had it also included the Nutty Bar of the late 70's and early 80's, Appeal Powdered Orange Juice Ice Magic and Soda Streams - it would have been perfect! Sit down with a cup of tea and devour this book.
February 13, 2021
Titbits about the social and psychological significance of different English (but with brief forays to the rest of the UK) food and eating habits, especially those of his childhood in the 60s and 70s (thus overlapping somewhat with the more autobiographical Toast (see my review HERE).
If you're a similar age to him, and grew up middle class in England, it's particularly nostalgic; if not, bits of it may be baffling.
Most topics are only a few paragraphs, and although sometimes one leads into another, it is perhaps better to dip into than read cover to cover (though I did the latter and polished it off in a pleasant Sunday afternoon). Actually, it’s very like “Toast”, but without a chronological narrative and with a little more repetition.
Some passages are very poetic, some very funny (e.g. most British puddings are really just glue - grey flour and water, and why Digestives are the dunking choice of adrenaline junkies) or acerbic (writing about new men in the kitchen). Some sections are reminiscent of Alan Bennett, though at times he is more campaigning than AB (e.g. about how little society cares about how and what the elderly are fed and the need to support local independent food shops).
The only negative was that I was a little put out by his suggestion that the few people who don't want dishwashers are women who would feel they had no purpose in life if they couldn't wash the dishes by hand! And the fact he repeats himself a little too often (did I say that already?) – get a better editor.
If you're a similar age to him, and grew up middle class in England, it's particularly nostalgic; if not, bits of it may be baffling.
Most topics are only a few paragraphs, and although sometimes one leads into another, it is perhaps better to dip into than read cover to cover (though I did the latter and polished it off in a pleasant Sunday afternoon). Actually, it’s very like “Toast”, but without a chronological narrative and with a little more repetition.
Some passages are very poetic, some very funny (e.g. most British puddings are really just glue - grey flour and water, and why Digestives are the dunking choice of adrenaline junkies) or acerbic (writing about new men in the kitchen). Some sections are reminiscent of Alan Bennett, though at times he is more campaigning than AB (e.g. about how little society cares about how and what the elderly are fed and the need to support local independent food shops).
The only negative was that I was a little put out by his suggestion that the few people who don't want dishwashers are women who would feel they had no purpose in life if they couldn't wash the dishes by hand! And the fact he repeats himself a little too often (did I say that already?) – get a better editor.
Read
January 2, 2025A delightful glossary of English dishes, with mouth-watering descriptions and self-deprecating but fond evaluations of their taste and sophistication in comparison with other countries' counterparts. Dishes are featured and jumbled in no apparent particular order, including: English roast; lardy cake; Lancashire hotpot; beef stews; rice puddings; pan haggerty; crumpets and teacakes; English muffins; teacle tart; gravy; Yorkshire pudding, roast lamb; roast potatoes; parsnip and redcurrant jelly; steak-and-kidney pie; mutton puddings; boiled beef and carrots; scones; custard creams; bourbon biscuits; so on and so forth
December 30, 2017
This is a delightful book of essays on the best, worst, and lost foods of his British childhood. There are multiple things in here that I agree with, especially about the Brits and their gravy, and a few things that I don't, I have to admit I like Marmite. The essays were a combination of humorous and poignant and I enjoyed every one. This was definitely a great find on Book Outlet.
January 2, 2015
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2021
I love food. The best thing about living abroad or going on holiday is going to foreign supermarkets and try whatever seems interesting and different.
Now I have lived in the UK for the past 3 years (moving back to the Netherlands next week), so I have a fair idea about what's going on foodwise here. That is why I wanted to get into this book now, just in case I'd missed something and this was my last chance to eat it.
What a disappointment. This book consists of about 150 short bits (too short to call chapters) which are full of cringworthy generalisations and stereotypes in the genre of ALL French people are Michelin starred chefs, while ALL Brits puddle at the level of beans on toast.
Some issues and annoyances:
Stews:
"Ours is the colour of washing-up water and smells of old people", in my opinion a rather unfair description.
Cakes:
"The Continental cake is slim, shallow, understated. It may be flavoured....the box will be tied with a loop of the thinnest pink ribbon, from which it can dangle elegantly from a begloved Parisian hand."
So Continental = French?
Shopping on the Internet:
On the downside of online shopping:"the accidental ordering of the wrong colour loo roll (what exactly DO you do with the nine apricot-coloured bog rolls?"
I would suggest the same thing as you do with non-apricot-coloured bog rolls?
It can be entertaining to complain about small things, but the many silly irritations that Nigel Slater gets into in this book just makes me want to shout at him to get a life.
Bread and Butter Pudding:
In this little chapter Slater poses that British cooking is led by frugality, with the bread and butter pudding as a prime example. Of course bread and butter pudding is a typical left-over/waste not want not dish, but it is presented here as a typical British quirky thing where of course in other countries people wouldn't dream of it.
Well Nigel, have you heard of pain perdu, wentelteefjes, scheiterhaufen,...?
Eating Soldiers:
"I have never eaten a boiled egg"
Now I have lived in the UK for the past 3 years (moving back to the Netherlands next week), so I have a fair idea about what's going on foodwise here. That is why I wanted to get into this book now, just in case I'd missed something and this was my last chance to eat it.
What a disappointment. This book consists of about 150 short bits (too short to call chapters) which are full of cringworthy generalisations and stereotypes in the genre of ALL French people are Michelin starred chefs, while ALL Brits puddle at the level of beans on toast.
Some issues and annoyances:
Stews:
"Ours is the colour of washing-up water and smells of old people", in my opinion a rather unfair description.
Cakes:
"The Continental cake is slim, shallow, understated. It may be flavoured....the box will be tied with a loop of the thinnest pink ribbon, from which it can dangle elegantly from a begloved Parisian hand."
So Continental = French?
Shopping on the Internet:
On the downside of online shopping:"the accidental ordering of the wrong colour loo roll (what exactly DO you do with the nine apricot-coloured bog rolls?"
I would suggest the same thing as you do with non-apricot-coloured bog rolls?
It can be entertaining to complain about small things, but the many silly irritations that Nigel Slater gets into in this book just makes me want to shout at him to get a life.
Bread and Butter Pudding:
In this little chapter Slater poses that British cooking is led by frugality, with the bread and butter pudding as a prime example. Of course bread and butter pudding is a typical left-over/waste not want not dish, but it is presented here as a typical British quirky thing where of course in other countries people wouldn't dream of it.
Well Nigel, have you heard of pain perdu, wentelteefjes, scheiterhaufen,...?
Eating Soldiers:
"I have never eaten a boiled egg"
May 19, 2021
I had nothing against Nigel Slater before reading this. But this rambling collection is like listening to an opinionated acquaintance review all the biscuits they have eaten with random asides about stuff their Nan used to make. You or I could have written it, and we might at least have made it entertaining or informative, (neither of which this is.) But of course no one would dream of publishing it if it wasn’t written by a well-known foodie. Shame.
And don’t even start me on the snobbishness, sexism and general luvviness. Nigel Slater lives in a world where no-one would dream of drinking instant coffee and no packed lunch is complete without a Tunnocks tea cake.
And don’t even start me on the snobbishness, sexism and general luvviness. Nigel Slater lives in a world where no-one would dream of drinking instant coffee and no packed lunch is complete without a Tunnocks tea cake.
June 27, 2024
For the most part I enjoyed this, despite the fact that it appears I don't actually much like British food (with the notable exceptions of scones and a good quality sausage! *insert crude joke here*)
When I cook for my family, it's often Italian, Mexican or Indian (or, if my menfolk get their way: burgers). My stews are French. If I'm lucky enough to get to cook just for myself, it's generally Greek, Middle Eastern or North African.
When I can, I sneak in Japanese or Indonesian...
Slater says the British have a love of boiling things, and I know that's the perceived stereotype. Personally the only boiling I do is my pasta water, potatoes for mash or the kettle for a cup of tea (only I generally drink green tea, so take it off before it boils anyhow 😆).
But still, this was an entertaining look at a long list of foods I'm personally not overly impressed with, but YMMV.
The one thing that did really lower the tone for me though, was a section where he was talking about going out for a meal with friends and sharing the bill afterwards. He was scathing about the one woman who didn't have a starter and didn't drink any wine, who wanted to only pay for her share, rather than the higher amount she would have had to pay if they'd split the bill evenly.
He tore into her saying she obviously didn't belong there, wasn't a friend, someone had mistakenly included this person in the invitation...
It didn't even occur to him that maybe she didn't have a starter or wine because she couldn't afford it!!! It really bugs me when obviously well-off people (he shows his ignorance of what it is like to struggle to make ends meet several times in this book. lucky guy!) seem to think that a person is worthless because they're watching what they spend. Entitled prat.
When I cook for my family, it's often Italian, Mexican or Indian (or, if my menfolk get their way: burgers). My stews are French. If I'm lucky enough to get to cook just for myself, it's generally Greek, Middle Eastern or North African.
When I can, I sneak in Japanese or Indonesian...
Slater says the British have a love of boiling things, and I know that's the perceived stereotype. Personally the only boiling I do is my pasta water, potatoes for mash or the kettle for a cup of tea (only I generally drink green tea, so take it off before it boils anyhow 😆).
But still, this was an entertaining look at a long list of foods I'm personally not overly impressed with, but YMMV.
The one thing that did really lower the tone for me though, was a section where he was talking about going out for a meal with friends and sharing the bill afterwards. He was scathing about the one woman who didn't have a starter and didn't drink any wine, who wanted to only pay for her share, rather than the higher amount she would have had to pay if they'd split the bill evenly.
He tore into her saying she obviously didn't belong there, wasn't a friend, someone had mistakenly included this person in the invitation...
It didn't even occur to him that maybe she didn't have a starter or wine because she couldn't afford it!!! It really bugs me when obviously well-off people (he shows his ignorance of what it is like to struggle to make ends meet several times in this book. lucky guy!) seem to think that a person is worthless because they're watching what they spend. Entitled prat.
February 25, 2021
The British have always had a strange relationship with food, if you don’t believe me have a look here. There are smells that just the whiff of can bring the memories from childhood rushing back, whether it is nail varnish and the hint of pear drops or the sulphurous odour of cabbage from school dining rooms. Gone are the days when food is seen as fuel only and we have passed through the celebrity chef phase, the growth of farmers markets and are now at a point where we have a small, if slightly elitist, food culture.
Slater has some strong opinions on all things to do with food, from the buying, preparing, eating and observations on how others consume the things that they eat. He has selected over 200 subjects that are as wide-ranging as fudge, mustard, toast, after eight mints and spangles and written either a couple of paragraphs or a short passage on each.
These short sharp essays are all food-focused and are full of bone dry humour and razor-sharp insights. We have been getting better at foodie related things than we ever were, but there are still some habits that are utterly unique to this country such as rhubarb and custard, Fray Bentos and midget gems.
Curly, golden brown, not unlike a hobbit’s toenails yet so obviously of the pig, scratching have a following all over the Midlands that could almost be described as fanatical.
There were several times that I found myself laughing at his pithy observations. It did occasionally feel a bit repetitive, I am not sure how many musings I read about toast in one form or other, but As ever his writing is a joy. It there was one flaw, I personally would have liked them grouped into themed sections rather than scattered all over the place.
Slater has some strong opinions on all things to do with food, from the buying, preparing, eating and observations on how others consume the things that they eat. He has selected over 200 subjects that are as wide-ranging as fudge, mustard, toast, after eight mints and spangles and written either a couple of paragraphs or a short passage on each.
These short sharp essays are all food-focused and are full of bone dry humour and razor-sharp insights. We have been getting better at foodie related things than we ever were, but there are still some habits that are utterly unique to this country such as rhubarb and custard, Fray Bentos and midget gems.
Curly, golden brown, not unlike a hobbit’s toenails yet so obviously of the pig, scratching have a following all over the Midlands that could almost be described as fanatical.
There were several times that I found myself laughing at his pithy observations. It did occasionally feel a bit repetitive, I am not sure how many musings I read about toast in one form or other, but As ever his writing is a joy. It there was one flaw, I personally would have liked them grouped into themed sections rather than scattered all over the place.
December 12, 2022
This would have been more fun if I were English. Or had been to England. Or were planning to go to England. But I am not/have not/am not likely to, so it just wasn't my cup of PG Tips. If you are/were/will be any of those things, or are just a foodie, your kilomterage may vary.
The joke has it that in heaven, the police are British, the chefs are Italian, the mechanics are German, the lovers are French, and it's all organised by the Swiss, and in hell, the police are German, the chefs are British, the mechanics are French, the lovers are Swiss, and it's all organised by the Italians. Nothing in this book persuaded me to think they were lying about the British.
Narrated by the author, so at least I didn't have the added unpleasantness of having to listen to someone mispronounce and misunderstand everything.
The joke has it that in heaven, the police are British, the chefs are Italian, the mechanics are German, the lovers are French, and it's all organised by the Swiss, and in hell, the police are German, the chefs are British, the mechanics are French, the lovers are Swiss, and it's all organised by the Italians. Nothing in this book persuaded me to think they were lying about the British.
Narrated by the author, so at least I didn't have the added unpleasantness of having to listen to someone mispronounce and misunderstand everything.
February 19, 2019
I would have enjoyed this so much more if Nigel Slater wasn't such an insufferable snob
August 23, 2021
Reasonably amusing, and brought back some 'sweet' memories, but got a little repetitive after a while.
December 2, 2023
Nigel Slater is a great food journalist, but extended to book length this has no cohesion or impetus and often veers into snobbery. Filler, not filling.
April 2, 2023
Loved the real sense of nostalgia!
Probably best for folks who grew up in Britain to truly get the references!
I for one thought it was great!
Probably best for folks who grew up in Britain to truly get the references!
I for one thought it was great!
August 6, 2012
Wonderful. I haven't actually read it cover to cover so posting a review may seem somewhat disengenuous - as it is, the book is not so much a sit down and eat it up in a single sitting, rather, take the time to flick through every now and again to find a treasured food memory. Split into short paragraphs about British foodie topics, anyone who enjoys food or indeed wants to rekindle some nostalgia for childhood will enjoy this book. Slater does memory so well that it is difficult not to feel great warmth from pieces covering the ritual unwrapping and pressing of KitKat foil or more obvious turns such as the polarising effect of Marmite. Although I am still a loss to explain why - apart from the physical resemblance - Nigel Slater reminds me a great deal of Alan Bennet. There is something quintessentially British "lovable bookish" sort of chap about the both of them, a trait which comes through in their writing. Other books are worth a read on this topic (culinary oddities) such as The Gentlemans Relish, but the tone is distant and cold when compared with Slater and his unmistakable passion for the quirks of a culinary life.
August 2012 Update:
I have now read this book cover to cover, and still concur with the earlier review seen above. In fact my complete digestion of Nigel Slater's observational memoir would suit his style perfectly: I enjoyed it a few pieces at a time while crunching celery, cheese, and on occasion a chocolate bar during my work lunch (half) hour. The perfect way to read it for as long as colleagues are a good humoured bunch, you can share the most tantalising and rib tickling treats from this smorgasbord of all our fond food memories.
August 2012 Update:
I have now read this book cover to cover, and still concur with the earlier review seen above. In fact my complete digestion of Nigel Slater's observational memoir would suit his style perfectly: I enjoyed it a few pieces at a time while crunching celery, cheese, and on occasion a chocolate bar during my work lunch (half) hour. The perfect way to read it for as long as colleagues are a good humoured bunch, you can share the most tantalising and rib tickling treats from this smorgasbord of all our fond food memories.
June 26, 2015
Even by the low standards of a Frankenbook of "musings" that is intended for the impulse purchase table at Urban Outfitters, this book is disappointing. There are about 150 "chapters", which seems like a vast collection until you realize they are just one or two paragraphs each. Don't expect much evocative or well researched insight into British food habits. Instead you get a bunch of humorless anecdotes and dry rants on judgemental stereotypes so unoriginal that they actually start to repeat themselves half way through the book (ex. "The Economical Cook" and "The Tight Arse Cook" are pretty much identical and I wouldn't be surprised if there's a triplet hiding in the last half of the book - past the point where I gave up on this crap collection). Really disappointing since I very much liked Nigel Slater's Tender cookbook but if you expect any wit and grace, steer clear of this one.
June 28, 2017
I’ve been a fan of Nigel Slater for a long time. His writing, the humor, his recipes and gardening tips….I’ll read anything he writes. This collection of essays in Eating for England is top notch. As you read his very descriptive writing you can mentally see exactly what he’s talking about. This particular book was published in England and isn’t an American edition. The quality of the actual book is fantastic. The paper is weightier, there is a silk ribbon attached into the spine to mark your pages and the jacket is heavy and smooth. It’s a gorgeous book.
If you are an Anglophile you’ll love this book for the description of everyday life; the shopping, getting tea ready, interactions in the shops, offices and home. I like this book even more than I did his autobiographical account in Toast.
This one will always have a place on my overcrowded boom shelf.
If you are an Anglophile you’ll love this book for the description of everyday life; the shopping, getting tea ready, interactions in the shops, offices and home. I like this book even more than I did his autobiographical account in Toast.
This one will always have a place on my overcrowded boom shelf.
May 1, 2012
A lovely descriptive book of British eating habits. This man is a national treasure and I just loved this book.
Back Cover Blurb:
The British are an eclectic bunch, and no more so than when it comes to food. Eating for England is Nigel Slater's affectionate and lively journey around the food - and characters - we find in our shops and kitchens nationwide. Fondly remember Chocolate Limes, or Old English Spangles? Love Fruit& Nut, Dairylea triangles, pear drops and Rich Tea? You aren't alone - food is at the heart of the nation's collective memory, and in bite-sized anecdotes, Nigel celebrates British food past and present from all corners of the country. Curious characters emerge wherever there's food to be boasted about, bought, cooked or eaten......
Back Cover Blurb:
The British are an eclectic bunch, and no more so than when it comes to food. Eating for England is Nigel Slater's affectionate and lively journey around the food - and characters - we find in our shops and kitchens nationwide. Fondly remember Chocolate Limes, or Old English Spangles? Love Fruit& Nut, Dairylea triangles, pear drops and Rich Tea? You aren't alone - food is at the heart of the nation's collective memory, and in bite-sized anecdotes, Nigel celebrates British food past and present from all corners of the country. Curious characters emerge wherever there's food to be boasted about, bought, cooked or eaten......
October 31, 2011
Mr Slater has collected short vignettes and essays where he reminisces, celebrates or ridicules some of the most celebrated and some of the quirkier aspects of the eating habits of the British(despite it having England in the title). A genuinely funny, joyful book. I never thought that a few lines about a certain biscuit would make me smile and want to spread the word. Shame he doesn't carry this comedy into his tv show. Even if you aren't a cookery/food fan, this would go down a treat for all y'all.
BRILLIANT!
BRILLIANT!
May 4, 2012
A thick book of short essays about British foods that Slater grew up with, or his parents did and his observations about newer choices in the market. I had a hard time putting it down, as this book explains what barley water, treacle tart or good Lord, spotted dick, are, as you hear them mentioned in a movie or a book and wonder. Slater also writes about many British treats that are now extinct or on the verge and manages to bring his grumpy father and racist aunt into his food memories. A must for Anglophiles or foodies.
January 25, 2008
could have done with an edit - he repeated observations and sometimes even witty comments about items which irritated rather than amused. if they were interspersed throughout the book he could've gotten away with it but they were often in entries right after each other so it felt like he wrote this in a great hurry to get it out in time for the christmas rush. but it had its amusing moments and induced intense cravings for british snacks or sauces in dino.
January 2, 2008
Much preferred this to Toast. Thin-lipped Slater has redeemed himself. His homages to biscuits and confectionary in particular reads like light effortless poetry. I wish though he would lay off the sexual innuendo though - I can imagine him Leslie Phillips-like opening biscuit tins and going 'well Hell-ooo...'
July 25, 2011
Some little gems in here, but ultimately very unsatisfying. A very very very easy read, which needed a decent editor - not to pare it down, but to structure it.
July 3, 2012
Very interesting. Like did you know jelly babies were originally called peace babies when they were brought out after the war.
August 24, 2012
Really like Nigel's writing style, gentle humour, a book to dip in and out of and bring back some nostalgic memories, Spangle anyone?
November 21, 2021
I really enjoyed Toast, which I read several years ago. I loved this one at first. There was so much nostalgia, and it was fun to remember foods that I had completely forgotten about. I think that I would have enjoyed this book more if I had read it differently, slowly over time rather than reading it straight through. This book would be more suitable as a coffee-table book, one to pick up and browse through from time to time. Also, I would only recommend this to older-generation Brits. Now, I want to go to the supermarket and look for some Branston Pickle.
British Cakes
“British cakes have a certain wobbly charm to them, and what might be missing in terms of finesse is there in lick-your-fingers stickiness. Fruit-laden Genoa, chunky marmalade, Irish seed cake and glorious coffee and walnut are not delicacies you eat politely with a cake fork, they are something you tuck into with the enthusiasm of a labrador at a water bowl.”
Chocolate Bars
“Those genius men and women who invented the best-known chocolate bars might be surprised by their enduring success. I sometimes wonder if we are more fond of our national chocolate bars than of any other single food item. The curious thing is that there are so few of them, and what is more, that most of them were invented in the space of just seven years. The Mars bar, Black Magic, Aero, Maltesers, Quality Street, KitKat, Rolo, Crunchie, Cadbury’s Wholenut and my beloved Smarties were all invented between 1930 and 1937. As Roald and Felicity Dahl put it in their charming Roald Dahl’s Cookbook, ‘In music, the equivalent would be the golden age, when compositions by Bach, Mozart and Beethoven were given to us.’”
Jam
“To the French, the Italians, the Turkish and all the other great preserve-makers, the perfect jam is all about the flavour, the amount of fruit, and a texture poised somewhere in that heavenly state between syrup and a lightly set jelly. To the Spanish, the Swedish and the Bosnians too, it should have visible fruit suspended in a luscious jelly the colour of a jewel in a royal crown. To the British jam-maker, all that seems to matter is ‘the set’. When you mention, casually and perhaps over coffee, that you made jam last weekend, the question will not be ‘Does it taste wonderful?’ but ‘Did it set?’ The British jam-maker is obsessed with getting their jam so stiff you could turn the jar upside down and the contents would stay put. The rest of Europe makes jam that slides sexily off the mound of clotted cream and dribbles down the edge of the scone (an exquisite moment if ever there was one). We make jam that sits prim and straight, like a Victorian child at Sunday school. Commercially produced British jam is easily spotted because it stays put when the jar is moved from side to side. We make jam a little bit like ourselves. A jam that is a bit uptight and reserved, a preserve that wobbles tautly rather than falls off the spoon with a slow, passionate sigh.”
Quality Street
“Quality Street also remain the only chocolates on earth that audibly squeak as you unwrap them.”
“Leave an open box of Quality Street in a room, and even the faddiest chocolate connoisseur will probably have nicked one by the time you come back. Even if you can resist the assortment of the, frankly rather sweet, chocolate toffees and fondants themselves, there is much pleasure to be had in simply rustling through the box.”
Rhubarb and Custard (how I miss both! – it’s been over three decades)
“Sweet, smooth custard sauce to soften the astringent blow of the fruit; a yellow blanket to put out the acid fire. This is why it is best not to oversweeten the rhubarb, so you get a pleasing hit of both sharp and smooth in the mouth. Scientifically, sweetening the fruit is less effective, as it is the action of the oxalic acid in the rhubarb that curdles the proteins in the egg custard.”
Trifle
“Layer after layer of frivolity. Is there anything quite so heavenly as the deep, cool luxury of a home-made trifle? (It is what I imagine angels eat when they are not practising the harp.)”
British Cakes
“British cakes have a certain wobbly charm to them, and what might be missing in terms of finesse is there in lick-your-fingers stickiness. Fruit-laden Genoa, chunky marmalade, Irish seed cake and glorious coffee and walnut are not delicacies you eat politely with a cake fork, they are something you tuck into with the enthusiasm of a labrador at a water bowl.”
Chocolate Bars
“Those genius men and women who invented the best-known chocolate bars might be surprised by their enduring success. I sometimes wonder if we are more fond of our national chocolate bars than of any other single food item. The curious thing is that there are so few of them, and what is more, that most of them were invented in the space of just seven years. The Mars bar, Black Magic, Aero, Maltesers, Quality Street, KitKat, Rolo, Crunchie, Cadbury’s Wholenut and my beloved Smarties were all invented between 1930 and 1937. As Roald and Felicity Dahl put it in their charming Roald Dahl’s Cookbook, ‘In music, the equivalent would be the golden age, when compositions by Bach, Mozart and Beethoven were given to us.’”
Jam
“To the French, the Italians, the Turkish and all the other great preserve-makers, the perfect jam is all about the flavour, the amount of fruit, and a texture poised somewhere in that heavenly state between syrup and a lightly set jelly. To the Spanish, the Swedish and the Bosnians too, it should have visible fruit suspended in a luscious jelly the colour of a jewel in a royal crown. To the British jam-maker, all that seems to matter is ‘the set’. When you mention, casually and perhaps over coffee, that you made jam last weekend, the question will not be ‘Does it taste wonderful?’ but ‘Did it set?’ The British jam-maker is obsessed with getting their jam so stiff you could turn the jar upside down and the contents would stay put. The rest of Europe makes jam that slides sexily off the mound of clotted cream and dribbles down the edge of the scone (an exquisite moment if ever there was one). We make jam that sits prim and straight, like a Victorian child at Sunday school. Commercially produced British jam is easily spotted because it stays put when the jar is moved from side to side. We make jam a little bit like ourselves. A jam that is a bit uptight and reserved, a preserve that wobbles tautly rather than falls off the spoon with a slow, passionate sigh.”
Quality Street
“Quality Street also remain the only chocolates on earth that audibly squeak as you unwrap them.”
“Leave an open box of Quality Street in a room, and even the faddiest chocolate connoisseur will probably have nicked one by the time you come back. Even if you can resist the assortment of the, frankly rather sweet, chocolate toffees and fondants themselves, there is much pleasure to be had in simply rustling through the box.”
Rhubarb and Custard (how I miss both! – it’s been over three decades)
“Sweet, smooth custard sauce to soften the astringent blow of the fruit; a yellow blanket to put out the acid fire. This is why it is best not to oversweeten the rhubarb, so you get a pleasing hit of both sharp and smooth in the mouth. Scientifically, sweetening the fruit is less effective, as it is the action of the oxalic acid in the rhubarb that curdles the proteins in the egg custard.”
Trifle
“Layer after layer of frivolity. Is there anything quite so heavenly as the deep, cool luxury of a home-made trifle? (It is what I imagine angels eat when they are not practising the harp.)”
December 4, 2023
I don't know Nigel Slater, but based on this book, I'm guessing he would snort and chortle at this description: the perfect read for colonoscopy prep. It's true! I was looking for short sections that didn't require attention, would make me smile, and would bring a bit of cozy to a not-cozy condition.*
As with Nigella Lawson (oh I AM a Nigella aficionado) there are splats of delight almost every page just reading the British words for food: wibbly wobbly custard, splodge, scrag, pong, excessively liverish.
There's a strong nostalgic vibe, a lot of childhood memories. But often enough Slater ventures away from the couth and edges to the crude. I read the first half in one day (see above) and enjoyed it. But the last half left me saying 'huh'.
*I don't have the guts to make a bookshelf "Bathroom book"
As with Nigella Lawson (oh I AM a Nigella aficionado) there are splats of delight almost every page just reading the British words for food: wibbly wobbly custard, splodge, scrag, pong, excessively liverish.
There's a strong nostalgic vibe, a lot of childhood memories. But often enough Slater ventures away from the couth and edges to the crude. I read the first half in one day (see above) and enjoyed it. But the last half left me saying 'huh'.
Marmite Savoury tar for your toast. As shiny as a lovingly polished army boot, saltier than a mouthful of seawater, stickier than treacle, and somehow the work of the devil... Though quite why liking or not liking a staggeringly salty, yeast-derived spread only edible in minute quantities should be a sign of one's patriotism is debatable.
*I don't have the guts to make a bookshelf "Bathroom book"
June 20, 2025
This is a collection of short thoughts and essays (perhaps stretching that term) about the eccentricities of the English culinary tradition, even though it talks about food from across the UK (perhaps eating for Britain would be better).
It hits all the nostalgic points for an ex-Brit who hasn't lived in the country for approaching 2 decades, recalling uniquely British brands and childhood cultural memories.
To me, it sums up the British experience - stuck in the past, self aware while gently mocking with an overly serious sense of self worth, a strong sense of smugness and more than a dash of xenophobia and prejudice (more of the sexism/gender stereotype variety here). All of which occasionally breaks through the more simple delight of reminiscing about favourite biscuits and chocolate bars of my youth, leaving a sometimes unpleasant taste in the mouth.
Like the best of these type of books, it was read piecemeal in the bathroom.
It hits all the nostalgic points for an ex-Brit who hasn't lived in the country for approaching 2 decades, recalling uniquely British brands and childhood cultural memories.
To me, it sums up the British experience - stuck in the past, self aware while gently mocking with an overly serious sense of self worth, a strong sense of smugness and more than a dash of xenophobia and prejudice (more of the sexism/gender stereotype variety here). All of which occasionally breaks through the more simple delight of reminiscing about favourite biscuits and chocolate bars of my youth, leaving a sometimes unpleasant taste in the mouth.
Like the best of these type of books, it was read piecemeal in the bathroom.
December 23, 2019
Re-read this. And just recently re-read the book before this one: "Toast".
Well, this is not as good as Toast.
It follows a similar format, but it is much more surface-y - more just about the food items - and less biographical.
Nigel repeats himself a little here and there too.
It's still amusing it places, and still leaves a warm feeling for olde Englishe foods, but it just doesn't have the rich flavours of the previous one...
Still, it's a quick and enjoyable read. Probably approaching 3.5 stars, but I'll have to leave it as a 3.
Well, this is not as good as Toast.
It follows a similar format, but it is much more surface-y - more just about the food items - and less biographical.
Nigel repeats himself a little here and there too.
It's still amusing it places, and still leaves a warm feeling for olde Englishe foods, but it just doesn't have the rich flavours of the previous one...
Still, it's a quick and enjoyable read. Probably approaching 3.5 stars, but I'll have to leave it as a 3.
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