Historic Heston Blumenthal - Heston Blumenthal

British gastronomy has a grand old tradition that has been lost over
time. Now our most inventive chef is out to reclaim it. Heston
Blumenthal, whose name is synonymous with cutting-edge cuisine, still
finds his greatest source of inspiration in the unique and delicious
food that our sceptered isle once produced. This has been the secret to
his success at world-famous restaurants The Fat Duck and Dinner, where a
contrast between old and new, modern and historic, is key.

Historic
Heston charts a quest for identity through the best of British
cooking that stretches from medieval to late-Victorian recipes. Start
with twenty-eight historic dishes, take them apart, put them together
again and what have you got? A sublime twenty-first-century take on
delicacies including meat fruit (1500), quaking pudding (1660) and mock
turtle soup (1892). Heston examines the history behind each one's
invention and the science that makes it work. He puts these dishes in
their social context and follows obscure culinary trails, ferreting out
such curious sources as The Queen-like Closet from 1672 (which
offers an excellent method for drying goose). What it adds up to is an
idiosyncratic culinary history of Britain.

This glorious book
also gives a unique insight into the way that Heston works, with
signature dishes from both The Fat Duck and the double Michelin-starred
Dinner. With a beautiful cover illustrated by the genius that is Dave McKean, his
illustrations throughout, and some of the most
superb food photography you'll ever see, Historic Heston is a
book to treasure. You think you know about British cooking? Think again.