History of Food and Drink

In the 16th century the culinary reputation of Britain was on a par with France. In fact many recipes we think of as French in origin came from Britain. Despite their French names the dessert crème brûlée and blanquette de veau, a veal stew, actually originated in Britain.

In Britain regional differences abound and result from the history, industry and fertility of areas. History determines cooking traditions and eating habits and the difference between one county and the next is often quite marked. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland reflect Celtic origins in their style of cooking. Traditional local produce such as Scots oats, Irish potatoes and Welsh laver seaweed are used to make special meat and fish soups and stews, home baked breads, scones and cakes.

London has always been fairly cosmopolitan enjoying a wider range of produce than was available in the provinces. London’s more affluent population frequently ate out at hotels, dinner parties or private gentlemen’s clubs where highly skilled chefs would be on hand to create impressive dishes. There was also a wider choice of cheap pies, chops and roasts served at inns and taverns or jellied eels and muffins from street stalls.

Since the Middle Ages specialist markets have catered to the population of the capital, some (such as Smithfield meat market) are still in operation and at their original sites. Other markets such as Covent Garden, famous for fruit, vegetables and flowers have relocated to the suburbs leaving their original buildings to be occupied by shops, restaurants and wine bars. Some of the Livery Companies, or guilds, of the City of London are still in existence today originate from the food trades of mediaeval London. You can see these origins reflected in the names of streets and areas of the City like Poultry, named after the poulterers (sellers of chickens) who were located there, Milk Street and Bread Street.

In the 16th and 17th centuries European taste for spices such as nutmeg, at the time worth its weight in gold, led to conflict between the major naval powers of the day. The English, Dutch, Spanish and Portuguese fought over the Spice Islands, a small group of islands to the north-east of Indonesia, between Celebes and New Guinea, and the spice they produced. They are known as the Spice Islands because, despite their relatively small size, they were the largest producers of mace, nutmeg, cloves and pepper in the world. The competition for spice and possession of the Spice Islands had far reaching consequences and helped to shape the map of the modern world in which we live.

The 17th century coffee houses of London became important in politics and commerce of the day as they provided the meeting places for politicians and businessmen. In 1688 Edward Lloyd opened a coffee house where insurance was traded in the back room; this was the beginning of Lloyds of London, the leading market in global insurance today. Poet and satirist of the day, Alexander Pope commented on the political customers of the coffee houses "Coffee, which makes the politician wise, And see through all things with his half-shut eyes."

Britain has played a significant role in world eating and drinking habits. Britain’s role in the spread of tea drinking and the international tea trade through the East India Company was significant. The social ritual of afternoon tea is one undeniable British contribution to western civilisation.

Britain’s taste for port and sherry has contributed to their global popularity. British traders of the 17th century, cut off from their supplies of wine from Bordeaux by frequent wars with France, developed a taste for robust Portuguese wines as an alternative. To aid their travel the wines were fortified with spirits and Port as we know it today was born. Famous British family Port and Sherry houses such as Sandeman, founded by a Scot from Perth, Taylor Fladgate and Warre are now renowned around the world.