All Manners of Food: Eating and Taste in England and France from the Middle Ages to the Present

Year 1995
Pages 408

Worth buying if: You enjoy comparative cultural history between England and France.

Skip it if: You want a contemporary cookbook or recipes.

Exact edition: Edition shown · ISBN-13 9780252064906. The Amazon link uses this ISBN, so the product page should open to the edition shown here.

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Summary

Stephen Mennell surveys food, manners, and taste across England and France from the Middle Ages to the present, exploring social, cultural, and historical forces that shaped what and how people ate.

Why this book now

This 1995 study offers a long-view perspective useful for readers comparing historical eating practices amid today's renewed interest in food culture and culinary identity.

30-second preview

Two quick cards, fifteen seconds each.

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1-sentence hook

A wide-angle cultural history tracing how English and French eating habits and tastes evolved from medieval banquets to modern tables.

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Best for readers who...

Good fit if you want...

  • You enjoy comparative cultural history between England and France.
  • You want a scholarly yet readable account of eating, manners, and taste.

Maybe skip if...

  • You want a contemporary cookbook or recipes.
  • You prefer brief overviews rather than a 408-page study.
  • You only want something with very current references and examples.

Mood / Vibe Tags

scholarly comparative historical Medium length Older edition

Decided it fits?

Exact edition: Edition shown · ISBN-13 9780252064906

Worth buying if: You enjoy comparative cultural history between England and France.

Skip it if: You want a contemporary cookbook or recipes.

Buy This Edition on Amazon

Check Amazon for the current price and availability of this exact edition.

Reader guide

Cues to help you decide faster.

Reading commitment

Balanced Moderate time

At 408 pages from a university press, expect a substantial, academically grounded read that rewards steady attention.

What stands out here

This Univ of Illinois Press 1995 edition presents Mennell's comprehensive synthesis of food history across two national traditions.

Best way to approach it

Approach it as a paced cultural history: take notes on themes and comparisons between English and French practices to track long-term shifts.

Exact edition: ISBN-13 9780252064906

Check Amazon for the current price and availability of this exact edition.