A Feast of Folklore: The Bizarre Stories Behind British Food

A Feast of Folklore: The Bizarre Stories Behind British Food
by: Ben Gazur (Author)
Publisher: Unbound
Publication Date: 2024/11/19
Language: English
Print Length: 256 pages
ISBN-10: 180018316X
ISBN-13: 9781800183162
Book Description
"Endlessly informative and leaning hard into the British Isles’ reputation for the off-beat, this is a delight." — Publisher's WeeklyFolklorist Ben Gazur guides you through the dark alleys of British history to uncover how our food habits have been passed down through generations of folklore.Who was the first person to throw salt over their shoulder? Why do we think carrots can help us see in the dark? When did we start holding village fairs to honour gigantic apple pies? Or start hurling ourselves down hills in pursuit of a wheel of cheese? Gazur investigates the origins of famous food superstitions as well as much more bizarre and lesser-known tales too, from what day the devil urinates on blackberries to how to stop witches using eggshells as escape boats.Hilarious and fascinating, A Feast of Folklore will introduce you to the gloriously eccentric folk who aren’t often noticed by historians. Here lies a smorgasbord of their dark remedies and deadly delicacies, waiting to be discovered.
About the Author
"Endlessly informative and leaning hard into the British Isles’ reputation for the off-beat, this is a delight." — Publisher's WeeklyFolklorist Ben Gazur guides you through the dark alleys of British history to uncover how our food habits have been passed down through generations of folklore.Who was the first person to throw salt over their shoulder? Why do we think carrots can help us see in the dark? When did we start holding village fairs to honour gigantic apple pies? Or start hurling ourselves down hills in pursuit of a wheel of cheese? Gazur investigates the origins of famous food superstitions as well as much more bizarre and lesser-known tales too, from what day the devil urinates on blackberries to how to stop witches using eggshells as escape boats.Hilarious and fascinating, A Feast of Folklore will introduce you to the gloriously eccentric folk who aren’t often noticed by historians. Here lies a smorgasbord of their dark remedies and deadly delicacies, waiting to be discovered. Read more