Food is a constant presence at Downton Abbey and the focus of daily life and festive occasions. The enticing recipes in The Official Downton Abbey Cookbook provide an evocative and fascinating portrait of life, upstairs and downstairs, during the Edwardian era and in to the 1920s. There are things I would have done differently – less sauce on my fillets, making sure my fruit didn’t bob to the top of the mold (or what ends up being the bottom)– maybe my fruit pieces were sliced too thin and hence too light?

Featuring stunning photographs of dishes and the beloved series, plus notes on customs of the time, quotes from characters, and descriptions of scenes, this unique cookbook provides vivid context for the dishes and brings the show to life. Savor the rich traditions and historic flavors of Downton Abbey for contemporary palettes with Cornish Pasties, Jam and Custard Tarts, and more!In the chapter titled "Breakfast" we are presented with some traditional dishes such as "Kedgeree" (a dish of fish, rice and eggs), English Muffins(sounds hard to make, but not so much after reading this.), "Deviled Biscuits"(a perfect savory brunch offering), and "Pikelets" (a sort of free form crumpet that could become part of your daily home repertoire). A brief history of this meal begins the chapter and there are asides on the baking of bread in the Grantham household. Additional notes for each recipe gives historical and cultural information. The 2020 IBPA Awards Winner! Bring an authentic slice of Downton Abbey into your kitchen with over 100 delicious recipes from this official cookbook. You don't need to be an experienced cook to enjoy this book, but if you are, it will most certainly make you itchy to break out your batterie de cuisine. I'm going to start by making some pikelets, a crumpet-like form free muffin. Yum. It will be the beginning of a long, I hope, cooking adventure.j I’m a girl reared in southern Philadelphia area in a neighborhood of working class blue collar families so... I’d definitely be in the Downstairs grouping. While the meals/recipes presented for the upper class look good, I found more “comfort food” with the likings of Toad in the Hole or Cauliflower Cheese. Look at this,doesn't it resemble mac and cheese? There's a bit of mental disconnect when you get a forkful.

Holidays get special attention in the chapter titled "Festive Food" We have some stellar takes on traditional favorites that are included with the recipes for "Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts", "Lemon Mincemeat", "Christmas Pudding", "Yule Log" (A cake), "Hot Cross Buns","Simnel Cake" and"Plum Cake" These are classic British recipes for seasonal dishes and they are handled in a way that any modern cook can easily make them. An essay starts the chapter detailing the importance of these foods and each recipe has handy notes that discuss the dish and how it could be adapted. As the book is reflecting the divided class of Downton Abbey, and the cookbook likewise is divided (mostly) into two parts. There are in this book recipes for the gentry and the recipes for the servant class respectively separated. The introduction gives an excellent overview of the way food was important in British society and also how the dishes served were different for the various classes. As history (and science) moved forward, the availability of food and access to foodstuffs, electricity, refrigeration also changed the way the classes ate. Appealing to Anglophiles, costume and sewing aficionados, and fans of the hit series, The Costumes of Downton Abbey presents—with comprehensive historical detail and beautiful imagery—the design decisions and wardrobe intricacies that shaped the glamour and elegance of the characters of Downton Abbey. I also had to put the jelly in the freezer for an hour because I didn’t see the part about the jelly being in the fridge for at least 8 hours. It worked, and the Champagne Jelly really does end up keeping the Champagne taste (or Prosecco in my case).Doing them all in the same 8-hour period required a little work and planning, since I don’t have a kitchen staff to assist me. I do have my husband and Dachshund…but they’re more help than hindrance ( they mean well). Lots of interesting facts, recipes, and more. Some other of my "tagged recipes" in THE OFFICIAL DOWNTON ABBEY CHRISTMAS COOKBOOK are Apple and Celery Salad, Roasted Parsnips, a few sauces, Hazelnut Cake with Coffee Icing, Wardley Cake, and Smoking Bishop (I already know what non-alcoholic liquid I can substitute for the bottle of red port in the latter recipe!). If you love to cook and/or you're interested in the history of food, this might be a terrific book for you to get hold of. Not to mention that it's also about some of the delicious dishes you might've seen while watching Downton Abbey!

The Sole Florentine is easy to make, and very delicious. I liked the poaching in wine method the author advised. I used my leftover Champagne Jelly Prosecco for poaching (I still had some leftover after pouring myself a glass, also author advised ‘if the time of day is right.’ Gray has done extensive research on the meals included in the world of Downton Abbey and chosen those suited to a contemporary palate that can be replicated in today’s kitchens. If I were to have a party in the future, I might make mini versions and serve them as appetizers. I think some kind of seafood-y dip would go well with these. The series "Downton Abbey" is a historical dramatic television series set in the early 20th century in the region of Yorkshire England. It takes place at the fictional estate of "Downton Abbey" in the time around WWI and before the events of WWII. The series details the lives of all the classes living within the estate and their interactions. There was a Downton Abbey film and spin-off television series "The Golden Age" currently airing on television. Food historian Annie Gray in The Official Downton Abbey Cookbook offers up not only a feast for the eyes and the palette, but a marvelous historical journey through the lives, the country homes, the foods, the kitchens, and the people who populated such places as the fictional Downton Abbey.The first official cookbook from the greatly acclaimed Downton Abbey franchise has been announced by Weldon Owen International, with an anticipated launch for Sept. 17. Let’s not forget the photography and mouthwatering visions of meals, separated by the Upstairs and Downstairs menus. Added benefit is the historical context — adding extra facts to the DA story shows how much effort went into the series to be historically appropriate. Make sure you set your oven to the right temp, I accidentally baked my first batch at 250 vs 200 and ended up with mocha colored meringues (still very good, and I’ll use them with chocolate ice cream). But I did have to make them over for this dinner. This well-researched and compelling cookbook from food historian Dr. Annie Gray includes more than 100 authentic and delicious period recipes, accompanied by spectacular images of the Downton Abbey cast, food photography, quotes and historical information to vividly bring the dishes and customs of the Crawley’s English country home to life.