Eating for England: The Delights and Eccentricities of the British at Table

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If you'd like to know his thoughts on Old English Spangles or chocolate digestives then this is your book.

There were several similar chapters on farmers markets and afternoon tea, which became quite annoying, and he seems to have an obsession with pink wafers and lemon puffs! I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. At times nostalgic, at others really funny and at times a sadness, hard to put into words that reminds me of his wonderful and achingly bittersweet autobiography "Toast". And then comes the question, the one I wasn't prepared for, the one where I am asked to describe British food to the listeners. We hope you enjoy going through this list of amazing foods, and that it inspires you to go beyond the tastes you are used to and explore all the flavors hidden out there.Now Caine delves into the real stories behind the gangs we think we know so well, revealing the hidden realities behind the myths. I had a pang of memory when he talked about visiting his aunt in a home and noticing that one of the fellow residents had put her hand down in a plate of custard. A celebration of the glories, humour, eccentricities and embarrassments that make up that extraordinary thing that is the British at table.

There are about 150 "chapters", which seems like a vast collection until you realize they are just one or two paragraphs each. The taverna is the only place that Kostas and Defne can meet in secret, hidden beneath the blackened beams from which hang garlands of garlic and chilli peppers, creeping honeysuckle, and in the centre, growing through a cavity in the roof, a fig tree. People ate it every day at the height of its popularity in the Victorian era, but now it’s more of a treat or a hangover cure.

In fact my complete digestion of Nigel Slater's observational memoir would suit his style perfectly: I enjoyed it a few pieces at a time while crunching celery, cheese, and on occasion a chocolate bar during my work lunch (half) hour.