‘Did you ever wonder what the Tudors ate and drank? This book gives us an overview of the very fabric of Tudor life, for both rich and poor. The age saw an amazing variety of new dishes, many of which have been taken from contemporary sources for this cookbook. As well as giving us interesting and useful recipes, the book tells us to forget popcorn - when being entertained by Shakespeare’s plays, theatre-goers enjoyed vast quantities of oysters, crabs, cockles, mussels, periwinkles and whelks, as well as walnuts, hazelnuts, raisins, plums, cherries, dried figs, peaches, elderberry and blackberry pies and sturgeon steaks…’ ‘A comprehensive look at dining in the Tudor era’ Hallie Rubenhold - BBC History Magazine Books of the Year 2015; ‘Fascinating … perfect for history lovers’ - The Lady; 'Fun, informative ... a comprehensive look at dining in the Tudor era' - BBC History Magazine. (Also in paperback 2017)

‘Good husband and housewife, now chiefly be glad

Things handsome to have, as they ought to be had,

They both do provide against Christmas do come,

To welcome their neighbour, good cheer to have some;

Good bread and good drink, a good fire in the hall,

Brawn pudding and souse, and good mustard withal.

Beef, mutton, and pork, shred pies of the best,

Pig, veal, goose, and capon, and turkey well dressed;

Cheese, apples, and nuts, jolly carols to hear,

As then in the country is counted good cheer.

What cost to good husband is any of this,

Good household provision only it is;

Of other the like I do leave out a many,

That costeth the husbandman never a penny.’

Five Hundred Points of Good Husbandry - Thomas Tusser 1557