Max Miller (8) (1983–)

I've said it before...I've been known to read cookbooks from cover to cover. Of course, this one was sort of made to be read, rather than cooked from. The subtitle, "Explore the Past Through 4,000 Years of Recipes" is a clue to the contents. The author presents some ancient recipes, many of them unintelligible even in translation, from across the globe, and then updates them for the modern cook. This must have been an incredible challenge. Sourcing some of the ingredients commonly used in show more ancient Rome or medieval Europe could be daunting. Ale barm, for instance..."if you have easy access to a brewer..."; or hyssop..."finding it in a tea bag is the easiest way of procuring this herb"; rue..."in small quantities it is harmless but in large quantities can be toxic..." Well, you get the idea. Miller offers modern substitutes for most the the seasonings not commonly considered pantry staples by 21st century cooks. Even though he says he has prepared multiple versions of each recipe contained in this book to get to a reasonable facsimile that can be prepared in the average home kitchen, there are only a handful I'd ever consider trying myself. The stories that accompany them, however, are just fascinating, and the illustrations are beautiful. Potage d'Oignons au Lait, anyone? show less

This is a fascinating account of the author's quest to recreate historic recipes as well as a discussion of ancient cultures and ingredients. It makes really interesting reading but I honestly do not think I would ever cook any of these recipes until we get into the modern era and I already have recipes I use for sourdough and Sally Lunn. It's worth checking out for the food history.

library book read 6/12/2023

A delightful cookbook - not the kind of thing one would normally read cover to cover, but this one I practically did. Each recipe comes with it's history, and to a history buff like me, that's fascinating. The only minor critique would be the rarity of some of the ingredients, but realistically, that's can't be helped. I'm gonna make some history in the kitchen with this one!

Max has said from the beginning he began the channel because he loves history, not because he is a good cook. You don't have to know anything about food or cooking to enjoy his channel or this book. This is primarily a history book with historical recipes written in a way modern readers can understand more easily. You might never cook a recipe from this book but you will go back to it often.