Supervisor:
You both chose the assignment on the Sociology and History of Cookery Books as background to the food science course.
Supervisor:
I think the key question here is, why are there so many cookery books?
Sue:
Well, they are definitely a fashion item.
Supervisor:
In what sense?
Sue:
If their main purpose were to teach how to cook, there would be no need for so many.
Sue:
Based on the ones I studied, I'd say they aren't a tool to help in the kitchen.
Sue:
They seem marketed so they reflect more than basic needs.
Sue:
They create an impression of a lifestyle people aspire to.
Sue:
I have friends with kids who have one or two books on parenting skills, but dozens of cookery books.
Supervisor:
Have there always been cookery books?
Sue:
I was surprised to find that the first Western cookery book appeared about 1,500 years ago, and it really succeeded in standing the test of time.
Sue:
It was written by a Roman called Apicius.
Sue:
We don't know much about him, sadly.
Sue:
It's not very easy to follow and some of the recipes are repeated several times.
Sue:
Researchers think they came from a number of different manuscripts which have since been lost.
Sue:
Although the editing isn't great, the book influenced cookery advice in Europe for more than a thousand years.
Bill:
But it's almost impossible to use the recipes in old cookery books like this one nowadays.
Supervisor:
Because we no longer have the same tastes?
Supervisor:
Or are the ingredients no longer available?
Sue:
More because the readership they're aimed at has changed.
Bill:
In those days, cooks wrote for fellow cooks and the other family's servants working in the kitchen.
Bill:
They understood one another's shorthand notes.
Bill:
These people didn't need guidance about quantities and seasoning.
Bill:
They knew all this.
Sue:
It's also interesting that there was no particular order to cookery books, with the logic we expect today.
Sue:
A fish recipe could follow a recipe for cake.
Supervisor:
What does that show?
Supervisor:
That they were written and produced speedily?
Sue:
I think it indicates that they were not intended to be read for enjoyment.
Sue:
Before the 19th century, few educated people cooked for themselves.
Sue:
And probably only the wealthiest employed cooks who could read.
Sue:
It was probably normal that the cooks were read to.
Bill:
By the children of the family or better educated family servants?
Sue:
And later books began to include other things like advice for the household.
Supervisor:
Well, let's move on.
Supervisor:
Now, you wanted me to talk about the recommended reading list for the modules for next term?
Sue:
What do you think of Analysis of Human Nutrition?
Supervisor:
It's not an easy read, but certainly covers a lot.
Supervisor:
More importantly, it really does focus on the latest ideas.
Supervisor:
It came out this year, so perhaps that's not surprising.
Supervisor:
But if you want to get some background detail, I'd look at Food Microbiology, which I think covers the development of food science since the beginning of the 20th century very well.
Sue:
That's the one with the old photos, isn't it?
Supervisor:
That's right.
Supervisor:
They don't really add anything to it, in my opinion.
Supervisor:
Food Product Development Case Studies is another important text, and the research is very thorough, and that is useful for your further reading too.
Bill:
How about Core Scientific Disciplines in Food Science?
Bill:
I had a look at it and it seems quite light.
Supervisor:
Don't let the length or lack of it put you off.
Supervisor:
That's its attraction.
Supervisor:
It's very simple and concise.
Sue:
What do you recommend to help us prepare for our work experience?
Supervisor:
Marketing food products is a little traditional, though at the time people said it had a fresh approach.
Supervisor:
However, it's worth looking at the bibliography.
Supervisor:
It'll be a useful starting point for further reading.
Bill:
What about Food Composition?
Bill:
There are hundreds of titles in the library.
Supervisor:
You want The Science of Food Composition.
Supervisor:
No other book matches it.
Supervisor:
It really helps you understand the topic.
Supervisor:
Make sure you do the tasks at the end of each section.
Supervisor:
That's its strength.
Sue:
The opportunity for independent study.
Supervisor:
Well, I hope that's helpful to you.
