Eating for England by Nigel Slater.Word of Mouth readers are probably used to getting hold of OFM early now but today's is a special treat, including, as it does, an extract of Nigel Slater's excellent new book, Eating for England.
It's a portrait of our "curious, often contrary culture", and in it, Slater observes, with affection, the rituals the British observe and the food we actually eat, rather than the food we like to think we eat - and it's not all organic, locally reared, traceable produce from artisan producers. Well, some of it is, but there are fruit gums and Jaffa Cakes a-plenty and judging by responses we've had to posts here, here and here, he's right on the money.
There's a pleasingly lengthy biscuit section and I'm delighted to find Slater's on my side in the great Jaffa Cake biscuit V cake debate (forget the legal ruling; it's a biscuit, dammit). He labels pink wafers the "Tim Henman of the biscuit world" and in a shock move, debunks the myth of the digestive as the ultimate dunking biscuit. Whatever next? I'm off to calm down, put the kettle on and read it with a nice cup of tea and biscuit. Join me, and read the whole lot here. Enjoy.
