A collection of the best traditional British recipes from the National Trust. The recipes range from starters to puddings and provide a source of the tastiest food that has stood the test of time in British cooking, from medieval braised rabbit through shepherd's pie and toad in the hole to 'tum-tickling puds' such as apple hat and college pudding and delicate desserts damson snow and marbled rose cream. Though the emphasis is on the practical, the book includes the historical background for some of the key dishes within the book, from the first creamy macaroni cheese (first made in England in the 14th century but then not again until the 18th century when it returned from Italy) to 19th-century Mulligatawny soup (derived from a Southern Indian dish). The National Trust have researched the archives to find an authentic but delicious taste of history.