Wilson traces culinary practices and preferences from our earliest prehistoric forebears all the way down to the generation of the Industrial Revolution, and offers an extraordinary taste of the times. She provides a tabletop perspective on class structure, religion, politics and social custom, generously seasoned with such culinary and cultural titbits as the importance of salt in English history and the role of romance in England's finest taste of southern-most France. Adventurous readers who wish to dine as their ancestors did, may do so: Ms Wilson includes many authentic recipes -- such as 17th century rice pudding -- which add flavour of a unique kind. This cornucopia of custom and cuisine provides plenty of food for thought for everyone and what could be of more interest if we are, indeed, what we eat?