A Slice of Britain: Around the Country by Cake

A humorous, quirky look at the origins of many of the UK's best-loved regional delicacies, with recipes for more than 60 of the featured cakesIf there's one thing Brits never say no to, it’s stopping at four o'clock for a cup of tea and a slice of something tasty. After all, they invented afternoon tea. The UK is a land rich in moist, mouth-watering flavors, of sponges and scones, fruitcakes and fancies. So what better way to capture a slice of Britain than to devour its many tea-time treats, slice by sumptuous slice? That's what Caroline Taggart set out to do one day—nothing more energetic than taking a table by the window, and investigating one mouthful at a time what (other than geography) separates a Coventry Cod Cake from an Eccles Cake, or Grantham Gingerbread from Whitby Gingerbread. In her encounters with those people making traditional cakes, she unravels the stories behind why, where, and when they originated, and meditates on their resurgence today. Includes metric measurements. Read more