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→Other aspects of society: Raj at table review
"This is a very thorough study of the assumptions, prejudices, customs and practices of British families involved in British rule in India from the post-mutiny period to Indian independence in 1947. It discusses not only how those attitudes and practices affected the nature of British rule, particularly in fostering multi-generational involvement in the Raj, but also how that involvement affected the families themselves... For anyone seeking a scholarly and comprehensive study of the foibles and prejudices of the British in India, ''Empire families'' can be recommended." The full review by David Blake, a FIBIS trustee, is on pp.49-50 of [http://members.fibis.org/archive/J13.pdf FIBIS ''Journal'' 13 (Spring 2005)]. Here is the [http://fds.oup.com/www.oup.co.uk/pdf/0-19-924907-5.pdf introductory chapter of the book] and an excerpt of the book is at [http://books.google.com/books?id=zbNpmZjykv8C&lpg=PP1&pg=PR11 Google Books Limited View].
* Burton, David
''The Raj at table''. London: Faber, 1994
This book is a delightful blend of the culinary and social history of the Raj period. Although it contains over sixty authentic Anglo Indian recipes, it cannot be regarded as a mere recipe book but rather as an, often most amusing, observation of the changing habits of British India. There are descriptions of formal dinner parties accompanied by an order of precedence, hilarious attempts by Indian cooks to prepare anglicised dishes in deference to the fair ladies that arrived with the fishing fleet, food enjoyed by travellers in tents or dak bungalows, and offerings that ensured the army marched with a full belly!
In addition to examining the impact of the British (and other Europeans) on the cuisine of India , the book also presents the way in which returning nabobs impacted on the palate of England. Worcestershire sauce, for example, is based on an Indian recipe and the emergence of an interest in curries resulted in Queen Victoria employing two Indian cooks.
The book is indexed and contains a useful bibliography. Recommended! (reviewed by Beverly Hallam, a FIBIS trustee)
