Did Defoe imagine what his scrappy heroine Moll Flanders ate for dinner? When he got hungry at his writing desk he probably did-and now we can too. Britain's kitchens were full of exotic ingredients in the 18th century. Cooks experimented with new imports such as pepper, pineapples, and pistachio nuts, combining flavors and textures in creative ways to produce delicious, sophisticated dishes. Hundreds of cookbooks appeared to bring these recipes to the average home cook and, in Fresh from the Past , Sherman and the Chotkowskis bring them to our kitchens. The hottest trend in food today is "fresh, local, seasonal"-the 18th-century cook would be shocked that it could be any other way. In Fresh from the Past , Sherman takes readers along on a wild ride back in time, describing how historic families learned to cook with the seasons. She tells us what they ate for regular meals and at fancy parties, what they ordered in restaurants, and what they got for takeout. From cookbooks of the day Sherman gives us 100+ original recipes, together with contemporary translations that give step-by-step instructions for cooks of any level. Illustrations and gems of fascinating detail sprinkled liberally throughout make cooking-whether for a quick weeknight meal or a special dinner party-a real adventure. Travel is for me the best (and most pleasurable) way of understanding other food traditions. The recipes at the heart of this book are a guided form of time travel. The modern instructions that follow the wonderfully vivid original recipes translate them into language we can easily understand, and so, almost effortlessly, we are transported back in time three centuries and more. It's a very special form of travel. (Naomi Duguid, Author (with Jeffrey Alford) of Home Baking: The Artful Mix of Flour and Tradition Around the World , Hot Sour Salty Sweet: ) In her remarkable, witty, and intelligent book, Sandra Sherman appetizingly shows how British cuisine from the time of Moll Flanders formed the roots of modern American cookery. By relating vividly how certain foods came into prominence during Britain's powerful presence in the world of the eighteenth century, she tells a riveting story that is a fascinating page-turner. We learn not only how recipes were made in kitchens more than 200 years ago, but also how to create them successfully in our own twenty-first century homes. This is a wonderful book that is sure to stimulate lively discussion and delicious cooking. (Greg Patent, Author of Baking in America , winner of the 2003 James Beard Award ) If you read cookbooks like novels, you're going to love this book. Sandy Sherman brilliantly combines an entertaining tale of our culinary origins with all the detailed recipes that any cook could wish for. A must-have. (Rachel Laudan, Author of The Food of Paradise: Exploring Hawaii's Culinary Heritage ) Fresh from the Past is an exuberant and erudite account of British cuisine with practical instructions for creating wonderful 18th century dishes. The result of a happy collaboration between literary historian Sharon Sherman and expert cooks Henry and Karen Chotkowski, Fresh from the Past will bring many hours of pleasure to practical and armchair cooks alike. The historical recipes read like little prose poems, while the historical account of the care and feeding of the British during a high point in the history of their cuisine sparkles with wit and piquant detail. Carefully tested modern versions of the historical recipes will let the reader deliver 120 glorious dishes from the page to the table. Bring on the orange butter and pickled lemons, the buttered muskmelons and pear ice, the ragout of crayfish and the mushroom ketchup! (Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, University Professor and Professor of Performance Studies at the Tisch School of the Arts, New York University, and the Author o ) Fresh from the Past is an authentic rendition of the culinary culture of 18th century Britain as well as a faithful interpretation of the wide variety of foods and tastes that developed during the period. Also a superb testimonial to the history of American food, its preparation, and its tastes, Fresh from the Past illustrates that much of the cooking in America today can be traced back to the dishes and recipes presented here. Many of the recipes are crosscultural, reflecting the fact that even then the cooking in England (and America) was influenced by many cuisines. They are also modern, illustrating that although today's chefs and home cooks might think of things such as herbed ice creams as "trendy," they can be found in many 18th century records. Sherman provides both original and modern versions of the recipes, so that all the dishes can be prepared with as much or as little effort and authenticity as one may choose. (Angela Mulloy, Author of Plantation Feasts and Festivities: A Celebration of the Grandes Dames of Virginia Food & Hospitality ) The book features magnific