The online magazine
dedicated to the
discussion & revival
of British foodways.

NO.72
FALL/WINTER2023

Another Romantic Number featuring More DeQuincy along with Devon and Other Things

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Scottish Enlightenment and the lack of it: A note on Elizabeth David and Christian Isobel Johnstone
Elizabeth David reveled in her reputation as a scholar but did not always put in the time. Neither close reader nor deep thinker, David mars much of her work with inaccuracies and omissions. At times, as critiques of her British bestselling Book of Mediterranean Food have noted, she indulges in outright fabrication. Revered for a stern authenticity, David does not much care about rigorous research.

A note on two Digbys.
Digby English sparkling wine is revelatory on several levels. It is an extremely good sparkler, made in the traditional manner from 40% pinot noir, 35% chardonnay and 25% pinot meunier   it is a legitimate rival to storied champagnes while displaying a distinct English style; crisp, bright, not toasty like Veuve Clicquot but hardly lacking depth. At south of $60 a bottle it is superb value for money, better value than its French and California rivals of comparable quality. As a playful bonus its proprietors have noses for culinary history as well as wine.

the critical archive

No.71, Spring 2023
A Romantic Number featuring Discussion of Dinner, Derrida and other Things
No.70, Fall 2022
A Number of Infelicities  featuring  Oysters and the Apocalypse, along with Thanksgiving from Our Archive
No.69, Spring 2022
A Number of Infelicities featuring Beef, Beans, Oysters and the Apocalypse
No.68, Fall 2021
A Number of Noteworthy Women
No.67, Spring/Summer 2021
A Number of Miscellanies
No.66, Winter 2021
A Number of Historical Figures, featuring Bostonian Foodways
No.65, Fall 2020
A Number of Anomalies
No.64, Summer 2020
A Non-English Number (or Maybe Not)
No.63, Winter/Spring 2020
A Number of London Clubs along with A Gentleman Farmer
No.62, Fall 2019
Our 10th Anniversary Number, featuring Pie & Prejudice
No.61, Summer 2019
A Number of Drinks for Summer
No.60, Spring 2019
A Southern Number featuring Mobilian Madness
No.59, Winter 2019
A Winter Number Featuring Questions of Authenticity
No.58, Fall 2018
A Number of 18th Century Notions
No.57, Summer 2018
Our Second Irish Number
No.56, Spring 2018
A Number of British Foods in America
No.55, Winter 2017
A Number of Inconsistencies
No.54, Fall 2017
A Number of Cook Books, featuring The Cook Book
No.53, Summer 2017
A Number of Bars & Beers, Some of Them Irish
No.52, Spring 2017
Another Northern Number, in Which We Return to Tourtière, and featuring Insular Foodways
No.51, Winter 2016
A Number of Revivals & Reinventions,
featuring Oxtail and Treacle
No.50, Fall 2016
A Number of Eccentrics & Eccentricities featuring Hybrids
No.49, Summer 2016
A Summer Number of Sandwiches and Soup,
featuring Enquiries into Origin
No.48, Spring 2016
A Northern Number
No.47, Winter 2015
A Wintry Number featuring Cambridge
No.46, Fall 2015
Our Fifth Anniversary Number, Featuring Figures Past and Future, and Ketchup
No.45, Summer 2015
A Number of Bloomsbury Fancies -
Culinary, Erotic & Otherwise
No.44, Spring 2015
A Sort of Archeological Number
No.43, Winter 2014
Our First Scottish Number
No.42, Fall 2014
A Number of Savory Pies for Fall
No.41, Summer 2014
Our First Foray Toward the Foodways of India
No.40, Spring 2014
An Eighteenth Century Interlude
No.39, Winter 2013
A Winter Number featuring
More Curious Cuisine and Holiday Cheer
No.38, Fall 2013
A Meandering Fall Number, With Curious Questions and, Perhaps, Curious Cuisine
No.37, Summer 2013
An Eclectic Summer Number featuring a Forgotten Champion and More Musings on Madeira
No.36, Spring 2013
Our First Quarterly Number, featuring
a Vanished Ireland and Worcestershire
No.35, Feb 2013
A Wintry Number of Soups & Stews
No.34, Mid-Winter 2012
Our Third Holiday Number
No.33, Nov 2012
Our Second Preservation Number
No.32, Oct 2012
The Philadelphia Story
No.31, Sep 2012
Sandwiches, Salads and Spitalfields
No.30, Jul/Aug 2012
Oystermania and A Riverine Expedition
No.29, Jun 2012
The Oyster Number
No.28, May 2012
Another Spring Number Featuring
the Poetry of Ronald Johnson
No.27, Apr 2012
A Chicago Number Featuring Pies
No.26, Mar 2012
Our First Irish Number
No.25, Feb 2012
A Preservation Number
No.24, Mid-Winter 2011
A Number of Classics for the Holidays
No.23, Nov 2011
Our Second Thanksgiving Number
No.22, Oct 2011
A Dairy Number
No.21, Sep 2011
O! Canada - A Number Devoted to
North Atlantic Foodways
No.20, Jul/Aug 2011
Another Caribbean Number, featuring Jamaica
No.19, Jun 2011
A First Caribbean Number, featuring Barbados
No.18, May 2011
Our First Nautical Number
No.17, Apr 2011
The Hardship, War & Austerity Number, Part 2
No.16, Mar 2011
The Hardship, War & Austerity Number, Part 1
No.15, Feb 2011
The Food of the People
No.14, Jan 2011
Our Customary January Supplement
No.13, Dec 2010
Our Inaugural Holiday Number
No.12, Nov 2010
The Thanksgiving Number
No.11, Oct 2010
A First All Hallows Number
No.10, Sep 2010
A VictoEdwardian Number
No.9, Jul/Aug 2010
The Midsummer Number
No.8, Jun 2010
Britain and the American South
No.7, May 2010
A Second Seasonal Number
No.6, Apr 2010
A Seasonal Number
No.5, Mar 2010
The Bristolian Number
No.4, Feb 2010
The Elizabeth David Number
No.3, Mid-Winter 2009
The Killjoy Number
No.2, Nov 2009
The Charcuterie Number
No.1, Oct 2009
The Launch Number