Oxbow says: This synthesis of primary and secondary sources, both literary and archaeological, on the subject of Anglo-Saxon food and drink, brings together a vast amount of data and authoritative discussion on a broad range of subjects. Ann Hagen stears away from drawing heavily on recipes as a means of revealing the types of foods, food choices and preferences in this period, to focus on the growing and harvesting of domestic and wild foods, preserving, food preparation and eating. Cereals, vegetables, herbs, fruit and nuts, cattle, sheep, goats and pigs, poultry and eggs, wild animals and birds, honey, fish and molluscs, are just some of the food types discussed. Within each section Ann Hagen delves deeper to consider such subjects as the methods of harvesting and processing food, hunting and animal husbandry, attitudes towards particular types of food, accessibility to foods, diet, food shortages, diseases and what foods were considered everyday and which were reserved for special occasions. Food as payment for rents or services rendered, markets, measures, fasting and feasting, are also discussed in detail. Moving on to drink, Ann Hagen examines the types of drinks available, the context in which they were consumed - domestic, religious and in the alehouse - and the prevalence of drunkenness. In her conclusion, she draws together the evidence to reveal changes in food production and preferences from the early 5th to 11th century, drawing largely on sources from Anglo-Saxon England and the Celtic West of Britain. The role of women, the importance of bread, the social status of feasting, nutrition and changes in diet, and table manners, are just some of the many subjects covered. An excellent study and great value for money.

At the heart of Anglo-Saxon society, judging by its literature, lay feasting and drinking but we know little about what Anglo-Saxons actually ate.

Food production for home consumption was the basis of economic activity throughout the Anglo-Saxon period and ensuring access to an adequate food supply was a constant preoccupation. Used as payment and a medium of trade, food was the basis of the Anglo-Saxons' system of finance and administration. Information on the production and distribution of food from the fifth to the eleventh centuries from literary and archaeological sources has been brought together for the first time to give fascinating insights into this important aspect on Anglo-Saxon life. This second handbook complements the first and brings together a vast amount of information on livestock, cereal and vegetable crops, fish, honey, and fermented drinks. Related subjects such as hospitality, charity and drunkenness are also dealt with. The extensive twenty-seven page index enables the reader to find specific information quickly.

THE NEW BERNICIA CHRONICLES NOVEL FROM MATTHEW HARFFY, SHADOWS OF THE SLAIN, AVAILABLE TO PREORDER NOW! The first thrilling instalment in the Bernicia Chronicles. Adventure and agony, bloodshed and burning hatreds collide in the story of mighty young Anglo-Saxon warrior Beobrand of Ubbanford. 'HISTORICAL FICTION DOESN'T GET MUCH BETTER THAN THIS' ANGUS DONALD AD 633. Beobrand is a young man with a shadowy past. As an outsider in the kingdom of Bernicia, he is compelled to join his brother as a warrior in the household of King Edwin. He must learn to fight with sword and shield to defend the war-ravaged kingdoms of Northumbria. It is a period of great upheaval, and the land is rife with danger as warlords vie for supremacy and dominion. All Beobrand finds is despair, death and war. Amongst the blood and the betrayals, he learns of his brother's near-certain murder. Inexperienced but ruthless, Beobrand must form his own allegiances as a warrior. Driven by his desire for vengeance and a relentless pursuit of his enemies, he must face challenges which will transform him from a boy to a man who stands strong in the clamour and gore of the shieldwall. Can Beobrand mete out the retribution he craves, and avenge his brother, without sacrificing his honour... and even his soul? Reviews for Matthew Harffy 'Nothing less than superb' Historical Novel Society 'Beobrand is the warrior to follow' David Gilman 'A tale that rings like sword song in the reader's mind' Giles Kristian 'A brilliant characterization of a difficult hero in a dangerous time.' Christian Cameron 'A terrific novel. It illuminates the Dark Ages like a bolt of lightning' Toby Clements 'Battles, treachery, revenge and a healthy dose of Dark Age adventure' Simon Turney 'Matthew Harffy tells a great story' Joanna Hickson 'Harffy's writing just gets better and better... the rightful heir to Gemmell's crown' Jemahl Evans 'A genuinely superb novel' Steven A. McKay 'A breathtaking novel that sweeps the reader into a dark and dangerous world' Paul Fraser Collard

For the first time information from various sources has been brought together in order to build up a picture of how food was grown, conserved, prepared and eaten during the period from the beginning of the 5th century to the 11th century. No specialist knowledge of the Anglo-Saxon period or language is needed, and many people will find it fascinating for the views it gives of an important aspect of Anglo-Saxon life and culture. In addition to Anglo-Saxon England the Celtic west of Britain is also covered.

At the heart of Anglo-Saxon society, judging by its literature, lay feasting and drinking but we know little about what Anglo-Saxons actually ate.

Farming was the basis of the wealth that made England worth invading, twice, in the eleventh century, while trade and manufacturing were insignificant by modern standards. In Anglo-Saxon Farms and Farming, the authors employ a wide range of evidence to investigate how Anglo-Saxon farmers produced the food and other agricultural products that sustained English economy, society, and culture before the Norman Conquest. The first part of the volume draws on written and pictorial sources, archaeology, place-names, and the history of the English language to discover what crops and livestock people raised, and what tools and techniques were used to produce them. In part two, using a series of landscape studies - place-names, maps, and the landscape itself, the authors explore how these techniques might have been combined into working agricultural regimes in different parts of the country. A picture emerges of an agriculture that changed from an essentially prehistoric state in the sub-Roman period to what was recognisably the beginning of a tradition that only ended with the Second World War. Anglo-Saxon farming was not only sustainable, but infinitely adaptable to different soils and geology, and to a climate changing as unpredictably as it is today.

Early Anglo-Saxon England saw some of the most important elements in the creation of modern England: the Germanic migrations after the departure of the Romans and the introduction of Christianity in the 7th century. While traditionally the early centuries of Anglo-Saxon England have been disregarded as"'lost centuries," archaeological evidence, paired with the later written sources, can reveal a complex and often sophisticated society. This period saw the beginnings of urbanization, with the establishment of market-places enabling the trade of local and exotic goods, and the first schools were introduced in the 7th century. Sally Crawford looks at how the Anglo-Saxons lived, from the composition of an Anglo-Saxon family and how status was defined by an individual's occupation, to the complexities of feasting and drinking and how adults and children found entertainment.

The first chapter provides an introduction to Anglo-Saxon cookery and supplies background information about households, drinks, and cooking techniques. Following are forty-six recipes enabling the reader to enjoy a mix of ingredients and flavours that were widely known in Anglo-Saxon England but are rarely experienced today.