Discover the fascinating world of historical cooking in this groundbreaking book! We explore four centuries of handwritten recipes, mainly authored by Swedish noblewomen, revealing a rich food and meal culture with enduring similarities over time. From pastries to meat, fish, vegetables, and desserts – this book covers it all.
A selection was made from these recipe collections, and these dishes were brought to life at a meal at the research restaurant at Umeå University, a meal spanning over 400 years. During this culinary journey, it was examined how the various dishes were experienced by guests accustomed to today’s modern taste profile.
The book also includes an exciting archaeological cooking experiment based on Cajsa Warg’s cookbook from 1755 to explore the differences in preparation and taste between traditional and modern methods, i.e., using wood stove and oven versus modern equipment.
This study is a perfect blend of historical and experimental archaeology, showing how we can bring our intangible cultural heritage to life through old recipe collections. A perfect book for food enthusiasts, historians, and lovers of cultural heritage.
Ulrica Söderlind holds a Ph.D. in Economic History from Stockholm University and currently works as a researcher and lecturer at the Department of Food and Meal Science at Umeå University. She has published 85 scientific and popular science works that span various epochs, geographic areas, and subjects. Her works are often interdisciplinary or source pluralistic. She is a member of the Chaîne de Rôtisseurs as a Chef Rôtisseur, an Ambassador in Best of Gastronomie as a specialist for 18th-century recipes, and a member of the Swedish Publicists’ Club and Swedish PEN.
