Full English, by Tom Parker Bowles (From The Oxford Times)

Full English, by Tom Parker Bowles

8:30am Thursday 25th February 2010

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FULL ENGLISH

Tom Parker Bowles (Ebury Press, £12.99)

Tom Parker Bowles says he was born greedy and grew up on Findus beef burgers, even though his mother, the Duchess of Cornwall, was a good cook.

He also ate beans on toast, and Wimpy burgers because there was a point during the 1980s when convenience food was very exciting.

Like so many food writers, he is aware that our food has improved since then, as his new book testifies. In Full English, he delves beneath the surface of English food to unearth the real story behind our eating habits.

He does this by visiting the oldest pie and mash shop in England, with wooden pews for diners, who hunch over their pies and eels as if in prayer.

He speaks affectionately of food heroes frequently overlooked, such as Florence White, founder of the English Folk Cookery Association, one of the great campaigning figures of English food alongside Marguerite Patten and Jane Grigson.

He also outlines the way supermarkets persuade us to buy food we don’t really want or need. Full English is one of those remarkable books, written by a foodie who is not ashamed to celebrate some of the more basic, simple dishes that can stand proud alongside the more fancy dishes listed on today’s menus. It even includes several very workable recipes, including London’s traditional eel pie.

Tom Parker Bowles will be appearing next month at the Oxford Literary Festival (see www.oxfordliteraryfestival.com, box office 0870 3431001).