Kitchen, Food, and Cooking in Reformation Germany

In international culinary history, Germany is still largely a blank space, its unparalleled wealth of source material and large body of published research available only to readers of German. This books aims to give everybody else an overview of German foodways at a crucial juncture in its history. The Reformation era, broadly speaking from the Imperial Reforms of the 1480s to the beginning of the Thirty Years' War, laid the foundations for many developments in German culture, language, and history, not least the notion of its existence as a country. Understanding the food traditions and habits of the time is important to anyone studying Germany's culinary history and identity.

Using original source material, food production, processing and consumption are explored with a view to the social significance of food and the practicalities of feeding a growing population. Food habits across the social spectrum are presented, looking at the foodways of rich and poor in city and country. The study shows a foodscape richly differentiated by region, class, income, gender and religion, but united by a shared culinary identity that was just beginning to emerge. An appendix of recipes helps the reader gain an appreciation of the practical aspects of food in the age of Martin Luther.

About the author

Volker Bach is a freelance translator, English teacher at a private language school in Hamburg, and freelance historical cooking instructor at Hamburg University English Department. He has published one book on culinary history.

Summary

This work introduces readers to German culinary history in the Reformation era from the perspective of social history, and explores food and eating in terms of their economic, social, and religious ramifications. Food production, preparation, and consumption are in the foreground. Recipes and other relevant sources are provided in translation.

Product details

• Authors: Bach, Volker Bach, Bach Volker
• Publisher: Rowman and Littlefield
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 30.09.2016
• EAN: 9781442251274
• ISBN: 978-1-4422-5127-4
• No. of pages: 218
• Series: Historic Kitchens; Rowman & Littlefield Studies i; Historic Kitchens
• Subjects: Guides > Food & drink > Theme cookery books; Humanities, art, music > History > Regional and national histories; HISTORY / Europe / Germany, European History, Germany, HISTORY / Social History, Social & cultural history, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Anthropology / Cultural & Social, Food & society, 17th century, c 1600 to c 1699, Social and cultural history, Early modern history: c 1450/1500 to c 1700, 16th century, c 1500 to c 1599, c 1500 to c 1600, C 1600 To C 1700, Cultural studies: food and society