Seren Charrington Hollins – författare

Through a fascinating mix of food politics, history, and culinary detective work, Seren uncovers the history of ice cream. Illustrated with archive material and historic photographs of ice cream eaters and makers, this book tells the remarkable tale of how ice cream rose to popularity, charting its journey to become the much-loved food it is today.In The History of Ice Cream, Seren Charrington-Hollins takes us on a voyage of discovery through history to tell the story of how this delicious iced treat became a British sensation. Focusing upon the history of ice cream in the United Kingdom, this is a story of how iced confectionery has been moulded, scooped, and whipped throughout the ages. It tells a detailed story of the elite dining halls, high-class Georgian confectioners, and the hawkers and hokey pokey men serving Britain's working classes. It is a story of challenge, entrepreneurship, food technology, entertainment, and war and peace.Ice cream has become an important part of British culture, and its journey from niche delicacy to mass-produced, staple food is nothing short of miraculous. This is not simply a history book; it is the story of the people behind the development of ice cream and a trip down memory lane to look at the ice creams, lollies, and brands we have loved and lost from the 1930s to the Noughties and beyond.Featuring historic and nostalgic recipes for ice creams and sundaes, this book is a great guide for anyone who wants to discover the history of ice cream, re-create historical recipes at home or simply remember the chimes of the ice cream van.

A Dark History of Tea looks at our long relationship with this most revered of hot beverages. Renowned food historian Seren Charrington-Hollins digs into the history of one of the world's oldest beverages, tracing tea's significance on the tables of the high and mighty as well as providing relief for workers who had to contend with the ardours of manual labour.This humble herbal infusion has been used in burial rituals, as a dowry payment for aristocrats; it has fuelled wars and spelled fortunes as it built empires and sipped itself into being an integral part of the cultural fabric of British life. This book delves into the less tasteful history of a drink now considered quintessentially British. It tells the story of how, carried on the backs of the cruelty of slavery and illicit opium smuggling, it flowed into the cups of British society as an enchanting beverage.Chart the exportation of spices, silks and other goods like opium in exchange for tea, and explain how the array of good fortunes - a huge demand in Britain, a marriage with sugar, naval trade and the existence of the huge trading firms - all spurred the first impulses of modern capitalism and floated countries.The story of tea takes the reader on a fascinating journey from myth, fable and folklore to murky stories of swindling, adulteration, greed, waging of wars, boosting of trade in hard drugs and slavery and the great, albeit dark engines that drove the globalisation of the world economy. All of this is spattered with interesting facts about tea etiquette, tradition and illicit liaisons making it an enjoyable rollercoaster of dark discoveries that will cast away any thoughts of tea as something that merely accompanies breaks, sit downs and biscuits.

_A Dark History of Tea_ explores our long relationship with this most revered of hot beverages. Renowned food historian Seren Charrington-Hollins digs into the history of one of the world's oldest drinks, tracing the significance of tea on the tables of both the wealthy and the working classes. This humble herbal infusion has been used in burial rituals and as a dowry payment for aristocrats. It has fuelled wars, spelled fortunes and built empires, gradually forming an integral part of the cultural fabric of British life. This book delves into the distasteful history of a drink that is now considered to be quintessentially British. It tells a story of cruelty, slavery and illicit opium smuggling, all practices that enabled tea to flow into the cups of British society.The story of tea takes the reader on a fascinating journey through myth, fable and folklore; through stories of swindling, adulteration, greed and war. Learn of the importance of tea to the naval trade and how it spurred the first impulses of modern capitalism. Discover how tea played a part in the globalisation of the world economy.Scattered throughout this fascinating history are interesting facts about tea etiquette and tradition. Discover the link between tea and seduction and read about the illicit liaisons that occurred as a result of teatime meetings. This is an enjoyable rollercoaster of dark discoveries that will cast away any thoughts of tea as something that merely accompanies breaks, sit downs and biscuits.