The Official Downton Abbey Cookbook by Annie Gray

  • Kedgeree

    Kedgeree (page 34)

    from The Official Downton Abbey Cookbook The Official Downton Abbey Cookbook by Annie Gray

    • Categories: Rice dishes; Breakfast / brunch; Main course; British
    • Ingredients: firm white fish fillets; milk; cooked rice; fish stock; ground cayenne pepper; eggs; heavy cream; parsley
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Notes about this book

  • oboistaalli on May 21, 2023

    The author used historic recipes published or written between c.1875 through 1930 and lists the sources for each recipe on her blog: https://musingsonfoodhistory.wordpress.com/2019/09/13/the-official-downton-abbey-cookbook/

Notes about Recipes in this book

  • Scones

    • IowanCorn on May 31, 2025

      These scones are the closest I've come across to American biscuits. Drier, and needing butter - or jam, but tasty. I used the food processor to cut the fat into the flour and it worked really well, but four tablespoons of fat for 3 1/2 cups of flour seems like a little off on the ratio.

  • Toad-in-the-hole

    • IowanCorn on June 16, 2025

      Tasty enough, a quick brunch dish, but all the spice was in the sausage. The bread part was bland, although I would cut back just a smidge of the salt, considering the sausage I used. I caramelized 1/2 onion diced, and added beef stock and cornstarch for a thin gravy, which went well with the toad.

  • Digestive biscuits

    • oboistaalli on May 21, 2023

      These digestives are easy to make and not very sweet with only 2 tablespoons of brown sugar in the dough. One could add more sugar and dip in melted chocolate for a sweeter version. They are delicious with coffee and tea. The source for this historic recipe is Theodore Garrett (ed.), The Encyclopaedia of Practical Cookery (c.1885).

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  • ISBN 10 178131957X
  • ISBN 13 9781781319574
  • Linked ISBNs
  • Published Sep 13 2019
  • Format Hardcover
  • Page Count 272
  • Language English
  • Countries United Kingdom
  • Publisher White Lion Publishing

Publishers Text

The Official Downton Abbey Cookbook presents over 100 recipes that showcase the cookery of the Crawley household – from upstairs dinner party centrepieces to downstairs puddings and pies – and bring an authentic slice of Downton Abbey to modern kitchens and Downton fans.

Whether adapted from original recipes of the period, replicated as seen or alluded to on screen, or typical of the time, all the recipes reflect the influences found on the Downton Abbey tables. Food historian Annie Gray gives a warm and fascinating insight into the background of the dishes that were popular between 1912 and 1926, when Downton Abbey is set – a period of tremendous change and conflict, as well as culinary development.

With a foreword by Gareth Neame, executive producer and co-creator of Downton Abbey, and featuring over 100 stunning colour photographs, many taken on the set of Downton Abbey and using the original glassware and china, The Downton Abbey Cookbook also includes a special section on hosting Downton-themed dinner parties, and includes stills from across the TV series as well as the latest film. Notes on the etiquette and customs of the times, quotes from the characters and descriptions of the scenes in which the foods appear provide rich context for the dishes.

The recipes are grouped by occasion, which include breakfast; luncheons and suppers; afternoon tea and garden parties; picnics, shoots and racemeets; festivities; upstairs dinner; desserts and canapés; downstairs dinner; downstairs supper and tea; and the still room.

From the upstairs dinner menu:

  • Caviar Croutes
  • Chicken Vol-au-Vents
  • Cucumber Soup
  • Trout in Port-Wine Sauce
  • Quail and Watercress
  • Champagne Jelly

From the downstairs dinner menu:

  • Toad-in-the-Hole
  • Beef Stew with Dumplings
  • Steamed Treacle Pudding
  • Jam and Custard Tarts
  • Gingerbread Cake

With these and more historic recipes, savour the rich traditions and flavours of Downton Abbey without end.

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