Does Ancestral Eating Romanticise the Past?
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One of the common criticisms I hear of ancestral eating is that it romanticises the past. I am often chastised for idealising the food lives of our ancestors. People tell me that I’m wearing rose-tinted glasses, continuing with phrases such … Read More

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Tumeric Buttered Rutabaga (Swede)
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Rutabaga (called swede in the UK) is an often overlooked starchy vegetable, but one that, if cooked long and slow, rewards the eater with a delightful sweetness that you just wouldn’t guess was there when preparing it. It has been … Read More

What Ancestral Eating ISN’T…
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Ancestral eating is a fairly modern term and one that I’ve seen confused in many places. In a previous article I defined what ancestral eating is; here, after reading several articles that mis-define ancestral eating, I thought I’d explore what … Read More

Why Our Scottish Ancestors Didn’t Eat Rolled Oats
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Oats have an almost mythological connection with the Scottish. Maybe, as you stand in the kitchen making your breakfast oatmeal – pouring in rolled oats, adding water/milk and stirring – you imagine that you are doing just what your Scottish … Read More

Welcome
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Bringing the wisdom of ancestral food to modern kitchens in a joyful and practical way so that you can learn without overwhelm and make traditional foods part of your own life.   I’m Alison – a food writer, teacher and … Read More

Millet Gnocchi (Egg & Gluten-Free)
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I love millet! It’s a tasty, economical, gluten-free and ecologically-sustainable grain which is a wonderful addition to any kitchen. Since having recorded a podcast episode dedicated to this wonderful grain, I’ve been wanting to try my hand at making millet … Read More

How to Roll Oats at Home (& 3 Good Reasons To Do It!)
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As conscious eaters, we often think about how the meat on our plate was raised or what condition the chickens who laid our breakfast eggs were kept in. But how often do we stop and consider what happened to the grains that accompany our meals before they got to our kitchens?… Read More

Valuing Women’s Work
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I’ve spent the last week writing up how I make medieval ale in my kitchen. Looking back over what I wrote, I’m astounded: it’s an incredible amount of work! Yet this is a fraction of what women did in the … Read More