Almost a thousand years of English cooking are included in this collection of royal recipes which were enjoyed by 35 monarchs, from William the Conqueror to Edward VII. Over the centuries the cooks of the Court had to show originality and cunning in their craft to please their royal employers, and this book contains a selection of their finest dishes. All these recipes have been adapted to suit modern tastes and ingredients, while retaining their period character and historical interest. Included are recipes suitable for everyday family meals or light suppers, as well as more lavish dishes for dinner parties. The book contains unusual and often amusing details about the eating and entertaining habits of each monarch. William the Conqueror had to be physically restrained from killing the man who served him underdone roast crane; Queen Elizabeth I, whose household consumed 1240 oxen and 4,200,000 eggs annually, was herself an abstemious eater who shocked her court by preferring to eat alone.