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Downton Abbey in the Kitchen - Wednesday, September 16th at 4:00 PM (EDT)

Annie Gray, food historian, chef, and broadcaster has published four books including the best-selling "The Official Downton Abbey Cookbook." Dr. Gray will tell how she compiled those extraordinary recipes and stories about the TV series. She will also tell us about her latest book, "Victory in the Kitchen—The Life of Churchill's Cook." We will learn the story of Georgina Landemare who was Winston Churchill's cook during WWII. Her book offers fascinating insight into the dining habits of the war-time leader and the nation as a whole.

About Dr. Annie Gray

Dr. Annie Gray has degrees from Oxford (MA), York (MA) and Liverpool (PhD), and retains an academic connection as an honorary research associate at the University of York. Dr. Gray comments on her academic studies:

Although I am entirely freelance, and have limited everyday involvement in academia, I continue to research, advise and occasionally teach within the university environment. My core research interests are: food and dining in Britain (c.1600-1960); dining style and stylistic change; gender history, particularly within the home; domestic service; site-based interpretation and best practice where related to food and dining; and the history of country houses and gardens, particularly kitchen gardens.

My PhD, completed in 2009, looked at the interplay of class and gender in influencing dining change in the 18th and 19th centuries. It also considered how such change then impacted on the organisation and mentality of life below and above stairs. During my PhD and immediately afterwards, I published several papers on aspects of my work, some of which are available on academia.edu, along with the full text of my PhD thesis. I also post training papers and seminars, if there's enough text to make them interesting.

I have largely stopped contributing to academic journals at the moment, and am concentrating instead on writing for the more general public. My more recent articles can be found in publications such as Delicious., The Telegraph, The Guardian online, BBC Good Food and many others. There are fewer footnotes and more pictures.

Signature Cocktail

Dr. Annie Gray has created the London Cocktail for her presentation. Recipe below!

2 tsp. orange bitters
2 tsp. absinthe
2 tsp. stock syrup (made with equal parts sugar and water, heated to dissolve the sugar, and chilled)
2 oz. Dry Gin.

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