Michelle Enzinas talks about forthcoming book: Big Buttes Book

Historical re-enactor and experimental archeologist Michelle Enzinas chatted with publisher and editor, Lorina Stephens, about her forthcoming, stunning debut book, Big Buttes Book: Annotated Dyets Dry Dinner (1599), by Henry Buttes, with Elizabethan Recipes.  Huge title. Huge book. Amazing information. LJS: Over 230 images and recipes, an analysis of Henry Buttes’ dry dinner presentation – whatever possessed you to undertake such a massive project? ME:  I was excited to explore the food in a single body…

Big Buttes Book

That got your attention. In 1599, Henry Buttes wrote a slightly comical cookbook for the Bacon family to raise funds for the construction of a church. For the first time in modern history, you may review Buttes’ eight course feast based on the Elizabethan humours, edited for the modern kitchen. Original recipes, commentary on the medieval humours of each main ingredient, stories to amuse a Tudor noble, and explanations of Buttes’ dry witticisms (plus a…

Michelle Enzinas to publish 16th century cookbook with Five Rivers

We’re always on the lookout for esoteric, fascinating and intelligently written books. One of our first publications was a dictionary of historical colour names, uses and definitions by Deb Salisbury. When we heard about a project on which Michelle Enzinas was working, we discussed her research with her, and the result of that is a publishing agreement. Michelle Enzinas has spent 15 years as an historical re-enactor and amateur domestic technologies archaeologist, and 20 years dealing…