Scoff: A History of Food and Class in Britain

A Book of the Year in the Daily Mail, Independent, The Times & Sunday Times

Finalist for the Guild of Food Writers Food Book Award 2021

'Sharp, rich and superbly readable... Fascinating' Sunday Times

'Utterly delicious' Observer

'Superb' 'Book of the Week', The Times

'Terrific' 'Book of the Week', Guardian

'I loved it.' Monty Don

'A brilliant romp of a book.' Jay Rayner


Avocado or beans on toast? Gin or claret? Nut roast or game pie? Milk in first or milk in last? And do you have tea, dinner or supper in the evening?

In this fascinating social history of food in Britain, Pen Vogler examines the origins of our eating habits and reveals how they are loaded with centuries of class prejudice. Covering such topics as fish and chips, roast beef, avocados, tripe, fish knives and the surprising origins of breakfast, Scoff reveals how in Britain we have become experts at using eating habits to make judgements about social background.

Bringing together evidence from cookbooks, literature, artworks and social records from 1066 to the present, Vogler traces the changing fortunes of the food we encounter today, and unpicks the aspirations and prejudices of the people who have shaped our cuisine for better or worse.

'With commendable appetite and immense attention to detail Pen Vogler skewers the enduring relationship between class and food in Britain. A brilliant romp of a book that gets to the very heart of who we think we are, one delicious dish at a time.' Jay Rayner