The Supersizers Go and Eat

Saw the pilot episode, and had to watch all episodes of The Supersizers.... This series features Giles Coren and Sue Perkins eating in the styles of different periods of British history, for example the 20s, Restoration, Medieval, Wartime, etc...

The show consists of them eating in that period's style for a week, each day they are restricted to menus from the time, although they can range over several different menus from all over the period. They also dress up in the style of the time, and indulged in the other past times going on (such as motor racing in the twenties, gladiatorial battles in Ancient Rome and so on). And this is all done with light hearted banter and some remarkably spot on wit.

The focus, of course, is the food itself. In each time, they happen to be near the top of the wealthy classes, so they can indulge in the best the periods had to offer (well, it would be boring if they had peasant meals all the time), although they do sometimes lose their wealth to eat skimpily for a day. They also get medical evaluations before and after to see what impact the diet has had, a touch I like.

This all said, they do go through a lot of food, getting chefs to prepare entire banquets. And there is often a lot of food left over. I do have to wonder just how much was spent on some of the more esoteric dishes, often most of which they barely touch. Huge amount of waste there (unless the production team eats well?).

Anyway, great series, and I look forward to any more series they care to make...

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