The British Food History Podcast: Recent Episodes
Neil Buttery
Welcome to 'The British Food History Podcast': British food in all its (sometimes gory) glory with Dr. Neil Buttery. He'll be looking in depth at all aspects of food with interviews with special guests, recipes, re-enactments, foraging, trying his hand at traditional techniques, and tracking down forgotten recipes and hyper-regional specialities. He'll also be trying to answer the big question: What makes British food, so...British?
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
It’s time for the now traditional end-of-season postbag episode of The British Food History Podcast, where I (attempt to) answer your questions, read out your comments and mull over your queries.
Several photos and illustrations are mentioned in this episode: to see them, visit the accompanying blog post on British Food: A History: www.britishfoodhistory.com
I’ll be disappearing for a few months, unless of course, you are a monthly subscriber, where there will be a bonus episode coming up for you to listen to via the secret podcast.
Season 10 of the podcast is sponsored by Netherton Foundry, makers of high-quality kitchen and outdoor cookware. Netherton Foundry ships to several countries outside of the UK, including the USA and Canada. Visit www.netherton-foundry.co.uk to find out more about their wonderful products – approved not just by me but by folk such as Tom Parker-Bowles, Diana Henry and Nigella Lawson.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
Ludlow Food Festival 2026
Serve it Forth mailing list
Serve it Forth Eventbrite page
Brecon Agricultural Show
Mamgu Welsh cakes
English Food by Jane Grigson
Café Erol
Ivor Cutler’s Life in a Scotch Sitting Room Vol.2 ep.6
Ivor’s obituary
The Feasts of Autolycus, by Elizabeth Robins Pennell
Comfortably Hungry: Bleeding Cows & Black Puddings
The Great Cream Tea Debate on my YouTube channel
The English Housewife by Gervase Markham
Delia Smith's famous rallying cry
Previous pertinent blog posts
To Make Welsh Cakes (Pice ar y maen)
Singin’ Hinnies
Blood ice cream
Scones: A brief history
Four Scone Recipes
Cornish Splits
Pease Bread
Syllabubs
Previous pertinent podcast episodes
Griddle & Bakestone Cookery with Peter Gilchrist & Ross Clarke
Eating Out in Georgian London with Peter Ross
Retro Foods with Briony May Williams
Hogmanay & Hamely Kitchen with Paula McIntyre
British Fish & Seafood with CJ Jackson
The History of Food Waste & Preservation with Eleanor Barnett
Black & White Pudding with Matthew Cockin & Grant Harper
A History of Baking with Sam Bilton & Neil Buttery
Spices with Ian Anderson
Historical Cookery with Jay Reifel
50 years of ‘English Food’ by Jane Grigson with Sam Bilton, Ivan Day, Annie Gray & Jill Norman
Breakfast with Felicity Cloake
Special Postbag Edition #6
18th Century Dining with Ivan Day
Eel Special 1: Elvers with ‘Elver’ Dave
Medieval Meals & Manners with Danielle Cybulskie
Shakespearean Food & Drink with Sam Bilton
Lent episode 1: Preparing for Lent
C is for Caudle, Cider & Cappuccino
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
‘British Food: a History’
The British Food History Channel
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
Today I am speaking with food historian Peter Gilchrist and food writer Ross Clarke, who specialise in writing about and rediscovering the traditional foods of Scotland and Wales, respectively.
Peter is a returning guest who goes under the name Tenement Kitchen and is the co-host of The Scottish Food History Podcast. Ross is a food and travel writer and author of The Welsh Kitchen on Substack.
They both use a bakestone or griddle (or whatever you call yours – there are quite a few names for the usually round, usually iron piece of iron we bake our crumpets, drop scones, muffins and Welsh cakes upon) and I thought we should discuss using them and some of the best of British bakestone bakes.
We talk about the place of bakestones and griddles in British food culture, Welsh cakes, bannocks and pikelets, classic writers such as Bobby Freeman and F. Marion McNeill and the applied uses of bacon fat, amongst many other things.
Those listening to the secret podcast get plenty of bonus material where we discuss adapting traditional recipes to keep them relevant, how annoyed I get when classic recipes get messed around with, what we get out of recreating historical recipes and buttermilk – plus more.
Follow Peter on social media: @TenementKitchen on Facebook, Insta, Bluesky, X and TikTok
Follow Ross on Social Media: @theguiri on Insta, @rosswclarke on X and Facebook
Tenement Kitchen website
The Welsh Kitchen on Substack
Season 10 of the podcast is sponsored by Netherton Foundry, makers of high-quality kitchen and outdoor cookware. Netherton Foundry ships to several countries outside of the UK, including the USA and Canada. Visit www.netherton-foundry.co.uk to find out more about their wonderful products – approved not just by me but by folk such as Tom Parker-Bowles, Diana Henry and Nigella Lawson.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
A Book of Welsh Bakestone Cookery by Bobby Freeman
First Catch Your Peacock by Bobby Freeman
First Principles of Good Cookery by Lady Llanover
The Scots Kitchen by F. Marion McNeill
English Food by Jane Grigson
Knead to Know: A History of Baking by Neil Buttery
World Bannock Day
Ross’s article about Welsh cakes
Ross’s article The Joy of the Bakestone (with bara planc recipe)
The Scottish Food History Podcast episode about F. Marion McNeill – part 1 with Jeremy Lee
Peter’s morning rolls UNSECO bid
Serve it Forth Food History Festival EARLY BIRD TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW!
Previous pertinent blog posts
The Griddle Cakes & Pancakes section on Neil Cooks Grigson
Pancake Day
To Make Muffins
To Make Crumpets
The Muffin-Crumpet Continuum
Singin’ Hinnies
Previous pertinent podcast episodes
A History of Baking with Sam Bilton & Neil Buttery
The Philosophy of Puddings with Neil Buttery, Peter Gilchrist & Lindsay Middleton
Derbyshire Oatcakes with Mark Dawson
Lent episode 1: Preparing for Lent
B is for Bakestone, Bechamel & Barbecue
C is for Custard, Chancellor’s Buttocks & Crumpets
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
‘British Food: a History’
The British Food History Channel
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
Happy 4th of July to my listeners in the USA…and all of those around the world who also celebrate the day!
It’s a big one because the US is celebrating 250 years of independence this year. And to mark this special day, I have a special guest, Professor Nancy Siegel, and we are going to talk about the roles food and drink – especially tea and cake – played.
Nancy Siegal is Professor of Art History and Culinary History at Towson University, Maryland. She specialises in American landscape studies, underrepresented women artists of the 19th century, print culture, and culinary history of the 18th and 19th centuries. Lucky for me, Nancy was in London, visiting the British Library at the same time I was in London, so we got to record this conversation in person in the breakfast room of Nancy’s hotel, the Harlingford Hotel – a big thank you to them.
Nancy has an excellent book that isn’t out until the autumn, but I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek at it, called Political Appetites: The Power of Food in Revolutionary America, published by Johns Hopkins University Press. In that book, Nancy documents the roles food and drinks, especially tea (and its trappings) played in the colonists of North America wanting to sever their ties with Britain, and how food was used to help distance themselves culturally from the British – at first the colonists very much identified as British.
We talk about the tax on tea and the Boston Tea Party, tea alternatives, culinary activists such as the women of Edenton, giant independence cakes, Amelia Simmons, and how the people of the new USA used food and drink to culturally distance themselves from the British – amongst many other things.
Those listening to the secret podcast get LOADS of bonus material where we discuss George III’s botanist, pride in abundance, the value of hunting out original documents, baking fails, the all-American apple pie, and the function of satire – plus more.
Nancy’s page on the Towson University website
Political Appetites: The Power of Food in Revolutionary America
Season 10 of the podcast is sponsored by Netherton Foundry, makers of high-quality kitchen and outdoor cookware. Netherton Foundry ships to several countries outside of the UK, including the USA and Canada. Visit www.netherton-foundry.co.uk to find out more about their wonderful products – approved not just by me but by folk such as Tom Parker-Bowles, Diana Henry and Nigella Lawson.
The mixing and sound engineering were done by Thomas Ntinas of The Delicious Legacy podcast
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
The Edenton Tea Rebellion
A political teapot
American Cookery by Amelia Simmons (1796)
The Hasty Pudding by Joel Barloe (1793)
Serve it Forth Food History Festival EARLY BIRD TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW!
Previous pertinent podcast episodes
Feeding the Georgian Kings with Adam Crymble and Rachel Rich
Worcester Porcelain with Paul Crane
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
‘British Food: a History’
The British Food History Channel
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
Today I am speaking with Maureen Kilpatrick of Guard Archaeology, a Scottish archaeology firm that has dug sites all over Scotland, but today we are focusing on one site called Guardbridge, in Fife, where the timespan the finds ranged from is astounding: from the Stone Age to the 13th century. Several finds were food-related.
The site is amazing – there’s an Iron Age fort, there are field demarcations, evidence of food and how it was processed and cooked, as well as lots of evidence of the community moving from a nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle to a settled farming one.
We talk about the material objects found on site, such as saddle querns, axes and ploughing tools, food remains like emmer wheat, barley, cockles and the indestructible hazelnut, non-slip pottery and the surprisingly late appearance of oats, amongst many other things.
Those listening to the secret podcast get some bonus material where we discuss whether modern agriculture with its mechanised ploughs is a help or a hindrance to archaeologists these days.
Read the full report: ARO61: Guardbridge, Fife: A multi-period settlement with a multi-vallate fort
Follow Guard Archaeology in X/Twitter @GUARD_Archaeol
Season 10 of the podcast is sponsored by Netherton Foundry, makers of high-quality kitchen and outdoor cookware. Netherton Foundry ships to several countries outside of the UK, including the USA and Canada. Visit www.netherton-foundry.co.uk to find out more about their wonderful products – approved not just by me but by folk such as Tom Parker-Bowles, Diana Henry and Nigella Lawson.
The mixing and sound engineering were done by Thomas Ndinas of The Delicious Legacy podcast
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
ARO55: Excavations at the site of Bell’s Pottery, Stafford Street/Kyle Street, Glasgow
BBC News Article: 'Whole prehistory of Fife' found in one field, experts say
Serve it Forth Food History Festival EARLY BIRD TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW!
Ludlow Food Festival 2026
My appearance on the Offscript podcast as part of their Albion season
Previous pertinent podcast episodes
Bronze Age Food & Foodways with Chris Wakefield & Rachel Ballantyne
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
‘British Food: a History’
The British Food History Channel
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
In this week’s episode I am speaking with Adam Crymble and Rachel Rich about a really exciting piece of research looking at the complexities of feeding the households of King George III and his eldest son George who was Prince Regent whilst George III suffered from his “madness”, and eventually succeeded him as George IV. The focus of the research is the ledgers that still exist, listing the ingredients ordered, foods that were prepared and the people who ate them. Over 40,000 dishes were counted.
They have analysed the ledgers from two royal palaces – George III’s Kew Palace and the Prince Regent’s Carlton House – with two other food historians Sarah Fox and Lisa Smith, and assimilated them to produce a book called The King’s Dinner: Family, nation, and identity on the British table, 1760-1820, which was published by UCL Press on 11 June 2026. The book is available from wherever you buy your books, but it is also available open access as a free PDF. So is the data they used in their analysis.
We talk about the differing characters of the two Georges and how these were expressed in the foods they ate, Georgian food identity, the concept of oeconomy, the exotic food cultures NOT appearing on royal dinner tables, French cuisine and famous French chef Careme’s tenure in the Prince Regent’s kitchens, as well as their fruit and veg suppliers, one of whom was called Savage Bear, amongst many other things
Those listening to the secret podcast get some bonus material where we discuss the upper servant’s fancy foods, the huge amounts of meat consumed, and the politics of wine.
The King’s Dinner: Family, nation, and identity on the British table, 1760-1820(open access)
3000 dishes on a Georgian table
Adam’s bio on the UCL website
Follow Adam on social media: @adamcrymble.bsky.social (Bluesky); @dradamcrymble (Insta)
Rachel’s bio on Leeds Beckett University website
Follow Rachel Rich on social media: @drrachelrich (Insta)
Season 10 of the podcast is sponsored by Netherton Foundry, makers of high-quality kitchen and outdoor cookware. Netherton Foundry ships to several countries outside of the UK, including the USA and Canada. Visit www.netherton-foundry.co.uk to find out more about their wonderful products – approved not just by me but by folk such as Tom Parker-Bowles, Diana Henry and Nigella Lawson.
The mixing and sound engineering were done by Thomas Ntinas of The Delicious Legacy podcast
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
Rachel’s articles on The Recipes Project
Hugh Laurie playing the Prince Regent on Blackadder the Third
Previous pertinent podcast episodes
Eating Out in Georgian London with Peter Ross
18th Century Tavern Cookery with Marc Meltonville
18th Century Dining with Ivan Day
The Philosophy of Curry with Sejal Sukhadwala
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
‘British Food: a History’
The British Food History Channel
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
Today I am talking with returning guest Peter Ross who was, until recently, the Principal Librarian at the City of London's Guildhall Library. His fantastic book called Insatiable Appetites, Eating Out in Georgian London, published by the Bodleian Library was published last month, May 2026. Today we are talking about the collections in the Guildhall Library, which is a staggering 600 years old.
We mention quite a few books and collections, but there are links in the shownotes, and there will be images on the accompanying blog post, so do check that out too.
We talk about the history of the library and how it got some of its collections such as the Elizabeth David collection, but also some of the lesser known ones such as the Robert Miller collection, the splendiferous feast put on for James I by the Merchant Tailors, the importance of the author’s voice when it comes to writing popular cookery books, Hannah Glasse’s sauerkraut, and Elizabeth David’s Fanny Cradock avoidance techniques, amongst many other things.
Those listening to the secret podcast get some bonus material where we discuss the Hannah Glasse recipes that don’t work, the Worshipful Company of Brewers, poisonous pears in pewter pots and more.
The Guildhall Library
Insatiable Appetites, Eating Out in Georgian London by Peter Ross
Peter will be at the Chalke History Festival on 27 June 2024 talking about Georgian Feasting
Accompanying blog post on British Food: A History
Season 10 of the podcast is sponsored by Netherton Foundry, makers of high-quality kitchen and outdoor cookware. Netherton Foundry ships to several countries outside of the UK, including the USA and Canada. Visit www.netherton-foundry.co.uk to find out more about their wonderful products – approved not just by me but by folk such as Tom Parker-Bowles, Diana Henry and Nigella Lawson.
The mixing and sound engineering were done by Thomas Ndinas of The Delicious Legacy podcast
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
The Guildhall Library Collections
The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy by Hannah Glasse
The Closet of the Eminently Learned Sir Kenelme Digby kt. Opened
Choice and experimented receipts in physick and chirurgery by Kenelm Digby
Li tre trattati on Abebooks for a mere £12,500
A Creative List of Meat Carving Terms from the Middle Ages
Previous pertinent podcast episodes
Eating Out in Georgian London with Peter Ross
Fanny Cradock with Kevin Geddes
Early Television Cookbooks and Tie-ins with Kevin Geddes
The English Table with Jill Norman
50 Years of 'English Food' by Jane Grigson with Sam Bilton, Annie Gray, Ivan Day & Jill Norman
18th Century Female Cookery Writers with the Delicious Legacy Podcast
Previous pertinent blog posts
Charles Darwin and the Owl
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
‘British Food: a History’
The British Food History Channel
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
Welcome back to The British Food History Podcast. Today I am talking with Deborah Albon and Amy Palmer about the history of children’s food. Deborah Albon is a former early years professional and Amy Palmer is a former infant teacher, and both are lecturers at the University of Roehampton, London. They have written a book called First Helpings: A History of Children’s Food. It’s comprehensive, well-researched and an entertaining read. I recommend it.
We talk about the early years: the changing ideas about breastfeeding and wet nurses, the Victorian moralistic ideas surrounding withholding food, weaning the kids on wine and turtle doves, and children’s birthday parties, amongst many other things.
Those listening to the secret podcast get 20 minutes of bonus material where we discuss in more depth Deborah and Amy’s approach to writing the book, breastmilk alternatives, including the changing advice with respect to formula milk, creepy feeding schedules plus more.
First Helpings: A History of Children’s Food
Follow Deborah and Amy on Instagram @albonandpalmer
Deborah & Amy’s website
Season 10 of the podcast is sponsored by Netherton Foundry, makers of high-quality kitchen and outdoor cookware. Netherton Foundry ships to several countries outside of the UK, including the USA and Canada. Visit www.netherton-foundry.co.uk to find out more about their wonderful products – approved not just by me but by folk such as Tom Parker-Bowles, Diana Henry and Nigella Lawson.
The mixing and sound engineering are by Thomas Ntinas of The Delicious Legacy podcast
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
York Festival of Ideas 2026
Previous pertinent podcast episodes
Retro Foods with Briony May Williams
The School Meals Service with Heather Ellis
Food in Gothic Literature with Alessandra Pino
Previous pertinent blog posts
Sago & Tapioca Pudding
Colostrum (Beestings)
Negus
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
‘British Food: a History’
The British Food History Channel
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
Welcome back to The British Food History Podcast. In this episode, I am speaking with Peter Ross. Peter was, until recently, the Principal Librarian at the City of London's Guildhall Library. He is an historian of both food and crime in Georgian London, an Arts Society lecturer, and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.
He has also written a fantastic book called Insatiable Appetites, Eating Out in Georgian London, published by the Bodleian Library. Published 14 May 2026.
We talk about the migrating mealtimes of the Georgian period, chophouses, the importance of satirical cartoons when studying food history in this period, turtle soup, and why you wouldn’t want to be seen hanging around the saloop stand – amongst many other things.
Those listening to the secret podcast get some top drawer bonus material where we discuss what Georgian chocolate was really like, and the beautiful and amazing Vauxhall gardens + more.
Insatiable Appetites, Eating Out in Georgian London by Peter Ross
Peter will be at the Chalke History Festival on 27 June 2024 talking about Georgian Feasting
Season 10 of the podcast is sponsored by Netherton Foundry, makers of high-quality kitchen and outdoor cookware. Netherton Foundry ships to several countries outside of the UK, including the USA and Canada. Visit www.netherton-foundry.co.uk to find out more about their wonderful products – approved not just by me but by folk such as Tom Parker-Bowles, Diana Henry and Nigella Lawson.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
Accompanying blog post showing the Gilray cartoon + more
The Guildhall Library
Peter’s London street food exhibition
The British Housewife by Gilly Lehmann
The London Art of Cookery by John Farley
The English Art of Cookery by Richard Briggs
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper by Neil Buttery
Previous pertinent podcast episodes
18th Century Tavern Cooking with Marc Meltonville (& Richard Briggs)
London's Street Food Sellers with Charlie Taverner
18th Century Dining with Ivan Day
Elizabeth Raffald with Alessandra Pino & Neil Buttery
Previous pertinent blog posts
Mock Turtle Soup
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
‘British Food: a History’
The British Food History Channel
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Mentioned in this episode:
A is for Apple Season C has begun!
Join Neil Buttery, Sam Bilton and Alessandra Pino for their journey through the letter C on 'A is for Apple: An Encyclopaedia of Food & Drink'.Available wherever you get your podcasts.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
Welcome back to the British Food History Podcast. In this episode of the podcast, I am speaking with fish and seafood cookery expert CJ Jackson, author of The Great British Seafood Revival, published by Merlin Unwin
We talk about cod alternatives like coley and hake; the loss of the street fishmonger; sustainability; fish farms, and whether they are a good thing; the future of Billingsgate Market; and my old fear of bivalves, amongst many other things.
Those listening to the secret podcast get to hear about the popularity of seaweed and disco scallops!
Great British Seafood Revival by CJ Jackson
CJ’s website
Follow CJ on Instagram @cjkentseafood
Season 10 of the podcast is sponsored by Netherton Foundry, makers of high-quality kitchen and outdoor cookware. Netherton Foundry ships to several countries outside of the UK, including the USA and Canada. Visit www.netherton-foundry.co.uk to find out more about their wonderful products – approved not just by me but by folk such as Tom Parker-Bowles, Diana Henry and Nigella Lawson.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
Follow Billingsgate Seafood School on Instagram @theseafoodschool
Leith’s Fish Bible
The Ration Book Diet
Billingsgate Market
Previous pertinent podcast episodes
C is for Cod, Cockles and Caviar
Previous pertinent blog posts
To make Kedgeree
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
‘British Food: a History’
The British Food History Channel
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Mentioned in this episode:
A is for Apple Season C has begun!
Join Neil Buttery, Sam Bilton and Alessandra Pino for their journey through the letter C on 'A is for Apple: An Encyclopaedia of Food & Drink'.Available wherever you get your podcasts.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
I received the sad news of the death Joanna Crosby when I was at the Leeds Symposium of Food History and Traditions in April.
Joanna was a talented food historian specialising in the history of apples and orchards, and she came on the podcast in 2024 to talk about her research and excellent book Apples and Orchards since the Eighteenth Century.
I thought I would put out the episode we recorded together, published in January 2024 as a special episode in her memory.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
Welcome back to the British Food History Podcast. In today’s episode, I am speaking with Great British Bake Off alumnus Briony May Williams about retro foods. She’s on a mission to bring back some of the foods of the 21st century that are maybe not being enjoyed as much as they should be in the 21st. I am very much in agreement with this – obvs.
We talk about how Briony became interested in retro foods and historical cooking (we all have an origin story, don’t we?), memories of Bake Off, puddings as comfort food, Waldorf salads, our shared appreciation of frozen peas and Kitchen Aids, plus the infamous banana candle salad.
The Retro Food Society by Briony May Williams is out now
Follow Briony on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube @brionymaybakes
Briony’s Substack
Season 10 of the podcast is sponsored by Netherton Foundry, makers of high-quality kitchen and outdoor cookware. Netherton Foundry ships to several countries outside of the UK, including the USA and Canada. Visit www.netherton-foundry.co.uk to find out more about their wonderful products – approved not just by me but by folk such as Tom Parker-Bowles, Diana Henry and Nigella Lawson.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
The BBC Travel Show episode featuring both Briony and me
Great British Bake Off New Year special
Delia Smith boils an egg
Sam Bilton’s banana candle salad
Car Fest 2026
Southport Flower Show 2026
My kedgeree blog post
Previous pertinent podcast episodes
Neil's accompanying blog post
B is for Banana, Banting & Berries
Previous pertinent blog posts
Toad-in-the-hole
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
‘British Food: a History’
The British Food History Channel
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Mentioned in this episode:
A is for Apple Season C has begun!
Join Neil Buttery, Sam Bilton and Alessandra Pino for their journey through the letter C on 'A is for Apple: An Encyclopaedia of Food & Drink'.Available wherever you get your podcasts.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
Today, we are going on an excursion to the Netherton Foundry workshop, nestled in the Shropshire countryside, to find out about spun iron cookware – something that was essentially extinct in this country until owners Neil and Sue Currie brought it back.
Neil and Sue are very kindly sponsoring season 10 of The British Food History Podcast makers of high-quality kitchen and outdoor cookware. Netherton Foundry ships to several countries outside of the UK, including the USA and Canada. Visit www.netherton-foundry.co.uk to find out more about their wonderful products – approved not just by me but by folk such as Tom Parker-Bowles, Diana Henry and Nigella Lawson.
We talk about designing the original range (and how the range increased), celebrity requests, why spun iron cookware lost out to aluminium cookware, croustade irons, and how Netherton Foundry cookware brings some extra authenticity to historical foods cooked at home, amongst many other things.
Those listening to the secret podcast will hear about the pros and cons of working with copper, how Netherton Foundry go about seeking out their vintage machinery, how their stockpots came to be, their outdoor range, plus more.
Netherton Foundry website
Follow Netherton Foundry on social media: Insta/threads @nethertonfoundry; BlueSky @nethertonfoundry.bsky.social; Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NethertonFoundry
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
This episode was mixed and engineered by Thomas Ntinas of the Delicious Legacy podcast.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
NF Bread Pan with Cloche
NF Prospector Pans
NF Chef’s Pans
Val Stones’ Baking Sheet
NF Croustade Irons
NF Flambadou
NF Outdoor Cookery Range
Video: spinning iron
Video: Sue using the croustade iron
Mana Restaurant
From the Oven to the Table by Diana Henry
Repast and the tiffin tin Jenny Linford
Previous pertinent blog posts
Toad-in-the-hole
Yorkshire Curd Tart
Four Scone Recipes
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
‘British Food: a History’
The British Food History Channel
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Mentioned in this episode:
A is for Apple Season C has begun!
Join Neil Buttery, Sam Bilton and Alessandra Pino for their journey through the letter C on 'A is for Apple: An Encyclopaedia of Food & Drink'.Available wherever you get your podcasts.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
My guest on The British Food History Podcast today is Mark Dawson, a food historian specialising in the food and social history of the early modern period, but also on the regional food of the Midlands. Today we are talking about the traditional food and drink of his home county of Derbyshire.
You may remember he was on last season talking about Derbyshire Oatcakes, well, since then he has written a fantastic book called Lumpy Tums: Derbyshire’s Food & Drink published by Amberley and out in the wild from the 15th April 2026.
We talk about oat-based foods like thar cakes, which were traditionally eaten on All Souls Day, thin pudding and savoury pudding, the origins of the Bakewell pudding and Derbyshire’s very high proportion of drinking establishments per head, amongst many other things.
Those listening to the secret podcast get more than a quarter of an hour of bonus material where we talk about Derbyshire cheeses, the return of small-scale breweries to the county, wakes cakes and Ashbourne gingerbread.
Lumpy Tums: Derbyshire’s Food & Drink by Mark Dawson and published by Amberley
Mark’s website
Mark’s Speakernet profile
Follow Mark on Instagram @lumpytums
Season 10 of the podcast is sponsored by Netherton Foundry, who make high-quality kitchen and outdoor cookware. Netherton Foundry ships to several countries outside of the UK, including the USA and Canada. Visit www.netherton-foundry.co.uk to find out more about their wonderful products – approved not just by me but by folk such as Tom Parker-Bowles, Diana Henry and Nigella Lawson.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
This episode was mixed and engineered by Thomas Ntinas of the Delicious Legacy podcast.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
County Recipes of Old England by Helen Edden (2008)
Good Things in England by Florence White (1932)
Tindall’s of Tideswell – purveyors of Thar Cakes
The English Alehouse by Peter Clarke (1983)
Bakewell Pudding Shop
Knead to Know: A History of Baking by Neil Buttery (2024)
The Rutland Arms
Ivan Day’s blog post about the Bakewell pudding
Vegetable Cookery by Martha Brotherton (1833): the page with the potato Bakewell pudding!
Anne Lister of Shibden Hall
Betty’s Vintage Tea Rooms
Previous pertinent blog posts
To Make a Bakewell Pudding
To Make a Bakewell Tart
Yorkshire Parkin
Dock Pudding
321 Sweetmeat Cake
Previous pertinent podcast episodes
Derbyshire Oatcakes with Mark Dawson
Traditional Food of Lincolnshire with Rachel Green
Gingerbread with Sam Bilton
Ormskirk Gingerbread with Anouska Lewis
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
‘British Food: a History’
The British Food History Channel
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Mentioned in this episode:
A is for Apple Season C has begun!
Join Neil Buttery, Sam Bilton and Alessandra Pino for their journey through the letter C on 'A is for Apple: An Encyclopaedia of Food & Drink'.Available wherever you get your podcasts.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
Welcome to a brand new season of The British Food History Podcast!
On the podcast today is medieval scholar Katherine Harvey, a scholar specialising in medieval and early modern history.
Kathryn’s new book The Medieval Guide to Healthy Living is out now, published by Reaktion Books.
We talk about humoral theory and health, the dangers of eating fresh fruit and fish, the importance of sauces, drinking and drunkenness, how obesity was viewed by medieval society and the importance of cleanliness amongst many other things.
Those listening to the secret podcast get bonus material where we talk about the importance of mealtimes when thinking about health, and the poorer members of society who don’t necessarily have much of a choice when it comes to healthy eating.
The Medieval Guide to Healthy Living by Katherine Harvey
The Fires of Lust: Sex in the Middle Ages by Katherine Harvey
Katherine’s website
Follow Katherine on social media: Instagram @katherinee.harvey; X @keharvey2013; Bluesky @katherineharvey.bsky.social
Season 10 of the podcast is sponsored by Netherton Foundry, who make high-quality kitchen and outdoor cookware. Netherton Foundry ships to several countries outside of the UK, including the USA and Canada. Visit www.netherton-foundry.co.uk to find out more about their wonderful products – approved not just by me but by folk such as Tom Parker-Bowles, Diana Henry and Nigella Lawson.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
This episode was mixed and engineered by Thomas Ntinas of the Delicious Legacy podcast.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
York Festival of Ideas
Gerald of Wales
The filthy peasants in Monty Python and the Holy Grail
My recent toad-in-the-hole recipe
My cabinet pudding recipe
A is for Apple Season C, Episode 1
My recent appearance on BBC Breakfast
Previous pertinent blog posts
Mediæval Dining
Medieval Blanc Mange
To Make Frumenty/Furmenty
Previous pertinent podcast episodes
Subversive Feasting in Medieval King & Commoner Tales with Mark Truesdale
Medieval Meals & Manners with Danièle Cybulskie
Eel special: 2. Silver Eels with John Wyatt Greenlee
Forme of Cury with Christopher Monk
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
‘British Food: a History’
The British Food History Channel
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Mentioned in this episode:
A is for Apple Season C has begun!
Join Neil Buttery, Sam Bilton and Alessandra Pino for their journey through the letter C on 'A is for Apple: An Encyclopaedia of Food & Drink'.Available wherever you get your podcasts.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
Welcome to the second of a two-part special all about Burns Night.
Burns Night, celebrated on Robert Burns’ birthday, 25th January, is a worldwide phenomenon and I wanted to make a couple of episodes focussing upon the night, the haggis, but also the other foods links regarding Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns.
So, if you’re readying yourself for a Burns supper, I hope this episode gets you even more into the celebratory spirit. If you’re not marking Burns Night – well, hopefully after listening to this, you will be inspired to get yourself some haggis, neeps, tatties and a dram of whisky. Hopefully, a Man O'Words single malt from the excellent Annandale Distillery – why, well, you will find out very soon.
Today’s episode is a jam-packed one where I speak with three guests all about Robert Burns and his links with Dumfriesshire, Southwest Scotland. First of all I speak with Jane Brown, Honorary President of the Robert Burns World Federation, and ex-manager of The Globe, Robert Burns’s favourite haunt when he lived in Dumfries during the last eight years of his life. Jane has attended and spoken at many Burns Nights all over the world, so there's no one better to talk about with Burns’s life which had several links with food and drink: there’s Burns Night and the Address to a Haggis, his time as an exciseman and as a farmer, and his time at the Globe. Then there’s the Globe itself and all of the precious artefacts contained within it that have been painstakingly conserved by owners Teresa Church and David Thomson.
David and Teresa also own the Annandale Distillery, which produces a delicious and unique single malt whisky. It’s available unpeated and called Man O’Words, after Robert Burns, and the other is peated and called Man O’Sword, after the other local historical figure associated with Dumfries, Robert the Bruce. Like the Globe, the old distillery was saved, beautifully conserved and brought back to life by David and Teresa.
In today’s episode we talk about Burns’s before and after graces, Burns’s penchant for scratching poetry on windows, the importance of cask size on the flavour of whisky, and just what exactly possessed David and Teresa to buy the Globe and a falling-down distillery – amongst many other things.
The Globe Inn website
Annandale Distillery website
The Robert Burns World Federation
Follow 1610 at the Globe on social media: Instagram @theglobeinn1610; Facebook https://www.facebook.com/theglobeinn/?locale=en_GB; X @The GlobeInn1610
Follow Annandale Distillery on social media: Instagram: @annandale_distillery; Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annandaledistillery/?locale=en_GB; X: @AnnandaleDstlry
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
This episode was mixed and engineered by Thomas Ntinas of the Delicious Legacy podcast.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
Article: Local whisky maker hailed for its 'world class' and 'immaculate' malt at top awards. From in-Cumbria
Annandale Distillery on Visit Scotland website
MMR website (David and Teresa’s day job!)
The Burns House Museum
David’s article about the importance of cask size when maturing whisky
My ‘Taste of Britain’ series in Countrylife Magazine
Robert the Bruce
My upcoming online talk with Paul Crane as part of the Museum of Royal Worcester’s Winter Talk series on 4 March at 6pm
Previous pertinent blog posts
Chicken Balmoral
Previous pertinent podcast episodes
Haggis and the First Burns Suppers with Jennie Hood
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
‘British Food: a History’
The British Food History Channel
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Mentioned in this episode:
The British Food History podcast is currently sponored by Netherton Foundry
Season 10 of The British Food History Podcast is sponsored by Netherton Foundry, producers of top-quality, British-made cookery equipment. Nestled in rural South Shropshire, Netherton Foundry is a family-run business, headed by husband and wife team Neil and Sue Currie, which takes inspiration from the local iron masters of the 18th and 19th centuries to craft traditional cookware from iron, oak and copper using non-toxic materials.Their cookware is built to last, whether it be their famous prospector pans (of which I am a proud owner), crumpet rings or their impressive range of outdoor cookware. Netherton Foundry ships to several countries outside of the UK, including the USA and Canada. Visit netherton-foundry.co.uk to find out more about their wonderful products – approved not just by me but by folk such as Tom Parker-Bowles, Diana Henry and Nigella Lawson.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
Welcome to the first of a two-part special all about Burns Night.
Burns Night, celebrated on Robert Burns’ birthday, 25th January, is a worldwide phenomenon and I wanted to make a couple of episodes focussing upon the night, the haggis, but also the other foods links regarding Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns.
Burns was born in Alloway, Ayrshire on 25 January 1759 and he died in Dumfries on 21 July 1796 at just 37 years old.
My guest today is food historian Jennie Hood, who has written an excellent article for the most recent edition of food history journal Petit Propos Culinares, entitled ‘A History of Haggis and the Burns Night Tradition’, so she is the perfect person to speak with on this topic.
Jennie Hood hails from Ayrshire, just like Robert Burns, and we talk about the origin of Burns Night, but we also talk about the medieval origins of the most important food item on the Burns supper plate – the haggis.
Things covered include the first English recipes for haggis, what makes a haggis a haggis (not as easy a thing as you might expect), Burns’s poem Address to a Haggis and what it tells us about haggises in Burns’s day and how the first Burns suppers started and gained such popularity, amongst many other things.
Follow Jennie on social media: Threads/Instagram @medievalfoodwithjennie; Bluesky @medievalfoodjennie.bsky.social; Facebook https://www.facebook.com/medievalfoodwithjennie
Company of St Margaret, Jennie’s late medieval and renaissance re-enactment group
Issue 133 of Petits Propos Culinaires
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
This episode was mixed and engineered by Thomas Ntinas of the Delicious Legacy podcast.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
Harlean MS 279
Liber Cure Cocorum
The Good Housewife’s Jewel by Thomas Dawson
The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy by Hannah Glasse (‘Haggas’ recipe p.291)
The Robert Burns World Federation
Address to a Haggis by Robert Burns
Suzanne MacIver’s recipe for haggis
Ivan Day’s recipe for hack pudding
The Philosophy of Puddings by Neil Buttery
BBC Countryfile January 2026 edition
Royal Births, Marriages & Deaths website (Channel 5)
Previous pertinent blog posts
Lamb’s Head with Brain Sauce (from Neil Cooks Grigson)
My review of the year post
Nesselrode Pudding
Turkey & Hazelnut Soup
Lambswool
Previous pertinent podcast episodes
The Philosophy of Puddings with Neil Buttery, Peter Gilchrist & Lindsay Middleton
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
‘British Food: a History’
The British Food History Channel
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Mentioned in this episode:
The British Food History podcast is currently sponored by Netherton Foundry
Season 10 of The British Food History Podcast is sponsored by Netherton Foundry, producers of top-quality, British-made cookery equipment. Nestled in rural South Shropshire, Netherton Foundry is a family-run business, headed by husband and wife team Neil and Sue Currie, which takes inspiration from the local iron masters of the 18th and 19th centuries to craft traditional cookware from iron, oak and copper using non-toxic materials.Their cookware is built to last, whether it be their famous prospector pans (of which I am a proud owner), crumpet rings or their impressive range of outdoor cookware. Netherton Foundry ships to several countries outside of the UK, including the USA and Canada. Visit netherton-foundry.co.uk to find out more about their wonderful products – approved not just by me but by folk such as Tom Parker-Bowles, Diana Henry and Nigella Lawson.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
It’s time for the now traditional end-of-season postbag episode of The British Food History Podcast, where I (attempt to) answer your questions, read out your comments and mull over your queries.
Several photos and illustrations are mentioned in this episode: to see them, visit the accompanying blog post on British Food: A History: www.britishfoodhistory.com
I’ll be disappearing for a couple of months, unless of course, you are a monthly subscriber, where there will be a bonus episode coming up for you to listen to via the website: Keeping Food Traditions Alive with Tom Parker Bowles, which was recorded live at the Serve it Forth Food History Festival on 18 October.
Remember: Fruit Pig are sponsoring the 9th season of the podcast. Visit their website www.fruitpig.co.uk to learn more about them, their journey, to find your local stockist and access their online shop.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
This episode was mixed and engineered by Thomas Ntinas of the Delicious Legacy podcast.
The accompanying blog post with images
Things mentioned in today’s episode
Book your place at the Serve it Forth Spooky Christmas Special on 11th of December
BBC article World black pudding championship throwers take aim
Linny’s Kitchen Facebook page
The Ginger Pig
Billingsgate Market
BBC article about the Denby Dale pie play
The seaside town of Morecombe
Books discussed or mentioned in today’s episode
Bilton, S. Fool’s Gold: A History of British Saffron. (Prospect Books, 2022).
Thomas, J. & Schultz, C. How to Mix Drinks, Or, The Bon-Vivant’s Companion. (Dick & Fitzgerald, 1862).
Bilton, S. Much Ado About Cooking: Delicious Shakespearean Feasts for Every Occasion. (Headline, 2025)
Buttery, N. Knead to Know: A History of Baking. (Icon Books, 2024).
Previous pertinent podcast episodes
Black & White Pudding with Matthew Cockin & Grant Harper
Derbyshire Oatcakes with Mark Dawson
Welsh Sheep & Cattle with Carwyn Graves
Housekeepers & Butlers with Peter Brears
Subversive Feasting in Medieval King & Common Tales with Mark Truesdale
Shakespearean Food & Drink with Sam Bilton
Cooking English Food with Nicola Aldren, Simone Blogg and Anthea Craig
Sam Bilton & Neil Buttery Talk Tripe
Previous pertinent blog posts
Blood Ice Cream
Cheese and Leek (or Onion) Pie
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
‘British Food: a History’
The British Food History Channel
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
My guest on The British Food History Podcast today food historian and friend of the show Sam Bilton, podcaster and author of Much Ado About Cooking Delicious Shakespearean Feasts for Every Occasion, published by Headline and commissioned by Shakespeare’s Globe.
It was, of course, a great opportunity to talk about the food of Shakespearean England as well as the food and drink references in Shakespeare’s plays, and what they meant to those watching the plays at the time they were first performed.
We talked about lots of cookery manuscripts, the importance of keeping historical recipes relevant, capons, Early Modern bread and greedy Falstaff’s sack, amongst many other things.
Those listening to the secret podcast can hear about horrible, sweet spinach tarts, Early Modern cakes, possets and more!
Much Ado About Cooking by Sam Bilton
Sam’s website
Follow Sam on BlueSky, Insta and Threads @mrssbilton
Comfortably Hungry
Ais for Apple: An Encyclopaedia of Food & Drink
Remember: Fruit Pig are sponsoring the 9th season of the podcast. Visit their website www.fruitpig.co.uk to learn more about them, their journey, to find your local stockist and access their online shop.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
This episode was mixed and engineered by Thomas Ntinas of the Delicious Legacy podcast.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
The Globe Theatre
Who is Falstaff?
Books discussed or mentioned and further reading
First Catch Your Gingerbread by Sam Bilton
Knead to Know: A History of Baking by Neil Buttery
A Dark History of Sugar by Neil Buttery
English Bread & Yeast Cookery by Elizabeth David
The Good Housewife’s Jewel by Thomas Dawson
The English Housewife by Gervase Markham
The Scot’s Kitchen by F. Marion McNeill
Delightes for ladies by Sir High Platt
Elinor Fettiplace's Receipt Book by Hilary Spurling
Previous pertinent blog posts
Boiled Capon with Sugar Peas
Tudor Salmon en Croute
Manchets and Payndemayn
Previous pertinent podcast episodes
A Rare Early Modern Cheese Manuscript with Alex Bamji
A Tudor Christmas with Brigitte Webster
Tudor Cooking & Cuisine with Brigitte Webster
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
‘British Food: a History’
The British Food History Channel
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
My guest today is food historian Carwyn Graves, a specialist in the foodways and traditions of Wales, and we are talking about Welsh Sheep and Cattle – and their products.
Carwyn has written a wonderful book called Welsh Food Stories, published in 2022 by Calon, which explores more than two thousand years of history to discover the rich but forgotten heritage of Welsh foods – from oysters to cider, salted butter to salt-marsh lamb. Despite centuries of industry, ancient traditions have survived in pockets across the country among farmers, bakers, fisherfolk, brewers and growers who are taking Welsh food back to its roots, and trailblazing truly sustainable foods as they do so.
We talk about the importance of sheep and cattle in Wales’s physical and cultural landscape, salt marsh lamb, cawl, colostrum puddings, the Welsh and their love of roasted cheese and sheep fancying Cistercian monks – amongst many other things.
Those listening to the secret podcast can hear 15 minutes of extra material including flummery, mutton, laverbread sauce, the traditional skills in the collective cultural memory of the Welsh, the etymology of rarebit/rabbit plus more!
Welsh Food Stories by Carwyn Graves
Carwyn’s website
Follow Carwyn on Instagram @carwyngraves
Remember: Fruit Pig are sponsoring the 9th season of the podcast, and Grant and Matthew are very kindly giving listeners to the podcast a unique special offer 10% off your order until the end of October 2025 – use the offer code Foodhis in the checkout at their online shop, www.fruitpig.co.uk.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
This episode was mixed and engineered by Thomas Ntinas of the Delicious Legacy podcast.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
The Art of Cookery Made Plain & Easy by Hannah Glasse
The First Boke of the Introduction of Knowledge Made by Andrew Boorde
Wikipedia page of Welsh sheep breeds
Rare Breeds Survival Trust page on Welsh cattle breeds
Previous pertinent blog posts
Colostrum (Beestings) with pudding recipe
Welsh Rarebit (and Locket’s Savoury)
98 Cawl
155 Welsh Rabbit
183 Scotch Rabbit (1747)
230 English Rabbit (1747)
Previous pertinent podcast episodes
A Regional Food Tour with Jenny Linford
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
‘British Food: a History’
The British Food History Channel
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
My guest on The British Food History Podcast today is historian Mark Truesdale, scholar of the fifteenth-century King and Commoner tradition and its early modern afterlife and author of The King and Commoner Tradition: Carnivalesque Politics in Medieval and Early Modern Literature, published by Routledge.
We talk about medieval carnival, the plot of a king and commoner tale, spying foresters, rude monks, the love of eating tiny birds, who the audience might be, and the ridiculousness of baking a venison pasty in Sherwood Forest – amongst many other things.
Those listening to the secret podcast can hear about Henry VIII’s love of Robin Hood tales, cowardly herons, and Mark tells me who the king in these tales may (or may not) be referring to.
Remember: Fruit Pig are sponsoring the 9th season of the podcast, and Grant and Matthew are very kindly giving listeners to the podcast a unique special offer 10% off your order until the end of October 2025 – use the offer code Foodhis in the checkout at their online shop, www.fruitpig.co.uk.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
This episode was mixed and engineered by Thomas Ntinas of the Delicious Legacy podcast.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
The King and Commoner Tradition: Carnivalesque Politics in Medieval and Early Modern Literature by Mark Truesdale
Mark’s article The Medieval Robin Hood: Folk Carnivals and Ballads on Folklore Thursday
My blog post about King Alfred burning the cakes
The Great Household in Late Medieval England by C.M. Woolgar
Robin Hood and Other Outlaw Tales
Sentimental and Humorous Romances
Ten Bourdes
Serve it Forth website - You can still receive 25% off the ticket price using the code SERVE25 at the checkout!
Serve it Forth Eventbrite page
Previous pertinent podcast episodes
Medieval Meals & Manners with Danièle Cybulskie
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
‘British Food: a History’
The British Food History Channel
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Mentioned in this episode:
Serve it Forth Food History Festival 18 October 2025
I thought you might want to know about the first Serve it Forth Food History Festival is on 18 October 2025 – it’s online, it’s £16 a ticket but you can get 25% off the price using the offer code SERVE25. Visit the website https://serveitforthfest.wixsite.com/info for more information and links to Eventbrite.I’ve teamed up with fellow food historians (and friends of the show) Sam Bilton, Thomas Ntinas and Alessandra Pino – we are all presenting a session each. I’m kicking off the day in conversation with food writer and cook Tom Parker Bowles. Brigitte Webster, another friend of the show, will also be appearing. To find out more, check out the recently published bonus episode of the podcast all about the festival to find out more information.The day is being sponsored by the excellent Netherton Foundry. It’s going to be a really fun and exciting day and I hope you can join us.
In today’s episode, I speak with Peter Brears, a world-leading food historian. He was director of both York and Leeds City Museums, and is a consultant to the National Trust, English Heritage and Historic Royal Palaces.
He is the winner of the André Simon award for his book, Cooking and Dining in Medieval England, published in 2012, which is a must-have, as are his other books in the series that focus on upper-class cooking and dining in the Tudor and Early Stuart periods, and most recently in the Victorian country house.
He is also a founding member of the Leeds Symposium of Food History and Traditions, which will have its 40th next year (2026)
Our conversation was recorded in person at his home in Leeds.
We talk about the roles of the housekeeper and butler first in the Victorian period, but then trace their histories back right to the Middle Ages in the case of the butler. Also covered: orchestrating big meals, the drinks prepared by the butler, the mysteries of the stillroom, and the pressures of preparing a baked Alaska – amongst many other things.
Those listening to the secret podcast can hear about French and Russian service, when housekeepers are definitely not subservient, the dos and don’ts of displaying porcelain and the contents of the housekeeper’s cupboard.
Remember: Fruit Pig are sponsoring the 9th season of the podcast, and Grant and Matthew are very kindly giving listeners to the podcast a unique special offer 10% off your order until the end of October 2025 – use the offer code Foodhis in the checkout at their online shop, www.fruitpig.co.uk.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
This episode was mixed and engineered by Thomas Ntinas of the Delicious Legacy podcast.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
Cooking & Dining in Medieval England by Peter Brears (2012)
Cooking & Dining in Tudor & Early Stuart England by Peter Brears (2015)
Cooking & Dining in the Victorian Country House by Peter Brears (2023)
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Rafflad, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper by Neil Buttery (2023)
Everyday Life in Seventeenth Century Calderdale by Peter Brears (2025)
Peter’s PPC article ‘What the housekeeper kept in her drawers’ (2015) PPC 103, 61-74
Roast Saddle of Lamb on the Neil Cooks Grigson blog
Serve it Forth website - You can still receive 25% off the ticket price using the code SERVE25 at the checkout!
Serve it Forth Eventbrite page
Previous pertinent podcast episodes
18th Century Dining with Ivan Day
Elizabeth Raffald with Neil Buttery & Alessandra Pino
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
‘British Food: a History’
The British Food History Channel
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
In this episode, I talk with ceramics expert Paul Crane FSA about the early years of Worcester porcelain. Paul is a consultant at the Brian Haughton Gallery, St James’s, London, and a specialist in Ceramics from the Medieval and Renaissance periods through to the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries. He presently sits as a Trustee of the Museum of Royal Worcester and is also a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, an independent historian and researcher and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Art Scholars.
Our conversation was recorded in person at the Museum of Royal Worcester. If you want to see the pieces we discuss, you should do one of two things: go to the website where I’ve added images of the majority of the items discussed to the accompanying blog post for this episode. OR go to the YouTube channel where I’ve lined up the images with our discussion. Paul and I really do our best to describe the pieces, but of course, it’s best if you can see them for yourself.
We talk about Dr Wall and how he got the Worcester manufactory up and running, the importance of seeing porcelain by candlelight, asparagus servers, the first piece of porcelain you see when you walk into the museum, the Royal Lily service and how Worcester porcelain attained the Royal warrant, amongst any other things.
Those listening to the secret podcast can hear more about the early blue and white pieces, including a rarebleeding bowl, the first commemorative coronation porcelain mug and the stunning Nelson tea service, plus much more.
Remember: Fruit Pig are sponsoring the 9th season of the podcast, and Grant and Matthew are very kindly giving listeners to the podcast a unique special offer 10% off your order until the end of October 2025 – use the offer code Foodhis in the checkout at their online shop, www.fruitpig.co.uk.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
This episode was mixed and engineered by Thomas Ntinas of the Delicious Legacy podcast.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
Accompanying blog post with images of the porcelain discussed
YouTube video of the episode with images of the porcelain discussed
Museum of Royal Worcester website
Paul’s YouTube talk called ‘Nature, Porcelain and the Enlightenment’
Paul’s YouTube talk called ‘Early Worcester from Dr Wall to James Giles’
My museum talk about Worcester porcelain and 19th-century dining
The Natural History of Uncommon Birds by George Edwards
A video about the first project Neil took part in with the Museum of Royal Worcester
Serve it Forth website - You can still receive 25% off the ticket price using the code SERVE25 at the checkout!
Serve it Forth Eventbrite page
Previous pertinent podcast episodes
18th Century Dining with Ivan Day
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
‘British Food: a History’
The British Food History Channel
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Mentioned in this episode:
Serve it Forth Food History Festival 18 October 2025
I thought you might want to know about the first Serve it Forth Food History Festival is on 18 October 2025 – it’s online, it’s £16 a ticket but you can get 25% off the price using the offer code SERVE25. Visit the website https://serveitforthfest.wixsite.com/info for more information and links to Eventbrite.I’ve teamed up with fellow food historians (and friends of the show) Sam Bilton, Thomas Ntinas and Alessandra Pino – we are all presenting a session each. I’m kicking off the day in conversation with food writer and cook Tom Parker Bowles. Brigitte Webster, another friend of the show, will also be appearing. To find out more, check out the recently published bonus episode of the podcast all about the festival to find out more information.The day is being sponsored by the excellent Netherton Foundry. It’s going to be a really fun and exciting day and I hope you can join us.
In this episode, I speak with Christina Wade, a beer historian specialising in the UK and Ireland, with a particular focus on women. She has written an excellent book, Filthy Queens: A History of Beer in Ireland, which was published by Nine Bean Rows earlier this year (2025).
We talk about ale and beer in Ireland, and how colonisation by the English, and then the British, affected beer production and consumption. Topics include: ale in early medieval Ireland, the man who inspired the title of her book, ale consumption during the Irish Rebellion and the Potato Famine, and the use of human skulls in medicinal ales, amongst many other things.
Those listening to the secret podcast can hear about the links between alewives and witchcraft, whiskey and beer consumption, tea kettle brews and more!
Christina’s social media handle on Instagram and Bluesky is @braciatrix
Christina’s website
Christina’s Substack
Filthy Queens: A History of Beer in Ireland
The Devil’s in the Draught Lines: 1000 Years of Women in Britain’s Beer History
The Beer Ladies Podcast
Remember: Fruit Pig are sponsoring the 9th season of the podcast and Grant and Matthew are very kindly giving listeners to the podcast a unique special offer 10% off your order until the end of October 2025 – use the offer code Foodhis in the checkout at their online shop, www.fruitpig.co.uk.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
This episode was mixed and engineered by Thomas Ntinas of the Delicious Legacy podcast.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
Serve it Forth website - You can still receive 25% off the ticket price using the code SERVE25 at the checkout!
Serve it Forth Eventbrite page
Neil’s blog post about cock ale/beer
Barnaby Rich’s book The Irish hubbub or, the English hue and crie. 1617
Neil’s blog post about junket for £3 subscribers
Listen to Neil on Around the Table
Previous pertinent podcast episodes
Making Medieval Ale at Home with Alison Kay
Recreating 16th Century Beer with Susan Flavin and Marc Meltonville
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
‘British Food: a History’
The British Food History Channel
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Hello there everyone!
Here’s a quick special bonus episode for you – the lowdown on the Serve it Forth Food History Festival 2025 sponsored by the excellent Netherton Foundry.
My fellow festival coordinators Sam Bilton, Thomas Ntinas and Alessandra Pino and I are here to tell you more about it: how the day will work, what the sessions will be like, the topics and the guests – including my guest Tom Parker Bowles.
We have a brief discussion about our own interests and how we all got into food history. We also talk about our biggest/most embarrassing disasters.
Most important headlines are: it’s online on 18 October. It’s £16, but there’s 25% off ticket price until September 14th. Don’t worry if you miss some, or even all of the day, we will be making every recording available to all ticket holders.
NB: If you want to get 25% off the ticket price after the early bird has finished, use the offer code SERVE25 at the Eventbrite checkout
Serve it Forth website
The Serve it Forth Eventbrite page
My guest today is Mark Dawson, food historian, specialising in the food of the Tudor period, but also the food of Derbyshire. We met up at Mark’s home in Derbyshire to talk all things Derbyshire oatcakes.
Mark and I talk about the oatcakes of Britain, doshens and sprittles, the usefulness of probate inventories, oatcakes as penance, and oatcake goblins – amongst many other things
Those listening to the secret podcast can hear about other Derbyshire foods made from oats; a discussion about why oatcake is better than porridge; and I grill Mark on one very important matter: just what is the difference between a Derbyshire and a Staffordshire oatcake.
Follow Mark on Instagram @drdobba
Mark’s book Lumpy Tums: Derbyshire’s Food & Drink will be published by Amberley in April 2026
Mark’s previous book Plenti and Grase (2009) is published by Prospect Books
Mark Dawson’s Food History Pages
Mark’s SpeakerNet profile
Remember: Fruit Pig are sponsoring the 9th season of the podcast and Grant and Matthew are very kindly giving listeners to the podcast a unique special offer 10% off your order until the end of October 2025 – use the offer code Foodhis in the checkout at their online shop, www.fruitpig.co.uk.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
This episode was mixed and engineered by Thomas Ntinas of the Delicious Legacy podcast.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
Serve it Forth website
Serve it Forth Eventbrite page
Find out more about Joan Thirsk
General View of the Agriculture and Minerals of Derbyshire by John Farey (1811)
Some of Mark’s research on oatcakes can be found in Farmers, Consumers, Innovators: The World of Joan Thirsk (2016)
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
‘British Food: a History’
The British Food History Channel
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
My guest today is Alex Bamji, Associate Professor of Early Modern History at the University of Leeds, and we are talking about a rare treatise on cheese dating from the Early Modern Period.
We met up at the Brotherton Library which is home to a fantastic collection of cookery books and manuscripts. We talk about cheese, health and humoral theory; what makes a good cheese; the early modern cheese landscape; cheese as a cure for gout; and cheese haters – plus many other things.
Those listening to the secret podcast: Alex and I talk about why cow’s milk is the best milk, and I wonder whether there any clues as to where their microbes are coming from.
Follow Alex on Twitter, Bluesky and Instagram @alexbamji
Alex’s page on the University of Leeds website
Alex’s LinkedIn page
The digitised manuscript
Ruth Bramley’s transcription
A piece from Leeds University about the ‘pamflyt’ featuring Peter Brears
The Brotherton Library’s cookery collection
Remember: Fruit Pig are sponsoring the 9th season of the podcast and Grant and Matthew are very kindly giving listeners to the podcast a unique special offer 10% off your order until the end of October 2025 – use the offer code Foodhis in the checkout at their online shop, www.fruitpig.co.uk.
The Serve it Forth Food History Festival website is now live and tickets are availableon Eventbrite.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
This episode was mixed and engineered by Thomas Ntinas of the Delicious Legacy podcast.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
Serve it Forth website
Serve it Forth Eventbrite page
Listen to a sample of the Knead to Know audiobook
My recipe for an Early Modern white pudding
Pertinent previous podcast episode:
Cheddar & the Cheese Industry with Peter J. Atkins
Tudor Cooking & Cuisine with Brigitte Webster
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
‘British Food: a History’
The British Food History Channel
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
My guest today is third generation baker, writer and teacher David Wright author of the excellent book Breaking Bread: How Baking Shaped our World published by Aurum.
We talk about the social benefits of bread making, milling grain into flour, the anatomy of a grain, roller mills, the Chorleywood process and why gluten can be compared to Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito.
Those listening to the secret podcast: you get a little over 15 minutes of bonus material that includes additives that don’t have be named on ingredients lists, flatbreads, the National Loaf, the value of bread and more!
Follow David on Instagram @thebreaducator
Breaking Bread: How Baking Shaped Our World is published by Aurum
More on the Pump Street workshops
More about David’s Earth’s Crust Bakery at Camp Bestival
Remember: Fruit Pig are sponsoring the 9th season of the podcast and Grant and Matthew are very kindly giving listeners to the podcast a unique special offer 10% off your order until the end of October 2025 – use the offer code Foodhis in the checkout at their online shop, www.fruitpig.co.uk.
The Serve it Forth Food History Festival website is now live and tickets are availableon Eventbrite.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
This episode was mixed and engineered by Thomas Ntinas of the Delicious Legacy podcast.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
Serve it Forth website
Serve it Forth Eventbrite page
Against the Grain by James C. Scott (2018)
Knead to Know: A History of Baking by Neil Buttery (2023)
My blog post and recipe for a cob
My blog post and recipe for a cottage loaf
Pertinent previous podcast episode:
A History of Baking with Sam Bilton & Neil Buttery
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
‘British Food: a History’
The British Food History Channel
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
My guests today are archaeologists Chris Wakefield from the Cambridge Archaeological Unit of Cambridge University Rachel Ballantyne from McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, and they are here to tell me about an absolutely amazing site close to Peterborough that tell us a huge amount about daily life in a late Bronze Age settlement. Prepare to have your minds blown!
We talk about the unique circumstances of how and why the site is so well preserved, kitchen clutter, animal husbandry, querns, frumenty, pike sushi, and whether the English’s love of mustard goes back 3 millennia – among many other things
Those listening to the secret podcast: you get 20 minutes of bonus material that includes the importance of foraging, the evidence for fermentation, Bronze Age recipes, the uses of the whole cereal plant and more!
To view images of the site and the finds, go to the accompanying post on Neil’s blog.
Follow Cambridge Archaeological Unit on Social Media
Facebook: @cambridgearchaeologicalunit
BlueSky: @cambridgearch.bsky.social
Instagram: @cambridgearchaeologicalunit
Follow Cambridge University Department of Archaeology on Social Media:
Facebook: @archaeologycambridge
BlueSky: @cam-archaeology.bsky.social
Instagram: @ cambridge_archaeology
Remember: Fruit Pig are sponsoring the 9th season of the podcast and Grant and Matthew are very kindly giving listeners to the podcast a unique special offer 10% off your order until the end of October 2025 – use the offer code Foodhis in the checkout at their online shop, www.fruitpig.co.uk.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
This episode was mixed and engineered by Thomas Ntinas of the Delicious Legacy podcast.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
The Must Farm website
The Peterborough Archaeology page about the Must Farm site
Neil’s medieval frumenty recipe
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
‘British Food: a History’
The British Food History Channel
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
My guest today is food writer, podcaster and cheese enthusiast Jenny Linford and we are going on a bit of a regional food tour across the UK.
We talk about her new book The Great British Food Tour published by the National Trust. It’s beautifully illustrated and contains recipes too. Also discussed: our mutual appreciation of Jane Grigson, Welsh cakes, English fish dishes, marmalade, champ and Tunnock’s teacakes at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games – amongst many other things.
The Great British Food Tour by Jenny Linford
Jenny’s website (include information about all three of her recent books)
Follow Jenny on Social Media: X and BlueSky @jennylinford; Insta/Threads @jlinford
Jenny’s podcast, A Slice of Cheese
The National Trust website
Remember: Fruit Pig are sponsoring the 9th season of the podcast and Grant and Matthew are very kindly giving listeners to the podcast a unique special offer 10% off your order until the end of October 2025 – use the offer code Foodhis in the checkout at their online shop, www.fruitpig.co.uk.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
This episode was mixed and engineered by Thomas Ntinas of the Delicious Legacy podcast.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
Bradford Little Foodies Walking Tour on Sat 26 July 2025
Dock Pudding
Singin’ Hinnies
Henry’s Mayhew’s London Labour and the London Poor (1851)
Glamorgan Sausages
Chorlton Cheesemongers
London’s Eel, Pies & Mash Shops
Tunnock’s Teacakes at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games
Podcast episodes pertinent to today’s episode
Silver Eels with John Wyatt Greenlee
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
‘British Food: a History’
The British Food History Channel
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Welcome to the first episode of season 9 of The British Food History Podcast!
Today I am talking with Matthew Cockin and Grant Harper of Fruit Pig – the last remaining commercial craft producer of fresh blood black puddings in the UK.
We talk about how and why they started up Fruit Pig, battling squeamishness, why it’s so difficult to make fresh blood black puddings, and serving suggestions – amongst many other things
Fruit Pig are sponsoring the 9th season of the podcast and Grant and Matthew are very kindly giving listeners to the podcast a unique special offer 10% off your order until the end of October 2025 – use the offer code Foodhis in the checkout at their online shop, www.fruitpig.co.uk.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
This episode was mixed and engineered by Thomas Ntinas of the Delicious Legacy podcast.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
The Fruit Pig website
Fruit Pig on Jamie & Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast
Fruit Pig on BBC Radio 4’s The Food Programme
Neil’s appearance on Comfortably Hungry discussing black/blood pudding
Museum of Royal Worcester project wins a British Library Food Season Award
Catch up on the latest posts and recipes on Neil’s blog
Follow Serve it Forth on Instagram at @serveitforthfest
My YouTube channel
Podcast episodes pertinent to today’s episode
The Philosophy of Puddings with Neil Buttery, Peter Gilchrist & Lindsay Middleton
18th Century Female Cookery Writers with The Delicious Legacy
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open. You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
It’s time for the fifth traditional postbag episode, where I (attempt to) answer your questions, read out your comments and mull over your queries.
In this edition: giant turkeys, great crisps we have known, burnt bread and Yorkshire puddings – plus much, much more!
Thank you for your support in this eighth season of the podcast. It shall return later in the year.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
Burnt cobs – BBC Leicester article
Pennyroyal
Tomato-Flavoured Snaps are not dead!
A Baghdad Cookery Book by Charles Perry
Kirkcudbright Book Week tickets
The 39th Leeds Symposium of Food Drinks & Traditions on Eventbrite
Neil’s appearance on That Shakespeare Life
Neil’s appearance on History Rage
The Accomplisht Cook by Robert May (1660)
Amuse Bouche by Carolyn Boyd
Plenti and Grase by Mark Dawson
Neil’s Country Life County Foods series
A is for Apple: An Encyclopaedia of Food & Drink
The Delicious Legacy
Comfortably Hungry: Bleeding Cows & Black Puddings
Podcast episodes pertinent to today’s episode
A History of Baking with Sam Bilton & Neil Buttery
Making Medieval Ale at Home with Alison Kay
Turkey with Tom Copas
An Irish Food Story with Jp McMahon
The Philosophy of Puddings with Neil Buttery, Peter Gilchrist & Lindsay Middleton
Crisps with Natalie Whittle
The School Meals Service with Heather Ellis
The History of Food Waste & Preservation with Eleanor Barnett
Traditional Food of Lincolnshire with Rachel Green
18th Century Female Cookery Writers with the Delicious Legacy Podcast
Yorkshire Pudding with Elaine Lemm
Lent episode 1: Preparing for Lent
Blog posts pertinent to today’s episode
Forgotten Foods #4: Cock Beer
Laverbread
My Best Yorkshire Pudding Recipe
Rice Pudding
Clotted cream
Roast Turkey and Giblet Gravy
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Mentioned in this episode:
Fruit Pig are currently sponsoring The British Food History Podcast
Visit fruitpig.co.uk for more details of their products and journey, and to access their shop. Grant and Matthew are very kindly giving listeners to the BFHP a unique special offer: 10% off your order until the end of October 2025 – use the offer code Foodhis in the checkout. Time to fill your boots.
Serve it Forth Food History Festival 18 October 2025
I thought you might want to know about the first Serve it Forth Food History Festival is on 18 October 2025 – it’s online, it’s £16 a ticket but you can get 25% off the price using the offer code SERVE25. Visit the website https://serveitforthfest.wixsite.com/info for more information and links to Eventbrite.I’ve teamed up with fellow food historians (and friends of the show) Sam Bilton, Thomas Ntinas and Alessandra Pino – we are all presenting a session each. I’m kicking off the day in conversation with food writer and cook Tom Parker Bowles. Brigitte Webster, another friend of the show, will also be appearing. To find out more, check out the recently published bonus episode of the podcast all about the festival to find out more information.The day is being sponsored by the excellent Netherton Foundry. It’s going to be a really fun and exciting day and I hope you can join us.
Today I speak with food historian, podcaster and friend of the show Lindsay Middleton about arguably the first celebrity chef, Alexis Soyer, focusing mainly on two of his books: The Gastronomic Regenerator and The Modern Housewife.
We talk about the kitchens at the Reform Club, Soyer’s literary inspirations, cookery books as entertainment and his meta approach to writing The Modern Housewife, amongst many other things.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
The Scottish Food History Podcast
Find Lindsay on social media: Insta/Threads lindsaymiddleton_ and Bluesky @drlindsaymiddleton.bsky.social
Things mentioned in today’s episode
The Reform Club
Charles Barry
The Gastronomic Regenerator
The Modern Housewife
William Kitchiner
Neil’s Country Life County Foods series
Podcast episodes pertinent to today’s episode
The Philosophy of Puddings with Neil Buttery, Peter Gilchrist & Lindsay Middleton
Tinned Food with Lindsay Middleton
Invalid Cookery with Lindsay Middleton
A is for Apple: B is for Banana, Banting & Berries
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Mentioned in this episode:
Fruit Pig are currently sponsoring The British Food History Podcast
Visit fruitpig.co.uk for more details of their products and journey, and to access their shop. Grant and Matthew are very kindly giving listeners to the BFHP a unique special offer: 10% off your order until the end of October 2025 – use the offer code Foodhis in the checkout. Time to fill your boots.
Serve it Forth Food History Festival 18 October 2025
I thought you might want to know about the first Serve it Forth Food History Festival is on 18 October 2025 – it’s online, it’s £16 a ticket but you can get 25% off the price using the offer code SERVE25. Visit the website https://serveitforthfest.wixsite.com/info for more information and links to Eventbrite.I’ve teamed up with fellow food historians (and friends of the show) Sam Bilton, Thomas Ntinas and Alessandra Pino – we are all presenting a session each. I’m kicking off the day in conversation with food writer and cook Tom Parker Bowles. Brigitte Webster, another friend of the show, will also be appearing. To find out more, check out the recently published bonus episode of the podcast all about the festival to find out more information.The day is being sponsored by the excellent Netherton Foundry. It’s going to be a really fun and exciting day and I hope you can join us.
Today I am talking with podcaster and blogger Alison Kay of Ancestral Kitchen all about recreating medieval ale at home – and how one adapts the making of them to modern kitchens.
We talked about the difference between ale and beer; the process of ale-making; sterilisation versus good old cleaning; wild yeast; and (most importantly) what the ale tastes like – amongst many other things.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
Ancestral Kitchen podcast
Ancestral Kitchen website – including those posts about medieval ale.
Ancestral Kitchen on Instagram: @ancestral_kitchen
Things mentioned in today’s episode
Ale, Beer & Brewsters in England by Judith M. Bennett
Christmas on the Croft, The Scottish Food History Podcast
My YouTube channel with my short video about haggis
Blog posts pertinent to today’s episode
A Trip to the Sarson’s Vinegar Factory
Happy New Year – a review of 2024
Previous podcast episodes pertinent to today’s episode
Recreating 16th Century Beer with Susan Flavin & Marc Meltonville
A is for Anchovy, Alewife & Avocado
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Mentioned in this episode:
Fruit Pig are currently sponsoring The British Food History Podcast
Visit fruitpig.co.uk for more details of their products and journey, and to access their shop. Grant and Matthew are very kindly giving listeners to the BFHP a unique special offer: 10% off your order until the end of October 2025 – use the offer code Foodhis in the checkout. Time to fill your boots.
Serve it Forth Food History Festival 18 October 2025
I thought you might want to know about the first Serve it Forth Food History Festival is on 18 October 2025 – it’s online, it’s £16 a ticket but you can get 25% off the price using the offer code SERVE25. Visit the website https://serveitforthfest.wixsite.com/info for more information and links to Eventbrite.I’ve teamed up with fellow food historians (and friends of the show) Sam Bilton, Thomas Ntinas and Alessandra Pino – we are all presenting a session each. I’m kicking off the day in conversation with food writer and cook Tom Parker Bowles. Brigitte Webster, another friend of the show, will also be appearing. To find out more, check out the recently published bonus episode of the podcast all about the festival to find out more information.The day is being sponsored by the excellent Netherton Foundry. It’s going to be a really fun and exciting day and I hope you can join us.
Merry Christmas everyone! Welcome to the 2024 British Food History Podcast Christmas special.
Today I am talking with Tudor Food historian Brigitte Webster about what Christmasses were like in Tudor times – just what were the Tudors eating and drinking at this time of year?
We talked about harrowing Advent and its stockfish, food as gifts, the boar’s head, venison, frumenty and the similarities and differences between Christmasses then and now – amongst many other things.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
Brigitte’s book Eating with the Tudors is available from all good book shops.
Brigitte’s website
You can find Brigitte on social media: Twitter @tudorfoodrecipe; Instagram/Threads tudor_experience; Bluesky @tudorfoodrecipe.bsky.social
Things mentioned in today’s episode
The work of Andrew Boorde
Don’t forget to check out the website on Christmas Day for my Irish coffee recipe
Listen to the Delicious Legacy Christmas special here
Blog posts pertinent to today’s episode
My recipe for roast venison
My recipe for medieval frumenty (subscribers only)
Previous podcast episodes pertinent to today’s episode
Lent Episode 2: The History of Lent
Tudor Cooking and Cuisine with Brigitte Webster
Christmas Feasting with Annie Gray
Christmas Special 2023: Mince Pies
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Mentioned in this episode:
Serve it Forth Food History Festival 18 October 2025
I thought you might want to know about the first Serve it Forth Food History Festival is on 18 October 2025 – it’s online, it’s £16 a ticket but you can get 25% off the price using the offer code SERVE25. Visit the website https://serveitforthfest.wixsite.com/info for more information and links to Eventbrite.I’ve teamed up with fellow food historians (and friends of the show) Sam Bilton, Thomas Ntinas and Alessandra Pino – we are all presenting a session each. I’m kicking off the day in conversation with food writer and cook Tom Parker Bowles. Brigitte Webster, another friend of the show, will also be appearing. To find out more, check out the recently published bonus episode of the podcast all about the festival to find out more information.The day is being sponsored by the excellent Netherton Foundry. It’s going to be a really fun and exciting day and I hope you can join us.
Fruit Pig are currently sponsoring The British Food History Podcast
Visit fruitpig.co.uk for more details of their products and journey, and to access their shop. Grant and Matthew are very kindly giving listeners to the BFHP a unique special offer: 10% off your order until the end of October 2025 – use the offer code Foodhis in the checkout. Time to fill your boots.
The tables are turned today for I am being interviewed by Lindsay Middleton and Peter Gilchrist of The Scottish Food History Podcast about my book The Philosophy of Puddings, published by the British Library.
We talk about the origins of puddings, the emergence of the pudding cloth and the pudding mould, blancmange, the work of Catherine Brown and the Be-Ro book, amongst many other things
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
The Philosophy of Puddings is out now and available from all good book shops.
The Scottish Food History Podcast is available on all podcast apps
Peter’s website Tenement Kitchen
Peter can be found Instagram @tenementkitchen
Lindsay can be found on Instagram @lindsaymiddleton_ ; Twitter @lindsmiddleton ; Bluesky @drlindsaymiddleton.bsky.social
Things mentioned in today’s episode
Nigella Lawson’s gift book recommendations
Catherine Brown’s website
The Closet of Sir Kenelm Digby Knight Opened by Kenelm Digby
The Compleat Housewife by Eliza Smith
The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy by Hannah Glasse
Blog posts pertinent to today’s episode
The Be-Ro Book
Blancmange
Spotted Dick
Neil’s basilica mould can be seen on this post for subscribers
What is a pudding?
How to make a steamed sponge pudding
Previous podcast episodes pertinent to today’s episode
Invalid Cookery with Lindsay Middleton
Tinned Food with Lindsay Middleton
The Philosophy of Curry with Sejal Sukhadwala
The Philosophy of Chocolate with Sam Bilton
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Mentioned in this episode:
Fruit Pig are currently sponsoring The British Food History Podcast
Visit fruitpig.co.uk for more details of their products and journey, and to access their shop. Grant and Matthew are very kindly giving listeners to the BFHP a unique special offer: 10% off your order until the end of October 2025 – use the offer code Foodhis in the checkout. Time to fill your boots.
Serve it Forth Food History Festival 18 October 2025
I thought you might want to know about the first Serve it Forth Food History Festival is on 18 October 2025 – it’s online, it’s £16 a ticket but you can get 25% off the price using the offer code SERVE25. Visit the website https://serveitforthfest.wixsite.com/info for more information and links to Eventbrite.I’ve teamed up with fellow food historians (and friends of the show) Sam Bilton, Thomas Ntinas and Alessandra Pino – we are all presenting a session each. I’m kicking off the day in conversation with food writer and cook Tom Parker Bowles. Brigitte Webster, another friend of the show, will also be appearing. To find out more, check out the recently published bonus episode of the podcast all about the festival to find out more information.The day is being sponsored by the excellent Netherton Foundry. It’s going to be a really fun and exciting day and I hope you can join us.
Today I talk about Irish food, food history and identity with Michelin-starred chef Jp McMahon.
Jp is the culinary director of the EatGalway Restaurant Group and runs the restaurant Aniar in Galway, Ireland. He’s the founding chair and director of the Galway Food Festival, Jp is an ambassador for Irish food. He has written several books including the excellent Irish Cook Book published by Phaidon. However, the subject of our discussion was his new book, An Irish Food Story: 100 Foods That Made Us, published by Nine Bean Rows, which delved into Irish food identity, traditions and history.
We talked about food in Ireland versus Irish food, oysters and stout, the deliciousness of seaweed, Irish stew and dulse-flavoured croissants – plus many other things.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
Find Jp on Instagram: @mistereatgalway
Anair website
An Irish Food Story: 100 Foods That Made Us
The Irish Cook Book
An Alphabet of Anair
Things mentioned in today’s episode
The Great Cream Tea Debate on YouTube
BBC Countryfile magazine website
Neil’s blog post and recipe for Bakewell pudding
Upcoming events:
Find out about upcoming events on the website here.
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Mentioned in this episode:
Serve it Forth Food History Festival 18 October 2025
I thought you might want to know about the first Serve it Forth Food History Festival is on 18 October 2025 – it’s online, it’s £16 a ticket but you can get 25% off the price using the offer code SERVE25. Visit the website https://serveitforthfest.wixsite.com/info for more information and links to Eventbrite.I’ve teamed up with fellow food historians (and friends of the show) Sam Bilton, Thomas Ntinas and Alessandra Pino – we are all presenting a session each. I’m kicking off the day in conversation with food writer and cook Tom Parker Bowles. Brigitte Webster, another friend of the show, will also be appearing. To find out more, check out the recently published bonus episode of the podcast all about the festival to find out more information.The day is being sponsored by the excellent Netherton Foundry. It’s going to be a really fun and exciting day and I hope you can join us.
Fruit Pig are currently sponsoring The British Food History Podcast
Visit fruitpig.co.uk for more details of their products and journey, and to access their shop. Grant and Matthew are very kindly giving listeners to the BFHP a unique special offer: 10% off your order until the end of October 2025 – use the offer code Foodhis in the checkout. Time to fill your boots.
It’s December, Advent has begun, and we can officially start discussing Christmas so I have put together an episode about turkey that is very much of two halves. There’s an interview with Tom Copas, a turkey farmer who really looks after his flock: slow-grown, high welfare, and I have bought many a turkey from him over the years. Before that, I have prepared a little bit on the history of the turkey in Britain, spanning from Tudor times to the 20th century where it went from regal food to Christmas Day staple. Tom and I talked about farming family history, the intricacies of turkey farming, when the term ‘free-range’ is misleading, cooking tips and turkey crackling: amongst many other things.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
Order your Christmas turkey from the Copas Farm shop
Find Copas Turkeys on social media: Twitter/X @CopasTurkeys; Insta: @copasfarmshop or @tomcopas
Podcast episodes pertinent to today’s episode:
Christmas Feasting with Annie Gray
Tudor Cooking & Cuisine with Brigitte Webster
Turkey history references:
At Christmas We Feast: Festive Food Through the Ages (2021) Annie Gray
Eating with the Tudors: Food and Recipes (2023) Brigitte Webster
The Good Housewife’s Jewel (1596) Thomas Dawson
The Compleat Cook (1662) W. M.
E. Kidder's Receipts of Pastry and Cookery (1741) Edward Kidder
A Christmas Carol (1843) Charles Dickens
Upcoming events:
Find out about upcoming events on the website here.
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Mentioned in this episode:
Fruit Pig are currently sponsoring The British Food History Podcast
Visit fruitpig.co.uk for more details of their products and journey, and to access their shop. Grant and Matthew are very kindly giving listeners to the BFHP a unique special offer: 10% off your order until the end of October 2025 – use the offer code Foodhis in the checkout. Time to fill your boots.
Serve it Forth Food History Festival 18 October 2025
I thought you might want to know about the first Serve it Forth Food History Festival is on 18 October 2025 – it’s online, it’s £16 a ticket but you can get 25% off the price using the offer code SERVE25. Visit the website https://serveitforthfest.wixsite.com/info for more information and links to Eventbrite.I’ve teamed up with fellow food historians (and friends of the show) Sam Bilton, Thomas Ntinas and Alessandra Pino – we are all presenting a session each. I’m kicking off the day in conversation with food writer and cook Tom Parker Bowles. Brigitte Webster, another friend of the show, will also be appearing. To find out more, check out the recently published bonus episode of the podcast all about the festival to find out more information.The day is being sponsored by the excellent Netherton Foundry. It’s going to be a really fun and exciting day and I hope you can join us.
Today I am in conversation with Jill Norman – author of several books, and editor at Penguin. She very kindly talked to me about Jane Grigson and the book English Food at the start of this season. Well, Jill is on the podcast today to talk about her new book The English Table.
We talk about service a la française and a la russe, important food writers throughout history like Hannah Woolley and Claudia Roden, the origins of fish and chips, and the time she met Dorothy Hartley, amongst many other things
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
Jill’s website
The English Table by Jill Norman
Podcast episodes pertinent to today’s episode:
50 Years of 'English Food' by Jane Grigson with Sam Bilton, Annie Gray, Ivan Day & Jill Norman
Things mentioned in today’s episode:
The Queen-Like Closet by Hannah Woolley
A New System of Domestic Cookery by Mrs Rundell
A Book of Middle Eastern Food by Claudia Roden
Lost Country Life by Dorothy Hartley
Upcoming events:
Find out about upcoming events on the website here.
The Foyle’s Christmas Evening 28 November
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Mentioned in this episode:
Fruit Pig are currently sponsoring The British Food History Podcast
Visit fruitpig.co.uk for more details of their products and journey, and to access their shop. Grant and Matthew are very kindly giving listeners to the BFHP a unique special offer: 10% off your order until the end of October 2025 – use the offer code Foodhis in the checkout. Time to fill your boots.
Serve it Forth Food History Festival 18 October 2025
I thought you might want to know about the first Serve it Forth Food History Festival is on 18 October 2025 – it’s online, it’s £16 a ticket but you can get 25% off the price using the offer code SERVE25. Visit the website https://serveitforthfest.wixsite.com/info for more information and links to Eventbrite.I’ve teamed up with fellow food historians (and friends of the show) Sam Bilton, Thomas Ntinas and Alessandra Pino – we are all presenting a session each. I’m kicking off the day in conversation with food writer and cook Tom Parker Bowles. Brigitte Webster, another friend of the show, will also be appearing. To find out more, check out the recently published bonus episode of the podcast all about the festival to find out more information.The day is being sponsored by the excellent Netherton Foundry. It’s going to be a really fun and exciting day and I hope you can join us.
The tables have turned today because I am being interviewed by author, food historian and friend of the show Sam Bilton. My book Knead to Know is out now and published by Icon Books, and Sam very kindly agreed to interview me about it for the podcast. We talk about baking evolution, bakestone cookery, Jaffa Cakes and taxation, what’s so great about wheat plus many other things.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
Sam Bilton’s website
Social media: mrssbilton
Sam's blog Comfortably Hungry
Neil’s book Knead to Know is out now and published by Icon Books.
The Philosophy of Puddings is also out now, published by The British Library
Blog posts pertinent to today’s episode:
Manchets and Payndemayn
My Best Yorkshire Pudding Recipe
Clotted Cream
Podcast episodes pertinent to today’s episode:
Cake Baxters in Early Modern Scotland with Aaron Allen
Yorkshire Pudding with Elaine Lemm
50 Years of 'English Food' by Jane Grigson with Sam Bilton, Annie Gray, Ivan Day & Jill Norman
The Philosophy of Chocolate with Sam Bilton
Tripe Special: Sam Bilton & Neil Buttery Talk Tripe
British Saffron with Sam Bilton
Gingerbread with Sam Bilton
Things mentioned in today’s episode:
Hodmedod’s website
Doves Farm website
The Art of Cookery by Hannah Glasse
The Whole Duty of a Woman
Upcoming events:
Find out about upcoming events on the website here.
The Foyle’s Christmas Evening 28 November
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky@neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Mentioned in this episode:
Serve it Forth Food History Festival 18 October 2025
I thought you might want to know about the first Serve it Forth Food History Festival is on 18 October 2025 – it’s online, it’s £16 a ticket but you can get 25% off the price using the offer code SERVE25. Visit the website https://serveitforthfest.wixsite.com/info for more information and links to Eventbrite.I’ve teamed up with fellow food historians (and friends of the show) Sam Bilton, Thomas Ntinas and Alessandra Pino – we are all presenting a session each. I’m kicking off the day in conversation with food writer and cook Tom Parker Bowles. Brigitte Webster, another friend of the show, will also be appearing. To find out more, check out the recently published bonus episode of the podcast all about the festival to find out more information.The day is being sponsored by the excellent Netherton Foundry. It’s going to be a really fun and exciting day and I hope you can join us.
Fruit Pig are currently sponsoring The British Food History Podcast
Visit fruitpig.co.uk for more details of their products and journey, and to access their shop. Grant and Matthew are very kindly giving listeners to the BFHP a unique special offer: 10% off your order until the end of October 2025 – use the offer code Foodhis in the checkout. Time to fill your boots.
Today is an exciting day because we are tackling a topic that I consider extremely important, CRISPS, with food writer and journalist Natalie Whittle.
We talk about the North American origins of the crisp, the excitement of discovering the crisps of other countries, iconic brands like Walkers and Tayto, and most importantly what the best flavour is – amongst many other things.
Natalie’s book Crunch: An Ode to Crisps is published by Faber & Faber.
Natalie’s website
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
My new books Knead to Know: AHistory of Baking and The Philosophy of Puddings are out now.
Things mentioned in today’s episode:
Tayto Crisps
Walkers Crisps
Upcoming events:
Find out about upcoming events on the website here.
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Mentioned in this episode:
Fruit Pig are currently sponsoring The British Food History Podcast
Visit fruitpig.co.uk for more details of their products and journey, and to access their shop. Grant and Matthew are very kindly giving listeners to the BFHP a unique special offer: 10% off your order until the end of October 2025 – use the offer code Foodhis in the checkout. Time to fill your boots.
Serve it Forth Food History Festival 18 October 2025
I thought you might want to know about the first Serve it Forth Food History Festival is on 18 October 2025 – it’s online, it’s £16 a ticket but you can get 25% off the price using the offer code SERVE25. Visit the website https://serveitforthfest.wixsite.com/info for more information and links to Eventbrite.I’ve teamed up with fellow food historians (and friends of the show) Sam Bilton, Thomas Ntinas and Alessandra Pino – we are all presenting a session each. I’m kicking off the day in conversation with food writer and cook Tom Parker Bowles. Brigitte Webster, another friend of the show, will also be appearing. To find out more, check out the recently published bonus episode of the podcast all about the festival to find out more information.The day is being sponsored by the excellent Netherton Foundry. It’s going to be a really fun and exciting day and I hope you can join us.
The book English Food by Jane Grigson was published 50 years ago this year. It’s a book that has completely changed my life and I wanted to celebrate it with a three-part special. This is part three.
I am going back to my roots here talking with three good friends of mine Nicola Aldren, Simone Blagg and Anthea Craig, all of whom were there at the inception of my idea to cook every recipe in English Food.
We talk about memorable recipes, the large amounts of offal that were consumed, sous cheffing, pudding clubs and portion sizes, the horrorshow that was the stewed eel recipe, and many other things.
I also give you my top 10 recipes to try (& a few to avoid)
Support the podcast and blogs by becoming, if you can, a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
Neil’s new book The Philosophy of Puddings is out now and published by the British Library.
Books and other things mentioned in today’s episode:
English Food by Jane Grigson
Charcuterie and French Pork Cookery by Jane Grigson
Previous episodes pertinent to today’s episode:
50 Years of English Food by Jane Grigson
Jane Grigson with Sophie Grigson
18th Century Tavern Cooking with Marc Meltonville
Previous blog posts pertinent to today’s episode:
Read Neil Cooks Grigson here
Upcoming events:
Monsters & their Meals Hallowe’en event
Find out about upcoming events on the website here.
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Mentioned in this episode:
Fruit Pig are currently sponsoring The British Food History Podcast
Visit fruitpig.co.uk for more details of their products and journey, and to access their shop. Grant and Matthew are very kindly giving listeners to the BFHP a unique special offer: 10% off your order until the end of October 2025 – use the offer code Foodhis in the checkout. Time to fill your boots.
Serve it Forth Food History Festival 18 October 2025
I thought you might want to know about the first Serve it Forth Food History Festival is on 18 October 2025 – it’s online, it’s £16 a ticket but you can get 25% off the price using the offer code SERVE25. Visit the website https://serveitforthfest.wixsite.com/info for more information and links to Eventbrite.I’ve teamed up with fellow food historians (and friends of the show) Sam Bilton, Thomas Ntinas and Alessandra Pino – we are all presenting a session each. I’m kicking off the day in conversation with food writer and cook Tom Parker Bowles. Brigitte Webster, another friend of the show, will also be appearing. To find out more, check out the recently published bonus episode of the podcast all about the festival to find out more information.The day is being sponsored by the excellent Netherton Foundry. It’s going to be a really fun and exciting day and I hope you can join us.
The book English Food by Jane Grigson was published 50 years ago this year. It’s a book that has completely changed my life and I wanted to celebrate it with a three-part special. This is part two.
In this very special episode, I am talking with award-winning food writer, broadcaster, and teacher Sophie Grigson, Jane’s daughter, not just about English Food but Jane as a writer, cook, person—and mum and role model, of course.
We talk about what inspired Jane to write three editions of English food, why I chose Jane's book to cook from, Singin’ Hinnies, Sussex pond pudding, Jane’s dislike of rhubarb, and many other things.
Sophie’s website
Sophie’s Waterstones page
Follow Sophie on Twitter @trullidelicious; Instagram @trulli_delicious; or Threads @sophie_grigson_herself
Support the podcast and blogs by becoming, if you can, a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
Things mentioned in today’s episode:
The Jane Grigson Collection at Oxford Brookes University
The Jane Grigson Trust
Books and other things mentioned in today’s episode:
English Food by Jane Grigson
Jane Grigson’s Fruit Book
Jane Grigson’s Vegetable Book
Sussex Pond Pudding article by Felicity Cloake
Previous episodes pertinent to today’s episode:
50 Years of English Food by Jane Grigson
Previous blog posts pertinent to today’s episode:
Read Neil Cooks Grigson here
My first attempt at Singin’ Hinnies (it didn’t go well. But I have improved since!)
Upcoming events:
Monsters & their Meals Hallowe’en event
Pudding workshops at the Museum of Royal Worcester
Find out about upcoming events on the website here.
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings is available to preorder
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. His DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Mentioned in this episode:
Fruit Pig are currently sponsoring The British Food History Podcast
Visit fruitpig.co.uk for more details of their products and journey, and to access their shop. Grant and Matthew are very kindly giving listeners to the BFHP a unique special offer: 10% off your order until the end of October 2025 – use the offer code Foodhis in the checkout. Time to fill your boots.
Serve it Forth Food History Festival 18 October 2025
I thought you might want to know about the first Serve it Forth Food History Festival is on 18 October 2025 – it’s online, it’s £16 a ticket but you can get 25% off the price using the offer code SERVE25. Visit the website https://serveitforthfest.wixsite.com/info for more information and links to Eventbrite.I’ve teamed up with fellow food historians (and friends of the show) Sam Bilton, Thomas Ntinas and Alessandra Pino – we are all presenting a session each. I’m kicking off the day in conversation with food writer and cook Tom Parker Bowles. Brigitte Webster, another friend of the show, will also be appearing. To find out more, check out the recently published bonus episode of the podcast all about the festival to find out more information.The day is being sponsored by the excellent Netherton Foundry. It’s going to be a really fun and exciting day and I hope you can join us.
The book English Food by Jane Grigson was published 50 years ago this year. It’s a book that has completely changed my life and I wanted to celebrate it – and there are four excellent guests in today’s slightly longer-than-usual episode: Sam Bilton, Ivan Day, Annie Gray and Jill Norman It is because of Jane and her book that I am doing what I’m doing today – she taught me how to cook, told me about England’s fine and rich food culture and how to reconnect with it.
We talk about the unique way Jane’s book was published, Jane’s approach to research and writing, her attention to detail, her friendship with Elizabeth David, favourite recipes, and her frustrations regarding low-quality shepherd’s pie.
Find out more about Sam Bilton and her work here.
Find out more about Ivan Day and his work here.
Find out more about Annie Gray and her work here.
Find out more about Jill Norman and her work here.
Support the podcast and blogs by becoming, if you can, a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
Things mentioned in today’s episode:
Neil’s recent appearances on The Delicious Legacy, The Full English and Gastropod Neil’s recent Daily Express article
To see Neil’s Country Life articles, please visit the website’s Media page
The Jane Grigson Trust
Books mentioned in today’s episode:
English Food by Jane Grigson
Jane Grigson’s Fruit Book
Good Things in England by Florence White
The Taste of Britain by Laura Mason & Catherine Brown
The Scots Kitchen by F. Marion McNeill
Previous blog posts pertinent to today’s episode:
Read Neil Cooks Grigson here
Upcoming events:
Find out about upcoming events on the website here.
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
The Philosophy of Puddings is available to preorder
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. His DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
The podcast will return for its 8th season later this month and there are some great episodes coming up for you.
I’ve got a new book out called Knead to Know a History of Baking is out on the 12 September published by Icon Books
I will be doing a free Zoom talk at 7pm (UK time) on 10 September. To book your spot, please click this link to the Eventbrite page.
See you all properly toward the end of the month.
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. His DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
In this episode from the BFHP vaults, the tables are turned, and Neil is the guest on his own podcast, interviewed about his new book Before Mrs Beeton, Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper, about c18th cook and Manchester legend Elizabeth Raffald, which won the Best Food Book at the Guild of Food Writers Awards 2024.
In the interviewer’s chair is previous guest and friend of the show Alessandra Pino. Alessandra is co-author of A Gothic Cookbook which is an illustrated cookbook inspired by classic and contemporary Gothic texts. She is also co-host of Fear Feasts which is a podcast about food and horror in books and the films based on those books. She is also the co-host of A is for Apple: An Encyclopaedia of Food & Drink alongside Neil Buttery and Sam Bilton.
They talked about how I discovered Elizabeth, her great achievements, the problem of Mrs Beeton, her recipes, my recipe section of updated Raffald recipes, "Rabbits Surprised", comparisons with modern chefs like Heston Blumenthal, why there’s no statue of her, the time she exorcised a house from an evil spirit and much, much more.
Pre-order Neil’s new book Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper at you favourite bookshop, or from the publisher Pen & Sword History: www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Before-Mrs-Beeton-Hardback/p/22437
Things mentioned in today’s episode:
The Experienced English Housekeeper by Elizabeth Raffald (1769): https://archive.org/details/experiencedengl01raffgoog/page/n9/mode/2up
Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1880 edition): https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_Book_of_Household_Management/otoAAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0
The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy by Hannah Glasse (1780 edition): https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/_/fe8HAAAAQAAJ?hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjPiaaExKz9AhUMQ8AKHazyCXkQre8FegQIHRAJ
Previous podcast episode 18th Century Dining with Ivan Day: https://open.spotify.com/episode/22BHsKHncyk2i6UXEzcIY2?si=3afcd447af0b4eb9
Previous Podcast episode Food in Gothic Literature with Alessandra Pino: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6Nt55uQLXp6vrqH6MZsdPY?si=7b342ca391514232
Alessandra links:
A Gothic Cookbook: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63143496-a-gothic-cookbook
Find her on Instagram @sasacharlie and twitter @foodforflo
Neil’s book A Dark History of Sugar is available now from all bookshops as well as from the publisher Pen & Sword: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481
Don’t forget there will be another postbag episode at the end of the season. If you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery my DMs are open. You can now find me at Mastodon too: @neilbuttery@mastodon.gastrokon.com.
Join the new British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
If you like the blog posts and podcast episodes, please consider a monthly subscription or buying Neil a virtual coffee or a pint? Go to https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ for more details.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
It’s the end of season seven, so it is time for the traditional special postbag edition of the podcast. Much is covered: feminist dining tables, 17th-century household books, regional gingerbreads, musk-flavoured sweeties and much more.
Thanks to everyone who wrote in with a question, comment or query.
The podcast will return in August.
Support the podcast and blogs by becoming, if you can, a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
Previous podcast episodes mentioned in today’s episode:
Spices with Ian Anderson
Christmas Special 2023: Mince Pies
The Philosophy of Chocolate with Sam Bilton
Historical Cookery with Jay Reifel
Ormskirk Gingerbread with Anouska Lewis
18th Century Tavern Cooking with Marc Meltonville
18th Century Dining with Ivan Day
Recreating 16th Century Beer with Susan Flavin & Marc Meltonville
Elizabeth Raffald with Alessandra Pino & Neil Buttery
Food in Gothic Literature with Alessandra Pino
Traditional Food of Lincolnshire with Rachel Green
Blog posts mentioned in today’s episode:
Quick & Easy Puff or Rough Puff Pastry
What’s in a Name?: Buttery
446 Lincolnshire Chine
174 Grasmere Gingerbread I
244 Grasmere Gingerbread II
Books mentioned in today’s episode:
The Accomplish’t Cook by Robert May
Good Things in England by Florence White
Food in England by Dorothy Hartley
Lost Country Practices by Dorothy Hartley
Other things mentioned in today’s episode:
Petit pâté de Pézenas
Stand Pies
Musk flavouring in Australia
The Dinner Party by Judy Chicago
Museum of Royal Worcester
Fake Food Workshop
1699 Commonplace Book pdf
Upcoming events:
British Library Food Season 2024, 25 May at 2pm.
Ludlow Food Festival, Friday 13th September.
Warwick Words History Festival, Thursday 3rd October at 4.30pm.
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Both are published by Pen & Sword and available from all good bookshops.
Don’t forget, there will be more postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. His DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
Today I am talking with chef Jay Reifel who specialises in cooking historical food. He has co-written a beautiful book with collaborator Victoria Flexner called The History of the World in 10 Dinners.
We talk about the influence of other cultures on British cuisine as well as the influence British cuisine has had on other cuisines, sweet and sour food, mince pies, mediocre medieval spices, and helmeted cocks – amongst many other things.
This is the last regular episode of the run, meaning that the next episode will be the traditional postbag edition – so send me your comments, questions, and queries. Your deadline is the 28th of May 2024.
Support the podcast and blogs by becoming, if you can, a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
Follow Jay on Instagram @jayreifel and visit his website jayreifel.com – where you can find more details of his book.
Things mentioned in today’s episode:
Jay’s Helmeted Cock in Vogue
Neil’s Helmeted Cock on Channel 5
Previous podcast episodes pertinent to today’s episode:
The History of Food Waste & Preservation with Eleanor Barnett
Medieval Meals & Manners with Danièle Cybulskie
Spices with Ian Anderson
Christmas Special 2023: Mince Pies
Tudor Cooking & Cuisine with Brigitte Webster
Forme of Cury with Christopher Monk
Previous blog posts pertinent to today’s episode:
Westmorland Sweet Lamb Pie
Favourite Cook Books no.3: The Forme of Cury, Part I
Favourite Cook Books no. 3: The Forme of Cury, part 2 – recipes
Upcoming events:
British Library Food Season 2024, 25 May at 2pm.
We Invented the Weekend festival, Salford, 16th June
Ludlow Food Festival, Friday 13th September.
Warwick Words History Festival, Thursday 3rd October at 4.30pm.
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Both are published by Pen & Sword and available from all good bookshops.
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. His DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
Niche topic alert! Today I am
talking to Anouska Lewis about Ormskirk Gingerbread.
Anouska is the writer and presenter
of the BBC Sounds podcast Hometown Boring? The first episode
being all about Ormskirk gingerbread
We
talk about how one lands getting a podcast series on BBC Sounds in the first
place; the ingredients of Ormskirk gingerbread, the town’s pride in its
gingerbread, the gingerbread ladies who sold them at the train station in the
Victorian period, Ormskirk’s link with Liverpool’s sugar and slave trade, and
the value of having difficult conversations – amongst many other things.
Support the podcast and blogs by
becoming, if you can, a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium
content, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
Listen to Hometown Boring? on BBC Sounds
Follow Anouska on Instagram @history_hun and TikTok @historyhun
Things mentioned in today’s episode:
Ormskirk Gingerbread on the Foods of England website
A Dark History of Sugar by Neil Buttery
Previous podcast episodes pertinent to today’s episode:
Gingerbread with Sam Bilton
Upcoming events:
British Library Food Season 2024, 25 May at 2pm.
Ludlow Food Festival, Friday 13th September.
Warwick Words History Festival, Thursday 3rd October at 4.30pm.
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Both are published by Pen & Sword and available from all good bookshops.
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
Today I am talking to Eleanor Barnett about the history of food waste and preservation.
Eleanor has written a fantastic book about the history of how we as a society have (and sometimes have not) dealt with eliminating waste and preserving precious food resources. It is called Leftovers: A History of Food Waste & Preservation, and it is out now published by Bloomsbury.
We talk about the fabulously wasteful food of 17th century cook Robert May, whose responsibility it was to preserve food in the home (hint: not the man of the house), pies as preservation method, the food waste used in agriculture and industry, food preservation in wartime, and Hannah Glasse’s dubious method for preserving very rank potted birds, plus many other things – we fit a lot into today’s episode.
Support the podcast and blogs by becoming, if you can, a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
Leftovers: A History of Food Waste & Preservation is out now.
Books mentioned in today’s episode:
Robert May’s The Accomplisht Cook
Sir Hugh Platt’s Delights for Ladies
Hannah Glasse’s The Art of Cookery
Previous podcast episodes pertinent to today’s episode:
London’s Street Food Sellers with Charlie Taverner
Christmas Special 2023: Mince Pies
Upcoming events:
The Leeds Symposium of Food History & Traditions, York, 27 April 2024.
British Library Food Season 2024, 25 May at 2pm. Tickets and info to come soon!
Ludlow Food Festival, Friday 13th September.
Warwick Words History Festival, Thursday 3rd October at 4.30pm.
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Both are published by Pen & Sword and available from all good bookshops.
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. His DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
Today I am talking to three guests about the Scottish Salt Industry – returning guest Aaron Allen, and also Joanne Hambly and Ed Bethune
In today’s most enlightening discussion, we talk about the importance of the salt industry in Scotland from the early modern period, the uses of salt – beyond seasoning of food, the Cockenzie Saltworks Project, the social history of the site and some of the exciting archaeological finds uncovered there, how salt was made, and why Sunday salt is the best salt – amongst many other things.
Support the podcast and blogs by becoming, if you can, a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
Salt: Scotland’s Oldest Newest Industry is out now and published by Birlinn.
Other things mentioned in today’s episode:
1722 Waggonway Project website
Salt Symposium 2021 on the SCAPE Trust website
Book your ticket for the 2024 Leeds Symposium on Food History and Traditions
Previous podcast episodes pertinent to today’s episode:
Cake Baxters in Early Modern Scotland with Aaron Allen
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Both are published by Pen & Sword and available from all good bookshops.
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. His DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
In today’s episode, I am talking with author and food historian Pen Vogler about her book Stuffed: A History of Good Food and Hard Times in Britain which was published toward the end of last year 2023.
We discuss how precarious our food supply was and is, the Enclosure Acts and their effect upon our relationship with food, allotments, havercakes, adulteration and malnutrition, school dinners and Hannah Woolley’s pumpkin pie, amongst many other things.
Support the podcast and blogs by becoming, if you can, a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
Pen’s book Stuffed: A History of Good Food and Hard Times in Britain is out now.
Oxford Literary Festival
Hexham Book Festival
Hay Festival
Find Pen on social media: Twitter & Instagram @PenVogler
Books and other things mentioned in today’s episode:
Scoff: A History of Food and Class in Britain by Pen Vogler
My interpretation of Hannah Woolley/W.M.’s pumpkin pie recipe
Ultra-Processed People by Chris van Tulleken
Previous podcast episodes pertinent to today’s episode:
The School Meals Service with Heather Ellis
English Food, a People's History with Diane Purkiss
A History of Herbalism with Emma Kay
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Both are published by Pen & Sword and available from all good bookshops.
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky@neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. His DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
In today’s episode, I am talking with renowned food historian, chef and confectioner Ivan Day.
The 38th Leeds Food Symposium of Food History and Traditions is coming up – 27 April 2024 to be exact – Ivan is the Chair of the Symposium, so we had a good talk about the history and influence of this most important annual event on the study of food history.
We talked about a pioneer of food history study C. Ann Wilson who was the librarian at the Brotherton Library at the University of Leeds, who, with Peter Brears, Lynette Hunter and Jennifer Staid, created the Symposium in 1986. We also talk about this year's Symposium on 27 April 2024. The topic of this year being ‘Presenting the Food of the Past in Museums and Historic Houses’.
Also discussed: the excellent work of Peter Brears, the speakers of this year’s symposium, the social side of the symposium – including the excellent buffet – and why the Leeds symposium is held in York, amongst many other things.
Support the podcast and blogs by becoming, if you can, a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
The Leeds Symposium on Food
History & Traditions website
The Symposium’s Eventbrite page
Find Ivan on Instagram @ivanpatrickday
Books and other things mentioned in today’s episode:
Brotherton Library cookery collection, University of Leeds
Food & Drink in Britain from the Stone Age to Recent Times by C. Anne Wilson
Over a Red-Hot Stove edited by Ivan Day
Fairfax House, York
York Castle Museum
Shibden Hall, Halifax
Cooking & Dining in the Victorian Country House by Peter Brears
The Food Museum
Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper by Neil Buttery
Previous podcast episodes pertinent to today’s episode:
18th Century Dining with Ivan Day
Recreating 16th Century Beer with Susan Flavin & Marc Meltonville
18th Century Tavern Cooking with Marc Meltonville
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Both are published by Pen & Sword and available from all good bookshops.
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky@neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. His DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
This bonus episode is in fact a pilot for a new podcast show I have made with Sam Bilton and Alessandra Pino.
Enjoy!
In the very first episode, Neil is presenting and gives everyone a free choice as to what topic they want to talk about, as long as it begins with A of course. Alessandra goes for apples, Neil chooses absinthe and Sam looks into adulteration.
Links to things mentioned in this episode:
‘13 Magical Ways to Use Apples’
Glyn Hughes’ Alan Turin sculpture
‘Lancashire man poisoned after eating cherry seeds’ article on BBC News
‘How Did La Belle Époque Become Europe’s Golden Age?’ article on The Collector
‘Site of "The Absinthe Murders"’ article on Atlas Obscura
The Apple Tree (1952) by Daphne du Maurier
Hallowe’en Party (1969) by Agatha Christie
The July Ghost (1982) by A.S. Byatt
Join our free Substack to get extra bonus features: https://substack.com/profile/147444179-sam-bilton
Anything to add? Don’t forget we want to hear your suggestions for future topics.
Contact the pod:
email: aisforapplepod.gmail.com
Social media:
twitter/X: @aisforapplepod
Instagram: @aisforapplepod_
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
In today’s episode, I am talking with medieval historian Danièle Cybulskie – also known as the 5-Minute Medievalist – about table manners in the Middle Ages.
Danièle’s excellent new book Chivalry and Courtesy: Medieval Manners for a Modern World is out now and published by Abbeville Press.
We talked about table manners, the importance of sharing and cleanliness, carving terminology, turkey legs and the pressures put on the person organising and overseeing the feasts and meals – the lady of the house…amongst many other things.
Danièle’s website
Danièle is known as @5MinMedievalist on all social media platforms
Find out more about Chivalry and Courtesy: Medieval Manners for a Modern World here
There are four Easter eggs associated with this episode. To become a £3 monthly subscriber, and access them and other premium content, or to buy me a virtual pint or coffee to support the running of the blogs and podcast click here.
Links to things mentioned in today’s episode:
The Goodman of Paris
BBC Food Programme episode about bitter foods on BBC Sounds
Previous podcast episodes pertinent to today’s episode:
Forme of Cury with Christopher Monk
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Both are published by Pen & Sword and available from all good bookshops.
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. His DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
In today’s episode, I am talking with Ian Anderson who has written a fantastic book published by the History Press called The History and Natural History of Spices.
We discuss what a spice is – the definition changes through time, and includes animal as well as plant products – black pepper, the Portuguese spice trade, sugar as a spice, mustard and Thomas Moore’s head – amongst many other things.
Ian’s Instagram page: @ian.d.anderson
Find out more about The History and Natural History of Spices here.
There is one Easter egg associated with this episode. To become a £3 monthly subscriber, and access them and other premium content, or to buy me a virtual pint or coffee to support the running of the blogs and podcast click here.
Links to things mentioned in today’s episode:
Ivan Day’s blog post showing some of his sugar sculptures
The Hoxne pepperpot
Eventbrite page for the 2024 Leeds Food and Drink Symposium April 2024
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Both are published by Pen & Sword and available from all good bookshops.
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. His DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
In today’s episode I am talking to returning guest and friend of the show food historian and writer Sam Bilton about her new book The Philosophy of Chocolate published by the British Library.
Today Sam and I talk about how the peoples of Mesoamerica took their chocolate, how it came to Britain, chocolate houses, the sexualisation of chocolate, and the Cadbury’s Crème Egg Controversy, amongst other things.
Find out more about the Philosophy of Chocolate here.
There are 2 Easter eggs associated with this episode. To become a £3 monthly subscriber, and access them and other premium content, or to buy me a virtual pint or coffee to support the running of the blogs and podcast click here.
Links to things mentioned in today’s episode:
Sam’s podcast Comfortably Hungry
A Flake ad from in 1980s
A Flake ad from the 1990s
The Cadbury’s Caramel rabbit
Sam’s social media handles:
Twitter/Insta/Threads: @mrssbilton
Bluesky: @mrssbilton.bsky.social
Sam’s website: sambilton.com
Previous episodes pertinent to today’s episode:
Lent Episode 3: Pagan Lent & Easter
A Dark History of Chocolate with Emma Kay
The Philosophy of Curry with Sejal Sukhadwala
Gingerbread with Sam Bilton
Saffron with Sam Bilton
Tripe Special
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Both are published by Pen & Sword and available from all good bookshops.
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. His DMs are open. He is also on BlueSky at @neilbuttery.bsky.social
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
S07E03
Apples & Orchards shownotes
Happy New Year and welcome to episode 50 of the British Food History Podcast! I talk to Joanna Crosby about the history of apples and orchards in England. I saved this episode specially for today because it is Twelfth Night – the last day of Christmas – the traditional day of the Wassail, the blessing of the apple orchards. Joanna’s new book Apples and Orchards since the Eighteenth Century is out now from Bloomsbury.
Things discussed today include, the origins of the apple, growing and grafting apple trees, some of the excellent names given to varieties – including Bramley's Seedling and the Cox’s Orange Pippin, Wassailing and the London apple women of the nineteenth century. And more!
There are 4 Easter eggs associated with this episode. To become a £3 monthly subscriber, and access them and other premium content, or to buy me a virtual pint or coffee to support the running of the blogs and podcast click here.
Things mentioned in today’s episode:
The Pomological Personality Picker
Henry Mayhew’s London Labour and the London Poor (Vol 2)
Neil’s Apple Hat recipe
Neil’s appearance on Fear Feasts podcast
Previous episodes pertinent to today’s episode:
London’s Street Food Sellers with Charlie Taverner
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Both are published by Pen & Sword and available from all good bookshops.
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. His DMs are open. He is also on BlueSky at @neilbuttery.bsky.social
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas!
Leaving a mince pie out for Santa this year? I do hope so. This year’s Christmas Special is all about mince pies: the history and baking, as well as the confusion surrounding the fact that there’s no meat in them. Neil makes some early 18th-century-shaped pies and makes a sweet lamb mincemeat from the North of England. He’s on a mission to get the meat back into mincemeat AND to have them on the menu outside of the Christmas period.
A huge thank you to Ivan Day for his help regarding the making of those 18th-century pies.
blog posts of recipes to accompany the episode will appear on Wednesday 20th December and Friday 22nd December 2023.
Things mentioned in today’s episode:
Ivan Day’s blog post about mince pies
The Accomplisht Cook by Robert May
The Experienced English Housekeeper by Elizabeth Raffald
Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management
Receipts of Pastry and Cookery by Edward Kidder
Jane Grigson’s Orange Mincemeat
Mrs Beeton’s Mincemeat Recipe
Jane Grigson’s Gooseberry Tarts recipe
Ivan Day’s historical pie-making course
Neil’s appearance on the Full English podcast
Neil’s appearance on the Shackbaggerly podcast
Neil's A Dark History of Sugar talk
Neil's Museum of Royal Worcester talk
Previous episodes mentioned in today’s episode:
Pagan Lent and Easter (includes a section on hot cross buns)
Elizabeth Raffald with Alessandra Pino & Neil Buttery
Christmas Feasting with Annie Gray
Hogmanay and Hamely Kitchen with Paula McIntyre
Christmas Pudding
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Both are published by Pen & Sword and available from all good bookshops.
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. His DMs are open. He is also on BlueSky at @neilbuttery.bsky.social
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
Welcome to a special bonus episode of the podcast which is a collaboration between myself and the Delicious Legacy, hosted by Thomas Ntinas. It’s all about some of the women who were writing cookery books in the 18th century, their characters and the influence they still have upon us today.
Things mentioned in today’s episode:
Thomas’s podcast Delicious Legacy
The Compleat Housewife by Eliza Smith
The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy by Hannah Glasse
Professed Cookery by Ann Cook
The Experienced English Housekeeper by Elizabeth Raffald
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A. Cook’s Perspective: A Fascinating Insight into 18th-century Recipes by Two
Historic Cooks by Clarissa F. Dillon & Deborah J. Peterson
More on Yorkshire Christmas Pyes
Neil’s disastrous Christmas Pye
Ivan Day’s Historic Ices course
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery his DMs are open. Youcan also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Both are published by Pen & Sword and available from all good bookshops.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
It’s the end of the current run so that means it is time for the now traditional end-of-season special postbag edition.
Thank you to everyone who has listened, downloaded, donated and spread the good word. I’ll be back in a couple of months (hopefully) for season seven!
Previous episodes mentioned in the episode:
The School Meals Service with Heather Ellis
Tudor Cooking & Cuisine with Brigitte Webster
Tinned Food with Lindsay Middleton
Cake Baxters in Early Modern Scotland with Aaron Allen
Tripe Special: Sam Bilton & Neil Buttery Talk Tripe
The British Cook Book with Ben Mervis
Forme of Cury with Christopher Monk
Neil’s blog posts mentioned in this episode:
Boiled turkey with celery sauce
Boiled leg of mutton with caper sauce
Sea kale
Sago pudding
Pink sponge & custard
Links to things mentioned in this episode:
Leeds Symposium on Food History and Traditions
Gousto statement about using Tetra Pak
Stephanie Rosenbaum makes Pizza on YouTube
Alan Scott obituary in the New York Times
Museum of Royal Worcester website
Burley’s pudding tree
Handel’s kitchen recreated
C. Anne Wilson obituary
Fish & chips are not a Jewish invention
13th century mead recipe
Fodder & Drincan by Emma Kay
The Earl of Sandwich
Upcoming events:
The Elizabeth Raffald Manchester Central Library event at 6pm on 13 September
Ludlow Food Festival on Sunday 10 September 2.30pm
Chelsea History Festival on Friday 29 September 2023, at 6pm
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
A Dark History of Sugar
Both are published by Pen & Sword and available from all good bookshops.
Don’t forget, there will be more postbag episodes in the future, if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery his DMs are open. You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
Neil’s guest is Diane Purkiss and they talk about just some of the topics covered in her book English Food a People’s History published by William Collins. Diane is Professor of English Literature at Oxford University, and she has written about such topics as the English Civil War, the supernatural, especially witchcraft; folklore and fairytales; writer’s block and of course food and food history.
They had a rather meandering conversation that covered: bread, and its poor reputation compared to that bake in France; coffeehouses and politics, and coffeehouses as early examples of gay bars; tea and Empire; and foraging – the latter being particularly tricky to get at.
£3 subscribers can hear the full interview with Diane on the Easter Eggs page of the website: http://britishfoodhistory.com/easter-eggs/
Diane’s book English Food: a People’s History available here: https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/english-food-a-peoples-history-diane-purkiss?variant=39825973411918
Neil’s blog post about dock pudding (with recipe): http://britishfoodhistory.com/2023/05/26/dock-pudding/
Other bits:
The Elizabeth Raffald Manchester Central Library event at 6pm on 13 September: https://librarylive.co.uk/event/elizabeth-raffald-englands-most-influential-housekeeper/
Neil will be speaking at the Ludlow Food Festival on Sunday 10 September at 2.30pm, talking all things Elizabeth Raffald: https://www.ludlowfoodfestival.co.uk/
He is also talking at Chelsea History Festival on Friday 29 September 2023, at 6pm about the history of sugar: https://chelseahistoryfestival.com/events/dark-history-sugar/
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’ http://britishfoodhistory.com
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’ http://neilcooksgrigson.com
Order Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper at your favourite bookshop, or from the publisher Pen & Sword History: www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Before-Mrs-Beeton-Hardback/p/22437
Neil’s other book A Dark History of Sugar is available now from all bookshops as well as from the publisher Pen & Sword: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481
Don’t forget the upcoming postbag episode, if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery my DMs are open. You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page:
S06E09 The School
Meals Service with Heather Ellis: shownotes
Neil’s guest today is Heather Ellis from Sheffield University. Helen is a historian of Education and she, along with academics from the University of Wolverhampton and UCL, have just embarked on an ambitious project looking at people’s experiences and memories of their school dinners in all four UK Home Nations. School dinners have been supplied by the School Meals Service – i.e. by the Government – since 1908.
They talked about the project, the origins of the School Meals Service in the first decade of the 20th century, the foods served up over the next 100 years or so including pink sponge and custard, liver with the tubes attached and the now infamous turkey twizzlers, Maggie Thatcher – milk snatcher, the fall in the quality of school dinners, as well as Jamie Oliver’s campaign to get them sorted out, and many other things. The School Meals Project wants your food memories if you have had experience with school meals in the UK, however old you may be and whatever the interaction may be.
School Meals Project website: https://www.theschoolmealsproject.co.uk/
Find Heather on Twitter @HeatherLWEllis
Find The School Meals Project on Twitter: @ESRCSchoolMeals
Jamie Oliver’s school meals campaign clip: https://youtu.be/DG66rKiNkw4
When published, Neil’s blog post with a recipe for sago pudding, will be found at www.britishfoodhistory.com
Other past blog post recipes for school dinner-style foods:
Rice pudding: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2015/01/14/rice-pudding/
How to make a steamed sponge pudding: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2023/01/13/how-to-make-a-steamed-sponge-pudding-a-step-by-step-guide/
Jam roly-poly: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2011/11/26/jam-roly-poly/
Proper custard: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2012/03/02/proper-custard/
Eton Mess: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2011/08/11/eton-mess/
Other bits:
The Elizabeth Raffald Manchester Central Library event at 6pm on 13 September: https://librarylive.co.uk/event/elizabeth-raffald-englands-most-influential-housekeeper/
Neil will be speaking at the Ludlow Food Festival on Sunday 10 September at 2.30pm, talking all things Elizabeth Raffald: https://www.ludlowfoodfestival.co.uk/
He is also talking at Chelsea History Festival on Friday 29 September 2023, at 6pm about the history of sugar: https://chelseahistoryfestival.com/events/dark-history-sugar/
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’
Neil talks to returning guest Kevin Geddes. He told us all about the wonderful, fabulous Fanny Cradock, but today he is talking to me about Television Cookery Shows and their cookbook tie-ins. Kevin wrote a very interesting paper on the early history and origins of TV Cookbooks, and Neil found it so interesting, and he thought you would find it interesting too.
We talked about the early cooking programmes on the BBC before the war, and afterwards; the post-war TV cooks the theatrical Philip Harben and the steady pair of hands Marguerite Patten and how they published their own books whilst working for the BBC; the BBC’s worry about selling commercial products whilst being a public service broadcaster; and the one who really got it all going Mrs Fanny Cradock.
Kevin’s Food and Foodways paper: https://napier-repository.worktribe.com/output/3133885/accompanying-the-series-early-british-television-cookbooks-1946-1976
Find Kevin on twitter, Instagram and Threads @keepcalmandfannyon
Kevin’s blog: https://keepcalmandfannyon.blogspot.com/
Clip of Philip Harben demonstrating boiling techniques: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj-tapF1kgU
Clip of Marguerite Patten inducing a show from the 1950s: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgG9oMq4l2U
Clip of Fanny Cradock demonstrating fish cookery: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EQJ8GnDsiw
Delia Smith’s Complete Cookery Course: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D95rMYL1T2A
Gary Rhodes and Rhodes Around Britain: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=fvJym_0sQ8I
Check out Kevin’s books on his Goodreads page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/19684992.Kevin_Geddes
Previous podcast episodes pertinent to this episode
Fanny Cradock with Kevin Geddes: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2U50gtyEgV4hcTvMFP2ElG?si=a7cad3d39eab4e13
Other bits:
The Elizabeth Raffald Manchester Central Library event at 6pm on 13 September: https://librarylive.co.uk/event/elizabeth-raffald-englands-most-influential-housekeeper/
Neil will be speaking at the Ludlow Food Festival on Sunday 10 September at 2.30pm, talking all things Elizabeth Raffald: https://www.ludlowfoodfestival.co.uk/
He is also talking at Chelsea History Festival on Friday 29 September 2023, at 6pm about the history of sugar: https://chelseahistoryfestival.com/events/dark-history-sugar/
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’ http://britishfoodhistory.com
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Esteemed food historian Marc Meltonville returns to the podcast to talk about taverns, 18th century dining and the cook and author Richard Briggs, the focus of his new book The Tavern Cook: Eighteenth Century Dining Through the Recipes of Richard Briggs which has recently been published by Prospect Books.
We talked about how he found out about Richard Briggs and his book; the similarities and differences between life and cooking then and now; who may have influenced Briggs’ writing; his death; broiling and other older English words the Brits no longer use but North Americans do; authenticity; and much more.
Marc’s website: www.meltonville.uk
Find Marc on Instagram @marcmeltonville
Buy The Tavern Cook: Eighteenth Century Dining Through the Recipes of Richard Briggs from the publisher: https://prospectbooks.co.uk/products-page/current-titles/the-tavern-cook/
There is 1 Easter egg associated with this episode, to access them start a monthly £3 subscription. Subscribers get access to all of the Easter eggs, premium blog content and Neil’s monthly newsletter. Visit https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ for more details. On that page, you could also donate a one-off ‘virtual coffee’ or ‘virtual pint’. All money received goes into making more content.
Previous podcast episodes pertinent to this episode
Recreating 16th Century Beer with Susan Flavin & Marc Meltonville https://open.spotify.com/episode/6wtjaqTVyqjacVkyvvO3FP?si=b3c29819ed7b453a
Elizabeth Raffald with Alessandra Pino & Neil Buttery https://open.spotify.com/episode/0oPYbFhNAfIHOfj6KL9RWC?si=cfdfadbbf32a4d24
18th Century Dining with Ivan Day https://open.spotify.com/episode/22BHsKHncyk2i6UXEzcIY2?si=92c16fc7a2904e45
Other bits:
Neil’s new blog post about malt loaf, with recipe for subscribers: http://britishfoodhistory.com/2023/07/28/to-make-malt-loaf/
The Elizabeth Raffald Manchester Central Library event at 6pm on 13 September: https://librarylive.co.uk/event/elizabeth-raffald-englands-most-influential-housekeeper/
Neil will be speaking at the Ludlow Food Festival on Sunday 10 September at 2.30pm, talking all things Elizabeth Raffald: https://www.ludlowfoodfestival.co.uk/
He is also talking at Chelsea History Festival on Friday 29 September 2023, at 6pm about the history of sugar: https://chelseahistoryfestival.com/
Neil’s Elizabeth Raffald tour of Manchester on Twitter: https://twitter.com/neilbuttery/status/1634872473396342784
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a...
Today Neil talks with Brigitte Webster about her new book Eating with the Tudors which has just been published by Pen & Sword History.
We talked about how she came to live in her Tudor house; how the food changed going in and coming out of the Tudor period; food and the four humours and how ideas about those also changed; favourite cookbooks; fritters; sops; mince pies; cheese; and many other things.
Follow Brigitte on Twitter @tudorfoodrecipe;
Instagram @tudor_experience; Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064747654339
Buy Eating with the Tudors, published by Pen & Sword History: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Eating-with-the-Tudors-Hardback/p/23659
Transcript of The Good Huswifes Handmaide for the Kitchin on the Foods of England website: http://www.foodsofengland.co.uk/book1594huswife.htm#:~:text=London%201594-,The%20good%20Huswifes%20Handmaide%20for%20the%20Kitchin.,the%20same%20to%20the%20Table.
There are 2 Easter eggs associated with this episode, to access them start a monthly £3 subscription.
Subscribers get access to all of the Easter eggs, premium blog content and Neil’s monthly newsletter. Visit https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ for more details. On that page, you could also donate a one-off ‘virtual coffee’ or ‘virtual pint’. All money received goes into making more content.
Previous podcast episodes pertinent to this episode
Cheddar& the Cheese Industry with Peter J. Atkins: https://open.spotify.com/episode/19pckHxXKXfQlFf8xINGgW?si=88a8649064494657
The History of Lent: https://open.spotify.com/episode/05EKPFVQaXmVf54tbh1xIC?si=e8dccb1b959c4014
Other bits:
The Elizabeth Raffald Manchester Central Library event at 6pm on 13 September: https://librarylive.co.uk/event/elizabeth-raffald-englands-most-influential-housekeeper/
Neil will be speaking at the Ludlow Food Festival on Sunday 10 September at 2.30pm, talking all things Elizabeth Raffald: https://www.ludlowfoodfestival.co.uk/
He is also talking at Chelsea History Festival on Friday 29 September 2023, at 6pm about the history of sugar: https://chelseahistoryfestival.com/
Neil’s Elizabeth Raffald tour of Manchester on Twitter: https://twitter.com/neilbuttery/status/1634872473396342784
Neil’s blogs: ‘British Food: a History’ http://britishfoodhistory.com
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’
Today Neil talks to food historian and returning guest Lindsay Middleton about the history of tinned food –something one doesn’t really think about, tinned food being just so every day.
We talked about what led her to take on the topic, its origins, how people had to be convinced by such an alien concept, the big sell to the navy, and to well-to-do housewives, the big tined food scandal, and the inherent snobbishness around using tinned foods, and many other things.
Follow Lindsay on Instagram and Threads @lindsaymiddleton_ and on Twitter @lindsmiddleton.
Read Lindsay’s paper about tinned foods: https://arrow.tudublin.ie/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1220&context=dgs
Listen to Lindsay’s appearance on the BBC Radio 4 programme Free Thinking talking about tinned foods: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001jcr0
There are 2 Easter eggs associated with this episode, to access them start a monthly £3 subscription.
Subscribers get access to all of the Easter eggs, premium blog content and Neil’s monthly newsletter. Visit https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ for more details. On that page, you could also donate a one-off ‘virtual coffee’ or ‘virtual pint’. All money received goes into making more content.
Other bits:
Lindsay’s previous appearance on the podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6S2YCcfFMqipsOrZ48wVAp?si=12e95b1ce4454bca
The Elizabeth Raffald Manchester Central Library event at 6pm on 13 September: https://librarylive.co.uk/event/elizabeth-raffald-englands-most-influential-housekeeper/
Neil will be speaking at the Ludlow Food Festival on Sunday 10 September at 2.30pm, talking all things Elizabeth Raffald: https://www.ludlowfoodfestival.co.uk/
He is also talking at Chelsea History Festival on Friday 29 September 2023, at 6pm about the history of sugar: https://chelseahistoryfestival.com/
Neil’s very long Twitter thread of cocktails: https://twitter.com/neilbuttery/status/1678814821406392320?s=20
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’ http://britishfoodhistory.com
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’ http://neilcooksgrigson.com
Order Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper at your favourite bookshop, or from the publisher Pen & Sword History: www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Before-Mrs-Beeton-Hardback/p/22437
Neil’s other book A Dark History of Sugar is available now from all bookshops as well as from the publisher Pen & Sword:
In this week’s episode, Neil talks to medlar expert Jane Steward. Jane has done sterling work in the area of medlar awareness, and now the medlar is not the forgotten fruit it once was. She has a medlar orchard and associated business Eastgate Larder selling a whole range of medlar products, and is the author of Medlars: Growing & Cooking, published by Prospect Books.
We discuss how Jane discovered the fruit and made a business out of it, the domesticated varieties and wild fruits, growing medlar trees, the importance of medlars in the past, medlars in the kitchen, the subtleties of making medlar jelly and much more.
Follow Jane on Instagram and Twitter @eastgatelarder
The Eastgate Larder website: www.eastgatelarder.co.uk
Jane’s book Medlars: Cooking & Eating: https://prospectbooks.co.uk/products-page/new-and-forthcoming-titles/medlars-growing-cooking/
There are 3 Easter eggs associated with this episode, to access them start a monthly £3 subscription.
Subscribers get access to all of the Easter eggs, premium blog content and Neil’s monthly newsletter. Visit https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ for more details. On that page, you could also donate a one-off ‘virtual coffee’ or ‘virtual pint’. All money received goes into making more content.
Read Neil’s work on the medlar:
Forgotten Foods #7: Openarses (also available as part of the mini-season on the Easter Eggs page of the website) https://britishfoodhistory.com/2017/11/12/forgotten-foods-7-openarses/
How to Make Medlar Jelly: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2017/11/17/how-to-make-medlar-or-quince-or-crab-apple-jelly/
Medlar Tart: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2018/11/19/medlar-tart/
That Shakespeare Life ‘Medlars’ episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2w7xGGBye93jvO39IuntTO?si=395c4f240f7d4f5d
Other bits:
Neil’s blogs:
‘British Food: a History’ http://britishfoodhistory.com
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’ http://neilcooksgrigson.com
Buy Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper at your favourite bookshop, or from the publisher Pen & Sword History: www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Before-Mrs-Beeton-Hardback/p/22437
Neil’s other book A Dark History of Sugar is available now from all bookshops as well as from the publisher Pen & Sword: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481
Don’t forget there will be postbag episodes, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at...
Today Neil talks to Susan Flavin and Marc Meltonville about recreating as close as possible beer from the accounts of Dublin Castle right at the end of the 16th century. This investigation is part of a much larger project called Food Cult, which is, according to their website “a five-year project funded by the European Research Council. This project brings together history, archaeology, science and information technology to explore the diet and foodways of diverse communities in early modern Ireland. It will serve as a model for future comparative and interdisciplinary work in the field of historical food studies.”
In today’s episode we talk about the Food Cult project, the aims of the beer project, misconceptions about beer and beer drinking in the past, when beer becomes porridge, how to source 16th century ingredients and – of course – what the beer tasted like!
Follow Susan Flavin on Twitter @flavin_susan
Marc Meltonville’s website: www.meltonville.uk/
The FOOD CULT website: https://foodcult.eu/
Their journal article: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/historical-journal/article/understanding-early-modern-beer-an-interdisciplinary-casestudy/76C118F73B8D35FED9E5B69CB3E966FB
There are 4 Easter eggs associated with this episode, to access them start a monthly £3 subscription.
Subscribers get access to all of the Easter eggs, premium blog content and Neil’s monthly newsletter. Visit https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ for more details. On that page, you could also donate a one-off ‘virtual coffee’ or ‘virtual pint’. All money received goes into making more content.
Other bits:
Neil’s new blog post ‘Forgotten Foods #10: Porpoise’: http://britishfoodhistory.com/2023/06/25/forgotten-foods-10-porpoise/
Neil’s blogs:
‘BritishFood: a History’ http://britishfoodhistory.com
‘Neil Cooks Grigson’ http://neilcooksgrigson.com
Buy Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper at your favourite bookshop, or from the publisher Pen & Sword History: www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Before-Mrs-Beeton-Hardback/p/22437
Neil’s other book A Dark History of Sugar is available now from all bookshops as wellas from the publisher Pen & Sword: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481
Don’t forget there will be postbag episodes, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery my DMs are open. You can now find me at Mastodon too: @neilbuttery@mastodon.gastrokon.com.
Join the new British Food: a...
We kick off the new season with a fascinating chat with Aaron Allen at Edinburgh University about cake baxters in Early Modern Scotland – usually women – who were unfree, and how they fit into society at this time. Making and selling of baked goods were highly controlled, and – quelle surprise – it was not in their favour. We also discuss the ways oatcakes and wheaten bread were baked, beehive oven tech, horse bread and many other things.
Find Aaron on Twitter at Mary’sChapelProject: @Mchapelproject
A list of Aaron’s research: https://www.research.ed.ac.uk/en/persons/aaron-allen
‘Baking on the Margins: Pastry Women and Cake Baxters in the Early Modern Bread Market’, in History Scotland (May/June 2023), 20-5, available at: https://www.historyscotland.com/store/back-issues/history-scotland/history-scotland-vol23issue3-mayjun23-issue-131/
Building Early Modern Edinburgh: A Social History of Craftwork and Incorporation: https://edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-building-early-modern-edinburgh-hb.html
Things from the web mentioned in this episode:
Neil’s recipe for seed cake: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2021/05/23/to-make-a-seed-cake/
Neil’s recipe for peasebread: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2017/04/09/forgotten-foods-6-pease-bread/
Hodmedod’s website: https://hodmedods.co.uk/
Video of Josh Townshend making a clay oven: https://youtu.be/i0foHjPVbP4
Other bits:
Neil’s Raffald talk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9SyiYvHq-Q
Neil’s media page where you can see his Country Life article, as well as links to the podcasts he’s guested on, radio spots or TV shows: http://britishfoodhistory.com/media/
Don’t forget to catch up on Neil’s blog posts published over the last few months.
British Food: a History: http://britishfoodhistory.com
Neil Cooks Grigson: http://neilcooksgrigson.com
Order Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper at your favourite bookshop, or from the publisher Pen & Sword History: www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Before-Mrs-Beeton-Hardback/p/22437
Neil’s other book A Dark History of Sugar is available now from all bookshops as well as from the publisher Pen & Sword: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481
Don’t forget there will be postbag episodes, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s...
In a special bonus of the podcast, Sam Bilton and Neil Buttery have combined forces to make a whole episode about all things tripe. We discuss our experiences, and why it is viewed rather differently in different countries and it’s indelible association with poverty. Sam interviews chef and food writer Rachel Roddy for some tripe inspiration, and Neil visits Chadwick’s stall at Bury Market to interview one of the few remaining tripe sellers in the country. He also takes some home to cook up.
Things mentioned in today’s episode:
Rachel Roddy’s blog, Rachel Eats: https://racheleats.wordpress.com/
An article by Rachel on tripe alternatives, from The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2020/nov/09/rachel-roddy-recipe-for-eggs-in-tomato-sauce
Chadwick’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/chadwicksbbp/
Neil eats andouillette: https://twitter.com/neilbuttery/status/1560893580788506624?s=20
Sam links:
Twitter: @sjfbilton; Insta: @mrssbilton ; website: https://www.sambilton.com/
Sam’s podcast, Comfortably Hungry: https://open.spotify.com/show/3iSZMea3TBwMx1tZ1c9rN7?si=a57a4e98a0414b3a
Neil’s Elizabeth Raffald talk at Station South in Levenshulme Manchester 14 May 7pm: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/elizabeth-raffald-englands-most-influential-housekeeper-tickets-604909158577
The Culinary Worlds of 18th-Century Women in Britain, USA and Türkiye event at The British Library 25 May at 5pm: https://www.bl.uk/events/the-culinary-worlds-of-18th-century-women-in-britain-usa-and-turkiye
Neil’s appearance on Tony Robinson’s Cunningcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1KIk11FeFs0bVqiiT3XIkL?si=936fa20808b34b58
Neil’s appearance on the Bread and Thread podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3EouGD3HqeMLkMpgVx8am8?si=191cfe91c9654dd5
Neil’s new book Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper at you favourite bookshop, or from the publisher Pen & Sword History: www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Before-Mrs-Beeton-Hardback/p/22437
Neil’s book A Dark History of Sugar is available now from all bookshops as well as from the publisher Pen & Sword: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481
If you want to buy a signed copy of either book directly from Neil for £18 + postage (£2.85 if within the UK, the going rate if outside!). Contact him via email or social media if you fancy it (see below).
Don’t forget there will be another postbag episode at the end of the season. If you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery my DMs are open. You can now find me at Mastodon too: @neilbuttery@mastodon.gastrokon.com.
Join the new British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
If you like my blog posts and podcast episodes, please consider a monthly subscription or buying me a virtual coffee or a pint? Go to https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ for more details.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
Neil’s polishing off season 5 with a postbag edition of news, readers’ questions, comments and queries, special events and other miscellany.
Previous Episodes discussed in this episode:
Invalid Cookery with Lindsay Middleton
Traditional Food of Lincolnshire with Rachel Green
Christmas Feasting with Annie Gray
Hogmanay and Hamely Kitchen with Paula McIntyre
Eel special: 1. Elvers with 'Elver' Dave
Eel special: 2. Silver Eels with John Wyatt Greenlee
Eel special: 3. The Plight of the Eel with Andrew Kerr
18th Century Dining with Ivan Day
Christmas Special 2021: Christmas Pudding
The British Cook Book with Ben Mervis
Yorkshire Pudding with Elaine Lemm
Upcoming Events:
Celebrations. 37th Leeds Symposium of Food History & Traditions 20 May 2023: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/celebrations-37th-leeds-symposium-of-food-history-traditions-tickets-554704063787?fbclid=IwAR3f6l4dlB23S0_0TYNvQhXTVpyDIqpAc3eb4FmatS2kFvkW5csaqb-8dpg
The Wilder Wedmore Eel Release Project crowdfunder and festival: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/the-wilder-wedmore-eel-release-project---june-23
Things from the web mentioned in this episode:
Food Matters Live podcast, featuring Neil talking about food innovations: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5y5RWFFDQfQx8vXIHogKQQ?si=36b94a2985e14084
Chambers’ Book of Days: https://www.thebookofdays.com/
Clarissa Dickson-Wright’s BBC TV programme about pigs & Lincolnshire chine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0X37TOqjGA
Raised Pies post on Neil Cooks Grigson: https://neilcooksgrigson.com/2011/03/17/282-raised-pies/
BBC News article on the eel spawning mystery: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-63259738
Cornish Pasty post on British Food: a History: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2019/09/13/cornish-pasties/
Early Scots recipe manuscripts: https://digital.nls.uk/recipes/introduction.html
Early Welsh recipe manuscript: https://www.library.wales/discover-learn/digital-exhibitions/manuscripts/early-modern-period/merryell-williamss-book-of-recipes#?c=&m=&s=&cv=&xywh=-1322%2C-1%2C6102%2C4894
Christopher Monk's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MonksModernMedievalCuisine
Dr Cheung’s breakfast nonsense: https://propermanchester.com/trending/the-full-english-breakfast-isnt-actually-english-academic-claims/
Food as Status before the Norman Conquest Substack by Tristan Alphey: https://seaxeducation.substack.com/p/what-did-rich-pre-conquest-thegns?fbclid=IwAR0LLK9E2_wZazc4bPGwEuau0BgGGKVSQYeE3nycRpQgRA4wETI4KOagMJo
Books mentioned in this episode:
Preorder Neil’s new book Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper at you favourite bookshop, or from the publisher Pen & Sword History: www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Before-Mrs-Beeton-Hardback/p/22437
Neil’s other book A Dark History of Sugar is available now from all bookshops as well as from the publisher Pen & Sword: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481
Ivan Day’s book on ovens and kitchen tech, Over a Red-hot Stove: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21092035-over-a-red-hot-stove?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=WldZJtGQVE&rank=1
The Domestic Revolution by Ruth Goodman: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/45992751
Fodder and Drinkan by Emma Kay: https://prospectbooks.co.uk/products-page/new-and-forthcoming-titles/fodder-drincan-anglo-saxon-culinary-history/
Leeds Symposium on Food History and Traditions: Pigs (& other topics) https://www.leedsfoodsymposium.org.uk/Publications.html
Social media accounts mentioned in this episode:
Paul Couchman (aka the Regency Cook): Twitter @TheRegencyCook; Insta: @theregencycook
Mary Gibson and her campaign for a National Food Society: Insta: @thecookeryclub25
If you want to buy a signed copy of either book directly from Neil for £18 + postage (£2.85 if within the UK, the going rate if outside!). Contact him via email or social media if you fancy it (see below).
Don’t forget there will be postbag episodes, so if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery my DMs are open.
You can now find me at Mastodon too: @neilbuttery@mastodon.gastrokon.com.
Join the new British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
If you like my blog posts and podcast episodes, please consider a monthly subscription or buying me a virtual coffee or a pint? Go to https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ for more details.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
Today the tables are turned, and Neil is the guest on his own podcast and is interviewed about his new book Before Mrs Beeton, Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper, about c18th cook and Manchester legend Elizabeth Raffald, published on 28 February.
In the interviewer’s chair is previous guest and friend of the show Alessandra Pino. Alessandra is co-author of A Gothic Cookbook which is an illustrated cookbook inspired by classic and contemporary Gothic texts. She is also co-host of Fear Feasts which is a podcast about food and horror in books and the films based on those books. Like Neil, she is also interested in the history of sugar and has a chapter coming out soon in The Palgrave Companion to Memory and Literature about memory, sugar and Cuba.
They talked about how I discovered Elizabeth, her great achievements, the problem of Mrs Beeton, her recipes, my recipe section of updated Raffald recipes, "Rabbits Surprized", comparisons with modern chefs like Heston Blumenthal, why there’s no statue of her, the time she exorcized a house from an evil spirit and much, much more.
Pre-order Neil’s new book Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper at you favourite bookshop, or from the publisher Pen & Sword History: www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Before-Mrs-Beeton-Hardback/p/22437
Things mentioned in today’s episode:
The Experienced English Housekeeper by Elizabeth Raffald (1769): https://archive.org/details/experiencedengl01raffgoog/page/n9/mode/2up
Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1880 edition): https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_Book_of_Household_Management/otoAAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0
The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy by Hannah Glasse (1780 edition): https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/_/fe8HAAAAQAAJ?hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjPiaaExKz9AhUMQ8AKHazyCXkQre8FegQIHRAJ
Previous podcast episode 18th Century Dining with Ivan Day: https://open.spotify.com/episode/22BHsKHncyk2i6UXEzcIY2?si=3afcd447af0b4eb9
Previous Podcast episode Food in Gothic Literature with Alessandra Pino: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6Nt55uQLXp6vrqH6MZsdPY?si=7b342ca391514232
Alessandra links:
A Gothic Cookbook: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63143496-a-gothic-cookbook
Fear Feasts podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5IV7dms3DLxrVF81zj6ZRY?si=deac902534cd442d
Find her on Instagram @sasacharlie and twitter @foodforflo
Neil’s book A Dark History of Sugar is available now from all bookshops as well as from the publisher Pen & Sword: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481
If you want to buy a signed copy of either book directly from Neil for £18 + postage (£2.85 if within the UK, the going rate if outside!). Contact him via email or social media if you fancy it (see below).
Don’t forget there will be another postbag episode at the end of the season. If you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery my DMs are open. You can now find me at Mastodon too: @neilbuttery@mastodon.gastrokon.com.
Join the new British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
If you like the blog posts and podcast episodes, please consider a monthly subscription or buying Neil a virtual coffee or a pint? Go to https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ for more details.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
In this episode, Neil talks to chef and food writer Rachel Green about the traditional foods of Lincolnshire. Rachel is a chef, author, TV presenter, demonstrator, food campaigner and passionate ambassador of British produce, especially that from Lincolnshire. She comes from 14 generations of Lincolnshire farmers. spoke to Rachel in her home in the beautiful Lincolnshire countryside about Lincolnshire chine, Grimsby haddock, the importance of pigs, haslet, Lincolnshire poacher cheese, plum bread (contains no plums) and savoury duck (contains no duck), and much more.
Find Rachel on Instagram: rachelgreen.chef
Rachel’s website: www.rachel-green.co.uk/
Read about Rachel’s books: www.rachel-green.co.uk/what-i-do/food-author-writer/
Things mentioned in today’s episode:
Lincoln Red Cattle: https://www.southormsbyestate.co.uk/estate/nature/lincoln-red-cattle/
Lincolnshire Curly Coated Pig: http://www.bramblegate.co.uk/pigs.html
The new Lincolnshire blog post on Neil Cooks Grigson: https://neilcooksgrigson.com/2023/02/15/446-lincolnshire-chine/
Dennetts Ice Cream: https://www.dennetts.co.uk/
Tim & Simon Jones’s Lincolnshire Poacher cheese: https://lincolnshirepoachercheese.com/about-us/our-ethos/
May & Micheal Davenport’s Cotehill Blue cheese: https://www.cotehill.com/our-cheese/
Woldsway Meat & Game (supplier of the chine): https://woldswaymeats.co.uk/
The first podcast episode from the Lent season of BFAH: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/44012758-e0ed-41be-a407-e95f14732999
Pre-order Neil’s new book Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper at your favourite bookshop, or from the publisher Pen & Sword History: www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Before-Mrs-Beeton-Hardback/p/22437
Neil’s book A Dark History of Sugar is available now from all bookshops as well as from the publisher Pen & Sword: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481
If you want to buy a signed copy of either book directly from Neil for £18 + postage (£2.85 if within the UK, the going rate if outside!). Contact him via email or social media if you fancy it (see below).
Don’t forget there will be another postbag episode at the end of the season. If you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery my DMs are open. You can now find me at Mastodon too: @neilbuttery@mastodon.gastrokon.com.
Join the new British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
If you like my blog posts and podcast episodes, please consider a monthly subscription or buying me a virtual coffee or a pint? Go to https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ for more details.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
In this episode, Neil talks to food historian Lindsay Middleton about invalid cookery – an important part of cookery books of the 18th to early 20th centuries. Lindsay has produced an excellent online resource called Dishes for the Sick Room, and has trawled through the collection of cookery books at Glasgow Caledonia University that date from the 18th and 19th centuries. Cook books at this time didn’t really contain medicines but general foods to give to the sick people at home under your care.
The focus of Lindsay’s Dishes for the Sick Room project, the books, and the cookery school were created by some really forward thinking women who were really at the forefront of the new science of dietetics, so we don’t just talk about weird and wonderful foods, but also how these foods, the cookery books and the women writing and using them all fit into a wider historical context.
We talked about what inspired Lindsay to produce this excellent online resource, the archived books at Glasgow Caledonian University, the women behind the first domestic cookery school in Scotland, why providing free cookery lessons isn’t always a good idea, foods such as beef tea and toast water, the science behind the school’s work, and the administration of predigested food for the ill – amongst other things.
Find Lindsay on Twitter @lindsmiddleton
Find Lindsay’s Dishes for the Sick Room at: www.dishesforthesickroom.com
Things mentioned in today’s episode:
Neil’s blog post and recipe for Seftons: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2015/02/03/seftons/
Neil’s blog post and recipe for Carrageen Pudding: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2022/06/21/forgotten-foods-9-carrageen-pudding/
Pre-order Neil’s new book Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper at you favourite bookshop, or from the publisher Pen & Sword History: www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Before-Mrs-Beeton-Hardback/p/22437 Neil’s book A Dark History of Sugar is available now from all bookshops as well as from the publisher Pen & Sword: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481
If you want to buy a signed copy directly from Neil for £18 + postage (£2.85 if within the UK, the going rate if outside!). Contact him via email or social media if you fancy it (see below).
Also, don’t forget there will be another postbag episode at the end of the season. If you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery my DMs are open. You can now find me at Mastodon too: @neilbuttery@mastodon.gastrokon.com.
Join the new British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
If you like my blog posts and podcast episodes, please consider a monthly subscription or buying me a virtual coffee or a pint? Go to https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ for more details.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
In this special episode Neil’s guest is esteemed food historian Ivan Day. Ivan is a social historian of food culture and a professional chef and confectioner. He has contributed to dozens of tv and radio programmes over the years, and he is also the author of a number of books and many papers on the history of food and has curated many major exhibitions on food history in the UK, US and Europe.
This special episode compliments Neil’s upcoming book, a biography the 18th cookery writer Elizabeth Raffald. Ivan kindly invited Neil into his home to talk about all things 18th century dining.
They talked about ostentatious coronation feasts, the rise of female food writers in the c18th, including Elizabeth Raffald, market gardens, the presentation of food at the table like, and jelly and flummery moulds. We also talked about how crockery, cutlery and, well, the whole dining experience changed going into and going out of the c18th, authenticity, and the practicalities of spit roasting – amongst many other things.
Find Ivan on Instagram: @ivanpatrickday
Ivan’s blog: http://foodhistorjottings.blogspot.com/
Things mentioned in today’s episode:
The Experienced English Housekeeper by Elizabeth Raffald, 10th edition, 1786: https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_Experienced_English_Housekeeper/1I4EAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0
The History of the Coronation of James II by Francis Sandford 1687: https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_History_of_the_Coronation_of_James_I/R75UAAAAcAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0
The House-keeper's Pocket-book by Sarah Harrison 1777: https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_House_keeper_s_Pocket_book/vMSIUOGoEEUC?hl=en&gbpv=0
Ivan’s blog post about the Solomon’s Temple in flummery: http://foodhistorjottings.blogspot.com/2011/10/solomons-temple-in-flummery-culinary.html
Ivan’s Ice Cream Demo which shows many of the items discussed in this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNptu7XXqmw
The Elizabeth Raffald dinner table Ivan dressed in The Museum of Fine Arts in Houston: https://www.mfah.org/exhibitions/english-taste-dining-eighteenth-century/
Some of the books Ivan has written, edited or been a contributing author:
Over a Red Hot Stove: https://prospectbooks.co.uk/products-page/current-titles/over-a-red-hot-stove/
Feast & Fast: The Art of Food in Europe 1500-1800: https://curatingcambridge.co.uk/products/feast-fast-the-art-of-food-in-europe-1500-1800
Cooking in Europe 1650-1850: https://www.waterstones.com/book/cooking-in-europe-1650-1850/ivan-p-day/9780313346248
The courses Ivan runs at The School of Artisan Food: https://www.schoolofartisanfood.org/?answered=q8%3D292
Preorder Neil’s new book Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper at your favourite bookshop, or from the publisher Pen & Sword History: www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Before-Mrs-Beeton-Hardback/p/22437
Neil’s book A Dark History of Sugar is available now from all bookshops as well as from the publisher Pen & Sword: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481
If you want to buy a signed copy directly from Neil for £18 + postage (£2.85 if within the UK, the going rate if outside!). Contact him via email or social media if you fancy it (see below).
Also, don’t forget there will be another postbag episode at the end of the season. If you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, find him on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery my DMs are open. You can now find him at Mastodon too: @neilbuttery@mastodon.gastrokon.com.
Join the new British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
If you like my blog posts and podcast episodes, please consider a monthly subscription or buying me a virtual coffee or a pint? Go to https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ for more details.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
Happy New Year! In the first episode of 2023 Neil talks to historian Charlie Taverner about London’s street food sellers. Charlie’s book ‘Street Food: Hawkers and the History of London’ is published by Oxford University Press on the 12th of January 2023, and it looks at every aspect of sellers’ lives from the latter 16th to the early 20th century.
They talked about how one approaches collecting data from so long a period; what was meant by the terms hawker, costermonger and fishwife; their importance to London society and economy; ice cream; fruit; and the logistics of delivering fresh milk to an ever-growing population.
Find Charlie on Twitter: @charlietaverner
Charlie’s website: www.charlietaverner.com
‘Street Food: Hawkers and the History of London’ is available to buy from all bookshops from 12th January 2023, including Amazon and Bookshop.org: https://uk.bookshop.org/books/street-food-hawkers-and-the-history-of-london/9780192846945
Review of Charlie’s book in History Today: https://www.historytoday.com/archive/history-matters/hawk-way
Things mentioned in today’s episode:
Volume 1 of ‘London Labour and the London Poor’ by Henry Mayhew e-book: https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/London_Labour_and_the_London_Poor_the_Co/mO09AAAAcAAJ?hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwivqZbGmr_8AhWZ_7sIHdq_CF8QiqUDegQIDRAC
‘Food Cult’, the Irish food project Charlie is involved in: https://foodcult.eu
Neil’s book A Dark History of Sugar is available now from all bookshops as well as from the publisher Pen & Sword: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481
If you want to buy a signed copy directly from Neil for £18 + postage (£2.85 if within the UK, the going rate if outside!). Contact him via email or social media if you fancy it (see below).
Also, don’t forget there will be another postbag episode at the end of the season. If you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery my DMs are open. You can now find me at Mastodon too: @neilbuttery@mastodon.gastrokon.com.
Join the new British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
If you like my blog posts and podcast episodes, please consider a monthly subscription or buying me a virtual coffee or a pint? Go to https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ for more details.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
Today Neil talks with Paula McIntyre about Hogmanay and her BBC TV show, the excellent Hamely Kitchen. Paula is an Ulster-Scots chef who lives on the north coast of Northern Ireland and she specialises in combining those two cuisines, reviving traditional recipes and shouting about good producers.
Paula has a Hamely Kitchen Hogmanay special out on 30th December, 7.30pm on BBC1 Northern Ireland.
Paula and Neil talked about Hogmanay traditions, like first footings and gifting shortbread, cockie-leekie soup, clootie dumplings and boiled/steamed puddings in general, TV show Two Fat Ladies and dulse – and much more.
Hamely Kitchen’s BBC webpage: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000zmyh
Find Paula on social media: Twitter @paula_mcintyre; Instagram @paulacooks
Things mentioned in today’s episode:
Kilchoman distillery: https://www.kilchomandistillery.com/
Ursa Minor bakery: https://www.ursaminorbakehouse.com/
Abernethy Butter: https://abernethybutter.com/
Two Fat Ladies BBC TV programme on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu9yUU0fTAk
Neil’s blog post on the classic Scottish Hogmanay treat the black bun: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2022/12/27/black-bun-scotch-bun-part-1-history/
Neil’s book A Dark History of Sugar is available now from all bookshops as well as from the publisher Pen & Sword: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481
If you want to buy a signed copy directly from Neil for £18 + postage (£2.85 if within the UK, the going rate if outside!). Contact him via email or social media if you fancy it (see below).
Also, don’t forget there will be another postbag episode at the end of the season. If you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery my DMs are open. You can now find me at Mastodon too: @neilbuttery@mastodon.gastrokon.com.
Join the new British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1474543579696033
If you like my blog posts and podcast episodes, please consider a monthly subscription or buying me a virtual coffee or a pint? Go to https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ for more details.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
Neil kicks off the season with a Christmas special, talking Christmas feasting – and cooking – with scholar and author Dr Annie Gray. Annie is author of books such as the excellent The Greedy Queen: Eating with Victoria and Victory in the Kitchen: The Life of Churchill’s Cook. Her new book At Christmas We Feast: Festive Food Through the Ages, published by Profile Books, is out now in paperback, and she kindly came on the podcast to tell me about it.
We talked about many things including the myths and misconceptions about the food we eat at Christmas, why and we feast, and how the feast of Christmas has changed through time, what the Victorian’s DIDN’T invent, jelly, wassail, the ancient Christmas centrepiece the boar’s head, trifle, Yorkshire Christmas Pye, and the recipes contained within the book.
At Christmas we Feast is published by Profile Books: https://profilebooks.com/work/at-christmas-we-feast/
Find Annie on social media: @DrAnnieGray on Twitter and Instagram. Her website is www.anniegray.co.uk
Things mentioned in today’s episode:
View Francatelli’s book The Modern Cook here: https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_Modern_Cook/F68_6rvpwdsC?hl=en&gbpv=0
Neil’s disastrous Yorkshire Christmas Pye: http://neilcooksgrigson.com/2021/12/22/445-to-make-a-yorkshire-christmas-pye-part-2/
Neil’s Smoking Bishop recipe: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2018/12/14/smoking-bishop/
Neil’s book A Dark History of Sugar is available now from all bookshops as well as from the publisher Pen & Sword: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481
If you want to buy a signed copy directly from Neil for £18 + postage (£2.85 if within the UK, the going rate if outside!). Contact him via email or social media if you fancy it (see below).
Also, don’t forget there will be another postbag episode at the end of the season. If you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery my DMs are open. You can now find me at Mastodon too: @neilbuttery@mastodon.gastrokon.com.
Join the new British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1474543579696033
If you like my blog posts and podcast episodes, please consider a monthly subscription or buying me a virtual coffee or a pint? Go to https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ for more details.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
Welcome to the first postbag edition of ‘The British Food History Podcast’. On this episode: memories of Glyn Hughes; listeners letters; Yorkshire puddings; and new book news.
Links to things mentioned on this episode: ‘The Foods of England’ website: http://www.foodsofengland.co.uk/ (http://www.foodsofengland.co.uk/) Glyn Hughes’s book ‘The Surprising History of Fish and Chips’: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1471631656 (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1471631656) Contain the Samaritans 116 123 or go to http://www.samaritans.org/ (www.samaritans.org) Mind website: http://www.mind.uk/ (www.mind.uk) Smack Barm Pea Wet video: https://youtu.be/N_oIys5KS4A (https://youtu.be/N_oIys5KS4A) The ‘Peniarth Manuscript 513D’ manuscript via The National Library of Wales: https://viewer.library.wales/4631573#?c=&m=&s=&cv=&manifest=https%3A%2F%2Fdamsssl.llgc.org.uk%2Fiiif%2F2.0%2F4631573%2Fmanifest.json&xywh=-193%2C-450%2C3844%2C5793 (https://viewer.library.wales/4631573#?c=&m=&s=&cv=&manifest=https%3A%2F%2Fdamsssl.llgc.org.uk%2Fiiif%2F2.0%2F4631573%2Fmanifest.json&xywh=-193%2C-450%2C3844%2C5793) My post from the ‘Neil Cooks Grigson’ blog on Cawl (apologies for the terrible photo): http://neilcooksgrigson.blogspot.com/2008/12/98-cawl.html (http://neilcooksgrigson.blogspot.com/2008/12/98-cawl.html) My ‘Savouries’ blog post which includes my recipe for Welsh Rarebit: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2018/02/05/savouries/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/2018/02/05/savouries/) The New York Times article about Dutch Babies: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/6648-dutch-baby (https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/6648-dutch-baby) ‘The Great Book of Yorkshire Pudding’ by Elaine Lemm is published by Great Northern Books: https://www.gnbooks.co.uk/product/great-book-yorkshire-pudding/ (https://www.gnbooks.co.uk/product/great-book-yorkshire-pudding/) Elaine’s YouTube video about making Yorkshire Puddings: https://youtu.be/lQfMw0nbjKY (https://youtu.be/lQfMw0nbjKY)
Podcast episodes referred to: The Foods of England Project with Glyn Hughes Lent Episode 6: Social Evolution and Lent Cheddar and the Cheese Industry with Peter Atkins Gingerbread with Sam Bilton A Dark History of Sugar Parts 1 & 2 A Dark History of Chocolate with Emma Kay British Saffron with Sam Bilton Yorkshire Pudding with Elaine Lemm Savouries
Neil’s book A Dark History of Sugar is available now from all bookshops as well as from the publisher Pen & Sword: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481 (https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481)
If you want to buy a signed copy directly from Neil for £18 + postage (£2.85 if within the UK, the going rate if outside!). Contact him via email or social media ifyou fancy it (see below).
Remember, you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery my DMs are open.
If you like my blog posts and podcast episodes, please consider a monthly subscription or buying me a virtual coffee or a pint? Go to https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/) for more details.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
Today’s guest is food writer and Yorkshire Pudding expert Elaine Lemm to discuss the good old Yorkshire Pudding. They discussed many things including: the origins of the Yorkshire pudding, what links it to Yorkshire anyway, excellent cooking tips, including the importance of the vessel it is cooked in as well as the fat used; YP haters; and toad-in-the-hole.
‘The Great Book of Yorkshire Pudding’ is published by Great Northern Books: https://www.gnbooks.co.uk/product/great-book-yorkshire-pudding/ (https://www.gnbooks.co.uk/product/great-book-yorkshire-pudding/)
‘More Than Yorkshire Pudding: Food, Stories And Over 100 Recipes From God's Own Country’ is out in the UK on 21st October 2022, also published by Great Northern Books : https://www.gnbooks.co.uk/product/more-than-yorkshire-puddings/ (https://www.gnbooks.co.uk/product/more-than-yorkshire-puddings/)
Find Elaine on social media: @britishfood on Twitter and @foodwriting on Instagram
Elaine’s YouTube video about making Yorkshire Puddings: https://youtu.be/lQfMw0nbjKY (https://youtu.be/lQfMw0nbjKY)
The raspberry vinegar, made by Womersley Foods, recommended by Elaine available here: https://youtu.be/lQfMw0nbjKY (https://youtu.be/lQfMw0nbjKY)
Neil’s book A Dark History of Sugar is available now from all bookshops as well as from the publisher Pen & Sword: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481 (https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481)
If you want to buy a signed copy directly from Neil for £18 + postage (£2.85 if within the UK, the going rate if outside!). Contact him via email or social media if you fancy it (see below).
Also, don’t forget there is a postbag episode coming soon. If you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com,or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery my DMs are open. If you like my blog posts and podcast episodes, please consider a monthly subscription or buying me a virtual coffee or a pint? Go to https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/) for more details.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
Today Neil talks to journalist and author Sejal Sukhadwala about her new book The Philosophy of Curry. Her book charts the history of the curry, how it has changed over time, why it could be viewed as a British construct, and why some people reject the word completely. Some of the things we talked about were: why the idea of the curry is for some a controversial one; the way Indian food changed with colonialism (and what it was like before then); when and how curries and curry houses came to Britain; the problems Indians had selling food to a sometimes racist clientele and how (or perhaps why) they kept their composure; and modern Indian food in Britain. Sejal’s book The Philosophy of Curry is available from all bookshops including the British Library shop: https://shop.bl.uk/products/the-philosophy-of-curry#:~:text=The%20Philosophy%20of%20Curry%20offers,food%20writer%20based%20in%20London (https://shop.bl.uk/products/the-philosophy-of-curry#:~:text=The%20Philosophy%20of%20Curry%20offers,food%20writer%20based%20in%20London).
Find Sejal on social media: Twitter @SejalSukhadwala; Instagram sejalsukhadwala
Read some of Sejal’s recent articles:
Where to eat Indian food along London’s new Elizabeth Line: https://www.thegoodfoodguide.co.uk/editorial/features/where-to-eat-indian-food-along-londons-new-elizabeth-line (https://www.thegoodfoodguide.co.uk/editorial/features/where-to-eat-indian-food-along-londons-new-elizabeth-line)
Why do Indian recipes always have to come from some mythic grandmother?: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/dec/29/indian-recipes-mythic-grandmother-burden-tradition (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/dec/29/indian-recipes-mythic-grandmother-burden-tradition)
Neil’s book A Dark History of Sugar is available now from all bookshops as well as from the publisher Pen & Sword: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481 (https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481)
If you want to buy a signed copy directly from Neil for £18 + postage (£2.85 if within the UK, the going rate if outside!). Contact him via email or social media if you fancy it (see below).
Also, don’t forget there is a postbag episode coming soon. If you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery my DMs are open. If you like my blog posts and podcast episodes, please consider a monthly subscription or buying me a virtual coffee or a pint? Go to https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/) for more details.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
Neil talks to food writer, journal editor and now author of The British Cook Book, published by Phaidon on 22 September in the UK and 8 October the rest of the world. It’s quite possibly the most comprehensive book on British cooking ever published, so Neil just had to get him on. They talk about just how one goes about writing a book with 550 recipes in it, and on what grounds should a recipe be included or excluded: delicacies such as sweet goose blood tart, and guga being cases in point. Tradition and innovation, the importance of women, and their writing, in compiling the book, the cultural significance of dippy egg and soldiers, amongst several other things. You can order the book on Phaidon’s website: https://www.phaidon.com/store/food-cook/the-british-cookbook-9781838665289/ (https://www.phaidon.com/store/food-cook/the-british-cookbook-9781838665289/)
Find out more about Ben’s magazine, Fare here: https://www.faremag.com/ (https://www.faremag.com/)
Follow Fare on social media: Twitter @FareMagazine; Insta @faremag
Follow Ben on social media: Twitter @bmervis; Insta @benmervis
Neil’s book A Dark History of Sugar is available now from all bookshops as well as from the publisher Pen & Sword: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481 (https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481)
If you want to buy a signed copy directly from Neil for £18 + postage (£2.85 if within the UK, the going rate if outside!). Contact him via email or social media if you fancy it (see below).
Also, don’t forget if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery my DMs are open.
If you like my blog posts and podcast episodes, please consider a monthly subscription or buying me a virtual coffee or a pint? Go to https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/) for more details.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
On the show today is author, food historian and returning guest Sam Bilton to talk about British Saffron – both growing it and eating it – Sam has a brand new book about to come out called Fool’s Gold A History of British Saffron, published by Prospect Books on 8th September 2022. We talk about when, where and why saffron was grown in the country, how common it used to be in the British diet, it’s liberal use in the Forme of Cury, using saffron in your own cooking, Saffron as a dye and food colouring, how it was harvested and prepared, gilded chickens and the return of British saffron. Sam’s book Fool’s Gold A History of British Saffron, published by Prospect Books on 8th September 2022: https://prospectbooks.co.uk/products-page/current-titles/2022-fools-gold-a-history-of-british-saffron-by-sam-bilton/ (https://prospectbooks.co.uk/products-page/current-titles/2022-fools-gold-a-history-of-british-saffron-by-sam-bilton/)
Sam’s website: http://www.sambilton.com/ (http://www.sambilton.com/)
Find Sam on social media: twitter @sjfbilton; Instagram @mrssbilton
Some UK Saffron producers
Sussex Saffron: https://www.sussexsaffron.co.uk/ (https://www.sussexsaffron.co.uk/)
The Cheshire Saffron Company: https://www.sussexsaffron.co.uk/ (https://www.sussexsaffron.co.uk/)
The Cornish Saffron Company: https://www.cornishsaffroncompany.co.uk/ (https://www.cornishsaffroncompany.co.uk/)
Norfolk Saffron: https://www.norfolksaffron.co.uk/ (https://www.norfolksaffron.co.uk/)
Neil’s book A Dark History of Sugar is available now from all bookshops as well as from the publisher Pen & Sword: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481 (https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481)
If you want to buy a signed copy directly from Neil for £18 + postage (£2.85 if within the UK, the going rate if outside!). Contact him via email or social media if you fancy it (see below).
Also, don’t forget if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery my DMs are open.
If you like my blog posts and podcast episodes, please consider a monthly subscription or buying me a virtual coffee or a pint? Go to https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/) for more details.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
Neil’s guest today is Glyn Hughes, the man behind one of the most important to anyone interested in the history of food and traditional English dishes both common and forgotten. We talked about how and why Glyn started up the project, why British food has gained its bad reputation, some examples of bad English foods, tripe and tripe restaurants, the bizarre and obscure chicken dish Hindle Wakes, the origins of beef Wellington, fake tea, haggis, Chorley cakes and Bakewell pudding. All of the foods talked about in the episode have a page on the Foods of England website telling you about various aspects of their history. Have fun searching!
Things mentioned in today’s episode:
The Foods of England Project website: http://www.foodsofengland.co.uk/ (http://www.foodsofengland.co.uk/)
All of Glyn’s books can be viewed here: http://www.foodsofengland.co.uk/Buybooks.htm (http://www.foodsofengland.co.uk/Buybooks.htm)
Follow Glyn on twitter @foodsofengland
Glyn’s salmagundi video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kB5ccxjHNY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kB5ccxjHNY)
Neil’s probably incorrect blog post about Brown Windsor Soup: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2012/02/13/how-the-british-royal-family-was-saved-by-soup/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/2012/02/13/how-the-british-royal-family-was-saved-by-soup/)
One Dish with Andi Oliver can be heard as a podcast via BBC sounds: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0c625t7 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0c625t7)
Neil’s book A Dark History of Sugar is available now from all bookshops as well as from the publisher Pen & Sword: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481 (https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481)
If you want to buy a signed copy directly from Neil for £18 + postage (£2.85 if within the UK, the going rate if outside!). Contact him via email or social media if you fancy it (see below).
Also, don’t forget if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email Neil at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery my DMs are open.
If you like my blog posts and podcast episodes, please consider a monthly subscription or buying me a virtual coffee or a pint? Go to https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/) for more details.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
Neil’s guest today is historian and friend of the show Emma Kay. Today we talk about Emma’s new book A History of Herbalism: Cook, Cure & Conjure which was published in June 2022. We talk about the importance of herbs in medicine, magic and food, and how these things were interconnected, the four humours, Anglo-Saxon medical texts, the double standards surrounding men and women who practised magic and medicine, two female pioneers of botany and herbalism, and narcotic garden vegetables.
Emma’s book is published by Pen & Sword History: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-History-of-Herbalism-Hardback/p/21395 (https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-History-of-Herbalism-Hardback/p/21395)
Follow Emma on twitter @museumofkitchen and Insta @emma_kay_author. Her website is http://www.museumofkitchenalia.com/ (www.museumofkitchenalia.com).
Things mentioned in today’s episode:
Marianne North’s edited biography: https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Recollections_of_a_Happy_Life/fdnVAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0 (https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Recollections_of_a_Happy_Life/fdnVAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0)
Elizabeth Blackwell’s A Curious Herbal: https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/A_Curious_Herbal_Containing_Five_Hundred/ogHjFWeztJAC?hl=en&gbpv=0 (https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/A_Curious_Herbal_Containing_Five_Hundred/ogHjFWeztJAC?hl=en&gbpv=0)
Neil’s book A Dark History of Sugar is available now from all bookshops as well as from the publisher Pen & Sword: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481 (https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481)
If you want to buy a signed copy directly from Neil for £18 + postage (£2.85 if within the UK, the going rate if outside!). Contact him via email or social media if you fancy it (see below).
Also, don’t forget if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery my DMs are open.
If you like my blog posts and podcast episodes, please consider a monthly subscription or buying me a virtual coffee or a pint? Go to https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/) for more details.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
Welcome to episode one of the new fourth season of The British Food History Podcast. Kicking us off is Neil’s guest Felicity Cloake. Neil & Felicity talk all things breakfast and Felicity’s new book Red Sauce, Brown Sauce, a celebration of the breakfast in all four home nations of the UK.
We talk about how breakfast might be the only thing uniting all 4 countries that make up the UK, the complexities of planning a nation-wide breakfast tour, injuries, why it’s okay to like both red and brown sauce, as well as neither, the importance of pudding on a fried breakfast, regional specialities and recipe writing. Felicity’s book Red Sauce, Brown Sauce is published by Harper Collins: https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/red-sauce-brown-sauce-a-british-breakfast-odyssey-felicity-cloake?variant=39584484687950 (https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/red-sauce-brown-sauce-a-british-breakfast-odyssey-felicity-cloake?variant=39584484687950)
Felicity will be appearing at the Abergavenny Food Festival 17 & 18 September 2022 (https://www.abergavennyfoodfestival.com/ (https://www.abergavennyfoodfestival.com/)), Divizes Food Festival 24 Sept to 2 Oct 2022 (https://www.devizesfoodanddrinkfestival.info/category/events/ (https://www.devizesfoodanddrinkfestival.info/category/events/)) and the Dartmouth Food Festival 21 Oct to 23 Oct 2022 (https://www.dartmouthfoodfestival.com/ (https://www.dartmouthfoodfestival.com/)). Follow Felicity on twitter and Insta @felicitycloake.
Neil’s recent podcast appearances:
Season’s Eatings: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4GJlffoU9dVYCdGyJGOvDX?si=90285119f6644271 (https://open.spotify.com/episode/4GJlffoU9dVYCdGyJGOvDX?si=90285119f6644271)
The Well-Seasoned Librarian: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5wps3FiGdVDynPQVl62G4M?si=b0e53ab4fe1c4c1b (https://open.spotify.com/episode/5wps3FiGdVDynPQVl62G4M?si=b0e53ab4fe1c4c1b)
That Shakespeare Life: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2w7xGGBye93jvO39IuntTO?si=e5bf9543b9794eaf (https://open.spotify.com/episode/2w7xGGBye93jvO39IuntTO?si=e5bf9543b9794eaf)
Neil’s book A Dark History of Sugar is available now from all bookshops as well as from the publisher Pen & Sword: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481 (https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481)
If you want to buy a signed copy directly from Neil for £18 + postage (£2.85 if within the UK, the going rate if outside!). Contact him via email or social media if you fancy it (see below).
Also, don’t forget if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery my DMs are open.
If you like my blog posts and podcast episodes, please consider a monthly subscription or buying me a virtual coffee or a pint? Go to https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/) for more details.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
Once more, Neil is a guest on his own podcast interviewed by friend of the show, and previous guest, author and food historian Emma Kay about the dark history of sugar. In this episode we talk about the abolition of slavery from the British perspective, sugar consumption through history, dental health, the tobaccofication of sugar and how cooking from scratch is key to lower your sugar (and salt) intake. We also discuss ways to eat sugar that is kind to the workers growing it, and our planet and disagree about the virtues of artificial sweeteners. Also: just a head's up, there are a couple of swear words used in this episode. They are comparatively mild, but perhaps not suitable for children.
Neil’s book A Dark History of Sugar is available now from all bookshops as well as from the publisher Pen & Sword; if you are quick you can still get an early bird 25% discount: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481 (https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481)
If you want to buy a signed copy directly from Neil for £18 + postage (£2.85 if within the UK, the going rate if outside!). Contact him via email or social media if you fancy it (see below).
Listen to Neil interview Emma about the dark history of chocolate: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/0f3bd395-57ee-4436-a0cc-993aa3a0f8c4 (https://player.captivate.fm/episode/0f3bd395-57ee-4436-a0cc-993aa3a0f8c4)
Emma’s book A Dark History of Chocolate was published by Pen & Sword History in 2021: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Chocolate-Hardback/p/19247 (https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Chocolate-Hardback/p/19247)
Emma’s new book A History of Herbalism will be published by Pen & Sword History in June 2022: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-History-of-Herbalism-Cure-Cook-and-Conjure-Hardback/p/21395 (https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-History-of-Herbalism-Cure-Cook-and-Conjure-Hardback/p/21395)
Follow Emma on Twitter @MuseumofKitchen and on Instagram @museumofkitchenalia, or visit her website: https://l.instagram.com/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fmuseumofkitchenalia.com%2F&e=ATM9wIE--ihTy6zXBWzcvsNxRIltdj_RSmZzrbFEGBtaUV5lHIeeKIKZEWNjb1r5FpcoMI6ygyQlW20Zzbdoag&s=1 (museumofkitchenalia.com)
Also, don’t forget if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery my DMs are open. If you like my blog posts and podcast episodes, please consider a monthly subscription or buying me a virtual coffee or a pint? Go to https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/) for more details.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
Neil is a guest on his own podcast talking about the dark history of sugar. He’s interviewed by friend of the show, and previous guest, author and food historian Emma Kay. In part 1 of this 2 part interview, we talk about the evolutionary reasons about why we love sugar so much, sugar’s origins and subsequent spread by the Muslim Empire and then the Crusading knights, ending up finally in the New World. We focus on the English in the 17th century: how they got in on the sugar trade, their life on the sugar plantations, the sugar making process and the terrible conditions in which the slaves were forced to work. We also discuss how the English subjugated their sugar slaves and how the slaves found ways to empower themselves. Neil’s book A Dark History of Sugar is out now, published by Pen & Sword; if you are quick you can still get an early bird 25% discount: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481 (https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481)
It is available, of course, to buy at all other bookshops.
Emma’s book A Dark History of Chocolate was published by Pen & Sword History in 2021: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Chocolate-Hardback/p/19247 (https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Chocolate-Hardback/p/19247)
Emma’s new book A History of Herbalism will be published by Pen & Sword History in June 2022: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-History-of-Herbalism-Cure-Cook-and-Conjure-Hardback/p/21395 (https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-History-of-Herbalism-Cure-Cook-and-Conjure-Hardback/p/21395)
Follow Emma on Twitter @MuseumofKitchen and on Instagram @museumofkitchenalia, or visit her website: https://l.instagram.com/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fmuseumofkitchenalia.com%2F&e=ATM9wIE--ihTy6zXBWzcvsNxRIltdj_RSmZzrbFEGBtaUV5lHIeeKIKZEWNjb1r5FpcoMI6ygyQlW20Zzbdoag&s=1 (museumofkitchenalia.com)
Also, don’t forget if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery. If you like my blog posts and podcast episodes, please consider a monthly subscription or buying me a virtual coffee or a pint? Go to https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/) for more details.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
Today, Neil talks with Emeritus Professor Peter J. Atkins about the history of Britain’s cheese industry. Britain had a diverse range of cheeses until cheddar came along and almost made artisan cheese extinct in the UK. We talk about Roman and medieval cheese, the importance of women and girls to cheese and cheesemaking, Joseph Harding ‘the father of British cheddar’, cheddar in North America, Scottish cheddar, and the inevitable dumbing down of variety and flavour when food becomes industrialised. Peter J. Atkins is a food historian and historical geographer with over 50 years of research experience. His specialization has been in perishable foods such as dairy products and he is now writing a history of British cheese. He has worked on dairy systems in South Asia and on general food history with colleagues in Europe. He is a past President of the International Commission for Research on European Food History (https://icrefh.hypotheses.org/ (https://icrefh.hypotheses.org/)). Subscribers: don’t forget to check out the Easter Egg tab on the website to listen to the many extras from this episode: http://britishfoodhistory.com/easter-eggs/ (http://britishfoodhistory.com/easter-eggs/)
Neil’s book A Dark History of Sugar is available to preorder from the publishers with a 25% discount. It is available, of course, to preorder at all other bookshops https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481 (https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481)
Also, don’t forget if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery.
If you like my blog posts and podcast episodes, please consider a monthly subscription or buying me a virtual coffee or a pint? Go to https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/) for more details.
Links to things mentioned in this episode:
Work published by Peter complementing this episode:
Vabre, S., Bruegel, M. and Atkins, P.J. (Eds)(2021) Food History: A Feast of the Senses in Europe, 1750 to the Present London: Routledge https://www.routledge.com/Food-History-A-Feast-of-the-Senses-in-Europe-1750-to-the-Present/Vabre-Bruegel-Atkins/p/book/9780367515584 (https://www.routledge.com/Food-History-A-Feast-of-the-Senses-in-Europe-1750-to-the-Present/Vabre-Bruegel-Atkins/p/book/9780367515584)
Atkins, P.J. (2016) A History of Uncertainty: Bovine Tuberculosis in Britain, 1850 to the Present Winchester: Winchester University Press ISBN: 9781906113179 https://www.amazon.co.uk/History-Uncertainty-Tuberculosis-Perspectives-Veterinary/dp/1906113173 (https://www.amazon.co.uk/History-Uncertainty-Tuberculosis-Perspectives-Veterinary/dp/1906113173)
Harvey & Brockless range of British Cheeses: https://www.harveyandbrockless.co.uk/category/artisan-cheese/british-cheese (https://www.harveyandbrockless.co.uk/category/artisan-cheese/british-cheese)
Neil’s new blog post ‘The Return of Traditional Cheesemaking’ with toasted cheese recipe: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2022/04/26/the-return-of-the-british-cheese-industry/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/2022/04/26/the-return-of-the-british-cheese-industry/)
Neil on 'Table Talk' podcast with Stefan Gates via Food Matters Live: https://foodmatterslive.com/discover/podcast/the-dark-history-of-sugar-food-podcasts/ (https://foodmatterslive.com/discover/podcast/the-dark-history-of-sugar-food-podcasts/)
A post about clotted (or clouted) cream from Neil’s blog: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2019/10/11/clotted-cream/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/2019/10/11/clotted-cream/)
Two more cheese recipes: Welsh Rarebit & Locket’s Savoury:...
Neil has a most enlightening chat with Kevin Geddes about the fabulous television cook Fanny Cradock (1909-1994). Fanny has a reputation for being difficult to work with, cruel and monstrous, and that she was a fake. In this chat Kevin upturns SOME of those preconceptions. We talk about her way into radio and television, her manner and presenting style, the fantastic Christmas special, as well as her decline and fall from television cookery. Much of her life is fabricated and it is difficult to see where the real Fanny stops, and the celebrity Fanny begins. Subscribers: don’t forget to check out the Easter Egg tab on the website to listen to the many extras from this episode: http://britishfoodhistory.com/easter-eggs/ (http://britishfoodhistory.com/easter-eggs/) Kevin’s book Keep Calm and Fanny On! The Many Careers of Fanny Cradock is published by Fantom https://www.fantompublishing.co.uk/product/kevin-geddes-fanny-cradock/ (https://www.fantompublishing.co.uk/product/kevin-geddes-fanny-cradock/) It’s All in the Booklet: Festive Fun with Fanny Cradock is also published by Fantom https://www.fantompublishing.co.uk/product/kevin-geddes-its-all-in-the-booklet-festive-fun-with-fanny-cradock/ (https://www.fantompublishing.co.uk/product/kevin-geddes-its-all-in-the-booklet-festive-fun-with-fanny-cradock/)
Follow Kevin on Twitter and Insta @keepcalmandfannyon
Neil’s book A Dark History of Sugar is available to preorder from the publisher with a 25% discount. It is available, of course, to preorder at all other bookshops https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481 (https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481)
Links to things mentioned in this episode:
British Pathe reel: Fanny and Johnnie’s savouries and cooking tips (YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgrtXKcmeyU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgrtXKcmeyU)
Fanny and Johnnie at the Albert Hall (YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHGSJbPz2e8 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHGSJbPz2e8)
Adventurous Cooking with Fanny Cradock (YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EQJ8GnDsiw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EQJ8GnDsiw)
Fanny Cradock Invites… (on BBC iPlayer) https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p05rv2m9/fanny-cradock-invites-you-to-a-cheese-and-wine-party (https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p05rv2m9/fanny-cradock-invites-you-to-a-cheese-and-wine-party)
Fanny Cradock Cooks for Christmas (on BBC iPlayer) https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p05jvgzw/fanny-cradock-cooks-for-christmas-series-1-1-fanny-cradock-cooks-for-christmas (https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p05jvgzw/fanny-cradock-cooks-for-christmas-series-1-1-fanny-cradock-cooks-for-christmas)
The Big Time: Fanny’s downfall? (YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW-2fclfRpI&t=1s (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW-2fclfRpI&t=1s)
Fanny on TV chat show Wogan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z82EYek2-xs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z82EYek2-xs)
Also, don’t forget if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery.
If you like my blog posts and podcast episodes, please consider a monthly subscription or buying me a virtual coffee or a pint? Go to https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/) for more details.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
This is just a little message to say I am sorry for not pulling my finger out and finishing season 3 of the podcast.
But also, whilst I'm here, I'd like to tell you if you have never listened to the first season, which is about about Lent, now (well, soon) is the time to listen. It's a walk through of the fasting period each Sunday throughout Lent and begins on the Sunday before Lent - in 2022 that is the 27th February.
I'll be back in March with some new episodes.
xxx
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
Today Neil chats with Alessandra Pino, co-author of ‘A Gothic Cookbook’, about food in gothic literature. They talk about the inspiration behind the book, the function of food (or the lack of it) in gothic fiction and how crowdfunding platform Unbound has helped with the project. They look at Frankenstein’s monster and his vegetarianism and delve a bit deeper into Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. Subscribers: don’t forget to check out the Easter Egg tab on the website to listen to a couple of extras from this episode: http://britishfoodhistory.com/easter-eggs/ (http://britishfoodhistory.com/easter-eggs/) Visit Alessandra and Ella’s page on Unbound here to see page samples and Lee Henry’s wonderful illustrations: https://unbound.com/books/a-gothic-cookbook/ (https://unbound.com/books/a-gothic-cookbook/)
To receive 10% off your pledge use the code GOTHICPOD10
Follow A Gothic Cookbook on Twitter and Insta @AGothicCookbook
Links to things mentioned in this episode:
Wikipedia entry for Jane Eyre: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Eyre (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Eyre)
Neil’s Hot Toddy blog post: http://britishfoodhistory.com/2021/12/24/a-hot-toddy/ (http://britishfoodhistory.com/2021/12/24/a-hot-toddy/)
Neil’s Christmas Pye posts: https://neilcooksgrigson.com/2021/12/18/445-to-make-a-yorkshire-christmas-pye-part-1/ (https://neilcooksgrigson.com/2021/12/18/445-to-make-a-yorkshire-christmas-pye-part-1/)
Also, don’t forget if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery. If you like my blog posts and podcast episodes, please consider a monthly subscription or buying me a virtual coffee or a pint? Go to https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/) for more details.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
In the podcast’s first Christmas Special Neil delves into the history, origins and folklore surrounding the good old Christmas Pudding: the cornerstone of the Christmas Day dinner. He cooks up a proper cannonball shaped Victorian pudding that was written by Sam Bilton’s Great Aunt Eliza (Sam is a friend of the show). Neil also looks at Stir Up Sunday, superstitions and how to flambé a pudding properly. Links to things mentioned in this episode: Neil’s Christmas Pudding post part 1: http://britishfoodhistory.com/2021/11/21/christmas-pudding-part-1-stir-up-sunday/ (http://britishfoodhistory.com/2021/11/21/christmas-pudding-part-1-stir-up-sunday/) Neil’s Christmas Pudding post part 2: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2021/12/19/to-make-a-christmas-pudding-part-2-the-big-day/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/2021/12/19/to-make-a-christmas-pudding-part-2-the-big-day/) Sam Bilton’s post about her Great Aunt’s pudding: http://www.sambilton.com/plum-pudding/ (http://www.sambilton.com/plum-pudding/) Neil’s Christmas Pottage post: https://neilcooksgrigson.com/2021/12/18/445-to-make-a-yorkshire-christmas-pye-part-1/ (https://neilcooksgrigson.com/2021/12/18/445-to-make-a-yorkshire-christmas-pye-part-1/) See Neil make the pottage on the Channel 5 show Amazing Christmas Cakes & Bakes here (UK only): https://www.channel5.com/show/amazing-christmas-cakes-and-bakes (https://www.channel5.com/show/amazing-christmas-cakes-and-bakes) Neil’s first post about the Yorkshire Christmas Pye: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2020/12/17/christmas-pottage/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/2020/12/17/christmas-pottage/) Also, don’t forget if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery. If you like my blog posts and podcast episodes, please consider a monthly subscription or buying me a virtual coffee or a pint? Go to https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/) for more details.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
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In the first episode of the third season Neil chats to food historian, Emma Kay about her new book ‘A Dark History of Chocolate’. They talk about several aspects of chocolate’s chequered past including: the way chocolate was exported from South America to Europe, Britain’s chocolate houses, chocolate & decadence, and the exploitation of workers and consumers, and chocolate as an excellent vehicle for poison. Emma’s book on Pen & Sword History’s website: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Chocolate-Hardback/p/19247 (https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Chocolate-Hardback/p/19247) Emma’s twitter handle: @museumofkitchen; Emma’s Instagram: @museumofkitchenalia Neil’s new book ‘A Dark History of Sugar’ is out on 30 March 2022 and is available to preorder. See Neil on the Channel 5 show Amazing Christmas Cakes & Bakes here (UK only): https://www.channel5.com/show/amazing-christmas-cakes-and-bakes (https://www.channel5.com/show/amazing-christmas-cakes-and-bakes) Also, don’t forget if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery. If you like my blog posts and podcast episodes, please consider a monthly subscription or buying me a virtual coffee or a pint? Go to https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/) for more details.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
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In part 3 of his Eel special, Neil looks at the more recent history of the eel, focussing upon the conservation of our new favourite slimy fish. In this episode Neil talks to his guest this week Andrew Kerr of the Sustainable Eel Group about the loss of the eels’ habitat, the success of the elver rewilding programme, how the SEG help adult eels find their way back to the Sargasso Sea, why elver trafficking is the biggest wildlife crime in history, and how Brexit may mess up the conservation effort. Useful things: Andrew’s twitter handle @SEGandrewK The Sustainable Eel Group’s website: https://www.sustainableeelgroup.org/ (https://www.sustainableeelgroup.org/) Neil’s blog post about the paradox of why eating elvers could save them: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2013/02/01/the-eel-paradox/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/2013/02/01/the-eel-paradox/) All of Neil’s eel posts from ‘British Food a History’: https://britishfoodhistory.com/tag/eels/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/tag/eels/) All of Neil’s eel posts from ‘Neil Cooks Grigson’: https://neilcooksgrigson.com/tag/eel/ (https://neilcooksgrigson.com/tag/eel/) Also, don’t forget if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, feel I missed something important, or have a question about the history of British food please email neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery. If you like my blog posts and podcast episodes, please consider a monthly subscription or buying me a virtual coffee or a pint? Go to https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/) for more details.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
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In part 2 of his three-part Eel Special, Neil looks at adult eels – yes our little elvers from last week have all grown up. In this episode he looks at the folklore of eels, as well as how they were caught and cooked, and he talks to his guest this week John Wyatt Greenlee, medieval eel historian and maker of eel memes, about the importance of eel in the Middle Ages and the Early Modern Period. Useful things: John’s twitter handle @greenleejw John’s excellent website: https://historiacartarum.org/ (https://historiacartarum.org/) The infamous eel scene from ‘The Tin Drum’ (not a clip for the squeamish!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFSstdnfqjk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFSstdnfqjk) Neil’s blog post about eel, pie and mash houses: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2012/01/22/eel-pie-and-mash/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/2012/01/22/eel-pie-and-mash/) Neil’s traumatic eel encounter: https://neilcooksgrigson.com/2009/10/13/next-simply-prepare-your-eels/ (https://neilcooksgrigson.com/2009/10/13/next-simply-prepare-your-eels/) All of Neil’s eel posts from ‘British Food a History’: https://britishfoodhistory.com/tag/eels/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/tag/eels/) All of Neil’s eel posts from ‘Neil Cooks Grigson’: https://neilcooksgrigson.com/tag/eel/ (https://neilcooksgrigson.com/tag/eel/) Also, don’t forget if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, feel I missed something important, or have a question about the history of British food please email neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery. If you like my blog posts and podcast episodes, please consider a monthly subscription or buying me a virtual coffee or a pint? Go to https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/) for more details.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
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In part one of his three-part Eel Special, Neil focusses on eel fry – elvers, or glass eels – once a very important source of seasonal protein the south east and west of England. He visits a traditional elver fisherman to watch him haul in his catch and to find out why, paradoxically, to save this critically endangered species, we may have to eat it. Neil also looks at the ecologist who discovered that eel migrate back and forth to the Sargasso sea, the folklore surrounding elvers and provides some serving suggestions should you get your hands on some. Useful things: Elver Dave’s twitter handle: @elverdave Life cycle of the European eel video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBRnNk_uo9Y (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBRnNk_uo9Y) Neil’s blog post about the Eel Paradox: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2013/02/01/the-eel-paradox/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/2013/02/01/the-eel-paradox/) Elvers numbers are on the increase: https://www.sustainableeelgroup.org/endangered-elvers-have-made-a-dramatic-comeback-in-british-waters-following-a-year-of-perfect-conditions/ (https://www.sustainableeelgroup.org/endangered-elvers-have-made-a-dramatic-comeback-in-british-waters-following-a-year-of-perfect-conditions/) ‘Elvers in the Gloucester Style’ recipe: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2013/02/10/elvers-in-the-gloucester-style/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/2013/02/10/elvers-in-the-gloucester-style/) The ‘Neil Cooks Grigson’ project. Will he ever complete it? https://neilcooksgrigson.com/ (https://neilcooksgrigson.com/)
Also, don’t forget if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, feel I missed something important, or have a question about the history of British food please email neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery. If you like my blog posts and podcast episodes, please consider a monthly subscription or buying me a virtual coffee or a pint? Go to https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/) for more details.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
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In this episode Neil looks at the rise and fall of the now largely forgotten savoury course, once a mainstay of Victorian and Edwardian dinners. He focusses upon some classics: Scotch woodcock, devilled chicken livers and, probably the most famous, Welsh Rarebit/Rabbit. Neil’s ‘Savouries’ post and devilled chicken livers recipe from his blog: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2018/02/05/savouries/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/2018/02/05/savouries/) Angels & devils on horseback recipe: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2012/03/08/angels-and-devils-on-horseback/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/2012/03/08/angels-and-devils-on-horseback/) Scotch woodcock recipe: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2021/08/08/scotch-woodcock/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/2021/08/08/scotch-woodcock/) Welsh rarebit & Locket’s savoury recipes: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2018/02/18/welsh-rarebit-lockets-savoury/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/2018/02/18/welsh-rarebit-lockets-savoury/) Neil’s version of Gentlemen’s Relish: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2012/04/24/the-gentlemans-relish/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/2012/04/24/the-gentlemans-relish/) The Infamous English Rarebit incident: https://neilcooksgrigson.com/2010/03/08/230-english-rabbit-1747/ (https://neilcooksgrigson.com/2010/03/08/230-english-rabbit-1747/)
Reading List: ‘Good Savouries’ by Ambrose Heath: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14472345-good-savouries (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14472345-good-savouries) ‘Savouries’ by Theodora FitzGibbon: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9382578-savouries (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9382578-savouries) ‘The English Savoury Course’ article from Global Food History by P. Freedman and J. Evans: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Joshua-Evans-11/publication/344364561_The_English_Savoury_Course/links/5f6c9dfa299bf1b53eee0eaf/The-English-Savoury-Course.pdf (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Joshua-Evans-11/publication/344364561_The_English_Savoury_Course/links/5f6c9dfa299bf1b53eee0eaf/The-English-Savoury-Course.pdf)
Also, don’t forget if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, feel I missed something important, or have a question about the history of British food please email neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery. If you like my blog posts and podcast episodes, please consider a monthly subscription or buying me a virtual coffee or a pint? Go to https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/) for more details.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
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Forme of Cury with Christopher Monk
In episode two of the second season Neil chats to food historian, chef and scholar Dr Christopher Monk about the first cookbook written in the English language: Forme of Cury. We talked about – amongst other things – who wrote it and use it in the first place, the familiar ingredients and recipes inside the manuscript, blancmange and how to approach cooking ‘authentic’ medieval cuisine. Christopher’s website and blog Monk's Modern Medieval Cuisine: https://modernmedievalcuisine.com/ (https://modernmedievalcuisine.com/)
Christopher’s YouTube channel of the same name: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClOt8UgoRHFIFcCD7ibGibw (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClOt8UgoRHFIFcCD7ibGibw)
Christopher’s twitter handle: @MonkCuisine
Neil’s blog posts about, and recipes from, Forme of Cury: https://britishfoodhistory.com/?s=forme+of+cury (https://britishfoodhistory.com/?s=forme+of+cury)
Neil’s attempt at Blanc Mange: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2019/06/08/mediaeval-blanc-mange/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/2019/06/08/mediaeval-blanc-mange/)
Neil’s frumenty post (subscribers only): http://britishfoodhistory.com/2021/08/01/to-make-frumenty-furmenty/ (http://britishfoodhistory.com/2021/08/01/to-make-frumenty-furmenty/)
Medieval recipes from Neil’s Jane Grigson blog: https://neilcooksgrigson.com/tag/medieval/ (https://neilcooksgrigson.com/tag/medieval/)
Also, don’t forget if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, feel I missed something important, or have a question about the history of British food please email neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery. If you like my blog posts and podcast episodes, please consider a monthly subscription or buying me a virtual coffee or a pint? Go to https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/) for more details.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
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Gingerbread with Sam Bilton In the first episode of the second season Neil chats to food historian, cook and chef, Sam Bilton, author of gingerbread cookbook ‘First Catch Your Gingerbread’. We talked about – amongst other things – the origins of gingerbread, gingerbreads that do not contain ginger, gingerbread’s close ties with Victorian fairgrounds and the difficulties surrounding cooking historical foods. Then, Neil talks a little bit more on the best of all the gingerbreads: parkin (this is not an opinion, but a true fact). Sam’s book ‘First Catch Your Gingerbread’ is published by Prospect Books: https://prospectbooks.co.uk/products-page/current-titles/first-catch-your-gingerbread/ Sam Bilton’s excellent website and blog: http://www.sambilton.com/ Sam’s twitter handle: @sjfbilton; Sam’s Instagram: @mrssbilton Neil’s parkin recipe: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2011/11/04/yorkshire-parkin/ Neil’s blog post about Golden Syrup: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2012/02/01/golden_syrup/ Gingerbread recipes can be found on both of Neil’s blogs: ‘British Food: a History’ (www.britishfoodhistory.com) & ‘Neil Cooks Grigson’ (www.neilcooksgrigson.com) Also, don’t forget if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please email me at neil@britishfoodhistory.com, or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery. If you like my blog posts and podcast episodes, please consider a monthly subscription or buying me a virtual coffee or a pint? Go to https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ for more details.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
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Originally released 4 Apr 2020. Best listened to on the sixth and final Sunday of Lent In the final episode of the season, we look at how the last Sunday of Lent was marked in the past, focussing on Fig Sunday and Palm Sunday. Neil cooks up some historical pax cakes to give out to shoppers and traders at Levenshulme Market to see how they would go down today. With Easter Sunday on his mind, Neil gets hold of some very special meat from Hebridean sheep farmer Helen Arthan, and find out what it’s like working with such characterful sheep. On his return to Manchester, he cooks up some roast hogget for two friends of the show. For episode notes, photos and recipes please visit https://britishfoodhistory.com/lent-podcast/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/lent-podcast/) Written and presented by Dr Neil Buttery Produced by Beena Khetani Made in Manchester by Sonder Radio
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
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Best listened to on the fifth Sunday of Lent In the penultimate episode of the first season, we look at what goes on in the fifth Sunday of Lent, which was called Carlin Sunday in some parts of Britain, a day when carlin (aka black) peas were traditionally eaten. Neil goes on a trip to Bury Market to seek them out and hopefully get a taste. We also find out about how social evolution theory can explain why Lent exists, and Neil has another chat with Professor Matthew Cobb of Manchester University about how the source of our morals are our genes themselves. For episode notes, photos and recipes please visit https://britishfoodhistory.com/lent-podcast/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/lent-podcast/) Written and presented by Dr Neil Buttery Produced by Beena Khetani Made in Manchester by Sonder Radio
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
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Originally released 22 Mar 2020. Best listened of the fourth Sunday of Lent (Mothering Sunday) In the fifth episode of the season we look at Mid-Lent Sunday, traditionally a day where lots of different celebrations occurred, but Neil focusses on Mothering Sunday and the lesser-known Clipping the Church. Neil bakes a simnel cake and chats again to the Right Reverend David Walker, Bishop of Manchester, about the history of Mothering Sunday. Neil then looks at the evidence that suggests that fasting has many potential health benefits and puts theory to the test by going on a two week long fast of his own with mixed results… There’s also the answer to Matthew Cobb’s minnow mystery from last week. For episode notes, photos and recipes please visit https://britishfoodhistory.com/lent-podcast/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/lent-podcast/) Written and presented by Dr Neil Buttery Produced by Beena Khetani Made in Manchester by Sonder Radio
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
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Originally released 15 Mar 2020. Best listened to on the third Sunday of Lent In part four, we look at how Lent was dumbed down over the years from extremely strict to almost non-existent. Then Neil investigates the natural history of Lent and has a conversation with Brenda Smith of Bud Garden Centre, Manchester, about what the plants are up to and the food that’s growing in early spring. Neil then talks to Matthew Cobb, Professor of Zoology at Manchester University, about animals and their odd behaviour at this time of year. For episode notes, photos and recipes please visit https://britishfoodhistory.com/lent-podcast/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/lent-podcast/) Written and presented by Dr Neil Buttery Produced by Beena Khetani Made in Manchester by Sonder Radio
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
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Originally released 8 Mar 2020. Best listened to on the second Sunday of Lent In this episode we look at Pagan aspects of Lent and Easter that have endured to the modern day and investigate how the Christian Church had to let folk keep some of their Pagan ways whilst simultaneously have them keep them at arm’s length. We look at the history behind two Pagan icons: eggs and hot cross buns. Neil gives his recipe for hot cross buns and visits Dormouse Chocolates, Manchester’s only bean to bar chocolatier to discuss eggs and the art of artisan chocolate making. For episode notes, photos and recipes please visit https://britishfoodhistory.com/lent-podcast/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/lent-podcast/) Written and presented by Dr Neil Buttery Produced by Beena Khetani Made in Manchester by Sonder Radio
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
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Originally released 1 Mar 2020 Best listened to on the first Sunday of Lent This episode explores Ember Week, a nod to the coming of Spring always observed in the first full week of Lent. We see how folk in medieval Britain believed mood and health were controlled by the seasons. We also look at the history and rules of Lent. Neil visits Manchester’s beautiful John Ryland’s Library to view England’s oldest cookbook and attempts to cook from it ‘a tart for Ember Day’ for friends. For episode notes, photos and recipes please visit https://britishfoodhistory.com/lent-podcast/ (https://britishfoodhistory.com/lent-podcast/) Written and presented by Dr Neil Buttery Produced by Beena Khetani Made in Manchester by Sonder Radio
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Originally released 19 Feb 2020 *Best listened to the Sunday before Lent starts (i.e. Sunday before Pancake Day) This first episode explores all the things traditionally happen (and are eaten) before the great Lenten fast begins; Collop Monday, Pancake Day - or to give its proper name - Shrove Tuesday, and the first day of the fast itself, Ash Wednesday. We have an interview with the Right Reverend Dr David Walker, Bishop of Manchester and rediscover some 18th century pancake recipes. For episode notes, please visit https://britishfoodhistory.com/2020/02/23/lent-podcast-episode-1-collops-pancakes/ Written and presented by Dr Neil Buttery Produced by Beena Khetani Made in Manchester by Sonder Radio
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