The British Food History Podcast

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 BiltonSam’s websiteFollow Sam on BlueSky, Insta and Threads @mrssbiltonComfortably HungryAis for Apple: An Encyclopaedia of Food & DrinkRemember: 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 episodeThe Globe TheatreWho is Falstaff?Books discussed or mentioned and further readingFirst Catch Your Gingerbread by Sam BiltonKnead to Know: A History of Baking by Neil ButteryA Dark History of Sugar by Neil ButteryEnglish Bread & Yeast Cookery by Elizabeth DavidThe Good Housewife’s Jewel by Thomas Dawsona...

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 GravesCarwyn’s websiteFollow Carwyn on Instagram @carwyngravesRemember: 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 episodeThe Art of Cookery Made Plain & Easy by Hannah GlasseThe First Boke of the Introduction of Knowledge Made by Andrew BoordeWikipedia page of Welsh sheep breedsRare Breeds Survival Trust page on Welsh cattle breedsPrevious pertinent blog postsColostrum (Beestings) with pudding recipeWelsh Rarebit (and Locket’s Savoury)#98...

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 episodeThe King and Commoner Tradition: Carnivalesque Politics in Medieval and Early Modern Literature by Mark TruesdaleMark’s article The Medieval Robin Hood: Folk Carnivals and Ballads on Folklore ThursdayMy blog post about King Alfred burning the cakesThe Great Household in Late Medieval England by C.M. WoolgarRobin Hood and Other Outlaw TalesSentimental and Humorous RomancesTen BourdesServe it Forth website - You can still receive 25% off the ticket price using the code SERVE25 at the checkout!Serve it Forth Eventbrite pagePrevious pertinent podcast episodes

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 episodeCooking & 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

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 episodeAccompanying blog post with images of the porcelain discussedYouTube video of the episode with images of the porcelain discussedMuseum of Royal Worcester websitePaul’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...

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 @braciatrixChristina’s websiteChristina’s SubstackFilthy Queens: A History of Beer in IrelandThe Devil’s in the Draught Lines: 1000 Years of Women in Britain’s Beer HistoryThe Beer Ladies PodcastRemember: 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 episodeServe it Forth website - You can still receive 25% off the ticket price using the code SERVE25 at the checkout!Serve it Forth Eventbrite pageNeil’s blog post about cock ale/beerBarnaby Rich’s book The Irish hubbub or, the English hue and crie. 1617Neil’s blog post about junket for £3 subscribers

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 checkoutServe it Forth websiteThe 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 thingsThose 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 @drdobbaMark’s book Lumpy Tums: Derbyshire’s Food & Drink will be published by Amberley in April 2026Mark’s previous book Plenti and Grase (2009) is published by Prospect BooksMark Dawson’s Food History Pages Mark’s SpeakerNet profileRemember: 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 episodeServe it Forth websiteServe it Forth Eventbrite pageFind out more about Joan ThirskGeneral 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’...

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 @alexbamjiAlex’s page on the University of Leeds websiteAlex’s LinkedIn pageThe digitised manuscriptRuth Bramley’s transcriptionA piece from Leeds University about the ‘pamflyt’ featuring Peter BrearsThe 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 available on 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 episodeServe it Forth websiteServe it Forth Eventbrite pageListen to a sample of the Knead to Know audiobooka...

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 @thebreaducatorBreaking Bread: How Baking Shaped Our World is published by AurumMore on the Pump Street workshopsMore about David’s Earth’s Crust Bakery at Camp BestivalRemember: 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 available on 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 episodeServe it Forth websiteServe it Forth Eventbrite pageAgainst 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 cobMy blog post and recipe for a cottage loafPertinent previous podcast episode:

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 thingsThose 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 MediaFacebook: @cambridgearchaeologicalunitBlueSky: @cambridgearch.bsky.socialInstagram: @cambridgearchaeologicalunitFollow Cambridge University Department of Archaeology on Social Media:Facebook: @archaeologycambridgeBlueSky: @cam-archaeology.bsky.socialInstagram: @ cambridge_archaeologyRemember: 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 episodeThe Must Farm websiteThe Peterborough Archaeology page about the Must Farm siteNeil’s medieval frumenty recipeNeil’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 HousekeeperA Dark History of Sugar...

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 LinfordJenny’s website (include information about all three of her recent books)Follow Jenny on Social Media: X and BlueSky @jennylinford; Insta/Threads @jlinfordJenny’s podcast, A Slice of Cheese The National Trust websiteRemember: 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 episodeBradford Little Foodies Walking Tour on Sat 26 July 2025Dock PuddingSingin’ HinniesHenry’s Mayhew’s London Labour and the London Poor (1851)Glamorgan SausagesChorlton CheesemongersLondon’s Eel, Pies & Mash ShopsTunnock’s Teacakes at the Glasgow Commonwealth GamesPodcast episodes pertinent to today’s episodeSilver Eels with John...

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 thingsFruit 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 episodeThe Fruit Pig websiteFruit Pig on Jamie & Jimmy’s Friday Night FeastFruit Pig on BBC Radio 4’s The Food ProgrammeNeil’s appearance on Comfortably Hungry discussing black/blood puddingMuseum of Royal Worcester project wins a British Library Food Season AwardCatch up on the latest posts and recipes on Neil’s blogFollow Serve it Forth on Instagram at @serveitforthfestMy YouTube channelPodcast episodes pertinent to today’s episodeThe Philosophy of Puddings with Neil Buttery, Peter Gilchrist & Lindsay Middleton18th Century Female Cookery Writers with The Delicious LegacyNeil’s blogs:‘British Food: a History’ ‘Neil Cooks Grigson’ Neil’s books:Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential HousekeeperA Dark History of Sugar...

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 episodeBurnt cobs – BBC Leicester article PennyroyalTomato-Flavoured Snaps are not dead!A Baghdad Cookery Book by Charles PerryKirkcudbright Book Week ticketsThe 39th Leeds Symposium of Food Drinks & Traditions on EventbriteNeil’s appearance on That Shakespeare LifeNeil’s appearance on History Rage  The Accomplisht Cook by Robert May (1660)Amuse Bouche by Carolyn BoydPlenti and Grase by Mark DawsonNeil’s Country Life County Foods seriesA is for Apple: An Encyclopaedia of Food & DrinkThe Delicious LegacyComfortably Hungry: Bleeding Cows & Black Puddings  Podcast episodes pertinent to today’s episodeA History of Baking with Sam Bilton & Neil ButteryMaking Medieval Ale at Home with Alison KayTurkey with Tom CopasAn Irish Food Story with Jp McMahonThe Philosophy of Puddings with Neil Buttery, Peter Gilchrist & Lindsay MiddletonCrisps with Natalie WhittleThe School Meals Service with Heather EllisThe History of Food Waste & Preservation with Eleanor...

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 PodcastFind Lindsay on social media: Insta/Threads lindsaymiddleton_ and Bluesky @drlindsaymiddleton.bsky.socialThings mentioned in today’s episodeThe Reform ClubCharles BarryThe Gastronomic RegeneratorThe Modern HousewifeWilliam KitchinerNeil’s Country Life County Foods seriesPodcast episodes pertinent to today’s episodeThe Philosophy of Puddings with Neil Buttery, Peter Gilchrist & Lindsay MiddletonTinned Food with Lindsay MiddletonInvalid Cookery with Lindsay MiddletonA is for Apple: B is for Banana, Banting & BerriesNeil’s blogs:‘British Food: a History’ ‘Neil Cooks Grigson’ Neil’s books:Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential HousekeeperA Dark History of Sugar Knead to Know: a History of BakingThe Philosophy of PuddingsDon’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/britishfoodhistoryMentioned in this episode:Fruit Pig...

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 podcastAncestral Kitchen website – including those posts about medieval ale.Ancestral Kitchen on Instagram: @ancestral_kitchenThings mentioned in today’s episodeAle, Beer & Brewsters in England by Judith M. BennettChristmas on the Croft, The Scottish Food History PodcastMy YouTube channel with my short video about haggisBlog posts pertinent to today’s episodeA Trip to the Sarson’s Vinegar FactoryHappy New Year – a review of 2024Previous podcast episodes pertinent to today’s episodeRecreating 16th Century Beer with Susan Flavin & Marc MeltonvilleA is for Anchovy, Alewife & AvocadoNeil’s blogs:‘British Food: a History’ ‘Neil Cooks Grigson’ Neil’s books:Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential HousekeeperA Dark History of Sugar Knead to Know: a History of BakingThe Philosophy of PuddingsDon’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...

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 websiteYou can find Brigitte on social media: Twitter @tudorfoodrecipe; Instagram/Threads tudor_experience; Bluesky @tudorfoodrecipe.bsky.socialThings mentioned in today’s episodeThe work of Andrew BoordeDon’t forget to check out the website on Christmas Day for my Irish coffee recipeListen to the Delicious Legacy Christmas special hereBlog posts pertinent to today’s episodeMy recipe for roast venisonMy recipe for medieval frumenty (subscribers only)Previous podcast episodes pertinent to today’s episodeLent Episode 2: The History of LentTudor Cooking and Cuisine with Brigitte WebsterChristmas Feasting with Annie GrayChristmas Special 2023: Mince PiesNeil’s blogs:‘British Food: a History’ ‘Neil Cooks Grigson’ Neil’s books:Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential HousekeeperA Dark History of Sugar Knead to Know: a History of Bakinga...

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 thingsIf 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 appsPeter’s website Tenement KitchenPeter can be found Instagram @tenementkitchenLindsay can be found on Instagram @lindsaymiddleton_ ; Twitter @lindsmiddleton ; Bluesky @drlindsaymiddleton.bsky.social Things mentioned in today’s episodeNigella Lawson’s gift book recommendationsCatherine Brown’s websiteThe Closet of Sir Kenelm Digby Knight Opened by Kenelm DigbyThe Compleat Housewife by Eliza Smith The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy by Hannah GlasseBlog posts pertinent to today’s episodeThe Be-Ro BookBlancmangeSpotted DickNeil’s basilica mould can be seen on this post for subscribersWhat is a pudding?How to make a steamed sponge puddingPrevious podcast episodes pertinent to today’s episodeInvalid Cookery with Lindsay MiddletonTinned Food with Lindsay MiddletonThe Philosophy of Curry with Sejal SukhadwalaThe Philosophy of Chocolate with Sam BiltonNeil’s blogs:a...

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: @mistereatgalwayAnair websiteAn Irish Food Story: 100 Foods That Made UsThe Irish Cook Book An Alphabet of AnairThings mentioned in today’s episodeThe Great Cream Tea Debate on YouTubeBBC Countryfile magazine websiteNeil’s blog post and recipe for Bakewell puddingUpcoming 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 HousekeeperA Dark History of Sugar Knead to Know: a History of BakingThe Philosophy of PuddingsDon’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...

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 shopFind Copas Turkeys on social media: Twitter/X @CopasTurkeys; Insta: @copasfarmshop or @tomcopasPodcast episodes pertinent to today’s episode:Christmas Feasting with Annie GrayTudor Cooking & Cuisine with Brigitte WebsterTurkey history references:At Christmas We Feast: Festive Food Through the Ages (2021) Annie GrayEating with the Tudors: Food and Recipes (2023) Brigitte WebsterThe Good Housewife’s Jewel (1596) Thomas DawsonThe Compleat Cook (1662) W. M.E. Kidder's Receipts of Pastry and Cookery (1741) Edward KidderA Christmas Carol (1843) Charles DickensUpcoming 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 HousekeeperA Dark History of Sugar Knead to Know: a History of BakingThe Philosophy of PuddingsDon’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/britishfoodhistoryMentioned in this episode:Fruit Pig are currently sponsoring The British Food History PodcastVisit fruitpig.co.uk for more details of their products and journey, and to access their...