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Description
Let Them Eat Books is a podcast hosted by Claire Reynolds and Colin Herd about all the food you have and haven’t tried in all the books you have and haven’t read. Leaving jammy fingerprints on book jackets, reading every last word on the back of packets, we combine the two things that make us who we are: a shared passion for the culinary and the literary! We also visit food and book locations around Scotland and further afield.
34 Episodes
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In our most lenticular episode to date, Claire and Colin discuss Lentil Soup by reading poems by Zharad and Maria Sledmere, and an extract from a short story by David Toulmin.
Colin and Claire discuss texts by Jennifer Moxley and Annie Johnson in this episode devoted to rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb!
Our 31st episode celebrates the Scottish Hogmanay tradition of Black Bun, via texts by O Douglas, Robert Louis Stevenson, Gilly Pickup and Annie Boutelle.
Colin and Claire taste the traditional Venezuelan Christmas dish of Hallaca from La Bodega in the East End of Glasgow, and share texts from Adriana Bertorelli Párraga, José Rafael Pocaterra, Edwin Morgan, Tori Derricote, Ange Mlinko and Diane Suess. Merry Christmas from your favourite foodie elves!
Claire and Colin indulge in a hearty round of wassailing in this exploration of christmas drinks. From Mulled Cider flavoured Tea, via Mulled Wine to Eggnog and the Snowball, this episode is enough to leave you needing a wee lie down. Writers discussed include: Charles Dickens, Robert Herrick, Lorrie Moore, Carmen Maria Machado and Christopher Todd Matthews. And from drams to Am Dram, don’t miss Colin’s one-man version of A Christmas Carol!
Colin and Claire discuss the classic Dresdener Stollen, a Christmas Classic! Focusing on the German children's author Agnes Sapper, the episode also gives quite a lot of details of the history of this favourite festive treat!
Colin and Claire talk about Brussels Sprouts on today’s show in the first of three festive specials including reference to Emily Berry and Don Lee.
Clare and Colin visit Happy Meal Polish cafe in Glasgow and taste Mizeria Salad and Sour Cucumber and Rye Soups. They also talk about Bona Sforza and read two poems by Wisława Szymborska.
Claire and Colin clamber out of the briny jars that keep them perfectly preserved to discuss the tangy crunchy sweet sour delight of Pickles! Focusing on Meagan Jennett’s novel You Know Her and John Tobias’ poem ‘Reflections on a Gift of Watermelon Pickle Received from a Friend Called Felicity’.
An iconic Scottish pie! The Forfar Bridie is a legendary delicacy of the north east and Claire and Colin visit Forfar to watch Forfar Athletic, eat Bridies and talk about a diverse selection of authors: J M Barrie, David Kinloch, J B Salmond and many more!
Grinding meaty literature with their usual brand of conversation, Colin and Claire discuss James Kelman and Agnes Owens in this episode which really might be certifiably mince!
Recorded the morning after a night of Halloween shenanigans with Special Guest Louise Welsh, this episode delves into Scottish Halloween traditions, Ghost, an anthology of ghost stories edited by Louise, Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti and food in Louise’s own Cutting Room series.
Claire Reynolds and Colin Herd are joined by “Colin” the Pumpkin and a merry gang of assorted squashes and possibly a spirit or two as well, to dook for apples and discuss Pumpkin-related literature by authors including Theresa Muñoz, Leland James, Ann Beattie, Richard Brautigan, Sonia Sanchez and Ann Patchett.
Claire and Colin visit The Oven at Overton Farm to taste their Tattie Special, and meet Scotland’s Nicest Potato Farmer…! Also mentioned in this episode is the art of Gabriella Day, the novelist Nicola Barker and The Rural Cyclopedia.
Unearthing all the literary resonance of the spud, Claire and Colin discuss works by authors including Roddy Doyle, Joseph Stroud, Benjamín Moreno Ortiz and Mary Robison.
In this episode Colin and Claire are joined by Shetlandic poet Christie Williamson at the Ho Wong in Glasgow for Orange Chicken. Also featuring discussion of Kevin Nguyen and Heather Teasdale.
Orange Part Two sees Colin and Claire so immersed in Orange Content that they’ve got juice practically dribbling down their chins as they discuss Katie Goh’s book Foreign Fruit, the poem ‘Summer in Calcutta’ by Kamala Surayya and Bengt Af Klintberg’s Orange Event Number 3.
Peeling the complex and fascinating literary history of the Orange, your hosts discuss Jeanette Winterson, Gareth Russell and Wendy Cope! Also, as ever this episode is packed full of Vitamins C and C (Colin and Claire!)
Claire and Colin get stuck in to some Porridge-talk after having savoured some delicious wholesome grains in Singl-end in Glasgow’s Merchant City. They read a poem by Rebecca Kane and debate the pros and cons of oat vs dairy milk in the national dish.
You oatta listen to this episode, which is O(A)TT in all the right ways, with Colin and Claire discussing the humble but brilliant Oat, by way of Percival Everett, Wang Meng and Galway Kinnell.
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