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