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

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