The British Food History Podcast (Neil Buttery)
Explorez tous les épisodes de The British Food History Podcast
| Date | Titre | Durée | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Jul 2023 | Tudor Cooking & Cuisine with Brigitte Webster | 00:45:03 | |||||
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 | |||||||
| 23 Feb 2025 | Special Postbag Edition #5 | 00:46:57 | |||||
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 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) Plenti and Grase by Mark Dawson Neil’s Country Life County Foods series A is for Apple: An Encyclopaedia of Food & Drink 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... | |||||||
| 10 Dec 2024 | An Irish Food Story with Jp McMahon | 00:43:53 | |||||
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 An Irish Food Story: 100 Foods That Made Us 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: Neil’s books: Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper Knead to Know: a History of Baking 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 | |||||||
| 12 Oct 2024 | Jane Grigson with Sophie Grigson | 00:44:30 | |||||
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. 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 Books and other things mentioned in today’s episode: 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: My first attempt at Singin’ Hinnies (it didn’t go well. But I have improved since!) Upcoming events: Monsters & their Meals Hallowe’en event | |||||||
| 18 Jul 2021 | Lent episode 6: Social Evolution & Lent | 00:35:22 | |||||
*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/ Written and presented by Dr Neil Buttery Produced by Beena Khetani Made in Manchester by Sonder Radio | |||||||
| 12 Dec 2021 | A Dark History of Chocolate with Emma Kay | 00:44:21 | |||||
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 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 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. | |||||||
| 13 Mar 2024 | The Leeds Symposium on Food History & Traditions with Ivan Day | 00:40:40 | |||||
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 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 Cooking & Dining in the Victorian Country House by Peter Brears Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper by Neil Buttery Previous podcast episodes pertinent to today’s episode: | |||||||
| 20 Jan 2025 | From the Vaults: Breakfast with Felicity Cloake | 00:46:39 | |||||
I'm on a break so to fill the gap here are some of my favourite episodes from the podcast's vaults. 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 Felicity will be appearing at the Abergavenny Food Festival 17 & 18 September 2022 (https://www.abergavennyfoodfestival.com/), Divizes Food Festival 24 Sept to 2 Oct 2022 (https://www.devizesfoodanddrinkfestival.info/category/events/) and the Dartmouth Food Festival 21 Oct to 23 Oct 2022 (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 The Well-Seasoned Librarian: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5wps3FiGdVDynPQVl62G4M?si=b0e53ab4fe1c4c1b That Shakespeare Life: 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 | |||||||
| 17 Nov 2024 | A History of Baking with Sam Bilton & Neil Buttery | 00:42:21 | |||||
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. Social media: mrssbilton 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: My Best Yorkshire Pudding Recipe 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: The Art of Cookery by Hannah Glasse Upcoming events: Find out about upcoming events on the website here. The Foyle’s Christmas Evening 28 November Neil’s blogs: Neil’s books: Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper | |||||||
| 19 Feb 2024 | Medieval Meals & Manners with Danièle Cybulskie | 00:35:43 | |||||
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 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: 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: Neil’s books: Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper 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 | |||||||
| 12 Apr 2022 | Fanny Cradock with Kevin Geddes | 00:45:11 | |||||
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/ 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/ 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/ 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 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 Fanny and Johnnie at the Albert Hall (YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHGSJbPz2e8 Adventurous Cooking with Fanny Cradock (YouTube) 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 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 The Big Time: Fanny’s downfall? (YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW-2fclfRpI&t=1s Fanny on TV chat show Wogan 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... | |||||||
| 29 Jul 2023 | 18th Century Tavern Cooking with Marc Meltonville (& Richard Briggs) | 00:41:30 | |||||
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 History’ | |||||||
| 05 Jan 2024 | Apples & Orchards with Joanna Crosby | 00:44:59 | |||||
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 appearance on Fear Feasts podcast Previous episodes pertinent to today’s episode: London’s Street Food Sellers with Charlie Taverner Neil’s blogs: Neil’s books: Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper 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 | |||||||
| 21 May 2024 | Historical Cookery with Jay Reifel | 00:40:09 | |||||
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: 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 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: 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. | |||||||
| 12 Jul 2021 | Lent episode 3: Pagan Lent & Easter | 00:56:23 | |||||
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/ Written and presented by Dr Neil Buttery Produced by Beena Khetani Made in Manchester by Sonder Radio | |||||||
| 16 Jul 2021 | Lent episode 5: Lent & Health | 00:45:04 | |||||
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/ Written and presented by Dr Neil Buttery Produced by Beena Khetani Made in Manchester by Sonder Radio | |||||||
| 01 Jan 2025 | From the Vaults: Hogmanay & Hamely Kitchen with Paula McIntyre | 00:46:33 | |||||
I'm on a break so to fill the gap here are some of my favourite episodes from the podcast's vaults. 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/ | |||||||
| 08 Jun 2024 | Special Postbag Edition #4 | 00:29:18 | |||||
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: 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 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: | |||||||
| 25 Aug 2022 | The Foods of England Project with Glyn Hughes | 00:32:22 | |||||
Neil’s guest today is Glyn Hughes, the man behind one of the most important resources for anyone interested in the history of food or 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/ All of Glyn’s books can be viewed here: http://www.foodsofengland.co.uk/Buybooks.htm Follow Glyn on twitter @foodsofengland Glyn’s salmagundi video: 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/
One Dish with Andi Oliver can be heard as a podcast via BBC sounds: 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
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/ for more details. | |||||||
| 14 Sep 2022 | The British Cook Book with Ben Mervis | 00:43:52 | |||||
Neil talks to food writer, journal editor and now author of The British Cook Book, Ben Mervis, 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. The British Cook Book is available from all bookshops including Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/British-Cookbook-authentic-Scotland-Northern/dp/1838665285 You can order the book on Phaidon’s website: https://www.phaidon.com/store/food-cook/the-british-cookbook-9781838665289/ Find out more about Ben’s magazine, Fare here: https://www.faremag.com/ Follow Fare on social media: Twitter @FareMagazine; Insta @faremag Follow Ben on social media: Twitter @bmervis; Insta @benmervis
Neil’s recent podcast appearances: The Lubber’s Hole: https://lubbershole.podbean.com/e/ep-118-the-nutmeg-of-consolation-part-7-neil-buttery/ Bread and Thread: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0w2FvkdlcsE3YzFOzOzYjm?si=05e666e14ad04db0
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 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/ for more details. | |||||||
| 05 May 2024 | Ormskirk Gingerbread with Anouska Lewis | 00:38:09 | |||||
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: 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: Neil’s books: Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper 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: | |||||||
| 06 Sep 2023 | Special Postbag Edition #3 | 00:34:16 | |||||
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 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 | |||||||
| 14 Dec 2022 | Christmas Feasting with Annie Gray | 00:46:33 | |||||
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. | |||||||
| 24 Nov 2024 | The English Table with Jill Norman | 00:37:14 | |||||
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. 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: Neil’s books: Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper Knead to Know: a History of Baking 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 | |||||||
| 08 Jul 2021 | Lent episode 1: Preparing for Lent | 00:46:27 | |||||
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 | |||||||
| 07 May 2022 | A Dark History of Sugar with Neil Buttery & Emma Kay Part 1 | 00:41:32 | |||||
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 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 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 Follow Emma on Twitter @MuseumofKitchen and on Instagram @museumofkitchenalia, or visit her website: 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/ for more details. | |||||||
| 13 Jan 2025 | From the Vaults: Recreating 16th Century Beer with Susan Flavin & Marc Meltonville | 00:47:49 | |||||
I'm on a break so to fill the gap here are some of my favourite episodes from the podcast's vaults. 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 Follow Marc on Instagram @marcmeltonville 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 | |||||||
| 22 Jan 2023 | 18th Century Dining with Ivan Day | 00:42:38 | |||||
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: | |||||||
| 05 Jul 2023 | Medlars with Jane Steward | 00:37:12 | |||||
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... | |||||||
| 01 Feb 2023 | Invalid Cookery with Lindsay Middleton | 00:45:10 | |||||
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 04 Sep 2024 | Coming soon: season 8 of the podcast (& a free Zoom talk!) | 00:02:57 | | ||||
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: Neil’s books: Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper 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 | |||||||
| 19 Jan 2024 | The Philosophy of Chocolate with Sam Bilton | 00:40:29 | |||||
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 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 Neil’s blogs: Neil’s books: Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper 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... | |||||||
| 16 Aug 2022 | A History of Herbalism with Emma Kay | 00:46:18 | |||||
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 Follow Emma on twitter @museumofkitchen and Insta @emma_kay_author. Her website is 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 Elizabeth Blackwell’s A Curious
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 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/ for more details. | |||||||
| 15 Feb 2023 | Traditional Food of Lincolnshire with Rachel Green | 00:42:50 | |||||
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: | |||||||
| 01 Aug 2021 | Forme of Cury with Christopher Monk | 00:37:07 | |||||
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/ Christopher’s YouTube channel of the same name: 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 Neil’s attempt at 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/ Medieval recipes from Neil’s Jane Grigson blog: 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/ for more details. | |||||||
| 20 Jul 2021 | Lent episode 7: Lent Comes to an End | 01:04:13 | |||||
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/ Written and presented by Dr Neil Buttery Produced by Beena Khetani Made in Manchester by Sonder Radio | |||||||
| 09 Aug 2022 | Breakfast with Felicity Cloake | 00:45:27 | |||||
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 Felicity will be appearing at the Abergavenny Food Festival 17 & 18 September 2022 (https://www.abergavennyfoodfestival.com/), Divizes Food Festival 24 Sept to 2 Oct 2022 (https://www.devizesfoodanddrinkfestival.info/category/events/) and the Dartmouth Food Festival 21 Oct to 23 Oct 2022 (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 The Well-Seasoned Librarian: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5wps3FiGdVDynPQVl62G4M?si=b0e53ab4fe1c4c1b That Shakespeare Life: 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 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/ for more details. | |||||||
| 26 Oct 2024 | Cooking 'English Food' with Nicola Aldren, Simone Blagg & Anthea Craig | 00:41:40 | |||||
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: Upcoming events: Monsters & their Meals Hallowe’en event Find out about upcoming events on the website here. Neil’s blogs: Neil’s books: Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper Knead to Know: a History of Baking 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 | |||||||
| 05 May 2023 | Tripe Special: Sam Bilton & Neil Buttery Talk Tripe | 01:03:52 | |||||
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... | |||||||
| 30 Dec 2021 | Food in Gothic Literature with Alessandra Pino | 00:41:27 | |||||
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/ 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/ 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 Neil’s Hot Toddy blog post: 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/ 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. | |||||||
| 06 Jan 2025 | From the Vaults: Fanny Cradock with Kevin Geddes | 00:46:14 | |||||
I'm on a break so to fill the gap here are some of my favourite episodes from the podcast's vaults. 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/ 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/ 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/ Follow Kevin on Twitter and Insta @keepcalmandfannyon | |||||||
| 14 Jul 2021 | Lent episode 4: The Natural History of Lent | 00:54:44 | |||||
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/ Written and presented by Dr Neil Buttery Produced by Beena Khetani Made in Manchester by Sonder Radio | |||||||
| 20 Aug 2023 | The School Meals Service with Heather Ellis | 00:43:20 | |||||
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: | |||||||
| 04 Sep 2022 | British Saffron with Sam Bilton | 00:42:49 | |||||
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/
Sam’s website: http://www.sambilton.com/ Find Sam on social media: twitter @sjfbilton; Instagram @mrssbilton
Some UK Saffron producers Sussex Saffron: https://www.sussexsaffron.co.uk/ The Cheshire Saffron Company: https://www.sussexsaffron.co.uk/ The Cornish Saffron Company: https://www.cornishsaffroncompany.co.uk/ Norfolk Saffron: 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 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/ for more details. | |||||||
| 18 Jun 2023 | Cake Baxters in Early Modern Scotland with Aaron Allen | 00:38:08 | |||||
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 episode, or... | |||||||
| 10 Jul 2021 | Lent episode 2: The History of Lent | 00:47:08 | |||||
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/ Written and presented by Dr Neil Buttery Produced by Beena Khetani Made in Manchester by Sonder Radio | |||||||
| 11 Jan 2023 | London's Street Food Sellers with Charlie Taverner | 00:40:24 | |||||
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. | |||||||
| 04 Mar 2024 | BONUS EPISODE: 'A is for Apple' with Sam Bilton, Neil Buttery & Alessandra Pino | 00:56:12 | |||||
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_ | |||||||
| 22 Aug 2021 | Eel special: 2. Silver Eels with John Wyatt Greenlee | 00:35:02 | |||||
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/ The infamous eel scene from ‘The Tin Drum’ (not a clip for the squeamish!): 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/ Neil’s traumatic eel encounter: 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/ All of Neil’s eel posts from ‘Neil Cooks Grigson’: 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/ for more details. | |||||||
| 15 Jul 2023 | Tinned Food with Lindsay Middleton | 00:40:17 | |||||
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: | |||||||
| 20 Dec 2024 | The Philosophy of Puddings with Neil Buttery, Peter Gilchrist & Lindsay Middleton | 00:41:17 | |||||
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 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 Neil’s basilica mould can be seen on this post for subscribers 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: | |||||||
| 28 Dec 2022 | Hogmanay and Hamely Kitchen with Paula McIntyre | 00:45:31 | |||||
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. | |||||||
| 30 Mar 2024 | Stuffed with Pen Vogler | 00:40:08 | |||||
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. 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: Neil’s books: Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper 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: | |||||||
| 05 Nov 2024 | Crisps with Natalie Whittle | 00:44:54 | |||||
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. 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: Upcoming events: Find out about upcoming events on the website here. Neil’s blogs: Neil’s books: Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper Knead to Know: a History of Baking 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 | |||||||
| 29 Aug 2021 | Eel special: 3. The Plight of the Eel with Andrew Kerr | 00:34:07 | |||||
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/ Neil’s blog post about the paradox of why eating elvers could save them: 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/ All of Neil’s eel posts from ‘Neil Cooks Grigson’: 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/ for more details. | |||||||
| 03 Feb 2024 | Spices with Ian Anderson | 00:37:26 | |||||
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 Eventbrite page for the 2024 Leeds Food and Drink Symposium April 2024 Neil’s blogs: Neil’s books: Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper 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 | |||||||
| 20 Dec 2023 | Christmas Special 2023: Mince Pies | 00:41:45 | |||||
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 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 | |||||||
| 06 Feb 2025 | Alexis Soyer with Lindsay Middleton | 00:41:24 | |||||
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 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: Neil’s books: Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper Knead to Know: a History of Baking 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 | |||||||
| 22 Apr 2024 | The History of Food Waste & Preservation with Eleanor Barnett | 00:41:49 | |||||
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: Neil’s books: Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper | |||||||
| 26 Apr 2022 | Cheddar & the Cheese Industry with Peter J. Atkins | 00:45:30 | |||||
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/). 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/ 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 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. 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 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 Harvey & Brockless range of British Cheeses: https://www.harveyandbrockless.co.uk/category/artisan-cheese/british-cheese Neil’s new blog post ‘The Return of Traditional Cheesemaking’ with toasted cheese recipe: | |||||||
| 25 Jul 2021 | Gingerbread with Sam Bilton | 00:37:03 | |||||
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. | |||||||
| 24 Feb 2023 | Elizabeth Raffald with Alessandra Pino & Neil Buttery | 00:47:33 | |||||
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: | |||||||
| 26 Jun 2023 | Recreating 16th Century Beer with Susan Flavin & Marc Meltonville | 00:46:48 | |||||
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 Follow Marc on Instagram @marcmeltonville 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:... | |||||||
| 15 Aug 2021 | Eel special: 1. Elvers with 'Elver' Dave | 00:37:02 | |||||
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 Neil’s blog post about 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/ ‘Elvers in the Gloucester Style’ recipe: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2013/02/10/elvers-in-the-gloucester-style/ The ‘Neil Cooks Grigson’ project. Will he ever complete it? 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/ for more details. | |||||||
| 15 Oct 2022 | Special Postbag Edition #1 | 00:39:42 | |||||
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/ Glyn Hughes’s book ‘The Surprising History of Fish and Chips’: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1471631656 Contain the Samaritans 116 123 or go to www.samaritans.org Mind website: www.mind.uk Smack Barm Pea Wet video: 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 My post from the ‘Neil Cooks Grigson’ blog on Cawl (apologies for the terrible photo): 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/ The New York Times article about Dutch Babies: 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/ Elaine’s YouTube video about making Yorkshire Puddings: 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 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... | |||||||
| 27 Jan 2025 | Making Medieval Ale at Home with Alison Kay | 00:41:29 | |||||
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 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: Neil’s books: Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper Knead to Know: a History of Baking 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... | |||||||
| 27 Aug 2023 | English Food, a People's History with Diane Purkiss | 00:42:27 | |||||
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: | |||||||
| 06 Aug 2023 | Early Television Cookbooks & Tie-ins with Kevin Geddes | 00:40:58 | |||||
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’ | |||||||
| 08 Aug 2021 | Savouries | 00:31:18 | |||||
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/ Angels & devils on horseback recipe: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2012/03/08/angels-and-devils-on-horseback/ Scotch woodcock recipe: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2021/08/08/scotch-woodcock/ Welsh rarebit & Locket’s savoury recipes: 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/ The Infamous English Rarebit incident: 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 ‘Savouries’ by Theodora FitzGibbon: 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 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/ for more details. | |||||||
| 29 Sep 2024 | 50 Years of 'English Food' by Jane Grigson with Sam Bilton, Annie Gray, Ivan Day & Jill Norman | 00:58:05 | |||||
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 Books mentioned in today’s episode: 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: | |||||||
| 07 Apr 2024 | The Scottish Salt Industry with Joanna Hambly, Aaron Allen & Ed Bethune | 00:40:06 | |||||
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: Neil’s books: Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper 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 | |||||||
| 05 Mar 2023 | Special Postbag Edition #2 | 00:48:32 | |||||
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: | |||||||
| 09 Oct 2022 | Yorkshire Pudding with Elaine Lemm | 00:36:53 | |||||
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/ ‘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/ Find Elaine on social media: @britishfood on Twitter and @foodwriting on Instagram Elaine’s YouTube video about making Yorkshire Puddings: https://youtu.be/lQfMw0nbjKY The raspberry vinegar, made by Womersley Foods, recommended by Elaine available here: 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 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/ for more details. | |||||||
| 21 May 2022 | A Dark History of Sugar with Neil Buttery & Emma Kay Part 2 | 00:35:02 | |||||
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 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 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 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 Follow Emma on Twitter @MuseumofKitchen and on Instagram @museumofkitchenalia, or visit her website: 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/ for more details. | |||||||
| 24 Dec 2024 | A Tudor Christmas with Brigitte Webster | 00:39:59 | |||||
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. You can find Brigitte on social media: Twitter @tudorfoodrecipe; Instagram/Threads tudor_experience; Bluesky @tudorfoodrecipe.bsky.social Things mentioned in today’s episode 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 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: Neil’s books: Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper Knead to Know: a History of Baking | |||||||
| 30 Sep 2022 | The Philosophy of Curry with Sejal Sukhadwala | 00:44:26 | |||||
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. 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 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
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 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/ for more details. | |||||||
| 01 Dec 2024 | Turkey with Tom Copas | 00:40:48 | |||||
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: Neil’s books: Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper Knead to Know: a History of Baking 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 | |||||||
| 13 Dec 2023 | BONUS EPISODE: 18th Century Female Cookery Writers with the Delicious Legacy Podcast | 01:16:45 | |||||
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 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: Neil’s books: Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper Both are published by Pen & Sword and available from all good bookshops. | |||||||
| 18 Dec 2021 | Christmas Special 2021: Christmas Pudding | 00:36:52 | |||||
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/ Neil’s Christmas Pudding post part 2: 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/ Neil’s Christmas Pottage post: 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 Neil’s first post about the Yorkshire Christmas Pye: 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/ for more details. | |||||||