How Food Frames Stories - Robbie Armstrong

How Food Frames Stories - Robbie Armstrong

Author: Rachel Mosses September 20, 2022 Duration: 1:18:59

In these fractured times l wanted to continue to look at how stories and   food can overcome the distance between people and enhance our shared  experiences so earlier this year I spent time exploring storytelling   through food writing. I interviewed some very talented writers who tell   stories through their food writing to find out why how food has shaped   their writing and in what ways food enhances their storytelling.  They   have all had different experiences around food which has influenced  how  they write and the subjects they write about.  In their own ways  they use their writing to break down barriers through stories and food. I   hope you find these conversations as fascinating as I did.

My third interview is with Robbie Armstrong. Robbie is an audio producer, writer and broadcast journalist based in Glasgow. He has reported stories for BBC News, BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio Scotland, produced for The Food Programme, Feedback and Podlitical,  written for The Guardian and Vittles, and worked as a restaurant reviewer for The List Magazine’s Eating & Drinking Guide.  He can be found on Twitter/Instagram @robbiejourno and his website is robbiearmstrong.com 

You can find the rest of the interviews in this series here: How Food Frames Stories. You can find my interviews with storytellers here: Vernacular Voices of the Storyteller 

You can subscribe (or just read) my free newsletter for further snippets of folklore,   history, stories, vintage recipes, herblore & the occasional   cocktail.

You can also find out more at Hestia's Kitchen which has all past episodes and the connected recipes on the blog.  If   you'd like to get in touch about the podcast you can find me on Twitter or Instagram at @FairyTalesFood. If you fancy signing up to my newsletter then you can read my first one and see if you like it.


Rachel Mosses hosts Folklore, Food and Fairytales, a podcast that sits at the comfortable, worn-in table where narrative and nourishment meet. Each episode begins with a story-a piece of folklore, a fairytale, or a lesser-known myth-and then delves into the culinary world hidden within its lines. The discussion isn't just about whether the porridge in a tale is symbolic or simply a relatable detail; it's about unearthing the real food history and traditions that those fictional meals echo. You'll hear about the rituals of both eating and storytelling, and how each feeds a different kind of hunger. This podcast naturally explores how recipes are themselves stories passed down, and how the history of a dish can be as compelling as the plot of a legend. Listen for a thoughtful blend of narration and analysis, where a great story is always served with a side of fascinating context, leaving you to ponder the deep, savoury connections between the tales we tell and the food we share.
Author: Language: en-gb Episodes: 50

Folklore, Food and Fairytales
Podcast Episodes
Two Ghosts & a Goblin or The Slightly Scary Story Special [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:21
The Stories in this episode are: Old Tommy & The Spectre, Box on the Ears and The Cook & the Goblin adapated from Ruth Manning Sanders This is another just the stories episode, this time for All Hallows Eve. There are th…
The Dark Spectre or the Elusive Elderberry [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:57
In which we discover that you should stick to your path, no matter what others say, that you shouldn't let an elderberry pudding get in the way of the rest of your life and that perfectly good castles only lie empty for…
How Food Frames Stories - Anna Kharzeeva [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:20
In these fractured times l wanted to continue to look at how stories and food can overcome the distance between people and enhance our shared experiences so earlier this year I spent time exploring storytelling through f…
How Food Frames Stories - Olivia Potts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:50
In these fractured times l wanted to continue to look at how stories and food can overcome the distance between people and enhance our shared experiences so earlier this year I spent time exploring storytelling through f…
How Food Frames Stories - Aaron Vallance [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:46
In these fractured times l wanted to continue to look at how stories and food can overcome the distance between people and enhance our shared experiences so earlier this year I spent time exploring storytelling through f…
Cap O'Rushes or The Salt Significance [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:39
In which we discover that when you are forced to leave home you should always try and take your best frock, that salt can spark both joy and anger and that there is a little Cinderella everywhere if you look hard enough.…
The Farmer and the Bogle or the Lore of Lammas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:42
In which we discover that the trickster can be tricked, that a good knowledge of crops is essential if you want to best a bogle, that everyone needs a wiffle waffle occasionally and there are few situations in which fest…
The Old Woman Who Lived in a Vinegar Bottle or The Pickle Controversy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:24
In which we discover the connection between unmanageable women, good strong vinegar and the importance of good manners. We also learn that happiness can be found anywhere but chances are improved if there is a rocking ch…
Petrosinella or The Parsley Prescription [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:54
In which we discover that having long, strong hair doesn’t mean you can’t think for yourself, that you can learn a lot of incredible things from books, that parsley is both useful and tasty and that you should always rem…