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
Dark Tales or The Peculiarity of Pie [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:03
In which we discover that even in the darkest of tales we can find some light, that boldness & curiosity can save lives, and that a pie can hold both wonders and terrors. The tales in this episode are traditional tales b…
Go I Know Not Where and Bring Back I Know Not What or Green as Garlic [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:12
In which we find that clever beautiful women are always an asset, that a magical mother-in-law should not to be under-estimated, that a magical servant will always improve your day and cruel kings are more frequent than…
Frequency Update [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09
Hello everyone, This is a quick update to let you all know that I will be moving the podcast to monthly instead of every two weeks. Sadly my day job now involves more commuting and I don't feel I can truly do the stories…
The Witch and The Horse Devil or the Pancake Palaver [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:26
In which we discover that you shoudn’t judge your beloved by his looks especially if he’s a horse, that not being to provide a pancake on demand can prove fatal and that that there are times when listening to your sister…
Beautiful Innocenta or The Honey Hierachy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:55
In which we discover that you can still enjoy a story when the prince is clueless, that women you find in strange castles can have hidden talents and its amazing what you can whip up with a few almonds & some honey. The…
Maria and Her Brother or the Big Bean Bonanza [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:30
In which we discover that a bean is preferable to bran as a tracking device, that no matter how kind and generous you are, you can still end up in the belly of a shark and that you shouldn't put your trust in anyone who…
Weeping Eye, Laughing Eye or the Vine Variation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:42
In which we discover that a good heart is a very vauable commodity, the loss of a vine that provides excellent unlimited free wine can cause distress and that sometimes there is more than one beautiful maiden in a story…
The Story Equivalent of a Crackling Fire, a Warm Drink and a Hug [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:17
This is another stories only episode. I hope they find you in the spirit they left me: gentle, heartwarming and uplifting, the last one is particularly seasonal. I thought this might be a time to take everybody on a jour…
Hildur, Queen of the Elves or Christmas in the Land of Ice and Fire [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:52
In which we discover how much damage elves and curses can do, how even powerful beings can suffer and that mysterious housekeepers often have a hidden agenda. In addition, we learn that if you have a useful magic stone y…
A Winter Tales Collection [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:53
Would you like to hear a winter tale or six? I have put together a compilation of my December tales from last year so you can fully indulge in the spirit of winter. The first tale is the Cailleach, a moving celtic mythic…