The Storyteller's Supper - An Interview with Taffy Thomas

The Storyteller's Supper - An Interview with Taffy Thomas

Author: Rachel Mosses November 9, 2021 Duration: 1:02:56

This is a bonus episode of an interview I did with Taffy Thomas MBE about his wonderful new treasury of food folk tales and recipes, beautifully illustrated by Dotty Kultys. We had a lovely conversation all about stories and food and if you want to find out all about this fantastic new book and listen to a true master of the storytelling craft including two stories he shared then this is the episode for you.

The interview starts quite abruptly but you'll soon find out why .......

This is what the publisher says about the book:

‘You and me, me and you, we all bring something to the  stew, From the tales we tell, to the food we’ve got, we all bring  something to the pot.’

Over the last fifty years, Taffy Thomas has shared the stage with noted Lakeland chefs, who have tickled his palate with tastings and  information about dishes and ingredients, which he uses to season these  magical stories, telling the oral history of food.

This feast of traditional tales is spiced up with the rhymes and riddles that always enrich Taffy’s work, as well as charming illustrations from artist Dotty Kultys, and will appeal to all who savour stories and food.

If you'd like to find out more about the book you can visit The History Press and find options to buy the book.

You can also buy the book directly at bookshop.org

Taffy's website is here if you would like to find out more about what he's doing currently.

You can also buy CDs and downloads of some of his folktale collections at One Row Records.



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: 92

Folklore, Food and Fairytales
Podcast Episodes
Love Magic, Divination & Folklore with Icy Sedgwick [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:42
Guest: Icy Sedgwick — folklorist, author, and host of The Fabulous Folklore Podcast Topic: Love magic, divination, and the rituals people used to find (or keep) love.Book: ⁠Bring Me Love: Finding and Keeping Love Using D…
An Ending and a Beginning [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:36
So, some big news about changes to the podcast plus a wonderful story: Davey & The King of the Fishes. You can find out and get updates about my new podcast at my new website: A Question of Death You can find more about…
Tales of Frost and Snow [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:23
A collection of wintery and festive tales for the season: Why the Sea is Salt, The Christmas Bear and Twelve Brothers. The first is 'Why the Sea is Salt' a Norwegian tale adapted from Christmas Fairytales colled by Neil…
The Widow & Her Daughters or the Kale Conspiracy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:57
In which we discover that strange food stealing horses don't always have your best intentions at heart, that you should always be kind to cats, rowan is good for protection and that kale has its very own folklore. The St…
Slightly Scary Story Special [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:18
The ⁠Stories⁠ in this episode are: Golden Hair, The Lass & her Good Stout Blackthorn Stick and The Tailor in the Church adapated from Sorche nic Leodhas and Ruth Manning Sanders This is another just the stories episode,…
An All Hallows Feast - Menus, Symbolism & Folklore [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:55
In which I explore a completely different direction, have fun with food symbolism and folklore at this interesting time of year and make a realisation about how I really feel about good food. I hope you enjoy this bonus…
The Kitchen Witch Companion: An Interview with Sarah Robinson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:39
In this episode I interviewed the wonderful Sarah Robinson about the fabulous book she has created with Lucy H Pearce: The Kitchen Witch Companion: Recipes, Rituals & Reflections If you are reading this on or before 19 O…
The Beekeeper and the Hare or The Hot Honey Horror [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:19
In which we discover that everything is not always as it seems, that you should take advice from helpful travellers, that bees can be excellent as a home protection system and that the taste of honey can make you cross w…
Slavic Kitchen Alchemy - An Interview with Zuza Zak [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:10
I met with Zuza Zak and we talked about her wonderful new book Slavic Kitchen Alchemy: Nourishing Herbal Remedies, Magical Recipes & Folk Wisdom. Zuza is also the author of ‘Polska: New Polish Cooking’, ‘Amber & Rye: A B…