The British Food History Podcast

The British Food History Podcast

Author: Neil Buttery Language: English Episodes: 90
Dr. Neil Buttery hosts The British Food History Podcast, a journey into the stories on our plates. This isn't just a catalogue of dishes; it's an exploration of how food intertwines with culture, society, and the arts across Britain's long history. Each episode digs into the substance behind our sustenance, whether that means reviving forgotten recipes, examining hyper-regional specialties, or getting hands-on with traditional techniques that have nearly vanished. Neil often brings along special guests for insightful interviews, and he isn't afraid to get involved with historical re-enactments or a bit of foraging to better understand the past. The central, curious thread running through the series is a quest to understand what truly defines this cuisine-what makes British food distinctly itself, with all its celebrated and sometimes surprising characteristics. Listeners will find a rich, engaging mix of narrative, practical experiment, and thoughtful conversation, all served with a genuine appreciation for the subject's depth. Tune in for a podcast that proves history is best understood through the flavors, efforts, and traditions of everyday life.
Episodes
Derbyshire Oatcakes with Mark Dawson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:37
My guest today is Mark Dawson, food historian, specialising in the food of the Tudor period, but also the food of Derbyshire. We met up at Mark’s home in Derbyshire to talk all things Derbyshire oatcakes. Mark and I talk…
A Rare Early Modern Cheese Manuscript with Alex Bamji [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:52
My guest today is Alex Bamji, Associate Professor of Early Modern History at the University of Leeds, and we are talking about a rare treatise on cheese dating from the Early Modern Period.We met up at the Brotherton Lib…
Bread & Bakers with David Wright [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:03
My guest today is third generation baker, writer and teacher David Wright author of the excellent book Breaking Bread: How Baking Shaped our World published by Aurum.We talk about the social benefits of bread making, mil…
Bronze Age Food & Foodways with Chris Wakefield & Rachel Ballantyne [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:03
My guests today are archaeologists Chris Wakefield from the Cambridge Archaeological Unit of Cambridge University Rachel Ballantyne from McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, and they are here to tell me about…
A Regional Food Tour with Jenny Linford [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:28
My guest today is food writer, podcaster and cheese enthusiast Jenny Linford and we are going on a bit of a regional food tour across the UK.We talk about her new book The Great British Food Tour published by the Nationa…
Black & White Pudding with Matthew Cockin & Grant Harper [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:48
Welcome to the first episode of season 9 of The British Food History Podcast!Today I am talking with Matthew Cockin and Grant Harper of Fruit Pig – the last remaining commercial craft producer of fresh blood black puddin…
Special Postbag Edition #5 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:07
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…
Alexis Soyer with Lindsay Middleton [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:34
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…
Making Medieval Ale at Home with Alison Kay [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:39
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 al…
A Tudor Christmas with Brigitte Webster [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:09
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 wer…