Gingerbread with Sam Bilton

Gingerbread with Sam Bilton

Author: Neil Buttery July 25, 2021 Duration: 38:13

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.

Mentioned in this episode:

Fruit Pig are currently sponsoring The British Food History Podcast

Visit fruitpig.co.uk for more details of their products and journey, and to access their shop. Grant and Matthew are very kindly giving listeners to the BFHP a unique special offer: 10% off your order until the end of October 2025 – use the offer code Foodhis in the checkout. Time to fill your boots.



This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

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.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 90

The British Food History Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Hogmanay and Hamely Kitchen with Paula McIntyre [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:41
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…
Christmas Feasting with Annie Gray [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:43
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…
Special Postbag Edition #1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:52
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:‘Th…
Yorkshire Pudding with Elaine Lemm [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:03
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 anywa…
The Philosophy of Curry with Sejal Sukhadwala [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:36
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…
The British Cook Book with Ben Mervis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:02
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 comprehensiv…
British Saffron with Sam Bilton [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:59
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 Britis…
The Foods of England Project with Glyn Hughes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:32
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…
A History of Herbalism with Emma Kay [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:28
Neil’s guest today is historian and friend of the show EmmaKay. 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 me…
Breakfast with Felicity Cloake [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:37
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…