Welcome to the award winning Comfortably Hungry podcast where yesterday’s dinner is tomorrow’s history. If you’re a peckish person who is curious about the history of food and drink, then you’re in the right place. I’m Sam Bilton a food historian, writer and cook and each season I will be joined by some hungry guests to discuss a variety topics centred around a specific theme. As a former supper club host I’m always intrigued to know what people like to eat. So to whet everyone’s appetites I have invited my guests to contribute a virtual dish with them inspired by today’s topic.
What can Conquest Man tell us about our diet in 1066?
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Wednesday, September 9, 2026 • Duration 22:56
Ahead of my discussion with Jennie Hood and Professor Giles Gasper at the Serve It Forth Food History Festival about how the Normans changed the way we eat, I had a chat with Kevin Booth, English Heritage’s Head Curator of Collections, about what the skeleton of ‘Conquest Man’ can tell us about the diet and health of the English at the time of the Norman invasion.
Facial depiction by Face Lab, Liverpool John Moore’s University. Credit: English Heritage
If you happen to be in or near Barton on Humber in Lincolnshire on 20 September 2026 between 12pm and 4pm you can see Conquest Man’s skeleton and find out more about this project at St Peter’s Church.
If you’d like to get a sense of what life was like for Conquest Man and his contemporaries during the Norman Conquest, Battle Abbey in East Sussex is hosting its annual reenactment of the Battle of Hastings on 10 and 11 October 2026, the week before Serve It Forth. Hundreds of reenactors take part, recreating Norman and Saxon camps and giving visitors an insight into everyday life for people almost 1,000 years ago. Tickets are now available from www.english-heritage.org.uk/battle
If you enjoyed the podcast you can become a paid subscriber to the Comfortably Hungry Substack (which means you’ll receive additional content) or show your appreciation by leaving a small, one off tip here.
A huge thank you to Thomas Ntinas of The Delicious Legacy for doing the sound mixing on this season of the podcast. Sound effects and music provided by Zapsplat and Pond5.
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In this extra helping of the Comfortably Hungry podcast I chat to chef Jago Rackham and author of To Entertain: Instructions for a Dinner Party about the complexities (or not) of hosting a dinner party. We chat about stuffy Victorian etiquette manuals (which Jago’s book most definitely isn’t), his Grandmother’s account book and why plating up à la Russe is overrated.
If you enjoyed the podcast you can become a paid subscriber to the Comfortably Hungry Substack (which means you’ll receive additional content) or show your appreciation by leaving a small, one off tip here.
There are lots of Victorian etiquette manuals available online at Internet Archive if you want to see examples of the advice that used to be dished out, such as:
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Bonus Episode: Consider the Anchovy
Season 4
Saturday, August 15, 2026 • Duration 50:46
In this bonus episode I plunge into the history of the anchovy - the little fish with a big flavour with food writer Sudi Pigott. We discuss how Sudi became an anchovy evangelist, explore the lives of the women (sobadoras) who are vital to the anchovy industry and lots more.
If you enjoyed the podcast you can become a paid subscriber to the Comfortably Hungry Substack (which means you’ll receive additional content) or show your appreciation by leaving a small, one off tip here.
Useful Links
Consider the Anchovy is available from all good independent bookshops (and the usual big book suppliers but they don’t need a plug here).
Don’t forget to visit Sudi’s website for more details on her work and events plus follow her anchovy travels on Instagram and Substack. You’ll find Sudi at festivals in Abergevenny, Chiswick and Folkestone later this year.
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Bonus Episode: An Epic History of Mac 'n' Cheese - Part 2
Season 4
Thursday, July 23, 2026 • Duration 39:25
In Part 2 of my deep dive into the history of macaroni and cheese with culinary historian Karima Moyer-Nocchi, author of The Epic History of Mac and Cheese, we chat about colonial FOMO, the macaroni fashion craze and debunk a stubborn gastro myth concerning Mac ‘n’ cheese’s popularity in the US.
If you enjoyed the podcast you can become a paid subscriber to the Comfortably Hungry Substack (which means you’ll receive additional content) or show your appreciation by leaving a small, one off tip here.
* (Big City Food Biographies) with Giancarlo Rolandi (2019)
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Bonus Episode: An Epic History of Mac 'n' Cheese - Part 1
Season 4
Tuesday, July 14, 2026 • Duration 30:59
July 14 is National Macaroni and Cheese day!
To mark the occasion I thought it would be fun to delve into the history of Mac ‘n’ Cheese with culinary historian Karima Moyer-Nocchi, author of The Epic History of Mac and Cheese. In Part 1,Karima and I explore the antecedents of this iconic pasta dish and how it found its way to England to develop into a recipe fit for medieval kings complete with a liberal sprinkling of spices.
Part 2 will follow soon!
If you enjoyed the podcast you can become a paid subscriber to the Comfortably Hungry Substack (which means you’ll receive additional content) or show your appreciation by leaving a small, one off tip here.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit
S4E14: Gujarat's Stepwells
Season 4 · Episode 14
Thursday, June 11, 2026 • Duration 44:39
In the last episode of Season 4 (sad but true) we plunge deep into the ‘underworld’, figuratively speaking, in our final quest for fresh water.
I chat to Niyati Kukadia about Gujarat’s ancient vavs, or stepwells, once vital for supplying drinking water to communities in one of India’s most arid areas. I discover that these architectural wonders were so much more than a source of water. Historically the vavs provided women with a space and the freedom to socialise away from the patriarchal gaze. Although many vavs fell out of use during the British colonial era, they are once again being looked at as a potential solution to water scarcity in this region.
Show Notes
* Niyati runs adventure, wildlife and cultural tours through Soar Excursions, which include visits to the Rani ki Vav (Queen’s Well) mentioned in this podcast and pictured above. You can follow Soar Excursions on YouTube and Instagram.
* Robert Macfarlane’s book is a troubling but important read if you want to learn more about the pollution of India’s waterways.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit
S4E13: A Pinch (or two) of Salt
Season 4 · Episode 13
Thursday, May 28, 2026 • Duration 45:31
In this episode I head to the midlands town of Droitwich which was once a powerhouse in the English salt production industry (and arguably still is) on account of its brine springs. Helping me explore the town’s heritage are local historian Paul Jones LRPS and Steve from Churchfields salt works.
If you enjoyed the podcast you can become a paid subscriber to the Comfortably Hungry Substack (which means you’ll receive additional content) or show your appreciation by leaving a small, one off tip here.
Useful Links
* For more details on the products produced by Churchfields visit their website
Don’t forget you can follow me on Instagram or Bluesky @mrssbilton or find out more about my work on .
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit
S4E12: Fetching the Rains
Season 4 · Episode 12
Thursday, May 14, 2026 • Duration 46:29
In this episode we’ll be journeying to pre-Colombian Mesoamerica with Dr Gabrielle Vail, Research Collaborator in the Department of Anthropology, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, to explore why the worship of rain gods like Chaak was so crucial to the Mayans and discover the role that food played in these ceremonies.
You may also want to go back and listen to the first episode of Season 2 where I discuss the Day of the Dead celebrations with Maite Gomez-Rejón.
If you enjoyed the podcast you can become a paid subscriber to the Comfortably Hungry Substack (which means you’ll receive additional content) or show your appreciation by leaving a small, one off tip here.
Useful Links
The Maya Hieroglyphic Codices website features a searchable translation and analysis of four codices (screenfold books) painted by Maya scribes before the Spanish conquest in the early 16th century. The codices contain information about Maya beliefs and rituals, as well as everyday activities, all framed within an astronomical and calendrical context.
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S4E11: Burton Mill
Season 4 · Episode 11
Thursday, April 30, 2026 • Duration 47:58
In episode 11, I visit Barry and Chris Flannaghan at the restored Burton watermill in Sussex. I discover how Burton Mill has evolved over the centuries but always using water as its source of power. The present 4 storey, 5 bay mill building dates from 1780 and was built on the foundations of an earlier forge or fulling mill (there is a record of a mill close to this site in the Domesday book). Today Burton Mill produces traditional stoneground flour and I get to taste the results!
If you enjoyed the podcast you can become a paid subscriber to the Comfortably Hungry Substack (which means you’ll receive additional content) or show your appreciation by leaving a small, one off tip here.
Useful Links
* Burton Mill near Petworth is only open to the public a few times per year. Please check their website for details on their upcoming open days.
* You can find Chris’ recipe for Irish tea bread here.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit
S4E10: Water of Life
Season 4 · Episode 10
Thursday, April 16, 2026 • Duration 50:43
In this episode I discover more about the role women played in the distilling of usquebaugh (or the water of life) and whisky in Scotland with Peter Gilchrist, food historian at the Tenement Kitchen and host of the Scottish Food History podcast. Peter and I are joined by Rosalind Erskine, Food and Drink Editor of the Scotsman and host of the Scran podcast.
If you enjoyed the podcast you can become a paid subscriber to the Comfortably Hungry Substack (which means you’ll receive additional content) or show your appreciation by leaving a small, one off tip here.
Useful Links
Don’t forget to check out Peter’s website The Tenement Kitchen which explores Scottish folk cookery. You can also find him on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. You can also listen to the Scottish Food History podcast which Peter hosts with Dr Lindsay Middleton here.
You can find out more about Rosalind’s work on her website and also find her on Instagram. Ros is also the host of The Scotsman’s Scran Podcast.
Lots of whisky distilleries were mentioned in the podcast including which was run by early female distillers Flora and Margaret McDougall in the 1850s.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit
Comfortably Hungry, a podcast by Sam Bilton - Stats, Episodes and Rankings - My Podcast Data
* Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens (1864) - not an etiquette book but his characters Mr & Mrs Veneering are perfect examples of the sort of people that these books were aimed at.
A huge thank you to Thomas Ntinas of The Delicious Legacy for doing the sound mixing on this season of the podcast. Sound effects and music provided by Zapsplat and Pond5.
Comfortably Hungry is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
A huge thank you to Thomas Ntinas of The Delicious Legacy for doing the sound mixing on this season of the podcast. Sound effects and music provided by Zapsplat and Pond5.
Comfortably Hungry is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
A huge thank you to Thomas Ntinas of The Delicious Legacy for doing the sound mixing on this season of the podcast. Sound effects and music provided by Zapsplat and Pond5.
Comfortably Hungry is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
A huge thank you to Thomas Ntinas of The Delicious Legacy for doing the sound mixing on this season of the podcast. Sound effects and music provided by Zapsplat and Pond5.
Comfortably Hungry is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
* Much Ado About Cooking event at the British Library Food Season Big Weekend on 13 June 2026. Even if in-person tickets have sold out you can buy an online ticket.
If you enjoyed the podcast you can become a paid subscriber to the Comfortably Hungry Substack (which means you’ll receive additional content) or show your appreciation by leaving a small, one off tip here.
A huge thank you to Thomas Ntinas of The Delicious Legacy for doing the sound mixing on this season of the podcast. Sound effects and music provided by Zapsplat and Pond5.
Comfortably Hungry is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
A huge thank you to Thomas Ntinas of The Delicious Legacy for doing the sound mixing on this season of the podcast. Sound effects and music provided by Zapsplat and Pond5.
Comfortably Hungry is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
A huge thank you to Thomas Ntinas of The Delicious Legacy for doing the sound mixing on this season of the podcast. Sound effects and music provided by Zapsplat and Pond5.
Comfortably Hungry is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
A huge thank you to Thomas Ntinas of The Delicious Legacy for doing the sound mixing on this season of the podcast. Sound effects and music provided by Zapsplat and Pond5.
Comfortably Hungry is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
You can listen to the talk I gave on the history of gingerbread at the 2025 Scottish Food History here along with Perilla Kinchen’s keynote talk on the influence of Catherine Cranston and her tearooms.
A huge thank you to Thomas Ntinas of The Delicious Legacy for doing the sound mixing on this season of the podcast. Sound effects and music provided by Zapsplat and Pond5.
Comfortably Hungry is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
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